Eastern District of Virginia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Man Sentenced to Prison for Sex Trafficking a Minor by ForceRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Washington, D.C. man was sentenced today to 18 years in prison for forcibly sex trafficking a minor.
According to court documents, Justin Shayne Robinson, 27, lured the 16-year-old victim to a motel in northern Virginia. Once the minor victim arrived, Robinson directed sexualized photos to be taken of the her, and created and posted online advertisements for commercial sex acts with the minor. Robinson and his co-conspirator, Markus Jakeem Plummer, 27, of Woodbridge, then trafficked the minor over a period of roughly a week. Robinson and Plummer took all the proceeds of the minor’s commercial sex acts for their own benefit. Robinson and Plummer used force and surveillance to ensure that the minor continued to see clients and was unable to escape the motel. Robinson used violence to force the victim to continue working for him, including choking her and leaving medically documented bruising on her leg and neck.
Co-Conspirator Markus Plummer is scheduled for sentencing on September 28.
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.
The case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force is composed of FBI Agents and detectives from the Fairfax County Police, Prince William County Police, Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office, Leesburg Police Department, Alexandria City Police, Arlington County Police, Washington Metropolitan Police Department, USMS, and other federal OIGs.
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 sentencing by U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga. Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitney Russell 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-310.
Man Sentenced for Defrauding Elderly Victims in Magazine ScamRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Arizona man was sentenced today to 14 years in prison for his role in a conspiracy that defrauded elderly victims, including several Virginia residents, out of over $640,000.
“Oliver preyed upon approximately 350 individuals, including a 94-year-old resident of Alexandria and an 84-year-old resident of Painter who suffered from Alzheimer’s,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Not content to simply deceive his victims, Oliver would badger and threaten his victims to extort even more money from them. This conduct is depraved in its own way and hopefully there will be some relief to the victims and their loved ones knowing that Oliver won’t be in a position to harm anyone else.”
According to court documents, Raheem Oliver, 38, operated a magazine subscription renewal fraud scam that began when he or one of his associates contacted magazine subscribers and offered to renew their subscriptions over the phone. When a subscriber agreed, Oliver would double or triple-bill their accounts, without ever actually renewing their subscriptions as promised. Throughout this process, Oliver also identified victims who were particularly vulnerable to such a scam, primarily including elderly individuals. Oliver targeted those vulnerable victims with threatening phone calls, falsely representing that the victims needed to pay thousands of dollars at a time for purported renewal fees, past-due balances, fines, attorneys’ fees and other legal fees, and court costs. He threatened victims with legal action, often including arrest, if they did not make the payments as requested, and thereby convinced victims to mail checks and wire money to him and his associates in Arizona.
“Protecting the elderly from criminal fraud schemes is a priority for the Postal Inspection Service,” said Eric Shen, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “While today’s sentence should serve as a strong deterrent for those seeking to threaten and steal from these vulnerable individuals, Postal Inspectors will continue to pursue those who misuse the mail to prey on their victims.”
Earlier this year, the Department of Justice and its law enforcement partners coordinated the largest sweep of elder fraud cases in history. The cases involved more than 250 defendants from around the globe who victimized more than a 1 million Americans, most of whom were elderly. The cases include criminal, civil, and forfeiture actions across more than 50 federal districts.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Eric Shen, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Michael L. Brown, Alexandria Chief of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samantha Bateman 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-9.
Ethiopian Human Rights Abuser Arrested for Fraudulently Obtaining U.S. CitizenshipRead the Press Release
A naturalized U.S. citizen residing in Alexandria, Virginia, was arrested today by special agents of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) after being indicted on a felony charge of having fraudulently obtained U.S. citizenship.
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 HSI Washington, D.C made the announcement.
Mergia Negussie Habteyes, 58, is charged in an indictment, which was returned by a grand jury for the Eastern District of Virginia on Aug. 14, alleging that Negussie told a series of lies to U.S. immigration authorities in the course of obtaining authority to enter the United States as a refugee, subsequently obtaining lawful permanent-resident status, and ultimately obtaining U.S. citizenship. Specifically, the indictment asserts that, when he applied for naturalization in the United States, Negussie falsely stated that he never persecuted persons because of their political opinion, and he failed to disclose that he had committed a crime or offense for which he was not arrested. In fact, according to the indictment, Negussie served as a civilian interrogator in the Higher 3 prison in Ethiopia in the late 1970s, during a period known as the Red Terror. In that role, Negussie is alleged to have participated in the persecution, through brutality, of individuals imprisoned because of their political opinion. Additionally, Negussie falsely stated that he never gave false or misleading information to any U.S. government official while applying for any immigration benefit and that he never lied to U.S. immigration authorities to gain entry or admission into the United States and to obtain immigration benefits.
Negussie’s initial court appearance is at 2:00 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff of the Eastern District of Virginia.
“Negussie allegedly concealed his role in persecuting Ethiopian prisoners for their political opinions during that country’s so-called Red Terror period when he applied for, and ultimately obtained, U.S. citizenship,” said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski. “As this case demonstrates, the Justice Department will not allow the United States to become a safe haven for human rights violators, and we will continue to aggressively prosecute those who seek to exploit our immigration system through fraud and deceit.”
“Negussie sought to outrun his past by allegedly employing deception to fraudulently obtain United States citizenship,” said U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger. “This indictment reflects the government’s dedication to investigating and prosecuting criminal immigration cases, including those involving alleged human rights violators.”
“The persecution of individuals for their political opinion and expression violates one of our most basic and foundational tenets as a nation,” said HSI Special Agent in Charge Lechleitner. “We will not allow human rights violators to use lies, fraud and deceit to exploit our laws.”
If convicted, Negussie faces up to 10 years in federal prison. Conviction would also result in automatic revocation of Negussie’s U.S. citizenship as well as likely removal to Ethiopia.
The charges in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by HSI with the support of the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center (HRVWCC). Established in 2009, the HRVWCC furthers the government’s efforts to identify, locate and prosecute human rights abusers in the United States, including those who are known or suspected to have participated in persecution, war crimes, genocide, torture, extrajudicial killings, female genital mutilation and the use or recruitment of child soldiers. The HRVWCC leverages the expertise of a select group of agents, lawyers, intelligence and research specialists, historians and analysts who direct the government’s broader enforcement efforts against these offenders. The HRVWCC is comprised of ICE HSI’s Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Unit, ICE’s Human Rights Law Section, FBI’s International Human Rights Unit and DOJ’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP).
The case is being jointly prosecuted by Trial Attorney Jamie Perry of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Blanchard of the Eastern District of Virginia.
Members of the public who have information about former human rights violators in the United States are urged to contact U.S. law enforcement through the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section at [email protected] or toll-free at 1-800-813-5863, or through the HSI tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or its online tip form at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp.
DOJ and DEA Propose Significant Opioid Manufacturing ReductionRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The Department of Justice and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have proposed a reduction for controlled substances that may be manufactured in the U.S. next year.
Consistent with President Trump’s “Safe Prescribing Plan” that seeks to “cut nationwide opioid prescription fills by one-third within three years,” the proposal decreases manufacturing quotas for the six most frequently misused opioids for 2019 by an average ten percent as compared to the 2018 amount. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) marks the third straight year of proposed reductions, which help reduce the amount of drugs potentially diverted for trafficking and used to facilitate addiction.
“The opioid epidemic that we are facing today is the worst drug crisis in American history,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. “President Trump has set the ambitious goal of reducing opioid prescription rates by one-third in three years. We embrace that goal and are resolutely committed to reaching it. According to the National Prescription Audit, we have already made significant progress in reducing prescription rates over the past year. Cutting opioid production quotas by an average of ten percent next year will help us continue that progress and make it harder to divert these drugs for abuse. The American people can be confident that federal law enforcement and the Trump administration are taking action to protect them from dangerous drugs. These smarter limits bring us one big step closer to President Trump's goal of finally ending this unprecedented crisis. I congratulate Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon and his team for taking action.”
On July 11, the Justice Department announced that DEA was issuing a final rule amending its regulations to improve the agency’s ability to consider the likelihood of whether a drug can be diverted for abuse when it sets annual opioid production limits. The final rule also promotes greater involvement from state attorneys general, and today’s proposed reduction will be sent to those offices.
“We’ve lost too many lives to the opioid epidemic and families and communities suffer tragic consequences every day,” said DEA Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon. “This significant drop in prescriptions by doctors and DEA’s production quota adjustment will continue to reduce the amount of drugs available for illicit diversion and abuse while ensuring that patients will continue to have access to proper medicine.”
In setting the aggregate production quota (APQ), DEA considers data from many sources, including estimates of the legitimate medical need from the Food and Drug Administration; estimates of retail consumption based on prescriptions dispensed; manufacturers’ disposition history and forecasts; data from DEA’s own internal system for tracking controlled substance transactions; and past quota histories.
“Investigating and prosecuting opioid related crimes is a top priority of this office as we continue to battle this deadly epidemic,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Cutting opioid prescription rates and production quotas will reduce the amount of diverted drugs on the streets and help law enforcement in our pursuit of keeping our communities safe from this poison. Diversion and illicit use of these addictive substances has resulted in the death of far too many Virginians and destroyed the lives of the loved ones they have left behind.”
The DEA has proposed to reduce more commonly prescribed schedule II opioids, including oxycodone, hydrocodone, oxymorphone, hydromorphone, morphine, and fentanyl. See PDF attached to this message.
Ultimately, revised limits will encourage vigilance on the part of opioid manufacturers, help DEA respond to the changing drug threat environment, and protect the American people from potential addictive drugs while ensuring that the country has enough opioids for legitimate medical, scientific, research, and industrial needs.
Once the aggregate quota is set, DEA allocates individual manufacturing and procurement quotas to those manufacturers that apply for them. DEA may revise a company’s quota at any time during the year if change is warranted due to increased or decreased sales or exports, new manufacturers entering the market, new product development, or product recalls.
When Congress passed the Controlled Substances Act, the quota system was intended to reduce or eliminate diversion from “legitimate channels of trade” by controlling the quantities of the basic ingredients needed for the manufacture of controlled substances.
The Proposed Aggregate Production Quotas for schedule I and II controlled substances published in the Federal Register reflects the total amount of controlled substances necessary to meet the country’s medical, scientific, research, industrial, and export needs for the year and for the establishment and maintenance of reserve stocks. DEA establishes an APQ for more than 250 schedule I and II controlled substances annually.
