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Wednesday 28 February 2024
Former St. Charles County Youth Hockey Coach Admits Recording Sexual Abuse of Two MinorsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A former youth hockey coach on Wednesday admitted sexually abusing two minors and recording that abuse.
James R. Lambert , 42, of Lake St. Louis, admitted sexually abusing one victim over 50 times between 2007 and 2018, when the victim was between the ages of 6 and 17 years old. The sexual abuse occurred in St. Charles County, Missouri and in other states and foreign countries where the victim was taken by Lambert. Lambert also recorded his sexual abuse of the victim on numerous occasions.
Lambert also admitted sexually abusing a second victim in St. Charles and St. Louis counties when that victim was between 6 and 9 years old.
When the first victim came forward and reported Lambert’s sexual abuse, he also reported his suspicions that Lambert was abusing the second victim. Investigators later found hundreds of files on Lambert’s electronic devices documenting his abuse of the second victim. They also found at least 1,185 files containing child sexual abuse material that Lambert obtained online.
Lambert pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to two counts of production of child pornography, one count of transporting a minor across state lines to engage in criminal sexual activity, one count of receiving child pornography and one count of aggravated sexual abuse.
He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 18. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson will ask for 50 years in prison, the plea agreement says.
Anyone with information regarding possible additional victims is asked to contact the Lake St. Louis Police Department by calling 636-625-8018 or emailing [email protected].
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Lake St. Louis Police Department, the St. Charles County Cybercrime Task Force and the Maryland Heights Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former South Florida Pharmacy CEO Sentenced to Prison for Lying to Federal InvestigatorsRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On Feb. 23, Patrick Smith, 71, of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, the former CEO and President of Patient Care America (PCA), a compounding pharmacy located in Broward County, was sentenced to 6 months in prison for lying to federal agents who were investigating PCA for various health care fraud offenses.
According to court records, in March of 2020 Smith voluntarily met with DCIS agents who were investigating PCA on allegations of health care fraud and payment of kickbacks to marketing groups that solicited TRICARE beneficiaries on behalf of PCA. TRICARE is the health care benefit program for United States military members and their families. During that interview, Smith lied to agents about his role in the scheme. Smith falsely claimed, for example, that he played no role in hiring the marketing groups and that he didn’t know they were directly soliciting TRICARE beneficiaries.
In all, PCA paid over $40 million in kickbacks to the marketers for recruiting and referring TRICARE beneficiary prescriptions for expensive, unnecessary compounded medications to PCA. To date, over a dozen of PCA’s marketers and employees have been convicted and sentenced for their roles in the scheme. The government has recovered more than $30 million in fraud proceeds from PCA and the individual defendants.
Smith was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roy K. Altman. Smith pled guilty, on July 21, 2023, to making a materially false statement in a matter within the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Defense.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe of the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Darrin K. Jones of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southeast Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Justin C. Fielder of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
DCIS and FDA-OCI investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon Juenger prosecuted this case. DCIS, FDA-OCI, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG), and the FBI investigated related cases.
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 22-cr-20532.
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Former Nowata Teacher Sentenced for Abusive Sexual Contact and Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A former Nowata Middle School teacher was sentenced today for Coercion and Enticement of a Minor in Indian Country and Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor in Indian Country, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge John F. Heil, III, sentenced Kenneth Colby Martinez, 26, Bartlesville, to 120 months imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release. Upon his release, Martinez will also be required to register as a sex offender.
“Kenneth Martinez violated the trust of the Nowata community and took advantage of a student he was entrusted with,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “No child should ever need to question if school is a safe place. My office will continue to pursue those who prey on vulnerable children.”
According to court documents, Martinez began communicating with a student at Nowata Middle School during the 2021-2022 school year. He started coercing and enticing the student through messaging applications. The messages eventually became sexual in nature. On several occasions, Martinez's abusive sexual contact happened in a classroom with the student.
Martinez is not an Indian. The student is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation. The crimes occurred within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation. Martinez will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The FBI and Nowata Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Valeria G. Luster and Aaron Jolly prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Former NYPD Officer-Turned Forex Investor Indicted for Conspiracy to Commit Wire FraudRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging Jason Rodriguez with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The indictment relates to Rodriguez’s role as the Chief Operating Officer of Technical Trading Team, LLC (Technical Trading Team), a foreign exchange-focused (forex) investment fund he founded in 2020. Rodriguez was arrested this morning and his initial appearance is scheduled for this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Cheryl L. Pollak.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced arrest and indictment.
“As alleged, the victims trusted Rodriguez with millions of dollars for what they were assured would be safe investments, supported by the defendant’s claim that he had quit the NYPD because he had become so successful at trading, which was untrue,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Rodriguez also falsely promised the victims that their investments would be safe because there would be guardrails over his trading activity to limit the risks. In reality, Rodriguez ignored those guardrails and lost millions in investor funds and also misappropriated hundreds of thousands of dollars which he used to pay for luxury car rentals, travel and other personal expenses.”
“Jason Rodriguez falsely represented his time as an NYPD officer to earn the trust of prospective investors, to whom he then made alleged false promises that cost his victims millions of dollars. He withheld the reality of his failed trades and used the investment funds on his personal desires. The FBI will hold accountable anyone who manipulates others, especially for financial gain in the criminal justice system,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Smith.
According to the indictment, Rodriguez founded Technical Trading Team in April 2020. Rodriguez pitched the fund as a forex-focused investment fund, with Rodriguez, who served as Chief Operating Officer, in charge of all trading. Rodriguez promised investors that Technical Trading Team would have a “loss reserve account” that could be used to repay investors if the company lost money trading, that Rodriguez would never risk more than 1% of assets under management on any single trade and would not hold positions open overnight. Each of these promises was meant to assure investors that their investment would be safe. Rodriguez and Technical Trading Team broke all of these promises and as Rodriguez lost more and more money in the forex markets, he used new investor money to pay older investors promised investment returns.
Prior to founding Technical Trading Team, Rodriguez served as an NYPD officer for approximately seven years. During the solicitation process, Rodriguez told prospective Technical Trading Team investors that he had quit the NYPD because he had become so successful at forex trading. The Technical Trading Team presentation similarly represented that Rodriguez’s “zealous ambition for trading took precedence resulting in the end of his law enforcement career . . .” Rodriguez failed to disclose that he resigned from the NYPD after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor crime and incurring a number of disciplinary infractions.
To date, of the approximately $4.8 million in investor funds wired to accounts controlled by Rodriguez between April 2020 and September 2022, approximately $3.5 million has never been paid back to the investors.
The charges in the complaint are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, the defendant faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment.
The government’s case is being handled by the Business and Securities Fraud Section of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin Weintraub is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
JASON RODRIGUEZ
Age: 37
Bellerose, QueensE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-79
Former Maryland Resident Pleads Guilty to Stealing More than $350,000 in COVID-19 Relief FundsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Zhong Jie Chen, 47, formerly of Columbia, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to misappropriating $354,520 of COVID-19 relief funds that he was supposed to use to operate his restaurants. Chen used the misappropriated funds to engage in day trading. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division.
Chen, who now lives in New Jersey, pleaded guilty to wire fraud, which has a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. As part of his plea agreement, Chen must pay restitution and be liable for a forfeiture money judgment. U.S. District Court Judge Christopher R. Cooper, who accepted Chen’s guilty plea in the District of Columbia, scheduled sentencing for July 2, 2024.
In court documents, Chen admitted that, while he was a Maryland resident, he was the sole owner of two restaurants, one in Washington, D.C., the other in College Park, MD. Between May 2020 and July 2021, he applied for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster (EIDL) loans for the restaurants.
The Paycheck Protection Program was a COVID-19 pandemic relief program administered by the U.S. government’s Small Business Administration (SBA) that provided forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses. Once PPP loan applications were approved, businesses received loan proceeds from third-party lenders. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the SBA also offered EIDL loans to certain entities, including small business owners. These loans were provided directly from the SBA and were low-interest, fixed-rate, long term loans. Both PPP loans and EIDL loans could only be used for specified purposes.
Between May 2020 and July 2021, Chen’s two restaurants received PPP and EIDL loans totaling approximately $964,843. On loan applications, Chen acknowledged understanding how the loans could be used and that if he knowingly used funds for unauthorized purposes, he could be held legally liable by the federal government, and potentially charged with fraud.
Chen admitted that he falsely certified that all loan proceeds would be used for business-related purposes even though he knew and intended that he would misappropriate some loan proceeds to a personal investment account to allow him to engage in day trading. He admitted that he misappropriated $354,520 of loan proceeds and used those funds to engage in day trading.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kondi Kleinman and Ryan Sellinger, who were assisted by paralegal specialists Sonalika Chaturvedi and Michon Tart.
Former Marine Sentenced for Travel with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Bryan Todd Richardson II, age 25, of Wyoming, Ohio, was sentenced to 120 months in prison each for two counts of Travel with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Activity and 120 months in prison for one count of Transportation of a Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Activity. The terms of imprisonment on all counts shall be served concurrently. Richardson will also be required to register as a Sex Offender.
The charges arose from investigations by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Okmulgee Police Department.
On September 27, 2022, Richardson pleaded guilty to a superseding Indictment of two counts of Travel with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Activity and one count of Transportation of a Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Activity. According to investigators, Richardson, a Marine stationed in North Carolina, cultivated an online relationship with a fourteen-year-old child in the state of Oklahoma for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct. Richardson traveled to Oklahoma in May of 2020, and again in June of 2021, both times engaging in illegal sexual activity with the minor. After the June incident, Richardson transported the minor across state lines and later returned the victim to Oklahoma.
The Honorable Keith Starrett, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearings in Muskogee. Richardson was remanded to 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 Morgan Muzljakovich represented the United States.
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. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources”.
We encourage anyone who suspects or has information regarding child sexual exploitation, trafficking of minors, sextortion, child pornography, or any other means of child exploitation to immediately contact law enforcement. You can file a report on the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC)'s website at www.cybertipline.com, call 1-800-843-5678, contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), or call 877-4-HSI TIP.
Former Alabama Correctional Sergeant Sentenced for Violating Civil Rights of Inmate by Using Excessive Force and Lying to Cover It UpRead the Press Release
A former Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) Sergeant, Devlon Williams, 38, was sentenced today to 63 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for using excessive force on an inmate and lying afterwards in an official report and to investigators in an attempt to cover up his abuse. He was previously convicted of deprivation of rights under color of law, falsification of records and obstruction of justice by a federal jury in the Middle District of Alabama.
“This defendant was a sergeant who was supposed to set an example for those he supervised and instead he callously abused his authority and brutalized a vulnerable inmate during a time of need,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will not tolerate this type of violent conduct inside our jails and prisons, and we will continue to prosecute corrections officials who violate the constitutional and civil rights of people in their custody. This sentencing should send a clear message to officials employed in correctional settings that they are not above the law and will be held accountable when they break it.”
“While most members of law enforcement serve honorably and professionally, some are not so dedicated,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Ross for the Middle District of Alabama. “Williams savagely beat and taunted an inmate who was not resisting and posed no threat, then lied to conceal his crime. He must be held responsible for his actions. Failure to do so would discredit the noble service of every other officer and weaken the public’s trust in those who are sworn to protect.”
“Former corrections officer Devlon Williams not only attacked the victim while transporting him to receive critical care for suicidal ideation, but also attempted to cover up his crimes and intimidate witnesses,” said Assistant Director Michael D. Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI remains committed to protecting the dignity and civil rights of individuals in custody, and we will investigate any law enforcement and corrections officers who abuse their authority.”
According to court documents and evidence introduced at trial, Williams transported a suicidal inmate, D.H., from ADOC Staton Correctional Facility’s chapel to the healthcare unit. Rather than take the inmate to the infirmary to receive the aid that he needed, Williams stopped in the main hallway of the healthcare unit, where, away from other inmates, Williams assaulted D.H. while taunting him by yelling, “since you want to die, I’m going to help you.” Witnesses testified at trial that Williams repeatedly punched and kicked D.H., who was lying on the ground in a fetal position and not resisting or posing a threat to anyone. Williams continued the beating by hitting D.H. multiple times with a collapsible baton. Another corrections officer, Larry Managan Jr., also participated in the beating.
