Western District of Washington
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Department of Justice awards nearly $8 million to Washington Tribes, non-profits, and government entities to combat domestic violenceRead the Press Release
Seattle – The Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women has awarded nearly $8 million to Western Washington tribal nations, non-profits, and government programs to provide services for victims of domestic violence, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. The grants are paid out over multi-year periods.
“These federal dollars support the strong work done in our state to protect the vulnerable,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “Native American women suffer domestic violence at a higher rate than other communities, so I am pleased to see the impactful programs our tribal partners are supporting with this funding.”
The Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe in Kitsap County was awarded $1 million for its program that provides advocacy, legal services, housing, and safety planning for victims of domestic violence.
The Snoqualmie Indian Tribe in east King County was awarded $998,595 to increase their supervised visit program, no cost civil legal services for survivors, as well as advocacy and support efforts.
Both the Quileute Tribe and the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation were awarded $650,000 for victim services such as housing, transportation, advocacy and legal assistance. The Chehalis will also provide education and training to 75 young people on dating violence and healthy relationships.
The Makah Tribe was awarded $425,000 for its Domestic Violence Program to better respond to violence, stalking, sex trafficking and sexual assault. Funding will help develop prevention and education programs.
The Washington State Native American Coalition against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault received two grants totaling $796,335 for education and training for all 29 federally recognized Tribes in the state on ways to combat domestic violence, sexual assault and trafficking of Native women. The funding also supports the WomenSpirit Coalition, providing domestic violence and sexual assault services in Tribal communities.
Pierce County received $1 million to improve the criminal response to domestic violence. The money will support victim outreach and support for victims at legal hearings, as well as creation of a policy and procedure handbook for advocates.
King County Sexual Assault Resource Center was awarded $803,741 to identify gaps in legal advocacy and to work with other entities such as the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, the Atlantic Street Center and El Centro de la Raza to develop coordinated responses with system-based improvements.
The Seattle City Attorney’s Office was awarded $500,000 to enhance investigation and prosecution of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. In partnership with the YWCA of King and Snohomish Counties, the funds will support an investigator position and trainings for Seattle Police Officers.
The Domestic Abuse Women’s Network (Dawn) in South King County was awarded $300,000 to provide shelter beds for victims who also need to shelter their pets.
The Family Support Center of South Sound was awarded $499,915 to improve advocacy services in Thurston, Mason, and Lewis Counties. The funds may pay for a dedicated domestic violence detective as well as law enforcement training.
Finally, both the Washington Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs of Kennewick, Washington ($252,846) and the Washington State Coalition against Domestic Violence ($114,533) in Seattle, received grants for statewide coordination and education programs.
Department of Justice and Mason County Jail reach settlement over ADA compliance in treatment of Opioid use DisorderRead the Press Release
Seattle – The U.S. Department of Justice and the Mason County Jail reached a settlement this month of allegations the jail violated the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) by refusing to provide inmates with medications for the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD), announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Under the terms of the settlement, medical providers at the jail will prescribe and provide all three medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat OUD, including methadone, naltrexone, and buprenorphine.
“Substance use disorder is a disabling condition under the Americans with Disabilities Act, and public service providers such as jails and prisons must treat it as such – providing the medical care and prescriptions needed to treat the disorder,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “We hope this change in practice at the Mason County Jail means those serving time will emerge from incarceration in a better state to continue a path to recovery.”
According to the settlement agreement, the practices at the Mason County Jail first came to the attention of the Civil Rights Unit at the U.S. Attorney’s Office when an inmate complained that they were unable to continue the OUD medication that had been prescribed at a different correctional facility.
An investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office revealed the jail violated the ADA by discontinuing the use of OUD medications for non-medical reasons. The jail also had no way to prescribe methadone to inmates who medically qualified for it. The jail required inmates currently receiving methadone treatment to go through withdrawal and transition to an alternative medication.
The Mason County Jail entered into this settlement, while not admitting it violated the ADA.
Under the terms of the settlement, the jail will provide a draft healthcare policy to the U.S. Attorney’s office that ensures all inmates are evaluated for OUD at intake. The jail agrees not to change or discontinue an inmate’s treatment without the determination by a qualified medical professional that the treatment is no longer medically appropriate. The jail agrees not to withhold health services or use rewards or punishments to encourage or discourage a particular treatment for OUD.
Additionally, the jail will train staff on the ADA and will keep a log of all medication discontinuations and denials. The jail will provide the U.S. Attorney’s Office with any complaints it receives regarding compliance with the ADA.
The jail will have 14 days to respond to any complaints or the U.S. Attorney’s Office can go to court to enforce the agreement.
The agreement and monitoring will last for one year.
The settlement was negotiated by Susan Kas, Civil Rights Coordinator in the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Seattle man indicted for armed carjacking near Lumen FieldRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 32-year-old Seattle resident will appear today in U.S. District Court in Seattle indicted for carjacking and using a firearm during a crime of violence, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Louis Montel De’Andre Dowers was transferred from the King County Jail this morning. Dowers was arrested June 9, 2024, hours after he allegedly carjacked a BMW outside the Seattle Team Shop on Occidental Avenue South in the Pioneer Square neighborhood.
“The Carjacking Task Force, made up of federal agents, Seattle and Kent police officers, and state and federal prosecutors, are diligently reviewing carjacking incidents for those appropriate for federal prosecution,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “Here, where a firearm was pointed at the driver, and the car commandeered and stolen, the federal penalties are significant and appropriate for the conduct that put lives at risk.”
According to information filed in state and federal court, a man was waiting in the driver’s seat of his car outside a business on Occidental Avenue South. Dowers allegedly approached the car, pulled out a distinctive firearm and pointed it at the victim, and ordered him out of the car. The wife of the man who was carjacked came out of the store and was nearly hit by the car as it raced away.
The car was later found abandoned near a middle school in Auburn, Washington. Working with a description of the alleged carjacker, a King County Sheriff’s deputy located Dowers walking nearby. When searched, Dowers possessed a semi-automatic firearm.
Carjacking is punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Using a firearm during a crime of violence, such as carjacking, is punishable by a mandatory minimum of seven years in prison.
The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the Seattle Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg who leads the Western District of Washington Carjacking Task Force.
U.S. Attorney’s Office to work with local partners to reduce domestic violenceRead the Press Release
Seattle – Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has approved an initial set of 78 communities across 47 states, territories, and the District of Columbia for designation under Section 1103 of the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022.
The Justice Department - through its United States Attorney’s offices (USAOs) and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Field Divisions - will partner with each designated jurisdiction to develop a plan to reduce intimate partner firearm violence and to prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders prohibited under 18 U.S. Code Section 922(g) from owning firearms.
“Our federal prosecutors will team with the King County Prosecutors Office to review all firearms cases arising from domestic violence incidents to determine if federal prosecution is appropriate,” said U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. “This partnership with King County recognizes that it takes all of us to reduce gun violence in our community.”
“Public safety is my top priority, and the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office is committed to tackling gender-based and domestic violence,” said King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion. “We are proud of the work the Regional Domestic Violence Firearm Enforcement Unit, a partnership with the City of Seattle, has done over the last several years to address gun violence in domestic violence relationships. We look forward to partnering with the U.S. Attorney’s Office on strategies and solutions. It is more important than ever that my office and our law enforcement partners collaborate on our shared goal of keeping our communities safe, decreasing recidivism, and having clear accountability for criminal acts.”
“We’re continuing our efforts to ensure that intimate partner firearm violence is addressed in a proactive manner, and we continue to work to deter domestic violence offenders from possessing firearms, investigating those who choose to do so illegally,” said ATF Seattle Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais. “Each of our field offices has a Violence Against Woman Act coordinator, as maintaining the safety of our families and communities is the cornerstone of ATF’s mission in partnership with our U.S. Attorney offices.”
Communities have been designated in close coordination with community stakeholders. They include rural areas, suburban areas, urban areas, and Tribal communities. The Justice Department used data to identify communities that could benefit from increased focus on intimate partner violence resources and where the local jurisdiction is committed to partnering with the Department to increase the use of federal tools to prosecute offenders under 18 U.S.C. 922(g). The designation represents the partnership and coordination between the department and the local jurisdiction to ensure federal resources are being leveraged effectively to address intimate partner firearm violence.
In Washington State Spokane County and King County are the two jurisdictions currently designated to prioritize prosecuting intimate partner firearm violence.
The Justice Department anticipates additional jurisdictions to be designated as USAOs continue coordination with their local stakeholders. All USAOs, with or without specific community designations under Section 1103, will continue to combat intimate partner firearm violence and prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders as part of their Project Safe Neighborhoods strategy and in support of the Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime.
Two drug traffickers sentenced to lengthy prison terms in case arising from investigation of Aryan Family prison gangRead the Press Release
Tacoma – Two men indicted in March 2023 as part of a drug distribution organization associated with an Aryan prison gang were sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma for drug and gun crimes, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Ronaldo McComb, 59, of Ridgefield, Washington, was sentenced to 13 years in prison. Isaac Cervantes, 32 of Phoenix was sentenced to 9 years in prison. At the sentencing hearing for Cervantes, Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo said, “We are talking about massive quantities of controlled substances. This is not some street-level dealer…. The amount of societal harm from these substances is almost immeasurable.” Discussing the firearms involved in the offense, Judge Estudillo said, “these are not small-time firearms, and obviously they’re there to protect the drug trade, and people suffer from the violence involved in this.”
McComb pleaded guilty in June 2024 to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and felon in possession of a firearm. McComb acknowledged multiple recorded phone calls with coconspirators in which he discussed his drug trafficking activities involving distributing multi-pound quantities of methamphetamine and tens of thousands of fentanyl pills and creating a distribution network of fentanyl pills up to Alaska. He further admitted to possessing large quantities of heroin and a 9mm handgun that law enforcement seized from the trunk of his vehicle following a traffic stop in February 2022. Law enforcement eventually arrested him on March 22, 2023. On that date, authorities found methamphetamine, heroin, three firearms, and large quantities of cash and gold bars in McComb’s Kalama residence. As part of the plea, McComb stipulated to the forfeiture of that cash and gold as proceeds of his drug trafficking. McComb was prohibited from possessing firearms due to his felony convictions for assault and robbery in Clark County and another assault conviction in Cowlitz County.
Cervantes was arrested in Phoenix at the time of the drug takedown. Cervantes assisted the drug traffickers by transporting fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other drugs to Washington from Arizona. He also worked at the stash house where the crew pressed powdered fentanyl into pills.
On July 1, 2021, Cervantes was stopped in Oregon with 50,000 counterfeit M30 Oxycodone pills in a vehicle belonging to one of the leaders of the drug distribution cell. In November and December 2022, Cervantes was associated with the “stash house” in Shelton, Washington, where law enforcement later seized 64 kilograms of fentanyl pills—some 640,000 pills. Also at the stash house they found more than 15 kilograms of methamphetamine and a kilogram of fentanyl powder. In addition to the drugs, law enforcement seized two pill presses, 23 firearms, a silencer and more than $81,000 in cash.
Cervantes pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances in February 2024.
In making their sentencing recommendations, prosecutors pointed out that fentanyl laced pills can be deadly, writing to the court “…first-time users of fentanyl, are sometimes unaware that the counterfeit oxycodone pills they are taking contain fentanyl, their lives are put at risk with every use of these dangerous substances. This has resulted in an unprecedented epidemic of overdose deaths in the United States, and an unrelenting increase in overdose deaths in Washington state…. the National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control, estimates that, despite a small decrease in overdose deaths nationwide, Washington had an increase in overdose deaths of over 27% in the year ending December 2023.”
The investigation of the drug trafficking ring resulted in the seizure of 245 pounds of methamphetamine, more than 830,000 fentanyl pills and an additional 26 pounds of fentanyl pills and powder, more than six pounds of heroin, 225 firearms and more than $668,000 in cash.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
This investigation was led by the FBI with critical investigative teamwork from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Washington State Department of Corrections and significant local assistance from the Tacoma Police Department, Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, and the Thurston County Narcotics Task Force, led by the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office. Throughout this investigation the following agencies assisted the primary investigators: Washington State Patrol, Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine, Lewis County Sheriff’s Office, Lakewood Police Department, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Zach Dillon and Max Shiner.
Second Canadian resident pleads guilty to massive COVID-19 benefit fraud schemeRead the Press Release
Tacoma – The second of two Nigerian men residing in Canada pleaded guilty Thursday September 12, 2024, in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft for his fraud scheme that stole more than $1.3 million in federal funds, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Fatiu Ismaila Lawal, 45, was extradited from Canada in mid-July. U.S. District Judge Robert J. Bryan scheduled his sentencing for December 12, 2024.
According to records filed in the case, Lawal, and codefendant Sakiru Olanrewaju Ambali, 45, used the stolen identities of thousands of workers to submit over 1,700 claims for pandemic unemployment benefits to over 25 different states, including Washington State. In total, the claims sought approximately $25 million, but the conspirators obtained approximately $2.7 million, primarily from pandemic unemployment benefits. As part of his plea agreement, Lawal agreed to make restitution of $1,345,472.
Lawal admits in his plea agreement that he personally submitted at least 790 unemployment claims using the stolen identities of 790 workers. The co-conspirators allegedly submitted claims for pandemic unemployment benefits to New York, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, California, Washington and some 19 other states. Lawal also established four internet domain names that were subsequently used for fraud – creating some 800 different email addresses that were used in this scheme.
Additionally, between 2018 and November 2022, Lawal used stolen personal information to submit 3,000 income tax returns for $7.5 million in refunds. The IRS detected the fraud and paid just $30,000.
Lawal and Ambali also attempted to use the stolen American identities for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) to defraud the Small Business Administration (SBA). The pair submitted some 38 applications, but SBA caught most of the fraud and paid only $2,500.
Lawal and Ambali had the proceeds of their fraud sent to cash cards or to “money mules” who transferred the funds according to instructions given by the co-conspirators. They also allegedly used stolen identities to open bank accounts and have the money deposited directly into those accounts for their use.
Lawal and Ambali also used a Telegram channel to teach others how to commit similar frauds and how to misuse personally identifying information. They instructed others how to purchase such information on the dark web and how to use it to fraudulently apply for benefits from various COVID-19 programs.
Prosecutors have agreed to recommend a total of no more than 65 months in prison for Lawal. Judge Bryan is not bound by the recommendation and can impose any sentence allowed by law.
Co-defendant Ambali was sentenced to 42 months in prison in March 2024.
