Eastern District of Virginia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Foreign National Pleads Guilty to Downloading Child Pornography from the Dark Web in Exchange for CryptocurrencyRead the Press Release
A Saudi Arabian national living in Arlington, Virginia pleaded guilty today to downloading child pornography through the dark web.
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 Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Lechleitner of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)’s Washington, D.C. made the announcement.
Ammar Atef Alahdali, 22, pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography before U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady of the Eastern District of Virginia. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 18.
According to admissions made in connection with his guilty plea, Alahdali paid cryptocurrency to become a member of a website dedicated to the advertisement and distribution of child pornography. This website operated over the dark web—i.e., it could only be accessed through special software that masks the user’s real internet protocol address. In 2017, he used this website to download more than 20 videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, including at least one video depicting sadistic sexual conduct.
HSI investigated the case. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Kyle P. Reynolds and William G. Clayman of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Fong of the Eastern District of Virginia.
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. Attorneys’ Offices and 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.
Man Sentenced for Coercion and Enticement of MinorRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Florida man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for using Kik, an instant messaging mobile application, to coerce and entice a minor.
According to court documents, in late 2016, Anthony C.A. Martin, 27, of Pensacola, began communicating via Kik with a 15 year-old female living in Alexandria. In March 2017, over Kik, they discussed Martin traveling from Ohio, where he was living at the time, to Virginia to have sexual intercourse with the minor victim and then transport her back to Ohio. Days later, Martin met the minor victim in a room at a hotel in Alexandria, where the two had sex before driving to Ohio. There, Martin used Kik to ask the minor victim to send him explicit photographs and videos. Later in June 2017, after the minor victim had returned to Virginia, Martin again traveled to Alexandria, where he met the minor victim at a different hotel and recorded their sexual encounter with his cell phone and without the minor victim’s consent.
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. Attorneys’ 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, Matthew J. DeSarno, Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office, and Michael L. Brown, Alexandria Chief of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander E. Blanchard and Kellen S. Dwyer 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. 1:18-cr-238.
Man Pleads Guilty to Aiming Laser Pointer at Two Commercial AircraftRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Marshall man pleaded guilty yesterday to aiming the beam of a laser pointer at two aircraft in flight.
According to court documents, Nicholas Pifer, 45, struck the cockpit of two commercial aircraft with the beam of a laser pointer. Both aircraft were in the process of landing at Washington Dulles International Airport, but managed to land safely. All four pilots reported seeing the cabin illuminated with a green light.
Pifer pleaded guilty to one count of aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison when sentenced on December 21, 2018. 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, Matthew J. DeSarno, Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office, and Michelle McVicker, Principal Assistant Inspector General for Investigations at the U.S. Department of Transportation, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Peters and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan Clark 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 is 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-282.
Virginia Man Pleads Guilty to Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A Woodbridge, Virginia man pleaded guilty today to one count of production of child pornography.
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 Nancy McNamara of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement.
David Edward De Vere, 53, a former Equal Employment Specialist at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady of the Eastern District of Virginia to production of child pornography. According to admissions made in connection with his plea, in March 2017, De Vere met and began communicating online with a 16-year-old minor living in Colorado. During the course of these communications, De Vere induced the minor to take and send him images of the minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Additionally, in April 2017, De Vere travelled from Virginia to Colorado in an attempt to engage in sexual activity with the minor, but failed to make contact with the minor.
De Vere is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 11, 2019.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which is comprised of agents of the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, and detectives from the Prince William County Police, Fairfax County Police, Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, Metropolitan Police, Alexandria City Police, Arlington County Police, Leesburg Police, Virginia State Police and the Offices of Inspector General of several federal agencies. Trial Attorney William Clayman of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kellen S. Dwyer are prosecuting the case.
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. Attorneys’ 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.
Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. – Petrobras Agrees to Pay More Than $850 Million for FCPA ViolationsRead the Press Release
Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. – Petrobras (Petrobras), a Brazilian state-owned and state-controlled energy company, entered into agreements with U.S. and Brazilian authorities and agreed to pay a combined total of $853.2 million in penalties to resolve the U.S. government’s investigation into violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) in connection with Petrobras’s role in facilitating payments to politicians and political parties in Brazil, as well as a related Brazilian investigation.
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 Robert Johnson of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division made the announcement.
“Executives at the highest levels of Petrobras—including members of its Executive Board and Board of Directors—facilitated the payment of hundreds of millions of dollars in bribes to Brazilian politicians and political parties and then cooked the books to conceal the bribe payments from investors and regulators,” said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski. “The Criminal Division’s Fraud Section—together with our partners in the Eastern District of Virginia, the SEC, and the FBI—are grateful for the assistance provided by our Brazilian law enforcement counterparts. This case is just the most recent example of our ability to work with our foreign counterparts to investigate companies and other criminal actors whose conduct spans multiple international jurisdictions.”
“Protecting the integrity of U.S. financial markets is one of the highest priorities of this Administration,” said U.S. Attorney Terwilliger. “Those who choose to access our capital markets while failing to disclose the corrupt activities of company executives will be held accountable. I want to thank our law enforcement partners for their diligence and dedication in pursing this important case.”
“Today’s global resolution demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to thoroughly investigating and holding accountable those international companies who seek to take advantage of our financial system while also facilitating bribes and fraud in other countries,” said FBI Assistant Director Johnson. “The hefty $853.2 million criminal penalty should act as a deterrent to anyone seeking to perpetrate this kind of fraud in the future. This case proves that no company is above the law and that corruption that spans borders will not be tolerated by the United States. I want to thank the agents, analysts, and prosecutors who investigated this case in parallel with Brazilian authorities. We will continue to pursue any and all companies and individuals throughout the world who disregard the rule of law and threaten our fair and competitive marketplace for their personal gain.”
“Today’s substantial resolution demonstrates the FBI’s continued commitment to working with U.S. and international partners to investigate corruption no matter where it occurs,” said Special Agent in Charge Matthew J. DeSarno of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division. “We remain committed to holding companies and executives who violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act accountable for their activity, and we will continue to work diligently to uphold the integrity of an increasingly global marketplace."
According to Petrobras’s admissions, while the company’s American Depository Shares traded on the New York Stock Exchange, members of the Petrobras Executive Board were involved in facilitating and directing millions of dollars in corrupt payments to politicians and political parties in Brazil, and members of Petrobras’s Board of Directors were also involved in facilitating bribes that a major Petrobras contractor was paying to Brazilian politicians. During this period, for example, a Petrobras executive directed the payment of illicit funds to stop a parliamentary inquiry into Petrobras contracts, and the executive also directed payments received from Petrobras contractors to be corruptly used to pay millions of dollars to the campaign of a Brazilian politician who had oversight over the location where one of Petrobras’s refineries was being built.
Petrobras admitted that it failed to make and keep books, records and accounts that accurately and fairly reflected the company’s capitalization of property, plant and equipment as a result of the bribes being generated by the company’s contractors with the cooperation of certain Petrobras executives, and that certain Petrobras executives signed false Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) 302 sub-certifications while they were involved in, and were aware that other executives at Petrobras were involved in, obtaining and facilitating the payment of millions of dollars in bribes to Brazilian politicians, to Brazilian political parties and to themselves. Petrobras also admitted that certain executives failed to implement internal financial and accounting controls in order to continue to facilitate bribe payments to Brazilian politicians and Brazilian political parties.
Petrobras entered into a non-prosecution agreement and agreed to pay a criminal penalty of $853.2 million to resolve the matter. This reflects a 25 percent discount off the low end of the applicable U.S. Sentencing Guidelines fine range for the company’s full cooperation and remediation. In related proceedings, Petrobras reached a settlement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Petrobras entered into an agreement to reach a settlement with the Ministerio Publico Federal in Brazil. Under the non-prosecution agreement, the United States will credit the amount that Petrobras pays to the SEC and Brazil under their respective agreements, with the Department of Justice and the SEC receiving 10 percent ($85,320,000) each and Brazil receiving the remaining 80 percent ($682,560,000). As part of the agreement, Petrobras has agreed to continue to cooperate with the Department in any ongoing investigations and prosecutions relating to the conduct, including of individuals, to enhance its compliance program and to report to the Department on the implementation of its enhanced compliance program.
The Department reached this resolution based on a number of unique factors presented by this case, including that Petrobras is a Brazilian-owned company that entered into a resolution with Brazilian authorities and is subject to oversight by Brazilian authorities, and that, in addition to the significant misconduct engaged in by Petrobras, a number of executives of the company engaged in an embezzlement scheme that victimized the company and its shareholders. In addition, the company did not voluntarily disclose the conduct, but did notify the government of its intent to fully cooperate after learning of the allegations of misconduct; Petrobras fully cooperated in the investigation and fully remediated. Petrobras’s cooperation included conducting a thorough internal investigation, proactively sharing in real time facts discovered during the internal investigation and sharing information that would not have been otherwise available to the Department, making regular factual presentations to the Department, facilitating interviews of and information from foreign witnesses, and voluntarily collecting, analyzing and organizing voluminous evidence and information for the Department in response to requests, including translating key documents. Petrobras also took extensive remedial measures, including replacing the Board of Directors and the Executive Board (the company’s high-level managers) and implementing governance reforms, as well as disciplining employees and ensuring that the company no longer employs or is affiliated with any of the individuals known to the company to be implicated in the conduct at issue in the case.
In the related SEC matter, Petrobras also agreed to pay to the SEC disgorgement and prejudgment interest totaling $933,473,797, which shall be reduced by the amount of any payment Petrobras makes to the class action Settlement Fund in the matter of In re Petrobras Securities Litigation, No. 14-cv-9662 (S.D.N.Y.).
The FBI’s International Corruption Squad in Washington, D.C. investigated the case. Assistant Chiefs Christopher Cestaro and Lorinda Laryea and Trial Attorney Derek Ettinger of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Grace Hill of the Eastern District of Virginia prosecuted the case.
The Department appreciates the significant cooperation provided by the SEC and the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs in this case.
The Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting all FCPA matters. Additional information about the Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa.
Former Medical Assistant Sentenced for Oxycodone ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A former medical assistant from Woodbridge was sentenced today to four years in prison for her role in leading a conspiracy to distribute oxycodone, which involved supplying thousands of dangerous opioids for distribution.
According to court documents, Tatiana Bailey, 32, was employed as a medical assistant with INOVA Bariatric Surgery in Woodbridge. From at least February 2015 to October 2015, Bailey abused the trust of the doctors who employed her by stealing blank oxycodone prescriptions, to which she had access by virtue of her position as an employee, and forged a number of those prescriptions using an INOVA physician’s name and registration number. She then sold blank and forged prescriptions to others, none of whom were patients of the medical practice, who would fill the prescriptions and use or distribute the oxycodone. During the course of the conspiracy, Bailey facilitated the fraudulent filling of over 90 prescriptions, totaling approximately 6,520 oxycodone pills.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Scott W. Hoernke, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, and Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of Virginia State Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raj Parekh prosecuted the matter and handled the sentencing hearing. Former Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allison Garnett and Troy Edwards provided assistance investigating 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 is 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-222.
Eight-Time Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Heroin TraffickingRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man pleaded guilty today to maintaining a drug-trafficking operation out of a storage unit and possessing with intent to distribute heroin.
According to court documents, Demetress Donyah Bratton, 36, was storing, manufacturing, and packaging heroin for distribution out of a storage unit that he was renting in Virginia Beach. After executing a search warrant on the storage unit, Virginia Beach Police recovered 89 grams of heroin, $20,000 in cash, cutting agents, other drug paraphernalia, and four guns. Shortly after the search, Bratton arrived at the storage unit, and SWAT team members arrested him in possession of 38 grams of heroin, cutting agents, more drug paraphernalia, and approximately $1600. Bratton has been trafficking heroin for the past six years and is an eight-time felon.