After the beating, Williams and Managan attempted to cover up their misconduct. Williams made false statements about the assault to an ADOC investigator and prepared a false report about the incident. He also pressured junior-ranking officers and eyewitness nurses to lie along with him after the fact.
Managan previously pleaded guilty, was sentenced for obstructing justice and testified against Williams at trial.
The FBI Mobile Field Office and the ADOC Law Enforcement Services Division investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Counts for the Middle District of Alabama and Trial Attorney Anna Gotfryd of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
Florida Resident Sentenced to 60 Months for Smuggling Firearms from U.S. to Violent Haitian Gang That Kidnapped 19 AmericansRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jocelyn Dor, 31, a Haitian citizen who resided in Orlando, Florida, was sentenced today to 60 months in prison for participating in a sophisticated smuggling scheme that exported or attempted to export at least 24 firearms from the United States to Haiti, along with hundreds of rounds of ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and FBI Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI Miami Field Office.
In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge John D. Bates ordered Dor to serve three years of supervised release. Dor pleaded guilty Oct. 30, 2023, to conspiracy to violate the Export Control Reform Act, violating the Export Control Reform Act, and laundering money with the purpose of promoting a specified unlawful activity.
Dor originally was charged in a May 2022 indictment that named co-defendants Joly Germine, also known as “Yonyon,” 31, a Haitian national and Eliande Tunis, 45, a U.S. citizen, of Pompano Beach, Florida.
According to government documents, 400 Mawozo is a notoriously violent Haitian gang and criminal organization that operated in the Croix-des-Bouquets area to the east of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. From Jan. 12, 2020, 400 Mawozo was engaged in armed kidnappings of U.S. citizens in Haiti for ransom. Germine served as the “King” of 400 Mawozo and directed operations from a Haitian prison using unmonitored cell phones. Now in U.S. custody, Germine pleaded guilty on January 31, 2024, to his role in the gunrunning conspiracy that smuggled firearms to Haiti in violation of U.S. export laws, and the laundering of ransoms paid for U.S. hostages to the gang in 2021. Germine faces life in prison when he is sentenced May 15, 2024. Co-defendant and Germine’s former girlfriend Tunis pleaded guilty on the eve of trial on January 17, 2024. Tunis, who styled herself as the “Queen” of 400 Mawozo, also faces up to life in prison when she is sentenced on May 8, 2024.
Dor operated as a straw purchaser for 400 Mawozo. Between September 18, 2021 and October 17, 2021, he purchased 10 semiautomatic high-power rifles at gun shops in the Orlando area at Germine’s direction for the express purpose of shipping the weapons to 400 Mawozo gang leaders in Haiti. The rifles were intended for combat. One of the weapons, a Barrett .50 caliber rifle, is primarily used by militaries against equipment. Dor falsely stated to the gun vendors that he was the “actual buyer” of the firearms. He also received multiple transfers of thousands of U.S. dollars from his co-conspirators to pay for them.
The FBI attempted to arrest Dor on October 31, 2021, but was unable to find either Dor or the high-powered rifles. Dor stopped using his cell phones, showing that he was aware that law enforcement was looking for him. The search expanded to the Midwest where Dor was nearly captured at a trucker rest stop. On November 5, 2021, Dor rented a storage unit in Orlando. On November 8, 2021, Dor had his attorney contact the FBI to turn himself in. The FBI arrested Dor that day and recovered the guns at the Orlando storage unit. He has remained in custody since his arrest.
In October 2021, the 400 Mawozo gang claimed responsibility for kidnapping 16 U.S. citizens, including five children, and one Canadian citizen who were part of a missionary organization visiting an orphanage in Port au Prince. The gang demanded a ransom of $l million for each hostage. The hostages escaped on or about December 16, 2021. Earlier that year in June, the gang took two U.S. citizens hostage and released them only after receiving $25,000 ransom. In August, the gang took another U.S. citizen hostage and released her after receiving $50,000.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Miami Field Office with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Haitian National Police, the government of Haiti, the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the U.S. Marshal’s Service, the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the Diplomatic Security Service of the U.S. Department of State, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida’s Special Prosecutions Section.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen P. Seifert and Kimberly Paschall and Paralegal Specialist Jorge Casillas of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Beau Barnes of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section of the National Security Division.
Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Smuggle Turtles to Germany and Hong Kong and Falsely Labeling the Turtles on Related PaperworkRead the Press Release
A Florida man pleaded guilty today to federal criminal charges for conspiring to illegally export thousands of turtles to Germany and Hong Kong, and falsifying documents to conceal his conduct.
John Michael Kreatsoulas, 36, of Alva, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to traffic wildlife and nine counts of falsifying records in violation of the Lacey Act.
According to the factual proffer in support of the plea and other documents included in the court record, from July 2015 to July 2021, Kreatsoulas was the owner and principal of Omni Reptiles, Inc., an unregistered Florida business located in Alva, Florida. Omni was in the business of domestic and international wholesale trade of wildlife, including protected species of reptiles. Kreatsoulas and Omni shipped wildlife they sold to domestic and foreign customers, including to customers in Germany and Hong Kong through Miami International Airport.
Specifically, Kreatsoulas and his co-conspirators collected and captured various species of turtles, including three-stripe mud turtles and Florida mud turtles, from the wild in Florida and sold those turtles to interstate and foreign customers. Kreatsoulas then falsified U.S Fish and Wildlife Service Forms 3-177, which accompanied the international shipments, by including a false “Source” code attesting that the turtles were captive-bred and not wild-caught. Kreatsoulas also falsified invoices related to the sale of the turtles, which purported to show that the turtles sold to co-conspirators in Florida and outside the United States were “captive-bred” hatchling three-stripe mud turtles when, in fact, they were taken from the wild by Kreatsoulas and his co-conspirators.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 17 at 1:30 p.m. before U.S. District Judge Rodolfo A. Ruiz II. Kreatsoulas faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each count.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division and Special Agent in Charge Douglas Ault of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Southeast Region, made the announcement.
FWS investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Watts-FitzGerald for the Southern District of Florida and Senior Trial Attorney Gary N. Donner of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.
Felon Sentenced to 20 Years for Federal Drug and Weapons OffensesRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Richmond, Virginia, man was sentenced yesterday to 20 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute heroin and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
According to court documents, Newport News Police Department (NNPD) performed a traffic stop on Ladrale Antonio Putney, 44, shortly after midnight on February 8, 2021, for driving the wrong way down a one-way street without any headlights or taillights illuminated. Putney produced an invalid driver license during the stop. Due to the odor of marijuana and suspected marijuana “shake” – or loose marijuana leaves/particles – visibly scattered throughout the vehicle, NNPD temporarily detained Putney. NNPD discovered approximately 30 grams of cocaine base, three digital scales and narcotics packaging material in Putney’s car. Putney was also in possession of a stolen, loaded handgun, approximately 18 grams of heroin, approximately 10 grams of cocaine base, approximately 2.5 grams of powder cocaine, two small bags of marijuana and approximately $4,308. Forensic laboratory analysis confirmed the controlled substances and detected the presence of fentanyl mixed into the heroin. As a previously convicted federal felon, Putney was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
Putney pleaded guilty on October 13, 2023, to one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth W. Hanes.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter G. Osyf prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:21-cr-56.
Federal, local law enforcement disrupt meth traffickers based in Park CountyRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — Investigations by federal and local law enforcement agencies into methamphetamine traffickers who attempted to set up base in Livingston in Park County have resulted in federal drug convictions, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich announced today.
During a press conference at the Park County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Building in Livingston, U.S. Attorney Laslovich, along with federal, local and drug task force partners, discussed the dismantling of a drug ring that brought large quantities of meth from Idaho to Livingston for redistribution in Park and Gallatin counties and elsewhere. Joining the U.S. Attorney were officials from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Park County Sheriff’s Office and Missouri River Drug Task Force.
“As these investigations show, Montana’s smaller and more rural communities, like Livingston, are not immune from drug traffickers who bring in meth from out of state and try to enlist local addicts and dealers to redistribute drugs. Without local lower-level dealers willing to sell for larger suppliers, these larger suppliers would not have a way to push their drugs to individual users. The collaborative work of the Park County Sheriff’s Office, the Missouri River Drug Task Force, and federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was critical to the investigation and federal prosecution of these cases. Our work is ongoing and regardless of the size of the Montana community, we will continue to aggressively prosecute drug traffickers poisoning our communities,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
“Violent crime can swiftly overwhelm any community, ending its sense of safety, victimizing countless individuals, and inflicting economic losses on businesses,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Brent Beavers. “Now, more than ever, it is imperative for local, state and federal law enforcement, alongside our communities, to remain united and steadfast in efforts to detect, disrupt, and combat violent crime."
“The Sheriff’s Office and our partners are committed to dismantling the drug trade in Park County,” Park County Sheriff Brad Bichler said. “Strong partnerships are invaluable when taking on a mission of this magnitude, and we are lucky to have a group who are working together to achieve our goals and objectives. We will continue to remove this poison and those who deal in it from Park County.”
"The Missouri River Drug Task Force is proud of the work done on these investigations. This is a great example of what can be accomplished through collaborative efforts between local, state, and federal agencies,” said MRDTF Commander Nate Kamerman, who is the investigations captain with the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office. “MRDTF's focus is on interstate Drug Trafficking Organizations, but these investigations nearly always begin with data gathered at the local level. The presence of a Park County Sheriff's Office deputy on the MRDTF not only set the foundation for our involvement in these investigations, but also allowed for effective communication with our federal partners. MRDTF will continue to work with agencies at every level to provide thoroughly investigated and documented cases, allowing prosecutors to fulfill their role in holding drug traffickers accountable."
According to court documents, a drug trafficking investigation began in early 2020 when law enforcement learned that defendants Oscar Albert Nevarez, of Idaho Falls, Idaho, and co-defendant, James D. Murrieta, of Utica, New York, were bringing meth from outside of Montana to Livingston for redistribution in Park and Gallatin counties and elsewhere in Montana. Murietta and Nevarez were business partners, and Nevarez made approximately five trips to Idaho and back to get meth from a source of supply. Murietta and Nevarez used a Livingston residence as a base from which they supplied local dealers. Law enforcement also bought meth from Murietta in Bozeman and Belgrade in controlled purchases. Nevarez was sentenced to six years in federal prison, while Murietta was sentenced to 56 months in federal prison for their convictions in the case.
In addition, investigations have led to federal charges against other individuals in Park County on various drug trafficking crimes involving meth, fentanyl and heroin and firearms crimes.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas K. Godfrey prosecuted the cases. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Park County Sheriff’s Office and Missouri River Drug Task Force conducted the investigations.
These cases are 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.
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Federal Jury Finds Hartford Felon Guilty of Possessing Loaded HandgunRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division, and Hartford Police Chief Jason Thody today announced that a federal jury in Bridgeport has found CHRISTOPHER GASKIN, 47, of Hartford, guilty of a firearm possession offense.
According to the evidence presented during the trial, in the afternoon of January 1, 2022, Hartford Police officers stopped a car Gaskin was operating on Irving Street in Hartford. Gaskin was arrested after a search of his person revealed a loaded .380 caliber handgun, a bag containing approximately five grams of crack cocaine, and 35 vials of crack.
Gaskin’s criminal history includes several felony convictions, including convictions for assault, robbery and witness tampering offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
The trial began on February 26, and the jury today found Gaskin guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, and not guilty of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base (“crack”).
Judge Underhill scheduled sentencing for May 22, at which time Gaskin faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. Gaskin is detained pending sentencing.
This matter has been investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Hartford Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angel M. Krull and Patricia Stolfi Collins through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Fall River Man Pleads Guilty to Oxycodone ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Fall River man pleaded guilty yesterday to his role in a drug distribution conspiracy involving oxycodone pills.