The National Unemployment Fraud Task Force provided a lead on this case to the investigative team in Western Washington. The case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG). Also contributing to the investigation were Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Washington State Employment Security Division (ESD), and the Small Business Administration (SBA).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Cindy Chang of the Western District of Washington. DOJ’s Office of International Affairs assisted with extradition on this matter.
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 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 related to COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Member of Makah Tribe convicted at trial of abusive sexual contactRead the Press Release
Tacoma – A 46-year-old member of the Makah Tribe was convicted of abusive sexual contact yesterday in U.S. District Court in Tacoma following a three-day trial, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. The jury deliberated for about an hour before finding Schyler Colfax, guilty. The Neah Bay, Washington, man faces up to two years in prison when sentenced by U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle on October 29, 2024. Colfax will be required to register as a sex offender.
According to records filed in the case, Colfax had regular access to the home of the victim on Makah Tribal lands. On October 23, 2023, Colfax was found in the bedroom of the 13-year-old victim who had stayed home from school due to illness. Adult relatives found Colfax in the victim’s bed and ordered him to leave. The victim immediately disclosed to her guardians that Colfax had touched her inappropriately. The family then reported the conduct to Neah Bay Police and Colfax was arrested that evening.
The FBI joined the Neah Bay police in the investigation and an experienced forensic interviewer took a statement from the child. Because the crime occurred on tribal land and involved tribal members the case was prosecuted in federal court.
Colfax was indicted in November 2023 and has been in custody at the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac, Washington since his arrest on November 16, 2023.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Harder and Celia Lee, who both serve as Tribal Liaisons for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Pierce County man sentenced to seven years in prison for drug and gun crimesRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 46-year-old Pierce County man was sentenced last week in U.S. District Court in Seattle to seven years in prison for his repeated drug trafficking and firearms possession, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Ryan James Townsend was indicted in November 2023, after two encounters with law enforcement. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Robert S. Lasnik imposed four years of supervised release to follow sentencing.
According to records filed in the case, Townsend was investigated by law enforcement in November 2022, for an incident where he fired multiple shots into the air outside a Planet Fitness gym on East 72nd Street in Tacoma. Witnesses and surveillance video showed Townsend in a white Escalade firing a handgun into the air. Townsend was later located in the car at a gas station, passed out behind the wheel. A 9mm handgun was found in the car. Townsend was prohibited from possessing firearms due to prior convictions.
About nine months later, in August 2023, a Puyallup Police Officer attempted to stop Townsend as he was driving in a different car with no license plates. Townsend fled in the car, hitting and damaging another vehicle, and injuring the driver. Ultimately Townsend crashed his car. He attempted to run from the police who responded to the crash site.
A court authorized search of the car revealed methamphetamine as well as a handgun in the glove box. When a search warrant was served on Townsend’s residence, agents seize fentanyl pills, heroin, and three firearms.
In June 2024, Townsend pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm. Both prosecutors and defense recommended a sentence of 84 months in prison.
In asking for the seven-year sentence, Assistant United States Attorney Casey Conzatti wrote to the court, “On a number of occasions Mr. Townsend continued to possess firearms knowing he was not allowed to. On one occasion Mr. Townsend was observed shooting a gun into the air putting civilians in danger. Following the arrest for this conduct, Mr. Townsend did not stop his criminal behavior. Less than a year later, Mr. Townsend was found with a second firearm, and this time he had drugs with him.”
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Puyallup and Tacoma Police Departments.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Casey Conzatti.
Pair of Irish nationals plead guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraudRead the Press Release
Seattle – Two individuals from Ireland pleaded guilty this week in U.S. District Court in Seattle to conspiracy to commit wire fraud for their theft of more than $400,000 from a Shoreline, Washington, homeowner, and other victims across the country. Patrick McDonagh and Matthew McDonagh were arrested by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in mid-June and were charged federally in mid-July. They are scheduled for sentencing in front of U.S. District Judge John H. Chun on November 25, 2024.
According to records filed in the case, the brothers were part of a group that traveled the country scamming homeowners – especially the elderly – by falsely representing a home needed urgent repairs. One older homeowner in the Shoreline neighborhood north of Seattle, lost about $435,000 to the scheme.
The men first approached the victim in January 2024, claimed they were working in the neighborhood and had noticed that the victim had a hole in his roof. The men offered to fix the hole and remove the moss from the roof. Over the course of a few days, they pressured the victim to write them checks for their “services” of $15,000, $20,000, and $26,000. They also claimed that the victim’s foundation was cracked, and they said they would repair that with a “titanium tie rod system.”
The roof had no hole, and the foundation was not failing. However, the men dug trenches and poured some concrete to make it appear work was done, and each day they pressured the victim to write more checks. They even demanded an extra $20,000 for “taxes.” Ultimately, they demanded the victim wire $200,000 to a third party for building supplies – again far in excess of any work they claimed to have done. In all the brothers stole $435,000 from the victim. Quick work by a Shoreline Detective and the King County Prosecutor’s Office resulted in the recovery of some of the wired funds.
The FBI investigation connected the brothers to contractor fraud complaints in Oregon and Illinois. In Oregon, Patrick McDonagh represented to three different victims that he was affiliated with a local legitimate construction firm, when in fact he was not. Those homeowners paid as much as $29,000 for foundation work that was never completed as promised. In Illinois, Matthew McDonagh claimed he would repave a victim’s driveway and rebuild a retaining wall for $99,000. After the victim paid $75,000, the work was poorly done and damaged the victim’s house. The value of any work done was significantly less than what was paid.
The defendants have agreed to make restitution to the victims in the case. This includes $235,000 to the Shoreline victim, nearly $50,000 to the three victims in Oregon, $75,000 to a victim in Illinois, and more than $673,000 to a victim in Bellevue, Washington.
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Prosecutors have agreed to recommend 26 months in prison for each defendant. Judge Chun is not bound by the recommendation and can impose any sentence allowed by law.
The FBI is investigating this case and was assisted by the Shoreline Police Department, and the U.S. Border Patrol’s Blaine and Spokane Sector’s Anti-Smuggling Units (ASU).
The FBI reminds the public of red flags for contractor fraud:
- The contractor knocks on your door looking for business because they are “in the area” and uses aggressive sales tactics.
- The contractor pressures you for an immediate hiring decision.
- The contractor accepts only cash as payment and demands full payment before starting any work.
- In the sales pitch, the contractor claims to have materials left over from a previous job.
Tips to avoid contractor fraud:
- Always get multiple estimates for any work you want done.
- Ensure contractors are licensed and insured. Look them up at Washington State’s Department of Labor & Industries website at https://secure.lni.wa.gov/verify/
- Check with consumer protection agencies such as the Better Business Bureau and Federal Trade Commission to search for complaints against a contractor.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Watts Staniar. Ms. Staniar serves as the Criminal Elder Fraud Coordinator for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Washington.
To learn more about the department’s elder justice efforts please visit the Elder Justice Initiative page.
U.S Department of Justice and Washington State Parks resolve complaint over Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) violationsRead the Press Release
Seattle – The U.S. Department of Justice and the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission (Washington State Parks) announced today that they have reached a settlement agreement to resolve a complaint that parks facilities fail to conform with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The original complaint concerned a camping area at Paradise Point State Park in southwest Washington. The complainant and his spouse reported non-conforming conditions at what was supposed to be a camping space for persons with disabilities. Deep ruts in the camping area resulted in injuries to the complainant, who has mobility issues. The settlement agreement sets the agency on a multi-year plan to identify and remediate ADA violations at all Washington State Parks.
“I am pleased that Washington State Parks leadership quickly realized that they need to act systematically on ADA compliance statewide,” said U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. “Some of the work identifying non-conforming structures and paths had already been done by Washington State Parks. This agreement will ensure that access for those with disabilities is a factor that is addressed in all park projects going forward.”
“At Washington State Parks, we believe that the outdoors are for everyone’s enjoyment,” said Washington State Parks Director Diana Dupuis. “We appreciate the collaboration with the U.S. Department of Justice to help our visitors with accessibility needs better access state parks. The agency continues to make progress on increasing accessibility, with more work to come. We encourage anyone with accessibility requirements looking to visit a state park to learn more at our website, parks.wa.gov, or call our customer service team.”
The ADA requires that structures or improvements to public facilities such as parks, which were constructed after 1992, meet certain requirements to allow access to people with disabilities. The investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office revealed that Washington State Parks does not have formal procedures for identifying and addressing maintenance of accessible features in parks. The agency also had no routine to ensure new construction and alterations satisfy the ADA.
Under the terms of the settlement, Washington State Parks has 90 days to propose new policies and procedures for maintaining accessible features and ensuring that new construction and alterations are ADA compliant. The policies will be implemented to provide for routine inspections to ensure ADA standards are being met.
Within one year, Washington State Parks will provide the U.S. Attorney’s Office with a list of noncompliant buildings and facilities with a remediation plan and a timeline for making the facilities ADA compliant, with remediations to begin as soon as October 1, 2025.
The settlement also calls for Washington State Parks to establish ADA “grievance procedures” for those complaining about accessibility issues. Washington State Parks has an ADA Coordinator who will investigate any complaints and will respond. The coordinator will have the authority to request changes to address access issues.
Washington State Parks will post information about the ADA policies and coordinator on its website, and will log all inspections, complaints, and repairs of accessible features for review by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. All Washington State Parks employees who are involved in planning, development or implementation of any new construction or alterations will be trained on the ADA program outlined in the settlement.
The terms of the settlement will last for 7 years, with reports to the U.S. Attorney’s Office on progress every six months.
The settlement was negotiated by Assistant United States Attorney Susan Kas, Civil Rights Coordinator in the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. For more information on the Civil Rights Unit visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdwa/civil-rights
Nearly $8 million in U.S. Department of Justice grants coming to Western Washington to improve public safetyRead the Press Release
Seattle – The U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice programs has awarded nearly $8 million to cities, counties, and non-profits in Western Washington to enhance public safety, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. The grants fall into two broad categories: support of programs that reduce crime and technological improvements to better serve the public.
“It is a competitive process to get these federal dollars, and I congratulate the departments and organizations on the success of their applications,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “Whether it is personnel on the street to assist people in crisis or DNA processing machines to better identify those responsible for criminal conduct, these dollars will make a difference in our community.”
The largest grant, in the amount of $1,926,000 was awarded to the City of Seattle to support the Community Assisted Response and Engagement (CARE) Department. The funds will allow the CARE team to expand citywide with 18 additional staffers and three more supervisors to respond to community members facing behavioral health or related needs.
Similarly, the City of Tacoma was awarded $963,000 to create a program of Community Service Officers. These would be civilians who can respond to calls concerning mental health crisis and homelessness related issues. The program is designed to take some of the burden from Tacoma Police officers who have historic staffing shortages.
The King County Sheriff’s Office was also awarded $963,000 for hiring mental health professionals to join the Crisis Intervention Team. The mental health professionals will assist with public safety calls involving the need for mental health services.
Tacoma Municipal Court and the non-profit Choose 180 both received program support as well. The Municipal Court will use $500,000 to enhance two court programs: mental health court for those with serious and persistent mental health issues; and Community Court which assists a broader range of defendants dealing with homelessness, substance use disorder and minor mental health issues. The funding will go for staff training, case management services and a research project with a university to evaluate the program and make risk assessments.
Choose 180 is receiving $552,000 to support two of its programs aimed at reducing youth gun violence. The school-based diversion program works with students at risk of suspension and expulsion to keep them in an educational program and disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline. The second program, CHOOSE Freedom offers services to youth and young adults at risk of gun violence engagement.
Three government entities and one non-profit received funding for technological improvements. The city of Bellevue received $963,000 for its body-worn camera program. Both King County ($811,000) and Whatcom County ($440,000) received funding for rapid DNA machines and technology for better and quicker processing of crime scenes. Finally, the King County Sexual Assault Center (KSARC) received $790,000 to modernize the non-profit’s database which will allow staff to spend more time with sexual assault survivors and less time working with out-of-date software and data systems.
The grants are all part of the 2024 Office of Justice Programs Byrne Discretionary Community Project Grants. The Byrne Grants are named in honor of New York City Police Officer Edward R. Byrne, who was killed in the line of duty on February 26, 1988. Officer Byrne was just 22 years old.
Brothers who led a massive methamphetamine distribution ring sentenced to significant prison timeRead the Press Release
Tacoma – The leader of a methamphetamine trafficking ring was sentenced Friday August 30, 2024, in U.S. District Court for federal felonies related to his drug trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Jesus Venegas-Gatica, 37, of Lakewood, Washington was sentenced to 97 months. At the sentencing hearing Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo found that Mr. Venegas-Gatica served in a leadership role in a drug trafficking organization that was responsible for transporting as much as 50 pounds of methamphetamine from California to Washington each month. In announcing the sentence, Chief Judge Estudillo said, “Drugs like methamphetamine are dangerous…it affects individuals who are addicted as well as their families. Many have children that are neglected or develop habits based on what they are exposed to, and some lose their parents who overdose. Everyone around that person is left to pick up the mess that person’s addiction created”.
“Methamphetamine goes hand in hand with fentanyl in taking a toll on our community,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “Overdose deaths often indicate both illegal drugs in the user’s system. This defendant and his co-conspirators brought huge loads of methamphetamine to our south sound and Olympic Peninsula communities. This sentence will disrupt their damaging conduct.”
According to records filed in the case, brothers Jesus and Jose Venegas-Gatica pleaded guilty to drug distribution charges in April 2024. As part of his plea, Jesus Venegas-Gatica admitted to serving in a commanding and controlling role of the drug trafficking organization and utilizing a series of drug redistributors that he controlled and directed.
The Venegas-Gatica family has been involved in drug trafficking since at least 2012. The criminal complaint details Jose Venegas-Gatica’s arrest in 2019 in Kitsap County with 20 pounds of meth. Jose Venegas-Gatica fled and used aliases to return to drug trafficking. The Kitsap County case is resolved by the plea and sentencing in his federal case. Jose Venegas-Gatica was sentenced to 85 months in prison on July 11, 2024.
The men admit various large-scale methamphetamine deals in Cowlitz, Lewis, Grays Harbor, Pierce, and Thurston Counties. The Venegas family transported 20 to 25 kilograms of methamphetamine to Washington each month. Law enforcement tied these defendants to trafficking more than 105 pounds of meth at locations ranging from casino parking lots to outlet mall stores. In one instance, law enforcement caught a co-conspirator getting off an Amtrak train in Kelso, Washington with 55 pounds of methamphetamine in his luggage that he had transported from Sacramento, California.