Bratton faces a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum term of 40 years in prison when sentenced on January 3, 2019. 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), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Scott W. Hoernke, Acting 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 U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin M. Comstock 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. 2:18-cr-123.
Seafood Processor Pleads Guilty to Selling Foreign Crab Meat Falsely Labeled as Blue Crab from USARead the Press Release
James R. Casey of Poquoson, Virginia, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Newport News, Virginia, on charges that he led a lucrative conspiracy to falsely label millions of dollars worth of foreign crab meat as “Product of USA,” announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey H. Wood of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division and G. Zachary Terwilliger, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.
“Blue crabs are a classic American seafood product and a vital resource for coastal communities in Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, and other parts of the United States,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey H. Wood. “As a nation, we invest tremendously in the management of Atlantic blue crab populations and other marine resources, and those efforts – along with the jobs of American seafood workers – are placed at risk by frauds like the one exposed in this case. The Department of Justice, under the leadership of Attorney General Jeff Sessions, will continue to take action to enforce the law and to protect the economic competiveness of American products and the safety of American consumers.”
“Mr. Casey conspired to replace Atlantic Blue Crab with crab meat from Indonesia, China, Thailand, Vietnam, and Central and South America,” said U.S Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Casey falsely labeled nearly 400,000 pounds of crab meat with a retail value in the millions of dollars. This fraud causes real financial harm to economies here in the region, and threatens to tarnish the good name of the waterman who have worked these waters for generations. We are committed to working with our federal and state partners to ensure compliance with the Lacey Act, and to enforce our nation’s environmental laws that are in place to protect consumers from similar fraud schemes.”
"Seafood fraud undermines the economic viability of U.S. and global fisheries, deceives consumers, and threatens the health of those who consume tainted or misidentified seafood products," said James Landon, Director of NOAA's Office of Law Enforcement. "This case underscores the efforts taken by federal law enforcement to strengthen seafood fraud detection throughout the supply chain, and our continued commitment to diligently work to safeguard the industry and consumers."
Casey was the owner and President of Casey’s Seafood Inc., a wholesale processor of crab meat and other seafood. He pleaded guilty to conspiring with others to substitute foreign crab meat for Atlantic blue crab and, as part of the plea, admitted to falsely labeling more than 183 tons of crab meat, which was then sold to grocery stores and independent retailers.
A significant decline in Atlantic blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) harvests that began in 2010 made it increasingly expensive to purchase live Atlantic blue crab and increasingly difficult to profit from the labor-intensive process of picking meat from live-harvested blue crab. As part of his guilty plea, Casey admitted that, because of this decline, he and his company could not and did not process sufficient quantities of Atlantic blue crab to meet customer demands. To make up the shortfall, the co-conspirators used foreign crab meat to fulfill customer orders. During the periods when the company did not process blue crab—which sometimes lasted three months—the co-conspirators purchased crab meat (not live crabs) from Indonesia, China, Thailand, Vietnam, and other foreign locales.
The crab meat from Indonesia, China, Thailand, and Vietnam included meat from Portunus pelagicus, Portunus haanii, and Ovalipes punctatus, which are all Indo-West Pacific species of crab that do not live in the continental waters of the United States. The company also purchased crab meat (not live crabs) from Central American sources, which did include Atlantic blue crab, Callinectes sapidus, but also included other species such as Callinectes bocourti, Callinectes bellicosis, Callinectes toxotes, and Callinectes arcuatus.
As part of the guilty plea, Casey further admitted that beginning at least as early as 2010, and continuing through June 17, 2015, he directed company employees to unpack foreign crab meat from his suppliers’ containers, comingle it with domestic blue crab and/or other types of crab, and re-pack that crab meat into Casey’s Seafood containers, all of which were labeled “Product of USA.”
As part of the plea, Casey admitted that part of the conspiracy was to purchase discounted foreign crab meat, some of which was referred to as “distressed” because it was approaching or beyond its posted “best used by” dates. Casey admitted to directing company employees to “re-condition” the “distressed” crab meat by re-pasteurizing it, and then packaging the “re-conditioned” meat into the company’s containers, which were labeled and sold as blue crab and “Product of USA.” Casey also directed employees to place labels with “Product of USA” on containers that concealed labels marked as “Product of China” and “Product of Brazil.”
This case was part of an ongoing effort by the Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Law Enforcement, in coordination with the Food and Drug Administration, Department of Homeland Security, The Virginia Marine Police, and the Department of Justice to detect, deter, and prosecute those engaged in the false labeling of crab meat.
The guilty plea took place before U.S. District Court Judge Raymond A. Jackson in Newport News. Sentencing will take place on January 9, 2019. The maximum sentence for conspiracy to falsely label crab meat is five years in prison and a fine of up to half the gross gain of the offense.
The investigation is continuing. This prosecution is being handled by the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. The government is represented by Assistant United States Attorney Eric Hurt and Trial Attorney Gary N. Donner.
Chesterfield Man Convicted of Attempted Sex Trafficking of a ChildRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Chesterfield County man today on charges of attempted sex trafficking of a minor, receipt of child pornography, and possession of child pornography.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Richard Todd Haas, 48, attempted to use a prostitute he knew to help him obtain young girls to sexually molest and produce child pornography, which he then intended to sell for a profit. Haas first met the prostitute in 2012 on the now-defunct website Backpage.com, and they got together several times for sex that year. They lost touch but reconnected in May 2016, again through Backpage. The woman visited Haas at his Chesterfield home to provide sexual services, and during that visit, Haas shared with her his desire to have sex with children. Haas showed her child pornography on his laptop, and asked her if she had access to any young girls because they could produce child pornography together and make a lot of money. The woman feigned interest in the defendant’s proposal, but instead of actually participating in the plan, she notified the FBI.
Working in conjunction with FBI investigators, the woman stayed in contact with Haas via phone and text, and informed the defendant she had access to both an 8-year-old and 12-year-old girl living in Baltimore, Maryland. The woman obtained incriminating text messages and recorded conversations during which the defendant used evasive language about the plan and told the woman to refer to the age of the children as shoe sizes.
The FBI’s undercover investigation was cut short in August 2016, shortly after the last recorded call between the woman and Haas, when investigators received information that Haas had recently sexually molested an 11-year-old girl in Chesterfield. Federal investigators executed a search warrant on the defendant’s home and business on September 1, 2016, seizing among other things the defendant’s laptop. A forensic examination of the defendant’s laptop revealed more than 7,000 images and movies of child pornography involving child victims whose identities are known, as well as many more child pornography images and movies involving unidentified victims.
Haas faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and a maximum possible punishment of life imprisonment when sentenced on December 6, 2018. 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 Adam S. Lee, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne accepted the verdict. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian R. Hood and Heather H. Mansfield 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 is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:16-cr-139.
VCU Health System Authority Agrees to $4 Million SettlementRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – Virginia Commonwealth University Health System Authority (VCU), which operates VCU Medical Center and related healthcare facilities in Richmond, agreed to pay $3,994,151 to settle claims for billing overpayments paid by Medicare, Tricare, and the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan (FEHB) for services rendered to patients.
The resolution follows from a voluntary disclosure by VCU to the U.S. Attorney’s Office after VCU discovered through audits of patient files and claims data that Federal healthcare payors had been overbilled for radiation oncology services. After VCU discovered the conduct that had caused a variety of billing errors, VCU took corrective action to prevent the conduct that caused the overpayments and made the disclosure. The settlement resolves claims arising out of errors in VCU billings to Federal healthcare payors from 2009 through September 2014.
VCU provided assistance during the government’s investigation, which was a coordinated effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management Office of the Inspector General, and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service Office of Inspector General. The matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert McIntosh.
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.
Operator of Counter Antivirus Service “Scan4you” Sentenced to 14 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
A Latvian “non-citizen,” meaning a citizen of the former USSR who resided in Riga, Latvia, was sentenced to 168 months in prison today for offenses related to his operation of “Scan4you,” an online counter antivirus service that helped computer hackers determine whether the computer viruses and other malicious software they created would be detected by antivirus software, announced 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 Special Agent in Charge Matthew J. DeSarno of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division.
Ruslans Bondars, 38, was convicted on May 16, following a five-day jury trial, of one count of conspiracy to violate the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and one count of computer intrusion with intent to cause damage and aiding and abetting.
“Ruslans Bondars helped malware developers attack American businesses,” said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski. “The Department of Justice and its law enforcement partners make no distinction between service providers like Scan4You and the hackers they assist: we will hold them accountable for all of the significant harm they cause and work tirelessly to bring them to justice, wherever they may be located.”
“Ruslans Bondars designed and operated a service that provided essential aid to some of the world’s most destructive hackers,” said U.S. Attorney Terwilliger. “This prosecution demonstrates our commitment to combating global computer crime by taking away the essential tools upon which hackers rely.”
“We continue to face sophisticated cyber threats from state-sponsored hackers, hackers for hire, organized cyber syndicates, and terrorists,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge DeSarno. “This prosecution should serve as an example to those who assist or facilitate criminal hacking activity that they will be exposed and held accountable no matter where they are in the world.”
According to testimony at trial and court documents, from at least 2009 until 2016, Bondars operated Scan4you, which for a fee provided computer hackers with information they used to determine whether their malware would be detected by antivirus software, including and especially by antivirus software used to protect major U.S. retailers, financial institutions and government agencies from computer intrusions.
A Scan4you customer, for example, used the service to test malware that was subsequently used to steal approximately 40 million credit and debit card numbers, as well as approximately 70 million addresses, phone numbers and other pieces of personal identifying information, from retail store locations throughout the United States, causing one retailer approximately $292 million in expenses resulting from the intrusion.
Another Scan4you customer used the service to assist the development of “Citadel,” a widely used malware strain that was used to infect over 11 million computers worldwide, including in the United States, and resulted in over $500 million in fraud-related losses. The Citadel developer took advantage of a special feature of Scan4you that allowed its integration directly into the Citadel malware toolkit through an Application Programming Interface, or API. The API tool allowed Scan4you users the flexibility to scan malware without the need to directly submit the malware to Scan4you’s website.
At its height, Scan4you was one of the largest services of its kind and had at least thousands of users. Malware developed with the assistance of Scan4you included some of the most prolific malware known to the FBI and was used in major computer intrusions committed against American businesses.
Scan4you differed from legitimate antivirus scanning services in multiple ways. For example, while legitimate scanning services share data about uploaded files with the antivirus community and notify their users that they will do so, Scan4you instead informed its users that they could upload files anonymously and promised not to share information about the uploaded files with the antivirus community.
In issuing the sentence, the court found a loss amount of $20.5 billion. In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady ordered Bondars to serve three years of supervised release. A decision regarding forfeiture and payment of restitution to victims of the offenses is forthcoming.
The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case. Trial Attorneys C. Alden Pelker and Ryan K. Dickey of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kellen Dwyer and Laura Fong of the Eastern District of Virginia prosecuted the case. The Government of Latvia, including the Latvia State Police International Cooperation Department, the Latvia State Police Cybercrime Unit, and the General Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Latvia – International Cooperation Division, provided assistance and support during the investigation. Additional assistance was provided by the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs, the FBI’s Atlanta Field Office and the Operational Technology Division, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the District of Minnesota and the Northern District of Georgia.
Woman Sentenced to 15 Years for Multiple Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Vermont woman was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for committing multiple armed bank robberies in Virginia and Vermont.
