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Friday 23 February 2024
Hulbert Resident Sentenced for Federal Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Cairl Glenn Hayes, Jr., age 48, of Hulbert, Oklahoma, was sentenced to a total of 18 months in prison on two separate cases for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The charges arose from investigations by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On October 5, 2022, Hayes pleaded guilty to a single count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm and remained on bond pending sentencing. According to investigators, on April 26, 2022, law enforcement officers conducting a traffic stop in Cherokee County, Oklahoma, discovered Hayes in possession of a firearm. Hayes was sentenced to 18 months in prison for this offense.
On August 9, 2023, Hayes was indicted for a second incident of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Hayes entered a guilty plea to one count of felon in possession of a firearm on September 11, 2023. According to investigators, on July 10, 2023, law enforcement officers conducting a traffic stop in Cherokee County again discovered Hayes in possession of a firearm. Hayes was sentenced to 12 months in prison for the second offense.
At the time of both traffic stops, Hayes knew he had been previously convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year.
The Court ordered the sentences in each case to run concurrently.
The Honorable Keith Starrett, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for Southern District of Mississippi, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearings in Muskogee. Hayes 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 Richard J. Lorenz represented the United States.
Homemade Firearm Results in Prison SentenceRead the Press Release
A man who was found in possession of a homemade large-caliber pistol in the Meskwaki Casino in 2022 was sentenced February 22, 2024, to five years in federal prison.
Som Boun Cam, age 56, from Council Bluffs, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 18, 2023 guilty plea to possessing a smooth bore, .410 gauge pistol, which was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
In a plea agreement, Cam admitted that on April 14, 2022, he was in the Meskwaki Casino hotel when he was involved in a scuffle with another guest and misplaced his backpack. Hotel staff subsequently found the backpack, and when they looked in it on April 18, 2022, they found methamphetamine and a homemade smooth bore .410 gauge pistol. On April 19, 2022, Cam returned to the hotel to claim his property. Cam admitted he had manufactured the firearm. This was a firearm that was required to be registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, but it was not registered to him. Cam has a 1995 felony conviction for conspiracy to distribute cocaine base and methamphetamine, a 2017 felony conviction for possessing a firearm as a felon, and multiple assault convictions.
Cam was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Cam was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
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.
Cam is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Reinert and was investigated by the Meskwaki Nation Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-00050.
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Henryetta Resident Sentenced for Federal Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jaylon Christopher Heneha, age 26, of Henryetta, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for a federal firearms offense.
The charges arose from investigations by the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On May 2, 2023, Heneha pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm. According to investigators, on January 22, 2023, officers with the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Police discovered Heneha in possession of a firearm during the course of another investigation. At the time he possessed the gun, Heneha knew he had been previously convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year.
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. Heneha 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 Richard A. Lorenz represented the United States at sentencing.
Hartford Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Trafficking ChargeRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JAHQUAN BLACKWIN, also known as “Mula,” 27, of Hartford, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to a fentanyl trafficking offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in June 2022, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force began investigating Blackwin and others for distributing fentanyl and cocaine in the Hartford area. In July and August 2022, investigators made four controlled purchases of fentanyl from Blackwin.
Blackwin was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on August 17, 2022. On that date, a search of Blackwin’s Judson Street apartment revealed approximately 750 grams of fentanyl, 500 grams of cocaine, 32 grams of crack cocaine, 700 grams of psilocybin, and five kilograms of marijuana. Investigators also found and seized two loaded Polymer 80 handguns (“ghost guns”), one of which was fitted with a high-capacity magazine, and a loaded Glock 43X handgun.
Blackwin pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years. Judge Dooley schedule sentencing for June 6.
Blackwin has been detained since his arrest.
The DEA Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, and Windsor Locks Police Departments. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan Keefe.
Gang Member Admits Racketeering and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A member of the Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crips gang admitted to his role in a racketeering conspiracy and to possessing firearms and ammunition as a convicted felon, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Amir Warden, aka “Stamps,” aka “Killa,” 31, pleaded guilty on Feb. 22, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton in Newark federal court to two counts of a superseding information that charged him with Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) conspiracy and possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From 2015 through Sept. 22, 2022, Warden was a member of the Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crips, a criminal enterprise responsible for acts of violence and the distribution of controlled substances in the District of New Jersey and elsewhere. Warden held a leadership role within the enterprise and conspired with other members and associates to distribute controlled substances. On Aug. 19, 2019, he distributed heroin. On Sept. 29, 2022, Warden, a convicted felon, knowingly possessed three loaded firearms, three high-capacity drum magazines, and approximately 1,300 rounds of assorted ammunition.