In May 2022, authorities recovered another 16 kilos of methamphetamine when they executed search warrants at Jesus Venegas-Gatica’s home and an additional 3 kilograms from various co-conspirators.
This investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Tacoma Resident Office, the Lewis County Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team (JNET), and the Grays Harbor Drug Task Force (GHDTF).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Dillon in consultation with the Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office.
U.S. v. Venegas-Gatica et al 22-5142
Owner of chain of coffee stands plead guilty to multi-million-dollar tax avoidance schemeRead the Press Release
Seattle – The owner of a string of coffee stands pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to making and subscribing a false tax return, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Assad Baragzai, 47, of Auburn, Washington, admits that between 2016 and 2020 he failed to report as much as $6 million in income on his tax returns. Baragzai faces up to three years in prison when sentenced by U.S. District Judge John H. Chun on November 18, 2024.
According to the plea agreement, Baragzai significantly under-reported his income when he provided information to his tax accountant. The government believes that the tax loss over the five years that Baragzai underreported his income is more than $1.7 million. The tax loss in 2017 alone is more than $687,000. Baragzai disputes the government figures and believes the tax loss is $1.3 million. Judge Chun will determine the tax loss at the sentencing hearing.
Baragzai is the second defendant to enter a guilty plea in this investigation. In March 2024, Baragzai’s brother-in-law, 45-year-old Rajesh Mathew, also of Auburn, pleaded guilty to making and subscribing a false tax return. In his plea agreement Mathew, who also owns a string of coffee stands, admits that he too underreported a substantial amount of income over a period of several years. Mathew is scheduled for sentencing on October 9, 2024.
Both Baragzai and Mathew have agreed to make restitution to the Internal Revenue Service. Both may also face additional civil penalties, fines, and interest for the tax loss.
Filing or subscribing a false tax return is punishable by up to three years in prison and a $250,000 fine or twice the gain or loss from the offense.
The case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Dion.
Seattle area resident indicted for laundering millions of dollars – alleged proceeds of wire fraud schemeRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 46-year-old resident of Newcastle, Washington was indicted today by a federal grand jury for conspiracy to commit money laundering, and nine counts of money laundering either by concealment or by spending, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Geoffrey K. Auyeung was arrested on a criminal complaint August 12, 2024, and is scheduled to be arraigned on the indictment on September 5, 2024.
According to records filed in the case, investigators with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) have traced $64 million in funds coming into some 74 different bank accounts controlled by Auyeung. Many of the accounts are in the names of business entities that offered purported investments related to oil and gas. These entities include: Sea Forest International LLC.; Apex Oil and Gas Trading LLC.; Navigator Energy Logistics LLC.; Terminal Energy International Escrow Service LLC.; Energo Horizons Logistics (EA) LLC.; Legacy Energy Logistics Transport Group LLC.; and Green Tree Gateway LLC.
From at least August 2022 through August 2024, the co-schemers convinced victims to send money to what was represented as escrow accounts to purchase oil tank storage in either Rotterdam, Netherlands, or Houston. The schemers indicated that the investors could make significant profits by renting the oil tank storage they obtained to others. However, once the funds came into accounts controlled by Auyeung, the money was quickly moved into other accounts, moved offshore, or was used for the purchase of cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Tether, USD Coin, and Ethereum, via cryptocurrency exchanges such as Gemini, BitStamp, and Coinbase. Much of the cryptocurrency was further transferred to accounts at the cryptocurrency exchange Binance. Victims were not sent any further information on their investment and Auyeung and others simply stopped responding.
The indictment calls for the forfeiture of some $2.3 million seized from Auyeung’s bank accounts. Millions more of the wire fraud proceeds that were converted to cryptocurrencies are frozen and pending seizure. HSI has confirmed 22 victims with a combined loss of $7.7 million. However, law enforcement believes many more victims may come forward.
Conspiracy to commit money laundering, and individual counts of money laundering concealment are punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Money laundering – spending, is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by HSI.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jehiel Baer and Yunah Chung.
auyeung_indictment.pdfCalifornia woman sentenced to year of federal supervision for mid-air assault on toddlerRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 33-year-old resident of Davis, California pleaded guilty and was sentenced today to time served and a year of federal supervision for a misdemeanor charge of Assault by beating, wounding, or striking, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Breanna R. Mistler was arrested at Sea-Tac Airport when the Delta flight from Puerta Vallarta, Mexico arrived on May 1, 2024. Magistrate Judge Brian Tsuchida imposed the sentence today, noting that in September Mistler will begin serving a four-month sentence in California for an arson conviction. Mistler’s federal supervision will begin after that state sentence.
Judge Tsuchida noted that Mistler will be supervised not only by the federal probation office, but by Child Protective Services, and California probation officers as well. “You are taking steps …. I hope you start over with a more stable life – you have a very young child, and she deserves that,” Judge Tsuchida said.
According to the criminal complaint, multiple passengers on the flight observed Mistler abuse the child. The child was in the window seat and Mistler in the aisle seat. The child woke-up Mistler, and then according to witnesses, Mistler turned and kicked the child. In her plea agreement, Mistler denies that she kicked the child but admits hitting and shaking the 2-year-old. Witnesses reported Mistler struck the child multiple times with her hand, and one witness reported Mistler shook the child “like a rag doll.” Despite interventions from passengers, Mistler persisted in the abuse. She told the passengers to “mind their own (expletive) business.”
Customs and Border Protection officers detained Mistler at the airport. The Port of Seattle Police and the FBI took over the investigation. Mistler was held at the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac for about three weeks.
Mistler is currently taking parenting and anger management classes. Prosecutors noted the extreme vulnerability of the victim in this case writing to the court, the victim “was two years old, and trapped in the window seat on an airplane. Given her young age and her physical confinement, she had no recourse to resist or avoid being hit, kicked, or shaken by her mother.”
At today’s sentencing hearing, Mistler’s attorney Dennis Carroll told the court that the assault came when Mistler hit her “lowest point.” She is now “sober, reflective and remorseful and currently has supervised visits with her daughter,” Carroll said.
For her part, Mistler told the judge “I hit rock bottom. I am a better person now. I want to continue to be better.”
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn Forstein.
Former Kent resident sentenced to prison for selling narcotics near drug treatment centerRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 37-year-old former Kent, Washington, resident was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release for selling narcotics near a drug treatment center announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Mohamed Aweys Muse has been in custody since his arrest in March 2023. At today’s sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge John H. Chun said, “Fentanyl is an extremely dangerous drug that has been ravaging our community… I am particularly concerned with the targeting of a methadone clinic.”
According to records filed in the case, Muse came to the attention of law enforcement in late 2022, when Muse was observed leaving an apartment in Kent each morning and making hand-to-hand drug sales in the area of Airport Way South and South Holgate Street in Seattle. Muse appeared to target the clients of a methadone clinic which was only a block away from where he was selling drugs.
In January, Muse started staying overnight at a Lynwood, Washington apartment. On February 2, 2023, law enforcement served a court-authorized search warrant on both the Lynnwood and Kent apartments. In the Lynnwood apartment, investigators found fentanyl, cocaine, and three firearms. In the Kent apartment, law enforcement found additional cocaine.
In asking for the three-year sentence, prosecutors wrote to the court, “Muse regularly sold fentanyl in hand-to-hand transactions near a methadone clinic, targeting vulnerable individuals struggling to treat their addictions. This makes his drug trafficking particularly egregious and in reckless disregard for the safety of others.”
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration in collaboration with the King County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yunah Chung.
DOJ and eating disorder clinic resolve allegation the program violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)Read the Press Release
Seattle – An eating disorder clinic, The Emily Program P.C. (TEP), and the U.S. Department of Justice have entered into a voluntary settlement agreement to ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Under the terms of the settlement, the clinic is making several changes to address the needs of clients seeking eating disorder treatment but who have dietary restrictions due to their disabilities. These changes include: adding staff training; appointing a specific ADA Dietary Designee at each clinic; and logging requests for dietary modifications.
The agreement is in response to an investigation of a complaint by a person with a disability alleging discriminatory treatment, but The Emily Program admits no wrongdoing and chooses to voluntarily enter into the settlement to avoid the uncertainty of litigation.
“We are pleased that The Emily Program is making important changes to its procedures to ensure it respects the rights and needs of disabled clients,” said U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. “The former client, who is disabled, effectively advocated for changes which will assist others going forward.”
Under the terms of the settlement, TEP will allow patients with disabilities the opportunity to request exceptions to its dietary program rules as reasonable modifications to its policies and procedures. TEP agrees not to penalize or admonish or discourage a patient from requesting a modification. TEP will ensure it maintains foods and beverages that do not contain ingredients which are commonly restricted for people with disabilities such as sugar, caffeine, nuts, lactose or dairy products, gluten, eggs, soy, and fish/shellfish.
TEP is designating one person at each location to serve as the ADA Dietary Designee. This person will be specially trained to review requests for accommodation in diet and will know about common food restrictions for people with various disabilities, including but not limited to diabetes, epilepsy, autism, and food allergies. The staffer will maintain a log of all requests for dietary modification. The staffer will investigate and resolve complaints about ADA compliance and will ensure the location has foods that do not contain ingredients commonly restricted for people with disabilities.
DOJ will review training for TEP employees and will receive compliance reports every six months to ensure TEP is following the settlement agreement. TEP will alert DOJ if it receives any other complaints or is served with any lawsuits alleging violation of the ADA. The settlement terms are in force for 18 months after the settlement was signed.
The former client, who brought the matter to the attention of the Civil Rights Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office has been offered $15,000 by The Emily Program.
The matter was investigated, and the settlement was negotiated, by Assistant United States Attorney Susan Kas, who serves as the Civil Rights Coordinator for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Washington.
For more information on our Civil Rights and ADA work, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdwa/civil-rights
Pair indicted for RICO and RICO Conspiracy for string of violent robberies targeting Asian families across three Washington countiesRead the Press Release
Seattle – Two men, who were in state custody on other charges, have been indicted federally for RICO and RICO Conspiracy for a series of violent home invasion robberies targeting Asian families, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. 28-year-old Kevin Thissel and 23-year-old Christopher Johnson are in state custody and have or will be transferred to federal custody. The RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act) indictment outlines a pattern of violent crimes allegedly committed by Thissel, Johnson, and their co-conspirators.
“The indictment alleges that in the summer of 2022, these men targeted certain families for robberies. To create a climate of fear, these men burst into their homes in the middle of the night, dressed in black, claiming to be police, and with guns drawn,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “The primary motive for this robbery crew was money – stealing any valuables they could ransack from these homes. Tragically, they shot and killed one young mother as her 7-year-old child lay next to her in bed. This indictment seeks to hold them accountable for the terror they visited on our community.”
“These traumatic robberies and assaults occurred in the victims’ own homes where their families should have been safe," said Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. "During these crimes, children were restrained and were present during the violence, including the death of one child’s mother. I’m proud of the work of our investigators and prosecutors to ensure those responsible are held accountable, building a case across jurisdictions and with multiple law enforcement partners.”
The indictment details that the robbery crew often targeted Asian families and committed the robberies between 2:00 AM and 5:00 AM in King, Snohomish, and Skagit Counties. The conspirators would kick in doors or windows and disable any security cameras. The robbery crew dressed in black and wore masks. They would often yell “Police” when entering the homes to confuse the victims into thinking it was a law enforcement raid. The robbers would restrain all the victims, even children as young as nine years old, with zip ties. On one occasion, the robbers kidnapped a woman and forced her, at gunpoint, to go to bank ATMs in the middle of the night in an effort to withdraw funds from her bank account.
Each member of the robbery crew had a certain job: surveilling the target homes; serving as a driver; kicking in the door; corralling the family; holding the victims at gunpoint; and ransacking the homes for valuables. Some of those participating in this violent robbery scheme were juveniles.
Count one of the indictment lists seven distinct racketeering acts:
- May 24, 2022 – the armed robbery of a family in Mount Vernon, Washington.
- May 24, 2022 – the kidnapping of a young boy in connection with the Mount Vernon robbery.
- July 14, 2022 – the armed robbery of a couple in Burien, Washington.
- July 28, 2022 – the armed robbery of a woman in Kent, Washington.
- July 28,2022 – the abduction of the victim in the Kent robbery to force her to obtain cash from ATMs.
- August 19, 2022 – the Everett armed robbery of a couple and their child.
- August 19, 2022 – the murder of one of the Everett robbery victims.
RICO and RICO conspiracy are punishable by up to life in prison.
“These senseless acts of violence have profoundly affected our community, leaving a young child without his mother,” said Snohomish County Sheriff Susanna Johnson. “This investigation was exceptionally complex, and we would not have reached this point without the dedicated efforts of numerous agencies working together to identify the suspects and hold them accountable. We extend our sincere thanks to the Kent Police Department, the FBI, the Snohomish County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their invaluable assistance in this homicide investigation.”
“This indictment demonstrates those who victimize members of our community will be held accountable,” said Chief Daniel Christman of the Mount Vernon Police. “I am very proud of the work Mount Vernon police detectives did to advance this case, and the partnerships with other Washington law enforcement agencies (both local and federal) that were a force multiplier for administering the rule of law, and ensuring those who engage in criminal activity are tirelessly pursued and aggressively prosecuted.”
Johnson was in custody in Snohomish County serving a more than 90-month prison sentence for domestic violence convictions. He was transferred to federal custody this morning and will appear on the indictment today. Thissel has a pending federal charge for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm. Thissel is prohibited from possessing firearms due to several prior convictions, including three counts of Assault in the Second Degree involving a firearm. He is pending trial in Pierce County for Assault in the First Degree for another shooting. Thissel is currently in custody in Pierce County.
“Any crime targeting a particular group of people is particularly disturbing and atrocious,” said King County Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall. “Joining forces with fellow law enforcement agencies is key to our efforts in stopping such violent acts. We are grateful to have played a part in bringing these criminals to justice and hope this can help bring even a small comfort to the affected families.”
“The indictments of the two violent repeat offenders for RICO is a significant step towards bringing justice to the families that were victimized by this criminal group in Kent and across our region,” said Kent Police Chief Rafael Padilla. “I am incredibly grateful for the immense work done by our detectives to identify and establish criminal charges for the portion of the crime spree that impacted Kent Residents. I also want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for stepping in and seeking indictments at the federal level. Our communities benefit from the strong partnerships and collaboration amongst the local and federal public safety entities in Washington State.”