Austin Gonsalves, 37, pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for May 30, 2024. Gonsalves was arrested and charged along with five others in July 2023 for their alleged involvement in a drug trafficking organization that distributed oxycodone pills across Southeastern Massachusetts. The defendants were subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2023.
Between at least February 2023 and May 2023, Gonsalves obtained oxycodone pills, allegedly from co-defendant Kenneth Veiga, which he then distributed to others. JA search of Gonsalves’ Fall River residence in July 2023 resulted in the seizure of approximately $16,000 in cash and approximately 400 oxycodone pills.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. 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; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division, made the announcement today. Special assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Coast Guard CGIS; Barnstable County Sheriff’s Office; and the Barnstable, Dennis, Bourne, Mashpee, Yarmouth, Sandwich and Falmouth Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Everett Man Sentenced to Nearly Four Years in Prison for Possession of Schedule I and II Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Everett, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court to a total of 45 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on his conviction of possession with intent to distribute Schedule I and II controlled substances, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines imposed the sentence on Jeffrey Sheeder, 34.
According to information presented to the Court, on or about March 25, 2021, Sheeder possessed with intent to distribute Schedule I and II controlled substances, namely, a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of psilocyn, a Schedule I controlled substance, and quantities of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine as well as a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of amphetamine, both Schedule II controlled substances.
Assistant United States Attorney Arnold P. Bernard Jr. prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the United States Postal Inspection Service and Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Sheeder.
Eufaula Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Michael Shaun Davis, age 56, of Eufaula, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition.
The Indictment alleged that on June 15, 2023, Davis, having been convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year, and knowing of that conviction, possessed firearms and ammunition which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Davis was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin Gross and Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Doctor Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Accept Kickbacks in Connection with Fraudulent Telemarketing Scheme Victimizing Medicare and TRICARE Patients in Eastern WashingtonRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – Vanessa R. Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that Thomas Andrew Webster, M.D., age 51, of Sylvania, Ohio, pled guilty to conspiring to accept kickbacks in connection with a fraudulent telemarketing and medical supply scheme throughout Washington and in other states. District Judge Mary K. Dimke accepted Dr. Webster’s guilty plea and set sentencing for June 26, at 1:15 in Spokane, Washington.
The Medicare program provides health insurance coverage for elderly and disabled Americans. The Department of Defense’s TRICARE program provides health benefits to United States Armed Forces military personnel, military retirees, and their dependents. Medicare and TRICARE provide health insurance coverage for eligible health services, including, under certain conditions, for durable medical equipment (DME). For DME to qualify for reimbursement, the DME is required to be ordered by a physician who is treating the beneficiary for a specific illness or injury, and is required to be part of the course of that treatment.
During the relevant time period, Dr. Webster lived in Olympia, Washington, and was a licensed physician in Washington. According to the Plea Agreement and information disclosed in court proceedings, between May 2021 and September 2023, Dr. Webster participated in a telemarketing scheme and conspiracy. A company identified as “Company A” obtained Medicare and TRICARE beneficiary information by using telemarketers to contact patients in Eastern Washington and elsewhere to obtain their personal and health information. Company A then used the information to create a fake medical record that falsely and fraudulently reflected doctor visits and treatment that did not exist, and fraudulent medical orders for DBE. Dr. Webster then signed the fraudulent medical documentation and DME orders, which were then sold by Company A to companies that used the orders to falsely bill Medicare and TRICARE. Company A and Dr. Webster also falsely and fraudulently billed Medicare and TRICARE for the fictitious doctor visits and exams that did not take place.
“Health care fraud and kickback schemes are a serious problem” said U.S. Attorney Waldref. “They divert precious public funds away from treating patients, drive up the cost of health care services, and often make quality health care beyond the reach of the most vulnerable members of our community who need it the most. Telemarketing schemes that target and exploit the elderly and our servicemembers are especially pernicious because they prey on those who are often most in need of a doctor’s independent judgment that is not tainted or biased by the doctor’s own personal financial interest.”
According to the Plea Agreement and information disclosed in court proceedings, Medicare and TRICARE paid more than $13.7 million for DME fraudulently ordered by Dr. Webster for thousands of beneficiaries in Eastern Washington and elsewhere, including beneficiaries who lacked the limb for which Defendant supposedly performed the exam and ordered the DME, because it had been previously amputated. Dr. Webster also admitted to directly receiving at least $839,565 from Medicare and TRICARE for fraudulent doctor visits and exams that never took place. As part of the Plea Agreement, Dr. Webster agreed to forfeiture of bank accounts and other assets representing the proceeds of his criminal conduct.
"Dr. Webster’s conviction culminates his illicit, greed-driven scheme to defraud federal healthcare programs, including the Department of Defense's TRICARE program," said Bryan D. Denny, Special Agent-in-Charge for the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Western Field Office. "Fraudulent healthcare billings inflate costs, erode public confidence, and in the case of the Department of Defense, ultimately degrade American warfighter readiness and undermine the missions of our military services.”
“Physicians that receive unlawful kickbacks in exchange for ordering medically unnecessary services erode the public’s trust and waste valuable taxpayer dollars” said Steven J. Ryan, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “This outcome demonstrates HHS-OIG’s steadfast commitment to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate those who defraud federal health care programs.”
“I am grateful for, and commend, the exceptional investigative work on this case performed by HHS OIG and DCIS, as well as the important forfeiture work that will return precious funds to the public so that they can be used for patient care” said U.S. Attorney Waldref. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to make our communities safer and stronger, by aggressively pursuing telemedicine kickback schemes, healthcare fraud, and elder abuse.”
The conspiracy offense carries a maximum sentence of up to five years in federal prison. The case was investigated by HHS OIG’s Seattle Field Office and DCIS’ Western Field Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Fruchter and Tyler H.L. Tornabene are prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States; Assistant United States Attorney Brian M. Donovan is handling the forfeiture action.
Case No. 2:23-cr-00135-MKD
Defendants Sentenced for Drug Trafficking that Resulted in Two DeathsRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO – Two defendants whose 18-month long drug conspiracy resulted in the death of one college student and contributed to the death of another have been sentenced, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC).
CYE LEANCE FRASIER, also known as “The Barber,” age 44, was sentenced today to 29 years in prison, and CARLISA RENEA ALLEN, age 46, was sentenced on February 13, 2024, to 28 years in prison. FRASIER pleaded guilty on October 25, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine hydrochloride, and conspiracy to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, resulting in death. ALLEN was found guilty at trial on November 17, 2023, of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and fentanyl resulting in death; distribution of cocaine hydrochloride; possession with intent to distribute cocaine; possession with intent to distribute fentanyl; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Evidence presented at trial, including thousands of text messages between ALLEN and FRASIER, photographs and a note retrieved from ALLEN’s cellphone, and Cash App and Venmo records, showed that ALLEN and FRASIER marketed themselves to local college students as a source of narcotics, primarily cocaine. On occasion, the pair knowingly sold fentanyl. The evidence also showed that the death of Joshua Skip Zinner on or about March 9, 2023, resulted from the use of cocaine laced with fentanyl that he had purchased from the ALLEN and FRASIER drug conspiracy. At sentencing, the court heard from Zinner’s family members, as well as family members of Elizabeth Grace Burton, who also died after ingesting cocaine laced with fentanyl purchased directly from Frasier.
“The heinous and inhumane actions of these defendants led to the senseless loss of two young lives,” said United States Attorney Hairston. “While nothing will ever erase the pain of the families who suffered these tremendous losses, the sentences send a strong message of deterrence to people who consider selling poisonous mixtures of illegal drugs. We also hope this prosecution helps prevent future tragedies by raising public awareness of the serious risk users face when consuming illegal substances, which increasingly contain potentially lethal amounts of fentanyl and other dangerous drugs.”
Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division stated, “Dangerous drug traffickers are enriching their lives by profiting off someone else’s pain. The number of lives forever changed as a result of this greed are far too numerous to count.”
“We cannot simply sit back and continue watching our community members, including students at our institutions of higher learning, die senseless deaths,” said Orange County Sheriff Charles Blackwood. “Our education and awareness efforts must prepare people for the realities of today. Fentanyl is in substances everywhere, and it is deadly.”
FRASIER was sentenced to a 348-month term of imprisonment and ALLEN was sentenced to a 336-month term of imprisonment by the Honorable William L. Osteen, United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. At the conclusion of his active term of imprisonment, FRASIER will be subject to supervised release for 5 years. ALLEN will be subject to supervised release for 5 years following her release from prison. They were both ordered to pay restitution to the families of Joshua Skip Zinner and Elizabeth Grace Burton in the amount of $8,000 dollars and $11,304 dollars, respectively. Both students died after using fentanyl-laced cocaine provided to them by ALLEN and FRASIER in furtherance of their drug conspiracy.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Durham Police Department, Duke University Police Department, Raleigh Police Department, Raleigh/Wake County City-County Bureau of Identification, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Cary Police Department, North Carolina State Highway Patrol, Nash County Sheriff’s Office, and the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael A. DeFranco and Tracy M. Williams-Durham.
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.
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Conehatta Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse of a ChildRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Conehatta man pleaded guilty to abusive sexual contact with a child.
According to court documents, Brett Keith Thomas, 27, engaged in sexual contact with a minor under the age of twelve. Court records show that the offense occurred in the Conehatta Community of the Choctaw Indian Reservation in 2016.
Thomas is scheduled to be sentenced on June 5, 2024, and faces up to life in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Acting Special Agent in Charge Maher Dimachkie of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.
The Choctaw Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin J. Payne and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian K. Burns prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Colorado Man Sentenced to Serve More than 24 Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Earlier this week, CHAD ALLAN QUINNELL, 46, of Colorado, was sentenced to serve 292 months in federal prison for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, announced United States Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On July 19, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a three-count Indictment against Quinnell, charging him with distribution of child pornography, attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, and travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. According to public record, in January 2023, Quinnell began communicating with an undercover FBI agent who he believed was a mother of two small children. Quinnell quickly made clear that, if given the opportunity, he intended to sexually abuse the children. Court records also indicate Quinnell shared child pornography with the undercover agent on multiple occasions and traveled to Oklahoma in June 2023, with the intention of sexually abusing the children. He was arrested when he arrived to meet the purported mother and children in Oklahoma City.
“This is yet another example of the FBI’s excellent and proactive efforts to protect our children, and the lengthy sentence will serve to deter those who attempt to abuse the most vulnerable in our society,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Troester. “I praise the work done by both investigators and prosecutors in bringing an end to the abhorrent behavior of this defendant.”
“Ending the exploitation of children requires quick, decisive action from law enforcement, and that is exactly what this case represents,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. “Thanks to the dedicated efforts of the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, we were able to put a stop to Mr. Quinnell’s deplorable crimes before they escalated. His sentencing underscores our commitment to removing child predators from our communities through the federal justice system.”
On August 30, 2023, Quinnell pleaded guilty to Count 2 of the Indictment, and admitted he used a cell phone to attempt to entice a minor to engage in sexual activities.
At the sentencing hearing on Monday, U.S. District Judge Scott L. Palk sentenced Quinnell to serve 292 months in federal prison, followed by supervised release for life. In announcing his sentence, Judge Palk described the communications sent by Quinnell as “some of the most vile communications” in his experience in the court, and that, if Quinnell were allowed to carry out his intentions, a child would face “a lifetime of horror”. The court also noted Quinnell’s prior convictions for meeting a minor for lewd purposes in Butte County, California Superior Court case number CM040575, and failure to comply with sex offender registration requirements in Butte County, California Superior Court case number CM043939.
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Ganz prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC 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 PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Colombo Crime Family Captain Sentenced to 51 Months for Long-Running Labor Union Extortion and Other SchemesRead the Press Release
Earlier today, Vincent Ricciardo, also known as “Vinny Unions,” was sentenced to 51 months in prison, $350,000 in forfeiture and $280,890 in restitution by United States District Judge Hector Gonzalez at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, New York, for his participation in the long-running extortion of a senior official of a Queens-based labor union (the “Labor Union”) and other criminal schemes he carried out as a captain in the Colombo crime family of La Cosa Nostra. Ricciardo pled guilty to racketeering in July 2023, and admitted to his participation in the extortion of the Labor Union and various conspiracies to commit money laundering, loansharking and fraud in connection with workplace safety certificates.