In 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidelines to practitioners recommending a reduction in the prescribing of opioid medications for chronic pain. DEA and its federal partners have increased efforts in the last several years to educate practitioners, pharmacists, manufacturers, distributors, and the public about the dangers associated with the misuse of opioid medications and the importance of proper prescribing.
Alleged Human Rights Abuser Arrested for Naturalization FraudRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An alleged human rights abuser who participated in persecution during the Red Terror period in Ethiopia was arrested today for allegedly having fraudulently obtained United States citizenship.
“Negussie sought to outrun his past by allegedly employing deception to fraudulently obtain United States citizenship,” said U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger. “This indictment reflects the government’s dedication to investigating and prosecuting criminal immigration cases, including those involving alleged human rights violators.”
According to allegations in the indictment, Mergia Negussie Habteyes, 58, a naturalized United States citizen residing in Alexandria, told a series of lies to United States immigration authorities in the course of obtaining authority to enter the United States as a refugee, subsequently obtaining lawful permanent-resident status, and ultimately obtaining U.S. citizenship. Specifically, the indictment asserts that, when he applied for naturalization in the United States, Negussie falsely stated that he never persecuted persons because of their political opinion, and he failed to disclose that he had committed a crime or offense for which he was not arrested. In fact, according to the indictment, Negussie served as a civilian interrogator in the Higher 3 prison in Ethiopia in the late 1970s, during a period known as the Red Terror. In that role, Negussie is alleged to have participated in the persecution, through brutality, of individuals imprisoned because of their political opinion. Additionally, Negussie falsely stated that he never gave false or misleading information to any U.S. government official while applying for any immigration benefit and that he never lied to U.S. immigration authorities to gain entry or admission into the United States and to obtain immigration benefits.
“Negussie allegedly concealed his role in persecuting Ethiopian prisoners for their political opinions during that country’s so-called Red Terror period when he applied for, and ultimately obtained, U.S. citizenship,” said Brian A. Benczkowski, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “As this case demonstrates, the Justice Department will not allow the United States to become a safe haven for human rights violators, and we will continue to aggressively prosecute those who seek to exploit our immigration system through fraud and deceit.”
“The persecution of individuals for their political opinion and expression violates one of our most basic and foundational tenets as a nation,” said Patrick J. Lechleitner, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C. “We will not allow human rights violators to use lies, fraud and deceit to exploit our laws.”
Negussie is charged with unlawful procurement of naturalization. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Conviction would also result in automatic revocation of Negussie’s United States citizenship as well as likely removal to Ethiopia. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being investigated by HSI with the support of the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center (HRVWCC). Established in 2009, the HRVWCC furthers the government’s efforts to identify, locate and prosecute human rights abusers in the United States, including those who are known or suspected to have participated in persecution, war crimes, genocide, torture, extrajudicial killings, female genital mutilation and the use or recruitment of child soldiers. The HRVWCC leverages the expertise of a select group of agents, lawyers, intelligence and research specialists, historians and analysts who direct the government’s broader enforcement efforts against these offenders. The HRVWCC is comprised of ICE HSI’s Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Unit, ICE’s Human Rights Law Section, FBI’s International Human Rights Unit and DOJ’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP).
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Brian A. Benczkowski, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and 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. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Blanchard and Trial Attorney Jamie Perry of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) are prosecuting the case.
Members of the public who have information about former human rights violators in the United States are urged to contact U.S. law enforcement through the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section at [email protected] or toll-free at 1-800-813-5863, or through the HSI tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or its online tip form at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp.
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-350.
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.
Woman Pleads Guilty to Meth Conspiracy and Prostitution ChargesRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Chesapeake woman pleaded guilty today to her involvement in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy, promoting the prostitution of several adult women and two minor girls, and to a charge of tampering with a witness against her.
According to court documents, Randi Brooke Creef, 22, worked with several co-conspirators in Virginia and California to receive and distribute parcels of methamphetamine throughout Hampton Roads. She also helped the conspiracy in its efforts to prostitute several women – including at least two minor females – in hotels in Chesapeake and Virginia Beach. Creef rented hotel rooms, provided narcotics, collected proceeds of the commercial sex acts, and helped as otherwise needed. Creef sent the proceeds of her methamphetamine dealing and the commercial sex acts of the women to a co-conspirator in California. After her indictment, Creef began a campaign using her social media accounts to threaten and harass an individual she believed to be a witness against her, in an effort to dissuade that individual from further cooperating with law enforcement.
Creef pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, use of facilities in interstate commerce to promote prostitution, and witness tampering. She faces a mandatory minimum term of five years in prison, and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison when she sentenced on December 11. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
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, James A. Cervera, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, and Col. K.L. Wright, Chief of Chesapeake Police, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Robert G. Doumar accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney V. Kathleen Dougherty and Darryl J. Mitchell 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-65.
Convicted Felon Sentenced for Heroin and Fentanyl DistributionRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Portsmouth man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for distributing heroin mixed with fentanyl and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
“Walker had enough fentanyl for a lethal dose for about 13,620 people,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Distributing this deadly narcotic into the community would have placed many lives in extreme grave danger if they came in contact with this dangerous substance. Investigating and prosecuting heroin and fentanyl trafficking crimes is a top priority of this office as we continue to battle this deadly epidemic. I want to thank our investigative partners at ATF for their terrific work on this important case.”
According to court documents, Taron D. Walker, trafficked heroin and fentanyl throughout Portsmouth. Overall, Walker distributed 1.5 kilograms of heroin, over 13.5 kilograms of marijuana, 500 grams of cocaine, 27 grams of fentanyl, and about two grams of amphetamine.
Walker also conspired to straw-purchase firearms. As a felon prohibited from purchasing guns himself, Walker used his brother to buy guns for him. Walker’s decision to involve his brother in a criminal conspiracy exposed his brother to federal gun charges as well.
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 U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin M. Comstock and William B. Jackson prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information 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-22.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to Prison for Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to 52 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
“Convicted felons who possess firearms present a significant danger to the safety of our law enforcement partners and the communities they serve,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Together with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners we remain steadfastly committed to removing illegally possessed firearms from our streets and reducing violent crime in our communities. The facts of this case exemplify the grave dangers our brave women and men in law enforcement may face every time they initiate a routine traffic stop.”
According to court documents, Slimero Grimes, 43, was a passenger in a vehicle driven by another individual, which disregarded stop signs, eluded police, and collided with a marked patrol vehicle. The police located Grimes in the front passenger seat wrestling with a shotgun that was in his lap as he attempted to exit the vehicle. Grime has prior convictions for abduction, robbery, and malicious wounding, and was convicted in 2010 for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
“Removing dangerous felons in possession of illegal firearms from our streets is a task that ATF engages in daily,” said Thomas L. Chittum, III, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division. “ATF actively partners with its federal, state and local law enforcement partners to reduce crime and keep communities safe.”
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 U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Holli R. Wood and Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia 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-33.
Firearms Trafficker Sentenced to Nearly Four Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – An Henrico man was sentenced today to 46 months in prison for conspiracy to make a false statement to acquire firearms, aiding and abetting another in making a false statement to acquire firearms, and using the mail to traffic marijuana.
“Preventing the illegal purchase and sale of firearms is a top priority,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “We will continue to use federal firearms laws to prosecute straw purchasers and hold them accountable for their role in trafficking illegally purchased firearms. Every straw purchased firearm is a gun that can wind up in the hands of a prohibited person. I want to commend the ATF for their commitment to investigating these important cases.”
According to court documents, Toddai Deveaux, 21, enlisted an individual, J.M., to purchase approximately 13 firearms throughout spring and summer 2017 on Deveaux’s behalf. In doing so, J.M. falsely represented on forms required by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and used by all federally licensed firearms dealers, that he was purchasing the firearms for himself, rather than on behalf of Deveaux. After learning of these purchases and the false statements that J.M. made during each of these purchases, ATF agents confronted and arrested Deveaux. Law enforcement also learned that J.M. and Deveaux traveled to New York and Connecticut to sell several of the purchased firearms, with Deveaux keeping most, if not all, of the proceeds from those sales.
“The straw purchasing and illegal trafficking of firearms is a dangerous activity and often puts guns in the hands of criminals,” said Thomas L. Chittum, III, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division. “ATF remains dedicated to removing those that illegally possess firearms from the streets and communities of law abiding citizens.”
Additionally, in September 2017, Deveaux asked a student at Old Dominion University if Deveaux could have a package delivered to the student’s on-campus mailing address. Subsequently, in October 2017, Deveaux again asked if he could have a package delivered to the student’s on-campus mailing address. However, on this occasion campus police intercepted the package under suspicion the package contained marijuana. The package contained 861.09 grams of marijuana which Deveaux intended to sell and distribute to others.
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 U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen E. Anthony prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information 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-39.
Jamaican Woman Sentenced for Lottery Scam Targeting Elderly VictimsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Jamaican citizen was sentenced today to six years in prison for orchestrating a lottery fraud that scammed elderly victims out of approximately $385,000.
“The financial and emotional harm these scams cause elderly victims and their family members can be devastating,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “This office will continue to aggressively prosecute crimes involving elder fraud, and we are firmly committed to bringing the offenders to justice, no matter where they reside.”
According to court documents, Tessicar Karelle Jumpp, 34, conspired with several of her family members and associates to scam elderly victims out of their savings. From her home in Jamaica, Jumpp contacted victims in the United States and used an alias to pretend to be a representative of Publishers Clearing House. Jumpp falsely informed her victims that they had won a lottery prize of millions of dollars, but that in order to collect their winnings, they would need to pay taxes and advance fees. Jumpp then instructed her victims to send funds through wire transfers and in packages of cash mailed to her co-conspirators in the United States. Those co-conspirators would keep a portion of the funds and then send the remainder to Jumpp and others in Jamaica. Jumpp’s victims included an 85-year-old woman from Great Falls who was scammed out of over $335,000, and an 85-year-old Massachusetts man who was defrauded out of almost $50,000.
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is grateful for the strong working relationships that led to the successful resolution of this case,” said Eric Shen, Acting Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “Postal Inspectors will continue to work together with our other federal law enforcement partners to ensure that criminals who target elderly and vulnerable victims in the United States cannot hide behind international borders.”
Earlier this year, the Department of Justice and its law enforcement partners coordinated the largest sweep of elder fraud cases in history. The cases involved more than 250 defendants from around the globe who victimized more than 1 million Americans, most of whom were elderly. The cases include criminal, civil, and forfeiture actions across more than 50 federal districts.