The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the FBI with significant assistance from the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office, the Mount Vernon Police Department, the Kent Police Department, and the King County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorneys Stephen Hobbs and Mike Lang are prosecuting the case with assistance from the Snohomish County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
thissel-johnson_indictment.pdfSecond defendant charged in fraudulent refund scheme targeting online retailersRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 29- year-old Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to wire fraud and money laundering crimes related to his operation of a fraudulent online shopping refund scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Leonardo Vidal faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert S. Lasnik on November 7, 2024.
According to the charging information and the plea agreement, Vidal operated his own fraudulent refunding fraud scheme from June 2021 until April 2023 called Ressu Refunds. The scheme amassed 2,800 subscribers and obtained $6 million in fraudulent refunds for followers. Beginning in June 2022, Vidal conspired with 25-year-old Dearborn, Michigan, man Sajed Al-Maarej who operated a different refund site called “Simple Refunds.” As with the Ressu refund site, Simple Refunds operated through the messaging service Telegram.
As explained in the charging information and the indictment of Al-Maarej, the Telegram channels represented to prospective purchasers that they could buy high value goods and keep them, while falsely claiming to the merchant company that a refund was due. Purchasers provided Al-Maarej and Vidal with information about their purchase (order number, name, address, value). For a cut of the refund, Al-Maarej, Vidal and their coconspirators would seek a refund by making false representations to the retailers about the status of the order. For example, Simple Refunds or Ressu Refunds would claim the item had not been delivered; was irretrievably damaged; or would have the purchaser mail a box of garbage or junk back to the company – once the package was scanned at the shipping point the refund was issued before the box arrived back and the fraud was discovered. The men recruited “insiders” at UPS and the US Postal Service who would input false scans into the order tracking history to make it appear items had been lost in shipping, stolen from the mail, or returned to the company. The end goal was for the purchaser to keep the product and get their money back. The purchaser then paid Al-Maarej or Vidal 10-15% of the purchase price as a fee, enabling Al-Maarej and Vidal to enrich themselves.
In December 2022, Vidal acquired Simple Refunds from Al-Maarej. Vidal sold Ressu Refunds and Simple Refunds to a different Telegram user in April 2023. During the time that Vidal operated Simple Refunds it was responsible for $726,414 worth of fraudulent refunds and Vidal profited $87,000.
During just 8 months from May 2022 through December 2022—Ressu Refunds facilitated more than 3,000 fraudulent refunds worth at least $5.3 million. Vidal obtained at least $640,000 from this fraud.
The total value of the fraudulent refunds through Simple Refunds and Ressu Refunds while Vidal was running them is $6,067,168. Vidal has agreed to pay restitution of that amount.
Wire fraud and money laundering are punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Prosecutors have agreed to recommend no more than 87 months in prison for Vidal. The actual sentence will be determined by Judge Lasnik after considering sentencing guidelines and other factors.
On July 15, 2024, Al-Maarej pleaded guilty to conspiracy, mail fraud and wire fraud. He too is scheduled to be sentenced on November 7, 2024.
The investigation is open and ongoing with the possibility of additional charges against other defendants.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Watts Staniar.
Final federal defendant from “Operation New Day” sentenced to five years in prisonRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 56-year-old Seattle man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 5 years in prison for dealing drugs in downtown Seattle while armed with a handgun, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Cuong Quoc Cao, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Art the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge James L. Robart said, “At 56 you should know better… We have someone who has absolutely no respect for the law…. We are not effectively dealing with these open-air drug situations.”
According to records filed in the case, in late January and February 2022, the Seattle Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration targeted open air drug dealing at 12th and Jackson as part of “Operation New Day.” Cao was photographed and observed making hand-to-hand drug sales. Cao left the area when a woman nearby was being treated for an overdose. Police approached Cao and placed him under arrest. A 9mm semi-automatic pistol with a loaded magazine was found in his backpack. Cao also had crack cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl pills.
Cao was indicted in March 2022, and pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on the eve of trial in April 2024.
In asking for the five-year sentence with three years of supervised release, Assistant United States Attorney Cecelia Gregson wrote to the court, “While the amount of fentanyl the defendant possessed with the intent to distribute is not substantial, the fact that he brazenly sold drugs and illegally packed a firearm to protect himself, however, are cause for great concern. A sentence of sixty months imprisonment provides a reasonable punishment for the defendant’s decision to traffic fentanyl – a drug which is poisoning our community - and provides a modicum of safety to the community through incapacitation. Following release from custody, the defendant should avail himself to the services coordinated by United States Probation, most importantly substance abuse treatment.”
The case was investigated by the Seattle Police Department and DEA.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Cecelia Gregson and Carolyn Forstein.
Former resident of McNeil Island Special Commitment Center indicted for receipt and possession of images of child sexual abuseRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 71–year-old Skagit County man was indicted this week by the federal grand jury for receipt and possession of images of child sexual abuse, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Alan Lewis Meirhofer was originally charged in state court after a teen boy saw images of child sexual abuse on a phone he borrowed from Meirhofer. The teen gave the phone to his mother, who called police.
According to the criminal complaint filed in the case, Meirhofer allegedly befriended teen boys in the Skagit County area by inviting them to hang out at his residence, where he provided them “gifts’ such as food, clothing, alcohol, cash, and marijuana. When one of the boys borrowed the phone, he noticed that Meirhofer had sent members of a group chat, images of his friends. The teen also saw images of child sexual abuse on the phone. Meirhofer was arrested in March 2021 and his electronic devices were seized.
The FBI asked the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, (NCMEC) for any cyber tips associated with internet accounts linked to Meirhofer. There were more than a dozen reports of images of child sexual abuse linked to accounts controlled by Meirhofer. On July 17, 2024, Meirhofer was taken into federal custody.
Due to prior convictions, Meirhofer faces increased penalties if convicted. In 1988 Meirhofer was convicted of burglary, kidnapping and rape. In 1990, Meirhofer was convicted of Burglary in the First Degree While Armed with a Deadly Weapon and Assault in the Second Degree. Meirhofer was civilly committed to the sexually violent predator Civil Commitment Center on McNeil Island. He was released in 2017 as a registered sex offender level 3, the level with the highest risk of reoffending.
If convicted Meirhofer faces a mandatory minimum 15 years in prison and up to 20 years in prison.
The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The case is being investigated by the FBI, the Skagit County Sheriff’s Office, and the Skagit County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Cecelia Gregson.
17_indictment.pdfSix people charged in bank fraud scheme involving an insider sharing account information that caused more than $345,000 in theftRead the Press Release
Seattle – Six people were indicted for conspiracy to commit bank fraud, six counts of bank fraud, and six counts of aggravated identify theft for their scheme to steal more than $345,000 from a western Washington credit union, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. One of the defendants, 31-year-old Aneicia Ford, allegedly used her brief employment with the credit union to steal account information of credit union customers so that conspirators could take over the accounts and steal the funds. The credit union has fully reimbursed customers who lost money to the co-schemers.
According to records filed in the case, between May and October 2022, Aneicia Ford worked out of her Tacoma home as a contact center employee who helped customers with account issues. In that role, she had access to personally identifying information about customers of the credit union. According to the indictment, Ford passed that information on to 21-year-old Dangelo Roberts, who allegedly used it to access and steal from customer accounts. Roberts allegedly advertised on social media that he could make false identification materials and sought to recruit co-schemers to access victims’ accounts.
In addition to Ford and Roberts, the other conspirators charged in the scheme include:
Shanna Carter-Zanders, 42 of Auburn, Washington
Kohrey Lee Bridges, 22, of Tumwater, Washington
Anthony McQueen, 36, of Seattle
Meghan Frazier, 21, of University Place, Washington
Aniecia Ford is charged in every count in the indictment. All of the defendants are charged with the conspiracy and different defendants are charged with individual counts of bank fraud and/or aggravated identity theft.
All of the defendants have appeared on the indictment or are scheduled to appear next week.
Using the stolen account information, the conspirators obtained false IDs and used them to get debit cards and to make withdrawals from the victims’ accounts, often at the credit union’s branches. After obtaining increases to the ATM withdrawal limits, the conspirators obtained as much as $25,000 in cash. The conspirators would also spend victims’ funds by ordering cashier’s checks or purchasing postal money orders that they made payable to other conspirators or their associates. They used their illegal access to transfer money between accounts and check balances on accounts.
In all the scheme stole approximately $345,014 from the credit union accounts.
Conspiracy to commit bank fraud and bank fraud are both punishable by up to 30 years in prison. Aggravated identity theft is punishable by a mandatory minimum two years in prison to follow any other sentence imposed on other charges in the case.
The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG) and the FBI.
The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Jessica M. Ly.
Final defendant arrested in 41-person drug trafficking scheme enters guilty pleaRead the Press Release
Seattle – The final defendant of 41 arrested in an extensive drug trafficking investigation, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute and unlawfully possessing a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Kendle Rashen Hawkins, 34, of Goodyear, Arizona, will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez on November 8, 2024. Because of the quantity of drugs involved, Hawkins faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison.
According to records filed in the case, Hawkins was identified as a participant in the drug trafficking ring who brought large quantities of controlled substances—which he concealed in compartments in rental vehicles—from Phoenix to Seattle. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant to track his cell phone and saw the phone traveling from Phoenix to Sacramento and then up Interstate 5 towards Seattle. Using the location data, investigators were able to locate Hawkins as he came into Washington State as a passenger in a car he rented. Agents had the car stopped for speeding in Lewis County. After a drug detection dog alerted to the presence of drugs in the car, agents obtained a warrant to search it. Inside the vehicle, they found about 50,000 fentanyl pills weighing more than 4.8 kilograms, five firearms, two silencers, and a high-capacity drum magazine. Each of the firearms was purchased in Arizona within the previous two weeks by a man later prosecuted in Arizona for dealing firearms without a license.
The arrest of Hawkins came midway through a larger investigation into drug trafficking in the Seattle region. This joint investigation by the FBI and the Seattle Police Department resulted in charges against 41 individuals, most of whom were arrested in a takedown in April 2021 or another in June 2021.
Over more than two years of the investigation, law enforcement seized 121 firearms, including stolen firearms and ghost guns; more than 16 kilograms of cocaine; more than 5.5 kilograms of fentanyl; nearly 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine; and smaller quantities of heroin, MDMA, oxycodone, and other pills. Investigators also seized hundreds of marijuana plants from an illegal grow operation and hundreds of kilograms of marijuana that were being illegally processed and distributed.
In addition to the drugs, investigators seized nearly $1 million in cash that was proceeds from drug trafficking, a pill press used for manufacturing counterfeit pills, dozens of firearm magazines, and innumerable rounds of ammunition, and six sets of body armor.
The sentences for those indicted in this case range from time served to more than eight years in prison.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The investigation was led by the FBI Safe Streets Task Force with key participation by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Seattle Police Gang and Narcotics Units, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Erin H. Becker and Lyndsie Schmalz.
Defendants in two different cases sentenced to prison for abusive sexual contact on aircraft flying to SeattleRead the Press Release
Seattle – Two men were sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle in separate instances of sexually assaulting passengers seated near them on aircraft flying to Seattle, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Indian citizen Abhinav Kumar, 39, was sentenced to 15 months in prison for his May 2024 conviction at trial of abusive sexual contact. Desmond D. Bostick was sentenced to nine months in prison for assault with intent to commit a felony. Bostick pleaded guilty in April 2024. Both sentences were imposed by U.S. District Judge Jamal N. Whitehead.
“The Western District of Washington continues to see an increase in cases involving sexual assault aboard aircraft, and we have a zero-tolerance policy,” said U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. “These cases demonstrate that there are real consequences for this predatory behavior. Those who prey on passengers on flights coming to Seattle face prosecution and loss of their freedom.”
According to records filed in the case and testimony at trial, Abhinav Kumar was arrested at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Sunday, February 18, 2024, after groping the breast of a juvenile sitting near him on an Emirates flight from Dubai to Seattle. The victim was traveling with family members who were sitting in the seats in front of the victim and across the aisle from the victim. Kumar was seated in a window seat with an open center seat between him and the victim. Kumar engaged the 17-year-old in conversation and asked her to meet him for coffee. She politely declined the invitation.
Later, while the victim was trying to sleep under a blanket, Kumar spread his blanket over himself and over the middle seat. The on-board video shows the movement of his arm under the blanket reaching toward the victim.
The sleeping victim awoke to feel a hand under her blanket, and she pulled away. The hand returned, moving up her arm, then inside her shirt, and eventually reaching her breast. The victim froze at first but then got up and asked her mother to come to the bathroom with her. The Emirates crew was notified, and they alerted law enforcement to meet the plane. Kumar was arrested and convicted following a three-day jury trial.
In asking for a 21-month prison sentence, prosecutors wrote to the court, “Kumar took advantage of a vulnerable 17-year-old girl by assaulting her while she was asleep. He reached inside her shirt to stroke her bare breast and stopped his assault only when a flight attendant was approaching. Not only did he demonstrate gross disregard for others’ bodily privacy and cause lasting trauma for the victim, but he has never acknowledged his crime nor demonstrated any understanding that he may not use girls for his personal gratification.”
In a statement to the court the victim wrote the assault, “has become a persistent, haunting presence in my life…. The experience has changed me. It has tainted my perceptions of others and made me fearful of strangers.”
In the second case sentenced today, 25-year-old Desmond D. Bostick of Federal Way, Washington, pleaded guilty last April, admitting the sexual motivation for his assault on the 24-year-old stranger sitting next to him on a June 2023 Alaska Airlines flight from San Diego to Seattle.
Bostick was seated in the last row of the plane in the aisle seat and the victim, was seated in the middle seat. Bostick repeatedly touched the victim on the thigh and grabbed her buttocks when she stood to allow the passenger in the window seat to exit the row. Bostick touched her buttocks a second time when the victim stood for the window seat passenger to return to his seat. Bostick admits he touched the victim to arouse his sexual desire.
After the plane landed, the victim reported the conduct to the flight crew and law enforcement began its investigation. Bostick had left the airport, and his location was unknown. The federal grand jury returned an indictment in the case on September 27, 2023. Bostick was located and arrested by the FBI on February 9, 2024. He pleaded guilty April 11, 2024.
Writing to the court, prosecutors emphasized the importance of deterrence, “Bostick assaulted a young woman while she sat isolated on a plane in flight. He repeatedly groped her while she was stuck in the middle seat of the back of an airplane with nowhere to go… Sexual offenses on airplanes are a serious problem. General deterrence is important so that potential offenders consider the risk of consequences if they are caught. This court should order a sentence that communicates to both Bostick and other potential offenders that abusive sexual contact is a serious crime that will be met with meaningful consequences.”
