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12 April 2024
Exembajador de los Estados Unidos y funcionario del Consejo de Seguridad Nacional admite haber actuado en secreto como agente del gobierno cubano y recibe sentencia de 15 añosRead the Press Release
Víctor Manuel Rocha, de 73 años, de Miami, Florida, exempleado del Departamento de Estado de los Estados Unidos que sirvió en el Consejo de Seguridad Nacional de 1994 a 1995 y como embajador de los Estados Unidos en Bolivia de 2000 a 2002, hoy se declaró culpable de actuar en secreto durante décadas como agente del gobierno de la República de Cuba. Inmediatamente después, un juez federal condenó a Rocha a la pena máxima legal de 15 años de prisión por sus delitos penales.
“La declaración de culpabilidad y la sentencia de hoy ponen fin a más de cuatro décadas de traición y engaño por parte del acusado”, expresó el fiscal general adjunto Matthew G. Olsen de la División de Seguridad Nacional del Departamento de Justicia. “Rocha admitió haber actuado como agente del gobierno cubano al mismo tiempo que ocupaba numerosos cargos de confianza en el gobierno de los Estados Unidos, una asombrosa traición al pueblo estadounidense y un reconocimiento de que cada juramento que hizo a los Estados Unidos fue una mentira”.
“Víctor Manuel Rocha actuó en secreto durante décadas como agente de una potencia extranjera hostil. Pensó que la historia de su misión encubierta a Cuba nunca sería contada porque tenía la inteligencia, el conocimiento y la disciplina para no ser detectado nunca. Rocha subestimó esas mismas habilidades en los fiscales y agentes del orden público que trabajaron incansablemente para llevarlo ante la justicia por traicionar su juramento a este país”, señaló el fiscal federal Markenzy Lapointe para el Distrito Sur de Florida. “Soy consciente de que la actividad delictiva de décadas de Rocha en nombre del gobierno cubano es especialmente dolorosa para muchos en el sur de Florida. La voluntad de Rocha de cooperar, como lo exige su acuerdo de culpabilidad, es importante, pero no cambia la gravedad de su mala conducta o su abuso clandestino de la confianza depositada en él. La sentencia de 15 años de prisión de Rocha, el castigo máximo por sus delitos penales, envía un poderoso mensaje a quienes actúan o quieren actuar ilegalmente en los Estados Unidos para un gobierno extranjero: los buscaremos en cualquier lugar, en cualquier momento y los procesaremos con todo el peso de la ley”.
La jueza del Tribunal Federal de Distrito, Beth Bloom, aceptó la declaración de culpabilidad de Rocha por los cargos 1 y 2 de la acusación formal, que le atribuyen conspiración para actuar como agente de un gobierno extranjero y conspiración para defraudar a los Estados Unidos y actuar como agente de un gobierno extranjero sin notificación según lo exige la ley.
A continuación, la jueza condenó a Rocha a la pena máxima legal por los cargos penales: 15 años de prisión, multa de $500,000 dólares estadounidenses, tres años de libertad supervisada y una cuota especial. La jueza también impuso importantes restricciones a Rocha.
Según los términos del acuerdo de culpabilidad de las partes, Rocha tiene que cooperar con los Estados Unidos, incluido el asistir con cualquier evaluación de daños relacionados con su trabajo en nombre de la República de Cuba. Rocha debe renunciar a todos los beneficios de jubilación futuros, incluidos los pagos de pensiones, que los Estados Unidos le debe por su antiguo empleo en el Departamento de Estado. Rocha también debe ceder a los Estados Unidos cualquier ganancia que tenga derecho a recibir en relación con cualquier publicación relacionada con su conducta delictiva o su servicio al gobierno de los Estados Unidos.
“A pesar de haber hecho un juramento de defender la Constitución de los Estados Unidos, Rocha traicionó a los Estados Unidos al trabajar en secreto como agente cubano durante décadas”, apunta la subdirectora ejecutiva Larissa L. Knapp de la División de Seguridad Nacional del FBI. “Después de años de mentir y poner en peligro la seguridad nacional y a los ciudadanos estadounidenses, finalmente aceptó la responsabilidad de sus acciones y recibió la pena máxima de prisión. Esto debería servir como aviso a nuestros adversarios de que el FBI trabajará incansablemente para detener a los servicios de inteligencia extranjeros y a cualquiera que trabaje con ellos en contra de los intereses de los Estados Unidos y procesarlos con todo el peso de la ley”.
“Víctor Manuel Rocha fue sentenciado hoy a 15 años de prisión por engañar a nuestra nación”, señaló el agente especial a cargo Jeffrey B. Veltri de la Oficina de Campo del FBI en Miami. “Incumplió descaradamente el juramento que tomó voluntariamente como empleado del Departamento de Estado e ignoró la lealtad a los Estados Unidos que es inherente a ese juramento. Como lo demuestra este caso, la amenaza de contrainteligencia que enfrenta nuestra nación es real, generalizada y tiene el potencial de causar un gran daño a nuestra seguridad nacional. Quiero felicitar a la Fiscalía Federal para el Distrito Sur de Florida por su estrecha colaboración en este asunto tan delicado. También quiero agradecer a nuestra Oficina de Campo en Washington y a nuestra División de Contrainteligencia, así como a la División de Seguridad Nacional del Departamento de Justicia y al Servicio de Seguridad Diplomática del Departamento de Estado por sus valiosas contribuciones a este caso”.
“La investigación de este delito demuestra la amenaza sostenida de los servicios de inteligencia hostiles”, expresó el subdirector de Operaciones Nacionales, Andrew Wroblewski, del Servicio de Seguridad Diplomática (DSS) del Departamento de Estado de los Estados Unidos. “La declaración de culpabilidad y la sentencia de hoy son otro ejemplo de nuestro compromiso de trabajar satisfactoriamente junto con nuestros colaboradores federales del orden público en la persecución de aquellos que comprometen la seguridad de los Estados Unidos”.
Al declararse culpable, Rocha admitió que, desde 1973 y hasta el momento de su arresto, apoyó secretamente a la República de Cuba y su misión clandestina de recopilación de inteligencia contra los Estados Unidos sirviendo como agente encubierto de la Dirección General de Inteligencia de Cuba.
Según admitió él mismo, para promover ese papel, Rocha obtuvo empleo en el Departamento de Estado de los Estados Unidos, donde trabajó entre 1981 y 2002, en puestos que le brindaron acceso a información no pública, incluida información clasificada, y la capacidad de afectar la política exterior de los Estados Unidos. Además de servir como embajador de los Estados Unidos en Bolivia y en el Consejo de Seguridad Nacional de la Casa Blanca, la carrera de Rocha incluyó un período como vicesecretario principal de la Sección de Intereses de los Estados Unidos del Departamento de Estado en La Habana, Cuba, de 1995 a 1997. Después de que terminó su empleo en el Departamento de Estado, Rocha participó en otros actos destinados a apoyar a los servicios de inteligencia de Cuba.
Rocha mantuvo en secreto su condición de agente cubano para protegerse a sí mismo y a los demás, y para permitirse la oportunidad de participar en actividades clandestinas adicionales. Rocha proporcionó información falsa y engañosa a los Estados Unidos para mantener su misión secreta y viajó fuera de los Estados Unidos para reunirse con agentes de inteligencia cubanos.
En una serie de reuniones durante 2022 y 2023, con un agente encubierto del FBI haciéndose pasar por un representante encubierto de la Dirección General de Inteligencia cubana, Rocha hizo repetidas declaraciones admitiendo sus “décadas” de trabajo para Cuba, que abarcan “40 años”. Cuando el agente encubierto le dijo a Rocha que era “un representante encubierto aquí en Miami” cuya misión era “contactarle, presentarme como su nuevo contacto y establecer un nuevo plan de comunicación”, Rocha respondió: “Sí” y procedió a entablar largas conversaciones durante las cuales describió y celebró su actividad como agente de la inteligencia cubana. A lo largo de las reuniones, Rocha se comportó como un agente cubano, refiriéndose constantemente a los Estados Unidos como “el enemigo” y utilizando el término “nosotros” para describirse a sí mismo y a Cuba. Rocha también elogió a Fidel Castro como el “Comandante” y se refirió a sus contactos en la inteligencia cubana como sus “compañeros” y a los servicios de inteligencia cubanos como la “Dirección”. Rocha calificó su labor como agente cubano como “enorme… Más que un grand slam”, y aseveró que lo que hizo “fortaleció a la Revolución… inmensamente”.
La Oficina de Campo del FBI en Miami investigó el caso, con valiosas contribuciones de la Oficina de Campo del FBI en Washington y el Servicio de Seguridad Diplomática (DSS) del Departamento de Estado de los Estados Unidos.
Los fiscales federales adjuntos Jonathan D. Stratton y John C. Shipley del Distrito Sur de Florida, junto con las abogadas litigantes Heather M. Schmidt y Christine A. Bonomo de la Sección de Contrainteligencia y Control de Exportaciones de la División de Seguridad Nacional procesaron el caso.
Toda persona que tenga información puede llamar al 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) o visitar tips.fbi.gov.
Elm Creek Woman Convicted for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Hallie Deleon, 25, formerly of Elm Creek, Nebraska, was sentenced on April 12, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for possession with intent to distribute meth. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Deleon to 22 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Deleon’s release from prison, she will begin a 3-year term of supervised release.
On September 8, 2022, law enforcement stopped a vehicle in Buffalo County, Nebraska. The vehicle had multiple occupants and Deleon was the front seat passenger. Law enforcement found probable cause and searched the vehicle. While searching the vehicle, law enforcement found two firearms, magazines with ammunition, drug paraphernalia, vials with suspected meth residue, a scale, and multiple used and unused baggies. Deleon was arrested, along with the other occupants of the vehicle. At the jail, staff found about an ounce of suspected meth on Deleon’s person.
This case was investigated by the Tri-City Drug Enforcement Team (TRIDENT). TRIDENT is a task force with law enforcement personnel from the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Grand Island Police Department, Hall County Sheriff’s Office, Hastings Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, Kearney Police Department, and the Nebraska State Patrol.
Edwardsville Man Sentenced to 168 Months’ Imprisonment for Drug Trafficking OffenseRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Lamar Brown, age 38, of Edwardsville, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 168 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion for drug trafficking offense.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, on July 13, 2020, in Luzerne County, Brown possessed with intent to distribute quantities of fentanyl and cocaine, both Schedule II controlled substances.
The matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Luzerne County Drug Task Force, the Kingston Police Department, the Wilkes-Barre Police Department, and the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney James Buchanan prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
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Dominican Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison as Member of Maritime Cocaine-Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on April 11, 2024, Herlin Hernandez-Trinidad, a/k/a “Rainely” (age: 29) of Miches, Dominican Republic, pled guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine on board a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, in violation of Title 46, United States Code, Section 70506(b). He was sentenced that same day to 10 years in federal prison by Chief U.S. District Judge Pamela Pepper.