Warden faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on the racketeering conspiracy and a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on the firearms charge. Sentencing is scheduled for June 25, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the DEA, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz; special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins; and special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea. He also thanked investigators of the U.S. Marshals Service, under the direction of Marshal Juan Mattos; the Irvington Police Department, under the direction of Police Division Director Tracy Bowers; the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II;, the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Fritz Fragé; the Bloomfield Police Department, under the direction of Director of Public Safety Samuel A. DeMaio; the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Armando B. Fontoura; the East Orange Police Department, under the direction of Chief Phyllis L. Bindi; the Elizabeth Police Department, under the direction of Police Director Earl J. Graves; the Edison Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Tom Bryan; the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan; the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor William A. Daniel; the Spotswood Police Department, under the direction of Chief Philip Corbisiero; and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation Fugitive and Missing Person Task Force.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. 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 government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Francesca Liquori of the Special Prosecutions Unit.
warden.sinformation.pdfFort Worth Meth Trafficker Sentenced to 25 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
A methamphetamine trafficker who pleaded guilty on the eve of trial was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Christian Allen Meers, 45, was charged via criminal complaint in June 2023 and indicted the following month. On Sept. 25, 2023, the morning his trial was set to begin, Mr. Meers pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance. He was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge Reed C. O’Connor.
According to court documents, Mr. Meers operated his narcotics trafficking business out of a string of hotels, moving from hotel to hotel every few days to avoid detection by law enforcement.
On June 14, 2023, law enforcement officers in Fort Worth detained Mr. Meers and a female associate following a traffic violation. Inside Mr. Meers’ satchel, they found the key card to a nearby La Quinta Inn. His associate told officers there was methamphetamine stashed inside a bag in the hotel room.
During a search of the room, officers found a Louis Vuitton bag stuffed with plastic baggies filled with more than 4,500 grams of meth, along with two firearms that had previously been reported stolen.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Fort Worth Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shawn Smith and Frank Gatto prosecuted the case.
Former Senior Executive at Chinatown-Based Bank Pleads Guilty to Fraud Charge for Embezzling More Than $700,000Read the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – The former chief financial officer at a downtown Los Angeles bank has pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $700,000 of his employer’s funds and admitted stealing bank employees’ identities to open life insurance policies in their names to benefit his wife, the Justice Department announced today.
Sammy Sims, 61, of West Covina, pleaded guilty Thursday afternoon to one count of bank fraud.
According to his plea agreement, the Chinatown-based Eastern International Bank hired Sims in September 2017 as the lender’s CFO. As a condition of his employment, Sims agreed that he would not use the bank’s confidential information for his personal benefit or for others. The bank’s policy also required Sims to promptly disclose any conflicts or appearances of conflict with the bank’s interests. Sims’s scheme to defraud his employer lasted from February 2018 until at least April 2021.
From August 2018 to October 2020, Sims wired $86,000 in bank funds to the United States Treasury and California Franchise Tax Board to make payments towards the personal federal and state income taxes for himself and his wife. Sims concealed these transactions by creating false entries in the bank’s general ledger that falsely represented that the payments were for the bank’s tax accounts.
In April 2019, Sims used approximately $14,161 in bank funds to a debt collection agency to help pay off a debt that he had incurred. Sims concealed this transaction by creating a false entry in the bank’s general ledger that falsely stated the payment was for data processing software.
From April 2019 to December 2020, Sims took approximately $113,264 in money belonging to the bank to pay the balances on his personal credit card. Sims hid these expenses in the bank’s general ledger by falsely labeling them as bank expenses. During this time, he also siphoned approximately $81,815 from the bank by using a bank credit card, meant for work purposes, for his personal expenses, including steak dinners and a trip to Las Vegas.
Sims, from February 2020 to April 2021, also lied to several bank employees by telling them they had to switch their bank-funded life insurance policies because of their age. What neither the employees nor the bank knew was these policies were obtained through Sims’s wife, a licensed life insurance broker who received a commission for each life policy she sold. For some employees, Sims obtained their personal identifying information without their consent and then used this information to purchase life insurance policies from his wife. Sims used a checking account belonging to the bank to wire approximately $311,608 of the bank’s money to several life insurance companies to partially pay for the premiums for these policies.
When Sims was later confronted about the life insurance policies opened using bank employees’ personal identifying information, he lied by saying the employees’ identities could have been stolen through a cybersecurity hack or by unauthorized disclosures by the bank’s personnel department. Sims resigned from the bank shortly after being confronted about the life insurance policies.
In total, Sims unlawfully took at least $737,849 of bank funds for his personal use and benefit.
United States District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong scheduled a May 10 sentencing hearing, at which time Sims will face a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison.
The FBI and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Jason C. Pang of the Major Frauds Section is prosecuting this case.
Former Puerto Rico Legislative Assistant Sentenced for Bribery and Kickback SchemeRead the Press Release
A former legislative assistant to a member of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives was sentenced today to three years and one month in prison for engaging in a scheme to accept a fraudulently inflated government salary in exchange for providing kickbacks to a legislator and the legislator’s family members.
According to court documents, from early 2013 until July 2020, Frances Acevedo-Ceballos, 35, of Carolina, served as a legislative assistant for María Milagros Charbonier-Laureano, also known as Tata, a member of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives. In early 2017, Charbonier-Laureano inflated Acevedo-Ceballos’ salary from $800 on a bi-weekly, after-tax basis to over $2,100. Acevedo-Ceballos’ bi-weekly, net government salary further increased to between $2,700 and $2,900 from the middle of 2017 until June 2020. Out of every inflated paycheck, it was agreed that Acevedo-Ceballos would keep a portion and pay kickbacks ranging between $1,000 and $1,500 to Charbonier-Laureano, Charbonier-Laureano’s husband, Orlando Montes-Rivera, and Charbonier-Laureano’s son, throughout the course of the scheme.
