Western District of Virginia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
U.S. Attorney Chris Kavanaugh Selected as Chair of the Attorney General’s Advisory Subcommittee on Terrorism and National SecurityRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – United States Attorney Chris Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia has been selected to chair the Terrorism and National Security Subcommittee for the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC). The Terrorism and National Security Subcommittee is comprised of 18 current United States Attorneys representing districts throughout the country and is dedicated to addressing issues relating to investigating and prosecuting threats to national security and acts of domestic and international terrorism.
“The Department of Justice’s core priority is keeping our country safe from all threats, foreign and domestic. A critical step in achieving that goal is the streamlined approach to investigating and prosecuting threats to our national security, including acts of terrorism and espionage,” said U.S. Attorney Kavanaugh. “Our partners in law enforcement and the intelligence community are dedicated to this same mission, and I am thrilled to work with my fellow United States Attorneys to advise the Department on leading issues related to the investigation and prosecution of these central cases.”
Prior to his appointment as United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia, Kavanaugh had been a federal prosecutor for 14 years, having served as the chief national security prosecutor in the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the Western District of Virginia and also as a federal prosecutor in the National Security Section of the USAO for the District of Columbia.
In his role as Terrorism and National Security Subcommittee Chair, U.S. Attorney Kavanaugh will work with United States Attorneys across the country to provide leadership, guidance, and cooperation with the AGAC on terrorism and national security matters impacting federal prosecutions across the United States.
Established in 1973, the AGAC and its subcommittees advise the Attorney General on matters of policy, procedure, and management impacting U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and represents the views of federal prosecutors across the country.
Winchester Man Arrested for Making Straw Purchase of Firearm Used in HomicideRead the Press Release
HARRISONBURG, Va. – A Winchester, Virginia man was arrested today on criminal charges related to his alleged straw purchase of a firearm, which was used four days later in a homicide in Washington, D.C.
According to court documents, Gerald Kendrick Oxner, 25, lied when he purchased a Smith and Wesson 9mm handgun from a Front Royal, Virginia gun store in January 2021. Oxner did not disclose that he was purchasing the weapon for a close relative and provided a false home address on required forms. Investigators obtained security camera footage and receipts from the store, which show Oxner buying the firearm and using his relative’s debit card to make the purchase.
“To reduce violent crime in our communities, we must leverage all available federal laws to keep firearms out of the hands of dangerous people,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today. “My Office is committed to prosecuting individuals who directly contribute to the surging violence in our communities, including those who circumvent the law and providing firearms to violent felons. We will find and identify those responsible through traditional investigative efforts and advanced forensic analysis.”
“The straw purchase of firearms will continue to be at the forefront of our investigations as we combat violent gun crime,” said ATF Washington Field Division Special Agent in Charge Charlie J. Patterson. “We know people that purchase illegal firearms almost always have ill intentions, and the consequences can be deadly. Our mission is clear, we will continue working with our partners as we disrupt the cycle of illegal firearm acquisition to maintain public safety.”
Law enforcement later recovered the firearm in Maryland, but its serial number had been obliterated. Through forensic analysis, the serial number was restored, and the firearm was linked to evidence recovered the scene of a shooting. On January 25, 2021, the firearm was used in a shooting in Southeast Washington D.C. where one person was killed and three others were injured. Oxner’s relative was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in connection with the shooting.
The criminal complaint further alleges Oxner conducted additional straw purchases in Virginia, including purchasing a firearm later found in possession of a felon in a separate shooting investigation.
Oxner is charged with making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm and, if convicted, faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Oxner will make his initial court appearance today at 2:00 p.m. in U.S. District Court in Charlottesville.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melanie Smith and Katie B. Medearis are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
California Pair Indicted for Supplying Fentanyl Linked to Wise County Teen OverdosesRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A federal grand jury in Abingdon returned an indictment yesterday charging a pair of California men with supplying the fentanyl linked to teenage overdoses that occurred in Wise County, Virginia.
The grand jury has charged Alexander Ortiz, 25, of Fullerton, Calif., and Jorge Efrain Perez Jr., 24, of Anaheim, Calif., each with one count of conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl which resulted in serious bodily injury to two juvenile victims. In addition, Ortiz is charged with one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, Ortiz and Perez were the suppliers of fentanyl for Paul Mason Perkins, Austin Jeremiah Lane, Cheyenne Cassie Carico, and others, all of Southwest Virginia.
The government alleges that between November 1, 2020, and June 20, 2022, Ortiz sold thousands of pressed pills containing fentanyl to Perkins and others. Perkins ordered 1,000 pills at a time using the social media platforms Snapchat and Instagram, making purchases from Ortiz every few weeks. Ortiz had the pills mailed to Perkins at his residence in Big Stone Gap. Perkins then distributed the pills to other individuals in Wise County, including multiple sales to co-conspirators Lane and Carico. Perez assisted Ortiz in mailing the illicit packages from California to Virginia, as well as other locations throughout the country.
On November 24, 2021, Perkins sold Carico and Lane three pressed pills. Lane and Carico had purchased two of the pills for a 17-year-old female the two knew from school. Later that night, the 17-year-old female was hospitalized due to a drug overdose. Law enforcement recovered half a pressed pill from the scene of the overdose, which tested positive for fentanyl.
Later the same night, an 18-year-old male who had purchased pressed pills containing fentanyl from Perkins was hospitalized due to a drug overdose.
Search warrants executed at Ortiz’s residences in Los Banos and Santa Ana, California, resulted in the recovery of over 6,000 pressed pills containing fentanyl, approximately $60,000 cash, and 13 firearms.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh, Charlies J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division, and Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Atlanta Division made the announcement.
The Wise County Sheriff’s Office, Norton Police Department, Southwest Drug Task Force, United States Postal Inspection Service, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives are investigating the case, with assistance from the Stanislaus and Orange County, California Sheriffs’ Offices.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lena Busscher is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Roanoke-Based Opioid Treatment Center Settles Civil Case with United StatesRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – Virginia Treatment Center, LLC, doing business as Roanoke Comprehensive Treatment Center (RCTC) in Roanoke, has agreed to pay $348,934 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by billing Medicaid for addiction treatment services that was not provided by the required licensed individuals.
RCTC is a subsidiary of Acadia healthcare that provides outpatient treatment, including medication-assisted treatment for adults suffering from opioid addiction.
“At a time when addiction disorder is running rampant in many Virginia communities, we must continue to be vigilant in holding accountable those who seek to defraud Medicaid through fraudulent billing schemes like this one,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today. “I am grateful for the teamwork of my Office, the Virginia Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, and our other federal, state, and local partners on this important matter.”
"I'm glad that my office, in coordination with our partners in the Western District Attorney's Office and Department of Health and Human Services, was able to reach a reasonable settlement with the Roanoke Comprehensive Treatment Center for allegedly billing Medicaid for addiction treatment services not provided by licensed officials. This is yet another example of the outstanding relationship between Virginia state and federal partners, and we're continually grateful for their assistance," said Attorney General Miyares
“Both insurers and patients can be misled when health care entities bill for services as if they were performed by individuals with certain credentials but, in reality, were furnished by less-qualified personnel,” stated Special Agent in Charge Maureen R. Dixon of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “To protect the integrity of federal health care funds, HHS-OIG and our law enforcement partners remain insistent that providers charging programs such as Medicaid do so accurately and transparently.”
The allegations involved claims that RCTC billed Virginia Medicaid from January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2020 for counseling to patients that was not provided by credentialed addiction treatment professionals. RCTC was required to conducted face-to-face counselling sessions for its patients. During this time period, RCTC billed Medicaid for counseling services by people who were not credentialed as though the counseling had been provided by properly credentialed addiction professionals.
The resolutions obtained in this matter were the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the Virginia Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Lugar investigated the matter.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Justice Department Secures the Surrender of over 4,000 Beagles from Virginia Breeder of Dogs for ResearchRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – In a consent decree entered on July 15 by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia, Envigo RMS, a company that breeds and sells animals for research, has agreed to a permanent prohibition on engaging in any activity at its facility in Cumberland, Virginia, that requires an Animal Welfare Act (AWA) license. Envigo RMS has also agreed to relinquish all remaining beagles at the Cumberland facility to the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS).
In May, the United States filed suit against Envigo RMS, alleging that the company was failing to provide humane care and treatment to the thousands of beagles at the company’s Cumberland facility. Specifically, the complaint alleged that Envigo RMS was failing to meet the AWA’s minimum standards for handling, housing, feeding, watering, sanitation and adequate veterinary care, among other requirements. Based on past violations identified during inspections by the Department of Agriculture and evidence of extensive, ongoing AWA violations obtained during a multiday criminal search warrant executed at the Cumberland facility beginning on May 18, the Justice Department moved for a temporary restraining order that the federal court granted on May 21 to ensure the health and welfare of the beagles at the Cumberland facility.
The Justice Department worked with the HSUS to develop a plan to transfer the 4,000 remaining beagles from the Cumberland facility and make those beagles available for adoption. The transfer plan, which was jointly submitted by the Justice Department and Envigo RMS, was approved by the District Court on July 5. Under the transfer plan, the HSUS will coordinate the enormous effort to remove all of the beagles from the Cumberland facility over the course of 60 days.
“This settlement brings to an end the needless suffering caused by Envigo’s blatant violations of animal welfare laws at this facility,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “We will continue to vigorously enforce animal welfare laws to ensure that animals are provided the humane care that they are legally owed and deserve.”
“Due to the efforts of Environment and Natural Resources Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, more than 4,000 animals have been rescued from dire circumstances, and we will continue to hold accountable those who are responsible,” said U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh for the Western District of Virginia. “I am grateful to all those who assisted with this case, especially those who are ensuring that these animals receive the care they deserve.”
This settlement is the result of prosecution by Senior Trial Attorney Mary Hollingsworth and Trial Attorney Shampa Panda of ENRD’s Wildlife and Marine Resources Section, and First Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Giorno for the Western District of Virginia.
After Acquittal on State Charges, Defendant Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun OffenseRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – A Roanoke man, who had been acquitted in state court of a May 2019 murder in the City of Roanoke after claiming self-defense, pled guilty today to a federal firearms offense.
Demarcus Shaiquan Glenn, 23, pled guilty in federal court to one count of possessing, brandishing, and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Glenn is expected to be sentenced to 144 months in federal prison.
“Drug dealers with firearms should take heed: You cannot shoot someone during a drug deal and then claim self-defense when you are carrying that firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, a federal crime with a 10-year mandatory minimum,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today. “The cornerstone of keeping our communities safe is prosecuting anyone who discharges a firearm while participating in the drug trafficking trade, and my Office will continue to prioritize and seek federal charges for anyone who does so within the Western District of Virginia.”
“Today's conviction demonstrates the FBI's commitment to vigorously investigate and bring to justice those who commit violent crimes,” Special Agent in Charge Stanley M. Meador said today. “Keeping illegal guns off our streets is an important step in keeping our communities safe. We encourage residents to immediately report incidents to local law enforcement or the FBI through tips.FBI.gov.”