Vincent Ricciardo is the tenth defendant sentenced in the case for conduct in connection with the scheme to infiltrate and divert funds from the Labor Union and other schemes. Four defendants still await sentencing.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) announced the sentence.
“This prosecution represents our continued commitment to combatting organized crime and prosecuting the individuals who seek to enrich themselves at the expense of hardworking union members and their employers,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Today’s sentence holds Vincent Ricciardo accountable for his long-running extortion scheme, as well as for his yearslong participation in the wide range of crimes committed by the Colombo crime family.”
Mr. Peace expressed his appreciation to the New York City Police Department, the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office, the Nassau County Police Department, the New York City Department of Investigation, the U.S. Department of Labor, and the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime and Gang Section for their valuable assistance in the investigation.
As set forth in court filings and facts presented during the sentencing proceedings, Vincent Ricciardo and his co-conspirators committed a variety of crimes – including extortion, loansharking, fraud and drug-trafficking – to enrich themselves and to promote the continued operation of the Colombo crime family. The Colombo crime family’s administration, including then-boss Andrew Russo (who passed away during the pendency of the case), underboss Benjamin “Benji” Castellazzo and consigliere Ralph DiMatteo, as well as captains Theodore Persico, Jr. and Richard Ferrara, and solider Michael Uvino, agreed to use extortionate means, including threats of bodily harm, to force the senior union official to give over a portion of his salary and ultimately to make decisions that would financially benefit the Colombo crime family’s administration. This included pressure from the defendants to force the trustees of the Labor Union’s associated healthcare benefit fund (the “Health Fund”) to select vendors who were associated with the Colombo crime family and handpicked by some of the defendants. Among other goals, the crime family’s administration sought to divert more than $10,000 per month from the Health Fund’s assets to themselves.
In one consensually recorded conversation, Vincent Ricciardo threatened to kill the senior union official, stating that the senior union official would continue to obey him because he knew Ricciardo would “put him in the ground right in front of his wife and kids, right in front of his fucking house, you laugh all you want pal, I’m not afraid to go to jail, let me tell you something, to prove a point? I would f*****g shoot him right in front of his wife and kids, call the police, f**k it, let me go, how long you think I’m gonna last anyway?”
In addition, Ricciardo and fellow Colombo crime family members Castellazzo, DiMatteo, Persico, Ferrara and Uvino joined with others — co-defendants Albert Alimena, Erin Thompkins and Joseph Bellantoni — who assisted other labor unions and health funds to devise a scheme to launder money from Health Fund contracts and vendor payments. These defendants attempted to re-bid Health Fund vendor contracts for claims administration, pharmaceuticals and other health services to persons and companies affiliated with Bellantoni, and to select a company run by Alimena as the Health Fund’s third-party administrator.
Vincent Ricciardo also worked with Bonanno crime family solider John Ragano, who was also known as “Bazoo” and the “Maniac,” in a scheme to issue fraudulent workplace safety training certifications from two occupational safety schools Ragano purported to operate in Long Island. Rather than provide workplace safety trainings required to obtain Occupational Safety and Health Administration certification, Ragano, along with John Glover and Domenick Ricciardo, falsified paperwork submitted to the U.S. Department of Labor and other government agencies which represented that hundreds of workers had completed construction safety training courses when they had not. Vincent Ricciardo plotted to funnel various Union workers to Ragano’s schools for fraudulent certifications and used the facilities to conduct meetings involving members of La Cosa Nostra.
Nine defendants were previously sentenced. Persico, Jr., who the government alleged was slated to be the family’s next crime boss, pled guilty to racketeering and was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment and restitution in the amount of $280,890. Underboss Castellazzo pled guilty to money laundering conspiracy and was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment. Consigliere DiMatteo pled guilty to racketeering and was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment and restitution in the amount of $280,890. Solider Michael Uvino pled guilty to racketeering and was sentenced to 41 months’ imprisonment, forfeiture of $66,000 and restitution in the amount of $280,890. Associate Domenick Ricciardo pled guilty to racketeering and was sentenced to 28 months’ imprisonment, forfeiture of $25,000 and restitution in the amount of $280,890. Alimena and Bellantoni pled guilty to health care fraud conspiracy and received two years’ probation and fines of $20,000 each. Ragano was sentenced to 57 months’ custody, as well as forfeiture of $500,000. Four defendants await sentencing, including Colombo crime family captain Richard Ferrara and associate Thomas Costa.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Devon Lash, Michael W. Gibaldi and Andrew Reich are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
VINCENT RICCIARDO (also known as “Vinny Unions”)
Age: 77
Franklin Square, New YorkOther Defendants:
ALBERT ALIMENA
Age: 69
Pompano Beach, FloridaJOSEPH BELLANTONI
Age: 41
Massapequa, New YorkBENJAMIN CASTELLAZZO (also known as “Benji”)
Age: 85
Manahawkin, New JerseyTHOMAS COSTA
Age: 54
West Islip, New YorkRALPH DIMATTEO
Age: 68
Merrick, New YorkRICHARD FERRARA
Age: 61
Brooklyn, New YorkJOHN GLOVER
Age: 64
Queens, New YorkVINCENT MARTINO
Age: 45
Medford, New YorkTHEODORE PERSICO, JR. (also known as “Teddy”)
Age: 59
Brooklyn, New YorkJOHN RAGANO (also known as “Bazoo” and the “Maniac”)
Age: 61
Franklin Square, New YorkDOMENICK RICCIARDO
Age: 57
Franklin Square, New YorkERIN THOMPKINS
Age: 55
Franklin Square, New YorkMICHAEL UVINO
Age: 57
Garden City, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-466 (S-1) (HG)
Colbert Resident Sentenced for Abusive Sexual Contact in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Sidney Dewayne Woods, age 31, of Colbert, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 210 months in prison for one count of Abusive Sexual Contact in Indian Country.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On May 10, 2023, Woods pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, Woods confessed to sexually abusing a minor who was in his care at the time of the abuse. The crime occurred in Bryan County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Keith Starrett, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee. Woods was remanded to 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 Morgan Muzljakovich represented the United States.
Cocaine Trafficker Sentenced to 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. –Manuel Alejandro Beltran-Quintero, 35, of Tucson, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 120 months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release. Beltran-Quintero pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine and Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine on September 7, 2023. Five co-defendants also charged in this case pleaded guilty and received sentences of up to 68 months in prison.
On April 15, 2020, Beltran-Quintero coordinated the delivery of nearly 20 kilograms of cocaine in Tucson. Agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration successfully interdicted the drugs and arrested Beltran-Quintero and his co-conspirators. The investigation revealed that Beltran-Quintero had also coordinated the attempted smuggling of firearms to Mexico on three separate occasions in late 2019, all of which were intercepted by law enforcement.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stefani Hepford and Ashley Culver, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-20-01565-TUC-JGZ
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-023_Beltran-Quintero# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Clandestine Cocaine Laboratory Owner and Former Supplier to Clan Del Golfo Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Import Cocaine into the United StatesRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Edgar Cubillos-Burbano (63, Colombia), a/k/a “Don Julio,” “Julio El Quemado,” and “Efrain Ospina,” has pleaded guilty to conspiring to import 5 or more kilograms of cocaine into the United States. He faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
Cubillos-Burbano was arrested in Necocli, Colombia on November 10, 2021, pursuant to a provisional arrest warrant. He was returned to the United States on September 20, 2023.
According to the plea agreement, Cubillos-Burbano was the owner and operator of clandestine cocaine laboratories in northern Colombia and was permitted to operate these laboratories with the permission of Clan Del Golfo, Colombia’s largest drug cartel. He supplied various purchasers, including Clan Del Golfo, and the cocaine was sent either to Central America for ultimate importation to the United States or routed to Europe.
On July 5, 2015, Colombian law enforcement seized approximately 3,082 kilograms of cocaine near the shoreline of Capurgana, Colombia on the border between Colombia and Panama. One of the defendant’s cocaine purchasers was responsible for smuggling this shipment (pictured below), half of which was intended for the United States.
After his arrest in Colombia in connection with this case, Cubillos-Burbano admitted his involvement in this smuggling venture to federal agents. He further admitted to operating clandestine cocaine laboratories with the permission of Clan Del Golfo, including a laboratory capable of producing 300 to 400 kilograms of cocaine every 15 days.
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 Panama Express Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations involved in large scale drug trafficking, money laundering, and related activities. The OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from the Coast Guard Investigative Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Judicial Attaché’s Office at the U.S. Embassy in Bogota, and Colombian authorities provided significant assistance in securing the arrest and extradition from Colombia of Cubillos-Burbano.
The prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Florida. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Baeza.
Cincinnati man pleads guilty to committing federal hate crime by physically assaulting Asian American student based on raceRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Cincinnati man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court here today to committing a federal hate crime by physically assaulting a victim based on the victim’s race.
Darrin Johnson, 27, admitted to physically attacking an Asian American victim on Calhoun Street at the University of Cincinnati on Aug. 17, 2021.
“I remain steadfast in the belief that hate has no place in our society,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “We will continue to use our federal law enforcement authority to investigate and prosecute hate crimes like the one committed by Johnson.”
According to court documents, Johnson made racist comments toward the victim, including, “Go back to your country…You brought the kung flu here…You’re going to die for bringing it.”
After threatening to kill the victim, Johnson punched the victim on the side of his head. The force of the punch caused the victim to fall and hit his head on the bumper of a parked car. Johnson continued his attack on the victim, who was bleeding on the ground, until two bystanders intervened and restrained Johnson.
The victim suffered multiple injuries, including an orbital contusion, facial lacerations and acute head injury.
In October 2021, Johnson pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault and criminal intimidation for the incident and was sentenced to serve 360 days in county jail.
Johnson was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2022.
The parties involved in this case have recommended a sentence of up to 22 months in prison.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Cheryl Mimura, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the guilty plea entered today before Senior U.S. District Judge Susan J. Dlott. Assistant United States Attorney Megan Gaffney Painter is representing the United States in this case.
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Cedar City Residents Accused of Stealing 76 Firearms from C-A-L Ranch Stores Face Federal ChargesRead the Press Release
ST. GEORGE, Utah – A federal grand jury in St. George returned an indictment charging three Cedar City residents with firearm offenses after they were accused of stealing multiple guns from C-A-L Ranch Stores, a licensed dealer of firearms, in Cedar City, Utah.
According to court documents, Russell Wesley Gruber, 29, of Cedar City, Utah; Darrell Glen Devoge, 48, of Cedar City; and Parker Darrell Devoge, 20, of Cedar City, stole multiple firearms in November 2023 from C-A-L Ranch Stores located in Cedar City. As alleged in the indictment, the defendants took and carried away 76 firearms, which include rifles, shotguns, revolvers and pistols, with the intent to permanently deprive C-A-L Ranch Stores of those firearms. Gruber and Darrell G. Devoge then stored several of the stolen firearms, which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce.
Gruber, Darrell G. Devoge and Parker D. Devoge are charged with theft of firearms from a licensed dealer. Gruber and Darrell G. Devoge are also charged with possession of stolen firearms and felon in possession of firearms. Their initial court appearance on the indictment was Feb. 22, 2024, before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the United States District Courthouse in St. George, Utah. A jury trial is set for April 29, 2024.
U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The investigation is being worked jointly by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Cedar City Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher Burton and Brady Wilson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah are prosecuting 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.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.Cape Girardeau Postal Worker Convicted of Stealing MailRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – A jury on Wednesday found a former U.S. Postal Service letter carrier guilty of charges accusing him of stealing and failing to deliver customers’ mail.