Acevedo-Ceballos pleaded guilty in November 2023 to bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds.
In January, a federal jury convicted Charbonier-Laureano and Montes-Rivera of one count of conspiracy; two counts of theft, bribery, and kickbacks concerning programs receiving federal funds; six counts of honest services wire fraud; and two counts of money laundering. The jury also convicted Charbonier-Laureano of obstruction of justice for destroying data on her cell phone. Charbonier-Laureano and Montes-Rivera are scheduled to be sentenced on April 10. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI San Juan Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Jonathan E. Jacobson and Kathryn E. Fifield of the Criminal Divion’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney María L. Montañez Concepción for the District of Puerto Rico prosecuted the case.
Former Postal Employee Sentenced to 30 Months in Federal Prison for Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Theft of a Postal Service KeyRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Mobile woman was sentenced to 30 months in prison for conspiracy, bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and theft of a United States Postal Service (“USPS”) key.
According to court documents and evidence presented at a November 2023 trial, Kristen Arieale Williams, 32, was employed as a mail carrier at the post office in Prichard. The jury heard evidence that in late October 2022, Williams stole and sold a USPS “arrow” key to a coconspirator. Arrow keys are government property and will open, among other things, all blue USPS collection boxes in a particular geographic area. Stealing and possessing such a key with fraudulent intent is a federal crime. Williams’s coconspirator paid Williams $2,500 in cash for the key. Law enforcement caught Williams’s coconspirator using the key to steal mail from collection boxes outside the Bel Air Mall in Mobile in November 2022. The coconspirator stole hundreds of pieces of mail using the key.
Trial evidence showed that Williams also conspired to commit bank fraud involving counterfeit checks deposited into her bank account. The counterfeit checks were derived from checks stolen from the mail and bore the true names, addresses, and bank account numbers of multiple victims who testified at trial. The jury reviewed incriminating text messages and other data extracted from Williams’s cell phone and the cell phone of a coconspirator. The jury also heard excerpts of a recorded confession that Williams gave to law enforcement in March 2023. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Kristi K. DuBose applied an obstruction-of-justice enhancement, finding that Williams lied during sworn testimony that she gave at trial.
In addition to the 30-month prison sentence, Judge DuBose ordered Williams to serve a five-year term of supervised release upon her release from prison, during which time she will be subject to credit restrictions. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge DuBose ordered Williams to pay $48,334.10 in victim restitution and $500 in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the USPS–Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Secret Service, and the Mobile Police Department investigated the case. The Brewton Police Department and the U.S. Small Business Administration–Office of Inspector General provided substantial assistance in the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Florence Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Gun and Drugs ViolationsRead the Press Release
FLORENCE, S.C. — Rayshawn Mortress Tutt Smoot, 34, of Florence, was sentenced to more than eight years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of cocaine and crack cocaine with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Evidence presented to the court showed that on Aug. 11, 2022, investigators with the Florence Police Department, deputies with the Florence County Sheriff’s Office, and agents with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division went to arrest Smoot in Florence for active arrest warrants. Upon arriving at the residence, officers observed a car parked on a vacant lot and Smoot in the driver’s seat. Officers also saw a pistol with a drum magazine on the front passenger seat. During a search of the car, officers found approximately 33 grams of crack cocaine, approximately five grams of cocaine, a digital scale, and a box of sandwich baggies along with the pistol. The pistol had a drum magazine which was loaded with 26 rounds of ammunition.
United States District Judge Joseph Dawson, III sentenced Smoot to a total of 106 months imprisonment, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders 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.
This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office, Florence Police Department, Florence County Sheriff’s Office, and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Hummel is prosecuting the case.
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Final Corporate Defendant Sentenced in Major Clean Air Act CaseRead the Press Release
Court Orders $750,000 Fine for Disabling Emissions Controls on Semi-Trucks
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that a company and several individuals have been sentenced for violating the Clean Air Act by engaging in an aftermarket scheme to disable the emissions control systems of semi-trucks. U.S. District Court Judge Paul L. Maloney confirmed the felony convictions of corporate defendant Diesel Freak, LLC, of Gaylord, and ordered the business to pay a fine of $750,000 and serve a term of probation. It was the largest fine imposed over the course of the case in which the Court ordered over $1.8 million in fines. Judge Maloney also sentenced the owner of the business, Ryan Lalone, and two employees, Wade Lalone and James Sisson, each to 1-year probation. Today’s hearing concludes sentencing for all 14 defendants charged in the case. In imposing the sentences, Judge Maloney commented on the “systematic violations” of the Clean Air Act that occurred in this case.
“Holding corporations responsible for environmental crimes is tremendously important,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “This case is one of the largest of its kind ever charged in the United States and today’s sentences send a clear message that polluters who break environmental laws will be held accountable. Environmental rules safeguard the water we drink, the lakes we fish, and the air we breathe. It’s critical that we protect our people and our planet from harmful pollutants.”
The company and the individual defendants pleaded guilty to charges of conspiring to violate the Clean Air Act.