According to court documents, beginning around January 2019 and continuing through August 2020, Hernandez-Trinidad and others coordinated maritime shipments of bulk quantities of cocaine from the Dominican Republic to Puerto Rico. Once the cocaine arrived in Puerto Rico, Hernandez-Trinidad distributed it to individuals like David Quinones-Quinones (a/k/a “Davo”), a Puerto Rico-based kilogram-quantity cocaine trafficker, who supplied individuals responsible for sending cocaine to various locations within the continental United States, including Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Court documents further reveal that Hernandez-Trinidad received maritime shipments of cocaine from the Dominican Republic. On one occasion, Hernandez-Trinidad facilitated a 300-kilogram cocaine shipment from the Dominican Republic to Puerto Rico. Hernandez-Trinidad was also linked to a maritime cocaine load seized by law enforcement on December 10, 2019. On that date, federal and local authorities interdicted a boat with Dominican nationals carrying 181 kilograms of cocaine near the shoreline of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico.
At sentencing, the Chief Judge noted that a significant sentence was necessary to reflect the significant quantity of drugs that were involved in the conspiracy.
“The sentence in this case is a direct result of excellent collaboration between federal, state, and local law enforcement,” stated U.S. Attorney Haanstad. “I commend the hard work and dedication of everyone involved in investigating and prosecuting this conspiracy.”
This prosecution is the product of a multi-year investigation led by law enforcement agents and officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the North Central High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigations, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Milwaukee Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. Brady, Jr. and Assistant United States Attorney Gail Hoffman prosecuted the case.
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District Man Indicted on Enhanced Second-Degree Theft for Theft from Target Retail Store in NorthwestRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, April 10, 2024, Brandon Goodwin, 38, of Washington, D.C., was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on one count of felony second-degree theft stemming from events occurring on March 28, 2024, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced.
Brandon Goodwin is to be arraigned on May 1, 2024, at a hearing before a Superior Court judge.
According to the government’s evidence, on March 28, 2024, Brandon Goodwin took store merchandise without paying from the Target store in Northwest, Washington, D.C. Mr. Goodwin was arrested after investigation by the Metropolitan Police Department.
Mr. Goodwin has two or more prior theft convictions, though not from the same occasion, and therefore is subject to enhanced penalties for his alleged theft, including a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in jail for each count of theft for which he is indicted.
Since September 1, 2023, including the aforementioned case, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia has indicted 39 cases involving a felony second-degree theft charge based on a defendant’s two or more prior theft convictions, not from the same occasion.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Gaskin.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty
District Man Indicted on Enhanced Second-Degree Theft for Theft from CVS Retail Store in NorthwestRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, April 10, 2024, Melvin Dykes, 61, of Washington, D.C., was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on one count of felony second-degree theft stemming from events occurring on February 23, 2024, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced.
Dykes is to be arraigned on April 30, 2024, at a hearing before a Superior Court judge.
According to the government’s evidence, on February 23, 2024, Dykes took merchandise without paying from the CVS store in Northwest, Washington, D.C. Dykes was located and arrested after investigation by the Metropolitan Police Department.
Dykes has two or more prior theft convictions, though not from the same occasion, and therefore is subject to enhanced penalties for his alleged theft, including a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in jail for each count of theft for which he is indicted.
Since September 1, 2023, including the aforementioned case, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia has indicted 39 cases involving a felony second-degree theft charge based on a defendant’s two or more prior theft convictions, not from the same occasion.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne Cotter.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
Delaware Woman Arrested for International Sextortion and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
A Delaware woman was arrested today in Delaware on criminal charges related to her role in an international sextortion scheme that targeted thousands of victims throughout the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
According to an indictment unsealed today, from May 2020 through December 2022, Hadja Kone, 28, of Wilmington, and Siaka Ouattara, 22, of Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, and other co-conspirators allegedly operated an international, financially motivated sextortion and money laundering scheme in which the conspirators engaged in cyberstalking, interstate threats, money laundering, and wire fraud. Through the scheme, Kone, Outtara, and others attempted to extort approximately $6 million from thousands of potential victims and successfully extorted approximately $1.7 million from those victims, using CashApp and ApplePay accounts alone.
As alleged in the indictment, Ouattara and others posed as young, attractive females online and initiated communications with thousands of potential victims, who were primarily young men and included minors from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Ouattara and others allegedly offered to provide and/or provided victims with sexual photographs, video recordings, and/or “web cam” or “live video chat” sessions of what they falsely portrayed to be an attractive young female, when in fact they were the ones operating the accounts. Unbeknownst to the victims, during the web cam/live video chats, Ouattara and others surreptitiously recorded the victims as they exposed their genitals and/or engaged in sexual activity. Ouattara and others sent the victims copies of the victims’ fraudulently obtained sexual images and threatened to distribute the victims’ sexual images to the victims’ friends, family members, significant others, employers, and co-workers and to publish the victims’ sexual images widely online, unless the victims transferred funds to designated recipients. Ouattara, Kone, and others also operated infrastructure to transfer the funds illegally obtained from the victims to Ouattara and others located in Côte d’Ivoire and elsewhere overseas.
On Feb. 24, Ivoirian authorities separately arrested Ouattara in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, on Ivoirian charges stemming from the same scheme.
Kone and Ouattara are each charged with conspiracy to commit cyberstalking and to send interstate threats, conspiracy to engage in money laundering, money laundering, and wire fraud. If convicted, Kone and Ouattara each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each conspiracy count and money laundering count, and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each wire fraud count.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney David C. Weiss for the District of Delaware; and Assistant Director Michael Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case, with assistance from the government of Cote d’Ivoire.
Trial Attorney Austin Berry of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Senior Trial Attorney Mona Sedky of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Briana Knox for the District of Delaware are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Dallas Anesthesiologist Convicted of Tampering with IV Bags Linked to Cardiac Emergencies During Routine SurgeriesRead the Press Release
A Dallas anesthesiologist was convicted today for injecting dangerous drugs into patient IV bags, leading to one death and numerous cardiac emergencies, the Justice Department announced.
Raynaldo Riviera Ortiz Jr., 60, was charged by criminal complaint in September 2023 and indicted the following month on charges related to tampering with IV bags used at a local surgical center. After eight days of trial and seven hours of deliberation, a jury convicted him of four counts of tampering with consumer products resulting in serious bodily injury, one count of tampering with a consumer product and five counts of intentional adulteration of a drug.
“The facts brought out at trial in this case are particularly disturbing,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department will work with its law enforcement partners to hold accountable anyone who puts patients’ lives at risk by tampering with critical medical products.”
“Dr. Ortiz cloaked himself in the white coat of a healer, but instead of curing pain, he inflicted it,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton for the Northern District of Texas. “He assembled ticking time bombs, then sat in wait as those medical time bombs went off one by one, toxic cocktails flowing into the veins of patients who were often at their most vulnerable, lying unconscious on the operating table. We saw the patients testify. Their pain, their fear and their trauma was palpable in that courtroom.”
“Patients expect that their doctors will use only safe and effective medical products during their surgeries. When illicit tampering occurs, serious harm and even death can result,” said Special Agent in Charge Charles L. Grinstead of the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OIC). “Working with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to monitor, investigate and bring to justice those who would risk patients’ health and safety.”
According to evidence presented at trial, between May and August 2022, numerous patients at Surgicare North Dallas suffered cardiac emergencies during routine medical procedures performed by various doctors. About one month after the unexplained emergencies began, an anesthesiologist who had worked at the facility earlier that day died while treating herself for dehydration using an IV bag. In August 2022, doctors at the surgical care center began to suspect tainted IV bags had caused the repeated crises after an 18-year-old patient had to be rushed to the intensive care unit in critical condition during a routine sinus surgery.
A local lab analyzed fluid from the bag used during the teenager’s surgery and found bupivacaine (a nerve-blocking agent), epinephrine (a stimulant) and lidocaine (an anesthetic) — a drug cocktail that could have caused the boy’s symptoms, which included very high blood pressure, cardiac dysfunction and pulmonary edema. The lab also observed a puncture in the bag.
Ortiz surreptitiously injected IV bags of saline with epinephrine, bupivacaine and other drugs, placed them into a warming bin at the facility, and waited for them to be used in colleagues’ surgeries, knowing their patients would experience dangerous complications. Surveillance video introduced into evidence showed Ortiz repeatedly retrieving IV bags from the warming bin and replacing them shortly thereafter, not long before the bags were carried into operating rooms where patients experienced complications. Video also showed Ortiz mixing vials of medication and watching as victims were wheeled out by emergency responders.
Evidence presented at trial showed that Ortiz was facing disciplinary action at the time for an alleged medical mistake made in his one of his own surgeries, and that he potentially faced losing his medical license.
At trial, doctors testified about the confusion they felt when their patients’ blood pressures suddenly skyrocketed. Reviewing medical records, they all noted the emergencies occurred shortly after new IV bags had been hung. Patients recalled waking up unexpectedly intubated in intensive care units they had been transported to via emergency medical transportation services, in pain and in fear for their lives.
A sentencing date has not yet been set. Ortiz faces a maximum penalty of 190 years in prison. The court will set his sentencing hearing at a later date.
FDA-OCI Special Agents Chad Medaris and Daniel Allgeyer investigated the case.
Assistant Director Patrick Runkle and Trial Attorney Rachel Baron of the Civil Division's Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney John de la Garza for the Northern District of Texas prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gail Hayworth for the Northern District of Texas provided appellate support. Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Godbey presided over trial.
For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas, visit www.justice.gov/usao-ndtx
Dallas Anesthesiologist Convicted of Tampering with IV Bags Linked to Cardiac Emergencies During Routine SurgeriesRead the Press Release
A Dallas anesthesiologist was convicted today for injecting dangerous drugs into patient IV bags, leading to one death and numerous cardiac emergencies, the Justice Department announced.
Raynaldo Riviera Ortiz Jr., 60, was charged by criminal complaint in September 2023 and indicted the following month on charges related to tampering with IV bags used at a local surgical center. After eight days of trial and seven hours of deliberation, a jury convicted him of four counts of tampering with consumer products resulting in serious bodily injury, one count of tampering with a consumer product and five counts of intentional adulteration of a drug.
“The facts brought out at trial in this case are particularly disturbing,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department will work with its law enforcement partners to hold accountable anyone who puts patients’ lives at risk by tampering with critical medical products.”
“Dr. Ortiz cloaked himself in the white coat of a healer, but instead of curing pain, he inflicted it,” U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas said in a video statement. “He assembled ticking time bombs, then sat in wait as those medical time bombs went off one by one, toxic cocktails flowing into the veins of patients who were often at their most vulnerable, lying unconscious on the operating table. We saw the patients testify. Their pain, their fear and their trauma was palpable in that courtroom.”
“Patients expect that their doctors will use only safe and effective medical products during their surgeries. When illicit tampering occurs, serious harm and even death can result,” said Special Agent in Charge Charles L. Grinstead of the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OIC). “Working with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to monitor, investigate and bring to justice those who would risk patients’ health and safety.”
According to evidence presented at trial, between May and August 2022, numerous patients at Surgicare North Dallas suffered cardiac emergencies during routine medical procedures performed by various doctors. About one month after the unexplained emergencies began, an anesthesiologist who had worked at the facility earlier that day died while treating herself for dehydration using an IV bag. In August 2022, doctors at the surgical care center began to suspect tainted IV bags had caused the repeated crises after an 18-year-old patient had to be rushed to the intensive care unit in critical condition during a routine sinus surgery.
A local lab analyzed fluid from the bag used during the teenager’s surgery and found bupivacaine (a nerve-blocking agent), epinephrine (a stimulant) and lidocaine (an anesthetic) — a drug cocktail that could have caused the boy’s symptoms, which included very high blood pressure, cardiac dysfunction and pulmonary edema. The lab also observed a puncture in the bag.