At the sentencing hearing Judge Whitehead told Bostick, “To characterize your conduct as a ‘lapse of judgement’ would be to divorce your conduct from its true ugliness.” Bostick will serve three years of supervised release following his prison term.
Both cases were investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Port of Seattle Police. U.S. Customs and Border Protection assisted with U.S. v Kumar.
Assistant United States Attorneys Miriam Hinman and Sanaa Nagi prosecuted U.S. v. Kumar (24-00041JNW).
Assistant United States Attorneys Kristine Foerster and Sean Waite prosecuted U.S. v. Bostick (23-155JNW)
Kirkland, Washington, home remodeler pleads guilty to wire fraud for scheme using forged subcontractor invoicesRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 58-year-old Kirkland, Washington, home remodeling contractor pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to wire fraud for his scheme to steal more than $3.5 million from customers using fake invoices, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Joseph D. Bergevin admitted that he forged invoices to steal money from 24 customers who had hired him for their remodeling projects. U.S. District Judge Jamal N. Whitehead scheduled sentencing for November 7, 2024.
According to the plea agreement, between 2016 and 2019, Bergevin served as the general contractor on a number of home remodeling projects. As the general contractor, Bergevin was responsible for arranging for subcontractors to do specific work on the project and making sure they got paid. However, during the wire fraud scheme, Bergevin presented his customers with hundreds of forged subcontractor invoices. Bergevin used the names, logos, and other identifying information about the subcontractors to create the false invoices. He then sent them to the customers for payment. Bergevin falsely told the customer that the invoice was for work that had been done or would be done. In some instances, he claimed that by paying “up front” the customer could lock in lower rates for building materials when the work was done.
The false invoices totaled $3,554,054 and went to twenty-four different customers. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Bergevin is responsible for at least $3,554,054 in restitution. Prosecutors will present evidence at sentencing supporting restitution for all the losses caused by the criminal conduct in this scheme.
Prosecutors have agreed to recommend a sentence at the low end of the guidelines range determined by the court. Judge Whitehead is not bound by the recommendation and can impose any sentence allowed by law.
Wire fraud is punishable by up to twenty years in prison.
The case is being investigated by the FBI, the Kirkland Police Department, and King County Sheriff’s Office.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Dion and Yunah Chung.
Convicted Health Care Fraud defendant sentenced to an additional six-month sentence for failing to report to prison as directedRead the Press Release
Seattle – The former co-owner of a defunct medical testing company, who failed to report to prison as directed last spring, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to an additional six months in prison, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Richard Reid, 55, was convicted in March 2022, of five federal felonies connected to his scheme to profit from illegal kickbacks in the medical testing industry. In January 2023 he was sentenced to two years in prison.
At today’s sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour said Reid’s persistent failure to accept responsibility “takes my breath away.”
Reid had repeatedly petitioned the judge to delay his prison reporting date, claiming to have COVID-19 and then long COVID. Judge John C. Coughenour refused to delay the date past the end of April 2023. Rather than report to prison, Reid left his home in Astoria, Oregon and went on the run. The FBI issued a “Wanted” poster.
On May 7, 2023, a member of the public reported seeing Reid, and he was arrested in Taylorsville, Oregon.
In asking for an additional ten months in prison, Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Dion wrote to the court, “Richard Reid refused to accept responsibility for his role in a healthcare kickbacks scheme, and then refused to serve the sentence imposed by the Court. He exploited the Court’s generosity in granting him two extensions of his reporting date, and simply ignored the Court’s rejection of this third request. Many hours of law enforcement resources were wasted in a multi-day fugitive investigation that ended with Reid being arrested in a bar.”
The activities of Bellevue-based Northwest Physicians Laboratory (NWPL) have been the subject of extensive civil and criminal litigation. Richard Reid was one of the owners and the Vice President of Sales for NWPL. Reid helped NWPL obtain more than $3.7 million in kickback payments by steering urine drug test specimens to two labs that could bill the government for testing.
The case was investigated by the FBI, Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Dion
Member of Tulalip Tribes pleads guilty to voluntary manslaughter, and using a firearm in a crime of violence, for fatal shooting in garage on tribal landRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 38-year-old member of the Tulalip Tribes pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to voluntary manslaughter, and using a firearm in a crime of violence, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Abdul Qasim Ray Zahir admits that he shot and killed a friend who had been helping him work on a car in a detached garage at his home on the Tulalip reservation. Zahir says he shot the victim in the midst of a sudden quarrel over noise from the auto work. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Zahir can ask for a sentence of no less than ten years in prison and prosecutors can ask for no more than 18 years in prison. U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez scheduled sentencing for November 1, 2024.
According to the plea agreement, on May 28, 2022, the victim, Zahir and others were in the detached garage, when Zahir’s cousin complained about the noise the victim was making. The victim and the cousin were arguing and as the victim walked towards Zahir’s cousin, Zahir pulled out a gun and fired three shots killing the victim.
At the time of the shooting, Zahir was facing charges in King County Superior Court: attempted robbery, illegal possession of a firearm, and possession of a stolen vehicle. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Zahir will plead guilty to those charges and the state prosecutor will recommend that the sentence in state court will run concurrent to Zahir’s sentence in federal custody.
Voluntary manslaughter is punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Using a firearm in a crime of violence is punishable by a mandatory minimum ten years in prison and up to life in prison.
The actual sentence will be determined by Judge Martinez after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. The judge is not bound by the recommendations of the defense and prosecution and can impose any sentence allowed by law.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Tulalip Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Tate London. Mr. London serves as a Tribal Liaison for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Washington.
Former Rhode Island man convicted of attempt to smuggle more than 400 pounds of methamphetamine and fentanyl across Strait of Juan de Fuca to CanadaRead the Press Release
Seattle –A 67-year-old former resident of Rhode Island, Texas, and Chicago was convicted late Friday July 26, 2024, in U.S. District Court in Seattle of three federal felonies connected to his scheme to smuggle duffle bags full of drugs across the strait bordering Washington State and Canada via watercraft, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. John Michael Sherwood was convicted following a six-day trial of Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute and conspiracy to commit international money laundering. The jury deliberated about three hours before reaching the guilty verdict. Judge James L. Robart scheduled sentencing for October 29, 2024.
At the trial, testimony and evidence revealed that Sherwood had brought the drugs up to the Olympic Peninsula from southern California. He was attempting to use a jet ski and inflatable raft to get the drugs across the Strait to his contact on the coast of Vancouver Island. But the smuggling attempts failed.
On April 7, 2021, a family on a beach near Port Angeles, Washington found a partially submerged duffel bag on the beach. The family alerted law enforcement who found more than 50 pounds of methamphetamine inside the bag, as well as two pounds of fentanyl powder. Close in time, a different beachcomber discovered a partially submerged and deflated Zodiac-style raft on the beach and noted a U-Haul van coming and going from the beach area. Just days later, on April 11, 2021, a different beach walker reported another find – seven more duffel bags stashed under a bridge just up from the beach. The bags contained 342 pounds of methamphetamine. The estimated wholesale value of the drugs in Canada was about $1.5 million.
The FBI was able to trace the duffel bags to Walmart and could pinpoint the sale. Sherwood used his debit card to purchase the bags and was caught on surveillance making the purchases. Other evidence such as U-Haul rental records, motel registration, and storage locker records linked Sherwood to the smuggling attempt. Phone records revealed his communication with a coconspirator in Canada about the attempt to smuggle the drugs into Canada via the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
The conviction is the result of an extensive investigation by the FBI, Homeland Security Investigation (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol and the Border Patrol Air and Marine Unit, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), and the Olympic Peninsula Narcotics Enforcement Team (OPNET) including the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office and the Sequim Police Department. The Kootenai County (Idaho) Sheriff’s Office, the Montana Highway Patrol and the Livingston Montana Police Department also assisted with the investigation.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Vince Lombardi and Sean Waite.
Puyallup man caught with nearly 100,000 fentanyl pills and five firearms sentenced to six-and-a-half years in prisonRead the Press Release
Tacoma – A 25-year-old Puyallup man, who also maintained an apartment in Seattle, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 78 months in prison for drug trafficking and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Emmanuel Xaiver Hunter was identified as a drug trafficker in October 2022 and was arrested in November 2022. He pleaded guilty in April 2024. At the sentencing hearing Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo said, “These were very serious crimes and very serious firearms that you had,” and commented that the firearm Hunter was carrying in his waistband when he was arrested “could cause a lot of harm and damage.”
According to records filed in the case, the Drug Enforcement Administration, working with the Auburn Police Department, used a confidential source to purchase fentanyl pills from Hunter on two occasions. In early November 2022, after obtaining a court-authorized search warrant for Hunter’s homes, car and person, law enforcement arrested him and searched both his Puyallup home and downtown Seattle apartment.
Through the searches law enforcement seized 98,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills stamped with “M” and “30” and containing fentanyl, approximately 1.7 kilograms of fentanyl powder, 1.2 kilograms of cocaine, and five handguns. The handgun that Hunter carried when he was arrested was a Glock pistol equipped with an auto-sear so that it acted as an automatic weapon.
In his plea agreement, Hunter admitted that he carried the firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking. That crime calls for a mandatory minimum of five years to run consecutive to any sentence imposed in the case.
Hunter will be on five years of supervised release following prison.
The case was investigated by the DEA and Auburn Police Department.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Max Shiner.
Former Army soldier sentenced to one year in prison for abusive sexual contact on an aircraftRead the Press Release
Seattle –A 42-year-old former Chief Warrant Officer in the Army, who was stationed in Alaska, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 12 months in prison for abusive sexual contact while on board an aircraft, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. James Benecke was indicted in July 2023 and pleaded guilty in April 2024.
“Preying on teenagers in the confined space of an aircraft is traumatizing, and is happening far too often,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “Those convicted of this crime are required to register as a sex offender. Some have been banned from certain airlines. We need to get the message across that this conduct is unacceptable and will be prosecuted.”
According to records in the case, on April 12, 2023, on an Alaska Airlines flight from Anchorage to Seattle, Benecke intentionally touched the buttocks of a 16-year-old teen who was seated next to him. In the plea agreement, Benecke admitted that the contact was intentional for his sexual arousal.
Two months later, on June 12, 2023, on an Alaska Airlines flight from Dallas to Seattle, Benecke touched the buttocks and inner thigh of the 18-year-old woman who was seated next to him. In this instance, the contact was reported to the flight crew by the teen and her boyfriend and Benecke was moved to a seat at the rear of the plane. He was interviewed by law enforcement upon arrival in Seattle. In the plea agreement, Benecke again admitted that this contact was intentional for his sexual arousal.
Benecke was arrested at his duty station in Alaska last July.
As noted in the government’s sentencing memorandum, the Western District of Washington “has experienced a significant increase in the number of reported airline sexual assaults over the last few years,” and these crimes “have serious consequences on the victims.” For the two victims in this case, “teenagers embarking on exciting travel opportunities, Mr. Benecke’s actions diminished their sense of personal safety, and turned what should have been joyous, meaningful trips – one to a school sporting competition, and one returning home from college orientation – into sources of trauma.”
The case was investigated by the FBI.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn Forstein and former Assistant United States Attorney Jocelyn Cooney.
Woman who fraudulently used state grant monies sentenced to probation and home confinementRead the Press Release
Tacoma – The former Executive Director of the Washington Coalition of Crime Victim Advocates (WCCVA) was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to five years of probation and six months of home confinement for two counts of wire fraud. Cody Benson, formerly of Olympia, Washington was convicted in January following a six-day jury trial. Benson was indicted in July 2021 for her scheme to falsely claim Washington State public grant funding for work that was never done. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle noted that the crime was serious in that the defendant “was drawing a salary while doing little work for an extended time” and that “taxpayers did not get the benefits” of the grant funds meant for training crime-victim advocates.
“This defendant was supposed to do critical work – training advocates for crime victims. Instead, she falsified documents to make it appear work was being done, and moved halfway around the world to Italy,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “It is remarkable that she believed such conduct would not be scrutinized and prosecuted.”
According to records filed in the case, Benson was the head of an Olympia-based non-profit organization that was tasked with training advocates to assist crime victims. In 2013, the legislature appropriated money for this work with a grant administered through the Washington State Attorney General’s Office. Between 2015 and 2017, Benson submitted fraudulent invoices for reimbursement under the grant. She submitted bills for training events that were never held or supplies that were never purchased. In early 2016, she moved away to Italy, yet in the ensuing years, she repeatedly told representatives of the Attorney General’s Office that she was in Washington State doing various outreach and other work. Those representations were false.
By the end of the scheme, WCCVA had only two employees: Benson and her son. The Washington State Attorney General’s Office became concerned about WCCVA’s performance under the grant in early 2018 and began investigating. Benson returned just over $50,000 to the state, but other funds were not recovered. The grant payments ceased, and WCCVA is defunct.
In all, prosecutors argued that WCCVA obtained almost $180,000 from Benson’s false invoices, and that Benson herself obtained approximately $257,000 in net salary and other benefits such as health insurance, retirement plan contributions, and health reimbursement account contributions during the fraudulent scheme.
The case was investigated by the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Philip Kopczynski and Yunah Chung.
Two Ireland nationals are charged with wire fraud for scheme to steal from elderly homeownersRead the Press Release
Seattle – Two individuals from Ireland are charged in U.S. District Court in Seattle with conspiracy to commit wire fraud for their theft of more than $400,000 from a Shoreline, Washington, homeowner. Patrick McDonagh and Matthew McDonagh were arrested by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in mid-June and have been held at the immigration detention center. They have been transferred to the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac and will make their first appearance on the criminal charge today at 2:00 PM.
According to the criminal complaint, the pair was part of a group that traveled the country allegedly scamming homeowners – especially the elderly – by falsely representing the home needed an urgent repair. One older homeowner in the Shoreline neighborhood north of Seattle, lost about $435,000 to the scheme.
“This type of fraud on our elderly neighbors is heartbreaking,” said U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. “To pose as someone trying to help them, while all the while the goal is to steal as much as they can from the victim’s hard-earned retirement funds. It is a special kind of cruelty to engage in such conduct.”