Diesel Freak, LLC, is a diesel repair and electronics modification facility headquartered in Gaylord, Michigan. Diesel Freak designs and builds electronic monitoring and modification kits that adjust engine power and fuel efficiency through Wi-Fi connections with trucks on the road. During the conspiracy period, which ran from approximately 2015 through November 2018, when Diesel Freak was searched by the EPA, Diesel Freak conducted remote reprogramming, or tuning, of on-board diagnostic systems (“OBD”), including deletions of environmental controls, allowing diesel engines for large open-road trucks to work cheaper, without environmental restrictions, causing pollution beyond that allowed by law. Mr. Lalone estimated that 70 percent of Diesel Freak’s business was full emissions control deletions. This process is sometimes referred to as a “deletion,” that is, “deleting” the emissions controls from the vehicles. “Deleting” emissions controls from the vehicles can improve performance and fuel economy and save maintenance costs but is unlawful and causes significant environmental harm. Tampering with or removing emissions controls can drastically increase the emissions of nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and non-methane hydrocarbons found in vehicle exhaust. Exposure to and inhalation of these chemicals at greater levels is associated with serious health risks.
“Exposure to diesel exhaust can lead to serious health conditions, such as asthma and respiratory illness, and contributes greatly to poor air quality -- concerns the defendants in this case ignored in favor of financial profit,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Lisa Matovic of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division (“EPA-CID”). “The sentencings in this case show that EPA and our law enforcement partners will hold accountable individuals who disregard health and environmental laws designed to protect our communities from dangerous air pollution.”
The purpose of the Clean Air Act is, among other goals, “to protect and enhance the quality of the Nation’s air resources so as to promote the public health and welfare and the productive capacity of its population.” In passing the Act, Congress found that “the increasing use of motor vehicles[] has resulted in mounting dangers to the public health and welfare.”
U.S. Attorney Totten also noted that those with information about other companies and individuals involved in tampering with emissions controls in connection with this investigation can contact EPA-CID at (734) 214-4913. General environmental violations can be reported to EPA through the website https://echo.epa.gov/report-environmental-violations.
EPA-CID investigated the matters with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations; the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General; and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Environmental Investigation Section. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin M. Presant and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen Baker and Meagan Johnson prosecuted the cases.
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Felon Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Trafficking Firearms and Narcotics in BrooklynRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, United States District Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall sentenced Ronald Delaespada to 10 years in prison for his role in a firearms trafficking scheme and for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine. Delaespada pleaded guilty to the charges in February 2023.
Delaespada’s co-defendant Rayon Lovett pleaded guilty to firearms trafficking charges in February 2023 and was sentenced to 85 months’ imprisonment in October 2023. Delaespada’s co-defendant and brother Owen Welch pleaded guilty to firearms trafficking charges in July 2023 and is currently awaiting sentencing.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Bryan DiGirolamo, Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, New York (ATF), and Edward A. Caban, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the sentence.
“Delaespada is a career criminal who sold illegal guns, including an assault-type rifle, near a school, a church and on bustling streets in the heart of Brooklyn, without regard for how these lethal weapons could be used,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Today’s sentence will keep the defendant off the street for years, a punishment he deserves for his blatant disrespect for the law and his dangerous conduct. I commend the brave NYPD undercover officer, along with the Special Agents of ATF, whose excellent work kept 17 lethal weapons off the streets of our community.”
“While communities across this country are coming together in grief because of the devastation of gun violence — some people are unlawfully selling firearms to others with blatant disregard for the impact on the lives of others. ATF will continue to do all we can to reduce gun violence by stopping the traffickers who flood our communities with illegal firearms. Crime gun intelligence enhances our ability to identify both amateur and prolific traffickers,” stated ATF Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge DiGirolamo. “Every crime gun off the streets is a potential life saved. Excellent work by the men and women of ATF NY Joint Firearms Task Force, our partners at NYPD and EDNY.”
“This kind of meaningful prison sentence shows our courageous police officers that New Yorkers will not tolerate such lawless behavior in our neighborhoods,” stated NYPD Commissioner Caban. “I commend our dedicated undercover officer, and I thank our colleagues at the ATF and the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York for continuing to be highly effective partners in our public safety mission.”
Between February and June 2022, Delaespada, Lovett and Welch were jointly responsible for selling 17 firearms, including the semi-automatic weapons depicted above, to an undercover NYPD officer in Brooklyn.
The defendants conducted these firearms sales in vehicles outside of homes in the Prospect Park South neighborhood of Brooklyn, including in locations near Prospect Park, across from a church, and near an elementary school. The firearms sales often occurred in the middle of the afternoon and in broad daylight, with the defendants brazenly walking down public streets carrying bags of dangerous firearms. On June 15, 2022, Lovett and Welch sold the undercover officer a KelTec KS7 shotgun and an American Tactical AR-15-style rifle, with a high-capacity magazine attachment, for several thousand dollars.
Delaespada, who was convicted in 2015 in the Eastern District of Virginia for narcotics trafficking and possessing a firearm as a felon, was on federal supervised release when he committed the instant offense and has multiple felony convictions in the State of New York.