“The outcome of this investigation is a direct and positive result of state, local, and federal agencies working together to address gun violence in the City of Roanoke,” said Roanoke Police Chief Sam Roman. “Though Glenn was acquitted on charges from our jurisdiction, our public safety partners at the federal level were able to open an investigation and work with our officers and detectives on appropriate, federal charges for this offense. This is a valuable partnership that greatly benefits the residents of Roanoke by keeping violent offenders off our streets. We are grateful to work with agencies at every level of the criminal and judicial system to keep Roanoke safe, and hold those who choose to engage in gun violence accountable.”
According to court documents, T.P., a 16-year-old male, contacted Glenn through a friend on May 31, 2019, in order to purchase two ounces of marijuana. Glenn agreed to sell T.P. the marijuana for $300 and was to meet him at T.P.’s Denniston Avenue residence to conduct the transaction. Glenn later arrived at T.P.’s residence to conduct the transaction. In the course of that transaction, Glenn produced a firearm and shot and killed T.P.
Glenn was charged in state court for the shooting but later acquitted, claiming self-defense.
During his state jury trial, Glenn testified in his own defense. According to Glenn, when he arrived to sell T.P. marijuana, he was carrying a firearm in his right pocket. The firearm was loaded with a round in the chamber. Glenn testified that he carried the firearm for protection because he sold drugs and it can be dangerous. Glenn admitted under oath to discharging that firearm and shooting T.P. in the course of the drug deal.
Federal law prohibits drug dealers from possessing, brandishing, and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Coleman Adams and Kristin B. Johnson are prosecuting the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders works together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develops comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders, and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Cross-Country Methamphetamine Conspiracy Halted in Washington CountyRead the Press Release
Abingdon, VIRGINIA – A former California man, who had recently relocated to Southwest Virginia, was found guilty of conspiracy and drug distribution charges following a three-day jury trial in the United States District Court in Abingdon, United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh and Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares announced.
Guy Benjamin Bowman, 56, of Meadowview, Virginia, formerly of Chino Hills, California, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and to distributing 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine as well as one count of distributing or possessing with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine.
“Methamphetamine trafficking is currently one of the greatest threats to public safety in Southwest Virginia,” United States Attorney Kavanaugh stated today. “This case represents just one example of the successes we are achieving with our partners in Virginia’s Attorney General’s Office and local law enforcement agencies in Southwest Virginia, and we will continue to collaborate to identify individuals responsible for distributing large quantities of this deadly substance and bring them to justice.”
“The partnership between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal, state, and local law enforcement is a great instance of how government can effectively work together to crack down on dangerous drug dealers in the Commonwealth,” said Virginia Attorney General Miyares. “Decreasing the volume of crystal methamphetamine in Southwest Virginia by aggressively prosecuting those who intend to distribute illicit drugs like meth is a top priority for my Office. We appreciate the hard work and dedication of our law enforcement partners and will continue to facilitate this dynamic partnership to make Virginian communities safer.”
According to evidence presented at trial, Bowman and Sally Mae Carr, 42, of Meadowview, Virginia, operated their meth trafficking business in Washington County from January 2021 through April 2022 and conspired with Bowman’s sources in Chino Hills, California to bring approximately 200 pounds of crystal methamphetamine into Southwest Virginia for redistribution. At the time of their arrests, over 2 pounds of crystal methamphetamine, with an estimated street value of $42,000, as well as over $7,000 in currency were seized.
Carr is scheduled for sentencing on October 11, 2022, and Bowman’s sentencing is set for October 14, 2022. At sentencing, both defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum statutory penalty of up to life in prison and/or a fine of up to $10 million.
The investigation of this case is being conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration's Washington Division, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the Holston River Regional Drug Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, the Virginia State Police, and task force officers from both the Lebanon Police Department and Smyth County Sheriff’s Office.
Special Assistant United States Attorney and Virginia Assistant Attorney General assigned to the Attorney General’s Major Crimes and Emerging Threats Section M. Suzanne Kerney-Quillen and Assistant United States Attorney Randy Ramseyer are prosecuting the case.
Wise County Trio Plead Guilty to Distributing Pills Containing FentanylRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A trio of Southwest Virginia residents who distributed pressed pills containing fentanyl and are linked to teenage overdoses that occurred in Wise County, pled guilty recently in U.S. District Court in Abingdon.
Paul Mason Perkins, 20, of Big Stone Gap, Va., Austin Jeremiah Lane, 22, of Norton, Va., and Cheyenne Cassie Carico, 20, of Norton, Va., all pled guilty in recent weeks to one count of conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to court documents, between February 1, 2021, and February 11, 2022, Perkins purchased thousands of pressed pills containing fentanyl online through a source located in California. Perkins ordered 1,000 pills at a time for $3,750 from a California source on the social media platforms Snapchat and Instagram, making purchases every few weeks. He had the pills mailed to his residence in Big Stone Gap. Perkins then distributed the pills to other individuals in Wise County, including multiple sales to co-conspirators Lane and Carico.
On November 24, 2021, Perkins sold Carico and Lane three pressed pills for $30 per pill. Lane and Carico had purchased two of the pills for a 17-year-old female the two knew from school. Lane and Carico distributed the pills to the juvenile by delivering the drugs to her sister’s mailbox. Later that night, the 17-year-old female was hospitalized due to a drug overdose. The juvenile female spent six days on a ventilator as a result of the overdose. Law enforcement recovered half a pressed pill from the scene of the overdose, which tested positive for fentanyl.
Later the same night, on November 24, 2021, another 18-year-old male who had purchased pressed pills containing fentanyl from Perkins, Lane and Carico was hospitalized due to a drug overdose.
On February 10, 2022, a United States Postal Inspector intercepted a package being sent to Perkins’ residence from Costa Mesa, California. The package contained approximately 1,000 pills that tested positive for fentanyl. When law enforcement performed a controlled delivery of the intercepted package at Perkins’ residence the next day, officers found approximately $6,000 cash, a loaded firearm, and 200 pressed pills containing fentanyl.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh, Charlies J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division, and Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Atlanta Division made the announcement.
The Wise County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, and the United States Postal Inspection Service are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lena Busscher is prosecuting the case.
Winchester Man Sentenced to Prison Time for ‘Molly’ DistributionRead the Press Release
HARRISONBURG, Va. – A Winchester, Virginia man, who distributed Eutylone, commonly marketed by drug dealers as “Molly” or “Ecstasy” was sentenced last week to 72 months in federal prison.
Lamont Antoine Parson, 40, pled guilty in November 2021 to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute Eutylone and one count of possessing with the intent to distribute Eutylone.
Eutylone emerged on the United States’ illicit drug market in 2014, reports of its abuse have sharply increased since 2018. The Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Division reports that Eutylone is being falsely marketed by drug dealers as MDMA (“Ecstasy” or “Molly”) and has been distributed under the street names of “Red Bull” and “Blue Playboy,” among others.
Beginning in January 2020, the Northwest Virginia Regional Drug and Gang Task Force conducted multiple controlled drug buys from Parson and his uncle, Gregory McKinley Frye. On February 6, 2020, law enforcement obtained and executed a search warrant at the Winchester, Virginia apartment occupied by Frye and Parson and recovered over three kilograms of Eutylone, a 9mm pistol, and a digital scale.
Frye pled guilty in November 2021 to one count of possessing with the intent to distribute Eutylone and two counts of distribution of Eutylone. He is scheduled to be sentenced later this year.
The Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Division, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Northwest Virginia Regional Drug and Gang Task Force (comprised of the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office, the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, the Page County Sheriff’s Office, the Shenandoah County Sheriff’s Office, the Luray Police Department, the Front Royal Police Department, the Strasburg Police Department, the Winchester Police Department, and the Virginia State Police) investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald M. Huber is prosecuting the case.
Owner of Lighthouse Properties Sentenced to Prison Time for Wire FraudRead the Press Release
LYNCHBURG, Va. – The former owner of Lighthouse Properties of Virginia was sentenced today to 42 months in federal prison in connection with an embezzlement scheme in which he stole more than $550,000.
Timothy Darrell Penick, 39, of Forest, Virginia, pleaded guilty in May 2021 to one count of wire fraud.
“This defendant violated the trust of his clients through his fraudulent behavior,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today. “I am grateful for the work of the local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies that brought him to justice and will provide the victims in this case with restitution for the crimes committed against them.”
“Mr. Penick implemented exceptional measures to prevent the unraveling of his scheme. Through this joint investigation by the FBI, the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Attorney’s Office’s in the Western District of Virginia, he is no longer able to defraud clients of their hard-earned money and will be held responsible for his criminal activity,” said Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division. “ We encourage those who believe they’ve been victimized by a similar scheme to contact law enforcement via https://tips.fbi.gov/.”
According to court documents, Penick owned and operated Lighthouse Properties since 2011 and provided real estate management services to clients, including homeowners’ associations and individual property owners. Beginning in June 2018, Penick devised a scam to defraud multiple clients by gaining direct access to their bank accounts and then transferring their funds into accounts controlled solely by Penick. He used these funds for his personal benefit and enjoyment and completely without authorization by his clients.
To conceal the misuse of client funds, Penick created fraudulent bank account statements that omitted transactions from the client accounts into his accounts and then presented these fake bank statements to clients and their representatives.
The Campbell County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Baudinet is prosecuting the case.
Amherst County Veterinarian Sentenced for Opioid TheftRead the Press Release
LYNCHBURG, Va. – A former veterinarian, who admitted to stealing opioids, was sentenced today to eight months in federal prison.
Patrick Gries, 54, of Madison Heights, Virginia, pleaded guilty in January 2022 to one count of adulteration of a drug held for sale after shipment in interstate commerce and one count of distribution of a controlled substance without a written prescription.
“When health care professionals put the well-being of others at risk, they violate the trust placed in them by the public and will be held accountable. My Office will continue to prioritize these cases throughout the Western District of Virginia,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today.
“Health care professionals, including veterinarians, who take needed medications from their patients not only harm the patients but also put at risk the trust that consumers have in those who provide medical care to their companion animals,” said Special Agent in Charge George Scavdis, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations - Metro Washington Field Office. “We will continue to investigate and bring to justice those who put the safety and health of pets at risk by tampering with their patients’ medications.”
According to court documents, from 1994 through 2021, Gries practiced as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at VCA Amherst Animal Hospital in Amherst County, Virginia. The animal hospital maintained supplies of Dilaudid, an opioid generically known as hydromorphone, primarily for use in treating pain in animal patients following surgeries.
As the hospital’s primary surgeon, Gries had full access to the hospital’s supply of hydromorphone and began withdrawing a portion of the highly addictive drug from the vials and injecting it into himself. He would replace the stolen hydromorphone with another substance, usually either saline or butorphanol, and then return the altered narcotic back to the hospital inventory.
The Food and Drug Administration - Office of Criminal Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration - Diversion Control Division, and the Virginia State Police investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Baudinet prosecuted the case.
Richlands Salon Owner Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Federal GovernmentRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A Richlands, Virginia woman, who owned and operated a local hair and nail salon, pled guilty this week to defrauding the federal government out of pandemic unemployment assistance benefits and committing mail fraud.
Mandi Dawn Hammond, 36, waived her right to be indicted and pled guilty this week to one count of fraud in connection with a major disaster or emergency benefits program and one count of mail fraud.
“As the world faced a once-in-a-generation global pandemic, Congress and the President passed sweeping legislation to assist businesses and individuals in surviving economic upheaval,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today. “These programs were designed as a safety net for those in need, not as a get-rich-quick scheme for those looking to commit fraud. I am continually grateful for the work of our local, state, and federal law enforcement for pursuing these important prosecutions.”