Ortiz surreptitiously injected IV bags of saline with epinephrine, bupivacaine and other drugs, placed them into a warming bin at the facility, and waited for them to be used in colleagues’ surgeries, knowing their patients would experience dangerous complications. Surveillance video introduced into evidence showed Ortiz repeatedly retrieving IV bags from the warming bin and replacing them shortly thereafter, not long before the bags were carried into operating rooms where patients experienced complications. Video also showed Ortiz mixing vials of medication and watching as victims were wheeled out by emergency responders.
Evidence presented at trial showed that Ortiz was facing disciplinary action at the time for an alleged medical mistake made in his one of his own surgeries, and that he potentially faced losing his medical license.
At trial, doctors testified about the confusion they felt when their patients’ blood pressures suddenly skyrocketed. Reviewing medical records, they all noted the emergencies occurred shortly after new IV bags had been hung. Patients recalled waking up unexpectedly intubated in intensive care units they had been transported to via emergency medical transportation services, in pain and in fear for their lives.
A sentencing date has not yet been set. Ortiz faces a maximum penalty of 190 years in prison. The court will set his sentencing hearing at a later date.
FDA-OCI Special Agents Chad Medaris and Daniel Allgeyer investigated the case.
Assistant Director Patrick Runkle and Trial Attorney Rachel Baron of the Civil Division's Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney John de la Garza for the Northern District of Texas prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gail Hayworth for the Northern District of Texas provided appellate support. Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Godbey presided over trial.
Cumberland County Man Charged with Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Edward Clouser, of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, was charged on April 10, 2024, by a federal grand jury with distributing and possessing child pornography.
According to U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment charges Clouser with distributing child pornography on November 28, 2022, and possessing child pornography including images involving a prepubescent minor and a minor who had not attained 12 years of age on February 7, 2023, in Cumberland County.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
The case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Haugsby prosecuted the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a term of up to lifetime supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Convicted Felon Is Sentenced to Prison for Firearms Offense, Assaulting Federal Officers, and Assault with Intent to Commit MurderRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Martin Medina, 32, an enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, has been sentenced to 14 years in federal prison and three years of supervised release for a firearms offense, assaulting federal officers, and assault with intent to commit murder, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. In addition to the sentence imposed for the weapons and assault convictions, Medina was ordered to serve an additional 30 months in prison for violating the terms of his federal supervised release, for a total sentence of more than 16 years.
Medina was convicted of federal charges in 2012 for abusive sexual contact and related offenses. Medina was sentenced to a term of imprisonment followed by a lifetime of supervised release. As a convicted felon, Medina was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. Also, among the conditions of Medina’s supervision were warrantless searches of his person and his residence.
According to court documents and court proceedings, on June 14, 2022, at approximately 1:10 p.m., federal probation officers and a deputy with the Cherokee Indian Police Department (CIPD) arrived at Medina’s residence, located in Swain County within the Qualla Boundary, to conduct a warrantless search. Medina met the law enforcement officers outside, then quickly ran inside his residence. A federal probation officer began to negotiate with Medina to come outside, but Medina did not comply. Officers with Tribal Alcohol Law Enforcement, Tribal Natural Resources Enforcement, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs arrived to assist. Law enforcement continued to negotiate with Medina, and over the course of the negotiations, law enforcement observed shell casings in the driveway. This led officers to believe that Medina was armed even though he was prohibited from possessing firearms.
According to court records, a SWAT team was called to the scene. Law enforcement reported potential gunfire coming from inside the residence. Medina continued to refuse to surrender, even after law enforcement deployed non-lethal gas into the residence. After deploying more gas into the home, law enforcement was again met with gunfire. Medina continued to fire at law enforcement, causing one of the officers to sustain a non-fatal injury. Eventually, Medina agreed to surrender, and he was taken into custody at 5:51 p.m.
Court records show that following Medina’s arrest, officers executed a search warrant at Medina’s residence, seizing five firearms, including three shotguns, assorted ammunition, extended magazines loaded to capacity for all weapons, two ballistic vests, a ballistic helmet, night vision goggles, a gas mask, various fixed-blade knives, suspected marijuana, and several thousand dollars in cash.
Medina remains in federal custody awaiting transfer to the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King commended the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Probation Office, the Cherokee Indian Police Department, Tribal Alcohol Law Enforcement, Tribal Natural Resources Enforcement, the Office of the Tribal Prosecutor, and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office for their work on this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex M. Scott of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.
Colorado Man Pleads Guilty to Participating in Global Prize Notice Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A Colorado man pleaded guilty today for engaging in a prize notice fraud scheme that defrauded thousands of consumers across the United States and abroad. John Kyle Muller, 58, of Boulder, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.
According to the indictment, Muller and his co-conspirators mailed millions of fraudulent prize notices that led their victims to believe that they had been individually selected to receive a large cash prize and would receive their prize if they paid a $20 to $50 fee. In reality, no victim ever received a large cash prize from Muller or his co-conspirators. Instead, victims received a “report” describing sweepstakes opportunities or a trinket of minimal value. After victims responded to one fraudulent prize notice mailing, Muller and his co-conspirators inundated them with additional fraudulent mailings. They also provided victims’ contact information to others in the fraudulent mass-mailing industry. Muller and his co-conspirators used the scheme to steal more than $15 million from victims, many of whom were elderly.
The fraud scheme operated from 2012 to February 2018, when the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) executed multiple search warrants and the Justice Department obtained a court order shutting down the fraudulent mail operation. Muller authored, edited and approved many of the fraudulent prize notice mailings before they were mailed to victims and shared the profits from the scheme.
“Through this fraud scheme, the defendant targeted and victimized the some of the most vulnerable among us,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department is committed to protecting all consumers – including the elderly and vulnerable – from predatory mass-mailing schemes.”
“John Kyle Muller appeared to be a successful, upstanding member of his community, while hiding the truth that that “success” was taking advantage of older Americans across the country,” said Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the USPIS’ Criminal Investigations Group. “Postal inspectors work hard to investigate and apprehend fraudsters, but also to prevent these scams. The best defense is to not respond to prize-notice mailings in the first place – if you have to pay money to claim a prize, you can be sure it’s a scam.”
USPIS investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Carolyn Rice and Charles Dunn of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch prosecuted the case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado.
The department urges individuals to be on the lookout for fraudulent psychic, lottery, prize notification and sweepstakes scams. If you receive a phone call, letter or email promising a large prize in exchange for a fee, do not respond. Fraudsters often will use official-sounding names or the names of real lotteries or sweepstakes or pretend to be a government agent purportedly helping to secure a prize.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with inappropriate agencies and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available.
More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage at www.justice.gov/elderjustice. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.
Coffee County man sentenced to federal prison for illegally obtaining COVID-19 pandemic relief fundsRead the Press Release
WAYCROSS, GA: A Coffee County man was sentenced to federal prison and ordered to pay more than $1.3 million in restitution for fraudulently obtaining funds intended to help businesses struggling financially during the pandemic.
Kyle Waldron, 59, of Douglas, Ga., was sentenced to 15 months in prison after pleading guilty to money laundering, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood also ordered Waldron to pay $1,371,219 in restitution. During the investigation federal agents seized $326,461 from Waldron’s bank accounts, which is subject to forfeiture. Judge Wood ordered Waldron to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Kyle Waldron committed brazen fraud and theft from pandemic relief funds,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “We continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who would illegally access these funds to fuel their own greed.”
Enacted by Congress in 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act provided more than $650 billion to financially struggling small businesses during the COIVD-19 pandemic. Those funds were disbursed primarily as grants and forgivable loans through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) through the Small Business Administration (SBA).
As described in court documents and testimony, an investigation by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations and the U.S. Secret Service determined that Waldron submitted at least 20 different PPP or EIDL applications on behalf of multiple businesses and individuals. To obtain loan funds, Waldron submitted multiple fake IRS forms in support of the funding applications, and falsely claimed large numbers of non-existent employees and inflated revenues in fraudulent requests for PPP and EIDL funding. Those applications resulted in SBA disbursements of more than $1.3 million.
“The sentence, along with the restitution, serves as a notice to those who committed COVID-19 fraud that IRS Criminal Investigation special agents and our partners are still conducting investigations and holding them accountable,” said Demetrius Hardeman, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office.
“Waldron believed that he could commit fraud and steal money designated to help businesses struggling to survive during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said J. Craig Reno, Resident Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service Savannah Resident Office. “This sentence should serve as a warning to potential thieves that they will be caught and prosecuted. As part of our dual protective and investigative mission, we are tasked with safeguarding the United States’ financial and payment systems from criminal exploitation. The U.S. Secret Service is committed to investigating cases of fraud and we work hand-in-hand with our law enforcement partners to pursue justice for victims of financial crime across the country.”
The case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations and the U.S. Secret Service and prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew A. Josephson and J. Bishop Ravenel.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Clayton Resident Sentenced to 20 Years for Federal Drug and Firearms CrimesRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Troy Michael Goforth, age 49, of Clayton, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 180 months for one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, and 60 months on one count of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. The terms will be served consecutively.
The charges arose from a joint investigation by members of Choctaw Nation Tribal Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On May 31, 2023, Goforth pleaded guilty to the charges. On September 21, 2022, Goforth led officers on a high-speed pursuit, during which Goforth was observed tossing a green duffel bag out of the car before jumping out of the vehicle and fleeing on foot. Upon apprehending and arresting Goforth, officers discovered a loaded 9mm pistol tucked into Goforth’s waist band. During a subsequent search of the nearby ditch, officers recovered the green duffel bag, which contained syringes, baggies, digital scales, and over 500 grams of methamphetamine.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearings. Goforth was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Satter represented the United States.
Cedar Rapids Man Involved in Methamphetamine Trafficking Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced today to more than 15 years in federal prison.
Calvin Williams, age 39, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 20, 2023 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance after a prior conviction for a serious drug felony and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that Williams was involved in a large-scale drug trafficking organization that was responsible for mailing methamphetamine from California to Iowa through the United States Postal Service. Williams and a co-defendant developed a source of supply in California who was sending packages containing methamphetamine through the United States Postal Service to several addresses in Cedar Rapids. Williams and a co-defendant would wrap the cash proceeds from the distribution of controlled substances, and they would mail the proceeds back to their source of supply in California in packages that listed fake names and return addresses.
Williams was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Williams was sentenced to 183 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a ten-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Williams is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of
Justice through a cooperative effort of the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force. The DEA Task Force consists of the DEA, the Linn County Sheriff's Office, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Marion Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-91.
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Castle Shannon Resident Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Possession of Methamphetamine and Cocaine with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Castle Shannon, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court on April 10, 2024, to 108 months of imprisonment, to be followed by four years of federal supervised release, after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine and a quantity of cocaine, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States Senior District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentence on Michael Hunsinger, 58.
According to information presented to the Court, on June 3, 2022, the Castle Shannon Police Department executed a search warrant at Hunsinger’s residence as part of a narcotics investigation within the community. During the search, law enforcement seized large quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine from the residence.
Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Stockey prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Castle Shannon Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Hunsinger.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Carlsbad Man Sentenced for Federal Drug and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Carlsbad man was sentenced to 240 months in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams and more of methamphetamine and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Manuel Pineda Montoya, 44, was arrested during 2023 joint enforcement operation in Carlsbad, New Mexico which resulted in the arrest of 12 alleged drug and firearms traffickers.