According to court documents, Amber R. Fusco, 30, drove from Vermont to Virginia in December 2017 with two other individuals. On the way to Virginia, the three stopped in New York City where Fusco stole a $35,000 Rolex watch from a jewelry store. The watch was recovered, but Fusco and her associates managed to get away. Once in Virginia, Fusco robbed a BB&T Bank in Henrico on Dec. 20, 2017. She entered the bank armed with a revolver and handed the teller a demand note. Fusco then displayed the firearm to the teller demanding that she hurry up. After receiving the money, Fusco fled the bank returning to where her associates were waiting. On Dec. 23, 2017, Fusco went into a Wells Fargo Bank in Richmond and handed a teller a note demanding money. After receiving the money, Fusco fled the bank, and managed to elude capture. Fusco returned to Vermont on Christmas Eve and committed three more bank robberies in January 2018. As part of her plea, Fusco admitted to committing all five bank robberies, and to brandishing a weapon during the BB&T robbery.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Adam S. Lee, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, Alfred Durham, Chief of Richmond Police, and Humberto I. Cardounel, Jr., Chief of Henrico County Police Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne. Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela Mastandrea-Miller prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is 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-67.
Multiple Defendants Indicted for Heroin and Fentanyl CrimesRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A federal grand jury returned a seven-count indictment yesterday charging Caroline County residents and a City of Richmond man with conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl and a number of other drug trafficking crimes, including distribution and possession with intent to distribute a mixture containing heroin and fentanyl, the use of which resulted in the death of Elizabeth Rosie on or about Nov. 28, 2017.
According to the indictment, Leonus Stevenson Peterson, 43, of Richmond, Gregory Kenneth Rosie, 42 of Caroline County, Marcus Ian Watson, 43, of Caroline County and Jenna Rose Queen, 33, of Caroline County, were charged with conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin and more than 40 grams of fentanyl over a twelve-month period of time. If convicted of this count, the defendants face a mandatory minimum term of 5 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison.
According to the indictment, Peterson and Rosie also were charged with distribution and possession with intent to distribute a mixture that contained heroin and fentanyl on or about Nov. 28, 2017, the use of which resulted in the death of Elizabeth Rosie, who was Greg Rosie’s wife. If convicted, the men face a mandatory minimum 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, Scott W. Hoernke, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, Colonel Gary T. Settle, Virginia State Police Superintendent, and Tony Lippa, Jr., Caroline County Sheriff, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia L. Norman 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 is 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-90.
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 Hardest Hit Heroin Supplier Sentenced to Life in PrisonRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Portsmouth man was sentenced today to life in prison and ordered to forfeit $5.7 million for leading, organizing, and supplying a major heroin trafficking operation that resulted in at least one death.
“Leroy Perdue pumped a massive quantity of heroin into Hampton Roads for nearly a decade,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “This eight-time previously convicted drug felon supplied heroin while armed. He supplied heroin to gang members. He even continued to supply heroin after discovering his drugs resulted in a fatal overdose. This case is a prime example of the power of law enforcement collaboration, and a fitting result for a defendant who choose to destroy families by trafficking opioids. I want to thank our prosecutors and our investigative partners for their extraordinary effort and dedication to this important case.”
According to court documents, Leroy Perdue, aka “Dink,” “Big Heat,” 46, served as the primary leader and organizer of a Hampton Roads based heroin trafficking organization distributed in excess of 100 kilograms of heroin (approximately 250,000 doses) over a 10-year period. In May, following a two-week trial, a federal jury found Perdue guilty of conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to manufacture and distribute one kilogram or more of heroin; interstate travel in aid of racketeering; and possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin.
“With this final conviction and life sentence, one of the largest heroin trafficking operations in Hampton Roads has been completely shut down and we have taken one of the biggest drug dealers in the region off the streets,” said Mark R. Herring, Attorney General of Virginia. “My team and I have worked alongside both federal and local partners to interrupt the flow of heroin and fentanyl that drug dealers like Perdue pump into our communities. Multi-jurisdictional, multi-agency operations like Operation Hardest Hit continue to put dangerous individuals behind bars while also educating the public on the dangers of these drugs. I want to thank everyone involved with Operation Hardest Hit and securing this important conviction.”
On Aug. 14, 2017, over 300 law enforcement agents made arrests and executed search warrants in Virginia, Georgia, and New York. The takedown was the result of a multi-year, multi-jurisdictional, and multi-agency Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation designated Operation Hardest Hit.
“For years this defendant and his associates preyed on vulnerable people for profit and greed,” said Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Division. “They celebrated and bragged about their criminal enterprise, and showed no concern for its impact on the community or remorse when they learned their crimes resulted in death. Their conduct defied basic decency and demonstrates the need for vigilance and collaboration by law enforcement in targeting high level traffickers and violent criminal organizations that poison our community and terrorize our neighborhoods.”
According to court documents, law enforcement began investigating Leroy Perdue and his drug trafficking organization (Perdue DTO) in early 2016 following the heroin overdose death of a young resident of Chesapeake. With the participation of nearly two dozen Confidential Human Sources, law enforcement infiltrated the Perdue DTO and made 10 undercover controlled purchases of heroin and fentanyl. On June 22, the investigative team arrested Rhadu Schoolfield, 33, of Portsmouth, in Norfolk with more than 800 grams of heroin after he returned from a trip to New York. According to the indictment, the Perdue DTO Members of the Perdue DTO were responsible for supplying a violent gang based in Portsmouth and continued to sell dangerous narcotics even after learning that their drugs resulted in death.
Perdue, who described himself as the “Dogfood King” (“dogfood” is slang for heroin), financed the production of a music video for his co-conspirator and cousin, Rhadu Schoolfield, called, “Dumb Hard,” which contained children singing lyrics along with Schoolfield and other co-conspirators that glamorized the drug trade. According to one court filing, Perdue had at least eight prior adult felony drug convictions.
Twelve of Perdue’s co-conspirators, including his son, two cousins, and several close childhood friends were sentenced to a combined total of nearly 170 years of imprisonment. See table below for sentencing details:
Name, Age
Hometown
Date Imposed
Sentence
Rhadu J. Schoolfield, 33
Portsmouth
February 21, 2018
288 months
Abraham A. Atkins, 35
Portsmouth
December 12, 2017
240 months
Tywon McKelvy, 42
New York
April 5, 2018
235 months
Darion D. Perdue, 24
Portsmouth
October 17, 2017
228 months
Eddie L. Tyson, 46
Portsmouth
December 12, 2017
180 months
Dominic Diablo Mosley, 35
Portsmouth
January 30, 2018
180 months
Kevin R. Lawrence, 37
Portsmouth
January 31, 2018
96 months
Nicholas W. Godwin, 37
Portsmouth
September 6, 2017
148 months
Jamars A. Cooper, 26
Portsmouth
September 5, 2017
132 months
Victoria A. Waller, 42
Portsmouth
January 3, 2018
126 months
Edward W. Muckle, 32
Portsmouth
December 13, 2017
108 months
Christina N. James, 41
New York
February 7, 2018
60 months
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Mark R. Herring, Attorney General of Virginia, Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Division, and Col. K.L. Wright, Chief of Chesapeake Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney John F. Butler, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys William B. Jackson, Kevin P. Hudson, and Andrew C. Bosse prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:17-cr-116.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to Prison for Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A previously convicted felon was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison for possession of a firearm.
“Convicted felons who possess firearms will be investigated and prosecuted at every opportunity,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Our primary mission is public safety, and keeping guns out of the hands of convicted felons goes a long way towards ensuring the safety of our law enforcement partners and the communities they serve. We are committed to removing illegally possessed firearms from our streets, and are zeroing in on criminals like Mr. Willis who are carrying firearms and driving crime in our communities.”
According to court documents, Zaymar Antonio Willis, 31, of Richmond, possessed multiple firearms, including a Bushmaster model XM15-E2S, caliber 223 Remington/ 5.56x45mm NATO semiautomatic pistol, with a 30-round magazine. Willis was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to his prior felony convictions that included a 2009 drug trafficking conviction and a 2013 drug trafficking conviction. In addition to the 3 semiautomatic pistols recovered from the residence, the police also recovered a number of drug-related items, including digital scales, a plate with a razor blade and residue, numerous plastic sandwich bags with the corners ripped off and a small quantity of heroin wrapped in a plastic bag corner. Law enforcement also recovered over $3,500 in cash.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Thomas L. Chittum, III, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, and Alfred Durham, Chief of Richmond Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia L. Norman 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 is 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-41.
Woman Pleads Guilty to Possessing RicinRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A South Carolina woman pleaded guilty today to the unregistered possession of ricin, a highly dangerous toxin.
According to court documents, Virginia Beach police officers executing a search warrant in March 2016 found a number of chemicals, packages of castor beans, and multiple firearms, one with an obliterated serial number, in a storage unit rented by Debbie Siers-Hill, 63, of Summerville, who was then living in Virginia Beach. Tests of the chemicals showed that a syringe and a double-wrapped container found in the storage unit held ricin, a toxin derived from castor beans with no known antidote.
Siers-Hill pleaded guilty to possessing ricin, a listed “select agent” subject to Department of Health and Human Services registration requirements with which she did not comply. She faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison when sentenced on Jan. 14, 2019. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, and James A. Cervera, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Robert G. Doumar accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alan M. Salsbury and Andrew C. Bosse are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is 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-62.
Woman Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute OxymorphoneRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Westmoreland County woman was sentenced today to six years in prison for possession with intent to distribute Oxymorphone, which she had obtained with a valid prescription.
According to court documents, Kali Rose Provost, 29, obtained 90 Oxymorphone pills and 45 Oxycodone pills on Sept. 6, 2017, with a valid prescription. Later that evening, Provost offered to sell some of her pills to a friend, John Hile, and anyone else he knew. Provost then went to Hile’s house where she distributed Oxymorphone to Hile, who crushed the Oxymorphone and sniffed it. Hile died in the early morning hours of Sept. 7, 2017, of Oxymorphone toxicity.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Scott W. Hoernke, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, Colonel Gary T. Settle, Virginia State Police Superintendent, and C.O. Balderson, Westmoreland County Sheriff, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck. Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia L. Norman 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 is 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-42.
Six-Time Felon and Illegal Alien SentencedRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An El Salvadoran man with no fixed address, who has resided off and on in the United States for over 20 years, was sentenced yesterday to three years in prison for illegally re-entering the United States after deportation and subsequent to a felony conviction.
According to court proceedings, Juan Carlos Garcia Torres, 41, was detained on October 26, 2017, in Fairfax County, Virginia for his sixth DUI arrest. ICE took the defendant into custody on October 30, 2017. The defendant has never gained lawful status in the United States and he was convicted previously in 2011 in the Southern District of Texas for another felony illegal reentry offense. At the time of his arrest on October 26, the defendant had four prior DUI convictions in northern Virginia and six felony convictions overall.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Russell Hott, 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 U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dennis M. Fitzpatrick and Christopher Cook are handling the prosecution.
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 is 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-2.
Man Guilty of Distributing Fentanyl Causing Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Dumfries man pleaded guilty today to distribution of fentanyl causing serious bodily injury, for which he faces a mandatory minimum of 20 years in prison.
“Sorensen placed lives at risk every time he chose to distribute these dangerous and deadly drugs into our communities,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Investigating and prosecuting heroin and fentanyl trafficking crimes is a top priority of this office as we continue to battle this deadly epidemic.”
According to court records, Christopher Louis Sorensen, 31, admitted that in February 2018 he distributed fentanyl to a female friend who later suffered respiratory arrest, a life-threatening condition that required medical intervention, including CPR and Narcan, a life-saving opioid overdose reversal drug used by first responders.