“Mandi Hammond continued to fraudulently take taxpayer assistance to enrich herself during a time of national crisis that was meant to help people who truly needed it,” said IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge, Darrell Waldon, of the Washington, D.C. Field Office. “This is yet another example of IRS-CI’s commitment to work with our partners and pursue those who commit COVID-19 related fraud and bring them to justice.”
According to court documents, Hammond owned and operated Jama Nail Beauty Bar & Gift Shop in Richlands, Virginia. After an executive order signed in March 2020 by the Governor of Virginia closed all close-contact salons, Hammond closed her business for approximately six weeks.
On April 19, 2020, Hammond filed an application for pandemic unemployment assistance via the Virginia Employment Commission website where it was reviewed, processed, and approved. For approximately six weeks, she legitimately received pandemic unemployment assistance as intended by the government.
In May 2020, the executive order closing all close-contact salons was lifted and Hammond reopened her business. However, she continued filing weekly certifications to receive pandemic unemployment benefits from May 2020 through August 2021, each week reaffirming fraudulent representations that she was still unemployed because of COVID-19. Court records indicate Hammond received at least $29,154 in funds to which she was not entitled.
Hammond is scheduled to be sentenced on September 15, 2022. The charges with which she has been convicted carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The IRS-Criminal Investigations Division and the Russell County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Murphy is prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
St. Paul Woman Sentenced for Role in $499,000 Fraudulent Pandemic Benefits SchemeRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A Saint Paul, Virginia woman, who was found guilty in February 2022 of conspiracy to defraud the United States, fraud in connection with emergency benefits, conspiracy to commit mail fraud, mail fraud in connection with emergency benefits, and aggravated identity theft, was sentenced today to 27 months in federal prison.
Marissa Leanna Kiser, 27 was found guilty by a jury in February 2022 of conspiring with Leelynn Danielle Chytka, Gregory Marcus Elmer Tackett, Jeffery Ryan Tackett, and others to commit fraud against the United States in connection with the filing of fraudulent claims for pandemic unemployment benefits. Kiser lived with both Gregory Tackett and Leelynn Chytka, the ringleader of the widespread conspiracy, at the time of her involvement in the scheme, and provided her personal information to Chytka for the purpose of filing a fraudulent claim on her behalf.
Over the course of nine months, members of the conspiracy filed fraudulent claims with the Virginia Employment Commission on behalf of at least 37 individuals, with a total actual loss of at least $499,000.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia; Syreeta Scott, Special Agent-in-Charge, Philadelphia Region, U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General, and Special Agent in Charge Darrell J. Waldon of the Internal Revenue Service- Criminal Investigation made the announcement.
The Department of Labor - Office of the Inspector General, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation - Washington, D.C. Field Office, the Norton Police Department, and the Russell County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant United States Attorneys Daniel J. Murphy and Michael Baudinet prosecuted the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Navy Sailor Sentenced for Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Newport News man was sentenced today to 25 years in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for sexually abusing a child.
According to court documents, Travis James Muckelroy, 27, used a social media platform to develop online relationships with children. On various occasions in April and September of 2021, Muckelroy instructed a 13-year-old girl and a 12-year-old girl to send him nude photographs or recordings of themselves engaging in sexual acts. He made these requests even after one of the girls informed Muckelroy she was the victim of rape. In addition to these young girls, Muckelroy used the same social media platform to communicate with at least three other suspected minors. Muckelroy had been an enlisted member of the Navy since 2019.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Brenda Nevano, Acting Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; and Frederick Franks, Special Agent in Charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Heck prosecuted 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. 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
In 2021, EDVA launched “UnMasked,” a community-based educational outreach and prevention program in Virginia dedicated to raising awareness and educating the community about the prevalence of online sexual exploitation involving children and young adults. UnMasked is a multi-disciplinary partnership of local, state, federal, and non-profit stakeholders. The core curriculum is provided by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s (NCMEC) NetSmartz program. To report an incident involving online sexual exploitation, call 1-800-843-5678 or submit a report at report.cybertip.org. To request an UnMasked event at your school or organization, please contact EDVA’s Community Outreach Coordinator at [email protected].
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-130.
Sovah Health to Pay United States $4.36 Million to Settle Claims of Controlled Substance Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – Sovah Health has agreed to pay the United States $4.36 million to settle claims that the hospital system violated the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) on numerous occasions between 2017 and 2020. As part of the resolution, Sovah Health further agreed to be subject to a period of four years of increased compliance and oversight during which any failure to comply with its obligations may result in contempt of court findings that could result in additional monetary sanctions and injunctive relief. The settlement is the third-largest civil penalty ever obtained from a hospital system under the Controlled Substances Act and the largest ever in the Fourth Circuit.
The claims center around Sovah Health’s failure to have effective controls in place to prevent the diversion of powerful painkilling prescription opioids. Sovah Health is a regional health care delivery system comprised of a hospital with two campuses - Danville and Martinsville. In 2017, Danville (formerly Danville Regional Medical Center) and Martinsville (formerly Memorial Hospital of Martinsville & Henry County) united to form Sovah Health.
From 2017 to 2019, a Sovah Health employee diverted more than 11,000 Schedule II controlled substances from Sovah Health. From January to May 2020 a second Sovah Health employee tampered with Fentanyl vials and hydromorphone injectables by replacing the controlled substance with saline and diverting the controlled substance. The United States alleged Sovah Health failed to provide effective controls and procedures to guard against the diversion of controlled substances, filled orders for controlled substances without a system in place to disclose suspicious orders of controlled substances, and failed to maintain readily retrievable records of controlled substances.
“As opioid overdose deaths skyrocket, it is critical that health care companies are held accountable when they fail to effectively safeguard these powerful prescriptions within their facilities,” said U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh for the Western District of Virginia. “The oversight provided by this resolution will ensure future compliance involving these important but potentially deadly substances, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia will continue to vigorously pursue these cases with our federal and local partners in order to protect Virginia’s communities.”
“Today's settlement sends a clear message to all registrants that it is essential to maintain effective controls to prevent the diversion of controlled substances” said DEA Washington Division Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget. “DEA is dedicated to combat the prescription drug abuse problem in Virginia and throughout the country and to hold all DEA registrants accountable."
“The FDA oversees the U.S. drug supply to ensure that patients receive medicines that are safe and effective,” said Special Agent in Charge George A. Scavdis of the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Metro Washington Field Office. “We will continue to protect the public health by holding accountable health care companies that fail to safeguard their prescription drug inventory and thereby compromise their patients’ health and comfort.”
“With opioid deaths and overdoses at record-breaking highs, especially across Southside Virginia, there must be zero tolerance of trusted health professionals engaging in drug diversion,” said Colonel Gary T. Settle, Virginia State Police Superintendent. “For the safety and protection of Virginia's communities, our Virginia State Police Drug Diversion special agents, in collaboration with our local and federal public safety partners, will continue to aggressively pursue investigations related to the illegal distribution of Fentanyl and other prescription drugs.”
The agreement, which is available here, resolves Sovah Health’s potential civil and criminal liability based on the investigation. As part of the resolution, Sovah Health has committed to additional compliance measures including, but not limited to, having cameras at all Automated Dispensing Machines to capture the activity of placing/removing controlled substances; promptly reporting losses and diversion of controlled substances; taking and reporting disciplinary action taken against employees found to have been responsible for theft, diversion or loss of controlled substances; maintaining a mandatory random drug testing program for employees; and conducting a full physical inventory of all federally scheduled II-V controlled substances more frequently than required by law.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Lugar and Randy Ramseyer represented the United States in this matter.
The investigation was conducted by the Food and Drug Administration - Office of Criminal Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration – Roanoke Resident Office Diversion Group, and the Virginia State Police.
South Carolina Woman Sentenced for Role in International Money Laundering, Methamphetamine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A Greenville, South Carolina woman, who was involved in a longtime romantic relationship with the leader of an extensive methamphetamine distribution conspiracy, was sentenced this week to 36 months in federal prison.
Lisa Yvonne Fleming Neely, 56, pled guilty in February 2022 to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of conspiracy to commit international money laundering with the intent to promote the carrying on of a crime - specifically to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice.
According to court documents, in 2012, Neely began a romantic relationship with Joshua Desorcy while he was incarcerated. Upon his release from prison, Desorcy began selling methamphetamine in the Greenville, South Carolina area and Neely assisted him by wiring funds to various sources connected with a Mexican drug cartel.
Desorcy moved to Bristol, Virginia to expand his drug dealing business and Neely continued to support him by coordinating his travels to purchase massive amounts of methamphetamine from additional sources in Atlanta, Georgia and Houston, Texas.
When Desorcy was arrested in 2021, Neely conspired with him to threaten a co-conspirator into falsely claiming ownership of a firearm that was found in Desorcy’s possession. In addition, Neely not only continued to facilitate communications between the incarcerated Desorcy and his drug suppliers, but also organized additional shipments of methamphetamine into the Southwest Virginia area at his direction.
In February 2022, Desorcy was sentenced to 40 years in prison.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia, Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Washington Field Division, and Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of DEA’s Washington Division made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration as well as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Murphy prosecuted the case.
SnapChat Sale of Fentanyl-Laced Pills Leads to Teenage Overdose Death and Guilty PleaRead the Press Release
HARRISONBURG, Va. – Abdallah Amer Ali, 21, of Harrisonburg, sold a fatal dose of fentanyl to a 16-year-old in Harrisonburg and pled guilty to one count of distributing a measurable quantity of fentanyl which resulted in death.
“We have seen a record number of overdose deaths in the last year both here in Virginia and across the country,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today. “My Office will continue to approach this epidemic with strength and compassion by holding accountable those who cause overdose deaths, raising awareness about the dangers of these lethal substances, and providing support to individuals in recovery. A comprehensive solution is the only way forward.”
“With overdose deaths on a rampant rise across the country, we often focus on numbers, but today’s announcement is an important reminder that these numbers are much more than that – these are our children, loved ones, and our friends. Counterfeit pills containing fentanyl are a huge problem, affecting every culture, race, and age in our local communities. It only takes one pill to kill. And we’re working hard, along with our partners, on cases like this to help stop this fentanyl crisis and keep our families safer from such tragic outcomes,” Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division said.
In October 2019, using the messaging app SnapChat, Ali arranged to sell what the teenage victim believed were Percocet pills, also known as “percs.” Although he advised the teenager to not ingest all of them at once, Ali stopped short of letting him know that the pills also contained the lethal opioid, fentanyl. Unaware that his pills were fentanyl-laced, the teenager ingested the pills, overdosed, and died early the next morning.
Ali is scheduled to be sentenced on September 13, 2022 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division, the Harrisonburg Police Department, and the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Bassford and Jonathan Jones are prosecuting the case.
Tazewell County Woman Pleads Guilty to Stealing More Than $255,000 in Black Lung and Social Security BenefitsRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A North Tazewell, Virginia woman who stole more than $255,000 in Black Lung and Social Security benefits pled guilty last week in U.S. District Court.
Martha Patrick Williams, 79, waived her right to be indicted and pled guilty last week to one count of receipt and conversion of public monies and one count of fraud in connection with Black Lung benefits and the receipt of Social Security benefits in the name of her long-deceased mother. The charges to which she pled guilty have a maximum statutory sentence of 10 years.