After a trial lasting less than two days, Robert Gafford, 33, of Jackson, Missouri, was found guilty of one count of delaying or destroying mail and one count of embezzlement of mail.
Gafford worked out of the Cape Girardeau Post Office annex at the time and was responsible for delivering mail on a rural route in or near Scott City, Missouri. In late 2021, the postmaster received complaints from a couple on Gafford’s delivery route that they were not receiving their mail, including bills and some packages, according to evidence and testimony presented at the trial. The couple have Informed Delivery, a Postal Service program that provides pictures of the mail that is scheduled to be delivered that day. The couple sent postal officials images of mail that was not delivered. The postmaster had a supervisor check daily for mail addressed to the couple. There were days when their mail was not delivered and officials found it at the post office and days in which the mail could not be located, according to evidence and trial testimony. When confronted by supervisors and told he must deliver the mail, Gafford said did not like the location of the victims’ mailbox, according to court records. He was also issued a written warning.
Frustrated when their mail was still not being delivered, the couple mailed an Apple AirTag tracking device to themselves and traced it to Gafford’s home when it wasn't delivered to theirs, the trial showed. A special agent with the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General then sent a test piece of mail with a tracking device. Investigators watched as Gafford stopped at his personal vehicle before leaving post office property in his mail vehicle that day. They also independently tracked Gafford’s postal vehicle as he skipped the couple’s mailbox. They tracked the test piece to Gafford’s personal vehicle after he left for the day, then pulled him over and seized the test piece and the couple’s other undelivered mail from his SUV’s glove box, the trial showed.
Gafford is scheduled to be sentenced May 21. Each charge carries a penalty of up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine.
The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Hahn and Christopher Shelton are prosecuting the case.
Brazilian Citizen Previously Convicted of Indecent Assault and Battery on a Minor Sentenced for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brazilian citizen was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
Guilherme Pereira, 27, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to time served (approximately six weeks) and one year of supervised release. In September 2023, Pereira pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien.
Pereira was removed from the United States in August 2018 after he was convicted in Massachusetts state court of one count of indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or older and three counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. Sometime after his removal, Pereira unlawfully returned to the United States and was arrested in January 2020.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy 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. Attorneys Meghan C. Cleary and Jessica L. Soto of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Boston Man Sentenced to 22 Years in Prison for Child Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for sexual exploitation of children as well as distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Robinson Alberto Baez-Nova, 39, of Jamaica Plain, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 22 years in prison followed by a lifetime supervised release. In August 2023, Baez-Nova pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of children, one count of distribution of child pornography and two counts of possession of child pornography.
“This Office will do everything in our power to protect children and punish those who traffic in child pornography. Mr. Baez-Nova callously preyed upon some of society’s most vulnerable people, perpetuated a cycle of harm and exploitation and inflicted irreparable damage upon innocent lives. Today’s sentence ensures that this predator will be removed from our communities for nearly two decades and should be a stark warning for anyone who exploits children,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “There is no higher priority than protecting the vulnerable, especially children, from this type of horrific conduct.”
“Robinson Alberto Baez-Nova is a manipulative sexual predator who eagerly took advantage of children living in poverty in the Dominican Republic to sexually exploit them, apparently thinking he would just continue to fly under the radar,” Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division. “Today’s lengthy sentence proves him wrong and should send a message to anyone else sexually exploiting children: FBI Boston’s Child Exploitation – Human Trafficking Task Force will investigate, hold you accountable, and ensure your destination is federal prison.”
In November 2020, Baez-Nova was identified as the owner of a Google account that uploaded images and videos of CSAM between November 2018 and August 2020.
A subsequent search of Baez-Nova’s cellphone revealed a WhatsApp chat with a 17-year-old male living in the Dominican Republic who had access to his nine-year-old niece. Beginning in or around July 2020, Baez-Nova said that he would send money to the individual and his family in the Dominican Republic if the individual produced CSAM of the minor niece. Ultimately, the individual sent Baez-Nova five different videos of his minor niece in response to the Baez-Nova’s specific requests.
Additionally, a separate WhatsApp chat with a 14-year-old minor female residing in the Dominican Republic was also found on Baez-Nova’s cellphone. In the conversations, Baez-Nova solicited the minor female to obtain images and videos of “little kids” engaged in sexual conduct in exchange for money and sent the minor CSAM, including a video of the nine-year-old minor discussed above.
In total, over 200 images and over 400 videos of CSAM were found on Baez-Nova’s cellphone and in his Google account.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy, FBI SAC Cohen and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office; Nashua Police Department; Hillsborough County (N.H.) District Attorney’s Office; and Homeland Security Investigations, Boston Field Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mackenzie Duane and Mark Grady of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Bloods Gang Member Who Shot at FBI Agent in Columbus Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ga. – A Columbus resident and confirmed member of the Bloods criminal street gang who fired multiple rounds at an FBI agent to evade arrest in 2022 was sentenced to prison for his crimes this week.
Jarvis Smith, 29, of Columbus, was sentenced to serve 117 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release on Feb. 27, after he pleaded guilty to one count of forcible assault on a federal law enforcement officer, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person on Aug. 9, 2023.
Co-defendant Joshuia Johnathon Luke Brown aka “Black,” 26, was sentenced to serve a total of 319 months in prison on Jan. 29, after Brown was convicted by a federal jury of one count of forcible assault on a federal officer with a deadly weapon, one count of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, one count of distribution of methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, three counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on Sept. 18, 2023.
U.S. District Judge Clay Land handed down the sentences. The defendants are not eligible for parole.
“Jarvis Smith and Joshuia Brown fired multiple rounds at an FBI agent, striking the agent’s car as well as a nearby home; thankfully, no one was injured or killed,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “All levels of law enforcement are working together to hold violent gang members accountable for their crimes and reduce violence in Columbus and across the Middle District of Georgia.”
“Anyone who assaults a law enforcement officer is dangerous and an extreme threat to public safety. Putting away violent criminals, like Brown and Smith, is one of the most important things we can do to protect our communities,” said Rich Bilson, Senior Supervisory Resident Agent of FBI Atlanta’s Columbus office. “The FBI will not tolerate any act of violence against another individual, let alone against one of our own. Thankfully, no one—including our Special Agent—was injured during their act of terror. Columbus is a safer community with these gang members off the streets."
“The federal system leveraged justice for both cowards involved,” said Muscogee County Sheriff Greg Countryman. “This wild west behavior is unacceptable. I am grateful for the work and courage our FBI agents displayed. I see the fruits of their labor in our community. It's making a huge impact with gang and criminal activity.”
According to court documents, federal agents were surveilling Smith and Brown in July 2022 as part of a larger and ongoing investigation into armed drug trafficking in the Columbus community. Through surveillance, agents observed a drug transaction involving Smith and Brown on July 28, 2022, in the vicinity of 1049 Winston Road in Columbus. At 4:35 p.m., Smith departed the scene in his car with Brown. FBI Agent S.A. conducted mobile surveillance as Smith traveled down Wade Street, turning south on Sheridan Avenue. Smith, who was driving, stopped his car in the middle of the road and he and Brown, who was a passenger, stepped outside of the car with weapons pointed in the agent’s direction and fired multiple rounds at the agent’s car, hitting the passenger door, the roof and the rear bumper of the FBI vehicle. One round traveled through the back of the FBI agent’s passenger seat, hitting a small bag on the front passenger side. Another round entered a private residence’s living room window, shattering a painting on the wall. The FBI agent was not injured during the shooting.
FBI and Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office units attempted to stop Smith’s car; Smith and Brown were able to elude law enforcement in a lengthy pursuit by car and on foot. Smith was taken into custody on July 28. After a manhunt that last several days, Brown turned himself in on Aug. 10. Law enforcement recovered a camo backpack dropped by Smith during the pursuit that held a fully loaded Glock pistol with an extended magazine, a fully loaded .380 semi-automatic pistol and ammunition. Also, several baggies containing methamphetamine, pills and other illegal drugs were found inside Smith’s backpack. A bag dropped by Brown during the pursuit contained a fully loaded Glock 19X handgun with an extended magazine. Two bullets recovered from the FBI agent’s vehicle matched the Glock 19X found inside Brown’s discarded bag. Both the Glock 19X and the Glock pistol were modified to operate as machine guns.
Smith is a confirmed member of the Bloods criminal street gang and has a prior conviction of aggravated assault, burglary and robbery in Muscogee County, Georgia, Superior Court, Case No. SU-13-Cr-1336. Brown is a member of US World, a hybrid criminal street gang based out of Columbus that is affiliated with other national criminal gangs. It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and 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 investigated by the FBI and the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from multiple agencies including the DEA, the Columbus Police Department, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, the Phenix City Police Department and the Russell County, Alabama, Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Williams and Crawford Seals prosecuted the cases for the Government.
Bixby Man Sentenced for RobberyRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – U.S. District Judge R. Brooke Jackson sentenced Waylon Cody Johnson, 24, to 65 months imprisonment, followed by 2 years of supervised release for Obstructing, Delaying, and Affecting Commerce by Robbery. Judge Jackson further ordered Johnson to pay $277.09 in restitution.
According to court documents, on August 21, 2022, Johnson walked into a Subway store with a gun demanding the store employee to “give [him] all the money.” Johnson threatened to kill the employee if they attempted to contact the police and not comply with his demands. It was later determined the gun Johnson used in the robbery was a replica gun that looked like a pistol.
Johnson is a member of the Seneca-Cayuga Nation. He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The FBI and Sapulpa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin G. Bish 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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Baltimore Man Sentenced to 40 Months in Federal Prison for a Series of Fraud Schemes with Losses of More Than $1.5 MillionRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced Noel Chimezuru Agoha, age 40, of Baltimore, Maryland, today to 40 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud related to a series of fraud schemes with losses of more than $1.5 million. Judge Hollander also ordered Agoha to pay restitution of $1 million.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Special Agent in Charge Karen L. Brown Cleveland of the Washington Field Office of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service; and Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department.
According to his plea agreement, between February 2015 and November 2018, Agoha conspired with others, including co-defendants Sessieu Oulai and Kelechi Ntibunka, to execute a business email compromise (“BEC”) scam.
As part of the scheme, “drop accounts” were opened with financial institutions and controlled by the Agoha and his co-conspirators, in order to receive money from victims of criminal fraud schemes, including the BEC scam, and launder fraud proceeds. Specifically, as detailed in the plea agreement, members of the fraud conspiracy used false and fraudulent e-mails to deceive individuals and companies who were engaged in financial transactions and/or ongoing business relationships with other individuals or entities by impersonating clients, persons in positions of authority, and representatives of companies with whom the victims had ongoing business. Through these false and fraudulent e-mails, the conspirators induced the victims to send money via electronic transfer or deposit into bank accounts controlled by Agoha and other conspirators. In this way, the Defendant and other conspirators intercepted payments intended for others. Agoha, Oulai, Ntibunka, and other conspirators also monitored drop account activity (deposits, transfers, and balances), relayed information, and provided instruction about transactions to co-conspirators via text messages. In total, the defendants and their co-conspirators received, or attempted to receive, more than $1.1 million in proceeds from BEC scams. Agoha personally obtained approximately $111,242 as a result of the BEC scheme to which he is pleading guilty.
Agoha also joined a fraud conspiracy that conducted dating or romance scams targeting individuals looking for romantic partners or friendships on dating websites and other social media platforms. Specifically, members of the fraud conspiracy created profiles using fake names, locations, images, and personas in order to initiate and cultivate relationships with prospective victims under false pretenses. Once a relationship with a victim was initiated, conspirators attempted to convince or induce the victim to provide money through electronic transfer or deposit into bank accounts controlled by the conspiracy, and/or items of property through interstate delivery or international shipment. Victims were sometimes induced to conduct transactions at the direction of the conspirators, such as transfers in and out of particular bank accounts.
Agoha used business bank accounts he controlled in Maryland to receive and launder proceeds of dating scams. Proceeds of the fraud that were deposited into Agoha’s accounts were withdrawn and spent through various purchases and payments. Agoha and his co-conspirators accrued more than $1 million in dating scam proceeds.