“Fentanyl is a dangerous drug that can kill a user after just one use and have widespread negative effects on our communities,” said Matthew J. DeSarno, Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office. “This plea is just one example of the substantial work the FBI is doing with partners across the region to stem the flow of opioids into our neighborhoods.”
According to the statement of facts, Sorensen admitted that from 2015 to 2018, he sold over 400 grams of fentanyl, which he purchased from drug dealers in Baltimore. Additionally, Sorensen admitted that from 2009 to 2018, he sold over 5,000 tablets of 30 milligram oxycodone pills, acquired from a medical provider in Maryland, and filled by a pharmacy in the Eastern District of Virginia, and often sold the tablets in the vicinity of the pharmacy that filled the prescription.
Sorensen pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl causing serious bodily injury, and faces a mandatory minimum of 20 years and a maximum penalty of life in prison when sentenced on December 21, 2018. 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 Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney James L. Trump and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin Paulson 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-237.
Man Sentenced to Prison for Fort Lee AssaultRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Fort Lee man was sentenced today to one year in prison for physically assaulting a woman on Fort Lee in April.
According to court documents, Daniel L. Jefferson, Jr., 32, was convicted of assault by striking, beating, or wounding. On April 27, following an argument that escalated between Jefferson and the victim, Jefferson pushed the victim against the car, grabbed her by her jawbone under her chin, and threatened to kill her. This is Jefferson’s second conviction for assaulting the same dating partner. The first conviction came in November 2016, when Jefferson was sentenced to two months in prison following an assault where he struck her in the right eye with his fist, choked her with a shower curtain, and pushed her to the floor.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Lieutenant Colonel William Ward, Fort Lee Provost Marshal, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. Magistrate Judge David J. Novak. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabrielle Michalak 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-64.
Man Convicted of Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A federal district court judge convicted a Chesterfield County man following a bench trial today on a charge of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, John Jason Morgan, 47, had an outstanding arrest warrant for violating a term of supervised release from a 2006 federal conviction for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. When arrested on that warrant in September 2017, Morgan had 4.5 grams of methamphetamine in his pants pocket and more than 19 grams of methamphetamine in a safe in his truck. Along with the sheer quantity of methamphetamine that was much greater than an amount typically possessed for personal use, Morgan had scales, packaging materials and other items that indicated distribution activities.
Morgan faces a minimum of five years a maximum of 40 years in prison when sentenced on December 13. Additionally, Morgan faces up to five years in prison on the federal supervised release violation. 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, Scott W. Hoernke, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, and Alfred Durham, Chief of Richmond Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck found Morgan guilty. Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia L. Norman 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 is 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-48 and 3:06-cr-494-01.
Indian National Pleads Guilty to Immigration Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A citizen of India pleaded guilty today to operating a fraud scheme in which he used Facebook and WhatsApp to scam people seeking to purchase United States visas.
According to court documents, Kanwar Sarabjit Singh (aka Sandy Singh), 51, a lawful permanent resident, used Facebook and WhatsApp to falsely represent himself as an employee of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) who worked in the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service and who could obtain genuine United States visas in exchange for a fee of $3,000 to $4,000. As part of his scheme, Singh created a fake photo identification document purporting to be from DHS, which he emailed to others in an effort to show that he was, in fact, able to obtain United States immigration documents. Singh instructed individuals seeking immigration documents to email him passport photographs, copies of their passports and other personally identifying information and to send him money via overnight delivery service or by wire transfer. After receiving these documents and the requested fee up front, Singh created and emailed fake letters purporting to be from the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, India, which falsely represented that there was an appointment to pick up the requested visa documents. Many of Singh’s victims resided overseas and were impoverished.
In addition to this visa fraud scheme, Singh also admitted to engaging in an investment fraud scheme in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, in 2012, in which he defrauded approximately 22 investors of approximately $340,000. Singh gained the trust of a local pastor and his church, including elderly members, and falsely represented to them that he owned a small company in India that provided labor for services, including data entry, to two large, international companies and that for a small, up-front investment, they would see a large return on their money.
If you or someone you know may be a victim of this fraud scheme, please contact the FBI’s Washington Field Office at 202-278-2000.
Singh pleaded guilty to wire fraud and impersonation of a federal officer and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on December 14. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Nancy McNamara, 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 R. Pedersen is prosecuting the case.
The Department of Homeland Security provided assistance with 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 is 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-228.
State Department Official Sentenced to Prison for Engaging in Honest Services Wire Fraud and Theft of Federal FundsRead the Press Release
A program manager for the U.S. Department of State was sentenced to 13 months in prison today for accepting kickbacks and stealing federal funds intended for a foreign exchange program maintained by the U.S. Department of State. 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, Inspector General Steve A. Linick of the U.S. Department of State and Special Agent in Charge Matthew J. DeSarno of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division made the announcement.
Kelli R. Davis, 49, of Bowie, Maryland, was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis, III of the Eastern District of Virginia. On May 24, Davis pleaded guilty to a one-count information charging her with conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and theft of public money.
According to admissions made in connection with her plea, Davis was a Program Specialist for the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. She also served as the Program Manager and Grants Officer Representative for the Sports Visitors Program, which sponsored foreign exchanges for emerging youth athletes and coaches from various countries. The exchange program was managed by George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, through a federal grant and cooperative agreement with the State Department.
Davis admitted that between February 2011 and March 2016, she conspired with others to steal portions of the federal money allocated to the Sports Visitor Program by, among other things, falsifying vendor-related invoices and making fraudulent checks payable to a government contractor, Denon Hopkins, who supplied transportation services for the program. In total, Davis and Hopkins stole approximately $17,335 from the State Department. They have both admitted that Hopkins used portions of the funds to pay kickbacks to Davis to retain his transportation contract. In addition, Davis stole an additional $17,777 from the program over a multi-year period.
The Department of State’s Office of Inspector General and the FBI’s Washington Field Office investigated the case. Trial Attorney Edward P. Sullivan of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly R. Pedersen of the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
Men Indicted for Providing Falsely-Labeled Body ArmorRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Two Florida executives made their initial appearance in federal court today on charges related to falsely-labeled hard body armor plates they provided to the United States government.
According to allegations in the indictment, Dan Thomas Lounsbury, Jr., 49, of South Palm Beach, is the founder, sole owner, and CEO of Tactical Products Group, LLC (TPG), a Florida-based manufacturer and re-seller of various products to military, law enforcement, and private security clients. Andres Lopez-Munoz, 34, of Boynton Beach, is TPG’s Vice President for Sales and Federal Contracting. In 2012, TPG was selected as a sub-contractor on a contract to provide certain goods, including ten sets of hard body armor plates, to the United States government. The government had requested a specific type of plate, and Lounsbury and Lopez-Munoz both knew that no substitutions were allowed. Furthermore, Lounsbury and Lopez-Munoz both knew that these plates would be used to protect government personnel. The consequence of a failure of body armor is death or serious bodily injury. Nevertheless, Lounsbury and Lopez-Munoz worked together to procure cheaper substitute plates, and then to put fraudulent labels on these substitute plates falsely stating that they were the type of plates that the government had required. Some of these cheaper substitute plates were far outside their warranty period, and were not as protective as the false labels claimed.
Lounsbury and Lopez-Munoz are both charged with conspiracy to defraud the government with respect to claims and wire fraud. Lounsbury is additionally charged with false, fictitious, or fraudulent claims. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Grace L. Hill and Raj Parekh 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 is 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-301.
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.
Leader of Major Drug Trafficking Conspiracy Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Woodbridge man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison, as part of a coordinated law enforcement takedown codenamed Operation Tin Panda, that to date has resulted in 39 defendants convicted on federal firearms and drug charges.
According to court documents, Rashourn Niles, 37, pleaded guilty on April 17 to conspiring to distribute 280 grams or more of cocaine base, five kilograms or more of cocaine, and 100 grams or more of heroin. He was the main source of cocaine supply for Tarvell Vandiver, who is his stepson and the regional leader of the Imperial Gangsta Bloods. He taught Vandiver how to manufacture “crack” cocaine from the cocaine, and he also put Vandiver in contact with heroin distributors. At all times, Niles knew that Vandiver distributed the controlled substances while armed.
Niles also regularly sold large quantities of cocaine and heroin to other drug distributors operating within the Eastern District of Virginia and elsewhere. During the conspiracy, Niles stored controlled substances and drug proceeds at multiple residences, and used the proceeds from his drug distribution to purchase luxury vehicles, including a Bentley, Range Rover, Jaguar, and BMW X6, and expensive jewelry, including Rolexes and a necklace worth $45,000.
Niles was arrested in December 2017, when over 300 law enforcement agents and officers executed a coordinated takedown as part of Operation Tin Panda. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division and the FBI’s Washington Field Office Safe Streets Task Force began Operation Tin Panda in the spring of 2017. In collaboration with federal and local law enforcement, investigators and prosecutors began jointly investigating Blood gangs and other drug distributors involved in violent crime and other criminal activity in northern Virginia. Multiple criminal acts were tied to gang and drug activity, including homicide, malicious wounding, robbery, shootings, and drug and firearms distribution. During the course of this investigation, more than 40 individuals throughout Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia, and California, who were illegally selling firearms and controlled substances or were involved in other criminal acts, were arrested on federal firearms and drug charges.
Operation Tin Panda also resulted in the seizure of over 95 firearms, $150,000 in cash, nine vehicles with an estimated value of over $300,000, and approximately 3 pounds of cocaine base, 10 pounds of cocaine, 7 pounds of crystal methamphetamine, 5 pounds of heroin, 4 pounds of ecstasy, 227 pounds of marijuana, and 79 pounds of THC.
Operation Tin Panda was led by the ATF’s Washington Field Division and the FBI’s Washington Field Office Safe Streets Task Force. The DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Prince William County Police Department, Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office, Fairfax County Police Department, Alexandria Police Department, Stafford County Sherriff’s Office, Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office, King George County Sheriff’s Office, Caroline County Sheriff’s Office, Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, Prince George’s County, Maryland Police Department, and the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, provided significant assistance during the operation.
Operation Tin Panda was investigated as part of the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
For more information, please see the table below, which lists the name, age, hometown, respective charge(s), and resulting or potential sentence for each federal defendant convicted as part of Operation Tin Panda.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Thomas L. Chittum, III, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, and Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carina A. Cuellar and Colleen E. Garcia prosecuted the case.
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.
Name, Age, City
Conviction(s)
Result
Sade Anglin, 28, Woodbridge
Maintaining a Drug Premises.
Sentenced to 18 months.
Ishmil Hardwick, 25, Woodbridge
Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Sentenced to 78 months.
Rashourn Niles, 37, Woodbridge
Conspiracy to Distribute 280 grams or more of Cocaine Base, 5 kilograms or more of Cocaine, and 100 grams or more of Heroin.
Sentenced to 20 years
Raheem Kelly, 39, Woodbridge
Conspiracy to Distribute 28 grams or more of Cocaine Base.
Faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years and a maximum of 40 years on Sept. 7.
Michael Lederer, 31, Woodbridge
Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.
Faces a maximum of 10 years on Sept. 21.
Tarvell Vandiver, 29, Woodbridge
Conspiracy to Distribute 280 grams or more of Cocaine Base, 5 kilograms or more of Cocaine, 100 grams or more of Heroin, and Use and Carry of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Faces 20 years on October 19.
Montreus Peterson, 23, Stafford
Conspiracy to Distribute 280 grams or more of Cocaine Base
Faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life on Oct. 19.
Tyus Terrell, 22, Woodbridge
Felon in Possession of a Firearm
Faces a maximum of 10 years on Dec. 14.