According to court documents, Williams is the daughter of Gracie Neel Winningham, who died in 2003. Winningham had been a lawful recipient of Federal Black Lung benefits which were designed to provide financial compensation to qualified disabled coal miners and managed by the Department of Labor’s Office of Workers Compensation Program - Division of Coal Mine Workers Compensation.
Following Winningham’s death in 2003 and continuing until 2021, Williams received, endorsed, and deposited monthly Black Lung benefit checks made payable to her mother. In order to continue to receive these checks, Williams forged her mother’s signature on DOL Form CM-929, the annual certification of personal information required by the DOL. On several occasions, Williams communicated with others posing as Winningham. Williams also received, endorsed, and deposited monthly Social Security payments made payable to her deceased mother.
In all, Williams received $255,823 in both Black Lung and Social Security benefits to which she was not entitled.
U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia made the announcement.
The Department of Labor, the Social Security Administration, and the Russell County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Murphy is prosecuting the case.
Southwest Virginia Man Sentenced to 57 Months for Role in Massive Pandemic Unemployment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A Southwest Virginia man who conspired with at least thirty others in a scheme to defraud the government of more than $499,000 in pandemic unemployment benefits was sentenced today to nearly five years in federal prison.
Wesley William Hickman, 25, of Big Stone Gap, was convicted along with co-defendant Marissa Kiser, 28, of Castlewood, following a jury trial in March 2022. The jury found each guilty of conspiracy to defraud the United States, fraud in connection with emergency benefits, conspiracy to commit mail fraud, mail fraud in connection with emergency benefits, and aggravated identity theft.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Hickman and Kiser conspired with Leelynn Danielle Chytka, Gregory Marcus Elmer Tackett, Jeffery Ryan Tackett, and others to commit fraud against the United States in connection with the filing of fraudulent claims for pandemic unemployment benefits. At the time of his involvement in the scheme, Hickman was incarcerated at the Southwest Virginia Regional Jail and was not entitled to pandemic unemployment assistance. However, Hickman and other jail inmates provided their personal information to Jeffrey Tackett for the purpose of filing fraudulent claims. Kiser provided her personal information to her friend Chytka, the ringleader of this widespread conspiracy, for the purpose of filing a fraudulent claim on her behalf.
Over the course of nine months, members of the conspiracy filed fraudulent claims with the Virginia Employment Commission on behalf of at least 37 individuals, with a total actual loss to the United States of at least $499,000.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia, Syreeta Scott, Special Agent-in-Charge, Philadelphia Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, and Special Agent in Charge Darrell J. Waldon of the Internal Revenue Service- Criminal Investigation, Washington D.C. made the announcement.
The Department of Labor - Office of the Inspector General, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Washington, D.C., Field Office, the Norton Police Department, and the Russell County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant United States Attorneys Daniel J. Murphy and Michael Baudinet prosecuted the case.
Lee County Man Sentenced to 90 Months for Methamphetamine, Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A Jonesville, Virginia man, who was twice arrested in Lee County for possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, was sentenced last week to 7 ½ years in federal prison on federal drug distribution and weapons charges.
Aaron Matthew Mosley, 40, pleaded guilty in February 2022 to two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, on August 12, 2021, a Virginia State Trooper discovered Mosley slumped over in the driver’s seat of his pickup truck on the side of the road with the engine running. In the course of conducting a well-being check, the trooper observed marijuana in the center console and a 9mm pistol within arm’s reach of Mosley.
A K-9 unit was called to the scene and subsequently alerted to the side of his truck bed where a .223 rifle, brass knuckles, a magnetic case with various pills and controlled substances, digital scales, $660 in U.S. currency, and approximately 23 grams of 99% pure methamphetamine were recovered.
A check of Mosley’s records showed he had been recently arrested in Lee County for possession of approximately 15 grams of 99% pure methamphetamine but was released on bond while wearing an electronic monitoring bracelet. In addition, court documents revealed that cooperating informants had made several purchases of methamphetamine from Mosley in the months preceding his initial arrest.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia, Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Washington Field Division, and Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of the Virginia State Police made the announcement today.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Virginia State Police, and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Murphy prosecuted the case.
Charlottesville Methamphetamine Traffickers Plead GuiltyRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Four drug traffickers pled guilty recently to conspiring to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine throughout the Charlottesville area.
Santo Hidalgo Siguenza, a.k.a. “Chila,” 40, from El Salvador, Francisco Rocha Uribe, 31, from Mexico, Rafael Vasquez Navarette, 26, from El Salvador, and Luis Guillermo Melendez-Henrique, 31, from El Salvador, all pled guilty to their roles in a drug conspiracy to possess and distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. In addition to the drug charge, Siguenza also pled guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
On September 19, 2020, members of the Jefferson Area Drug Enforcement Task Force (JADE) executed a search warrant at a residence on Chapel Hill Road in Charlottesville and encountered Siguenza in the middle of a drug deal along with a .38 caliber revolver, over a kilogram of virtually pure methamphetamine, and $6,000 in cash. Lab analysis of the methamphetamine found it to be over 98% in purity. While law enforcement was searching the residence, Melendez-Henrique and Navarette arrived in a vehicle which was then searched and found to contain additional methamphetamine. Melendez-Henrique admitted to police that he had picked up a kilogram of methamphetamine from their source in Atlanta, Georgia and brought it back to the Chapel Hill Road residence for redistribution.
At sentencing, Siguenza, Uribe, and Melendez-Henrique face a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to a maximum of life in prison for the drug charges, including a maximum fine of up to $10,000,000, while co-conspirator Navarette faces up to 20 years in prison and up to a $1,000,000 fine.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh made the announcement.
The Jefferson Area Drug Enforcement Task Force, the Albemarle County Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Waynesboro Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Virginia State Police, and the Skyline Drug Trask Force investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ronald M. Huber and Heather L. Carlton are prosecuting the case.
United States Attorney Chris Kavanaugh Announces $3,000,000 Settlement in False Claims Act Case Against HEYtex USARead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. HEYtex USA, located in Pulaski, Virginia, has agreed to pay $3 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2018 when it knowingly sold fabrics to the United States military that failed to meet certain required specifications. HEYtex has also entered into an agreement with the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) to ensure that HEYtex remains in compliance with testing requirements going forward.
HEYtex USA is a worldwide manufacturer of various technical textiles and materials, and its North American headquarters in Southwest Virginia specializes in fabrics and materials produced for the United States military.
In the settlement, the United States alleged HEYtex caused false claims to be submitted in connection with fabrics manufactured for military and personal equipment. Specifically, an employee of HEYtex USA, who later came forward as a whistleblower, brought information regarding falsified test results to the attention of former company management, but the whistleblower was initially ignored.
The employee alleged that on over 100 separate occasions, HEYtex falsely certified that its military-grade fabrics met all requisite performance specifications set by the military when, in fact, the fabrics failed those tests.
“We applaud the courageous efforts of whistleblowers, who put their livelihood on the line to do what is right. Whistleblowers are essential to combatting fraud against the government and we aggressively investigate all such allegations,” United States Attorney Chris Kavanaugh said today. “We commend our citizen partners and encourage all who know, or have reason to know, of fraud against the government to come forward and report it.”
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act against HEYtex USA. Under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of the settlement if the government takes over the case and reaches a monetary agreement with the defendant. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Altizer v. Heytex USA, Inc., Civil Action No. 7:20-cv-00170 (W.D.Va.).
The resolutions obtained in this matter were the result of a coordinated effort among the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), and the United States Army Criminal Investigations Division (Army CID).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Lugar and the Affirmative Civil Enforcement team for the Western District of Virginia investigated the matter in conjunction with Special Agent in Charge, Christopher W. Dillard of the Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, DCIS, and Army CID Special Agent Joshua T. Kimrey.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
South Carolina Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Illegal SteroidsRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – The owner of a supplement company, who manufactured and shipped unapproved drugs and illegal steroids for use by members of the body building community, pled guilty this week to a pair of federal drug charges.
John Franklin Cochcroft, 37, of Lexington, South Carolina, waived his right to be indicted and pled guilty today to one count of introduction of a new drug into interstate commerce with the intent to defraud and mislead, and one count of illegally manufacturing and distributing anabolic steroids. As part of the plea agreement, Cochcroft forfeited criminal proceeds of over $200,000.
“The FDA plays a crucial role in safeguarding the nation through its process of vetting drugs for efficacy and safety. When individuals bypass that process, they jeopardize the public’s health and must be held accountable,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today. “My Office is committed to keeping the citizens of the Western District of Virginia safe from individuals and companies that sell potentially hazardous products laced with illegal controlled substances, and I am grateful to the FDA-OCI for their diligent work on this case.”
“Distribution of unapproved prescription drugs masquerading as dietary supplements presents risks to consumers,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge George A. Scavdis, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Metro Washington Field Office. “We will continue to investigate and bring to justice those whose actions threaten the public’s health.”
Cochcroft admitted that he marketed to the bodybuilding and fitness communities throughout the United States that his “dietary supplements” would increase muscle mass. He further admitted to manufacturing and selling several products containing a type of synthetic steroid known as a Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator (“SARM”), including ostarine, which requires FDA approval before being lawfully distributed in interstate commerce. The FDA has long cautioned against the use of SARMs, including stating in a 2017 warning letter that SARMs have been linked to life-threatening reactions like liver toxicity, heart attack, and stroke. Cochcroft took steps to mislead and defraud the government and consumers in making, marketing, and selling these products by using multiple addresses with fictitious business names, working with Chinese suppliers to mislabel drug products as foodstuff items, and intentionally failing to seek FDA approval for the products.
During its investigation, the government also seized various products containing anabolic steroids from Cochcroft’s business. Anabolic steroids are classified as Schedule III controlled substances under the Controlled Substances Act and are linked to life-threatening reactions and side effects.
Cochcroft is scheduled to be sentenced on August 25, 2022 and faces a maximum penalty of thirteen years in prison. Senior United States District Court Judge James P. Jones will impose sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Food and Drug Administration – Office of Criminal Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy Ramseyer and Trial Attorney Speare Hodges of the Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch prosecuted the case, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina provided valuable assistance.
Abingdon Man Sentenced on Bankruptcy Fraud ChargeRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – An Abingdon man, who concealed bank accounts and other assets from a federal bankruptcy court during his Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, was sentenced yesterday to 12 months in federal prison and ordered to pay a $4,000 fine.
Ronald Eugene Lefler, 67, pled guilty in March 2020 to one count of bankruptcy fraud when he knowingly and fraudulently failed to disclose and otherwise concealed assets from the United States Trustee and from creditors in a pending bankruptcy case before the United States Bankruptcy Court.
According to court documents, on September 20, 2015, Lefler filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the Western District of Virginia and testified under oath that he had fully disclosed all known bank accounts within his control and that he had deposited all of his income into a “debtor-in-possession” bank account, a requirement under the bankruptcy proceedings. Lefler also disclaimed, under oath, to not owning any other assets not otherwise reported, including other vehicles and watercraft.
A subsequent investigation determined that Lefler not only concealed assets of value, including multiple livestock and a houseboat, but also maintained and actively used separate bank accounts at Eastman Credit Union. Records showed that Lefler opened these accounts under false names and used the money for his personal lifestyle expenses, including numerous large withdrawals at the Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort in North Carolina.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Murphy prosecuted the case.