“This case is an excellent example of the interagency cooperation required to dismantle an international scheme designed to target elderly U.S. citizens,” said Brian A. Michael, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark Field Office. “HSI’s financial expertise coupled with our international footprint demonstrates even those criminals operating outside of the United States will be pursued vigorously.”
“This investigation exemplifies the positive outcomes that the FBI and our partner law enforcement agencies are bringing about in a continued effort to protect all American citizens, but particularly our senior citizens, from scams,” said Matthew J. DeSarno, Special Agent in Charge of the Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office. “In addition to the Special Agents, Intelligence Analysts, and Inspectors, I want to thank our foreign partners in Jamaica for their coordination, which led to today’s sentencing.”
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, Eric Shen, Acting Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Brian A. Michael, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samantha Bateman 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. 1:14-cr-416.
Man Sentenced to Prison for Third Federal Firearm ConvictionRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to 6 1/2 years in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted of a felon.
“Corey Spruill has a criminal history filled with violence,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “He has numerous convictions for assaulting women and children, and possessing firearms. This office is committed to aggressively prosecuting violent individuals like Mr. Spruill. I want to thank our law enforcement partners at the Richmond Police Department and the ATF for the efforts on this case.”
According to court documents, Corey Spruill, 41, was approached by Richmond police officers after the car he was driving failed to stop at an intersection. When the officer approached Spruill’s car, he smelled a strong odor of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. A lawful search of the vehicle resulted in the recovery of a backpack containing marijuana, a digital scale, and baggies used to package narcotics. In addition, a loaded firearm was recovered from the center console of the car. Spruill was also in possession of a quantity of cocaine that he had inside a baggie in his pocket. Spruill has prior convictions for misdemeanor assault and battery, and was convicted in 1999 and again in 2005 of federal firearms charges, making this his third federal felony conviction. While Spruill was on bond on state charges associated with this case, he was arrested and later convicted of assault and battery of a family member.
“The ATF is dedicated to removing violent criminals and those that illegally possess and use illicit firearms 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. “This investigation demonstrates how ATF actively collaborates with its federal, state and local law enforcement partners to reduce violent crime and keep communities safe.”
“This is a great example how the Richmond Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office work together to prosecute repeat offenders and keep our streets safer,” said Roger Russell, Acting Deputy Chief of the Richmond Police.
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 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-32.
Previously Convicted Felon Indicted on Heroin Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging a Virginia Beach man with conspiracy, maintaining a drug-involved premises, and possession with intent to distribute heroin.
According to allegations in the indictment, criminal complaint, and related court-documents, Demetress Bratton, 37, was arrested in March 2018 attempting to access his storage unit in Virginia Beach. Earlier that day, a Virginia Beach drug dog gave a positive alert for drugs at the storage unit, and a search warrant was obtained. During the search, detectives recovered two bags of an off-white substance that were sitting on a hydraulic press. One of the bags contained roughly 37 grams of heroin, and the other contained roughly 55 grams of a cutting agent used to increase the amount of heroin. Detectives also recovered a money counter, a Gucci bag containing $20,000 cash, two handguns, two rifles, and several cell phones. Later, when Bratton arrived at his storage unit and was arrested, law enforcement recovered $1663 cash and bags of heroin and a cutting agent from his vehicle.
If convicted, Bratton faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, 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. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin M. Comstock and William B. Jackson 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-123.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
Man Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man was sentenced today to 8 years in prison and 20 years of supervised release for receipt, transportation, and possession of images of child sexual abuse.
According to court documents, Robert Michael Fall, 42, possessed thousands of images and videos of child sexual abuse at the time of his arrest, and had been collecting the images for at least a decade. A search warrant and forensic investigation revealed that Fall possessed at least two laptops, numerous DVDs, and a Dropbox account containing illicit images and videos. Despite the fact that Fall used fake email accounts to try to hide his digital tracks, the evidence at trial indicated that his Dropbox account alone contained over 320 images and over 2,900 videos of child sexual abuse. Virginia Beach police first became aware of Fall’s illegal conduct when a relative reported finding a laptop with images of apparent child sexual abuse in Fall’s bedroom.
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, Michael K. Lamonea, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Norfolk, and James A. Cervera, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry Coke Morgan, Jr. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth M. Yusi and Daniel T. Young 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-12.
Heroin Dealer Sentenced to 22 Years for Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Fredericksburg man was sentenced today to 22 years in prison for his role in a heroin distribution conspiracy and for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Dustin Washington, 35, joined a conspiracy in late 2014 with several other individuals to sell heroin in the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania County areas. Over the course of the conspiracy Washington sold fentanyl, a more potent, synthetic form of heroin, at least three times, including twice to an undercover officer. Subsequently, law enforcement used a confidential source to make controlled purchases of heroin from Washington in 2016. Audio recordings made during the controlled purchases revealed that Washington used other members of the conspiracy to provide him heroin to sell. On April 17, 2017, law enforcement executed search warrants on the homes of two other co-conspirators, finding more than 75 grams of heroin, and large quantities of cocaine and Molly. While executing a search warrant on Washington’s vehicle, law enforcement found an AR-15 rifle in the trunk. From 2014 through 2017, Washington and his co-conspirators distributed and possessed with the intent to distribute more than 1 kilogram of heroin.
On January 25, 2018, a federal jury convicted Washington of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 1 kilogram or more of heroin, and of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. At trial Washington testified that he was not a part of the conspiracy and had never seen the AR-15 found in his vehicle. At the sentencing hearing, the court found that Washington had committed perjury during his trial testimony, resulting in a sentencing guidelines range of 235-292 months.
Co-defendants Earnest Wright, Tyrell Brown, Michael Fox, and Sheronda Fox, all pleaded guilty and received sentences of 20, 18, 17, and 9 years, respectively.
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 Adam S. Lee, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen E. Anthony prosecuted the case.
The case was investigated by the Fredericksburg FBI Narcotics Task Force, which includes the DEA, FBI, Virginia State Police, Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Stafford County Sheriff’s Office, Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office, and Fredericksburg Police Department.
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. 3:17-cr-104.
Convicted Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Fairfax man who is a registered sex offender pleaded guilty today to downloading images of child sexual abuse.
According to court documents, Christopher James Tator, 31, was discovered by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force making child pornography files available over an Internet file-sharing network. A computer forensic examination of devices seized from Tator’s residence during a search warrant revealed that he had used a computer to download child pornography videos from a Dropbox cloud storage account. Tator’s devices also contained hundreds of thumbnail images of children being sexually abused, many of which depicted the sexual abuse of infants. Tator is a registered sex offender as a result of a 2010 Prince William County conviction of attempting to take indecent liberties with children.
Tator pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography by person with a prior conviction relating to aggravated sexual abuse, sexual abuse, or abusive sexual conduct involving a minor. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 40 years when sentenced on November 2. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case 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 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. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Reynolds is prosecuting the case.
The FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force 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.
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-294.
Virginia Beach Heroin Dealer Sentenced to 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for his role in dealing heroin at his recording studio while armed.
According to court documents, Michael David Smith, 38, was the target of a five-month-long investigation by Virginia Beach Police Department’s Special Investigations Detectives and DEA Agents. Smith was part of a large heroin conspiracy that included sources of supply Steven Nichols, Darien Everette, and Everette’s lookout Duane Jones. Nichols supplied heroin to Everette, who in turn supplied it to Smith at Smith’s Newtown Road studio while assisted by Jones. Smith then distributed the heroin to a confidential source via controlled purchases at least five times in September and October 2017.
At a controlled purchase in October 2017, the Virginia Beach SWAT team was waiting for Everette and Jones to deliver the heroin to Smith at the studio. They arrested the three of them, searched their bags, and executed a search warrant for the studio. Police recovered from Smith’s bag marijuana, several other illegal drugs, packaging material, and a Glock 19 handgun. In the studio they also found methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana, several prescription medications, and $2631 in cash that included $1650 of DEA and Virginia Beach buy money used to purchase heroin from Smith. All four defendants later pleaded guilty. Nichols, Everette, and Jones await sentencing.
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 Senior U.S. District Judge Robert G. Doumar. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin M. Comstock and William B. Jackson prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information 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-30, 2:18-CR-63 (Nichols), and 2:18-CR-23 (Everette).
Previously Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Heroin and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man pleaded guilty today to trafficking heroin while armed.
According to court documents, Vernon Lewis Petway, 39, a convicted felon, was caught in possession of roughly 97 grams of heroin and a firearm after transporting the heroin by bus from New York City into Norfolk.
The case is part of Operation Sand Dragon, a joint operation run by the Norfolk Police Department with assistance from the DEA, ATF, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Chesapeake Police Department. After an eight-month-long investigation, law enforcement arrested 44 suspects for their roles in distributing drugs. Twelve of the suspects were involved in gang activity, which was a major focus of the investigation. During the investigation, law enforcement recovered roughly 11 ounces of heroin, three pounds of cocaine, three pounds of marijuana, 24 ecstasy pills, and nine grams of methamphetamine. The total street value of the drugs was over $190,000. Law enforcement also recovered 12 firearms and over $85,000 in cash.
Petway pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute heroin, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug-trafficking crime. He faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a maximum sentence of life when sentenced on November 15. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
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, Larry D. Boone, Chief of Norfolk Police Department, Scott W. Hoernke, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, Thomas L. Chittum, III, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, Michael K. Lamonea, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Norfolk, and Col. K.L. Wright, Chief of Chesapeake Police, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Miller accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney William B. Jackson is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information 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-34.
Navy Officer Pleads Guilty to $2.7 Million Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach naval officer pleaded guilty today to his role in a $2.7 million procurement fraud scheme, and to lying on his federal income tax return.
According to court documents, Randolph M. Prince, 45, defrauded the Navy out of over $2.7 million through a procurement fraud scheme in which he, as a member of his Navy unit’s supply staff, steered government contracts to sham companies who were created and run by his friends. Prince had the authority to make purchase requests for military equipment on behalf of his command, and also had the ability to sign for goods when a company delivered them to his unit on the back end.
Prince took advantage of his position to direct purchases to the sham companies, which had been opened for the sole purpose of receiving government contracts from Prince. When a contract landed on the desk of one of these companies, Prince, and others, would generate fraudulent documentation to suggest the company had honored its end of the bargain. With this documentation in hand, the Navy would then pay the company. However, the sham companies never provided the Navy with anything at all. Instead, they distributed the Navy money amongst Prince and his associates.