The men first approached the victim in January 2024, claimed they were working in the neighborhood and had noticed that the victim had a hole in his roof. The men offered to fix the hole and remove the moss from the roof. Over the course of a few days, they pressured the victim to write them checks for their “services” of $15,000, $20,000, and $26,000. They also claimed that the victim’s foundation was cracked, and they said they would repair that with a “titanium tie rod system.”
The roof had no hole, and the foundation was not failing. However, the men dug trenches and poured some concrete to make it appear work was done, and each day they pressured the victim to write more checks. They even demanded an extra $20,000 for “taxes.” Ultimately, they demanded the victim wire $200,000 to a third party for building supplies – again far in excess of any work they claimed to have done. In all the brothers stole $435,000 from the victim.
The FBI investigation connected the brothers to contractor fraud complaints in Washington County, Oregon and Spokane, Washington totaling about $50,000. In those cases, they used fake photos of holes in the homeowner’s roof or alleged problems with the house’s foundation or posed as local-reputable businesses.
“Sadly, seniors are often an attractive target for fraudsters attempting to steal a lifetime of savings, and scammers are skilled at deceiving people, said Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “We encourage consumers to stay vigilant and avoid making quick decisions before doing research or getting to know someone. If you think you or someone you know could be a fraud victim, call your financial institution immediately and report suspected fraud to the FBI at tips.fbi.gov.”
Red flags for contractor fraud:
- The contractor knocks on your door looking for business because they are “in the area” and uses aggressive sales tactics.
- The contractor pressures you for an immediate hiring decision.
- The contractor accepts only cash as payment and demands full payment before starting any work.
- In the sales pitch, the contractor claims to have materials left over from a previous job.
Tips to avoid contractor fraud:
- Always get multiple estimates for any work you want done.
- Ensure contractors are licensed and insured. Look them up at Washington State’s Department of Labor & Industries website at https://secure.lni.wa.gov/verify/
- Check with consumer protection agencies such as the Better Business Bureau and Federal Trade Commission to search for complaints against a contractor.
- Conspiracy to commit Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
The charges contained in the criminal complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the FBI.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Watts Staniar. Ms. Staniar serves as the Elder Fraud Coordinator for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Washington.
To learn more about the department’s elder justice efforts please visit the Elder Justice Initiative page.
mcdonagh_complaint_patrick_and_matthew.pdfSignificant member of a Whatcom County fentanyl trafficking ring sentenced to 4 years in prisonRead the Press Release
Seattle – A Bellingham, Washington woman who was a redistributor for a fentanyl distribution ring was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Natasha Parkhill, 38, of Bellingham pleaded guilty in March 2024 and was sentenced today to 4 years in prison. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones said, “You knew what the devastation would be since you had a drug addiction yet you still continued to distribute fentanyl without regard for the impact on the community.”
“This drug ring, and specifically Ms. Parkhill as a drug redistributor, had a terrible impact on the Lummi Nation – a tribe that is dealing with tragically high fentanyl overdose deaths,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “I appreciate the Lummi Nation leadership speaking to the court today about fentanyl’s impact on the community, to hold these defendants accountable for the harm they have caused.”
According to records filed in the case, Parkhill was one of six people charged federally in a months-long investigation of fentanyl dealing in Whatcom County. The ring was actively moving fentanyl from the Seattle area to redistributors in Bellingham. Law enforcement officers observed various drug transactions and interdicted the drug loads. In one instance, law enforcement was called to a mini-mart where two people involved with the drug ring overdosed on fentanyl and had to be revived and transported to the hospital.
Parkhill was observed by law enforcement engaging in drug sales. In January 2023 law enforcement attempted to arrest her but she fled. Her car suffered a mechanical problem, and she was taken into custody. She had about 1,000 fentanyl pills and over $1300 in cash when she was arrested.
Lummi Nation Chairman Anthony Hillaire spoke today at the sentencing of Ms. Parkhill. “Drug dealing is a crime that is very much intentional and for monetary gain at the expense of familial loss. This destruction of our generations will have a long-lasting, negative impact on our people,” he remarked. In a letter to the Court, he continued to describe the devastation of the fentanyl crisis: “In our community, I have witnessed spouses, parents, children, siblings, grandchildren, cousins, and friends plan funeral arrangement for a loved one due to a drug overdose. I will never forget the cries of elementary-aged children crying for their father at his funeral and saying, ‘I just want my daddy’.”
Two other members of the drug ring have already been sentenced: 39-year-old Daniel Faix of Bellingham was sentenced in March 2024 to ten years in prison. Ahbdurman Ahmed, 33, of Seattle was sentenced in January 2024 to six years in prison. Defendant Mohamed Abdirisak Mohamed, 35, of Seattle pleaded guilty in January and will be sentenced in September. Defendant Matthew Anderson, 35, of Bellingham, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges on June 25, 2024. Defendant Robel Sisay Gebremedhin, 41, of Burien, WA is being sought by law enforcement.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .
This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Whatcom County Drug and Gang Task Force, with valuable assistance provided by the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, Washington State Patrol, the Whatcom County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Lummi Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Hobbs.
Alleged drug dealer to downtown Seattle, Aurora, ID, and homeless encampments indicted for drug and gun crimesRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 48-year-old Seattle area man is in federal custody tonight after being indicted by a grand jury for two counts of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Simon Offord is allegedly linked to drug dealing in multiple Seattle neighborhoods and in various homeless encampments. Searches of his vehicles and a Shoreline hotel room resulted in seizures of significant quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and Alprazolam.
Offord was arraigned on the indictment on July 8, 2024, and detained on July 11, 2024.
According to police reports and other records filed in the case, Offord came to the attention of Seattle Police patrol officers in December 2023 when he drove the wrong way down a street in Seattle. Before police could contact him, he abandoned the car he was driving in a parking lot. Inside the car officers saw what appeared to be drugs. After getting a warrant to search the vehicle they found drugs packaged to for delivery, scales, and other indications of drug dealing as well as a ‘ghost gun’- one made without a serial number.
Over a number of months, Seattle Police looked for Offord and ultimately tracked him to a Shoreline hotel, just off of Aurora Avenue. On May 30, 2024, Offord was arrested at one of his dealing locations along Aurora in North Seattle. A search of his hotel room and vehicle yielded nine pounds of fentanyl powder, approximately 2900 fentanyl pills, and more than a pound of methamphetamine, crack cocaine, heroin, and other drugs. Police also seized another firearm. Offord was booked into the King County Jail but later was released on bail.
Due to the large amount of drugs involved in these seizures, the crimes are punishable by a mandatory minimum ten years in prison and up to life in prison. Possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime adds an additional five years in prison to run consecutive to any other sentence imposed.
The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the Seattle Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Casey Conzatti and Brian Wynne.
Two indicted for buying stolen goods and selling them online via Amazon or eBay for more than $3 millionRead the Press Release
Seattle – Two western Washington men, related by marriage, were indicted by a federal grand jury this week for 11 criminal counts related to their conspiracy to traffic in stolen goods, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Vitaliy F. Bobak, 52, of Federal Way, Washington and Andrey A. Balun, 57 of Bellevue, Washington and Las Vegas, jointly owned MBA Trading LLC which did business at a Burien, Washington storefront operating as “We Buy Gold, Silver, and Electronics.” An extensive law enforcement investigation alleges the storefront knowingly purchased goods stolen from area retailers which the pair then sold on Amazon or eBay for millions of dollars in profit. The two are scheduled for arraignment on August 1, 2024.
“The purchase and trafficking of these stolen goods fuels the organized retail theft that has so damaged our local retailers,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “If the “boosters,” as they are called, had no market for these stolen goods, they would stop their rampant theft from our retailers. We are committed to using our federal resources to put a dent in this illegal trafficking.”
“These aren’t just random shoplifters or boosters. These are thefts that are being coordinated as part of a sophisticated network that targets legitimate businesses, confusing consumers and creating a ripple effect that makes it more difficult for retailers to operate,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest. “Through our many partnerships across law enforcement and the private sector, HSI will use every resource at our disposal to protect businesses while ensuring justice is served.”
According to the detailed indictment, between January 2018 and December 2023, the storefront the men operated purchased goods that were clearly stolen items. In many instances the goods still had anti-theft devices attached, and/or stickers saying for sale only at a particular retailer. The men bought the goods far below the retail price and then posted them for sale on two websites they operated on Amazon or eBay. The Amazon store was called “Medikus” and the eBay store was called “abcstore555.” The indictment traces the money from the online stores to the men’s bank accounts. The funds were then used by the men to operate the scheme by paying cash to the “boosters” (people who stole the goods) or payroll to employees who were involved in posting and shipping the goods for sale. The men also used the cash for their personal expenses such as paying $67,000 in cash for a new Lexus or making a large downpayment for a home in Las Vegas.
The scale of the sales was huge and both national and international. An analysis of the sales of the two online stores reveals that between January 1, 2022 and November 28, 2023, there were over 150,000 sale transactions through the abcstore555 eBay and Medikus Amazon stores, with a combined sales total of over $4.5 million. When search warrants were served and merchandise seized on December 19, 2023, the conspirators possessed more than 74,000 items of stolen merchandise valued at approximately $2.4 million.
The men are charged with conspiracy to transport stolen property in interstate commerce; interstate transportation of stolen property; conspiracy to commit money laundering; three counts of concealment money laundering; and five counts of money laundering.
Conspiracy to transport stolen property is punishable by up to five years in prison. Interstate transportation of stolen property is punishable by up to ten years in prison. Conspiracy to commit money laundering is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. The various money laundering counts are punishable by either up to ten years or 20 years in prison.
The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with significant assistance from the Renton Police Department, Seattle Police Department, and the IRS, and aided by investigators from numerous retailers. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sean Waite and Asset Forfeiture Assistant United States Attorney Krista Bush.
bobak_indictment.pdfPernicious cyberstalker sentenced to 9 years in prison for unrelenting harassment of former roommate and othersRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 33-year-old Seattle man previously employed as a privacy consultant was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 9 years in prison for conspiracy to engage in cyberstalking, three counts of cyberstalking in violation of a criminal order, and three counts of cyberstalking, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Sumit Garg was indicted in March 2021. He has been in custody at the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac since that time. At sentencing U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour told the victims, “I can’t give you the level of protection for the length of time that you deserve…I can’t give you blanket protection for 30-40 years.”
“The cyberstalking activities of this defendant are unparalleled in this District and indeed nationwide. Through thousands of email and text messages Mr. Garg threatened violence against his victims -- including police and prosecutors. He attempted to make it appear his victims were the perpetrators of the stalking. Court orders and jail time did not stop him,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “Federal detention finally stopped him, and this sentence will protect the public for years to come.”
“Justice was served today. The U.S. Secret Service is satisfied with the outcome of this case, which is a culmination of the work of motivated agents and analysts, applying their skillsets and tools to bring an end to an unprecedented cyberstalking campaign against multiple victims,” said U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Glen Peterson. “I hope the victims can find some closure to the nightmares they endured during Mr. Garg’s relentless reign of harassment.”
According to records in the case and testimony at trial, in 2020, Garg began an extensive campaign of threats and sexually explicit messaging and posts about a woman who used to share an apartment with Garg’s wife. Using personal information Garg accessed after he moved into the apartment with his spouse, Garg threatened and tormented the former roommate.
In April 2020, the victim reported the harassment to police. Following this, Garg and his wife tried to make it appear that they were the harassment victims and made false police reports blaming the actual victim.
Garg also used his computer skills to threaten multiple people in the former roommate’s life, including her uncle who represented her in obtaining a civil protection order; her boyfriend; the Seattle Police Detective who investigated the threats; and even the Deputy Prosecuting Attorney who prosecuted Garg for his illegal stalking conduct. Garg used his computer skills to try to hide who was sending the threats or making the posts. The stalking campaign also grew increasingly violent, ultimately coming to include gruesome threats of rape, torture, and death. Over time, Garg’s stalking campaign involved thousands of emails sent from scores of accounts set up for the purpose of stalking.
At one point in his scheme, Garg was videotaped in the lobby of the victim’s new apartment building at the same time photos were taken and sent of that location to frighten the victim.
Garg enlisted his wife in the scheme – instructing her to send harassing emails to herself and others while he was jailed to make it appear someone else was doing the harassment campaign. He told his wife to destroy clothes he wore when he was in the lobby of the ex-roommate’s apartment building. His wife did send emails but did not destroy the clothes and ultimately cooperated with investigators.
In her trial testimony, Garg’s wife said she finally felt free to tell the truth when he was booked on federal charges and would not be returning to their home to abuse her verbally and physically.
In their sentencing memo, prosecutors noted that Garg had never accepted responsibility for any of his criminal actions. “While Garg appears to have delighted in his victims’ suffering, he appears to be utterly incapable of empathizing with others. With an apparently insatiable desire to even the score, Garg took a simple rent dispute between roommates, and escalated it into a massive cyberstalking campaign against an ever-growing number of victims, making grotesque and violent threats that are almost impossible to fathom.”
Three victims spoke at sentencing. “What made this case singular in my mind was first, the unprecedented scope; second, the constant escalation; and lastly, the attitude displayed by the defendant that he was smarter than everyone else and his belief that he would not be caught,” remarked one victim, an experienced prosecutor. A second victim said, “I’m not sure if I will ever regain a sense of normalcy and security that I once took for granted.”
The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service with assistance from the Seattle Police Department.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Friedman and Senior Trial Attorney Anthony V. Teelucksingh of DOJ’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section.
First of six-member drug trafficking ring bringing hundreds of pounds of narcotics to western Washington sentenced to 8.5 years in prisonRead the Press Release
Seattle –The first of six defendants tied to a significant drug trafficking ring that used recreational vehicles to transport massive quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl pills, cocaine and heroin was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 102 months in prison, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Ernesto Casillas, 48, has been in custody since his arrest on September 9, 2022. Casillas was arrested at a Kent, Washington hotel with more than three kilograms of heroin, more than five kilograms of fentanyl pills and more than six kilograms of cocaine. There were two firearms in the room as well as more than $145,000 in cash. At today’s sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Lauren King said, “Despite two sentences that were drug related you not only continued distributing drugs, but you did it on a massive scale. You did all of this for money without regard for the consequences.”
“Mr. Casillas was a member of one of three inter-related drug trafficking rings taken off the street in the fall of 2022,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “Even when one of the RV’s connected to the group was pulled off the highway and seized by law enforcement, the traffickers didn’t stop. Mr. Casillas not only traveled for the group with drugs, he mailed the drugs to other communities across the country.”