Jorge Lozada, Jr., 22, Woodbridge
Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years and a maximum of life.
Frederick Preston Gaarsoe Turner, 36, Woodbridge
Conspiracy to Distribute 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine, Possession of Methamphetamine with the Intent to Distribute, two counts of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Sentenced to 40 years.
Nasiru Carew, 35, Dale City
Conspiracy to distribute 1,000 kilograms or more of Marijuana and THC.
Sentenced to 16 years.
Ja’vell Johnson, 26, Falls Church
Conspiracy to Distribute 100 grams or more of Heroin.
Sentenced to 6 years.
Bassam Hassan Ramadan, 31, Woodbridge
Conspiracy to Distribute 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine, Use and Carry of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Sentenced to 16 years.
Cory Patterson, 34, Fredericksburg
Conspiracy to Distribute one kilogram or more of Heroin, Use and Carry of a Firearm During and in Relation to Drug Trafficking.
Sentenced to 15 years.
Marcus Andrei Harris, 27, Washington, D.C.
Conspiracy to Distribute 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine, Use and Carry of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Sentenced to 15 years.
Brandon Edler, 23, Fredericksburg
Conspiracy to Distribute 28 grams or more of Cocaine Base, Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
Sentenced to 12 years.
Cydrick Delrosario, 58, Springfield
Conspiracy to Distribute 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine.
Sentenced to 11 years.
Chennor Bah, 30, Woodbridge
Conspiracy to Distribute 500 grams or more of Cocaine, and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Sentenced to 10 years.
Anthony Lozada, 18, Woodbridge
Use, Carry, Brandish, and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Sentenced to 10 years.
Devon Byrd, 26, King George
Possession of THC with the Intent to Distribute, and Use and Carry of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Sentenced to 112 months.
Teodoro Gonzales, 37, Woodbridge
Conspiracy to Distribute 50 grams or more of a Mixture of Methamphetamine, Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
Sentenced to 9 years.
Tayvon Patterson, 24, Elkridge, Maryland
Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana and THC, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Sentenced to 90 months.
Jerry McAllister, 42, Laurel, Maryland
Conspiracy to Distribute 100 grams or more of Heroin.
Sentenced to 5 years.
Mark Ketter, 39, Alexandria
Conspiracy to Distribute 100 grams or more of Heroin.
Sentenced to 5 years.
Nathaniel Bruce Cobbold, 27, Woodbridge
Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana and THC.
Sentenced to 5 years.
Jamar Cox, 30, Hyattsville, Maryland
Use and Carry of Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Sentenced to 5 years.
Deion Wright, 25, Alexandria
Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Sentenced to 5 years.
Kelvin Bennett, 27, Washington, D.C.
Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Sentenced to 5 years.
Ezana Demisse, 25, Alexandria
Use and Carry of a Firearm During and in Relation to Drug Trafficking.
Sentenced to 5 years.
Alpha Kamara, 20, Woodbridge
Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Sentenced to 5 years.
Orean Anthony Hayden, 29, Alexandria
Use and Carry of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Sentenced to 5 years.
Bryan Matthews, 19, Alexandria
Use and Carry of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Sentenced to 5 years.
Shannon Marie Sisney, 44, Virginia Beach
Conspiracy to Distribute 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine.
Sentenced to 50 months.
Izeah Williams, 31, Woodbridge
Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana and THC.
Sentenced to 38 months.
Robert Evans, 27, Woodbridge
Conspiracy to Distribute THC.
Sentenced to 30 months.
Tavon Bailey, 27, District Heights, Maryland
Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
Sentenced to 30 months.
Tavon Ferguson, 24, Triangle
Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
Sentenced to 27 months.
Derek Harden, 22, Woodbridge
False Statements During the Purchase of a Firearm.
Sentenced to 18 months.
Kaitlyn McCabe, 19, Woodbridge
False Statements During the Purchase of a Firearm.
Sentenced to 6 months.
Samantha Winter, 22, Culpepper
Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person, False Statements During the Purchase of a Firearm, False Statement to a Licensed Firearms Dealer.
Sentenced to 2 years of probation.
Former Medical Assistant Sentenced for Oxycodone ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Maryland woman was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for her role in leading a conspiracy to distribute oxycodone.
“Ms. Edwards was responsible for supplying large amounts of a dangerous opioids for distribution,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “She abused the trust of the doctors who employed her, and in doing so, became the pipeline that spread poison in the community. The Eastern District will continue to make the prosecution of opioid related crimes a top priority.”
According to court documents, Louise S. Edwards, 38, was previously employed as a medical assistant at doctor’s offices in Arlington and Alexandria. From 2011 through December 2017, Edwards stole blank prescription pads and electronically-generated fraudulent prescriptions using a medical recordkeeping system to which she had access by virtue of her position as an employee. Edwards had others write or fill the fraudulent prescriptions and return the full bottles to her. Edwards then sold the full bottles for further distribution. During the conspiracy, Edwards facilitated the fraudulent filling of at least 353 prescriptions, totaling 42,360 pills of 30 milligram oxycodone.
“Today's sentence serves as a reminder of the responsibility those in the medical profession have in serving the community and a deterrent for anyone thinking about trying to make a buck while fueling the opioid epidemic,” said Matthew J. DeSarno, Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office. “The FBI remains dedicated to working with our partners to stop the flow of illegal opioids into our communities.”
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Matthew J. DeSarno, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew A. Anzaldi and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander E. Blanchard prosecuted the case. Former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Evans provided assistance investigating 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 is 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-155.
Former Insurance Agent Sentenced to Prison for Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Ashburn woman was sentenced today to two years in prison for engaging in a fraud scheme that resulted in an attempted loss of approximately $182,000.
Semyya Cunningham, 41, was convicted by a federal jury on February 1. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Cunningham was an agent and licensed representative of the Western Reserve Life Assurance Co. of Ohio, a company that issued life and other forms of insurance. In April 2014, Cunningham sold a life insurance policy to her close friend (identified in court records as Victim A). The policy included an accelerated death benefit option that permitted the holder, in the event he or she were ever diagnosed with a terminal illness, of claiming the proceeds before death. In July 2014, Victim A was diagnosed with a terminal illness. Shortly thereafter, Cunningham engaged in a scheme to fraudulently obtain the proceeds of the insurance policy for herself. Cunningham changed all of the contact information on the policy to her information, changed the beneficiaries on the policy from Victim A’s family members to friends of hers, and submitted a claim for the accelerated death benefit without Victim A’s knowledge or consent. Western Reserve paid the claim, and because the contact info had been changed to Cunningham’s information, the check was mailed to Cunningham’s residence. Cunningham then deposited the money into her own account, and then transferred the bulk of the money through several accounts in an apparent attempt to prevent the transaction from being reversed.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Jay N. Lerner, Inspector General of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC-OIG), made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Burke and Grace L. Hill 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 is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:17-cr-177.
Armed Robber Sentenced to Prison for Multiple Tidewater RobberiesRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Portsmouth man was sentenced today to 14 years in prison for committing a series of armed robberies of convenience stores.
“Violent criminals, especially those carrying firearms, represent a serious danger to our communities,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “We remain steadfast in our fight against violent crime, and together with our local law enforcement partners we are zeroing in on violent criminals like Mr. Roscoe, who are carrying firearms and driving crime in Tidewater.”
According to court documents, Lorenzo Roscoe, 30, committed five armed robberies of various convenience stores in Portsmouth, Norfolk and Chesapeake, including 7-Eleven and Dollar General stores. Roscoe would enter the stores wearing a disguise and brandishing a firearm while demanding money and cartons of Newport cigarettes. After Roscoe’s vehicle was identified on surveillance video, law enforcement setup surveillance on Roscoe’s vehicle. They followed Roscoe as he drove to another Dollar General store wearing the same clothing he wore for the other robberies. As Roscoe was about to enter the store the police apprehended him. In a bag that he carried with him to all the robberies, the police found a firearm.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith. Assistant U.S. Attorney William D. Muhr prosecuted the case.
This case was investigated by a multi-agency team including the Portsmouth Police, Chesapeake Police and the FBI’s Tidewater Violent Crime Task Force.
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 is 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-57.
New York Man Pleads Guilty to CyberstalkingRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A New York man pleaded guilty today to cyberstalking victims in the Eastern District of Virginia and Washington, D.C. and to frame them for crimes or workplace violations they had not committed.
According to court documents, over a period of one year, Anthony Caccamo, 27, of Flushing, used identity-masking internet applications to send harassing messages to one of his victims, posing as men with whom the victim had had a consensual sexual relationship. In those messages, Caccamo threatened to hack the victim’s online accounts, leak sensitive personal information, and frame her for crimes she had not committed. On at least one occasion, Caccamo made good on his threat to frame the victim for crimes she had not committed. For example, in June 2017, Caccamo sent a false tip to the Homeland Security Investigations Tipline, alleging that she was involved in narcotics smuggling. Caccamo also created false evidence to convince federal investigators that he, too, was a victim of harassment, and provided false information to federal investigators to make it appear as though a certain DHS employee with a cybersecurity background was responsible for the harassment. Federal investigators ultimately traced the harassing messages to Caccamo’s online accounts and personal devices.
Caccamo pleaded guilty to cyberstalking and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison when sentenced on December 14. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and John V. Kelly, Acting Inspector General for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura Fong and Jay V. Prabhu 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 is 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-327.
Heroin and Crack Cocaine Trafficker Pleads Guilty to ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Chesapeake man pleaded guilty today to conspiring to manufacture and deal heroin and crack cocaine throughout Hampton Roads.
“Armed drug traffickers pose serious threats to the safety of our communities,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “This investigation and prosecution would not have been possible absent the critical partnerships we have formed with our local and federal law enforcement partners. My thanks to the Norfolk Police Department and the ATF for their outstanding work on this case.”
According to court documents, Anthony Covil, 33, was a member of a drug-trafficking organization based in Chesapeake and in the past few years was responsible for distributing at least 700 grams of heroin, at least two kilograms of crack cocaine, and at least four kilograms of powder cocaine. According to witnesses, Covil carried guns during some of those drug deals. Norfolk police officers arrested him during a March 2018 and recovered two bags of heroin, two bags of cocaine, 10 bags of MDMA, one bag of marijuana, and $300. During a recorded post-arrest interview, Covil confessed to dealing drugs and to serving as a heroin source of supply.
“This individual had little to no regard for the safety and welfare of others,” said Thomas L. Chittum, III, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division. “ATF and its partners work tirelessly to protect our citizens and remove these violent offenders from our streets. We are committed to this task and will continue to pursue those who would disrupt our communities and harm our citizens.”
Covil pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and 28 grams or more of crack cocaine. He faces a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of 40 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 Thomas L. Chittum, III, 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 Raymond A. Jackson accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William B. Jackson and Kevin M. Comstock are prosecuting the case.
The Norfolk Police Department provided significant assistance in 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 is 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-133.
Virginia Man Indicted for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Alexandria, Virginia returned an indictment today charging a Hamilton, Virginia man with production of child pornography.
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 Nancy McNamara of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement.
According to court documents, in November 2017, Logan Roy McCauley, 25, drove to West Virginia, picked up a minor female he had met online, and drove her to his residence in Hamilton. The minor female’s family reported her missing, and law enforcement was able to locate her at McCauley’s residence by tracing Internet activity associated with one of the minor female’s social media accounts. McCauley admitted to law enforcement that he had engaged in sexual intercourse with the minor and had used his Apple iPhone to record one of the sexual encounters.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which is comprised of agents of the FBI, U.S. Marshals, and detectives from the Prince William County Police, Fairfax County Police, Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, Metropolitan Police, Alexandria City Police, Arlington County Police, Leesburg Police, Virginia State Police and the Offices of Inspector General of several federal agencies. The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office also assisted in the investigation. Trial Attorney Gwendelynn Bills of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Berrang of the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
The charges in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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. Attorneys’ 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.