Prince pleaded guilty to wire fraud and making a false statement in connection with his 2014 tax return. He faces a maximum of 20 years in prison when sentenced on December 3. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Robert Craig, Special Agent in Charge for Defense Criminal Investigative Service Mid-Atlantic Field Office, Cliff Everton, Special Agent in Charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Norfolk Field Office, Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, and Kelly R. Jackson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Robert G. Doumar accepted the plea. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Layne 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-116.
Man Sentenced to 45 Years for 2009 Newport News MurderRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Williamsburg man was sentenced today to 45 years in prison for his leadership role in the 2009 murder of Louis Joseph Jr., in Newport News.
Mark Xavier Wallace, 37, was convicted following a jury trial on April 17, along with co-defendants Joseph James Cain Benson, of Boston, and Bryan Lamar Brown, of Newport News.
“We will remain steadfast in our fight against violent crime in Tidewater and are increasing our resources as we speak,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Wallace was the leader of a crew that brutally murdered Louis Joseph in his home in 2009. Today’s sentence reflects what happens to those commit heinous crimes of violence. This case is a quintessential example of law enforcement partnerships coming together to fight the scourge of drug violence. I want to thank the prosecutors who brought this matter to trial, the FBI, and the Newport News Police Department for their outstanding work on this difficult case.”
According to court documents, Louis Joseph was beaten and shot multiple times at his Denbigh home while he babysat a five-year-old child. Wallace organized the home invasion and recruited Benson and another individual who traveled from Boston to Williamsburg to commit the home invasion of Louis Joseph to obtain money and drugs. Brown transported the co-defendants to Joseph’s house and also supplied the two firearms to commit the murder. Benson and at least one other man entered the home of Joseph, beat him and shot him multiple times during the robbery.
Benson was sentenced to life in prison on July 24. Brown was sentenced to 45 years in prison on July 19.
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, Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, and Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa R. McKeel and Howard J. Zlotnick 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. 4:17-cr-45.
Former Subcontractor on Dulles Metrorail Project Pleads Guilty to Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Florida man pleaded guilty today to conspiring to commit wire fraud in connection with the extension of the Silver Line, also known as Phase II of the Dulles Metrorail Project.
According to court documents, Andrew Nolan, 28, was the Quality Control Manager for a subcontractor hired to produce concrete for the Dulles Metrorail Project until approximately June 2016. While serving as the QC Manager, Nolan, and quality control employees under his supervision, falsified test records for the Dulles Metrorail Project to make it appear as though air content for the concrete was within the required range of air content. Nolan falsified test records knowing that the general contractor for the Dulles Metrorail Project would reject the concrete had it known that the concrete fell below the required air content for the project, which is partially funded by a U.S. Department of Transportation loan.
Nolan pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and faces a maximum of five years in prison when sentenced November 9. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Civil Division for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the Virginia Attorney General’s Office filed a complaint in intervention against Nolan and others under the federal False Claims Act and the Virginia Fraud Against Taxpayers Act on July 9, in connection with the concrete provided to the Dulles Metrorail Project.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Mark R. Herring, Attorney General of Virginia, Floyd Sherman, Regional Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General, and Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Uzo Asonye is prosecuting the criminal 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-292.
Man Sentenced to Prison for Selling Drugs and Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man was sentenced yesterday to eight years in prison for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
“Prosecuting armed drug traffickers is a top priority,” 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. 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.”
According to court documents, on April 29, 2016, John Paul Alarcon, 31, was stopped by the Virginia Beach Police and law enforcement subsequently discovered a concealed, loaded firearm in his car. The police also discovered 3.4 grams of Methamphetamine and approximately $3,500 in cash. During the execution of a search warrant at Alarcon’s home in Virginia Beach, police discovered 9.6 grams of Methamphetamine, Psilocyn, Amphetamine tablets, Fentanyl tablets, a tablet containing a Heroin and Fentanyl mixture, Oxymorphone, and approximately $2,000 in cash.
“Methamphetamine destroys people and communities,” said Michael K. Lamonea, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Norfolk. “HSI, along with our partners at the Virginia Beach Police Department and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, are committed to keeping this dangerous drug out of Hampton Roads.”
Over a year later and while on bond from the Virginia Beach General District Court, law enforcement encountered Alarcon at the Military Circle Mall, and seized a bag containing a loaded firearm, 2.9 grams of Methamphetamine, 7.9 grams of Cocaine, Alarcon’s wallet and $1,195 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, Michael K. Lamonea, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of HSI Norfolk, Eric Shen, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and James A. Cervera, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith. Assistant U.S. Attorney Darryl J. Mitchell 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-9.
Jamaican Man Pleads Guilty to Involvement in International Cocaine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Jamaican man pleaded guilty today to his role in a cocaine conspiracy involving the distribution and possession of 15 kilograms of cocaine on behalf of a Panamanian drug trafficking organization (DTO).
According to court documents, Oraine Lawson, 26, a citizen of Jamaica, served as a cocaine transporter for the DTO moving illegal narcotics within the United States. In February 2016, Lawson and a co-conspirator traveled from Brooklyn, New York to Charleston, South Carolina, to receive 15 kilograms of cocaine for domestic distribution on behalf of the DTO. On the same day, law enforcement intercepted 15 kilograms of cocaine on a commercial shipping vessel at the Port of Charleston sent by the DTO. The next day, Lawson and his co-conspirator obtained a bag containing 15 kilograms of cocaine in Charleston from a co-conspirator while under surveillance of law enforcement. Upon taking possession of the cocaine, Lawson boarded a commercial bus and law enforcement later executed a drug interdiction operation on the commercial bus on which Lawson was traveling. During the stop of the bus, law enforcement surveillance observed Lawson’s co-conspirator hide the bag containing the 15 kilograms of cocaine under a seat inside the bus. Shortly thereafter, law enforcement officers seized the bag containing the 15 kilograms of cocaine.
Lawson pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years and a maximum penalty of life imprisonment when sentenced on November 2. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), Operation Brotehrs Grim. The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Scott W. Hoernke, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of Virginia State Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erik S. Siebert and Peter S. Duffey are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information 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-108.
Man Sentenced for Craigslist Classic Car Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Los Angeles man was sentenced today to 63 months in prison for engaging in a fraud conspiracy to defraud purchasers of classic cars and muscle cars on Craigslist and other Internet websites.
According to court documents, Shakir McNeal, 45, and his co-conspirators Anthony V. Newton, Shaquana K. Taylor, Dewrel L. Burleson, and others, would post for sale listings on various Internet websites such as Craigslist, offering to sell 1960s and 1970s classic cars and muscle cars that they never intended to deliver to the buyers. The conspirators posted on Craigslist websites for Minneapolis, Albuquerque, Chattanooga, Los Angeles, Omaha, Peoria, and Atlanta. They would also use multiple telephones, telephone numbers, and email accounts to communicate with interested buyers, and would later abandon such telephone numbers and email accounts after successfully obtaining buyers’ monies.
The conspirators performed various roles, such as communicating with interested buyers, recruiting other conspirators to receive deposits and wire transfers from persons seeking to buy the vehicles, and opening new bank accounts or allowing their existing accounts to be used to receive deposits and transfers for the vehicles. These monies were then shared among the conspirators. McNeal and his co-conspirators stole $143,675 from 14 of his victims.
McNeal pleaded guilty in November 2017 and was originally scheduled to be sentenced in February 2018. After being placed on bond so that he could to return to Los Angeles to be with his ailing mother, McNeal failed appear for his sentencing, and the court issued an arrest warrant for McNeal.
On June 12, law enforcement again arrested McNeal and returned him to Norfolk for sentencing.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen W. Haynie 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. 2:16-cr-55.
Former Owner of Sleep Study Businesses Convicted of Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a Sterling, Virginia woman today on health care fraud and tax charges for operating a fraudulent sleep study clinic in Northern Virginia.
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; Assistant Director in Charge Nancy McNamara of the FBI’s Washington Field Office; Acting Special Agent in Charge Kelly R. Jackson of IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) Washington D.C. Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Bret D. Mastronardi for the Office of Personnel Management Office (OPM); Special Agent in Charge Robert E. Craig for the Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s (DCIS) Mid-Atlantic Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement.
After a two-week trial, Young Yi, 44, a citizen of South Korea, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit health care and wire fraud, seven counts of health care fraud, one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, and one count of filing a false tax return. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 2 by U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady of the Eastern District of Virginia, who presided over the trial and remanded her into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
“Young Yi fueled her lavish lifestyle by misleading patients, withholding information from physicians, and using doctors’ identifying information without their permission in order to steal millions of dollars from Medicare and private insurers,” said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski. “Today’s verdict highlights the important work of the Department and our law enforcement partners as we seek to hold people accountable for defrauding our health care system.”
“Yi lied to, cheated, and stole from taxpayers and insurance companies,” said U.S. Attorney Terwilliger. “When someone commits healthcare and tax fraud it drives up the cost of care for everyone and creates an un-level playing field. Yi misled patients and their doctors, falsified records to cover it up, and deducted millions in taxes she used to buy expensive properties and luxury goods. I want to thank our trial team and investigative partners for their terrific work on this complex and important case.”
According to evidence presented at trial, Yi obtained more than $83 million from Medicare and private insurance during the health care fraud conspiracy and lowered her taxes by nearly $900,000 in one tax year alone. Yi formed the primary entities she used to commit the crimes, 1st Class Sleep Diagnostic Center and 1st Class Medical, in 2005. Using those and other entities, Yi directed her employees to solicit patients who had been referred to her clinic for legitimate sleep studies for supplemental but medically unnecessary studies. To conceal the scheme, Yi instructed employees not to send the results of the fraudulent studies to the patients’ doctors, lied to patients by telling them they did not have to pay copays or coinsurance, and cross-billed using her different entities both to conceal the repetition from the insurance companies and to get out-of-network payments for in-network services. The cross-billing between the two lead entities alone was approximately $4 million. Yi also used the original referring doctors’ names and identifying information on health insurance claims without their permission, the evidence showed.
According to the evidence presented at trial, Yi used her business bank accounts to purchase personal luxury goods and real estate that she nonetheless booked as business expenses. Those falsely booked purchases included a $25,000 Rolex watch, $10,500 in mink coats, several luxury vehicles and a $1.1 million home in Sterling, Virginia. Yi also used the proceeds of her crimes to purchase five condominiums worth more than $2.8 million in McLean, Virginia; Chicago, Illinois; and Honolulu, Hawaii. Yi used money that she falsely booked as payments for medical supplies and health insurance reimbursements to purchase land in Great Falls, Virginia. After a February 2014 search warrant was executed at her businesses, Yi and her husband formed a purported charity, and transferred assets into that foundation to protect them from law enforcement.