According to court documents, in May of 2023, Montoya was pulled over in three separate traffic stops – two in Eddy County and one in Lincoln County. During the first incident, officers located 3.8 kilograms of fentanyl pills, over $11,000 in cash, and two loaded firearms in Montoya’s vehicle. As a previously convicted felon, Montoya knew that he was prohibited from possessing any firearms or ammunition.
During the next two incidents, officers found a total of 6,710 net grams of methamphetamine in Montoya’s vehicle. In his plea agreement, Montoya admitted that he intended to distribute the methamphetamine to others.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Montoya will be required to serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Towanda R. Thorne-James, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration El Paso Division, made the announcement today.
The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Pecos Valley Drug Task Force, with enforcement assistance from the United States Marshal Service, Carlsbad Police Department, Eddy County Sheriff’ Department, Roswell Police Department, Chaves County Drug Task Force, DEA Airwing and Customs and Border Patrol.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Renee L. Camacho and Devon Aragon-Martinez are prosecuting the case.
This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The task force initiatives are also part of the New Mexico High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program (HIDTA), a federal grant program that supports law enforcement efforts to combat the drug threat in the state.
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California man sentenced to over 20 years for distributing pure meth in VirginiaRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A California man was sentenced today to 21 years and ten months in prison for distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, from Sept. 21, 2022, to Feb. 13, 2023, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents and task force agents used a confidential source to make multiple purchases of meth from Rodolfo Villanueva, 30. Each time, Villanueva sent a courier to meet the source. The courier would provide the meth from Villanueva to the source and collect from the source money owed to Villanueva for previously supplied meth. Villanueva was found to have supplied over 5 kilograms of nearly pure methamphetamine.
Following the final sale on Feb. 13, 2023, agents took Villanueva into custody and recovered the money from the transaction, which was in Villanueva’s coat pocket. A search of Villanueva’s Richmond apartment resulted in the recovery of 8.9 kilograms of fentanyl and 8.8 kilograms of cocaine.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; and Colonel Gary T. Settle, Virginia State Police Superintendent, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge David J. Novak.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia L. Norman prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-50.
California Man Involved in Methamphetamine Trafficking Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced on April 11, 2024, to more than 12 years in federal prison.
Carlos Sanchez, age 36, from San Bernardino, California, received the prison term after an October 23, 2023 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that Sanchez was involved in a large-scale drug trafficking organization that was responsible for mailing methamphetamine from California to Iowa through the United States Postal Service. Sanchez mailed multiple packages that contained many pounds of methamphetamine on behalf of the drug trafficking organization.
Sanchez was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Sanchez was sentenced to 150 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Sanchez is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force. The DEA Task Force consists of the DEA, the Linn County Sheriff's Office, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Marion Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-91.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Bissonnet trafficker heads to prison for forcing minors to engage in sex actsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 35-year-old Houston resident has been sentenced for sex trafficking of a minor on the “track,” announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Jerreck Michael Hilliard aka Jmoney pleaded guilty Oct. 12, 2022.
U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. has now sentenced Hilliard to 292 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard evidence that Hilliard had offered to teach another person the “pimp game” who then allegedly turned around and victimized numerous vulnerable young girls and women using violence and manipulation. In handing down the prison term, the court stated that the Hilliard was “every parent’s worst nightmare.” The court also noted that Hilliard destroyed the young victims’ lives for “nothing more than money” and that their lives would never again be the same. Hilliard was also ordered to serve 10 years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Hilliard will also be ordered to register as a sex offender. Restitution will be determined at a later date.
“No little girl dreams of growing up and selling her body for money,” said Hamdani. “Heinous things have happened to these victims that ultimately led them into the sights of the criminals who target and prey on them. What Hilliard did was reprehensible. It is no defense that a victim may have previously been involved in prostitution. Today, this victim blaming stops.”
From April 2019 to February 2020, Hilliard and others were involved in a sex trafficking conspiracy occurring on the Bissonnet “blade.” The “blade” or “track” is an area near I-59 Southwest Freeway and Bissonnet Street in Houston where pimps and traffickers commonly place their victims to engage in commercial sex.
Hilliard and co-conspirators recruited young teenage girls and forced them to engage in sex acts with clients for money in cars and hotels around the blade. Co-conspirators also passed around or reassigned victims amongst one another, coached each other on the “pimp game” and forced the young girls to walk the area while the traffickers kept the proceeds.
The victims were not allowed to switch between pimps unless they paid an exorbitant exit fee or were “beat out.” Some traffickers required daily quotas each night from their victims. If the girls did not meet those demands, the pimps and others severely punished victims through beatings and humiliation.
Hilliard will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Houston Police Department initiated the investigation with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations and the Harris County District Attorney’s Office as a part of the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance (HTRA). Established in 2004, the U.S. Attorney’s office in Houston formed HTRA to combine resources with federal, state and local enforcement agencies and prosecutors, as well as non-governmental service organizations to target human traffickers while providing necessary services to those that the traffickers victimized. Since its inception, HTRA has been recognized as both a national and international model in identifying and assisting victims of human trafficking and prosecuting those engaged in trafficking offenses.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Bennett, Kate Suh and Anthony Franklyn are prosecuting this case.
Biotech CEO Sentenced for $28M COVID-19 Securities Fraud Scheme and Obstruction of Related InvestigationRead the Press Release
The CEO of a California biotechnology company was sentenced today to seven years in prison for a securities fraud scheme that resulted in approximately $28 million in investor losses and obstruction of a related U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) investigation.
According to court documents, Keith Berman, 70, of Westlake Village, California, was the CEO and sole director of Decision Diagnostics Corp., a publicly traded medical device company. From February through December 2020, Berman engaged in a scheme to defraud investors by falsely claiming that Decision Diagnostics had developed a 15-second test to detect COVID-19 in a finger prick sample of blood when, in reality, no such test existed. Berman also falsely told investors that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was on the verge of approving Decision Diagnostics’ request for emergency use authorization of its purported COVID-19 test. In reality, Berman knew that his company was unwilling and unable to meet the clinical testing required by the FDA but concealed these material facts and misled investors.
“At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Keith Berman gave people false hope that his biotech company had developed a rapid blood test to detect COVID-19. But there was no such test. Berman defrauded investors to profit from the pandemic,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s sentence sends a message that those who attempt to capitalize on fear and desperation to cheat unsuspecting Americans in times of national emergency will be held accountable.”
As part of the scheme, Berman used a fake persona to repeat false and misleading statements to investors on internet message boards, and to lull unsuspecting investors into inaction by refuting allegations of fraud and threatening potential whistleblowers with civil or criminal sanctions. Berman also obstructed an SEC investigation into his conduct, using another false online identity to surreptitiously direct an investor to write a series of false and threatening letters to the highest levels of SEC management, including the SEC Chairman.
“The defendant, Keith Berman, used the chaos of COVID-19 to not only orchestrate a fraudulent scheme that preyed on investors’ uncertainties, but he also ensnared them in a deceitful web of lies with promises of prosperity, then retaliated against his victims when confronted with his bogus claims, demonstrating his callous disregard for others facing financial ruin at his hands,” said Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s (USPIS) Criminal Investigations Group “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, along with our partners, will continue to bring these predatory criminals to justice.”
“Keith Berman not only misrepresented himself and lied about a phony COVID-19 diagnostic test to entice unsuspecting investors, but he also engaged in threats and obstructed a federal investigation,” said Assistant Director Michael D. Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “This case demonstrates the FBI’s continued commitment to working with our partners to combat fraud and hold perpetrators accountable.”
Berman pleaded guilty on Dec. 7, 2023, to securities fraud, wire fraud, and obstruction of an official proceeding.
USPIS and the FBI investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Christopher Fenton, Kate T. McCarthy, and Matthew Reilly of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Bear Lake County Woman Sentenced to 7.5 Years in Federal Prison for Soliciting MurderRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – DeAnn Parkin, 31, of Ovid, Idaho, was sentenced to 90 months in federal prison for soliciting murder, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to court records, on May 23, 2023, special agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) received a tip from a reliable source regarding an individual, DeAnn Parkin, attempting to hire a hitman through a parody website. Parkin, motivated by personal grievances, sought the murder of the intended victim, providing detailed information about that victim and expressing urgency in email exchanges from May 14 to May 22, 2023. Undercover operations began on May 23, with an undercover agent introducing himself to Parkin as a hitman. The undercover agent communicated with Parkin through text messages and calls. Over several days, Parkin persistently and unequivocally conveyed her desire for the murder to be carried out. The undercover operation culminated with an in-person meeting in Ovid on June 6, 2023, where Parkin provided the undercover agent a $100 down payment, a diamond ring, and an agreement for future payments. Parkin was arrested after the payment occurred.
“While the defendant’s scheme to arrange a murder is shocking, it should not be surprising that law enforcement—in this case the ATF—was in a position to stop it,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “Along with our partners, we will continue to hold violent offenders accountable, regardless of the nature of their criminal conduct.”
“The act of murder is in itself a heinous crime,” said ATF Seattle Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais. “But the act of attempting to hire someone to commit murder is that much more egregious. When ATF learns of a murder for hire plot, we will do all we can to thwart these nefarious plans.”
Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Parkin to be placed on supervised release for three years following her prison sentence. Parkin pleaded guilty to use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire on January 9, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit applauded the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for their work on the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Paskett prosecuted the case.
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Albuquerque Man Sentenced for Federal Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man was sentenced to 33 months in prison after pleading guilty to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition. This case was adopted from state prosecution in cooperation with the Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
According to court documents, on December 4, 2022, deputies from the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence in the South Valley in reference to a domestic violence incident. The victim told dispatchers that her boyfriend, Leon Ruben Salazar, 42, pointed a firearm at her during an argument. The victim stated that she had been holding her two-year-old child at the time.
Following a 12-hour standoff with law enforcement, Salazar was taken into custody and transported to BCSO’s prisoner transport center. While there, Salazar admitted to smoking fentanyl the prior day and that a rifle was under his bed.
Based on that information, BCSO deputies obtained a search warrant for the residence. Inside, detectives found two handguns, a rifle and ammunition. In addition to the firearms, detectives located three bags of fentanyl pills weighing a total of approximately 20.6 grams, Xanax pills weighing approximately 12.5 grams, a baggie of methamphetamine, 14 Suboxone strips, two Fentanyl patches, and drug paraphernalia.
As a previously convicted felon and an unlawful user of and addict to a controlled substance, Salazar was prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition. At sentencing, federal prosecutors successfully argued that Salazar’s conduct and criminal history warranted a sentence at the top end of his guideline sentence of 27 to 33 months.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Salazar will be required to serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman made the announcement today.
The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case with assistance from the FBI Albuquerque Field Office. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Haynes prosecuted the case as part of an agreement with the Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
Through the agreement, Assistant District Attorneys are designated Special Assistant United States Attorneys (SAUSAs) in the United States Attorney’s Office. The SAUSA from the Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office screens every felony criminal complaint filed in Bernalillo County for federal criminal offenses, prioritizing federal charges against those who drive violence in the Albuquerque metropolitan area. Since 2020, the United States Attorney’s Office has reviewed almost 3,000 cases and has charged 343 criminal cases pursuant to this program.
The United States Attorney’s Office has similar agreements with the New Mexico Department of Justice and the First Judicial District Attorney’s Office and plans to expand the program throughout the state.