Previously Convicted Felon Sentenced for Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Chesapeake man was sentenced today to eight years in prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
According to court documents, Steven Akeem Nichols, 34, was found by a Chesapeake police office sitting in the driver’s seat of his car asleep with a 9mm handgun resting between his legs in October 2017. Nichols, who was prohibited from possessing firearms, had been previously convicted of felony drug offense in Pennsylvania. Nichols later admitted to conspiring with others to distribute quantities of heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine in Virginia Beach in September and October 2017.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Scott W. Hoernke, Acting 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 sentencing by U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William B. Jackson and Kevin M. Comstock 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 is 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-63.
Man Indicted for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - A federal grand jury in Alexandria, Virginia returned an indictment today charging a Hamilton, Virginia man with production of child pornography.
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 Nancy McNamara of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement.
According to court documents, in November 2017, Logan Roy McCauley, 25, drove to West Virginia, picked up a minor female he had met online, and drove her to his residence in Hamilton. The minor female’s family reported her missing, and law enforcement was able to locate her at McCauley’s residence by tracing Internet activity associated with one of the minor female’s social media accounts. McCauley admitted to law enforcement that he had engaged in sexual intercourse with the minor and had used his Apple iPhone to record one of the sexual encounters.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which is comprised of agents of the FBI, U.S. Marshals, and detectives from the Prince William County Police, Fairfax County Police, Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, Metropolitan Police, Alexandria City Police, Arlington County Police, Leesburg Police, Virginia State Police and the Offices of Inspector General of several federal agencies. The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office also assisted in the investigation. Trial Attorney Gwendelynn Bills of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Berrang of the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
The charges in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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. Attorneys’ 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.
Man Sentenced for Drug Trafficking and Illegally Dealing 200 GunsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Fredericksburg man was sentenced today to 12 years in prison for running a drug trafficking conspiracy and illegally dealing over 200 firearms.
According to court documents, beginning in August 2015 and continuing through his arrest in March 2018, Bobby Perkins, Jr., 29, supervised a conspiracy to distribute marijuana, ecstasy, cocaine, crack cocaine, and heroin in Fredericksburg and Stafford County. During the course of the conspiracy, Perkins routinely carried on his person semi-automatic pistols to avoid being robbed of his drugs and the proceeds of his drug-distribution activities. Additionally, Perkins supplied his co-conspirators with firearms, which they used in furtherance of the conspiracy.
“This man represents a danger to society through his pedaling of poison and trafficking of illegal firearms,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Perkins trafficked large amounts of potentially lethal drugs and sold over 200 guns, some of which were found at crime scenes, including homicides. Together with our law enforcement partners we are targeting areas where firearms and the drug trade are fueling violence and endangering the safety of those communities. We are committed to our mission of public safety and will continue to aggressively pursue those who choose to endanger the safety of the communities we serve.”
Separately, during an approximately five-month period in 2015, in Stafford County, Hanover County, and Henrico County, Perkins engaged in the business of dealing in firearms without a license. Perkins acquired and re-sold over 200 semi-automatic pistols, at least 93 of which have been recovered by law enforcement, including at the scene of homicides. Most of the firearms were recovered in Washington, D.C., with others found in Maryland, Virginia, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Perkins knew that several of the individuals to whom he sold the firearms were convicted felons.
“ATF works every day with our law enforcement partners to rid our streets of crime, not only in large cities but also in small-town areas, like Stafford and Henrico Counties,” said Thomas L. Chittum, III, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division. “Knowingly selling firearms without a license and selling firearms to convicted felons is a violation of federal law. When you commit a crime, there is a price to pay, and we will hold those responsible who violate federal laws.”
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Thomas L. Chittum, III, 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 T.S. Ellis III. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander E. Blanchard and Carina A. Cuellar 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 is 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-214.
Man Pleads Guilty to Threatening to Murder Family of FCC ChairmanRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A California man pleaded guilty today to threatening to kill the family of Ajit Pai, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, for Pai’s role in repealing regulations relating to net neutrality.
According to court documents, on or about Dec. 19 and 20, 2017, Markara Man, 33, of Norwalk, California, sent three emails to Chairman Pai’s email accounts. The first email accused Chairman Pai of being responsible for a child who allegedly had committed suicide because of the repeal of net neutrality regulations. The second email listed three locations in or around Arlington, and threatened to kill the Chairman’s family members. The third email had no message in its body, but included an image depicting Chairman Pai and, in the foreground and slightly out of focus, a framed photograph of Chairman Pai and his family. The FBI traced the emails to Man’s residence in Norwalk, California, and when initially confronted in May 2018, Man admitted to the FBI that he sent the email threatening Chairman Pai’s family.
Court documents further show that during the FBI’s search of his residence, Man factory reset a cell phone upon learning of the search and before law enforcement could seize the phone. This action caused data to be wiped from the device. When asked about the phone being in setup mode, Man lied to the FBI and claimed that he had received it a month earlier and not set it up yet.
Man faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison when sentenced on December 7. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and M. Jay Farr, Arlington County Chief of Police, made the announcement after the plea was accepted by Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander P. Berrang is prosecuting the case.
The FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, and the Federal Protective Service provided significant assistance in 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 is 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-308.
Woman Sentenced to Prison for Armed Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Vermont woman was sentenced today to 7 1/2 years in prison for her role in two area bank robberies.
According to court documents, in December 2017, Jennifer Bessette, 34, of Milton, and two co-conspirators planned and executed bank robberies of a BB&T Bank in Henrico and a Wells Fargo Bank in Richmond. Bessette served as the getaway car driver and wrote the demand notes. The robbery crew obtained approximately $1,200 in cash from the Wells Fargo Bank robbery and $4,200 in cash from BB&T. GPS locators in the money stolen during the Wells Fargo robbery led law enforcement to apprehending the defendants.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Adam S. Lee, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, Alfred Durham, Chief of Richmond Police, and Humberto I. Cardounel, Jr., Chief of Henrico County Police Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne. Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela Mastandrea-Miller prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is 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-66.
Two Men Sentenced in Multi-Kilogram Cocaine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – Two men were sentenced today for being involved in a multi-kilogram cocaine trafficking ring in Emporia. Hershell Grant, 52, of Richmond, was sentenced to 14 years, while Marvin Baskerville, 44, of North Carolina, was sentenced 17 1/2 years in prison.
“Grant and Baskerville are responsible for distributing at least 130 kilograms of dangerous narcotics onto the streets of Emporia and the surrounding area,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Together with our law enforcement partners we are targeting areas where firearms and the drug trade are fueling violence and endangering the safety of those communities. I want to thank the FBI’s Richmond Field Office for their terrific work on this case.”
According to court documents, both men were members of a large cocaine trafficking conspiracy centered in Emporia. Grant supplied the members of this conspiracy with approximately 100 kilograms of cocaine over the last two years, while Baskerville was one of the conspiracy’s primary customers, purchasing approximately 30 kilograms of cocaine from the organization for redistribution in the Richmond area. Both men were found in possession of firearms when they were arrested earlier this year.
“The FBI works to identify and dismantle drug distribution networks which serve as pipelines of illegal narcotics into our communities, neighborhoods, and schools,” said Adam S. Lee, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office. “Grant and Baskerville introduced massive amounts of cocaine into Central Virginia communities - much of which was destined for redistribution in the City of Richmond. They learned the hard way that Virginia law enforcement is united and committed to keeping illegal drugs away from our cities and our communities. I want to thank the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia for their outstanding work in prosecuting this case. I also want to thank the DEA, the Virginia State Police, Emporia Police, and Greensville County Sheriff’s Office for their partnership.”
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Richmond Area Violent Enterprises Task Force, as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (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, Adam S. Lee, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, Scott W. Hoernke, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, Ricky Pinksaw, Chief of Emporia Police, William T. Jarratt Jr., Sheriff of Greensville County, and Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of Virginia State Police, 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 is 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-22.
Senate Confirms Terwilliger as United States AttorneyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – G. Zachary Terwilliger has been confirmed by the United States Senate as the 62nd United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.
“I am humbled, thankful, and deeply honored to be confirmed as the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia,” said Terwilliger. “As a federal prosecutor who focused on complex violent crime, organized crime, fraud, and human trafficking cases for almost a decade, I have had the privilege of working with some of the best law enforcement officers, prosecutors, attorneys, and colleagues in the country. I owe a huge debt to those who took the time to teach me how to be an AUSA, and to the many AUSAs from 1789 to present who have made this district one of the best in the country.”
“I am grateful to the President for my nomination, the Attorney General for his willingness to support my prior appointment, to Senators Warner and Kaine for their recommendation and endorsement, and to my family for their constant support, patience, and understanding as I have pursued the calling of public service,” said Terwilliger.
“Since the Attorney General appointed me in late May, I have travelled to each sector of the District and engaged in substantive strategy meetings with over 100 law enforcement leaders in our Alexandria, Newport News, Norfolk, and Richmond divisions, including chiefs of police, sheriffs, commonwealth’s attorneys, and federal law enforcement officials,” said Terwilliger. “With the strong federal, state, and local collaboration that exists in the Eastern District, we are bringing impact cases and fighting violent crime, gangs, opioids, national security threats and criminal immigration offenses. In the last three months, we have charged nearly 40 illegal firearms cases, 60 defendants for trafficking illegal substances such as heroin and fentanyl, and nearly 100 criminal immigration cases that include many defendants who have committed serious, dangerous offenses in our communities. We have also continued our critical work battling espionage and terrorism, defending civil actions against the United States, its agencies, and employees, pursuing affirmative civil enforcement to recover government money lost to fraud, upholding the civil rights of the District’s citizens, protecting servicemembers’ rights, fighting fraud against vulnerable victims and our institutions, as well as prosecuting cyber intrusion, child exploitation, and trafficking offenses.”
“This important work has been recognized by the Department, and with tremendous support from the Attorney General and our administrative staff here, I have had the great fortune to hire 25 new employees, including 15 new Assistant United States Attorneys, who will be force multipliers for our mission.”
Terwilliger began his career at EDVA as an intern in 1999. In 2008, he was hired as the Project Safe Neighborhood Special Assistant U.S. Attorney to focus on gun and gang crime. In 2010, Terwilliger was hired as an Assistant U.S. Attorney.
Immediately prior to his appointment as U.S. Attorney on May 25, Terwilliger served as an Associate Deputy Attorney General, and Chief of Staff in the Office of the Deputy Attorney General at the Department of Justice. In that role, Terwilliger was a principal advisor to senior Department of Justice leadership for corporate compliance, federal, state and local law enforcement cooperation, violent crime reduction, and other critical matters.
As U.S. Attorney, Terwilliger is the chief federal law enforcement officer in EDVA and supervises the prosecution of all federal crimes and the litigation of all civil matters in which the United States has an interest. Terwilliger leads a staff of over 250 prosecutors, civil litigators, and support personnel located in Alexandria, Newport News, Norfolk, and Richmond.