Owner of Drug Testing Lab Sentenced in Medicare Kickback SchemeRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A Las Vegas, Nevada-based laboratory owner, who paid another lab owner to direct urine samples to his lab for testing and then billed the federal government for that testing, was sentenced last week to four months of house arrest and ordered to pay a total of $510,000 in forfeiture, restitution, and fines.
Rakesh Reddy Kothuru, 49, pled guilty in January 2022 to one count of knowingly and willfully making false representations of material facts for payments under federal health care programs. The conviction means Kothuru is subject to mandatory exclusion from future participation in federal health care benefit programs, including Medicare and Medicaid. Pursuant to his plea agreement, Kothuru was required to pay $500,000 prior to his sentencing to be credited toward the court-ordered forfeiture and restitution.
According to court documents, Kothuru was the majority owner of Laboratory Services of America, LLC (LSA), a Las Vegas-based lab that provided drug testing on urine samples. After performing that testing, ATL routinely sent tested samples to other laboratories for “confirmation” testing.
One of those other labs included American Toxicology Labs (ATL), formerly owned by Michael Norman Dube, who also owned a chain of clinics in Tennessee and Virginia that purported to treat opioid addiction with buprenorphine. Providers at those clinics frequently ordered urine drug screens for their patients in order to assess current drug use and to gather medically necessary information that would be pertinent to treatment.
In January 2015, Kothuru and Dube entered into an arrangement in which Dube would refer all of ATL’s tested urine samples to LSA for confirmation testing in exchange for cash kickback payments to Dube’s personal checking account.
Between March 23, 2015, and September 20, 2016, Kothuru’s lab received more than $750,000 from Medicare, Virginia Medicaid, Kentucky Medicaid, and TennCare in compensation for confirmation testing performed on samples directly related to services illegally billed and collected in accordance with the kickback scheme between Kothuru and Dube.
As part of a previous guilty plea in 2011 to intentionally omitting information from reports as required under the Controlled Substances Act, Dube had been prohibited by the Department of Health and Human Services from ever participating in any federal health care program again. As part of his involvement in the kickback scheme with Kothuru, Dube pleaded guilty in March 2021 to two counts of health care fraud, sentenced to 36 months in federal prison, and ordered to pay over $9,000,000 in fines, forfeitures, and restitution costs.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia announced the sentence today.
The Virginia Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Office of the Attorney General of Virginia, the Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Whit D. Pierce and Randy Ramseyer, and Special Assistant United States Attorney and Assistant Attorney General Janine M. Myatt prosecuted the case.
Virginia Man Who Sold Drugs and Possessed Fully Automatic Machine Gun Sentenced to 15 YearsRead the Press Release
LYNCHBURG, Va. – A Concord, Virginia man, who possessed a fully automatic machine gun while distributing large quantities of marijuana in the Lynchburg area, was sentenced yesterday to 15 years in federal prison.
Malik Lee Simpson, 23, pled guilty in February 2022 to two counts of possession with the intent to distribute marijuana and two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
“A Glock switch – even when not attached to a firearm – is classified as a machine gun under federal law. When attached, these devices convert a firearm to being a fully automatic machine gun, and those who possess them, especially in the context of drug trafficking, will be met with severe penalties.” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today. “Possession of a fully automatic machine gun in the context of drug trafficking crime triggers a 30-year mandatory minimum term of incarceration. This defendant received a lesser sentence after fully accepting responsibility and preserving judicial and prosecutorial resources. This case demonstrates my Office and the Department of Justice’s commitment to fighting gun violence and preventing fully automatic firearms from being in our communities in the Western District of Virginia.”
“Today’s announcement sends a clear and direct message that we take the illegal possession of handgun conversion devices very seriously. We commit to keeping the illegal possession and usage of these devices as an investigative priority. We are extremely thankful for the results of this investigation,” ATF Special Agent in Charge Charlie J. Patterson said. "The ATF Washington Field Division will continue to collaborate with our partners to ensure those who violate federal firearms laws and commit acts of violence are held accountable for their actions.”
“Violent crime has no place in the Lynchburg community,” said Lynchburg Police Chief Ryan M. Zuidema. “I am grateful for the dedication of the officers who investigated this case and for the collaboration between the Lynchburg Police Department, the U.S. Attorney's Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives to bring this violent offender to justice.”
According to court documents, on July 11, 2019, Simpson was observed engaging in a hand-to-hand drug transaction. After determining he had an active warrant for his arrest, law enforcement pursued Simpson into a residence and arrested him after finding a bag he had been carrying with over 60 grams of marijuana and a Glock 22 handgun inside.
Nearly two weeks later after having been released, Simpson was the passenger in a vehicle that was stopped for having a brake light out. Officers smelled marijuana coming from the vehicle, and upon search of the trunk discovered a backpack belonging to Simpson whose contents included more than 40 grams of marijuana, a digital scale, and a Glock 19 handgun that was fitted with a machine gun conversion, also known as a “Glock Switch,” which makes the weapon fully automatic. Facebook records obtained through the investigation showed that Simpson had purchased the “Glock Switch” from co-defendant Nathan Samuel Arthurs in May 2019.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia and Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Washington Field Division, made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Lynchburg Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean M. Welsh prosecuted the case.
U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh Recognizes Police WeekRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – In honor of National Police Week, United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh recognizes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, law enforcement. This year, the week is observed Wednesday, May 11 through Tuesday, May 17, 2022.
“This week, we gather to pay tribute to the law enforcement officers who sacrificed their lives in service to our country,” said Attorney General Garland. “We remember the courage with which they worked and lived. And we recommit ourselves to the mission to which they dedicated their lives. On behalf of a grateful Justice Department and a grateful nation, I extend my sincerest thanks and gratitude to the entire law enforcement community.”
“The Western District of Virginia has mourned the death of several law enforcement officers this year, like so many other districts across the country,” United States Attorney Kavanaugh said today. “Police Week gives us all a moment to pause, remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our communities, and thank those who continue to protect and serve.”
In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. Based on data submitted to and analyzed by the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), 472 law enforcement officers died nationwide in the line of duty in 2021. Of that number, 319 succumbed to COVID-19. Four officers have died in the line of duty in the Western District of Virginia in 2021.
Additionally, according to 2021 statistics reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) through the Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program, 73 law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty in 2021 were killed as a result of felonious acts, whereas 56 died in accidents. Deaths resulting from felonious acts increased in 2021, rising more than 58 percent from the previous year. In 2021, unprovoked attacks were the cause of 24 deaths significantly outpacing all other line of duty deaths resulting from felony acts and reaching the highest annual total in over 30 years of reporting. Additional LEOKA statistics can be found on FBI’s Crime Data Explorer website for the LEOKA program.
The names of the 619 fallen officers added this year to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial will be read on Friday, May 13, 2022, during a Candlelight Vigil in Washington, D.C., starting at 8:00 PM EDT. Those who wish to view the vigil live online, can watch on the NLEOMF YouTube channel found at https://www.youtube.com/TheNLEOMF. The schedule of National Police Week events is available on NLEOMF’s website.
D.C., starting at 8:00 PM EDT. Those who wish to view the vigil live online, can watch on the NLEOMF YouTube channel found at https://www.youtube.com/TheNLEOMF. The schedule of National Police Week events is available on NLEOMF’s website.
Roanoke Drug Dealer Involved in Eastern Avenue Gunfight Sentenced to 26 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – A Goodview, Virginia man who was involved in a fatal shooting at an Eastern Avenue drug house in the City of Roanoke was sentenced today to 26 Years in federal prison for his role in a drug distribution conspiracy and discharging a firearm.
Darion Mantez Harvey, 23, pled guilty in May 2021 to one count of possessing with the intent to distribute and distributing 100 kilograms or more of marijuana and one count of possessing and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug related crime.
“Drug trafficking and violent crime often go hand in hand, and my Office continues to vigorously prosecute those who use firearms to threaten the safety and security of the citizens of the Western District of Virginia,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today. “Armed drug dealers contribute significantly to the increased level of gun violence and death in our communities, and I am grateful to both ATF and Roanoke City Police Department for their partnership and tireless efforts to the Roanoke community in this case.”
“Today’s results are a culmination of great collaborative efforts and investigative expertise in illegal firearm possession and narcotics distribution. The activities surrounding this case were detrimental to our community and as a result, a life was lost due to senseless violence. ATF will remain vigilant as we continue to work with our local, state and federal partners in the fight to combat violent crime and maintain public safety,” said ATF Washington Field Division Special Agent in Charge Charlie J. Patterson.
“This investigation was difficult and lengthy, but we are glad we could work with our partners at the state, local, and federal level to achieve this outcome,” said Roanoke Police Chief Sam Roman. “Gun violence is often a companion to drug trafficking, and this is an unfortunate result of that pairing. This sentencing will never compensate for the loss of a life, but we hope it brings some comfort to the victim’s loved ones. Violent crime has no place in Roanoke. The members of the Roanoke Police Department are committed to doing all we can to identify those who are perpetrating violent crime in our community and hold them accountable for their actions.”
According to court documents, in October 2018, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) began investigating a drug trafficking organization involving Aaron Lee Woods and his associates, including Harvey.
During the course of the investigation, authorities learned that Woods, Harvey, and other co-conspirators used Woods’ apartment at 1642 Eastern Avenue as the primary site for their large-scale distribution of marijuana in the Roanoke Valley from late 2017 through approximately August 2019. Witnesses told police that customers would stream in and out of the apartment at all hours of the day and night buying marijuana from the defendants, who kept their loaded firearms in plain view.
In the early evening hours of July 10, 2018, a car containing five individuals arrived at the Eastern Avenue apartment where a gun battle broke out between Harvey, Woods, and another co-defendant, Chad Matthew Custer, on one side and the newly arrived individuals on the other. While four of the individuals fled on foot, the fifth jumped back into his car and sped away to escape the spray of bullets being fired from inside the apartment. Of the many bullets striking neighboring houses and vehicles, one pierced the window of the escaping vehicle and shattered the back of the fifth individual’s skull, killing him.
Investigators recovered multiple firearms used by Woods, Harvey and Custer during the shootout, including high-powered, military-style rifles with laser sights and multiple handguns.
Co-defendants Woods and Custer are set for their trial by jury on October 24-28, 2022.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the City of Roanoke Police Department investigated the case, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Miller, Kari K. Munro, and Charlene R. Day prosecuted the case for the United States.
Abingdon Man Sentenced for Stealing Mail and Bank FraudRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – An Abingdon, Virginia man, who stole hundreds of pieces of mail from over 100 different addresses in the Abingdon area, including a check he altered and cashed at a local bank, was sentenced today to 36 months in federal prison.
Bradley Alan Wolfe, 38, pleaded guilty in December 2021 to one count of possession of stolen mail and one count of bank fraud.
Wolfe admitted stealing mail from residential mailboxes in the Abingdon, Meadowview, Glade Spring, and Chilhowie areas from March through September of 2021. Items taken included multiple packages, cash, a United States passport, diabetes medication, and multiple checks worth thousands of dollars. In one instance, Wolfe altered a stolen check by replacing the payee’s name with his own and then cashed it at Eastman Credit Union in Abingdon for $4,890.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia and Greg L. Torbenson, Acting Postal Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Washington Division, made the announcement.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Postal Inspection Service investigated the case, with assistance provided by the United States Marshals Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lena L. Busscher prosecuted the case.
Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to 16 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
HARRISONBURG, Va. – A Mount Jackson, Virginia man, who was convicted following a three-day jury trial in January of 2022 of distributing methamphetamine and carrying a firearm while doing so, was sentenced today to 16 years in federal prison to be followed by five years of supervised release.
Merle Brook Stephens, 53, was found guilty in January of one count of knowingly or intentionally possessing with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime, and one count of possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon.
According to evidence presented at trial, as part of a larger law enforcement sting operation, Stephens was arrested on December 7, 2018 as he left his hotel room in Mount Jackson, Virginia. At the time of his arrest, Stephens was in possession of more than 323 grams of methamphetamine, a loaded .45 caliber semiautomatic handgun with five loaded magazines, $3,637 in cash, and a variety of drug paraphernalia items.
U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia and Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Washington Field Division, announced the sentence.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Shenandoah County Sheriff’s Office, the Northwest Virginia Regional Drug and Gang Task Force, the Mount Jackson Police Department, the Woodstock Police Department, the Timberville Police Department, and the Shenandoah County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rachel B. Swartz and Ronald M. Huber prosecuted the case.
Greene County Commissioner of Revenue Resigns and Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. –The former Commissioner of Revenue for Greene County, Virginia, resigned from his elected position in connection with pleading guilty today in federal court to attempted witness tampering, a felony offense. His son also pleaded guilty today to a related charge of heroin distribution.
Larry Vernon Snow, 73, pleaded guilty to one count of attempted witness tampering related to his efforts to harass and dissuade a confidential informant from cooperating in a federal investigation of both himself and his son, as well as to prevent the confidential informant from aiding law enforcement in other investigations. Bryant Austin Snow, 33, pleaded guilty to one related count of distributing heroin.
“The former Commissioner of Revenue for Greene County, an elected official of over 30 years, broadcast information throughout his community about a witness having assisted law enforcement authorities, all in retaliation against that witness. The Department of Justice will hold accountable those who seek to harass, intimidate, or retaliate against any federal witnesses, and I am grateful for the result that was achieved today through our investigation,” said United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh.
“Elected officials should hold themselves to a higher standard and serve their community responsibly. Mr. Snow violated the faith entrusted to him, and with his son criminally used personal information of community members for their own gain,” said Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division. “The FBI will continue to work with our partners to investigate instances of witness tampering and are happy with today’s change in plea.”
According to court documents, Bryant Snow was arrested and charged with two state drug charges in November 2017. The state charges stem from law enforcement’s use of a confidential informant who purchased methamphetamine and heroin from Bryant Snow. On April 20, 2018, Bryant Snow pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine in Greene County, Virginia.
While incarcerated in Central Virginia Regional Jail (CVRJ), Bryant Snow received documents and other evidence regarding his state case. This information included video and audio of the recorded narcotics buys by the confidential informant from Bryant Snow. Bryant Snow made numerous calls from jail to his father, Larry Snow, where they discussed their animosity towards confidential informants generally and Person A specifically. For example, Larry Snow stated to Bryant in one call that “[Person A]’s gonna get his, I promise you that.” Larry Snow then stated they should let “everybody know all about it” and “who he is, what he’s doing,” in reference to Person A.
On May 31, 2019, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia notified Larry and Bryant Snow that they were targets of a federal investigation involving their conduct toward Person A. After receiving this notice, Larry Snow drafted and caused approximately 12,000 leaflets to be mailed in October 2019 to the residents of Greene County in an attempt to harass Person A and hinder, prevent, and dissuade Person A from causing or aiding in any federal prosecutions of the Snows or others. The leaflets described how the incumbent sheriff of Greene County used “drug dealers (who are also police informants).” The leaflet stated, “Specifically, this same drug dealer” was “caught twice,” and described the purportedly lenient sentence the individual received. These comments were references to Person A, who Larry Snow knew cooperated against his son, Bryant. Larry Snow placed his name at the bottom of the leaflets to identify himself as the sender.
In recorded jail calls following the distribution of the leaflets, Bryant Snow and Larry Snow discussed the known “drug dealer” in the leaflet and confirmed it was Person A. Larry Snow concluded the call by stating, “it’s out there now” because information about Person A’s cooperation with law enforcement had been disseminated in the county via the leaflets.
In connection with entering his guilty plea, Larry Snow resigned from his elected position as the Commissioner of Revenue in Greene County, a position he has held since 1987 and had been re-elected to while under federal indictment. As part of the plea agreement, Larry Snow agreed not to run for elected office during any sentence or period of court supervision.
The Snows are scheduled for sentencing on July 25, 2022 and August 1, 2022 before Senior United States District Court Judge Norman K. Moon.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles.
Assistant United States Attorney Katie Burroughs Medearis and Ryan S. Faulconer, Senior Counsel with the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, are prosecuting the case for the United States. Former Assistant United States Attorney Kathryn Rumsey assisted in the prosecution of the case.
Three Plead Guilty in Violent Robbery AttemptRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Three Charlottesville men have pleaded guilty to the attempted violent armed robbery of an Albemarle County man who they believed was in possession of a large amount of marijuana and cash.
Tyreek Saquan Ragland, 24, Madison Wonne Zelee, 26, and Tyrel Anthony Dowell, 22, all pled guilty to their role in an armed home invasion and attempted robbery. Ragland, the leader who organized the robbery plan, pled guilty to one count of Hobbs Act robbery. Zelee and Dowell both pled guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The Hobbs Act prohibits actual or attempted robbery affecting interstate or foreign commerce in any way or degree and carries a maximum prison term of twenty years. Felons found in possession of a firearm face a prison term of up to ten years.
“From day one, I have emphasized that our strategy for combatting violent crime starts with targeted enforcement efforts and building community trust, and this case represents the core of that strategy,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today. “When a crime like this occurs, it upsets the sense of safety and security that we all feel in our community. By using federal resources to prosecute the most violent offenders in cases like this, we will continue to build that community trust in federal, state, and local law enforcement efforts to address and reduce violent crime.”
“The brazen and calculated attempts of these defendants to rob these victims, coupled with the discharge of weapons, demonstrates the seriousness of this crime and the potential consequences to the victims. The FBI is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate these violent crimes and holding these criminals accountable as we collectively seek justice for the victims,” said Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division.
“Law enforcement agencies can most effectively respond to crime when they work in a collaborative fashion,” said Colonel Sean Reeves, Albemarle County Chief of Police. “Cases like this highlights the success of the coordinated approach that Albemarle County Police Department takes to ensure the safety of the community we serve.”
According to court documents, Ragland and his accomplices, Zelee and Dowell, targeted the first victim for robbery because they believed he would be in possession of a large quantity of marijuana and U.S. currency at his home in Albemarle County.
On the afternoon of September 30, 2021, Zelee knocked on the intended victim’s front door and employed a ruse designed to gain entry by claiming he had lost his dog and needed to find it. Dowell, wearing a ski mask, was then seen walking from the woods towards the residence, at which point the intended victim refused to open the front door. Zelee and Dowell fled the scene in the getaway vehicle driven by Ragland.
Shortly after this confrontation, the intended victim notified his father of the incident, who then joined him to search for the vehicle in which Ragland, Zelee, and Dowell had fled.
While father and son were out searching, a witness who had remained at the intended victim’s residence called them to report a pizza delivery person was at the house trying to deliver a pizza. Well aware that no pizza order had been placed, the intended victim instructed the witness not to open the door and immediately returned home. When he arrived, the intended victim observed a vehicle parked along the side of the road near his home that matched the one seen earlier occupied by the defendants.
Upon hearing that the pizza delivery man was adamant that someone had placed a pizza order for that address, the intended victim became concerned that the suspicious individuals from the vehicle parked along the street may now be hiding in the woods again.
Sensing danger, father and son decided to leave again and had entered their car when Zelee and Dowell came out of the wood line and began shooting at them, striking their vehicle. After the gunfire, Zelee and Dowell rejoined Ragland and fled the scene for the second time.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Albemarle County Police Department are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald M. Huber is prosecuting the case.
Appomattox Woman Admits to Defrauding Social Security AdministrationRead the Press Release
LYNCHBURG, Va. – An Appomattox woman, who was paid more than $30,000 in government benefits to which she was not entitled, pleaded guilty this week in federal court.
Amanda Nicole Mann, 38, waived her right to be indicted and pleaded guilty to a one-count Information charging her with theft of government money. At sentencing, Mann faces a maximum statutory penalty of up to 10 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $250,000.
According to court documents, in 2018, Mann falsely reported to the Social Security Administration (SSA) that her husband had not lived in her residence for the previous year. The reported change in this living situation caused Mann, and her son, to become eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. Mann would not have been eligible for these benefits if SSA knew the truth about her husband still living in the home.
As a result, Mann was paid $31,578 in SSI payments to which she was not entitled.
U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia made the announcement.
The Social Security Administration-Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charlene R. Day is prosecuting the case.
Wytheville Pair Sentenced to Federal Prison for Large-Scale Mail TheftRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A pair of Wytheville, Virginia residents were sentenced yesterday to federal prison time for possessing stolen mail, including letters from the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Social Security Administration, and the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles.
Joseph Arthur Manning, 35, was sentenced to 21 months imprisonment followed by three years’ supervised release. Manning’s girlfriend, Caitlyn Page Turner, 23, was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment followed by three years’ supervised release.
According to court documents, on December 28, 2021, a victim contacted the Wythe County Sheriff’s Office and stated that they witnessed mail being stolen from their mailbox by a pair of individuals who drove off in a Kia Optima. Shortly after the call, Wythe County Sheriff’s deputies conducted a traffic stop on a Kia Optima and Manning and Turner were the occupants of the vehicle.
During the traffic stop, deputies located and recovered 63 pieces of mail from 32 different addresses in the Barren Springs area. The officers also recovered marijuana and a small quantity of methamphetamine.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh made the announcement.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service – Washington Division and the Wythe County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Lena L. Busscher prosecuted the case for the United States.
Timber Thieves Indicted for Large-Scale Theft from Government LandRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – A federal grand jury in Roanoke has indicted a trio of men on conspiracy charges, Lacey Act violations, and other charges related to the alleged illegal removal of walnut trees from federally protected land. The indictment, returned under seal May 20, 2021, was unsealed earlier this month following the arrest of two of the defendants. A third defendant remains at-large, and his identity remains under seal.
William Riley Stump, 52, of Narrows, Virginia, and Derrick Anthony Thompson, 48, of Princeton, West Virginia, were arraigned this week in U.S. District Court in Roanoke.
Stump is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit an offense to defraud the United States, five counts of violating the Lacey Act, five counts of theft of government property, five counts of removal of timber from lands of the United States, and seven counts of the illegal cutting of trees on lands of the United States. Thompson is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit an offense to defraud the United States, one count of violating the Lacey Act, one count of theft of government property, one count of removal of timber from lands of the United States, and three counts of illegal cutting of trees on lands of the United States.
“The Department of Justice will vigorously prosecute those who steal natural resources from federal lands for their personal enrichment,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today. “Federal protected lands not only serve as areas of conservation and flood management but also provide intrinsic beauty we all enjoy, particularly here in the Western District of Virginia.”