When Delaespada was arrested, he possessed more than 80 pills containing fentanyl, more than 38 grams of a heroin/fentanyl mixture, and more than 50 grams of cocaine and more than 30 grams of crack cocaine.
Assistant United States Attorneys Benjamin Weintraub and Andrew Reich are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendants:
RONALD DELAESPADA
Age: 48
Brooklyn, New YorkRAYON LOVETT
Age: 37
Brooklyn, New YorkOWEN WELCH
Age: 44
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-341 (LDH)
Federal Jury Convicts Arizona Man of Child Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – After two days of trial, a federal jury convicted Alan J. Disomma Jr., 60, of Payson, Arizona, today of two counts of attempted enticement of a minor and one count of traveling in interstate commerce for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual activity
Evidence at trial proved that on December 10, 2021, Disomma began messaging a woman located in West Virginia whom he believed to be the mother of two minor girls. Disomma stated in his messages to the individual that he wished to engage in sexual relations with both girls. Disomma also brought up possibly traveling to West Virginia to meet the girls during this online conversation.
From December 21, 2021 to December 18, 2022, Disomma exchanged text messages with the woman and continued to express his interest in engaging in sexual relations with both girls. During this text messaging, Disomma asked about flying to West Virginia to visit them and also stated that he had previously engaged in sexual relations with a prepubescent girl and subjected her to bestiality. Disomma also expressed interest in having the woman and the girls move to Arizona to live with him.
On December 18, 2022, Disomma flew from Arizona to Charleston, West Virginia, where he planned to meet the individual and travel with her to her residence where he intended to engage in sexual activity with both girls. Upon his arrival in Charleston, Disomma was arrested by law enforcement officers.
Disomma faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $750,000 fine when he is sentenced. Disomma must also register as a sex offender.
“Over the course of one year, Mr. Disomma repeatedly communicated his desire to engage in sexual relations with two minor girls and then traveled more than 1,800 miles to act on that desire,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “I commend the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) West Virginia Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Task Force and the West Virginia State Police for their investigation of this case, and Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Rada Herrald and Lesley C. Shamblin and our trial team for prosecuting the case and securing guilty verdicts on all three counts in the indictment.”
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the jury trial.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-227.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Metcalfe County Felon for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green, Kentucky returned an indictment on February 14, 2024, charging a Metcalfe County man with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division made the announcement.
According to the indictment, on November 23, 2023, Damien N. Wilson, 29, of Russell Springs, Kentucky, possessed a Ruger, model SR9, 9-millimeter semiautomatic pistol. Wilson was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses.
On December 16, 2022, in Casey Circuit Court, Wilson was convicted of first-degree possession of a controlled substance – methamphetamine – first offense.
On January 13, 2022, in Casey Circuit Court, Wilson was convicted of first-degree possession of a controlled substance – methamphetamine – first offense.
On February 20, 2019, in Russell Circuit Court, Wilson was convicted of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance – methamphetamine.
On March 28, 2018, in Adair Circuit Court, Wilson was convicted of first-degree possession of a controlled substance – methamphetamine – first offense.
Wilson was arraigned on February 21, 2024, before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. He remains in federal custody pending trial. If convicted, Wilson faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The case is being investigated by the ATF Bowling Green Field Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Nicholas Rabold, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, is 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. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Louisville Felon for Fentanyl and Cocaine Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, returned a six-count indictment on February 6, 2024, charging a Louisville man with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. of the Kentucky State Police, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Nashville, and Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division made the announcement.
According to the indictment, between January 11, 2022, and July 26, 2023, Marcus Allen Crook, 32, conspired to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. On July 26, 2023, Crook possessed a Glock, model 17 Gen 4, nine-millimeter pistol, a Glock, model 20 Gen 4, ten-millimeter pistol, and a FN, model 509, nine-millimeter pistol, in furtherance to his drug trafficking. Crook was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offense.
On December 7, 2012, in Jefferson Circuit Court, in Case Number 09-CR-3791, Crook was convicted of manslaughter in the first degree (not vehicle related).
Cook made his initial court appearance on February 21, 2024, before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. He remains detained pending trial. If convicted, he faces a minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the HSI and the KSP, with assistance from the ATF.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mac Shannon is prosecuting this 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. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Edmonton Felon for Illegally Possessing a HandgunRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green, Kentucky, returned an indictment on September 13, 2023, charging a Metcalfe County resident with possession of a handgun by a convicted felon.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. of the Kentucky State Police made the announcement.
According to the indictment, on February 23, 2023, Aaron Dale McKinney, 47, possessed a Springfield Armory (HS Produkt), model XD-45, 45 caliber semiautomatic pistol, and ammunition. McKinney was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses.
On May 25, 2021, in Metcalfe Circuit Court, McKinney was convicted of possession of a controlled substance, first degree, third or more offense (methamphetamine).
On September 26, 2017, in Metcalfe Circuit Court, McKinney was convicted of manufacturing methamphetamine, first offense.