According to records filed in the case, Casillas was seen shipping packages of drug via FedEx to various addresses in Western Washington and elsewhere. In July and August 2022, he shipped five kilograms of cocaine to a Kent, Washington address, more than two kilograms of cocaine to a Columbus, Ohio, and approximately 20 pounds of methamphetamine to a Federal Way, Washington address.
On September 9, 2022, Casillas was arrested along with
- Agustin Gutierrez Valencia, 33, of Kent, Washington
- Daniel Vazquez Arroyo, 33, of Kent, Washington
- Rosalio Reynoso Arellano, 52, of Los Angeles
- Benigno Hernandez aka Ivan Santos Arellano, 33, of Kent, Washington
- Jesus Toledo Pardo, 27, of SeaTac, Washington
On April 3, 2024, Casillas pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and one count of being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm.
In asking for a 102-month prison sentence, prosecutors wrote to the court. “There is no question that this is a serious criminal offense given the staggering amount of drugs being transported by this DTO. Between two seizures over the course of four days, agents were able to seize approximately 749 pounds of methamphetamine, 25 kilograms of fentanyl laced pills, over seventeen kilograms of cocaine, over seven kilograms of heroin, and five kilograms of fentanyl powder. Mr. Casillas and his co-conspirators were in charge of pumping massive amounts of dangerous and deadly substances into the community.”
Prosecutors noted the harm fentanyl and methamphetamine are doing in the community. During 2024, in King County alone, there have already been 556 overdose deaths as of July 3, 2024, with 420 of those deaths involving fentanyl and 310 of them involving methamphetamine.
The investigation was led by the FBI field offices in Seattle and Los Angeles, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Seattle Police Department, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), and Homeland Security Investigations, both the LA and Seattle offices.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Casey Conzatti.
The case is U.S. v. Casillas CR22-151LK.
Pierce County, Washington man sentenced to four years in prison for illegal possession of cache of firearmsRead the Press Release
Tacoma – A Pierce County, Washington man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to four years in prison for unlawful possession of a machinegun and unlawful possession of firearms related to his October 2023 arrest at a Fife, Washington auto glass business, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Brady Lee Eltz, 39, has been in custody since his federal arrest on October 31, 2023. At the sentencing hearing Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo said, “This conduct is not only serious but alarming to read about and see. You possessed very dangerous weapons. It’s unclear what your motivation was.”
According to records filed in the case, on October 4, 2023, Fife Police were dispatched to an auto-glass repair shop where workers at the shop reported seeing firearms in the trunk of a vehicle Eltz brought in for repair. Workers also reported seeing bullet holes in the vehicle.
After law enforcement took Eltz into custody, they checked the bathroom at the business because Eltz had gone into the bathroom when he saw police arrive.
In the cabinet below the sink police found two firearms – 9 mm handguns. One, a Glock, had an illegal switch known as an “auto-sear” installed. The switch allows the gun to be fired automatically, making it a machinegun. The Glock had been reported stolen. Both the Glock and the other handgun had rounds chambered.
Fife Police towed Eltz’s vehicle and applied for a warrant to search it. During the search of the vehicle’s trunk, they found three additional firearms – including a stolen rifle that had been modified to fire automatically, making it a machinegun. Police then discovered a bag with two improvised explosive devices. Pierce County Sheriff’s Office bomb technicians were called in to evaluate the devices and make them safe. One was an explosive simulator likely stolen from the U.S. Army. It can cause serious bodily injury if exploded in a confined space. The second explosive was a thick cardboard tube filled with a black flammable powder.
After the explosives were made safe, police continued their search of the trunk and found two additional rifles, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, latex face masks, body armor, gun sights, holsters, and other firearms accessories. Eltz also had GPS trackers, several knives, and a voice-changing device.
As prosecutors wrote in their sentencing memo, Eltz has a history of collecting similar armaments, false credentials, and disguises. “In 2007, he had a gun magazine loaded with 30 rounds of hollow point ammunition, a homemade silencer, ballistic helmet, handcuffs, emergency vehicle red light, sword, electronic stun gun, nun-chucks, knives, and a City of Milton “Director of Public Safety” badge. In 2012, Eltz had a stolen rifle with a silencer, three pistols, two other rifles, a US Army backpack with Army gear, a Department of Defense identification card (in another name), multiple rifle and pistol magazines (loaded), a law enforcement duty belt, a WSP “SWAT Sergeant” shirt, night vision goggles, large military-style knives, and more. At the time, he was driving an older style police vehicle that still had emergency lights.”
All the guns, ammunition and auto-sear devices in this case are being forfeited to the government.
Eltz is prohibited from possessing any firearms because of criminal convictions including a 2013 conviction in the Western District of Washington for unlawful possession of firearms. Eltz was sentenced to five years in prison for that crime.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives (ATF) with assistance from the Fife Police Department and the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office. The Washington State Patrol assisted with locating and arresting Eltz on a federal warrant after he posted bail and left state custody.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Marci L. Ellsworth.
Department of Justice seizes more than $1 million of collectible stamps as proceeds of criminal fraud schemeRead the Press Release
Seattle – The Department of Justice has seized more than $1 million in proceeds from a massive fraud scheme targeting seniors and other vulnerable populations, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington filed a Verified Civil Forfeiture Complaint seeking forfeiture of 149 lots of collectible stamps and other items seized from the Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries Inc. of New York. An investigation revealed that the stamps were purchased with monies stolen from victims who were swindled by fraudsters impersonating government agents, regulators, or romantic interests. Once the stamps have been forfeited to the United States, they will be liquidated by the U.S. Marshals Service and the government will seek to return the funds to the victims.
“Too often when victims have been defrauded in these schemes, their money is gone for good,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “We are delighted to be able to share good news with these victims and hope to be able to return funds to them through this civil forfeiture action.”
According to the court filings, the deposits made to the Siegel Galleries and used to purchase the stamps, have been traced to victims of crime. Multiple frauds were used in this case, both government impersonation scams and romance scams. Siegel Galleries is not accused of any crime.
The government has identified 28 victims, from Western Washington and from across the country who were defrauded and mislead. The fraud occurred in two phases. In phase one, victims were called by a person claiming to be from a government entity such as the FBI, SEC, or DOJ reporting that the victim’s bank account or personal identity had been breached and stating that the victim needed to send their funds to a different entity for safe keeping. In some instances, victims were told they had been implicated in a money laundering scheme and to prove their innocence and protect their funds they needed to send them to the account designated by the caller. Victims were told their funds would be returned once the matter had been resolved. Some victims were defrauded of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Some of the victims sent cashier’s checks directly to the gallery. Others were instructed to send the money via cashier’s check to a second set of victims: romance scam victims. These victims were contacted via social media, and believed they were assisting a romantic interest with money from an inheritance, or an investment or to pay debts. This second set of victims were told to deposit the cashier’s checks from the first set of victims and then withdraw the funds and send or wire the money to the gallery.
In all investigators have traced $1,012,300 to the various victims. Funds deposited toward the invoices for purchase of the stamps total $1,383,437. Prosecutors and agents are still working to trace funds to additional victims.
No criminal charges have been filed yet. Potential charges include conspiracy, mail fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering.
The FBI is investigating the case in coordination with Asset Forfeiture Assistant United States Attorney Krista Bush.
Vancouver, Washington man charged federally for distributing fentanyl powderRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 26-year-old Vancouver, Washington man appeared in U.S. District Court in Seattle today, following his arrest on a criminal complaint for distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Gregory Clark Bolton III, was arrested by the FBI and Clark County Sheriff’s Deputies yesterday, following the investigation of the overdose death of a 60-year-old Vancouver man. Bolton appeared at 2:00 on the first appearance calendar which was held in Seattle today.
According to the criminal complaint, Bolton was arrested back in June 2022 for distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl pills. He was charged in state court but absconded after being released on bail. The complaint today charges that drug trafficking activity under federal law.
In January 2024, Bolton again came on the radar of law enforcement after the overdose death of the Vancouver man. Following the death, law enforcement worked with the victim’s widow and other confidential informants to trace the source of the fentanyl powder that caused the death. Reviewing cell phone data and surveillance video at the scene of the drug sale they alleged that the powder was sold by Bolton. Bolton was arrested on January 24, 2024, and charged with possession of controlled substances with intent to deliver and possession of a firearm. He was again released on bail and informed that a condition of his release was to have no law violations.
In April 2024, a person working with law enforcement purchased 100 fentanyl pills from Bolton. The drug sale was being surveilled by law enforcement. The purchased pills tested positive for fentanyl on June 11, 2024. Bolton was charged federally by criminal complaint on June 18, 2024, and was arrested June 25, 2024.
Possession with intent to distribute controlled substances is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. The investigation is ongoing and additional charges may be merited.
The charges contained in the criminal complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the Columbia River Organized Crime Task Force which includes the FBI and the Clark County Sheriff’s Office.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristine Foerster.
Olympia man sentenced for racially motivated threats against federal workerRead the Press Release
Tacoma – A 42-year-old Thurston County resident was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 30 months in prison for making a threat against a Black federal employee at the Social Security office in Olympia, Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Steven L. Veres was initially charged in July 2023. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle said, “Your criminal history shows a disrespect for the law.”
“This defendant not only used racial slurs in this case, investigators discovered his use of racial slurs in social media messages back in 2020 when he was threatening to find and assault or kill a different Black victim,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “Such conduct is a window into his hate-filled mindset that leads to this prison sentence today.”
According to records filed in the case, on February 16, 2023, Veres and a companion went to the Olympia Social Security Administration office seeking a replacement Social Security card. When a Black Social Security Administration employee told Veres that Veres lacked the proper paperwork to obtain a new Social Security card, Veres became irate, threatening to assault and, per some witnesses, kill the worker. Veres also repeatedly yelled racial slurs at the employee.
Veres pleaded guilty in April 2024 to Influencing a Federal Official by Threat. The Court also imposed a hate-crimes sentencing enhancement, finding that Veres targeted the victim because of the victim’s perceived race or color.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, both sides asked for a sentence of 30 months in prison.
In asking for the 30-month sentence, prosecutors noted that Veres has a history with numerous criminal convictions. “Mr. Veres has an extensive criminal history, including convictions for taking a motor vehicle, possession of stolen property and vehicles, forgery, harassment (domestic violence), malicious mischief, methamphetamine possession with intent to distribute, obstruction, and identity theft. He also has a poor record on supervision, having “made himself unavailable for supervision on five occasions” and having been “returned to custody seven times” in his first stint on supervision in the mid-2000s, and then having made himself unavailable for supervision on 17 occasions and having been returned to custody 19 times on his lengthy period on supervision between 2007 and the present,” prosecutors wrote in their sentencing memo.
Veres will be on federal supervision for three years following his prison term.
As part of the plea agreement, Grays Harbor County will dismiss an unrelated prosecution against Veres for attempting to elude a police officer.
The case was investigated by the Federal Protective Service.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Will Dreher and Elyne Vaught in coordination with the Criminal Section of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division.
Man who tried to break into Tumwater credit union and ATM using blowtorch sentenced to 5+ years in prisonRead the Press Release
Tacoma – A trained welder who tried to use an oxyacetylene torch to break into a Tumwater credit union and steal from an ATM was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 66 months in prison, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Randall Taufete’e, 34, pleaded guilty to arson and attempted larceny of a federally insured credit union on March 15, 2024. At today’s sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle said “Arson is an extremely serious offense. It destroys property and risks harm to the lives of others, including firefighters. You’re fortunate you didn’t set the entire structure on fire.”
According to records in the case, on October 24, 2022, Tumwater firefighters responded to a fire alarm at O Bee Credit Union. They observed flames coming from the top of the ATM machine which was in a wall of the building. The flames were extinguished but smoke had filled the building.
Following the fire, investigators found char and pry marks on the ATM machine, on the night deposit box, the drive through window and an exterior door. Surveillance video showed two men using a pry bar, an electric saw and an oxyacetylene welder’s torch to try to open the ATM and gain access to the building. The larceny attempt and arson did $198,018 in damage to the building.
A few days after the fire, Taufete’e was taken into state custody for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Agents then identified Taufete’e as one of the men in the surveillance video, but despite the video and other items linking Taufete’e to the arson, Taufete’e denied being involved.
Taufete’e and codefendant Brandon Ronald Collado were indicted in January 2023. Collado pleaded guilty in June 2023 and was sentenced to 30 months in prison.
Taufete’e pleaded guilty in March 2024.
In asking for a 92-month sentence, prosecutors noted that Taufete’e has more than a dozen criminal convictions as an adult, running the gamut from theft to assault, to robbery, burglary, and firearms possession.
Taufete’e will be on three years of supervised release following his prison term. He and Collado and will be required to pay $198,018 in restitution for the damage to the credit union.
The case was investigated by the Tumwater Police Department with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF).
Former airline mechanic sentenced to prison for sexual assault of woman seated next to him on planeRead the Press Release
Seattle – A former commercial airline mechanic was sentenced today to six months in prison and five years of supervised release for abusive sexual contact aboard an aircraft, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Duane Brick, 53, pleaded guilty March 5, 2024. At today’s sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge James H. Chun said, “This was a serious and frightening crime…. He was clearly a predator. He checked to see if she was responsive and when she was not, he continued the abuse.”
According to records filed in the case Brick was on a March 20, 2023, flight from Phoenix to Seattle. He was seated in a middle seat, with the 24-year-old victim in the window seat. The victim was anxious about flying and had taken an anti-anxiety medication. After politely tolerating Brick’s attempt at small talk, the victim put on her headphones and closed her eyes to try to relax. She fell asleep and awoke to find Brick had grabbed her hand and placed and pressed it on his crotch. The victim was frozen in shock.
Brick then tapped the victim on the face, head, arm, and breast to see if she was fully asleep. He reached under her shirt and bra and groped her breast. Brick pulled out the victim’s shirt and reached toward her waistband in an attempt to put his hands down her trousers. She pushed his hand away and said “no.” She turned her body away. Despite that, Brick tried two more times to reach into her pants.
In court today Assistant United States Attorney Grace Zoller said the assault was “intentional, methodical, and prolonged… it took place over many minutes. He knew she was not consenting and when he was caught, he blamed her.”
A witness in the aisle seat reported what he saw happening to the flight crew. The victim told the flight crew she wanted law enforcement called to meet the plane. However, the flight attendants failed to do that. Brick was an employee of their airline. Brick claimed to them that the touching was accidental. Brick, as an airline employee, was allowed to leave the plane quickly when it landed at Seattle.
The victim did report the assault. Brick was indicted April 12, 2023. His employment with the airline was terminated.