“It is the duty and mission of U.S. Forest Service Law Enforcement and Investigation to protect our federal land resources from theft, unwarranted destruction and disturbance, and to deter and prevent crimes,” said Katie Ballew, Patrol Captain USDA Forest Service George Washington and Jefferson National Forests.
According to court documents, Stump, Thompson, and another indicted co-defendant conspired to cut and remove black walnut trees located in the Bluestone Project in Giles County, Virginia and transport them to Lindside, West Virginia to sell. The Bluestone Project is a United States Army Corps of Engineers Flood Damage Reduction program designed to inhibit flood-level water flow along both the New River and Bluestone River. The project’s federally-protected area involves 21,000 acres of land that is a fertile habitat for growth of certain trees and plants, including the highly valuable black walnut trees, which are among the largest and longest living hardwood trees in the United States.
The U.S. Forest Service and the Army Corps of Engineers are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Baudinet is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Owner of Tax Preparation Business Sentenced to Two Years in Federal Prison for Defrauding Small Business OwnersRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – The former owner of a tax preparation business who defrauded at least eight small businesses, many of whose owners spoke English in a limited capacity, was sentenced yesterday to 24 months in federal prison for wire fraud and ordered to pay $190,294 in restitution.
According to court documents, Lisa Tucker Dillard, 60, of Roanoke, Virginia owned and operated a bookkeeping and tax accounting business in Franklin County, and in exchange for a monthly fee, claimed to provide accounting services to small businesses, including the preparation of federal taxes.
Beginning in 2017, Dillard began a scheme to defraud local small business owners, many of whom spoke limited English. As part of this scheme, Dillard advised her victims that they owed a tax liability to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) but that she had established an installment agreement with the IRS for payment. Dillard then instructed her victims to make those installment payments directly to her claiming that she would then forward the money to the IRS.
In creating a sense of legitimacy, Dillard applied a fraudulent IRS logo to fake receipts that she presented to her victims to make it appear that the money had been remitted to the IRS and applied to the victims’ alleged tax liabilities. In actuality, Dillard neither filed taxes nor paid any money to the IRS on behalf of any victim. Moreover, Dillard was never approved by the IRS as an authorized tax return filer because she never obtained either a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) or an Electronic Filing Identification Number (EFIN) as required by the IRS.
U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia made the announcement.
The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin B. Johnson prosecuted the case.
Roanoke Woman Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Dealing HeroinRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – A Roanoke woman, who sold drugs on behalf of her incarcerated boyfriend, was sentenced today to 60 months in federal prison.
Aminee Jewell Davenport, 35, pleaded guilty in November 2021 to one count of distributing more than 100 grams of heroin.
According to court documents, Davenport was in a romantic relationship with Anthony Barnett, who had been arrested for his involvement in a shooting that occurred in Roanoke. Once incarcerated, Barnett directed Davenport to sell narcotics on his behalf. Investigators with the Virginia State Police made two controlled purchases of approximately four ounces of heroin from Davenport.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia, Jared Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division, and Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of the Virginia State Police, made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Virginia State Police, and members of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force (HIDTA) conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Coleman Adams and Kari Munro prosecuted the case.
Man Using Whisper App Sentenced for Enticing a MinorRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – Matthew Benjamin Foltz, 29, of Cleveland, Ohio, used the messaging application “Whisper” to engage in sexually explicit conversations with someone he believed to be a 13-year-old girl from Virginia.
Foltz was sentenced today to 60 months in federal prison after pleading guilty earlier this year to one count of persuading, enticing, or coercing a person to travel in interstate commerce to engage in sexual activity.
According to court documents, undercover law enforcement portrayed themselves as a 13-year-old girl living in Roanoke, Virginia, and began an online conversation on Whisper with a user named “Macabre_return,” later determined to be Foltz.
Several times during the course of his online conversation with law enforcement, Foltz expressed his desire to bring the 13-year-old girl back to his home in Ohio so that he could both impregnate her and teach her how to please him sexually. Foltz, who also identified himself by the alias “Michael Halliburton,” provided what he purported was a photograph of himself as well as airline flight information for a trip to Ohio.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia made the announcement.
The Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Christiansburg Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel B. Swartz prosecuted the case.
Abingdon Man to Serve More Than 17 Years for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – Ralph Allen Phillips, Jr., 62, was sentenced today to 210 months in federal prison for possessing with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, law enforcement officials executed several controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Phillips in early 2021. While executing a search warrant of Phillips’s residence, federal agents found approximately one pound of methamphetamine in his bedroom safe along with nearly $40,000 in cash, some of which bore the same serial numbers as cash used during the controlled purchases. Elsewhere, agents found a loaded 9 mm handgun, several thousand dollars in additional cash, and more methamphetamine and other drug paraphernalia.
The investigation revealed that Phillips began selling multi-ounce quantities of methamphetamine in Southwest Virginia for approximately two-and-a-half years, and then escalated to trafficking over a pound of methamphetamine every two weeks.
As part of his plea agreement, Phillips is forfeiting a total of $44,550 in cash, the 9mm handgun and ammunition, as well as four motorcycles.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia and Jared Forget, Special Agent in Charge of DEA’s Washington Division, made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Virginia State Police, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, and the Abingdon Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Whit D. Pierce prosecuted the case.
Wise County Man Sentenced for Possession of Fentanyl, Guns Following Single-Vehicle CrashRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A Wise County, Virginia man, who was found to be in possession of over 40 grams of fentanyl and a pair of firearms at the scene of a single-vehicle accident, was sentenced today in federal court to 195 months in federal prison.
Malcolm T’Rell Pinkston, 31, of Big Stone Gap, Va., pleaded guilty in November 2021 to one count of possession with the intent of distribute and attempting to possess with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of possessing a firearm and ammunition in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, law enforcement arrived at the scene of a single-vehicle crash on Route 23 in Duffield, Virginia where they found Pinkston visibly impaired and handling a 9 mm pistol next to his crashed vehicle. Inside the vehicle, officers found 48 grams of fentanyl, a 5.56 caliber pistol, and several magazines and rounds of ammunition. Two Scott County Sheriff’s Deputies were taken to the hospital following fentanyl exposures from processing the evidence.
Pinkston was serving a term of supervised release at the time of his accident due to a prior federal conviction for conspiracy to distribute oxycodone.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia, Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Washington Field Division, and Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of the Virginia State Police made the announcement today.
The Scott County Sheriff’s Office, the Virginia State Police, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lena L. Busscher prosecuted the case.
Defendant Who Ordered Fentanyl Through SnapChat Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A Marion, Virginia man, who ordered hundreds of fentanyl-laced pills through Snapchat from a supplier in California, was sentenced yesterday to 42 months in federal prison.
Kobe Malik Woods, 19, pleaded guilty in January to one count of possession with the intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl.
“Throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia and across the nation, individuals are struggling with substance abuse disorder, a disease fueled by those who profit from addiction,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today. “Fentanyl-laced pills pose a significant risk of death to anyone who ingests them, and my Office will continue to bring individuals to account for trafficking these deadly drugs in our communities.”
“Our mission is to protect the American people. This includes doing our part working with our local and federal law enforcement partners to identify and arrest those responsible for introducing these pills, or any illicit drug, into our communities,” said Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division.
According to court documents, in early 2021, law enforcement began investigating a flood of illegal pill distribution in Smyth County, Virginia, and soon identified multiple people who were involved. As part of the investigation, law enforcement intercepted a parcel shipped from California and addressed to Woods’s residence that contained approximately 800 fentanyl pills.
Although they resembled pharmaceutical-grade oxycodone-hydrochloride pills, the intercepted pills were inconsistent in size, shape, and color, indicating that they were counterfeit pills. Pills of this type are sometimes referred to as “Roxicodone,” “pressed,” or “M30” pills. The pills often have an imprint of an “M” on one side and a “30” on the other side.
In June of 2021, law enforcement executed a controlled delivery of the parcel to Woods’s home in Marion, Virginia. While conducting surveillance on the residence, investigators observed a woman retrieve the package and take it inside the home. When investigators executed a search warrant at the home, Woods attempted to escape with the opened parcel in his hands but was captured a short distance away.
The Smyth County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service—Office of the Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Whit D. Pierce prosecuted the case.
Woman Pleads Guilty to Pandemic Related FraudRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A Southwest Virginia woman, who collaborated with more than 30 others in a scheme to cheat the government out of more than $499,000 in unemployment benefits, pleaded guilty this week to one count of conspiracy to defraud the government, one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, and one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice.
According to court documents, over the course of nine months, Veronica Mullins, 48, of Pound, VA, conspired with Leelynn Danielle Chytka, Gregory Tackett, Jeffery Tackett, and others to commit fraud against the United States in connection with the filing of fraudulent claims for pandemic unemployment benefits on behalf of at least 37 individuals via the Virginia Employment Commission [VEC] website, with a total actual loss to the United States of at least $499,000.
Specifically, in June 2020, Mullins approached Chytka and asked her for help with filing for fraudulent unemployment benefits. In addition to illegally attempting to gain unentitled benefits for herself, Mullins also provided the personally identifiable information for other individuals, including those of her children, each of whom was also ineligible to receive pandemic-related benefits. When questioned by investigators, Mullins lied about her knowledge of the larger scheme and her role in it.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia, Special Agent-in-Charge Syreeta Scott, Philadelphia Regional Office, U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General, and Special Agent in Charge Darrell J. Waldon of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Washington, D.C., Field Office made the announcement.
Chytka, the mastermind behind the scheme, was sentenced to nine years in prison.
To date, the following co-conspirators have been sentenced as part of the investigation:
- Jimmy Barnette- 24 months
- George Buckles- 30 months
- Joshua Carroll- 24 months
- Darrell Davis- 18 months
- Melinda Davis – 18 months
- Misty Evans – 12 months
- Eugene Grizzle- 12 months
- Ryan Grizzle – 5 months
- Melissa Hayes – 24 months
- Jacob Hicks – 30 months
- Timothy Hileman- 30 months
- Ajay Johnson – 30 months
- John C. Johnson Jr. – 18 months
- Randall Johnson – 24 months
- Jared Mitchell – 24 months
- Curtis E. Mullins – 12 months
- Eric B. Mullins – 30 months
- Steven J. Mullins – 27 months
- Patrick Payne – 24 months
- Jeremy Short – 27 months
- Gregory Tackett – 108 months
- Jeffery Tackett – 102 months
- Larry Whited – 18 months
- Jeffrey Wiseman – 24 months
The Department of Labor - Office of the Inspector General, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Washington, D.C., Field Office, the Norton Police Department, and the Russell County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant United States Attorneys Daniel J. Murphy and Lena L. Busscher are prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Bristol, Tennessee Woman Sentenced to 13 Years for Role in Large-Scale Meth Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A Tennessee woman, who was part of a conspiracy that trafficked methamphetamine from Mexico into Southwest Virginia, was sentenced last week to 156 months in federal prison.
Jessica Nicole Kent, 35, of Bristol, TN, pleaded guilty in September 2021 to one count of conspiring to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Kent conspired with Joshua Desorcy, the ringleader responsible for coordinating the importation of massive shipments of methamphetamine from sources of supply in Mexico to accomplices in Atlanta, Georgia and Houston, Texas. Desorcy directed Kent and other co-conspirators to make numerous trips to Atlanta and Houston to bring back the methamphetamine for further distribution in Southwest Virginia.