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15 Gang Members Indicted for Drug Trafficking and Firearms PossessionRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – Federal, state, and local law enforcement officials announce the unsealing of a superseding indictment charging 15 members of the Fully Blooded Felons, a criminal street gang that was active in Northeast Ohio and in the Ohio prison system. The gang members were charged for their roles in a drug trafficking conspiracy involving their importing and distributing fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and buprenorphine in Northeast Ohio, and their illegal possession of firearms. Three defendants have been in federal custody since December 2023. Authorities have arrested several newly charged defendants. They transported several of them to federal court in Cleveland, while the others are in custody elsewhere.
This announcement is made by United States Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko, FBI Special Agent in Charge Gregory Nelsen, and Cleveland Division of Police Chief Dorothy Todd.
“The indictment alleges that Raven Mullins and other members of the Fully Blooded Felons operated an open-air drug market, distributing the deadliest types of drugs sold on Cleveland’s streets. This organization is charged not only with peddling such poisons in Cleveland’s Cedar Estates neighborhood, but also with actively plotting to recruit persons to infiltrate the Ohio prison system to distribute drugs there so gang members could reap the profits,” said United States Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko. “This indictment and these arrests are a product of the dedication, cooperation, and tireless efforts of Northern District of Ohio federal, state, and local law enforcement partners who, working together, identified and disrupted this criminal organization. Because of these efforts, the many law-abiding members of the Cedar Estates neighborhood have a real opportunity to come together and make positive changes.”
“This operation and subsequent arrests underscore the FBIs mission to investigate, disrupt, and dismantle gangs not only in the larger cities across America, but also right here in northern Ohio,” said FBI Cleveland Special Agent in Charge Greg Nelsen. “Identifying criminal networks takes careful coordination and collaboration. We are proud to partner with the agencies that make up the FBI Safe Streets Gang Task Force, which includes the Cleveland Division of Police, Ohio Adult Parole Authority, and the Ohio Investigative Unit. In addition, the United States Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Cleveland’s Third District played a major role in this operation. We thank them as well as our other federal, state, and local partners who work seamlessly together to protect our communities and keep offenders off the streets.”
The following defendants are charged in the 33-count superseding indictment:
Raven Mullins, aka Dunny, aka Dun, 34, Cleveland, Ohio
Henry Burchett, aka Noodles, aka Noo, 39, Cleveland, Ohio
Cortez Tyree, aka Seed, 34, Cleveland, Ohio
Rodney Linson, aka Scrap, 37, Willoughby Hills, Ohio
Elijah Johnson, aka Loon, 36, Unknown
Demarcus Elliott, aka Moo, 37, Westlake, Ohio
Dontez Hammond, aka Donny, 35, Cleveland, Ohio
Jeffrey Lee, aka Fatty, 23, Cleveland, Ohio
Jerrell Jones-Ferrell, aka Ruga, 25, Cleveland, Ohio
Jerry Mullins, aka B. Money, 32, Cleveland, Ohio
Devonte Johnson, aka D Nut, aka Nut, 31, Cleveland, Ohio
Jerome Williams, aka Jay, 29, Cleveland, Ohio
Christepher Horton, aka Cam, aka Killa, 40, Erie, Pennsylvania
Deeundra Perkins, aka Drizzy, 32, Unknown
Deon Blackwell, aka White Boy, 37, Cleveland, OhioThe defendants were all charged in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Additionally, six defendants were charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances offenses, five defendants were charged with illegal possession of firearms, and five defendants were charged with possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. One defendant was charged with interstate travel in aid of racketeering, and 11 defendants were charged with using a communications facility to facilitate a felony drug offense.
The superseding indictment alleges that between as early as January 2022, and continuing through April 2, 2024, the defendants did knowingly and intentionally conspire with each other to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute mixtures and substances containing fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance, cocaine base (“crack”), a Schedule II controlled substance, and buprenorphine, a Schedule III controlled substance.
According to court documents, Raven Mullins and other defendants operated an organized gang hierarchy that committed violent acts, possessed and transferred firearms, and distributed controlled substances in Northeast Ohio. The Fully Blooded Felons used two apartments at the Cedar Estates in Cleveland, Ohio, to store controlled substances and firearms and to distribute different controlled substances to customers. Subordinate gang members used a grassy area immediately adjacent to the Cedar Estates, and the area surrounding the 28th Street Liquor Store, to distribute controlled substances to customers at the direction of Raven Mullins and other high-ranking members. The superseding indictment alleges that Elijah Johnson travelled to Texas and Arizona to obtain kilogram quantities of pills containing fentanyl, which he then supplied to Fully Blooded Felon members for distribution in Northeast Ohio. Additionally, the superseding indictment alleges that the Fully Blooded Felons operated a drug smuggling and distribution ring inside numerous Ohio state prisons and federal detention centers.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, each defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.
The specific mission of the OCDETF Cleveland Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle major criminal organizations and subsidiary organizations, including criminal gangs, transnational drug cartels, racketeering organizations, and other groups engaged in illicit activities that present a threat to public safety and national security and are related to the illegal smuggling and trafficking of narcotics or other controlled substances, weapons, humans, or the illegal concealment or transfer of proceeds derived from such illicit activities in the Northern District of Ohio. The OCDETF Cleveland Strike Force consists of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Marshals Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Border Patrol, and the Cleveland Division of Police. The prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
The investigation preceding the superseding indictment was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Safe Streets Task Force, the Cleveland Division of Police’s Third District and Gang Impact Unit, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Ohio Adult Parole Authority, the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, and the Ohio Investigative Unit. The United States Marshals Service coordinated the arrests of those defendants apprehended.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert J. Kolansky and Paul E. Hanna, with assistance from Trial Attorneys Brian W. Lynch and Alyssa Levey-Weinstein of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section.
11 April 2024
Worcester Man Pleads Guilty to Passport Fraud and Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester man pleaded guilty yesterday to using a stolen identity to apply for a United States passport after he had unlawfully reentered the United States following deportation.
Rohan Andrew Brown, 56, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien and one count of passport fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for July 17, 2024.
Brown, a native of Jamaica, was previously deported in August 2002 after a conviction in Connecticut for unlawful restraint in the first degree. Sometime after his removal, Brown unlawfully reentered the United States. In 2012, Brown unlawfully obtained a passport by using the identity of a United States Citizen. Over the following years, Brown continued to use that stolen identity to obtain drivers licenses in California and Ohio. In March 2022 and May 2023, Brown attempted to renew the passport using the same fraudulent identity.
The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of passport fraud provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Matthew O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office; and Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen M. Noto of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
Wisconsin Man Sentenced for Sex Trafficking a Woman and a Minor OnlineRead the Press Release
A Wisconsin man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release after pleading guilty in November 2023 to two counts of sex trafficking.
According to court documents, Austin Koeckeritz, 30, of River Falls, pleaded guilty to compelling a young woman to perform commercial sex acts online, and also sex trafficking a minor.
“Sex traffickers exploit vulnerable victims for profit and, increasingly, this practice includes commercial sex activity online,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This should send a clear message – sex traffickers who try to hide behind computer screen screens and exploit victims online will be exposed and held accountable. The Justice Department remains committed to prosecuting human trafficking offenses, no matter the form, and standing up for the children and adult survivors targeted by these abusers.”
“My office will continue to work with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to hold human traffickers accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea for the Western District of Wisconsin. “Sex trafficking and forced prostitution are terrible crimes and our priority is to restore freedom and dignity to the victims.”
“The women and men of the FBI work tirelessly to combat sex trafficking in communities across Wisconsin to stop individuals like Koeckeritz from exploiting and harming innocent victims,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Hensle of the FBI Milwaukee Field Office. “Human trafficking has lifelong impacts on those affected. The FBI, along with our law enforcement partners, is dedicated to bringing these individuals to justice.”
According to court documents, Koeckeritz used violence, threats of violence, emotional manipulation, isolation and surveillance to recruit and then compel one adult victim into engaging in online commercial sex acts in the River Falls area between August 2020 and August 2022. Beginning in January 2021, the adult victim was forced to perform the commercial sex acts between eight and 12 hours a day, six days a week, for over 18 months. He also caused a minor victim to engage in commercial sex acts between October 2021 and January 2022.
The FBI Milwaukee Field Office and River Falls Police Department investigated the case, with assistance from the Pierce County District Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor Kraus for the Western District of Wisconsin and Trial Attorneys Slava Kuperstein and Julie Pluger of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit prosecuted the case.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
Wayne County man arrested on multiple child exploitation chargesRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that John C. Aldrich, IV, 54, of Palmyra, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with the production, receipt, possession, and distribution of child pornography, and enticement of a minor. The charges carry a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a fine up to $250,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, law enforcement began investigating Aldrich in March 2024, after receiving information that he had engaged in the ongoing physical and sexual abuse of a minor victim in Palmyra, NY. Investigators recovered messages between the victim and Aldrich, which revealed that Aldrich had been involved in an ongoing pattern of abuse in which he sexually abused the victim and produced child pornography. According to the complaint, the abuse took place on a weekly basis over a period of more than one year, beginning when the victim was only 14 years old.
Aldrich made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marian W. Payson and was held pending a detention hearing on April 22, 2024, at 11:00 a.m.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, Lyons, under the direction of Major Miklos Szoczei II, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Watertown Man Sentenced to over Two Years in Prison for African Sports Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Watertown man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for defrauding investors who believed they were financing lucrative sports ventures in Africa.
Adrian Kawuba, 34 was sentenced by United States Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to 27 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Kawuba was also ordered to pay restitution of more than $625,000, forfeiture of more than $2.2 million and to pay a special assessment of $400. In December 2023, Kawuba pleaded guilty to four counts of wire fraud.
Kawuba told his victims that he would invest their money in short-term financing of youth sports ventures in Africa and elsewhere and that he would personally guarantee their investments. In fact, Kawuba did not invest any of the victims’ funds. Instead, Kawuba used the money to pay for luxury goods and to pay purported returns to his investors – in some instances re-paying a victim’s earlier investment with money victims had sent Kawuba for a new investment. The scheme involved at least 26 fraudulent deals, and involved more than $2.2 million in victim funds, of which Kawuba kept more than $625,000.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. The Watertown Police Department provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kriss Basil of the Office’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
United States Attorney Cunha Advises Rhode Islanders to be Wary of Scammers Alleging Missed Jury Duty and Demand for Payment of FinesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Rhode Island has been made aware of an ongoing scam in which individuals receive communications instructing them to call a number claiming to be the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island. Callers are advised that they have missed jury duty and must pay a fine immediately to avoid arrest or other consequences. Individuals have been asked to withdraw money and transfer it in accordance with instructions given over the phone, in some cases by first converting it into cryptocurrency.
If you receive a request of this kind - DO NOT SEND MONEY. These communications are fraudulent. The United States District Court will never contact individuals seeking payments for missed jury service.
Anyone receiving communications of this nature should contact their local police department or contact the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at www.ic3.gov
If you have questions regarding jury service, you can contact the District Court Clerk’s Office at (401) 752-7200.
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U.S. Attorneys for the Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of North Carolina, Department of Housing & Urban Development Office of Inspector General Host Community Conversation on Combatting Sexual Harassment in HousingRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – United States Attorneys Michael Easley for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Sandra Hairston for the Middle District of North Carolina, and Dena King for the Western District of North Carolina joined the Civil Rights Division and the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Inspector General (HUD OIG) in hosting a community conversation today focused on the use of the Fair Housing Act to prevent and address complaints of sexual harassment in HUD-assisted housing.