After pleading guilty to their roles in the fraud scheme, Sessieu Ange Oulai, age 37, of Parkville, Maryland, was sentenced to 32 months in federal prison and Kelechi Arthur Ntibunka, age 35, of Essex, Maryland, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison. Judge Hollander also ordered that Oulai and Btibunka pay restitution of $300,000.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron praised HSI’s Mid-Atlantic El Dorado Task Force, the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Darryl Tarver and Paul A. Riley, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Ardmore Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Ricky Gene McGee Jr., age 37, of Ardmore, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
The Indictment alleged that on October 12, 2022, McGee, having been convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year, and knowing of that conviction, possessed a 9mm semi-automatic pistol and ammunition which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Ardmore Police Department.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. McGee was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Alien in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Richard A. Lazzara sentenced Jose Jaime Morado Zepeda (28) to three years and six months in federal prison for being an alien in possession of multiple firearms and ammunition. Morado Zepeda entered a guilty plea on November 15, 2023.
According to court documents, on June 27, 2023, a deputy from the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office arrested Morado Zepeda for driving under the influence. From the truck that Morado Zepeda was driving, deputies recovered two Colt MK IV 45 caliber pistols, a Riley Defense Inc. RAK47 7.62x39mm caliber rifle, a Romarm/Cugir GP WASR-10/63 7.62x39mm caliber rifle, a Winchester 94AE 30-30 caliber rifle, and assorted ammunition.
Subsequent to his arrest, an agent from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations performed an immigration records check on Morado Zepeda and determined that he was a native and citizen of Mexico with no legal status in the United States.
On July 14, 2023, during an interview with federal agents, Morado Zepeda admitted that he was born in Mexico, did not have legal status in the United States, and that he bought and owned the firearms located in the truck.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations Sarasota, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, and the North Port Police. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Karyna Valdes.
Albuquerque Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Towanda R. Thorne-James, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration El Paso Division, announced that Danyell Kerr, Jr. was sentenced to 11 years in prison. Kerr, 32, of Albuquerque, pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams and more of fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on Nov. 27, 2023.
According to publicly available court records, on April 20, 2023, DEA agents received information from a citizen that Kerr was a supplier of fentanyl. The citizen called Kerr and set up a time and location to buy fentanyl pills. DEA agents established surveillance at the predetermined meet location and observed Kerr arrive at the location. Agents approached Kerr and arrested him. When they searched the vehicle that he was driving, they located, within arms reach of the driver’s seat, 984.4 gross grams of fentanyl pills and a pistol, loaded with a round chambered.
Upon his release from prison, Kerr will be subject to 5 years of supervised release.
The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case with the assistance of the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph M. Spindle prosecuted the case.
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Tuesday 27 February 2024
Wiggins Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute over 250 Grams of FentanylRead the Press Release
Gulfport, MS – A Wiggins man pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute over 250 grams of a substance containing fentanyl.
According to court documents, on September 7, 2023, the Wiggins Police Department received information that George Tavoris Moore, Jr., 28, was expected to receive a package containing fentanyl at a Wiggins address. A subsequent investigation led to a search of the Wiggins residence and the package. The search yielded approximately 252 grams of pills containing fentanyl.
According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, fentanyl is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin. The DEA reports that two milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal, and one kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people. More facts on fentanyl can be found at https://www.dea.gov/resources/facts-about-fentanyl and https://www.dea.gov/resources/facts-about-fentanyl.
Moore pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 20, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune of Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans made the announcement.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Wiggins Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose is prosecuting the case.
West Lafayette Man Convicted of Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Markith Dushawn Williams, 38 years old, of West Lafayette, Indiana, was found guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon following a two-day jury trial presided over by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Williams is scheduled for sentencing at a later date. Any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the District Court Judge after consideration of federal statutes and the United States Sentencing Guidelines.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives High Intensity Drug Trafficking Task Force and the Hammond Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Patrick D. Grindlay and Assistant United States Attorney Kristian R. Mukoski.
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.
U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit Releases Information on Efforts to Protect Voting Rights and to Secure ElectionsRead the Press Release
BOISE – Today, in advance of this year’s federal election cycle, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit is providing information about his Office’s efforts to ensure that all qualified voters have the opportunity to vote free of violence, intimidation, discrimination, and other criminal activity in the election process.
Consistent with Department of Justice (DOJ) practices across the country, multiple Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) from around Idaho have been appointed to lead the efforts of his Office to ensure a safe, free, and fair election.
DOJ has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. DOJ will address these violations wherever they occur.
“Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
Federal law also requires that people with disabilities have a full and equal opportunity to vote, and DOJ’s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Checklist for Polling Places (www.ada.gov/votingchecklist.htm) provides guidance to election officials for determining whether a polling place already has the basic accessibility features needed by most voters with disabilities or can be made accessible using temporary solutions. Additionally, DOJ has published Solutions for Five Common ADA Access Problems at Polling Places, available at this link: (https://www.ada.gov/resources/solutions-voting-problems/). Additional information is available on DOJ’s website (https://www.ada.gov/topics/voting/).
“The right to vote is the cornerstone of American democracy,” U.S. Attorney Hurwit stated. “We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. We will be prepared to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election cycle.”
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho can be reached at (208) 334-1211. The FBI will also have special agents available in throughout the country to receive allegations of threats of violence and other election abuses related to voting. The Salt Lake City FBI field office, which covers Idaho, can be reached by the public at (801) 579-1400.
In addition, complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at (800) 253-3931 or by complaint form on DOJ’s website (https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/).
Finally, individuals with questions or complaints related to the ADA may call DOJ’s toll-free ADA information line at 800-514-0301 or 833-610-1264 (TTY), or submit a complaint through a link on DOJ’s ADA website (https://www.ada.gov/file-a-complaint/).
U.S. Attorney Hurwit said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud report it to the Department of Justice.”
Please note, however, that complaints related to violence, threats of violence, or intimidation should always be reported immediately to local authorities by calling 911. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
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U.S. Attorney and Federal Law Enforcement Officials Announce Extradition of Honduran Nationals in Fight Against Fentanyl Trafficking in the Tenderloin District of San FranciscoRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey convened a press conference today with Brian Clark, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration and Robert K. Tripp, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, to announce that the government of Honduras extradited three of its nationals to the United States. The three Honduran nationals now will face federal felony charges that they were involved in separate conspiracies to sell drugs in the Tenderloin District of San Francisco. U.S. Attorney Ramsey used the occasion to provide an update the progress being made after his November 2023 announcement that federal, state, and local law enforcement authorities would be implementing “All Hands on Deck,” a joint law enforcement initiative to address drug dealing in San Francisco.
The three extradited Honduran nationals are Jorge Alberto Viera-Chirinos, 34; Mayer Benegas-Medina, 30; and Elmer Bonilla Matute, 34.
Viera-Chirinos was originally charged by criminal complaint on July 29, 2019, with charges that he participated in a conspiracy to distribute drugs on the Tenderloin. Viera-Chirinos was arrested the same day. On May 6, 2020, he was released on bond. A federal grand jury indicted Viera-Chirinos on August 8, 2019; the indictment alleges he is one of 14 defendants trafficking large quantities of heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine base, and cocaine in San Francisco. The indictment alleged Viera-Chirinos was a high-level manager of the organization responsible for having overseen the organization’s drug trafficking activities. On September 2, 2020, he fled from the home where he was required to stay while on release, thereby violating the terms of his bond. The court issued an arrest warrant but Viera-Chirinos fled to Honduras where he was later found. He will now face the charges set out in the August 2019 indictment. He made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter H Kang on Feb. 23, 2024. His next appearance is scheduled to take place February 28, 2023, before Magistrate Judge Kang.
A federal grand jury indicted Mayer Benegas-Medina on December 16, 2020. The indictment alleges Benegas participated in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. Benegas was arrested on December 10, 2020, and on December 21, 2020, he was ordered released on bond. The terms of his release included electronic monitoring and a curfew. In March 2021, he absconded. He was found in Honduras and made his initial appearance before Magistrate Judge Kang on Feb. 23, 2024. His next court appearance is scheduled for March 26, 2024, before the Hon. William Alsup, U.S. District Judge.
A federal grand jury indicted Matute on Dec. 19, 2019, charging him with possession with intent to distribute heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, and cocaine base. The indictment alleges Matute is part of a drug trafficking organization based in San Francisco and that, between approximately 2017 and 2019, was responsible for distributing large quantities of heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine base, and cocaine as well as trafficking the drugs through the State of Oregon and into the State of Washington. Matute appeared before Magistrate Judge Kang this morning. His next appearance in district court is scheduled for April 3, 2024, before Hon. Vince Chhabria, U.S. District Judge.
At today’s press conference, U.S. Attorney Ramsey stated that as the elements of “All Hands on Deck” are implemented, the pressure on drug dealers in the Tenderloin will continue to increase. “In addition to the risk that your money will be taken and that you may face criminal penalties far in excess than you anticipated, you can now add that you should look over your shoulder for years after committing your crime—even if you leave the country.” In addition, U.S. Attorney Ramsey stated that various elements of the “All Hands on Deck” initiative continue to be implemented. U.S. Attorney Ramsey recited several cases in which defendant received lengthy sentences and reviewed additional elements of “All Hands on Deck” including the following:
• The Office of the United States Attorney is pursuing criminal actions related to money services businesses that facilitate the movement of drug profits.
• The Office of the United States Attorney has convicted 51 defendants under a Fast Track program. The program supplements traditional federal drug distribution cases and brings consequences to low-level dealers in the Tenderloin.
• Federal prosecutors join with local prosecutors at state court on two random days per week to review cases that can be pursued in federal, rather than state, courts.
“In sum,” said U.S. Attorney Ramsey, “drug dealing in the Tenderloin is simply a different proposition than it’s been in the past.”
“These extraditions should send a clear message to those who peddle poison in San Francisco: if you traffic deadly drugs that threaten the safety and health of our community, if you flee from justice, if you think you can hide, you are wrong. DEA will be relentless in our pursuit to hold you accountable,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian M. Clark.
U.S. Attorney Ramsey thanked the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs for their substantial assistance in securing the arrests and extraditions of Viera-Chirinos, Benegas-Medina and Matute.
Two Queens Men Convicted of Drug-Related Murder of Run-DMC D.J. Jason Mizell, Also Known as "Jam Master Jay"Read the Press Release
Today, a federal jury in Brooklyn returned a guilty verdict against Karl Jordan, Jr., and Ronald Washington for the October 30, 2002, murder of Jason Mizell, also known as “Jam Master Jay,” a member of the famed hip hop group Run-DMC. Both defendants were charged with murder while engaged in a narcotics trafficking conspiracy and firearm-related murder for the fatal shooting of Mizell inside the victim’s recording studio in Hollis, Queens. The verdict followed a four-week trial before United States District Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall. When sentenced, Jordan and Washington face a minimum of 20 years’ imprisonment and a maximum term of life imprisonment.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Edward A. Caban, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), John B. DeVito, Special Agent-in-Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) announced the verdict.
“More than two decades after they killed Jason Mizell in his recording studio, Jordan and Washington have finally been held accountable for their cold-blooded crime driven by greed and revenge,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “That the victim, professionally known as Jam Master Jay, was a hip hop icon and Run-DMC’s music was born in Hollis, Queens, in this very district, and beloved by so many, adds to the tragedy of a life senselessly cut short. I thank the jurors for their service, and I commend our prosecutors, the NYPD detectives, both active and retired, and the Special Agents and investigators from the ATF and my office, for their relentless pursuit of justice for the victim, his family, and the community.”Mr. Peace also expressed his thanks to the NYPD Intelligence Division, Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, Queens County District Attorney’s Office, and Dominican Republic National Police for their assistance.