In pleading guilty, Kent admitted to not only making those trips to Atlanta to pick up the drugs, but also routinely selling various amounts of both methamphetamine and heroin throughout Southwest Virginia.
In February 2022, Desorcy was sentenced to 40 years in prison for his role in the conspiracy.
U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia, Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Washington Field Division, and Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of DEA’s Washington Division made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration as well as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Murphy is prosecuting the case.
USP Lee Inmate Sentenced to 188 Months for Attempted Murder of Fellow InmateRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – Moris Alexis Flores, 33, an inmate at United States Penitentiary Lee County (USP Lee), was sentenced yesterday to over 15 years in prison for conspiring to murder a fellow inmate, attempting to commit murder, and being an inmate in possession of a prohibited object in relation to an assault that occurred at USP Lee in January 2020.
According to court documents, Flores, a member of the MS-13 gang, and four fellow inmates - Carlos Alfredo Almonte, Julio Angle Chavez, German Arquimides Hernandez, and Angel Moreno Guevara – were charged with conspiring to murder another inmate, “AZ”, a member of the Mexican Mafia gang. Armed with metal shanks, Flores and Guevara entered AZ’s cell and stabbed AZ multiple times. While Flores and Guevara were assaulting AZ, Almonte, Chavez, and Hernandez blocked the prison cell doorway in an effort to prevent other inmates and prison staff from interfering with the attack. As a consequence of the attack, AZ sustained multiple stab wounds but ultimately survived.
Almonte, Chavez, Hernandez, and Guevara have each pled guilty for their roles in the assault and will be sentenced in June 2022.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Prisons investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lena L. Busscher, Daniel J. Murphy, Whit D. Pierce, and Anthony P. Giorno are prosecuting the case.
Fentanyl Trafficker Pleads Guilty to Federal Distribution Charge for 30,000 ‘Pressed Pills’Read the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A Smyth County man, who ordered approximately 30,000 fentanyl pills from California and sold them in Southwest Virginia, pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court.
Zachary Ryan Hutton, 21, of Marion, Virginia, pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of knowingly possessing with the intent to distribute and distributing 400 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing fentanyl.
“The Commonwealth of Virginia, and Southwest Virginia in particular, has seen a dramatic uptick in substance abuse disorder in recent years,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today. “Disrupting and prosecuting fentanyl trafficking networks—especially pressed pills—is one of my Office’s top priorities. We know we cannot arrest our way out of this epidemic, but when traffickers brazenly spread tens of thousands of lethal pills across the country and into our Virginia communities, we will hold them accountable.”
According to court documents, law enforcement began investigating a flood of illegal pills in Smyth County, Virginia that resembled pharmaceutical-grade oxycodone pills, but were inconsistent in size, shape, and color, indicating that they were counterfeit pills. The investigation revealed that the active ingredient in these “pressed” pills was fentanyl. Pills of this type are sometimes referred to as “Roxicodone,” “pressed,” or “M30” pills. The pills often have an imprint of an “M” on one side and a “30” on the other side.
In June 2021, the U.S. Postal Service–Office of Inspector General intercepted a package addressed to “Ryan Hutton” at the residence of Hutton’s grandmother in Marion, Virginia. The package contained approximately 561 grams of pressed fentanyl pills.
Law enforcement conducted a controlled delivery of the package, at which time Hutton was arrested and found to be in possession of an additional 798 pressed pills. During the subsequent investigation, law enforcement learned that Hutton had ordered fentanyl pills by mail for at least four months, received approximately 30,000 pills during that time frame, and paid a source in California $20,000 for the most recent package.
Hutton is scheduled to be sentenced on July 7, 2022 and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison. In addition, Hutton will pay a $50,000 judgment to the United States. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Smyth County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service–Office of the Inspector General, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Whit D. Pierce is prosecuting the case.
United States Attorney Kavanaugh Announces Partnership with Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery to Address FraudRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh and Special Inspector General Brian D. Miller of the Office of the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery (SIGPR) jointly announced today that their offices have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to enhance their current cooperative efforts to investigate and prosecute fraud involving certain loans, loan guarantees, and investments made by the Secretary of the Treasury under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020, which included over $2 trillion in emergency financial assistance designed to provide immediate help for American businesses and individuals.
“We have already prosecuted dozens of individuals here in the Western District of Virginia for defrauding the federal government of hundreds of thousands of dollars provided by Congress to aid those in need during a global pandemic,” United States Attorney Kavanaugh said today. “The partnership between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia and the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery will ensure this important work continues effectively.”
“This partnership with the Western District of Virginia will strengthen our efforts to ensure taxpayer investments in the CARES Act are protected. SIGPR continues to work with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute fraudsters who target vulnerable pandemic relief funds,” Special Inspector General Miller said.
The MOU outlines a series of objectives to ensure investigations are more effective: (1) USAO will designate two Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) to serve as direct points of contact for the SIGPR-USAO partnership; (2) USAO will utilize a streamlined process to accelerate case intake, legal process, and prosecution of CARES Act-related fraud; (3) USAO will designate a criminal paralegal and provide forensic audit support; (4) SIGPR will provide investigative resources, or assist USAO in finding investigative resources from other law enforcement partners, to support prosecutions; and (5) SIGPR will refer any investigation it opens with activity within the Western District of Virginia to the USAO.
Virginians who believe they are victims or witnesses of fraudulent activity related to the pandemic should report it to the following:
- SIGPR Hotline Complaint
- SIGPR Whistleblower Complaint
- FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center
- For more information from the Department of Justice about reporting frauds related to the pandemic, see https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus
Castlewood Man Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding Government in Pandemic Unemployment SchemeRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – One of the 33 individuals charged with defrauding the federal government of more than $499,000 in pandemic unemployment benefits was sentenced this week to 30 months in federal prison.
Timothy Hunter Hileman, 29, of Castlewood, Virginia, pleaded guilty in November 2021 to one count of conspiracy to defraud the government, one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, and one count of making false statements to federal law enforcement officers.
According to court documents, over the course of nine months, Hileman conspired with Leelynn Danielle Chytka, Gregory Marcus Tackett, Jeffery Ryan Tackett, and others to file fraudulent claims with the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) on behalf of dozens of individuals who were not entitled to those benefits. Chytka, the mastermind behind the scheme, and Greg Tackett were both sentenced to nine years in prison, while Jeff Tackett received eight and a half years’ imprisonment.
Conspiracy members lied on VEC forms as part of the scheme to make filers appear eligible for unemployment benefits. Because pandemic unemployment benefits were paid weekly, each of those filings to the VEC website re-verified and re-certified the false statements on numerous occasions throughout the scheme, with the total cost to the United States of over $499,000.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia; Syreeta Scott, Special Agent in Charge, Philadelphia Regional Office, U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General; and Special Agent in Charge Darrell J. Waldon of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Washington, D.C., Field Office made the announcement.
The Department of Labor - Office of the Inspector General, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Washington, D.C., Field Office, the Norton Police Department, and the Russell County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Daniel J. Murphy prosecuted the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form
Man Who Had Cocaine, Methamphetamine Mailed from California to Charlottesville Pleads Guilty in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.- The Charlottesville man who had more than three pounds of methamphetamine and two pounds of cocaine mailed to him from California in March 2021 pleaded guilty yesterday to federal drug charges.
Damion Demetrius Reeves, 41, pleaded guilty to one count of possessing with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.
According to court documents, on March 18, 2021, the Jefferson Area Drug Task Force (JADE) received a tip that a package containing large quantities of narcotics would be sent from California to an address in Charlottesville intended for Damion Reeves.
Within a week, FedEx alerted JADE officials that the suspect package had arrived at their facility. The suspect package was addressed to “Charlottesville Police Sub09 Law Enforcement” located at Orangedale Avenue, an address in South Charlottesville. The sender was noted as the fictitious “Johnson Law Firm” in San Diego, California. Upon execution of a search warrant on the package, it was discovered to contain 3.12 pounds of methamphetamine and 2.3 pounds of cocaine.
Investigators orchestrated a controlled delivery of the package to the Orangedale Avenue address, where they observed Damion Reeves exiting a short time later.
Reeves’s mother was the lone occupant of the residence when investigators executed a search warrant on the residence. During the entire time investigators were inside the home, the defendant’s mother stood in front of a small door leading to a storage space under the stairwell. When investigators eventually searched there, they found the suspect package that had been sent from San Diego. In a subsequent court hearing, Reeves admitted that the package belonged to him and that he intended to sell the drugs in the Charlottesville community.
Reeves is scheduled to be sentenced on June 21, 2022.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia and Jared Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, and the Jefferson Area Drug Task Force investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ronald M. Huber and Katie B. Medearis are prosecuting the case.
United States Attorney’s Office for Western District of Virginia to Partner with Project Imagine in DanvilleRead the Press Release
DANVILLE, Va. – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia is partnering with Danville’s Project Imagine, a life skills instruction and work-readiness program that provides at-risk and gang-affiliated individuals with education, intervention, and training.
The two organizations will team-up on the evening of March 30, 2022, at Averett University in Danville for a youth training event.
“The work of Project Imagine aligns perfectly with the Department of Justice’s emphasis on community outreach, and our Project Safe Neighborhoods' initiative,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said. “While the Department will, of course, prioritize prosecution of the most violent offenders in a community, we also recognize the role we play in partnering with community groups that are preventing young people from ever getting involved in criminal activity in the first place. For me, preventing crime is just as important as a prosecution.”
On March 30, Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Swartz, Coordinator of Project Safe Neighborhoods for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Virginia, will explain to the program’s youths the general concepts of liability under federal law, to include the concepts of conspiracy and aiding and abetting.
“The goal of both our organizations is for our youth to understand how to avoid dangerous behavior they might otherwise view as ‘just helping out’ a friend,” U.S. Attorney Kavanaugh said. “We are thrilled to partner with Project Imagine on March 30 and at similar events beyond.”
Project Imagine is a nationally-recognized violence intervention program in Danville for individuals ages 21 and under that seeks to give teens a future off the streets by giving a positive “image” in the mind of the youth so that he or she can “imagine” a life without gangs or crime.
"It's impossible to make an educated decision with erroneous information,” said Robert David, Senior, Youth Services and Gang Violence Prevention Coordinator at Project Imagine. “Our hope is that the truth overrides any myths about federal law and gang life, and a better decision will be the outcome.”
More information about the project may be found here: www.danville-va.gov/2012/Project-Imagine
Statement of U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh on Today’s Guilty Plea of Former Rocky Mount Police Officer Jacob FrackerRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia released the following statement today following the guilty plea of former Rocky Mount, Virginia Police Officer Jacob Fracker:
“On the morning of January 6, 2021, two off-duty police officers with the Rocky Mount Police Department traveled from the Western District of Virginia to Washington, D.C., where they donned gas masks and sought to stop the joint session of the U.S. Congress in the process of counting electoral votes related to the presidential election, a necessary precondition to the peaceful transfer of power. Today, one of those police officers pled guilty to a felony conspiracy charge and accepted responsibility in United States District Court in Washington, D.C. I am grateful for the tireless work of the Assistant United States Attorneys and the agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Washington and Richmond Field Offices who investigated and prosecuted this case and obtained this just result.”