“In our ongoing commitment to ensure justice and safety for all, we are proud to co-host a community conversation with a focus on combating sexual harassment in housing,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “This event represents a crucial step in our collaborative efforts to create a safe living environment for all people.”
“Abusing power and control over housing by committing acts of sexual harassment violates a person’s right to equal housing opportunities,” said U.S. Attorney King. “My Office remains steadfast in our commitment to enforce federal civil rights laws to combat sexual harassment in housing, protect vulnerable tenants and housing applicants, and hold accountable landlords, property managers, and owners who violate these statutes.”
“Sexual harassment of citizens who are pursuing safe and affordable housing will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Hairston. “This reprehensible conduct is often inflicted on people who feel they do not have an avenue to seek help. We hope today’s seminar has provided our partner agencies and organizations with information that can be shared with citizens who may have fallen prey to this illegal activity.”
“Sexual harassment and sexual assault in HUD-assisted housing are discriminatory actions that violate a tenants’ rights to safe and fair housing,” said Inspector General Oliver Davis. “We are proud to work closely with our partners at the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice and will continue to enforce the Fair Housing Act by pursuing bad actors who take advantage of tenants and prospective tenants in violation of the law.”
The virtual engagement signified the partnership between the federal agencies to promote the health and safety of tenants residing in HUD-assisted housing by working together to bring justice to victims of predatory landlords and other housing providers who sexually harass or sexually assault tenants in violation of the federal Fair Housing Act. The topics included discussions about the Fair Housing Act and tenant rights under the law, how to recognize and report sexual misconduct in housing, and case studies.
Participants included representatives from legal aid offices, fair housing organizations, and other community organizations who assist underserved and underrepresented communities with housing. Participants were encouraged to share their experiences, concerns, and expertise to forge future partnerships and provide resource assistance to beneficiaries when reporting allegations of sexual misconduct in housing.
If you or someone you know has information about or has been a victim of sexual harassment, sexual assault, or sexual exploitation—even if the events occurred years ago—report it to the HUD Office of Inspector General Hotline at 1-800-347-3735 or visit the website at www.hudoig.gov/hotline.
You may also file a complaint with HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at https://www.hud.gov/fairhousing/fileacomplaint.
You may also contact the U.S. Department of Justice at 1-844-380-6178 or visit www.civilrights.justice.gov.
Individuals who believe they may have been victims of sexual harassment or other housing discrimination may also contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at:
Eastern District of North Carolina: (919) 856-4530
Middle District of North Carolina: (336) 333-5351
Western District of North Carolina: Charlotte (704) 344-6222 or Asheville (828) 271-4661
For more information on the three North Carolina U.S. Attorney’s Offices, priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit:
Eastern District of North Carolina: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc
Middle District of North Carolina: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdnc
Western District of North Carolina: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdnc
Two Texans Sentenced to 15 Years for A Conspiracy to Distribute over 20 Kilograms of CocaineRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced Arnulfo Rodriguez-Munoz (43, Fort Worth, TX) and Enrique Velasquez (45, Dallas, TX) each to 15 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Both Rodriguez-Munoz and Velasquez entered guilty pleas on June 22, 2023.
According to court documents, Velasquez coordinated a shipment of cocaine that was supposed to travel to Florida (but was intercepted by law enforcement). Velasquez then traveled to the Tampa Bay area to recover the proceeds. Rodriguez-Munoz traveled to Florida to coordinate two additional shipments of cocaine, one of which was concealed inside a speaker box. Both of those cocaine shipments were also recovered by law enforcement.
Two co-conspirators were previously sentenced. Heriberto Castillo was sentenced to 7 years in federal prison and David Ceballos was sentenced to 3 years and 1 month in federal prison.
This case was being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Hardee County Sheriff’s office, and the Lakeland Police Department. 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. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael R. Kenneth and Diego F. Novaes.
Two San Antonians Sentenced to 18 and 15 Years in Federal Prison for Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A San Antonio man was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 216 months in prison for trafficking methamphetamine into the U.S. from Mexico.
According to court documents, Miguel Bazan, 39, was encountered by U.S. Border Patrol agents at the Eagle Pass Border Patrol Station on Oct. 14, 2019. Agents referred the vehicle to secondary inspection and discovered 64.671 kilograms of methamphetamine hidden in after-market compartments built into the vehicle.
Bazan pleaded guilty on June 14, 2021, to conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. Codefendant Melanie Mendoza Garza, who was in the vehicle with Bazan, pleaded guilty on March 22, 2021, to the same charge. She was sentenced on June 8, 2023, to 188 months in federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations and the USBP investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katy Garner prosecuted the case.
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Two Men Indicted for Laundering Millions of Dollars in Fraud Proceeds and Operating Unlicensed Money Transmitting BusinessRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A newly-unsealed criminal indictment filed in U.S. District Court in Charlotte charges Olumide Olorunfunmi, 41, of Arlington, Texas, and Samson Amos, 52, of Burlington, New Jersey, with money laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business and concealment money laundering, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. A third defendant, Emmanuel Unuigbe, 41, of Dallas, Texas, previously pleaded guilty for his role in the scheme and is awaiting sentencing.
Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in North Carolina, joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to allegations in the indictment and filed court documents in Unuigbe’s case, from 2020 through 2023, Olorunfunmi and Amos conspired with Unuigbe and others to launder the illegal proceeds of business email compromise schemes (BECs) and online romance scams targeting elderly victims. Victims of these frauds were directed into wiring and otherwise transferring funds into bank accounts controlled by Olorunfunmi, Amos, Unuigbe and their coconspirators, including bank accounts in the name of Topaz Trading & Logistics Inc., Summit Trading & Financial Services Inc., and Stage 23 Konsult LLC. After receiving the fraud proceeds, Olorunfunmi and Amos depleted the bank accounts through multiple withdrawals and transfers into other accounts, including overseas accounts. As alleged in the indictment, the defendants and their coconspirators caused more than 125 third parties to deposit or transfer over $4.5 million of proceeds stemming from illegal activities.
According to allegations in the indictment, Olorunfunmi and Amos profited by, among other things, keeping a percentage of fraudulent proceeds obtained through the schemes. They also allegedly earned compensation by conspiring to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business, through which Olorunfunmi and Amos agreed to, among other things, “pay” for the domestic deposits received by others by transferring Nigerian Naria from accounts the coconspirators controlled in Nigeria to other accounts in Nigeria, based upon a “black market” exchange rate for United States Dollars to Naira.
Amos was released on bond after making his initial appearance in court in Charlotte. Olorunfunmi is scheduled to have his initial appearance in Charlotte on April 25, 2024.
The charges contained in the indictment are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The charge of money laundering conspiracy carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The charge of conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business has a statutory penalty of up to five years in prison. The concealment money laundering charges each carry a maximum sentence of no more than 20 years in prison.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the FBI for the investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Ryan with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is in charge of the prosecution.
If you believe you were impacted by the charged crimes and/or were asked to send money to Topaz, Summit, or Stage 23, please contact the FBI at 704-672-6100.
Two Defendants Are Sentenced for Stealing Social Security BenefitsRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Today, Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, announced that two defendants convicted for theft of Social Security Administration (SSA) benefits in separate cases have been sentenced in federal court.
Henry Lionel Barber, 77, of Charlotte, was sentenced to three years of probation, with eight months of home confinement, for theft of government funds and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $140,541 to SSA. According to filed court documents and court proceedings, from 2009 to 2023, Barber stole SSA survivor’s benefits which were paid monthly in the name of a deceased beneficiary. Court records show that Barber converted United States Department of Treasury checks issued to the deceased beneficiary for his own use. Barber later used ATM cards associated with a bank account in the deceased beneficiary’s name where the survivor’s benefits were direct deposited to make cash withdrawals and other unauthorized financial transactions. Barber collected approximately $140,000 in funds administered by the SSA in the form of survivor’s benefits, which he was not entitled to receive. On October 18, 2023, Barber pleaded guilty to theft of government funds.
In a separate case, Ivan Buxton Gay Jr., 81, of Huntersville, N.C., was sentenced to five years of probation, with eight months of home confinement, for theft of government funds and making a false statement on a passport application. Gay was also ordered to pay $142,000 in restitution to SSA. According to court records in this case, as early as 1992, Gay stole the identity of Alvin Vincent Lee, an infant that died in the 1940’s. Gay used Alvin Vincent Lee’s information, including a birth certificate, to fraudulently obtain a North Carolina Driver’s License and a Social Security card under Alvin Vincent Lee’s name. Court records also show that, in 2006, Gay applied for and began to receive retirement benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) from the SSA under Alvin Vincent Lee’s name. In total, Gay collected approximately $142,000 in funds administered by the SSA in the form of retirement benefits and SSI. Then, in 2020, Gay applied for a United States passport using Alvin Vincent Lee’s identity, declaring under penalty of perjury that the statements and information on the application form were true and correct. In support of the passport application, Gay provided false documentation and a photograph of himself attesting that it was a correct and true photograph of Alvin Vincent Lee. On November 6, 2023, Gay pleaded guilty to theft of government funds and making a false statement on a passport application.
“Theft of social security benefits is theft of taxpayer dollars,” said U.S. Attorney King. “My Office’s prosecutions protect the integrity of the SSA programs and ensure that funds are administered to individuals qualified to receive them. I want to thank SSA-OIG for their partnership and for joining forces with my Office to accomplish our shared mission.”
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the SSA-OIG for its thorough investigation of both cases, and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service for its invaluable assistance with Gay’s investigation.
The charges are the result of an ongoing effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of North Carolina to deter theft of government funds and bring to justice individuals who steal government benefits that millions of Americans rely on.
The cases were prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) Eric Frick. Mr. Frick is a prosecutor with the Social Security Administration and is assigned to serve as a SAUSA with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, in charge of prosecuting SSA fraud cases. The SAUSA position is a reflection of the partnership between the SSA and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
If you suspect someone of committing fraud, waste, or abuse against Social Security, you can submit a report online at oig.ssa.gov or contact the SSA-OIG’s fraud hotline at 1-800-269-0271.
Texas man pleads guilty in $1 million kickback schemeRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A man pleaded guilty to taking part in a $1 million fraudulent customer refund scheme involving more than a dozen defendants.
According to court documents, Mercele Brooks, 28, of Harker Heights, Texas, pleaded guilty to one count of accessory after the fact to laundering monetary instruments.
Kanesha Mercer, Darius Polite, Rudy Hunt, and Veronica Kilman were employees at Advanced Call Center Technologies ("ACCT") in Junction City, Kansas. Their duties included processing customer refunds for AT&T Digital Life home security systems. Between December 2016 and August 2018, they processed fraudulent refund claims totaling approximately $1 million. They deposited the funds into the bank accounts of co-conspirators who would return a portion of the money to the employees. Accounts owned or controlled by Brooks received $100,317 in wire fraud proceeds.
“This type of fraud, put simply is greed driven. These crimes are not victimless, as ultimately costs are passed on to the consumer. This investigation determined that multiple bad actors took part in this scheme, and this plea demonstrates that these individuals are being held accountable for their actions,” said Stephen A. Cyrus, FBI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge.
Kanesha Mercer, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and was sentenced to 14 months in prison.
Kory Epps Jr., 25, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and was sentenced to 10 months in prison.
Caylon McCormick pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and was sentenced to six months in prison.
Darius Polite, 30, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and is awaiting sentencing.