“Today’s guilty verdicts provides proof that the passage of time provides no safe harbor to those who commit murder. For us in ATF, our memory is long, and our resolve is steadfast. We have no tolerance for those who would take a life, and we are committed to seeing justice done. We thank our partners who are a part of ATF NY Joint Firearms Task Force -Long Island, NYPD, U.S. Marshals and the U.S. Attorney’s Office of Eastern District of NY who share the same commitment and resolve. We offer our hope to the family, friends, and fans of Jason Mizell that today’s verdict gives some closure,” stated ATF Special Agent-in-Charge DeVito.
“In every homicide investigation, NYPD detectives are meticulous, patient, and tireless in their efforts to help secure guilty verdicts like these rendered today,” stated NYPD Commissioner Edward A. Caban. “A cold case is never a forgotten case. In the decades since Mr. Mizell was brutally murdered, the greatest detectives in the world followed every lead until arrests could be made, and a solid case could be brought to our partners in the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. Mr. Mizell’s loved ones – who long-expected and deserved justice to be delivered – were patient, too, and we hope the jury’s decisions today advance a small measure of closure.”
As proven at trial, between the 1990s and 2002, separate from his music career, Mizell was involved in arranging for the sale of kilogram-quantities of cocaine in the Eastern District of New York and elsewhere. In August 2002, Mizell acquired approximately 10 kilograms of cocaine on consignment from a supplier based in California. The cocaine was intended to be distributed in Maryland by Washington, Jordan and other co-conspirators. A dispute between Washington and one of the co-conspirators in Baltimore resulted in Mizell cutting Washington and Jordan out of the Maryland drug deal worth almost $200,000. Following this betrayal, Washington and Jordan continued in the larger narcotics conspiracy until they could ultimately cut out Jason Mizell by murdering him on October 30, 2002.
On Wednesday, October 30, 2002, Mizell was present at his recording studio, “24/7,” located on Merrick Boulevard in Jamaica, Queens, playing a video game with a friend and reviewing paperwork with his business manager. At approximately 7:30 p.m., the defendants’ co-conspirator opened a locked fire escape exit door allowing Washington and Jordan to enter the building without being seen by Mizell. Jordan, who was the victim’s godson, and Washington went upstairs to the recording studio where Jordan greeted Mizell, who was sitting on the couch and initially appeared happy to see him. Things turned quickly, with Jordan pointing a gun at Mizell and firing two shots at close range. One shot hit Mizell in the head, killing him instantly. The second shot struck Mizell’s friend in the leg. Mizell’s business manager tried to flee and was met by Washington, who pointed a gun at her face and demanded that she lay on the floor. The three defendants fled the scene. The defendants variously made admissions to associates implicating themselves in the fatal shooting or bragging about being the shooter. For example, a witness who lived in a residence owned by Jordan’s father, testified that he overheard Jordan say that if Mizell “were still alive he would kill him again.” Washington’s former girlfriend testified that several days after the murder, he admitted killing Mizell. Additionally at trial, Jordan was identified as the shooter by the individual who was shot in the leg, and Mizell’s business manager identified Washington as being present in the recording studio during the murder and pointing a firearm at her and ordering her to get down on the floor.
The co-conspirator who allowed the defendants to enter through the fire escape door will be tried separately for his role in Mizell’s murder in January 2026 and remains innocent until proven guilty. Jordan is also charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and cocaine distribution and will be tried on those counts at a later date.
Assistant United States Attorneys Artie McConnell, Mark E. Misorek and Miranda Gonzalez are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialists Anna November and Samantha Schroder.
The Defendants:
KARL JORDAN, JR. (also known as “Little D” and “Noid”)
Age: 40
Hollis, QueensRONALD WASHINGTON (also known as “Tinard”)
Age: 59
Hollis, QueensE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-305 (LDH)
Two New Kensington Residents Indicted for Possessing and Conspiring to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Two residents of New Kensington, Pennsylvania, have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal narcotic laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
The two-count Indictment named Marcos Francisco-Tomas, 33, and Andres Flores-Cedeno, 27, as the defendants.
According to the Indictment, on February 17, 2024, Francisco-Tomas and Flores-Cedeno allegedly conspired to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, with the defendants also possessing with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine on the same date.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $10 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants.
Assistant United States Attorneys Katherine C. Jordan and Douglas C. Maloney are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Two Defendants Charged with Stealing or Misusing $20 Million in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program BenefitsRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, an indictment was unsealed charging Dawood Kassim and Dia Alqalisi with trafficking and stealing millions of dollars in benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as the Food Stamp Program. To carry out the fraud, the defendants allegedly engaged in thousands of SNAP transactions out of a bodega in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood in Brooklyn which Kassim owned. The defendants were arrested this morning and are scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Cheryl L. Pollak. One defendant charged in the indictment remains at large.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Erin Keegan, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Charmeka Parker, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, United States Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region (USDA-OIG), announced the charges.
“As alleged, the defendants trafficked and stole a massive amount of SNAP benefits from thousands of victims, illegally profiting from federally funded benefits intended for those in need of nutritious meals—which is especially vital in these times of high food costs,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “The arrests today should be a wakeup call to those who think government programs are a piggy bank they can pillage without fear of consequences.”
“The defendants are accused of robbing the food stamps program of millions of dollars intended to assist the well-meaning public in feeding their families. Through this Brooklyn corner store, they allegedly defrauded unsuspecting food stamp recipients in several states across the country, and to the tune of $20 million," said HSI New York Acting Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan. "I commend HSI New York’s El Dorado Task Force and our law enforcement partners for their outstanding coordination in ensuring these vital benefits go to those who truly need them.”
According to the indictment and court filings, SNAP is administered by the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service and utilizes federal tax dollars to subsidize low-income households, affording such households the opportunity to achieve a more nutritious diet by increasing their food purchasing power. Individuals who receive SNAP benefits no longer redeem their benefits using paper food stamp coupons but use what is known as an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card. Using EBT cards, recipients can make authorized purchases, and the total amount of the purchase is electronically deducted from the recipient’s card balance. The same amount of the transaction is electronically transferred to the retailer’s designated bank account, using federal funds that originate from the USDA.
From April 2022 through December 2022, the defendants allegedly conducted fraudulent SNAP transactions out of Throop Farm Market, a bodega located at the corner of Throop and Greene Avenues in Bedford-Stuyvesant. First, the defendants engaged in trafficking SNAP benefits by allowing SNAP recipients to exchange SNAP benefits for cash or non-SNAP eligible goods, such as beer, with the defendants keeping a portion of the benefits for themselves as payment. Second, Kassim stole SNAP benefits from unsuspecting victims by using counterfeit and stolen SNAP EBT cards at Throop Farm Market. The victims of the defendants’ crimes included recipients of SNAP benefits residing in Tennessee, Virginia and California, among other states. Through these transactions, the defendants received over $20 million dollars in federally funded SNAP benefits, including over $7 million dollars’ worth of SNAP benefits from accounts of recipients living outside of New York.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Assistant United States Attorney Irisa Chen is in charge of the prosecution. The investigation is being conducted by HSI’s El Dorado Task Force in New York together with the USDA-OIG.
Law enforcement agents have identified numerous recipients of SNAP benefits whose benefits were stolen by the defendants. If any SNAP benefit recipients believe their benefits were stolen and used at Throop Farm Market or other businesses, they should contact the USDA-OIG at https://usdaoig.oversight.gov/resources/hotline-information or 1-800-424-9121.
The Defendants:
DAWOOD KASSIM (also known as “Badr al din Kassim”)
Age: 31
Brooklyn, New YorkDIA ALQALISI (also known as “Diaaldeen Alqalisi”)
Age: 26
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-67 (KAM)
Two Charged in Connection with Search of Bronx Drug Mail Order Distribution Center Containing Approximately 100,000 Pills of Suspected Fentanyl and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; Frank A. Tarentino III, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”); and Erin Keegan, the Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), announced today the filing of a Complaint in Manhattan federal court charging EDWARD EUSTATE JIMENEZ, a/k/a “Chino,” and WILIANYI ALMANZAR POLANCO with conspiracy to distribute narcotics and distribution of narcotics. JIMENEZ and POLANCO were arrested yesterday afternoon in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan. They were presented earlier today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gary Stein.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “This seizure removed substantial quantities of narcotics from the streets and helped to disrupt an alleged mail order business that promised legitimate prescriptions drugs but was really distributing deadly narcotics, like fentanyl. I express deep gratitude to the efforts of our law enforcement partners and the career prosecutors of this Office as we remain committed to saving lives by keeping fentanyl off the streets of our community.”
DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III said: “Simply put, this alleged fentanyl pill distribution organization was delivering deadly fentanyl to doorstops across America. This emerging trend of mail order fentanyl pill delivery services elevates the danger of ordering pills from rogue online platforms and social media. Fentanyl is the greatest threat to Americans ages 18-45, and DEA lab analysis has found that 7 out of 10 fentanyl pills contain a potential lethal dose; therefore, tens of thousands of potential lethal doses were removed from circulation today. I commend our law enforcement partners for their collaboration and focus on arresting drug traffickers bringing the most harm to our communities and taking deadly poison off our streets.”
HSI Acting Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan said: “Fentanyl contributed to more than 100,000 overdose fatalities in 2023 — with a large number of cases tragically stemming from individuals unknowingly ingesting fentanyl in seemingly legitimate pharmaceuticals purchased via the Internet and delivered through the mail. The goal of the HSI New York El Dorado Task Force is to leverage every tool at the state, local, and federal level to disrupt fentanyl production, transportation, and distribution both locally and globally. Working with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, we will continue to conduct cross border investigations that degrade the ability of drug traffickers to operate in the New York City area and beyond, ultimately making a profound impact in the fight against the opioid crisis and saving innocent lives.”
As alleged in the Complaint filed today in Manhattan federal court:[1]
Since at least in or about September 2023, law enforcement has been investigating a network of drug traffickers (the “Drug Traffickers”) who, among other things, have been distributing large quantities of counterfeit prescription drugs using a mail-order system. The drugs distributed include pills colored and pressed to look like, among other things, prescription oxycodone and Adderall, but that are, in fact, counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl.
On multiple occasions, an undercover law enforcement officer purchased pills from the Drug Traffickers which tested positive for, among other things, fentanyl. Postal records show that at least two of the packages of pills were mailed by someone who appears to be JIMENEZ from a post office (the “Post Office”) located in the Bronx. Since in or about January 20, 2024, JIMENEZ appears to have sent approximately 188 U.S. Postal Service (“USPS”) packages, including approximately 80 packages that were sent from the Post Office. On at least one occasion, he was joined by an individual who appears to be POLANCO.
On or about February 26, 2024, law enforcement agents arrested JIMENEZ and POLANCO. At the time of his arrest, JIMENEZ was scanning parcels for mailing. Around the same time, law enforcement arrested POLANCO, who was waiting in a vehicle near the Post Office. Inside the vehicle was a black trash bag containing additional mail packages.
In total, law enforcement encountered more than 35 priority mail packages, each of which contained a quantity of what appeared to be counterfeit prescription pills. The contents of two of the priority mail packages, containing what appears to be counterfeit oxycodone and counterfeit Adderall, are pictured below:
Also on or about February 26, 2024, law enforcement searched an apartment (the “Apartment”) that was rented or lived in by JIMENEZ and POLANCO and used to package and distribute narcotics for mailing. During the course of that search, law enforcement officers recovered approximately 100,000 counterfeit pills that appear to be colored and pressed to imitate, among other things, prescription oxycodone, Adderall, and Xanax; a “kilo press,” or device used to press powdered narcotics into kilogram-weight bricks; over 2,000 USPS priority mail envelopes that appear to be unused; and bags containing what appear to be shipping receipts. A photograph of the narcotics and some of the other material recovered from the Apartment is below:
Although lab testing is pending, preliminary field tests reveal that almost all of the narcotics recovered have tested positive for fentanyl and methamphetamine.