In addition to the medically unnecessary sleep studies performed on patients who had been referred by doctors to 1st Class Sleep Diagnostic Center, Yi also encouraged her own employees to have sleep studies that were then billed to insurance, the evidence showed. Those included claims charged in the indictment for three employees who did not have sleep apnea but nonetheless received at least 27 sleep studies between them in less than three years. The employees received payments for undergoing the sleep studies, and in some instances, the employees were organized into teams for “races” to see who could refer the greatest number of friends and family members for the fraudulent studies.
Yi’s co-defendant, Dannie Ahn, pleaded guilty in December 2017 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 14.
The case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office, IRS-CI, OPM-OIG, DCIS and HHS-OIG. Trial Attorney Kevin Lowell of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine L. Wong and Ryan S. Faulconer of the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which is part of a joint initiative between the Department of Justice and HHS to focus their efforts to prevent and deter fraud and enforce current anti-fraud laws around the country. The Medicare Fraud Strike Force operates in nine locations nationwide. Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force has charged over 3,500 defendants who collectively have falsely billed the Medicare program for over $12.5 billion.
Former Owner of Sleep Study Businesses Convicted of Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Sterling woman today on health care fraud and tax charges for operating a fraudulent sleep study clinic in Northern Virginia.
“Yi lied to, cheated, and stole from taxpayers and insurance companies,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “When someone commits healthcare and tax fraud it drives up the cost of care for everyone and creates an un-level playing field. Yi misled patients and their doctors, falsified records to cover it up, and deducted millions in taxes she used to buy expensive properties and luxury goods. I want to thank our trial team and investigative partners for their terrific work on this complex and important case.”
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Young Yi, 44, a citizen of South Korea, obtained more than $83 million from Medicare and private insurance during the health care fraud conspiracy and lowered her taxes by nearly $900,000 in one tax year alone. Yi formed the primary entities she used to commit the crimes, 1st Class Sleep Diagnostic Center and 1st Class Medical, in 2005. Using those and other entities, Yi directed her employees to solicit patients who had been referred to her clinic for legitimate sleep studies for supplemental but medically unnecessary studies. To conceal the scheme, Yi instructed employees not to send the results of the fraudulent studies to the patients’ doctors, lied to patients by telling them they did not have to pay copays or coinsurance, and cross-billed using her different entities both to conceal the repetition from the insurance companies and to get out-of-network payments for in-network services. The cross-billing between the two lead entities alone was approximately $4 million. Yi also used the original referring doctors’ names and identifying information on health insurance claims without their permission, the evidence showed.
“Young Yi fueled her lavish lifestyle by misleading patients, withholding information from physicians, and using doctors’ identifying information without their permission in order to steal millions of dollars from Medicare and private insurers,” said Brian A. Benczkowski, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s verdict highlights the important work of the Department and our law enforcement partners as we seek to hold people accountable for defrauding our health care system.”
According to the evidence presented at trial, Yi used her business bank accounts to purchase personal luxury goods and real estate that she nonetheless booked as business expenses. Those falsely booked purchases included a $25,000 Rolex watch, $10,500 in mink coats, several luxury vehicles and a $1.1 million home in Sterling, Virginia. Yi also used the proceeds of her crimes to purchase five condominiums worth more than $2.8 million in McLean, Virginia; Chicago, Illinois; and Honolulu, Hawaii. Yi used money that she falsely booked as payments for medical supplies and health insurance reimbursements to purchase land in Great Falls, Virginia. After a February 2014 search warrant was executed at her businesses, Yi and her husband formed a purported charity, and transferred assets into that foundation to protect them from law enforcement.
In addition to the medically unnecessary sleep studies performed on patients who had been referred by doctors to 1st Class Sleep Diagnostic Center, Yi also encouraged her own employees to have sleep studies that were then billed to insurance, the evidence showed. Those included claims charged in the indictment for three employees who did not have sleep apnea but nonetheless received at least 27 sleep studies between them in less than three years. The employees received payments for undergoing the sleep studies, and in some instances, the employees were organized into teams for “races” to see who could refer the greatest number of friends and family members for the fraudulent studies.
Yi’s co-defendant, Dannie Ahn, pleaded guilty in December 2017 and is scheduled to be sentenced on September 14.
Yi was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit health care and wire fraud, seven counts of health care fraud, one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, and one count of filing a false tax return. She is scheduled to be sentenced on November 2.
The Fraud Section leads the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which is part of a joint initiative between the Department of Justice and HHS to focus their efforts to prevent and deter fraud and enforce current anti-fraud laws around the country. The Medicare Fraud Strike Force operates in nine locations nationwide. Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force has charged over 3,500 defendants who collectively have falsely billed the Medicare program for over $12.5 billion.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Brian A. Benczkowski, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, Kelly R. Jackson, Acting Special Agent in Charge of IRS-Criminal Investigation, Washington D.C. Field Office, Bret D. Mastronardi, Special Agent in Charge for the Office of Personnel Management Office, Robert E. Craig, Special Agent in Charge for the Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s Mid-Atlantic Field Office, and Maureen Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine L. Wong and Ryan S. Faulconer, and Trial Attorney Kevin Lowell of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information 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-224.
Two Members of Fraud and ID Theft Ring SentencedRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Two members of an identity-theft-and-fraud conspiracy were sentenced today for fraudulently entering into apartment leases and opening bank accounts using the personal information of their victims.
According to court documents, Andraliesha Jefferson, 28, of Reno, Nevada, and Robert McCrickard, 56, of Baltimore, Maryland, used counterfeit drivers’ licenses bearing their photographs and the names and identifying information of their victims to enter into apartment leases in Northern Virginia and the Washington, D.C.-metropolitan area. They then used the “new addresses” associated with the leases to receive debit and credit cards from bank accounts they had fraudulently opened, also using victims’ personal information. Acting under the direction of their ringleader, Michael Oginni, of Rockville, Maryland, the conspirators racked up hundreds of thousands of dollars in fraudulent charges for luxury goods and gift cards. They also placed high-interest credit-to-debit transfers in the fraudulently acquired bank accounts, which enabled them to withdraw cash. The conspiracy generated $850,000 of fraudulent transactions in just under two years. The criminal scheme victimized over 50 individuals.
Jefferson was sentenced to three years of probation, a sentence which credited her for time she served in a Virginia detention center. McCrickard was sentenced to 31 months of in prison. Another conspirator, Lacola Nickens, was sentenced last week to a one year in prison. Ringleader Michael Oginni will be sentenced in September.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Eric Shen, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura Fong, Alexander P. Berrang, and Maya D. Song 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-92 (Jefferson), and 1:17-cr-51 (McCrickard).
Man Sentenced to Prison for Trafficking Cocaine through MailRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Alexandria man was sentenced today to six years in prison for using the United States Postal Service to traffic multiple kilograms of cocaine.
According to court documents, David T. Coffey, 26, distributed between five and 15 kilograms of cocaine from Texas into the Eastern District of Virginia. For two years, from 2015 to December 2017, Coffey received multiple shipments of cocaine from another individual in Texas, distributed the drug throughout the Virginia, and sent bulk shipments of cash back to Texas. When he was arrested, law enforcement found two kilograms of cocaine and $4,000 in cash in his possession.
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 Eric Shen, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady. Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Troy A. Edwards, Jr. and Speare Hodges, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary K. Daly 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-64.
Previously Convicted Felon Indicted for Firearms CrimeRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment yesterday charging a Norfolk man with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to allegations in the indictment, Earlon Mitchell, 29, is a convicted felon who illegally possessed a Kel-Tec 9mm Luger caliber semi-automatic handgun. On March 29, two Norfolk police officers approached Mitchell with the intent to arrest him on outstanding arrest warrants, but he tried to flee. After a struggle, the officers detained him and found the loaded Kel-Tec handgun in his pant leg.
If convicted, Mitchell faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), 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 Larry D. Boone, Chief of Norfolk Police, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney William B. Jackson is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information 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-117.
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.
Norfolk Man Indicted for Armed Robbery of Firearms DealerRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment yesterday charging a Norfolk man with armed robbery.
According to allegations in the indictment, Desmond Littlejohn, 32, along with a co-conspirator, conducted an armed robbery of Mac’s Reload, a federal firearm licensee located in Virginia Beach. The robbers threatened the owner and an employee by pointing firearms at them while demanding money and eventually took approximately $9000.
Littlejohn is charged with robbery of a federal firearm licensee, and use of a firearm during a robbery. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum term of seven years in prison and a maximum term of life. 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 Thomas L. Chittum, III, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney William D. Muhr 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-119.
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.
Virginia Man Sentenced for Role in Odometer and Title Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A Norfolk, Virginia man was sentenced today for operating an odometer and title fraud scheme that involved more than 50 vehicles and spanned six years, the Department of Justice announced.
Lawson Basnight, 48, was sentenced to serve 18 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Mark S. Davis also ordered Basnight to pay $403,720.17 in restitution, reflecting the consumer loss caused by Basnight’s scheme.
Basnight pleaded guilty on January 25 in the Eastern District of Virginia to one count of conspiracy to commit odometer tamping and securities fraud. As part of his plea agreement, Basnight admitted that he purchased high-mileage vehicles from individuals advertising them for sale online and arranged to alter those vehicles’ odometers to reflect false, lower mileage readings. Basnight then secured fraudulent motor vehicle titles reflecting the lower mileage readings and used the false odometer readings and titles to sell the vehicles with inflated prices to unsuspecting purchasers.
“The Department of Justice is committed to prosecuting those who prey on unsuspecting consumers,” said Acting Assistant Attorney Chad A. Readler of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Tampering with automobile odometers causes victims to pay more for used cars, raises safety and maintenance concerns, and builds distrust in the used car market."
Basnight’s odometer and title fraud scheme began in 2010 and continued until 2016. The scheme affected more than 50 vehicles and resulted in consumer loss of approximately $400,000. At times, the false mileage readings on the altered odometers and fraudulent titles were 110,000 miles less than the vehicles’ actual mileage.
This case was prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Jacqueline Blaesi-Freed and John W. Burke of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Yusi of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Office of Odometer Fraud Investigation (NHTSA) investigated the case.