Anthony Charite, 33, Kiondra Armstrong, 30, Fontelle Jolly, 26, Veronica Kilman, 33, Rudy Hunt, 32, and Sharika Pope, 42, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.
Erica Jackson, 41, and Shunqureau Gilbert, 30, pleaded guilty to laundering of monetary instruments.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Skip Jacobs is prosecuting the case.
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Telemedicine Nurse Practitioner Sentenced for $7.8 Million Durable Medical Equipment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Virginia-based nurse practitioner was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with a $7.8 million telemedicine fraud scheme involving medically unnecessary durable medical equipment (DME), including orthotics such as back and knee braces.
Daphne Jenkins, 64, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 18 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release, with the first year to be served in home confinement. Jenkins was also ordered to pay $3,952,761 in restitution. In November 2023, Jenkins pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
Between December 2018 and April 2020, Jenkins worked with a purported telemedicine company to sign orders for medically unnecessary durable medical equipment (DME). These DME orders were pre-populated by telemarketing companies that called Medicare beneficiaries to solicit their information. Through DocuSign, Jenkins signed these DME orders even though she did not have any contact with the beneficiaries and did not have a provider-patient relationship with them. Often Jenkins signed these DME orders without reading them. For instance, one packet was 16 pages long and contained multiple orders for orthotics. Jenkins electronically signed her name 12 times and completed the orders in approximately 32 seconds. A second packet was 37 pages long and contained multiple orders for orthotics. Jenkins electronically signed her name 24 times and completed the orders in approximately 45 seconds. Once Jenkins signed these orders, the telemarketing company sold them to DME suppliers, which then submitted claims to Medicare. As a result of Jenkins’ participation in this conspiracy, over $7.8 million in claims were submitted to Medicare for DME that was medically unnecessary, based on false documentation and tainted by kickbacks.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge, Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Boston Division; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; Carol S. Hamilton, Regional Director, Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor; and Patrick Hegarty, Special Agent in Charge, Defense Criminal Investigation Service, North East Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Graber and Howard Locker of the Health Care Fraud Unit and Alexandra Brazier and Lindsey Ross of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit prosecuted the case.
Tampa Drug Trafficker Convicted by A Federal JuryRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Anthony Carroll (50, Tampa) guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. Carroll faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Carroll and his co-defendant agreed with an individual located in Mexico and associated with the Sinaloa Cartel to purchase 30 kilograms of cocaine in Tampa. An undercover agent in communication with the Mexican cartel member was solicited by that individual to transport the 30 kilograms of cocaine from El Paso, Texas to Tampa. Once in Tampa, the undercover agent contacted the Mexican cartel member who told the agent that two people would be arriving to the meeting location in a white sedan. Carroll and his co-defendant arrived shortly afterwards in Carroll’s white car. The pair met with two undercover agents, paid them the transportation fee, and took possession of the cocaine. A short while later, troopers from the Florida Highway Patrol stopped the vehicle. After a narcotics dog was deployed on the vehicle, troopers discovered the cocaine in the trunk. The pair were then arrested.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration - Tampa District Office and El Paso Field Division and the Florida Highway Patrol. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shauna S. Hale.
Stilwell Resident Sentenced to 30 Years for Aggravated Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Bryan Udale Jones, age 63, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 360 months for one count of Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country. Jones will also be required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
The charges arose from investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Adair County Sheriff’s Office.
On May 2, 2023, Jones pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, beginning in 2003 and continuing into 2010, Jones sexually assaulted a minor under the age of 12. As part of the plea agreement, Jones admitted to additional assaults on three other minors over a span of 15 years. The crimes occurred in Adair County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
“Four innocent children suffered unimaginable horrors at the hands of Bryan Jones. He is both a danger and a disgrace, and now, thanks to the courage of the victims who came forward in this case, he will spend the rest of his natural life behind prison bars,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. “This sentence sends a clear message that the FBI and our law enforcement partners will not tolerate the abuse and exploitation of children.”
“Thanks to brave individuals with the courage to speak up and the diligent efforts of investigators and prosecutors, Bryan Udale Jones will effectively spend the rest of his life in prison,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “I want to thank our partners in the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Adair County Sheriff’s Office for their work on this case and for their continued partnership in keeping our communities safe from child predators.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Jones will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Paladino represented the United States.
St. Louis County Man Admits Two CarjackingsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from Jennings, Missouri on Thursday admitted committing two carjackings in October.
Ahmod Samez Moore, 28, of Jennings, pleaded guilty to two counts of carjacking and one count of possessing and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. He admitted robbing an acquaintance and stealing his 2015 Kia Optima at gunpoint on Oct. 5, 2023. Five days later, he robbed and carjacked a man in St. Louis, stealing his 2003 GMC Envoy.
The Kia owner was heading to a friend’s home to do laundry when he stopped at a liquor store and ran into Moore. Moore told the victim that he was having financial problems and asked for a ride. During the drive, when the victim came to a stop in Country Club Hills, Missouri, Moore pointed a handgun at him and demanded his belongings. The victim initially believed Moore was joking but later believed Moore was going to shoot him. Moore then ordered the victim to strip to his underwear and get out of the car.
On October 10, the GMC’s owner was standing next to his SUV when Moore approached with a firearm. Moore demanded that victim’s belongings and stole the GMC. On October 24, investigators conducted a court-approved search of Moore’s apartment. The GMC was parked in the parking lot and they found the GMC owner’s wallet, gold watch and driver’s license in Moore’s closet. They also found an AR-15-style pistol.
The carjacking charges are each punishable by up to 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both. The brandishing charges carries a penalty of at least seven years in prison, consecutive to any other charges. Both sides have agreed to recommend a 10-year prison sentence.
The County Club Hills Police Department, the St. Louis County Police Department, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Finlen is prosecuting the case.
Southwest Georgia Resident Faces Life in Prison for Armed Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A Southwest Georgia resident with a lengthy criminal history pleaded guilty to armed drug distribution charges today and faces life in prison for admitting to distributing large quantities of fentanyl.
Larry Roger Sparks, Jr., 46, of Albany, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of a heroin and fentanyl mixture; one count of distribution of methamphetamine; three counts of distribution of methamphetamine at a place where a person under age 18 resides; one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute at a premises at which a person under 18 resides; one count of possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute; and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime (a Sig Sauer Model P365 SAS 9mm pistol). The defendant is facing a maximum of life in prison. U.S. District Judge Leslie A. Gardner is presiding over the case. A sentencing date will be scheduled by the Court.
“Fentanyl is one of the deadliest drugs on the streets today, and our office will go to every length to halt its distribution and hold fentanyl traffickers accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “This case is an example of strong and effective partnerships between law enforcement, who are dedicated to ridding our communities of armed fentanyl dealers and working with our office to prosecute the most dangerous individuals.”
“Locking away criminal drug dealers who choose to push poison on our streets will literally save lives as fentanyl is the number one killer among Americans aged 18-45,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division.
“Drug traffickers are poisoning our communities with drugs like fentanyl,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “This case serves as an example of our continued efforts to stop the drug traffickers who ruthlessly target Georgia communities. The GBI, along with our law enforcement partners, will continue working toward ridding our state of these deadly drugs.”
According to court documents, a 2023 undercover GBI investigation into armed fentanyl trafficking in Southwest Georgia led agents to Sparks, who was distributing large quantities of fentanyl, heroin and methamphetamine from his Albany residence, where three minor children resided. Agents, working with a confidential source under surveillance and electronic recording, purchased controlled substances from Sparks five times, beginning on March 9, 2023, and ending with a final undercover purchase on May 3, 2023, when Sparks sold 478.2 grams of 98% pure methamphetamine.
Agents executed a federal search warrant on May 16, 2023, at Sparks’ residence located at 1501 Pinecrest Drive in Albany. As agents made their approach, three suspected drug customers in the yard fled; one of the individuals discarded a small quantity of suspected heroin and fentanyl mixture. Inside the home, agents found 1.2 kilograms of fentanyl, approximately three kilograms of methamphetamine, needles, scales, Narcan, cash and other items associated with drug use and distribution. Agents found six firearms, including the Sig Sauer 9mm pistol. Lab results for the drugs seized at the residence are: 1,205.7 grams of fentanyl, 1,775.5 grams of 95% pure methamphetamine and 963.1 grams of 98% pure methamphetamine.
The defendant was taken into custody during a traffic stop on May 16, and was in possession of a loaded Glock 10 mm semiautomatic handgun, a loaded 50-round drum magazine, a 9mm semiautomatic handgun and more than $5,000 in cash. Sparks admitted to receiving a four-kilogram shipment of fentanyl before the search, and said that he had sold all of it, less the 1.2 kilos recovered by agents in his home.
Sparks has a lengthy criminal history and has been previously convicted for armed robbery and delivery of a controlled substance in Saginaw, Michigan, as well as for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute in the Superior Court of Crisp County, Georgia.
The case was investigated by the Worth County Sheriff’s Office, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the GBI Southwestern Regional Drug Enforcement Office (SWRDEO) and the DEA.
Criminal Chief Leah McEwen is prosecuting the case for the Government.
South Carolina Man Indicted for Murder of NMSP OfficerRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A federal grand jury returned an indictment yesterday charging Jaremy Smith with the murder of New Mexico State Police Officer Justin Hare. Smith, 33, of South Carolina, is scheduled to be arraigned on the charges April 18, 2024.
According to court documents, on March 15, 2024, Smith attempted to flag down passing motorists on Interstate 40 in Quay County, New Mexico, to assist with a flat tire. Smith had stolen the vehicle, a white BMW, from South Carolina on or about March 13, 2024, and drove it to New Mexico before it became disabled. NMSP Officer Justin Hare was dispatched to the scene to assist Smith. Upon Officer Hare’s arrival at approximately 5:04 a.m. that morning, Smith approached the passenger side of Officer Hare’s patrol vehicle where the two engaged in a short conversation. Smith then shot Officer Hare with a Taurus 9mm pistol that he had stolen from South Carolina.
Afterward, Smith walked to the driver’s side window and shot Officer Hare two additional times. Smith then entered Officer Hare’s patrol vehicle and drove it westbound Interstate 40 before taking the first exit. After driving some distance, Smith removed Officer Hare from the vehicle and then continued driving the patrol unit before eventually crashing it in Guadalupe County, New Mexico. Officer Hare succumbed to the injuries that Smith inflicted during the course of the carjacking and kidnapping.
The federal indictment charges Smith with carjacking resulting in death, causing death by the discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, kidnapping resulting in death, being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm, possession of a stolen firearm and interstate transport of a stolen vehicle.
If convicted of the current charges, Smith faces a mandatory life sentence or death for the kidnapping resulting in death charge, and any number of years up to life or death for the carjacking and discharge of a firearm offenses.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office and New Mexico State Police investigated this case with assistance from the Tenth Judicial District Attorney’s Office and the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. States Attorneys Paul Mysliwiec and Jack Burkhead are prosecuting the case.
View the IndictmentAn indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Sober home owner sentenced to four years in prison for defrauding over $4 million from Federal Employee Health Benefits Program to fund lavish lifestyleRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On April 10, a substance abuse facility owner was sentenced to four years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $4,444,417.65 in restitution, for defrauding the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) of over $4 million. The sentence comes after the defendant entered a guilty plea in February.