Terwilliger earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government and Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia and graduated with the highest honors from the William & Mary School of Law. Following law school, he clerked for the Honorable K. Michael Moore, currently the Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
Terwilliger has lived in the Eastern District of Virginia for over 25 years.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Federal Jury Convicts Man of Sex Trafficking Two Minor GirlsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Woodbridge man today for sex trafficking two minor girls, ages 14 and 16.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Steve Nowell, 64, was a frequent commercial sex customer of a prostitution ring led by Michael Gunn, who trafficked the two minor girls over the course of two years in the DMV area. Nowell was identified by the minor victims, and by two co-conspirators of Michael Gunn, as a regular commercial sex customer who paid one or both minors for sex on at least 23 occasions. After a search warrant was executed at Nowell’s home, law enforcement found hidden cameras that secretly recorded at least one of the minors and other females in various stages of undress while at his residence for prostitution. Law enforcement also found numerous photographs of one of the minors posing nude in his bathtub and throughout his house, including in his kitchen, on a bear rug, and on exercise equipment. In a recorded interview, Nowell admitted to paying for sex with one of the minors. He claimed he did not know her real age.
Michael Gunn was convicted by a federal jury in September 2017, and was sentenced to 30 years in prison in January 2018. Angel Gunn and Vanessa Dominguez, who assisted Michael Gunn in sex trafficking the minors, each pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 140 months and 120 months in prison, respectively.
Nowell faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum penalty of life in prison when sentenced on November 30. 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, Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, Barry M. Barnard, Chief of Prince William County Police, and M. Jay Farr, Arlington County Chief of Police, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton accepted the verdict. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maureen C. Cain and Kimberly R. Pedersen are prosecuting the case.
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. Attorneys’ 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.
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 is 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-188.
Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A New York City man pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents, on February 1, law enforcement observed Sheldon Myers, 56, exit a bus in Norfolk and enter a waiting vehicle with Virginia license plates. After conducting a traffic stop, law enforcement smelled marijuana and ordered both the driver and Myers to exit the vehicle. A search of the vehicle revealed approximately 313 grams of fentanyl concealed inside a graham cracker box. After waiving his Miranda rights, Myers admitted he had been recruited to transport the drugs on the bus from New York City to Norfolk.
Myers pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 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, Michael K. Lamonea, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Norfolk, and Larry D. Boone, Chief of Norfolk Police, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert J. Krask accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Darryl J. Mitchell 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 is 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-95.
Virginia Man Sentenced to Prison for Producing Pornography of Children in the PhilippinesRead the Press Release
A Manassas man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for paying women to sexually abuse children in the Philippines via a web camera while he directed and produced numerous images of the abuse, announced Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Lechleitner of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady.
On April 9, Dwayne Stinson, 53, a communications technician, pleaded guilty to production of child pornography. According to court documents, from at least October 2011 until February 2012, Stinson used an electronic payment service to pay women in the Philippines he was chatting with to sexually abuse children while he directed the abuse. He admitted that some of the children were as young as six or seven years old. The defendant contemporaneously produced numerous screenshot images of the abuse and stored them on his computer for years. In addition to his prison sentence, Stinson was also sentenced to 10 years of supervised release.
HSI investigated the case with assistance from the Prince William County Police Department and Northern Virginia/District of Columbia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Trial Attorney James E. Burke IV of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitney Russell of the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
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. Attorneys’ Offices and 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.
Ukrainian Sentenced for Trafficking in Hacked Financial InformationRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Ukrainian national was sentenced today to six years in prison for trafficking stolen financial information obtained through computer hacking.
According to court documents, Ruslan Yeliseyev, 42, of Odessa, Ukraine, made his living selling stolen financial information on underground Russian-speaking criminal websites. The information that Yeliseyev sold, which had been stolen from hacked computers, included over 62,000 credit card numbers as well as usernames and passwords to victims’ online banking accounts. Yeliseyev was arrested while vacationing in Israel in 2016 and subsequently extradited to the United States.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Brian J. Ebert, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kellen S. Dwyer and Trial Attorney Andrew Pak of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) 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
Ukrainian Sentenced for Trafficking in Hacked Financial InformationRead the Press Release
A Ukrainian national was sentenced today to six years in prison for trafficking stolen financial information obtained through computer hacking.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger for the Eastern District of Virginia and Special Agent in Charge Brian J. Ebert of the U.S. Secret Service’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton.
According to court documents, Ruslan Yeliseyev, 42, of Odessa, Ukraine, made his living selling stolen financial information on underground Russian-speaking criminal websites. The information that Yeliseyev sold, which had been stolen from approximately 40,000 hacked computers, included over 62,000 credit card numbers as well as usernames and passwords to victims’ online banking accounts. Yeliseyev was arrested while vacationing in Israel in 2016 and subsequently extradited to the United States.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Secret Service. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in the extradition. Trial Attorney Andrew Pak of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kellen S. Dwyer of the Eastern District of Virginia prosecuted the case.
Maryland Man Sentenced to a Decade in Prison for Sexually Exploiting 12-Year-Old Girl over the InternetRead the Press Release
A Rockville, Maryland man was sentenced today to 120 months in prison for sexually exploiting a minor over the internet, announced Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski, U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger of the Eastern District of Virginia, and Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Lechleitner of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations Washington, D.C. field office.
Jose Adalberto Sandoval Quinonez, 26, a laborer, previously pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia to one count of coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity. U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga presided over the sentencing and ordered Sandoval Quinonez to serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
According to admissions made in connection with his guilty plea, Sandoval Quinonez initiated contact with the 12-year-old victim over Instagram and the two later began chatting over Google Hangouts. Over the course of several months in 2017, Sandoval Quinonez groomed, persuaded, and enticed the minor to engage in sex acts, including sexual intercourse. In addition, he repeatedly asked her to produce and send him sexually explicit photos of herself, and he succeeded in persuading her to send him such a photo. Sandoval Quinonez also sent the victim an obscene image of his genitals. During these interactions, Sandoval Quinonez, who was 25 at the time, pretended to be 16 years old.
The investigation was conducted by HSI Washington, D.C. with the assistance of the Manassas Park Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Kyle P. Reynolds of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.
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. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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.
Manassas Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Producing Pornography of Children in the PhilippinesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Manassas man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for paying women to sexually abuse children in the Philippines via a web camera while he directed and produced numerous images of the abuse.
On April 9, Dwayne Stinson, 53, a communications technician, pleaded guilty to production of child pornography. According to court documents, from at least October 2011 until February 2012, Stinson used an electronic payment service to pay women in the Philippines he was chatting with to sexually abuse children while he directed the abuse. He admitted that some of the children were as young as six or seven years old. The defendant contemporaneously produced numerous screenshot images of the abuse and stored them on his computer for years.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Patrick J. Lechleitner, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady.
HSI investigated the case with assistance from the Prince William County Police Department and Northern Virginia/District of Columbia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James E. Burke IV and Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitney Russell are prosecuting the case.
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. Attorneys’ 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.
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. 1:17-cr-211.
Major Fentanyl Distributor Pleads Guilty to Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Hyattsville, Maryland man pleaded guilty today to participating in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and crack cocaine in the Washington, D.C. area.
According to court documents, Donnell Leroy Williams, 54 (also known as “Bubbles”), his son, Antonio Donnell Shelton, 30 (“Little Bubbles”), and Demetrius Antonio Johnson, 37 (“Bake”), worked together to distribute several different types of controlled substances, including fentanyl, a highly dangerous narcotic. During the course of the conspiracy, Williams and his co-conspirators had the ability to obtain large quantities of fentanyl, and they routinely sold fentanyl and other highly addictive drugs to customers at locations in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C.
Beginning in May 2017, an undercover Fairfax County detective conducted several deals with Williams, eventually working his way to purchasing a ½ kilogram of fentanyl from Williams for $40,000. On November 7, 2017, the FBI arrested Williams and searched his apartment in Hyattsville. Inside the apartment, FBI agents found a large quantity of fentanyl pre-packaged for distribution. Agents also found large quantities of crack cocaine and marijuana, as well as a loaded handgun.
Williams pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 100 grams or more of heroin, and 28 grams or more of crack cocaine. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison when sentenced on November 30. Williams is the last member of the drug conspiracy to plead guilty. Johnson and Shelton pleaded guilty to drug charges earlier this month.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Matthew J. DeSarno, 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. Attorneys J. Tyler McGaughey and David A. Peters 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 is 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-30.
Leader of Major Drug Trafficking Conspiracy Sentenced to 16 YearsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The leader of a sprawling drug trafficking conspiracy that operated in Virginia, Maryland, Washington, D.C. and elsewhere, from California to Florida to Massachusetts, was sentenced today to 16 years in prison, as part of a coordinated law enforcement takedown codenamed Operation Tin Panda that to date has resulted in the conviction of 39 defendants on federal firearms and drug charges.
“These cases underscore the insidious intersection between drugs, guns, and gangs,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Mr. Carew’s interstate drug trafficking operation not only supplied drugs to violent members of the Bloods gang, but also engaged in the wholesale distribution of drugs to armed street-level dealers in Virginia, the Mid-Atlantic, and elsewhere along the East Coast. The Operation Tin Panda takedown in December 2017 involved over 300 agents and officers from 16 law enforcement agencies, providing a powerful example of the benefits that flow from the collaborative efforts of federal, state, and local law enforcement.”
According to court documents, Nasiru Carew, 36, of Dale City, pleaded guilty on April 13 to conspiring to distribute over 1,000 kilograms (or 2,200 pounds) of marijuana and tetrahydrocannabinol (“THC”) edibles since 2012. Carew, who entered the United States as a refugee in 1994, was the leader of a major drug trafficking conspiracy that supplied violent gang members of the Imperial Gangsta Blood set of the United Blood Nation gang, and other non-gang customers. Carew shipped marijuana grown in California to supply his operation in Virginia, Maryland, Washington, D.C. and elsewhere, and he also coordinated the distribution of THC-laced edibles to sub-distributors in Virginia and elsewhere. A majority of Carew’s business came from supplying wholesale quantities of these drugs to co-conspirators, who were themselves street-level dealers. Many of these co-conspirators distributed controlled substances while armed with firearms.
From 2012 through 2017, the conspiracy netted hundreds of thousands of dollars, much of which was used to purchase luxury vehicles and jewelry, or was laundered through casinos. For example, during a court-authorized search of the defendant’s residences, law enforcement recovered approximately $19,500, as well as gold and diamond jewelry and a BMW i8 vehicle estimated to cost over $100,000.
“Operation Tin Panda has resulted in numerous guns removed from the hands of gang members and drugs taken off the streets of our neighborhoods in Northern Virginia, Washington, D.C. and Maryland,” said Matthew J. DeSarno, Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office. “This operation demonstrates the FBI’s ability in coordination with our law enforcement partners to disrupt and dismantle significant drug operations, removing the threat posed by the street level dealer to the national level gang leaders.”
“ATF’s top priorities are to protect the public and remove violent criminals from our streets,” said Thomas L. Chittum, III, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division. “Operation Tin Panda reiterates ATF’s and its federal, state and local law enforcement partners’ commitment to pursuing and bringing to justice those that seek to disrupt communities and harm law abiding citizens.”
Carew was arrested in the early morning hours of Dec. 6, 2017, when over 300 law enforcement agents and officers executed a coordinated takedown as part of Operation Tin Panda. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division and the FBI’s Washington Field Office began Operation Tin Panda in the spring of 2017. In collaboration with federal and local law enforcement, investigators and prosecutors began jointly investigating Blood gangs and other drug distributors involved in violent crime and other criminal activity in northern Virginia. Multiple criminal acts were tied to gang and drug activity, including homicide, malicious wounding, robbery, shootings, and drug and firearms distribution. During the course of this investigation, more than 40 individuals throughout Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia, and California, who were illegally selling firearms and controlled substances or were involved in other criminal acts, were arrested on federal firearms and drug charges.