* * *
EDWARD EUSTATE JIMENEZ, 23, and WILIANYI ALMANZAR POLANCO, 32, both of the Bronx, New York, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute narcotics and one count of narcotics distribution, both of which carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The statutory minimum and maximum sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the El Dorado Task Force International Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit, which is comprised of law enforcement officers and investigators from the DEA, HSI, the New York City Police Department, the New York State Police, the USPS, the Kings County District Attorney’s Office, and the New York High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, in connection with this investigation. Mr. Williams also thanked the New York Strike Force Tactical Diversion Squad for their assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maggie Lynaugh and Adam Sowlati are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Trucker convicted for trafficking several aliens into South TexasRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A federal jury has returned a guilty verdict against a 51-year-old man for unlawfully transporting undocumented aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
The jury deliberated for approximately 45 minutes before finding Andrew Rafael Martinez-Peralta, Newark, New Jersey, guilty following a two-day trial.
On July 5, 2023, Martinez-Peralta drove a tractor-trailer to the Sarita Border Patrol checkpoint. During a search, a K-9 alerted to the sleeper area where authorities subsequently discovered seven illegal aliens concealed within the bed compartment of the tractor, in a toolbox under the bed and inside a closet.
The jury heard how authorities found the aliens’ cell phones directly above Martinez-Peralta’s head. Testimony revealed he had collected the phones while transporting them to the checkpoint.
A witness also stated that he had agreed to pay $25,000 to be smuggled into the United States from Brazil with a final destination in Massachusetts.
At the trial, Martinez-Peralta testified and argued he had no knowledge of the illegal aliens’ presence in his vehicle despite checking the bed compartment before traveling to the checkpoint. The jury ultimately did not believe those claims and found him guilty as charged.
“Martinez-Peralta claimed he didn’t know that there were seven migrants in the sleeper area of his tractor-trailer, a claim so incredible that it took the jury less than an hour to find him guilty,” said Hamdani. “The smuggling of migrants across Texas’s southern border is a pernicious problem made worse by human smugglers, like Martinez-Peralta, who use their tractor-trailers and the cover of legitimate commercial activities to mask illegal and harmful activities.”
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales presided over the trial and set sentencing for May 22. At that time, Martinez-Peralta faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Martinez-Peralta was permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing.
Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Marck and Tyler Foster prosecuted the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida Collects over Three and A Half Million Dollars in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2023Read the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced today that the Northern District of Florida collected $3,654,556.70 related to local criminal and civil matters in Fiscal Year 2023. Of this amount, $3,078,183.32 was collected in criminal actions and $576,373.38 was collected in civil actions.
“These impressive numbers are the result of the hard work by our office’s civil and criminal divisions, and strong coordination with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “This office will always seek to recover every dollar possible from those who engage in illegal activities so that those funds can be restored to the federal treasury, and help victims recover from crimes perpetrated against them.”
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
The Northern District of Florida’s Civil Division recovered a total of $8,337,055 in affirmative civil enforcement cases during the last fiscal year. This amount has two components. In addition to its efforts in local civil cases which led to collections totaling $576,373.38, the District’s Civil Division also joins forces with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and with the Department of Justice Civil Frauds Section to address illicit conduct. The Northern District’s Civil Division recovered an additional $7,760,682 in these jointly handled cases.
Additionally, the Northern District of Florida’s Asset Forfeiture Unit, working with partner law enforcement agencies, forfeited $3,801,719 through criminal and civil asset forfeiture proceedings in fiscal year 2023. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
For more information about the Crime Victims Fund, please visit https://ovc.ojp.gov/about/crime-victims-fund.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Texas Man Sentenced to Six Years in Federal Prison for Fraudulently Obtaining Economic Impact Disaster Loans (EIDL)Read the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Texas man was sentenced to six years in prison and ordered to pay restitution for illegally obtaining more than $400,000 in government benefits.
According to court documents, Ganiyu Abayomi Jimoh, 30, a Nigerian national with dual United States citizenship, conspired with others to commit wire fraud by opening numerous bank accounts in Hinds, Madison, and Rankin Counties using other individuals’ personal identifying information, then fraudulently applying for multiple Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) through the Small Business Administration (SBA). In August and September 2020, Jimoh received four direct deposits from the SBA totaling $439,500.
At the time of the instant offense, Jimoh was on federal bond out of the Southern District of Texas. Although Jimoh lived in Houston, Texas, he traveled to Mississippi on multiple occasions to visit different banks.
Jimoh pleaded guilty in November 2023 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. His sentence will be served consecutively to an undischarged term of imprisonment on federal offenses committed in the Southern District of Texas.
“The United States Secret Service is committed to investigating and pursuing those who aim to take advantage of victims while trying to exploit our nation’s financial infrastructure,” said Kyle Smith, Resident Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Jackson Resident Office. “Thanks to the hard work of our law enforcement partners, this individual will be held responsible for these crimes.”
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick Davis made the announcement.
The United States Secret Service investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie prosecuted the case.
The CARES Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act is the authorization that expands states’ ability to provide unemployment insurance for many workers impacted by COVID-19, including for workers who are not ordinarily eligible for unemployment insurance benefits.
Anyone with information about attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866‑720‑5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Texas Man Sentenced to over 7 Years in Federal Prison for Honest Services FraudRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – U.S. District Judge Gregory A. Presnell today sentenced Michael Shirley (40, Austin, TX) to seven years and three months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and honest services fraud. As part of his sentence, the court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $536,402.33, which are the proceeds of the offenses. Shirley was found guilty following a jury trial on July 27, 2023.
According to the evidence presented at trial, Shirley served as a campaign consultant for former Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Greenberg in 2016. After Greenberg was elected, Greenberg and Shirley, through Shirley’s company Praetorian Integrated Services LLC, entered into a lucrative contract that provided Shirley with $12,500 each month for the performance of consulting services to the Tax Collector’s office. In that capacity, the evidence established that Shirley did little to no work. Additionally, Shirley began submitting grossly inflated invoices to the Tax collector’s office for printing services.
On September 25, 2017, Shirley, through Joseph Ellicott, paid Greenberg a $6,000 cash kickback and bribe. Ellicott was sentenced for his role in this scheme in 2022 and testified during the trial. As a result of the kickback and bribe, Shirley was allowed to continue billing the Seminole County Tax Collector’s office into September 2019. The evidence established that between October 2017 and September 2019, Shirley performed almost no work for the Tax Collector’s office. As a result of the kickback and bribery scheme, Shirley defrauded the taxpayers of Seminole County out of more than $634,000.
This case was investigated by United States Secret Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Amanda Daniels and Chauncey Bratt.
Tallahassee Physician Agrees to Pay $60,000 to Settle Allegations That She Violated the Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Dr. Mary C. Watson of Tallahassee, Florida, settled potential violations of the Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”) by agreeing to pay a fine of $60,000 after previously voluntarily surrendering her DEA Registration in October 2023. The settlement was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“This settlement, involving a fine and surrender of the physician’s DEA Registration, reinforces required compliance with the Controlled Substances Act,” said U.S. Attorney Jason R. Coody. “Accurate record keeping is not only required but helps ensure controlled substances are not abused by physicians and diverted for personal use. With the assistance of investigators in the Drug Enforcement Administration, Diversion Control Program, we remain committed to holding physicians accountable for their responsibilities under federal law.”
Dr. Watson entered into a civil settlement agreement with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida after the investigation revealed numerous potential violations of the Controlled Substances Act. The government contended that Dr. Watson issued at least 76 controlled substance prescriptions for Phendimentrazine (a diet drug) and failed to maintain any patient files for those prescriptions.
“The Controlled Substance Act requires DEA registrants to maintain accurate inventorying, tracking, and record keeping to prevent the diversion of controlled substances,” said DEA Miami Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “The DEA Miami Field Division remains committed to working with our law enforcement and regulatory partners to hold DEA registrants accountable to protect the safety and health of our Florida communities.”
This civil settlement agreement is not an admission of any liability by Dr. Watson, nor a concession by the United States that its potential claims were not well-founded.
Assistant United States Attorneys Mary Ann Couch and Marie Moyle represented the United States in this matter, which was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Diversion Control Program.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
St. Louis County Man Admits Shooting at PoliceRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis County, Missouri man on Tuesday admitted shooting at police and federal task force officers in 2021.
Derek D. Brown, 50, of Jennings, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of assault on a federal officer and two counts of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
Brown admitted that early on the morning of March 18, 2021, he went to his wife’s daughter’s house in St. Louis County to confront his wife. While there, Brown took his daughter’s .45-caliber pistol. Responding officers learned about the gun and that Brown had an outstanding warrant for a parole violation. Relatives told police that he would probably go to his sister’s house.
Police officers, including those who had been deputized as federal task force officers, went to the sister’s home. Brown came out of the house, and when officers told him that he was under arrest, he began shooting. He fired multiple times, including at the federal task force officers, and continued to fire through the home’s screen door and then through the closed front door. Brown eventually surrendered.
Brown is scheduled to be sentenced May 28. The assault charge carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. Each discharge of a firearm charge carries a penalty of at least 10 years in prison, consecutive to any other charges.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald Boyce is prosecuting the case.
South Florida Man Indicted by Federal Grand Jury for Firearm Offense in Relation to Shooting at the Palm Beach Gardens MallRead the Press Release
MIAMI - Kamarcio Mitchell, 28, of West Palm Beach, was indicted by a federal grand jury for unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. The indictment follows Mitchell’s arrest, on Feb. 16, pursuant to a joint response by local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to a shooting that occurred at the Palm Beach Gardens Mall (The Gardens Mall) on Valentine’s Day.
According to allegations in the criminal complaint and the charges set forth in the indictment, on Feb. 14, Mitchell was at The Gardens Mall with a firearm. Surveillance video captured Mitchell on the second level of The Gardens Mall near a retail store. Mitchell followed another male onto the escalator and was manipulating an object under his shirt. Mitchell was then fired upon by the other male and shot. Mitchell fled the mall to the parking lot, leaving a trail of blood. A loaded firearm that had been disassembled was found in the parking lot by police, near the blood trail. Mitchell was later treated for his injury at a local hospital where he admitted to being shot. The investigation by law enforcement determined that the firearm found in The Gardens Mall parking lot was a loaded handgun that had previously travelled in interstate commerce.
Mitchell is a convicted felon and based upon his prior criminal history is charged as an Armed Career Criminal. If convicted, Mitchell faces a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 15 years to a maximum sentence of life.
Mitchell has stipulated to pretrial detention, pending the possibility of a future hearing to determine bond. An arraignment hearing is scheduled for March 5.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of FBI, Miami Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Christopher A. Robinson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, U.S. Marshal Gadyaces S. Serralta of the U.S. Marshals Service, Chief Clinton Shannon of the Palm Beach Gardens Police Department, and Sheriff Ric Bradshaw of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office announced the indictment.
The Office of State Attorney Dave Aronberg for the 15th Judicial Circuit – Palm Beach County provided invaluable assistance. Assistant United States Attorneys John McMillan and Shannon O’Shea Darsch are prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is a part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program. PSN is the centerpiece of the Department’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through the PSN program a broad spectrum of law enforcement and community stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs to reduce violence crime and gun violence, and to make our local neighborhoods safer for everyone.
A criminal complaint and indictment contain allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
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 24-80022-AMC.
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South Carolina Man Pleads Guilty to CarjackingRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that, on February 20, 2024, ONIS WASHINGTON, age 25, a resident of South Carolina, pled guilty to committing a carjacking, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2119, before U.S. District Court Judge Jay C. Zainey. WASHINGTON faces a maximum sentence of 15 years of imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment of $100.00. WASHINGTON’s sentencing is scheduled for May 28, 2024.
On January 2, 2022, in the 1000 block of Carondelet Street, WASHINGTON and his co-defendant forcefully stole a car from the victim and fled in the stolen vehicle. Louisiana State Police and the New Orleans Police Department tracked and located the vehicle, but it refused to stop. Following a chase, WASHINGTON and his co-defendant hit several vehicles and crashed the stolen vehicle, before fleeing on foot. WASHINGTON was later arrested in South Carolina.
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.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Louisiana State Police, and the New Orleans Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Inga Petrovich of the Violent Crime Unit.