McKinney made his initial appearance on February 21, 2024, before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the ATF Bowling Green Field Office with assistance from the Kentucky State Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Nicholas Rabold, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, is prosecuting this 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. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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February Federal Grand Jury 2023-B Indictments AnnouncedRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the February Federal Grand Jury 2023-B Indictments.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Cesar Arvizo. Drug Conspiracy; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. Arvizo, 44, of Burlington, Colorado, is charged with conspiring to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine in Feb. 2024. He is further charged with knowingly possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and Texas Department of Public Safety are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam C. Bailey is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-059
Marco Dionte Atkins. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Atkins, 19, of Tulsa, a Muscogee (Creek) Nation member, is charged with intentionally assaulting the victim with a dangerous weapon in Nov. 2023. He is further charged with knowingly carrying and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Dowdell is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-051
Jason Nathaniel Daugherty. Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country. Daugherty, 38, of Broken Arrow, a Cherokee Nation member, is charged with involuntary manslaughter after driving left of center line under the influence of alcohol, killing Sherrie Tucker in Mar. 2023. The Tulsa Police Department is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Brandon is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-052
Juan Adolfo De Lira-Davila. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Lira-Davila, 31, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in Oct. 2015, at or near Del Rio, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ammon Brisolara is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-061
Christopher Glenn Drake. Drug Conspiracy; Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; Felon in Possession of a Firearm; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises. Drake, 43, of Tulsa, is charged with conspiring to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine in Jan 2024. He allegedly possessed fentanyl and methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Drake possessed a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, knowing he was previously convicted of a felony in Wagoner County. He is further charged with maintaining a residence for distributing drugs. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam C. Bailey is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-058
Sarah Elizabeth Neighbors; Roselinde Faith Serna; Kylie Raeanne Clarkson. Drug Conspiracy (Counts 1 and 2); Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute (Count 3); Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute (Count 4); Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises (Count 5). Neighbors, 33, of Choteau, Serna, 29 and Clarkson, 35, of Tulsa, are charged with conspiring to distribute and knowingly possessing more than 400 grams of fentanyl with intent to distribute in Jan. 2024. Neighbors is further charged with intentionally possessing more than 500 grams of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and maintaining a residence for distribution of drugs in Jan. 2024. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam C. Bailey is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-054
Jorge Luis Peres Ambriz. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Perez Ambriz, 32, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in Sep. 2018, at or near El Paso, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ammon Brisolara is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-060
Greg Allen Reddout. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. Reddout, 44, of Tulsa, a Cherokee Nation member, is charged with intentionally assaulting the victim with a dangerous weapon in Feb. 2024. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Valeria Luster is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-055
Luis Gerardo Trejo-Zambrano; Luis Antonio Soria; Bryan Ulysses Martinez; Darmel Dashun Batemon Jr.; Marcos Zamrano-Rivera Jr.; Kalob Nathaniel Burton; Christopher Yahir Martinez. Conspiracy and Attempt to Traffick Firearms (Counts 1 and 3); Kidnapping (Count 2); Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition (Counts 4, 9 and 10); Possession of an Unregistered Silencer (Count 5); Receipt of a Firearm While Under Indictment for a Felony (Count 6); Transporting Firearms in Interstate Commerce While Under Indictment (Counts 7 and 8) (superseding). Trejo-Zambrano, 22, of Watts, Soria, 21, of Siloam Springs, AR, Bryan Martinez, 18, of Springdale, AR, are charged with conspiring to dispose of one or more firearms on Sep. 10, 2023. Trejo-Zambrano, Soria, Bryan Martinez, and Zamarbrano-Rivera, 22, of Springdale, AR, knowingly kidnapped someone on Sep. 10, 2023. Trejo-Zambrano, Batemon, 21, of North Little Rock, AR, Burton, 23, Maumelle, AR, and Christopher Martinez, 20, of Little Rock, AR, allegedly conspired to dispose of one or more firearms between Sep. 15 and Sep. 16, 2023. Trejo-Zambrano purportedly possessed an unregistered silencer and willfully received a firearm knowing he was under indictment. Soria and Batemon are also charged with transporting firearms while under indictment. Trejo-Zambrano, Zambrano-Rivera, and Burton are further charged with possessing a firearm after being convicted of one or more felonies in various states. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Elmore and John Brasher are prosecuting the case. 24-CR-045
Morgan Cole Womack. Drug Conspiracy; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. Womack, 40, of Tulsa, is charged with conspiring to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. He is further charged with intentionally possessing methamphetamine for distribution. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam C. Bailey is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-057
Farmington Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Willard Haven Dedios pleaded guilty in federal court to sexual abuse of an incapacitated person. Dedios, 60, of Farmington, and an enrolled member of the Jicarilla Apache Tribe, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
A federal grand jury indicted Dedios on Nov. 9, 2022. In his plea agreement, Dedios admitted that on May 26, 2022, he engaged in a sexual act with Jane Doe while she was unconscious and that he took photos of his acts and Jane Doe’s condition.
At sentencing, Dedios faces up to life in prison.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Jicarilla Apache Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander F. Flores 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 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.