NHTSA estimates that odometer fraud in the United States results in consumer losses of more than $1 billion annually and has established a special hotline to handle odometer fraud complaints. Individuals with information relating to odometer tampering should call (800) 424-9393 or (202) 366-4761.
More information on odometer fraud is available on the NHTSA website https://one.nhtsa.gov/Vehicle-Safety/Odometer-Fraud and tips on detecting and avoiding odometer fraud are available at this page: www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/nvs/pdf/811284.pdf.
For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.
For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, visit www.justice.gov/usao-edva.
Man Sentenced to Prison for Virginia Beach Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for participating in an armed robbery of a bank in Virginia Beach.
According to court documents, Austin Lee Howard, 35, made plans with Marquis Larosa Buckley, 41, to conduct an armed robbery of a PNC Bank in Virginia Beach. Howard was caught on surveillance video entering the bank the day before the planned robbery to become familiar with the layout, where the tellers and offices were located, and whether there were any security cameras and personnel in the bank.
On or about Oct. 13, 2017, Buckley, wearing a disguise, entered the PNC Bank and brandished a firearm while demanding money from the tellers. He then dropped what appeared to be an explosive device on the floor, which was later determined to be a hoax bomb. In order to speed up the tellers, Buckley discharged his firearm in the bank, and the tellers handed over approximately $8000. During the robbery, one of the tellers secreted an electronic tracking device in the money given to Buckley before he fled the scene and got into the get-a-way vehicle driven by Howard. As a result, the Virginia Beach police were able to track the robbers’ movements via GPS as they fled the scene in the get-a-way vehicle. The police eventually located the get-a-way vehicle and recovered the money with the GPS device, the pistol used during the robbery, and the disguise worn by Buckley.
Buckley pleaded guilty to his role in the armed robberies on July 3, and is scheduled for sentencing on October 3.
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 Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson. Assistant U.S. Attorney William D. Muhr 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-16.
Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for 2009 Newport News MurderRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Boston man was sentenced today to life in prison for his role in a 2009 murder in Newport News.
Joseph James Cain Benson, 36, was convicted following a jury trial on April 17, along with co-defendants Mark Xavier Wallace of Williamsburg and Bryan Lamar Brown, of Newport News, for their respective roles in the 2009 murder of Louis Joseph Jr., in Newport News.
According to court documents, Joseph was beaten and shot multiple times at his Denbigh home while he babysat a five-year-old child by Joseph Benson. Benson and another individual traveled from Boston to Williamsburg to commit the home invasion of Louis Joseph to obtain money and drugs. Brown transported the co-defendants to Joseph’s house and also supplied the two firearms to commit the murder. Benson and at least one other man entered the home of Joseph, beat him and shot him multiple times during the robbery.
Brown was sentenced to 45 years in prison on July 19. Wallace is scheduled for sentencing on August 6.
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, Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, and Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa R. McKeel and Howard J. Zlotnick 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. 4:17-cr-45.
Jury Convicts Suffolk Man of Selling Gun to a FelonRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Suffolk man today on charges of selling a firearm to a felon.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Charlie Keys, 29, sold a loaded semi-automatic handgun to a man he knew was a felon. The man was working as a confidential informant for the Suffolk Police Department and recorded the gun sale on video. During the sale, Keys demonstrated that the gun worked by firing it into the air while standing in his front yard.
Keys faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison when sentenced on November 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.
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, Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, and Thomas E. Bennett, Chief of Suffolk Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Mark S. Davis accepted the verdict. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew C. Bosse and William B. Jackson 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-73.
Virginia Man Sentenced to over 15 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking a Minor and Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A Virginia man was sentenced today to 186 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release for multiple crimes related to the prostitution and exploitation of a 15-year-old minor. 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 after the sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga of the Eastern District of Virginia.
Abdul Karim Bangura Jr. aka “AJ”, 22, of Triangle, Virginia pleaded guilty in August 2017 to all counts of an indictment charging him with sex trafficking of a minor, conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of a minor, interstate transportation of a minor for the purposes of prostitution, and production of child pornography.
According to admissions made in connection with his plea, Bangura and his co-defendant Christian Hood conspired to recruit a 15-year-old girl to work as a prostitute and to advertise her prostitution services on Backpage.com. Bangura also transported the minor to hotels in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. for prostitution dates, and he took a portion of the money she made from commercial sex customers. Bangura also used a phone to record a video of himself having sex with the minor. In August 2017, Hood was convicted at trial of sex trafficking and conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of this same minor.
This matter was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force with assistance from the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department and the Prince William County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen C. Cain of the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Kyle P. Reynolds of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section 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.
Man Sentenced for Threats to African-Americans at Howard UniversityRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Alexandria man was sentenced today to 33 months in prison for threatening to murder African-Americans at Howard University, a historically black university in Washington, D.C.
According to court documents, on the night of Nov. 11, 2015, John Edgar Rust, 27, entered a restaurant in Alexandria, connected his laptop computer and phone to the store’s wireless Internet connection, and posted a threat online to murder African-Americans at Howard University the next day. He posted a statement on another Internet bulletin board several minutes later, under the user name “watchouthoward,” that linked to his first post. He was on probation at the time for committing another crime.
At sentencing, U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady found that Rust’s conduct constituted a hate crime, thereby increasing his sentence, and ordered Rust to pay $6458.28 in restitution to Howard University for expenses incurred as a result of Rust’s crime.
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 sentencing by U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas U. Murphy and Maya D. Song 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-290.
Convicted Felon Sentenced for Illegal Reentry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Ismael Ramirez-Martinez, 46, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced today to two years in prison for illegal reentry into the United States.
According to court documents, Ramirez-Martinez first illegally entered the United States sometime in or before 1994. In 1994, he was convicted of second degree aggravated assault, a felony, in the New Jersey Superior Court of Middlesex County, for which he was sentenced to four years in prison. After serving the prison sentence, Ramirez-Martinez was removed to Mexico in 1995. He returned to the United States sometime after his removal in 1995. Ramirez-Martinez was convicted of another felony in 2013, felony possession or transportation of a firearm by an unlawful alien in Virginia Circuit Court of Rappahannock County. Later in 2013, he was convicted of his third felony, illegal reentry into the United States after deportation. After serving his prison sentences, Ramirez-Martinez was again removed to Mexico in 2014. Sometime after his deportation in 2014, Ramirez-Martinez returned to the United States illegally for a third time and remained undetected until his arrest on Dec. 30, 2017, in Warrenton for assault and battery on a law enforcement officer.
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. Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Reilly and Jason A. Reding 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-71.
Woman Pleads Guilty to Heroin and Fentanyl Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News woman pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl.
According to court documents, Paula Jean Sciotto, 36, participated in a heroin and fentanyl trafficking conspiracy in the Hampton Roads area from December 2015 until July 2017. During the course of the conspiracy, she distributed over 100 grams of heroin, as well as a quantity of fentanyl in Hampton and Newport News.
Sciotto pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl. She faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison when sentenced on October 29. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Scott W. Hoernke, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, and Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Miller accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan M. Cowles 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. 4:18-cr-42.
Virginia Beach Man Sentenced for Multiple Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Virginia Beach man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for multiple bank robberies committed throughout Virginia and North Carolina.
According to court documents, Russell T. Carter, 50, committed 11 bank robberies and one attempted bank robbery beginning in March 2016 and continuing until November 2017. In almost all of the robberies, Carter would enter the bank and display a note to the teller that stated he had a firearm and demanded money. Carter robbed Union Bank and Trust branches located in Fredericksburg, Mechanicsville, and two branches in Henrico. He also robbed BB&T branches located in Hanover and Mechanicsville, and Wells Fargo branches located in Henrico and Durham, North Carolina. Carter also robbed a Citizens and Farmers Bank branch located in Mechanicsville, and a Cardinal Bank branch and PNC Bank branch, both located in Stafford.
In addition to the prison sentence, Carter was ordered to pay approximately $24,000 in restitution. In sentencing the defendant, U.S. District Court Judge John A. Gibney Jr., granted the government’s motion for upward variance and sentenced Carter to 20 years, which was above the advisory guidelines of 10 to 12 years.
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 Adam S. Lee, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr. Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter S. Duffey prosecuted the case.
This case was investigated by FBI Richmond’s Central Virginia 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. 3:17-cr-166.
Previously Convicted Illegal Alien Sentenced for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Mexican citizen residing in Richmond was sentenced today to 37 months in prison for illegal reentry after being removed following a felony conviction.
According to court documents, Pablo Santos-Castro, 33, illegally entered the United States in 1999. He was removed and illegally returned to the United States several times thereafter. In 2009 and 2010, he was convicted of grand larceny in Richmond and Prince George. He was again removed from the United States before illegally returning and being apprehended in connection with an arrest for driving under the influence.
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 Senior U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne. Assistant U.S. Attorney S. David Schiller prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information 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-21.
Newport News Man Sentenced to 45 Years for 2009 MurderRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man was sentenced today to 45 years in prison for his role in a 2009 murder in Newport News.
Bryan Lamar Brown, 31, was convicted following a jury trial on April 17, along with co-defendants Mark Xavier Wallace of Williamsburg and Joseph James Cain Benson of Boston, for their respective roles in the 2009 murder of Louis Joseph Jr., in Newport News.
According to court documents, Joseph was beaten and shot multiple times at his Denbigh home while he babysat a five-year-old child. Brown, Benson and Wallace planned to commit a home invasion of Joseph to obtain money and drugs. Brown transported the co-defendants to Joseph’s house and also supplied the two firearms to commit the murder. After the murder, Brown drove the co-defendants away from the scene. Shortly thereafter, Brown had the firearms used in the murder transported to New York City to be resold for profit. Unbeknownst to Brown, law enforcement had a court authorized wiretap and overheard Brown setting up the deal to get rid of the murder weapons.
Benson and Wallace are scheduled for sentencing on July 24 and August 6, respectively.
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, Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, and Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa R. McKeel and Howard J. Zlotnick 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. 4:17-cr-45.
Man Pleads Guilty to Spice Conspiracy and Distribution CrimesRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A California man pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to traffic in synthetic cannabinoids, commonly known as “spice,” containing the active ingredient 5-fluoro-ADB. 5-fluoro-ADB has been a schedule I controlled substance since April 10, 2017.
According to court documents, from late September 2016 to August 2017, Robert L. Hoeflein, II, 24, of Long Beach, participated in a conspiracy to sell spice from Odds and Ends II and Happy Daze, establishments located in Chesapeake. In August 2014, Hoeflein was arrested by Chesapeake Police following an investigation that revealed that he was selling spice from Happy Daze. Following his 2014 arrest and conviction for spice possession in Chesapeake General District Court, Hoeflein continued to sell spice from Happy Daze. By early 2016, Hoeflein moved to Long Beach, where he opened up a shop very similar in appearance to Happy Daze, which he named Cali Daze.