Operation Tin Panda also resulted in the seizure of over 95 firearms, $150,000 in cash, nine vehicles with an estimated value of over $300,000, and approximately 3 pounds of cocaine base, 10 pounds of cocaine, 7 pounds of crystal methamphetamine, 5 pounds of heroin, 4 pounds of ecstasy, 227 pounds of marijuana, and 79 pounds of THC.
Operation Tin Panda was led by the ATF’s Washington Field Division and the FBI’s Washington Field Office’s Safe Streets and Violent Gang Task Force. The DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Prince William County Police Department, Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office, Fairfax County Police Department, Alexandria Police Department, Stafford County Sherriff’s Office, Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office, King George County Sheriff’s Office, Caroline County Sheriff’s Office, Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, Prince George’s County, Maryland Police Department, and the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, provided significant assistance during the operation.
Operation Tin Panda was investigated as part of the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Thomas L. Chittum, III, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, and Matthew J. DeSarno, Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office, made the announcement after Carew’s sentencing by U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carina A. Cuellar and Colleen E. Garcia prosecuted the case.
For more information, please see the table below, which lists the name, age, hometown, respective charge(s), and resulting or potential sentence for each federal defendant charged as part of Operation Tin Panda.
Name, Age, City
Conviction(s)
Result
Sade Anglin, 28, Woodbridge
Maintaining a Drug Premises.
Faces a maximum of 20 years on Aug. 31.
Ishmil Hardwick, 25, Woodbridge
Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years and a maximum of life on Aug. 31.
Rashourn Niles, 37, Woodbridge
Conspiracy to Distribute 280 grams or more of Cocaine Base, 5 kilograms or more of Cocaine, and 100 grams or more of Heroin.
Faces a mandatory minimum of 20 years and a maximum of life on Sept. 7.
Raheem Kelly, 39, Woodbridge
Conspiracy to Distribute 28 grams or more of Cocaine Base.
Faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years and a maximum of 40 years on Sept. 7.
Michael Lederer, 31, Woodbridge
Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.
Faces a maximum of 10 years on Sept. 14.
Tarvell Vandiver, 29, Woodbridge
Conspiracy to Distribute 280 grams or more of Cocaine Base, 5 kilograms or more of Cocaine, 100 grams or more of Heroin, and Use and Carry of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Faces 20 years on Sept. 28.
Montreus Peterson, 23, Stafford
Conspiracy to Distribute 280 grams or more of Cocaine Base
Faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life on Oct. 19.
Tyus Terrell, 22, Woodbridge
Felon in Possession of a Firearm
Faces a maximum of 10 years on Dec. 14.
Jorge Lozada, Jr., 22, Woodbridge
Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years and a maximum of life.
Frederick Preston Gaarsoe Turner, 36, Woodbridge
Conspiracy to Distribute 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine, Possession of Methamphetamine with the Intent to Distribute, two counts of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Sentenced to 40 years.
Nasiru Carew, 35, Dale City
Conspiracy to distribute 1,000 kilograms or more of Marijuana and THC.
Sentenced to 16 years.
Bassam Hassan Ramadan, 31, Woodbridge
Conspiracy to Distribute 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine, Use and Carry of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Sentenced to 16 years.
Cory Patterson, 34, Fredericksburg
Conspiracy to Distribute one kilogram or more of Heroin, Use and Carry of a Firearm During and in Relation to Drug Trafficking.
Sentenced to 15 years.
Marcus Andrei Harris, 27, Washington, D.C.
Conspiracy to Distribute 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine, Use and Carry of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Sentenced to 15 years.
Brandon Edler, 23, Fredericksburg
Conspiracy to Distribute 28 grams or more of Cocaine Base, Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
Sentenced to 12 years.
Cydrick Delrosario, 58, Springfield
Conspiracy to Distribute 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine.
Sentenced to 11 years.
Chennor Bah, 30, Woodbridge
Conspiracy to Distribute 500 grams or more of Cocaine, and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Sentenced to 10 years.
Anthony Lozada, 18, Woodbridge
Use, Carry, Brandish, and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Sentenced to 10 years.
Devon Byrd, 26, King George
Possession of THC with the Intent to Distribute, and Use and Carry of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Sentenced to 112 months.
Teodoro Gonzales, 37, Woodbridge
Conspiracy to Distribute 50 grams or more of a Mixture of Methamphetamine, Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
Sentenced to 9 years.
Tayvon Patterson, 24, Elkridge, Maryland
Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana and THC, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Sentenced to 90 months.
Ja’vell Johnson, 26, Falls Church
Conspiracy to Distribute 100 grams or more of Heroin.
Sentenced to 6 years.
Jerry McAllister, 42, Laurel, Maryland
Conspiracy to Distribute 100 grams or more of Heroin.
Sentenced to 5 years.
Mark Ketter, 39, Alexandria
Conspiracy to Distribute 100 grams or more of Heroin.
Sentenced to 5 years.
Nathaniel Bruce Cobbold, 27, Woodbridge
Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana and THC.
Sentenced to 5 years.
Jamar Cox, 30, Hyattsville, Maryland
Use and Carry of Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Sentenced to 5 years.
Deion Wright, 25, Alexandria
Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Sentenced to 5 years.
Kelvin Bennett, 27, Washington, D.C.
Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Sentenced to 5 years.
Ezana Demisse, 25, Alexandria
Use and Carry of a Firearm During and in Relation to Drug Trafficking.
Sentenced to 5 years.
Alpha Kamara, 20, Woodbridge
Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Sentenced to 5 years.
Orean Anthony Hayden, 29, Alexandria
Use and Carry of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Sentenced to 5 years.
Bryan Matthews, 19, Alexandria
Use and Carry of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Sentenced to 5 years.
Shannon Marie Sisney, 44, Virginia Beach
Conspiracy to Distribute 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine.
Sentenced to 50 months.
Izeah Williams, 31, Woodbridge
Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana and THC.
Sentenced to 38 months.
Robert Evans, 27, Woodbridge
Conspiracy to Distribute THC.
Sentenced to 30 months.
Tavon Bailey, 27, District Heights, Maryland
Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
Sentenced to 30 months.
Tavon Ferguson, 24, Triangle
Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
Sentenced to 27 months.
Derek Harden, 22, Woodbridge
False Statements During the Purchase of a Firearm.
Sentenced to 18 months.
Kaitlyn McCabe, 19, Woodbridge
False Statements During the Purchase of a Firearm.
Sentenced to 6 months.
Samantha Winter, 22, Culpepper
Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person, False Statements During the Purchase of a Firearm, False Statement to a Licensed Firearms Dealer.
Sentenced to 2 years of probation.
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.
Repeat Sex Offender Sentenced to over 19 Years for Attempted Receipt of Obscene ImagesRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man with a significant history of sexual offenses involving minors was sentenced today to 235 months in prison for attempted receipt of obscene images depicting the sexual abuse of children, obstruction of justice, destruction of evidence, and penalties for a registered sex offender.
Elmer E. Eychaner, III, 46, was convicted at trial by a federal jury on May 18. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Eychaner previously was convicted in federal court of child pornography crimes in 2008. On June 13, 2016, Eychaner began a period of federal supervision and was prohibited from having a computer, but he requested a computer so that he could look for a better job. The probation office allowed Eychaner to have a computer that was monitored through a third-party company, RemoteCOM.
On November 17, 2016, Eychaner went onto his government-monitored computer and searched for obscene cartoon images depicting the sexual abuse of minors. He utilized voice recognition software, Cortana, to try to evade the computer-monitoring software. After he was finished searching for the obscene images, he deleted his search history. The next day, he called his federal probation officer and confessed. When the probation officer told him she was coming to collect his computer, Eychaner admitted that he had removed the hard drive and thrown it down a storm drain.
In addition to the federal child pornography conviction in 2008, Eychaner also was previously convicted of promoting obscenity to minors in North Dakota in August 1992, and gross sexual imposition in North Dakota in May 1994.
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 Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Mark S. Davis. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa R. McKeel and Megan M. Cowles 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. 4:17-cr-76.
Richmond Man Pleads Guilty to Dealing Heroin Mixed with FentanylRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – Paris Moore, 32, of Richmond, pleaded guilty today to distributing approximately 400 grams of heroin in the central Virginia area.
“When drug traffickers seek to increase their profit margins by mixing deadly synthetic opioids, like fentanyl, with traditional street drugs, the risk of overdose skyrockets,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “That is precisely why investigating and prosecuting offenses involving the trafficking of this poison is a top priority in this district.”
According to court documents, on two separate occasions in January 2018, DEA agents used a confidential source to purchase nearly ten grams of heroin, mixed with detectable amounts of fentanyl, from Moore in Henrico County and Richmond. Following these controlled purchases, on February 22, 2018, DEA agents executed a search warrant at Moore’s Glen Allen, Va. residence, where they recovered approximately 2.4 grams of crack cocaine, .88 grams of heroin mixed with a detectable amount of fentanyl, and a digital scale.
As part of his plea, Moore pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution of heroin and admitted to distributing the equivalent of 400 grams of heroin. At the time of these offenses, Moore was on federal supervised release after a 2009 conviction for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon.
“Moore has repeatedly shown his disregard for the well-being of his community with his drug-dealing activities,” said Scott W. Hoernke, Acting Special Agent in Charge for DEA’s Washington Field Division. “DEA will continue to work with our state and local law enforcement partners to bring to justice the most dangerous offenders who are responsible for fueling the ongoing opioid epidemic in our communities.”
Moore faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on November 30, 2018. 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), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Scott W. Hoernke, Acting Special Agent in Charge for DEA’s Washington Field Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:18-cr-71.
Mexican National Sentenced After Repeated Illegal Entries and Criminal ConvictionsRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Mexican national was sentenced today to 21 months in prison for illegally reentering the United States after committing multiple criminal and immigration offenses.
“Over the past 20 years, Mr. Silva has illegally entered or attempted to enter the United States at least seven times, and he has been convicted of eight criminal offenses, including discharging a firearm, resisting police, fraudulent documentation, and multiple drunk driving offenses,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “This recidivist behavior reflects a blatant disregard for our nation’s laws and borders, and represents a clear threat to public safety. The Department of Justice is committed to prioritizing criminal immigration enforcement, and this case reflects that continuing commitment.”
According to court documents, Omar Villarreal Silva, 40, of Cuajinicuilapa in the state of Guerrero, Mexico, pleaded guilty in federal court on May 21, 2018, to illegal reentry by a previously convicted felon. Silva first attempted to enter the United States unlawfully in 1998, and he was voluntarily returned to Mexico after being apprehended on five occasions between March 1998 to July 1999. After these failed attempts, Silva illegally reentered the United States and was convicted in Winston Salem, North Carolina for discharging a firearm and resisting police in 2000 and 2001, after which he moved to the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Between 2007 to 2014, Silva was arrested by the Chesterfield County Police Department on multiple occasions and was convicted of possessing a false identification document and three instances of driving while intoxicated. In September 2014, Silva was removed by U.S. immigration authorities to Mexico, but two months later in November 2014, Silva attempted to enter the United States using a fraudulent passport card at the border in El Paso, Texas. Silva subsequently was convicted in the Western District of Texas for illegal reentry and improper use of a passport card, and he was sentenced to 15 months in prison, after which he was removed to Mexico in December 2016.
After his December 2016 removal, Silva illegally reentered the United States once again and was arrested in August 2017 by the Chesterfield County Police Department, after which he was referred for the current federal prosecution.
“The United States is a nation of laws and order, and habitual and repeated disregard for those laws will not go without consequence,” said Russell Hott, Field Office Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C. “Today’s announcement reflects our continued commitment to enforce these laws and to ensure there are no allowances for criminals and reoffenders to occupy our communities.”
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Russell Hott, 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 U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck. 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. 3:17-cr-125.