View the Plea Agreement# # #
24-79
Ex-Energy Trader for Vitol Convicted of Foreign Bribery and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
BROOKLYN, NY – Javier Aguilar, a former trader at Vitol, Inc. (Vitol), was convicted today by a federal jury in Brooklyn on all counts of a superseding indictment relating to violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) by paying bribes to officials of Petroecuador, the Ecuadorian state-owned oil company. Aguilar was also convicted of laundering money used to bribe Ecuadorian officials and officials at PEMEX Procurement International (PPI), a wholly owned affiliate of the Mexican state-owned oil company, PEMEX. The verdict followed an eight-week trial before Senior United States District Judge Eric N. Vitaliano. When sentenced, Aguilar faces up to 30 years in prison.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Nicole M. Argentieri, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Jeffrey B. Veltri, Special Agent-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Miami Field Office (FBI), announced the verdict.
“Today’s verdict represents another victory in this Office’s commitment to rooting out corruption in the international marketplace,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “The defendant and his co-conspirators sought to enrich themselves through criminal backroom deals. The people of Ecuador and Mexico deserved better and companies that play by the rules should know that the process is not rigged. The Department of Justice and my Office will continue to prioritize holding to account individuals who enrich themselves through bribery.”
“Javier Aguilar bribed officials at state-owned oil and gas companies in Ecuador and Mexico using shell companies and sham invoices to obtain business for Vitol, Inc., where he worked as an oil and gas trader. With today’s verdict, the jury has held him accountable for his role in a sophisticated bribery and money laundering scheme that netted Vitol hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Foreign bribery erodes the rule of law, disadvantages honest companies, and emboldens corrupt government officials. The Criminal Division will continue to vigorously pursue wrongdoers who bribe foreign officials and bring them to justice.”
“As demonstrated by this case, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act has a long reach,” stated FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Veltri. “Aguilar’s egregious attempt to bribe officials in Ecuador and Mexico failed and he will now face tough penalties. I want to commend our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and at the Department of Justice for their close cooperation on this case.”
As proven at trial, Aguilar paid more than $1 million in bribes to Petroecuador and PPI officials to obtain lucrative contracts for Vitol.
Between 2015 and 2020, Aguilar was a trader in Vitol’s Houston office. As a part of the scheme, Aguilar and his co-conspirators agreed to bribe senior Ecuadorian officials to obtain a $300 million contract to purchase fuel oil for Vitol. Aguilar and his co-conspirators used another Middle Eastern state-owned entity to circumvent Petroecuador’s restrictions on contracts with private companies. In return for the promise and payments of bribes, the Ecuadorian officials then ensured that the Middle Eastern state-owned entity and Vitol were awarded the contract. Following the 2017 Ecuadorean presidential election, the officials who received bribes were replaced by new senior officials. To ensure continuity under the then-existing fuel oil contract and to obtain additional business, Aguilar and his co-conspirators agreed to bribe them as well.
To conceal the scheme, Aguilar and his co-conspirators used a series of fake contracts, sham invoices and shell entities incorporated in Curacao, Panama, and Cayman Islands. The defendant also used alias email accounts rather than his Vitol email to communicate with his co-conspirators.
The evidence at trial also demonstrated that Aguilar used the same system of shell entities and sham invoices to launder bribe payments to two officials at PEMEX Procurement International. In total, Aguilar paid approximately $600,000 in bribes to these officials to obtain numerous contracts for Vitol to supply hundreds of millions of dollars of ethane gas to PEMEX.
The evidence at trial included testimony from 10 witnesses, including three of the former Mexican and Ecuadorian officials who received bribes from the defendant, as well as consultants who facilitated the bribes, and an intermediary who laundered the bribes for the defendant; bribe payments ledgers; emails, including from the defendant’s alias email accounts; recorded calls and meetings; travel records; and bank records showing how the defendant and his co-conspirators moved money to bribe officials through offshore shell companies. In one of the recorded phone calls played at trial, the defendant told a co-conspirator that his money launderer in Curacao “has to make up some fake contracts.”
Aguilar faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on each of the FCPA counts and 20 years in prison on the money laundering count.
Seven of the defendant’s co-conspirators have pleaded guilty to their role in the scheme and are awaiting sentencing. These individuals have agreed to forfeit more than $63 million.
In December 2020, Vitol admitted to bribing officials in Ecuador, Mexico, and Brazil in violation of the anti-bribery provisions of the FCPA. Vitol entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of New York. As a part of the resolution, Vitol agreed to pay a combined $135 million in penalties as part of a coordinated resolution with the Department of Justice, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and authorities in Brazil.
The investigation was conducted by FBI Miami’s International Corruption Squad.
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 and the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and MLARS. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan P. Lax, Matthew R. Galeotti, and Nick M. Axelrod of the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case with Assistant Chiefs Derek J. Ettinger and Jonathan P. Robell and Trial Attorney Clayton P. Solomon of the Fraud Section, Deputy Chief Adam J. Schwartz and Trial Attorney D. Hunter Smith of MLARS, and Paralegal Specialist Peyton Jefferson. The MLARS Special Financial Investigations Unit and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in this case.
The Defendant:
JAVIER AGUILAR
Age: 49
Houston, TexasE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-390 (ENV)
Edina Financial Adviser Charged with Wire Fraud for Stealing $1.6 Million from ClientsRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – An Edina financial adviser has been charged with wire fraud after misappropriating $1.6 million in client investment funds, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, Kristi Margaret Berge, 47, was the founder and CEO of Keep Safe Investments, LLC, or “KSI Financial,” a financial planning and investment services firm. Berge also co-owned and operated J&K Connect LLC, a company that invested in real estate through buying, renovating, and re-selling properties. Berge maintained offices for her companies in Edina, Minnesota. Berge is registered as an investment adviser with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and licensed as an investment adviser with the State of Minnesota.