In September 2016, Hoeflein entered into an agreement with co-conspirator William Barnes that allowed Barnes to use the space at Odds and Ends II to open up a shop to sell spice. Barnes placed his spice orders with Hoeflein, who had the connection to the ultimate source of supply. At Hoeflein’s request, the source would ship the spice directly to Barnes, who received 25 parcels of spice at between $7,000 and $9,000 per parcel. Hoeflein and Barnes split the profits from the spice sales at Odds and Ends II.
Hoeflein pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 5-fluoro-ADB, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on November 5. 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, Thomas L. Chittum, III, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, Scott W. Hoernke, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, Eric Shen, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Col. K.L. Wright, Chief of Chesapeake Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Hudson 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-31.
Woman Sentenced for Firearms Conspiracy and ObstructionRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Suffolk woman was sentenced yesterday to 12 months in prison and six months under house arrest for helping her husband possess firearms after he was convicted of a felony and attempting to obstruct the investigation against him.
According to court documents, Christina Danielle Patterson, 42, helped her husband and co-defendant buy, sell, and keep in their home more than 20 guns. She then lied about doing so during an interview with ATF agents; attempted to contact a witness in a ploy to have him generate a false sales receipt showing that she, rather than her husband, was the seller of a gun; changed the registered business address of the family business in an attempt to invalidate a federal search warrant; and stole business records and other evidence from a third party, among many other acts of obstruction carried out at her husband’s direction.
Once Patterson was charged in a superseding indictment and detained pending trial, she agreed to cooperate, but then continued to undermine the investigation against her husband by giving statements to law enforcement that contradicted several other cooperating witnesses and that falsely exonerated her from wrongdoing. As her husband’s trial approached, she rejected her signed statement of facts and denied committing any crimes, all while under oath during a social security administrative proceeding for disability benefits.
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 U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson. Assistant U.S. Attorney William B. Jackson prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information 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-114.
U.S. National Pleads Guilty to the Attempted Murder of U.S. Consulate Official in MexicoRead the Press Release
A U.S. national and former medical student pleaded guilty today to shooting a U.S. diplomat stationed at the U.S. Consulate in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger of the Eastern District of Virginia, Special Agent in Charge Robert F. Lasky of the FBI’s Miami Field Office and Director Christian J. Schurman of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) made the announcement.
Zia Zafar, 33, of Chino Hills, California, pleaded guilty to one count of attempted murder of an internationally protected person and one count of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. Zafar entered his guilty plea before U.S District Judge Anthony J. Trenga of the Eastern District of Virginia. Judge Trenga scheduled Zafar’s sentencing hearing for November, 7, 2018.
According to admissions made in connection with his plea, on Jan. 6, 2017, Zafar armed himself with a firearm, donned a wig and sunglasses to disguise his appearance, and waited in a parking garage for a Vice Consul, who worked at the U.S Consulate in Guadalajara. Although Zafar initially was following the Vice Consul as he walked towards his vehicle, Zafar noticed a security guard nearby, and instead moved to the vehicle exit ramp, where he waited for the Vice Consul to exit. As the Vice Consul approached the exit in his car, Zafar fired a single shot into the vehicle, striking the Vice Consul in his chest and leaving him in serious condition. Zafar admitted that he targeted the Vice Consul because he knew from earlier surveillance that the victim worked at the U.S. Consulate.
“Zia Zafar surveilled and targeted a U.S. official serving in Mexico, lying in wait before shooting him in the chest in a heinous act of premeditated violence,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Cronan. “Today’s guilty plea sends a clear message that the Department of Justice will aggressively prosecute those who seek to harm U.S. officials serving overseas. The Department of Justice will continue work with our domestic and international partners to ensure that anyone who targets U.S. officials abroad will be brought to justice.”
“The Vice Consul was targeted and shot because he represented the United States,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “No one should doubt the resolve of law enforcement to steadfastly investigate and apprehend those who attack us. I wish to express our sincere thanks to the many United States and Mexican law enforcement agencies involved in the apprehension and return of this defendant to the United States to face justice.”
“Crime doesn’t stop at international borders, as such, the FBI works closely with international partners and security services in order to conduct complex investigations and acquire evidence from abroad for criminal prosecutions in the United States,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Lasky of the Miami Field Office. “I want to thank the Mexican government for their full support and cooperation throughout this investigation.”
"This guilty plea makes a strong statement to those who would attempt to commit such a heinous crime. The Diplomatic Security Service is dedicated to ensuring those who commit these crimes are brought to justice,” said DSS Director Schurman. “Our global presence allows DSS to work with both U.S. and foreign law enforcement to stop criminals who would attempt to murder a U.S. citizen."
FBI and DSS investigated the case in close cooperation with Mexican authorities and with valuable assistance from the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. Trial Attorney Jamie Perry of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Walutes Jr. of the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
The Department of Justice gratefully acknowledges the government of Mexico, to include the Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores, Procuraduria General de la Republica, Fiscalia del Estado de Jalisco and Instituto Nacional de Migracion for their extraordinary efforts, support and professionalism in responding to this incident.
Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Murder of U.S. Consulate OfficialRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A California man pleaded guilty today to shooting a U.S. diplomat stationed at the U.S. Consulate in Guadalajara, Mexico.
“The Vice Consul was targeted and shot because he represented the United States,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “No one should doubt the resolve of law enforcement to steadfastly investigate and apprehend those who attack us. I wish to express our sincere thanks to the many United States and Mexican law enforcement agencies involved in the apprehension and return of this defendant to the United States to face justice.”
According to admissions made in connection with his plea, on Jan. 6, 2017, Zia Zafar, 33, of Chino Hills, armed himself with a firearm, donned a wig and sunglasses to disguise his appearance, and waited in a parking garage for a Vice Consul, who worked at the U.S Consulate in Guadalajara. Although Zafar initially was following the Vice Consul as he walked towards his vehicle, Zafar noticed a security guard nearby, and instead moved to the vehicle exit ramp, where he waited for the Vice Consul to exit. As the Vice Consul approached the exit in his car, Zafar fired a single shot into the vehicle, striking the Vice Consul in his chest and leaving him in serious condition. Zafar admitted that he targeted the Vice Consul because he knew from earlier surveillance that the victim worked at the U.S. Consulate.
“Zia Zafar surveilled and targeted a U.S. official serving in Mexico, lying in wait before shooting him in the chest in a heinous act of premeditated violence,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Cronan. “Today’s guilty plea sends a clear message that the Department of Justice will aggressively prosecute those who seek to harm U.S. officials serving overseas. The Department of Justice will continue work with our domestic and international partners to ensure that anyone who targets U.S. officials abroad will be brought to justice.”
“Crime doesn’t stop at international borders, as such, the FBI works closely with international partners and security services in order to conduct complex investigations and acquire evidence from abroad for criminal prosecutions in the United States,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Lasky of the Miami Field Office. “I want to thank the Mexican government for their full support and cooperation throughout this investigation.”
“This guilty plea makes a strong statement to those who would attempt to commit such a heinous crime. The Diplomatic Security Service is dedicated to ensuring those who commit these crimes are brought to justice,” said DSS Director Schurman. “Our global presence allows DSS to work with both U.S. and foreign law enforcement to stop criminals who would attempt to murder a U.S. citizen.”
Zafar pleaded guilty to one count of attempted murder of an internationally protected person and one count of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years for attempted murder, and a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life for discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, which will run consecutive to the attempted murder sentence. Zafar is scheduled for sentencing on November 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, John P. Cronan, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Robert F. Lasky, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Miami Field Office, and Christian J. Schurman, Director of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Walutes Jr. and Trial Attorney Jamie Perry of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section are prosecuting the case.
FBI and DSS investigated the case in close cooperation with Mexican authorities and with valuable assistance from the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.
The Department of Justice gratefully acknowledges the government of Mexico, to include the Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores, Procuraduria General de la Republica, Fiscalia del Estado de Jalisco and Instituto Nacional de Migracion for their extraordinary efforts, support and professionalism in responding to this incident.
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-55.
Brothers Plead Guilty to ID Theft and Bank Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Two brothers pleaded guilty today to conspiracy, mail fraud, and identity theft charges.
According to court documents, Darrell Clark, 31, of Norfolk, and Demarcus Clark, 26, of Newport News, conspired for more than two years to use stolen identities to apply for and open accounts at banks and retail stores. The two men created fake IDs, including driver’s licenses and Social Security cards, bearing their victims’ identifying information alongside their own photographs. The brothers used these IDs to impersonate their victims throughout the scheme. Posing as victims, the brothers opened cell phone accounts with various carriers and used those accounts to obtain multiple cell phones on credit. The brothers used these cell phones to apply for additional accounts in the victims’ names, including checking, savings, credit, and consumer loan accounts. Through these applications, the brothers successfully borrowed thousands of dollars, purportedly to fund high-end vehicle purchases, foreign travel, and extensive home repairs. The brothers directed lenders, including Navy Federal Credit Union and Langley Federal Credit Union, to mail loan checks to addresses associated with their victims. The brothers then intercepted and redirected these shipments. Loan checks in hand, they forged victim signatures and then cashed those at lender branches in Hampton Roads and Tidewater by posing as the borrower and, for vehicle loans, recruiting others to pose as vehicle sellers.
As the scheme progressed, the brothers recruited cell phone carrier employees to compromise existing business customer accounts by naming the two as authorized account managers. The brothers then used the compromised accounts to place bulk orders for electronic devices, including iPhones, iPads, and Samsung Galaxy phones and tablets. The brothers sold these devices, along with those obtained in identity theft victims’ names, for cash. Through all of this conduct, the brothers attempted to defraud local financial institutions and retailers of more than $1.5 million.
The Clark brothers pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank and mail fraud, mail fraud, and aggravated identity theft. Each man faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, along with a mandatory minimum, consecutive penalty of two years in prison when sentenced on October 25. 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, Eric Shen, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert J. Krask accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Howard J. Zlotnick and Kaitlin G. Cooke 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. 4:17-cr-126.
Sailor Sentenced for Traveling to have Sex with a MinorRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A U.S. Navy sailor was sentenced today to seven years in prison for traveling from Newport News to Louisiana to have sex with a minor, and for receiving child pornography.