The FBI investigated this case.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Grace Zoller and Amanda McDowell.
The case is U.S. v. Duane Brick (23-cr-00052)
Former Mexican lawyer who became major methamphetamine supplier to drug trafficking organization sentenced to more than seven years in prisonRead the Press Release
Tacoma – A former attorney from Mexico was sentenced June 21, 2024, to 90 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Gustavo Castellanos-Tapia, 38, of Burien, Washington, was a significant supplier of methamphetamine to the drug trafficking organization with ties to the prison gang known as the “Aryan Family.” In imposing the sentence, Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo rejected arguments from the defense the Castellanos-Tapia played a minor role in the drug ring.
Gustavo Castellanos-Tapia was identified as a significant supplier of methamphetamine to the drug trafficking organization. Law enforcement had
Castellanos-Tapia under surveillance and learned that he would deliver suitcases full of methamphetamine—some 30-40 pounds at a time—every few weeks.
Unlike some drug ring participants who become involved to feed their addiction, Castellanos-Tapia was not a drug user. In fact, he previously worked as a lawyer in Mexico and came to the U.S. in 2020 when the pandemic stalled the economy. He obtained work as a boat painter but got into drug dealing to increase his income.
Castellanos-Tapia and 23 other defendants were indicted and arrested in March 2023. Over the course of the investigation, agents seized from members of the drug trafficking organization an estimated 255 pounds of methamphetamine, an estimated 830,000 fentanyl pills, more than 26 pounds of fentanyl powder, cocaine, six pounds of heroin, $668,000 of suspected drug proceeds, and 225 firearms.
In asking for a nine-year prison sentence, prosecutors pointed out that despite a small decrease in overdose deaths nationwide, Washington had an increase in overdose deaths of over 27% in the year ending December 2023. “Drugs like the methamphetamine that Castellanos-Tapia distributed have a devastating impact on the community,” prosecutors wrote. “Users of these drugs frequently resort to stealing—from family members, friends, and complete strangers—to feed their addictions. No doubt, drug users are responsible for a large percentage of these crimes, as well as the violent crimes, in our communities.”
Because Castellanos-Tapia was not legally present in the United States he likely will be deported following his prison term.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
This investigation was led by the FBI with critical investigative teamwork from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Washington State Department of Corrections, with significant local assistance from the Tacoma Police Department, Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, and the Thurston County Narcotics Task Force, led by the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office. Throughout this investigation the following agencies assisted the primary investigators: Washington State Patrol, Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine, Lewis County Sheriff’s Office, Lakewood Police Department, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Max Shiner and Zach Dillon.
The case is U.S. v Castellanos-Tapia CR23-5085
Sex offender on state supervision arrested for traveling to Oregon to sexually assault teenRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 27-year-old registered sex offender on supervision with electronic monitoring was brought into federal custody today for allegedly traveling to Oregon to sexually assault a teen, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa Gorman. The criminal complaint charging James Harrison Newcomer alleges that between February and April 2024 Newcomer assaulted three different teens he met via Snapchat. Newcomer will appear today at 2:00 in U.S. District Court in Seattle.
According to records filed in the case, Newcomer was on state supervision following his 30-month prison sentence for two counts of rape of a child. As part of the supervision, Newcomer was on electronic monitoring with an ankle bracelet. On January 19, 2024, the ankle monitor lost connection and when corrections officers went to arrest Newcomer on January 25, 2024, he had left the residence and could not be located.
Over the next three months, Newcomer connected with various teen girls via social media and then arranged to meet them in person. In those meetings he allegedly gave girls drugs and alcohol and sexually assaulted them. The victims were from Snoqualmie, Auburn and most recently, Woodburn Oregon. The victims ranged in age from 14 to 16.
Travel with intent to engage in sexual acts with a minor is punishable by up to 30 years in prison.
The charges contained in the complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the FBI, the Woodburn, Oregon Police Department, the Marion County District Attorney’s Office, the Auburn Police Department, the Snoqualmie Police Department, and the Kent Police Department, with the assistance of the Department of Corrections. Anyone with information regarding other potential victims is asked to contact the Seattle FBI Field Office at 206-622-0460.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Cecelia Gregson.
newcomer_complaint.pdfKing County, Washington, murder suspect now indicted in armed carjacking in SeattleRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 19-year-old SeaTac, Washington, man was indicted today for armed carjacking in connection with a crime spree that ended in a homicide, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Salman Subeyr Haji is believed to have fled abroad just days after he allegedly shot and killed a woman in the parking lot of the Tukwila Costco. Haji has been charged with murder in King County Superior Court. The federal indictment for armed carjacking will prompt an international “red notice” for Haji, alerting international law enforcement to take him into custody.
“Our carjacking task force identified this case as meriting federal prosecution,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “Separate and distinct from the fatal shooting in Tukwila, this defendant is alleged to have used a firearm to steal a car from a woman driving in Seattle. She made a narrow escape. This defendant needs to be held accountable.”
According to the indictment and police reports, on January 26, 2024, Haji stole a Porsche Cayenne at gunpoint from a woman driving on Queen Anne Hill. Haji and another man were following the victim and rear-ended her to cause her to pull over. While attempting to retrieve insurance information from the glove box, Haji held a gun to the victim and demanded the keys to the vehicle and money. Haji then drove off in the vehicle.
The indictment lists several names Salman Subeyr Haji has used: Salmon Subeyr Haji, Salman Hagi, and Markell Somo Jefferson.
Carjacking is punishable by up to 15 years in prison. A second count of using a firearm in a crime of vi0lence is punishable by up to life in prison, with a mandatory minimum seven years in prison to run consecutive to any other prison sentence imposed in the case.
The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case was investigated by the Seattle Police Department, Tukwila Police Department, the King County Sheriff’s Office, and the FBI.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brian Wynne. AUSA Wynne is working closely with the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office on the case.
Western District of Washington recognizes World Elder Abuse Awareness DayRead the Press Release
Seattle – U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman for the Western District of Washington, joined national, state, local, and Tribal leaders today in recognizing World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD). Since 2006, WEAAD has been commemorated to promote awareness and increases understanding of the many forms of elder abuse as well as the resources available to those at risk.
Highlighting the partnership between law enforcement and the public, U.S. Attorney Gorman emphasized the importance of awareness and education.
“Our Elder Fraud Coordinator and an investigator for the FBI are presenting in area retirement homes and community centers to provide important warnings to protect residents from fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “With so many fraudsters using the internet, social media or phones to hunt for their prey, we all need to be vigilant to keep those we care about from falling victim to financial scams.”
Elder abuse is an act that knowingly, intentionally, or negligently causes or creates a serious risk of harm to an older person by a family member, caregiver, or other person in a trust relationship. Such harm may be financial, physical, sexual, or psychological. The Justice Department maintains a variety of programs and initiatives to combat elder abuse.
The Transnational Elder Fraud Task Force marshals federal and state agencies working collaboratively to investigate and prosecute foreign-based schemes that target older Americans. In addition to aggressively investigating the individuals, organizations, and networks responsible for these crimes, this initiative provides the public with information to guard against both traditional scams, like tech support fraud, as well as trending schemes, such as romance scams.
Using one scam to perpetrate or conceal another, some fraudsters rely on money mules to move the proceeds of their illegal activity. Preying on the good will or financial vulnerability of their targets, scammers recruit people, many times older victims, to participate in schemes to move money in ways that avoid notice. The Money Mule Initiative identifies and addresses money mule activity to disrupt these fraud schemes, and helps people to recognize and avoid participation in perpetuating fraud.
To help older individuals and their families identify and avoid fraudulent activity, the Justice Department provides Senior Scam Alerts with information about the tactics used in specific schemes. For example, in Social Security Administration Impostor schemes, scammers impersonate government administrators and falsely reporting suspicious activity to request that the victims provide their Social Security number for confirmation. In Tech Support scams, fraudsters contact victims, sometimes through internet pop-up messages, to warn about non-existent computer problems, ask that the victim give them remote access to their computer, and identify a non-existent problem, then demand large sums of money for unnecessary services. In Lottery scams, telemarketers falsely notify victims that they have won a sweepstakes and tell them they must first pay fees for shipping, insurance, customs duties, or taxes before they can claim their prizes. In contractor frauds, workers knock on the door of an elderly victim and claim the victim’s home needs repair. The workers demand payment for work and supplies, but they either perform no or sub-par work before disappearing with the money.
To learn more about the department’s elder justice efforts please visit the Elder Justice Initiative page.
The Western District of Washington continues to work with federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute elder abuse crimes.
This year we prosecuted a former bank manager who stole from the accounts of elderly customers and last year prosecuted a so-called “money mule” who played a role in stealing funds from elderly victims. Also in 2023 we prosecuted an unlicensed investment advisor who stole the funds of his investors – many of them elderly.
To report elder fraud, contact the dedicated National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 or 1-833-372-8311 and visit the FBI’s IC3 Elder Fraud Complaint Center at IC3.gov.
Vancouver, Washington man sentenced to 10 years in prison for drug trafficking while possessing firearmsRead the Press Release
Tacoma – A 41-year-old Vancouver, Washington, man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 10 years in prison for drug distribution and firearms crimes, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Joseph Anthony Cannarozzi was identified in May 2021 as the source of potentially deadly fentanyl pills. The ensuing investigation determined Cannarozzi was dealing fentanyl pills and also selling anabolic steroids through the mail. At the sentencing hearing Chief U.S. District Judge David G Estudillo said, “This case is not about a statistic, it is about an individual who passed away from a mix of substance you sold him for money…. Controlled substances create real devastation and turmoil for real people.”
“Even after his pills were connected to a death, Mr. Cannarozzi, continued to deal fentanyl. Some 10,000 pills were seized from his home,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “That conduct, coupled with his possession of multiple firearms, justifies this significant prison sentence.”
According to records filed in the case, in May 2021 pills found with the victim of an overdose death were linked back to Cannarozzi prompting an investigation from the Clark County Sherriff’s Office. Officers surveilled Cannarozzi’s home and saw drug customers repeatedly coming to the home for suspected drug transactions. In October 2021, a search warrant at Cannarozzi’s home resulted in the seizure of 10,000 fentanyl pills made to look like prescription medication, as well as suspected steroids and records on drug distribution. Law enforcement also seized six firearms from the home.
The search revealed that Cannarozzi operated a business called “Locked and Loaded” that sold steroids and other medications via the internet. Financial records indicate that more than $1 million was processed through those business accounts.
Cannarozzi was charged federally in August 2022. Cannarozzi pleaded guilty to possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute and possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes on March 6, 2024.
In asking for the ten-year sentence Assistant United States Attorney Kristine Foerster wrote to the court, “The nation’s ongoing fentanyl-death epidemic would not be possible without suppliers like Cannarozzi. He trafficked in large quantities of deadly fentanyl pills disguised as prescription drugs. He did this despite knowing the pills could kill. He sold those pills to (the victim) and other customers, and he kept selling the pills even after they caused (the victim’s) death.”
The case was investigated by the Clark County Sherriff’s Office, the Vancouver Police Department, Homeland Security Investigation (HSI), and the United States Postal Service.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristine Foerster.
Tacoma man sentenced to more than six years in prison for violent assaultRead the Press Release
Tacoma– A 41-year-old Tacoma man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 80 months in prison for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Shaun Lee Blue stabbed the victim multiple times leaving him critically injured. Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo said “it is difficult for the court to wrap around the idea that whatever the victim did could justify stabbing him 17 times.”
According to records filed in the case, Blue worked for the victim as a day laborer. On March 19, 2023, the men were working on removing an old trailer from a property in Eatonville, Washington. At the end of the workday, the two met up at the Roy Y Park and Ride lot so that the victim could pay Blue for the work he had done.
At the parking lot, both men got out of their cars and started to argue. Blue pulled a knife and stabbed the victim in the abdomen multiple times causing serious cuts to his intestines, colon, and liver. Blue continued to stab the victim even after the victim fell to the ground.
After the attack, Blue drove away and the victim was able to call 9-1-1 for help. He was found critically injured in his vehicle and was taken to the hospital. The victim continues to recover from his significant injuries and multiple surgeries.
The Roy Y Park and Ride is on the property of Joint Base Lewis McChord and therefore is in exclusive federal jurisdiction.
In asking for a sentence above the guidelines range Assistant United States Attorney Hillary Stuart wrote to the court, “Blue has not yet been deterred from violent crime despite numerous arrests and jail sentences. Blue’s prior interactions with the law should have put him on notice as to the serious consequences of his crimes, but it did not. He lacks any respect for the law or the legal system.”
The victim is asking for $25,363 in restitution. Chief Judge Estudillo will determine the exact amount of restitution at a hearing next month.
The case was investigated by the FBI, and Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) with assistance from the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hillary K. Stuart.
Registered Sex Offender sentenced to 5+ years in prison for possession of images of child sexual abuseRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 59-year-old Shoreline, Washington man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 66 months in prison for possession of images of child sexual abuse, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Bruce Arthur Williamson came to the attention of federal law enforcement in October 2019 when Williamson communicated with an undercover agent in Tennessee regarding images of child sexual abuse. Law enforcement traced the communications to a residence Williamson shared with other sex offenders in Shoreline. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones imposed 15 years of supervised release to follow the prison term.
At the sentencing hearing Judge Jones said, “Young children are not pieces of candy in a dish that you get to pick to violate… You participated in a market that makes it a dangerous place for children.” Judge Jones expressed concern that despite a prior conviction, sentencing and treatment, Williamson had failed to register as a sex offender and again sought out child sex abuse material.
The FBI executed a federal search warrant on the residence in May 2020. A forensic investigation by law enforcement determined that various electronic devices owned by Williamson contained images of child sexual abuse. Williamson fled following the search and was ultimately located living homeless in November 2023 when he came into federal custody.
Williamson pleaded guilty in February 2024. The plea to federal charges also resolves a state charge of failing to register as a sex offender.
In asking the court for the 78-month sentence Assistant United States Attorney Cecelia Gregson wrote to the court, “Those who collect and share images and videos of children being assaulted further a market that thrives on the sexual abuse of children. The collection of this material drive demand for new material and normalize horrific acts of sexual exploitation. And it subjects victims of child abuse to perpetual re-victimization, knowing that the digital record of their worst moments forever travels the globe to whet the sexual appetite of child predators. The defendant has proven by his repeated crimes against minors that he is an unapologetic child predator.”
The FBI investigated this case.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Cecelia Y. Gregson.