Joseph Toro, 39, of Jupiter, Florida, owned and operated Reawakenings Wellness Center (RWC), a substance abuse facility that treated patients, including FEHBP beneficiaries, from 2013 until January 2018, when RWC was evicted from their location in Miramar, Florida. After the RWC eviction, Toro continued to submit FEHBP insurance claims, using personal identifying information of former RWC patients, for substance abuse treatment that was never provided. To do so, he called the FEHBP hotline, impersonated former patients, and changed their mailing addresses to addresses that he controlled so he could obtain the fraudulent insurance reimbursement checks. For over a year, Toro submitted fraudulent claims on behalf of 29 former RWC patients for over $6.7 million in substance abuse treatment that he knew RWC never provided. As a result of Toro’s fraudulent claims, he obtained nearly $4.2 million in proceeds from the FEHBP. Toro also applied for and obtained a $150,000 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) during the COVID-19 pandemic. That application misrepresented that RWC had five employees and grossed over $1.4 million in 2019, when in truth RWC had shut down years prior.
With the fraudulently obtained proceeds, Toro purchased a waterfront mansion in Jupiter, a Lamborghini Aventador, a Mercedes G Wagon, two Cadillac Escalades, an Audemars Piguet watch, and various other properties and luxury goods.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Derek M. Holt of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management Office of the Inspector General (OPM OIG), announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Rodney Smith.
OPM OIG investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Egozi prosecuted it. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Paster handled asset forfeiture.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 23-cr-60237.
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SoCal Man Arrested on Federal Charges Alleging He Schemed to Advertise and Sell ‘Hive’ Computer Intrusion MalwareRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Federal authorities have arrested a San Fernando Valley man on federal charges alleging a scheme to market and sell malware that gave the malware purchasers control over victim computers and enabled them to access victims’ private communications, their login credentials, and other personal information, the Justice Department announced today.
Edmond Chakhmakhchyan, 24, of Van Nuys, who used the screenname “Corruption,” was arrested without incident Wednesday by special agents with the FBI. A two-count indictment was unsealed yesterday at Chakhmakhchyan’s arraignment, where he pleaded not guilty and was ordered to stand trial on June 4. His bond was set at $70,000.
The indictment alleges an agreement between the malware’s creator and Chakhmakhchyan in which Chakhmakhchyan would post advertisements for the Hive remote access trojan (RAT) on the “Hack Forums” website, accept Bitcoin payments for licenses to use the Hive RAT, and provide customer service to those who purchased the licenses.
Customers purchasing the malware “would transmit Hive RAT to protected computers and gain unauthorized control over and access to these computers, which allowed the RAT purchaser to close or disable programs, browse files, record keystrokes, access incoming and outgoing communications, and steal victim passwords and other credentials for bank accounts and cryptocurrency wallets, all without the victims’ knowledge or permission,” according to the indictment.
Chakhmakhchyan allegedly began working with the creator of the Hive RAT, previously known as “Firebird,” approximately four years ago, and advertised online the RAT’s many features, including features that allowed the owner to remotely access victim computers and intercept communications and data without the victim knowing.
After advertising the Hive RAT, according to the indictment, Chakhmakhchyan exchanged electronic messages with purchasers and explained to one buyer that the malware “allowed the Hive RAT user to access another person’s computer without that person knowing about the access.” After this purchaser told Chakhmakhchyan that “the point” of using the Hive RAT was because the victim had “20k in bitcoin on a blockchain wallet” and “project files worth over 5k,” Chakhmakhchyan agreed to sell the Hive RAT, the indictment alleges. Later, Chakhmakhchyan allegedly also sold a license for the Hive RAT to an undercover employee of a law enforcement agency.
The indictment specifically charges Chakhmakhchyan with one count of conspiracy – to advertise a device as an interception device, to transmit a code to intentionally cause damage to a protected computer, and to intentionally access a computer to obtain information – as well as one count of advertising a device as an interception device. Each count carries a statutory maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The FBI is investigating this matter. The Australian Federal Police provided substantial assistance in the investigation.
Assistant United States Attorney Sue J. Bai of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
The Australian Federal Police also has charged an Australian national who is alleged to have been involved in the creation and sale of the malware, and the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions will be prosecuting that matter.
Schenectady Man Pleads Guilty to Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Richard Nejame, age 29, of Schenectady, New York, pled guilty today to five counts of receiving and attempting to receive child pornography.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
Nejame admitted that between about October 2022 and May 1, 2023, he communicated with several girls over social media applications, including Snapchat, while pretending to be a teenage boy. During Nejame’s online communications with the minor females, he encouraged them to take nude pictures and videos of themselves, and to then send the pictures and videos to him. Once in receipt of the nude pictures and videos of the minor females, Nejame directed the girls to take more sexually explicit pictures and videos of themselves, and to send those sexually explicit pictures and videos to him. He also threatened that if the girls did not comply with his demands, Nejame would embarrass and expose the girls by publishing their pictures and videos on the Internet.
At sentencing on August 14, 2024, before United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino, Nejame faces at least 5 years and up to 20 years in prison. The judge will also be required to impose a term of post-release supervision of at least 5 years and up to life. The court may also impose a fine, restitution, and forfeiture of the phones and computers Nejame used to commit his offenses. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. Nejame will also have to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rick Belliss and Benjamin S. Clark are prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
San Antonio Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Lethal Doses of Meth and FentanylRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man pleaded guilty in a federal court in San Antonio to three fatal and one non-fatal overdoses.
According to court documents, Mark Elliot Stool, 67, supplied substances containing combinations of methamphetamine and fentanyl, and methamphetamine and heroin, to four individuals between August 2021 and March 2022. He was arrested following a traffic stop in June 2022 and found to be in possession of a substance that tested positive for both methamphetamine and fentanyl.
Stool pleaded guilty to three counts of distribution of a controlled substance resulting in death and one count of distribution of a controlled substance resulting in serious bodily injury. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 17 and faces 20 years to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, University of Texas at San Antonio Police Department, San Antonio Police Department, Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, Castle Hills Police Department are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy Hail and William Calve are prosecuting the case.
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San Antonio Man Indicted on Federal Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on April 9, 2024, a federal grand jury indicted Bobby E. Matjeka (age: 44) of San Antonio, Texas, on charges that he conspired with a Wisconsin resident to produce child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2251(a)&(e).
According to the indictment, between approximately December 10, 2021, and May 2022, Matjeka conspired to use a minor child “to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction.” That visual depiction was then transported across state lines. If convicted, Matjeka faces a mandatory 15 years’ imprisonment and up to 30 years’ imprisonment. He also could be fined up to $250,000 and would be required to register as a sex offender under state and federal law.
Matjeka was arrested by federal authorities in San Antonio on April 10, 2024, and will be arraigned before the federal district court in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security’s San Antonio and Milwaukee offices, the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation, the Appleton Police Department, and the San Antonio Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.
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 U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Sacramento Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Distributing Child Pornography on the Dark WebRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Louis Donald Mendonsa, 61, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to distributing child pornography over the dark web, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, beginning by 2021 and continuing until his arrest on Nov. 29, 2022, Mendonsa was a global moderator or administrator on at least four Tor (The Onion Router) websites dedicated to the sexual exploitation of children and the dissemination of child pornography. As a moderator or administrator, Mendonsa created new topics and forums within the websites, managed and commented on other users’ posts, shared and enforced the rules, and distributed child pornography by uploading images and videos within the websites. When law enforcement officers arrested Mendonsa in Sacramento he was found to be in possession of an external hard drive containing over 11,000 images and videos of child pornography.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Homeland Security Investigations, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sacramento Police Department. Department of Justice Trial Attorney Kaylynn Foulon and Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily G. Sauvageau are prosecuting the case.
Mendonsa is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley on July 18, 2024. Mendonsa faces a minimum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 40 years in prison each for count of distributing child pornography, and between 10 and 20 years in prison for possession child pornography. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Rhode Island Man with Ties to Mexican Drug Suppliers Sentenced to Five Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – A Providence man who worked as an east coast source for trafficking fentanyl on behalf of a Mexican drug supplier was sentenced on Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Rhode Island to five years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Watly Federico Valenzuela Ruiz, 39, pleaded guilty on November 1, 2023, to a charge of conspiracy to both distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, fentanyl. He was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy to 60 months of incarceration to be followed by three years of federal supervised release.
According to documents filed with the court, in May 2021, months after he entered into discussions to become a supplier of large quantities of fentanyl to an individual in Providence for $38,000 per kilogram, Valenzuela Ruiz delivered approximately one kilogram of fentanyl to that individual. The drugs were seized by members of the DEA Rhode Island Drug Task Force.
In August 2021, Valenzuela Ruiz arranged for the sale of 1,000 fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills to an individual for $6.00 per pill. Following that delivery Valenzuela Ruiz offered to sell the individual 10,000 fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills for $5.00 per pill. As 9,000 pills were being delivered at the direction of Valenzuela Ruiz on September 7, 2021, Valenzuela Ruiz, his brother-in-law, and another individual were arrested by DEA Drug Task Force agents.
The investigation into Valenzuela Ruiz’s drug trafficking activities resulted in the seizure of 8,964 fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills with a net weight of 1,012.9 grams of fentanyl; 4.475 grams of fentanyl powder; and 892.3 grams of fentanyl with 723.9 grams of tramadol cutting agent,
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey A. Erickson.
The Rhode Island DEA Drug Task Force is comprised of personnel from the DEA; Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation; Rhode Island State Police; Cranston Police Department; Middletown Police Department; Newport Police Department; Pawtucket Police Department; Providence Police Department; Warwick Police Department; Woonsocket Police Department; and Amtrak Police.
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Post Falls Woman Admits to Evading over $150,000 in TaxesRead the Press Release
COEUR D'ALENE – Ashlee Lyn Wilson, 37, of Post Falls, Idaho, pleaded guilty to tax evasion, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to court records, Wilson failed to file federal income tax returns for six years, from 2018 to 2023. During that time, she earned total wages of $1,024,872 and evaded paying $153,131 in federal income tax.
Wilson pleaded guilty the charge and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 11, 2024 at the federal courthouse in Coeur d’Alene. Wilson faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison and up to a $250,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the work of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, which led to the charge. Assistant U.S. Attorney Traci Whelan is prosecuting the case.
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Pennsylvania Insurance Business Owner Convicted of Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a Pennsylvania man today of tax evasion for his years-long scheme to evade the payment of his individual income taxes and his business’s employment taxes.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Brandon Aumiller, of Milroy, owned Brandon Aumiller & Associates, an insurance sales business. For tax years 2007, and 2009 through 2011, Aumiller filed personal income tax returns reporting that he owed a total of approximately $82,311 in income taxes. He also filed employment tax returns for his business reporting that it owed approximately $24,882 in taxes for the third quarter of 2013 and the first two quarters of 2014. Despite reporting that he and his business owed more than a total of $107,193 in taxes to the IRS, Aumiller did not pay these assessments.
When the IRS attempted to collect the taxes, Aumiller engaged in a multi-year scheme to thwart the IRS’ efforts by concealing his assets in bank accounts he failed to disclose to the IRS, structuring multiple real estate deals to conceal the transactions from the IRS and submitting false financial disclosure forms to the IRS that did not fully disclose his bank accounts and concealed critical information about his real estate transactions.
Aumiller is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 4. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on each of the two counts of his conviction. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam for the Middle District of Pennsylvania made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Matthew L. Cofer of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur for the Middle District of Pennsylvania are prosecuting the case.