According to court documents, Saleem Omarie Forbes, 23, of Newport News, engaged in a two-year long online relationship with a minor female. The two communicated via a text messaging application until finally agreeing to meet in person in March 2017 when Forbes took leave from his Navy command and traveled to Louisiana to meet the minor. Forbes picked up the minor near her middle school and drove to a local motel where he provided her alcohol and engaged in sexual acts with her. Forbes knew through his conversations with the minor that she was 13 at the time of their encounter. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) investigated Forbes and discovered that he also received child pornography on both his cell phone and laptop computer prior to his travel to Louisiana.
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 Cliff Everton, Special Agent in Charge, NCIS Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Henry C. Morgan, Jr. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney David Layne and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa R. McKeel 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. 4:17-cr-117.
Midlothian Businessman Sentenced to Prison for FraudRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – The owner of Midlothian businesses Premier Consulting Services and Premier Credit Consultants was sentenced today to 12 years in prison for defrauding approximately 51 customers of more than $600,000.
According to court documents, Timothy Scott Wenk, 51, of Chesterfield County, operated several businesses, including of Premier Consulting Services, Capital Business Services and Premier Credit Consultants, which purported to offer a variety of financial services, including mortgage finance and credit repair services. Wenk offered to connect victims who had credit problems to private lenders and “hard money lenders” who would be sources of financing for mortgages for victims who would be unable to obtain more conventional financing. In many instances, Wenk claimed to be working on victims’ behalf to help them bring home sales to closing, rectify tax liens, and provide other real estate related financial consulting and services. While Wenk’s relationship with each victim and the misrepresentations he made to them was unique, the evidence in the case showed a recurrent theme where Wenk received thousands of dollars for which he did little to nothing in return. Wenk introduced himself to many of his victims as Timothy Scott so that they could not be able to research his criminal history, which included over 20 felony convictions, many of which for fraud-related offenses. In addition to the 12-year sentence imposed, the sentencing judge ordered Wenk to pay victims a total of $606,044.99 in restitution.
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, and Colonel Jeffrey S. Katz, Chesterfield County Police Department, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian R. Hood 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. 3:17-cr-85.
Virginia Man Sentenced for Obstructing Counterterrorism InvestigationRead the Press Release
Sean Andrew Duncan, 22, of Sterling, Virginia, was sentenced today to 20 years in prison, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for obstructing a counterterrorism investigation and receipt of child pornography.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Assistant Director in Charge Nancy McNamara of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema.
According to court documents, Duncan altered, destroyed, mutilated, concealed and covered up a thumb drive and memory chip with the intent to impede and obstruct an FBI terrorism investigation. He knowingly and unlawfully received images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and possessed thousands of such images including images of infants being sexually abused. In the statement of facts, Duncan admitted to his involvement with ISIS and production of child pornography.
Obstruction of Justice
In June 2017, the FBI learned that Duncan had been in contact with an individual who had been detained in a foreign country for actively planning to travel to join ISIS. In or around February 2015, Duncan told the individual that he wanted to make “hijrah” to Syria and that he wanted her to go with him. Later in February 2016, Duncan was denied entry into Turkey and returned to the United States.
Around this same time, the individual told Duncan she was upset at work due to non-Muslim women wearing shorts that exposed their bodies. Duncan replied with a link to a website, and a message saying she could “try this.” The link contained pictures and instructions on how to make weapons and bombs. The link was to an article titled, “How to build a bomb in the kitchen of your Mom” from Inspire magazine. In December 2016, Duncan contacted the individual and told her that he had come back from Turkey, where he and his wife were deported back to the United States. Duncan said he thought the FBI was monitoring him.
In or around October 2017, law enforcement authorities of a foreign government arrested one of their citizens (Recruiter 1) for inciting rebellion. Recruiter 1 is an ISIS recruiter who is suspected of drawing foreign fighters from around the world to Recruiter 1’s home country using social media. Recruiter 1 kept names and telephone numbers of individuals who had requested to join her social media and/or communication application groups. Recruiter 1’s notes included a handwritten name appearing to be “Sean Ibn Gary Duncan,” with Duncan’s known previous phone number and known previous mobile messaging account.
On or about Oct. 6, 2017, the Allegheny County Police Department (ACPD) provided a copy of Duncan’s phone to the FBI. ACPD had obtained this copy during an investigation surrounding the recent death of Duncan’s infant child (the cause of death in the autopsy was inconclusive). The FBI’s review of Duncan’s imaged phone revealed numerous internet searches for ISIS-related material, ISIS attacks, weapons, and body armor.
On Dec. 29, 2017, FBI agents executed a search warrant at Duncan’s residence. Upon execution of the warrant, the agents knocked on the door, identified themselves as FBI, and announced that they were there to execute a search warrant. Moments before the FBI agents entered the residence through the front door, Duncan ran out the back door, barefoot, and with something clenched in his fist. FBI agents guarding the back door yelled at Duncan to stop. Before stopping, Duncan threw a plastic baggie in the air and over the heads of the agents. FBI agents recovered the baggie thrown by Duncan. The baggie was a clear plastic bag, containing a memory chip from a thumb drive that had been snapped into pieces, and placed in a liquid substance that produced frothy white bubbles. Upon searching Duncan, agents recovered a broken casing for a thumb drive from Duncan’s pants pocket.
Receipt of Child Pornography
In December 2017, Duncan possessed a smartphone containing images of pre-pubescent minors that appeared to be engaged in sexually explicit conduct with adult males. Other images on the phone were of pre-pubescent minors posed to expose their genitalia in a sexual manner. Several of the images of child pornography were screen shots that Duncan had taken of websites containing child pornography that he had visited. The pre-pubescent minors in the photos were as young as infants, and the total number of images was in the thousands.
One image on his phone consisted of Duncan’s hand exposing the genitalia of an infant in a sexual manner. Also found on several of Duncan’s phones and electronic devices were thousands of videos and images of children and women that Duncan took in a voyeuristic manner. Several of the videos and images are taken in public venues such as stores, metros, parks and restaurants.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gordon D. Kromberg, Colleen E. Garcia and Jay V. Prabhu of the Eastern District of Virginia, and Trial Attorneys B. Celeste Corlett, Rachel Hertz and Troy Edwards of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section prosecuted this case.
Texas Construction Company’s Owner and CEO Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding the State DepartmentRead the Press Release
The owner, chief executive officer, and former president of a Texas construction company, HERC Solutions, was sentenced to 18 months in prison today for defrauding the U.S. Department of State out of $1.37 million. Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan 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 Assistant Director in Charge Nancy McNamara of the FBI’s Washington Field Office made the announcement.
Gary A. Duff, 53, of Kansas City, Kansas, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady of the Eastern District of Virginia. On Feb. 12, Duff pleaded guilty to a one-count criminal information charging him with conspiracy to defraud the United States and commit wire fraud.
According to admissions made in connection with Duff’s plea, HERC specialized in international construction projects for the State Department and other agencies in military zones and developing countries. Duff’s co-conspirator, Steven J. Graves, 66, of Woodbridge, Virginia, was a contract specialist and senior contracts administrator for the State Department’s Office of Acquisitions Management from November 2011 to February 2013. In this capacity, Graves often served as a point of contact for contracts awarded to HERC and other companies seeking to perform construction work or provide supplies and materials to U.S. embassies and consular buildings.
Duff and Graves used Graves’ official positions to steer contracts to HERC during a time-period when Graves was an actual or de facto partner in HERC. Graves served as the assigned point of contact for State Department contracts awarded to HERC while Graves was simultaneously attempting to generate business and raise capital for HERC, was concealing his conflict of interest from others, was participating in HERC’s internal business operations, and was disclosing confidential procurement information to HERC and its business partners. Upon his departure from government service, Graves immediately became HERC’s majority owner and a company executive.
On Sept. 20, 2017, Graves pleaded guilty to a two-count criminal information charging him with conspiracy to defraud the United States and commit wire fraud and a willful violation of the conflict of interest statute. Graves was sentenced to serve 15 months in prison by District Judge O’Grady on Jan. 19.
Special agents with 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 Jack Hanly of the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
Senior Sinaloa Cartel Leader Extradited to the United StatesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Today, Mexican authorities extradited Sinaloa Cartel leader Damaso Lopez Nuñez, also known as “El Licenciado,” to the United States to face drug trafficking charges filed in the Eastern District of Virginia.
Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger for the Eastern District of Virginia, Assistant Director Robert Johnson of the FBI Headquarters Criminal Investigative Division, Assistant Director in Charge Nancy McNamara of the FBI Washington Field Office and Acting Special Agent in Charge Scott W. Hoernke of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Washington Division Office made the announcement.
Lopez Nuñez, 52, arrived in the United States this afternoon and will make an initial appearance on Monday, July 9, before U.S. Magistrate Michael S. Nachmanoff in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III.
Lopez Nuñez is charged in a one-count indictment alleging that between 2003 and December 2016, Lopez Nuñez conspired with others to distribute significant quantities of narcotics for illegal importation into the United States.
“Until his capture, Damaso Lopez Nuñez allegedly participated in a multi-year conspiracy to distribute large amounts of cocaine, intending that the drugs be imported to the United States,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Cronan. “Lopez Nuñez’s arrest and extradition demonstrates the commitment of the United States and our partners in Mexico to the pursuit of drug traffickers who seek to flood our streets with addictive and deadly poisons, for their own illicit gain.”
“This successful extradition of a high-level target is a reflection of years of collaboration and cooperation by multiple Department of Justice units and our law enforcement partners who are all committed to combatting transnational criminal organizations,” said U.S. Attorney Terwilliger. “With thanks to the authorities in Mexico for their efforts in facilitating this extradition so the defendant can be held accountable and face justice for his alleged crimes.”
The case was investigated by the FBI and the DEA, in cooperation with Mexican and Colombian law enforcement authorities. Substantial assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of California. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in bringing Lopez Nuñez to the United States. The U.S. Marshals Service provided critical assistance in the location and capture of Lopez Nuñez and assisted in the extradition.
The U.S. Department of Justice thanks the Government of Mexico for its assistance in this case.
This case is also the result of the ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), a partnership that brings together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state, and local enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, dismantle and prosecute high-level members of drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, and money laundering organizations and enterprises.
Deputy Chief Amanda Liskamm, Assistant Deputy Chief Michael Lang, and Trial Attorney Cole Radovich of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section (NDDS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel J. Grooms and James L. Trump of the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.