According to court documents, from June 2020 through February 2023, Berge fraudulently misappropriated approximately $1.6 million from some of her clients’ accounts by falsely representing to clients that she would maintain their money in safe and secure investment accounts, such as individual retirement accounts and 401(k) retirement savings plans. Instead, Berge fraudulently misappropriated the money by repeatedly withdrawing client funds in varying amounts between $5,000 and $220,000 and depositing the funds into bank accounts she controlled. Berge then used the clients’ funds to purchase multiple properties in Edina for her real estate business. Berge tried to conceal her fraud by falsely labeling her illicit withdrawals as “management” or “administrative” fees and by creating fabricated records to give the false impression that she had authorization to withdraw clients’ investment funds.
Berge is charged with one count of wire fraud. On March 7, 2024, Berge is scheduled to make her initial appearance in U.S. District Court before Judge Eric C. Tostrud.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew S. Ebert and Harry M. Jacobs are prosecuting the case.
An information is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
D’Iberville Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. -- A D’Iberville man pled guilty to possession of visual depictions of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
According to court documents, Benjamin Lee Poiroux, 40, was encountered by FBI agents at the Gulfport Airport and gave consent for his electronic devices to be forensically searched. The search of his iPad, laptop, and cellular telephone revealed he possessed over 1,300 visual images and 75 videos of visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, also known as child sexual abuse materials.
Poiroux is scheduled to be sentenced on May 30, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 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 and Acting Special Agent in Charge Maher Dimachkie of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case with assistance from the Cyber Crime Division at the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones 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 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.
Drug Coordinator Sentenced to 63 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Enrique Heriberto Nunez-Tiznado, 45, of Sasabe, Sonora, Mexico, was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge Scott H. Rash to 63 months in prison. Nunez-Tiznado pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl, Heroin, Cocaine, and Methamphetamine, and Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments on December 13, 2023.
Nunez-Tiznado admitted he was a Mexico-based leader of an organization that supplied drugs that were mailed throughout the United States. Nunez-Tiznado used individuals to smuggle drugs into the United States through ports of entry. He then coordinated the mailing of those drugs from Tucson to various locations throughout the United States. Finally, he coordinated the laundering of drug proceeds through a co-defendant’s bank account.
Colombian authorities apprehended Nunez-Tiznado in February 2022, pursuant to an Interpol Red Notice, and Nunez-Tiznado was extradited from Colombia to the United States on April 12, 2023.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Judicial Attaché’s Office at the U.S. Embassy in Bogota, the U.S. Marshals Service, and Colombian law enforcement authorities provided critical assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Nunez-Tiznado. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR 21-2667-TUC-SHR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-020_Nunez-Tiznado# # #
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.District Man Indicted on Enhanced Second-Degree Theft Following Theft from Residential Front Porch in NorthwestRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Ernest Persha, 62, of Washington, D.C., was indicted on February 21, 2024, by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on one count of felony second-degree theft stemming from events occurring on February 12, 2023, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced.
Persha is to be arraigned on March 5, 2024, at a hearing before a Superior Court judge.
According to the government’s evidence, on February 12, 2023, Persha took a package from the front porch of a residence in Northeast, Washington, D.C. Persha was immediately stopped and arrested by officers in the crime suppression unit of the Metropolitan Police Department, who were surveilling the property at the time of the crime.
Persha has two or more prior theft convictions, though not from the same occasion, and therefore is subject to enhanced penalties for his alleged theft, including a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in jail for each count of theft for which he is indicted.
Since September 1, 2023, including the aforementioned case, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia has indicted 27 cases involving a felony second-degree theft charge based on a defendant’s two or more prior theft convictions, not from the same occasion.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Erika Norman.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
District Man Indicted on Enhanced Second-Degree Theft Following Theft from Residential Front Porch in NorthwestRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, February 21, 2024, Eugene Fleet, 61, of Washington, D.C., was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on one count of felony second-degree theft stemming from events occurring on January 12, 2024, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced.
Fleet is to be arraigned on March 13, 2024, at a hearing before a Superior Court judge.
According to the government’s evidence, on January 12, 2024, Fleet took a package containing a baby blanket from a resident’s porch in Northwest, Washington, D.C. Fleet was later located and arrested after investigation by the Metropolitan Police Department.
Fleet has two or more prior theft convictions, though not from the same occasion, and therefore is subject to enhanced penalties for his alleged theft, including a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in jail for each count of theft for which he is indicted.
Since September 1, 2023, including the aforementioned case, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia has indicted 27 cases involving a felony second-degree theft charge based on a defendant’s two or more prior theft convictions, not from the same occasion.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa Limb.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
District Man Indicted on Enhanced Second-Degree Theft Following Theft from CVS in NorthwestRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Peter Harshaw (aka Peter Allen), 64, of Washington, D.C., was indicted on February 21, 2024, by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on one count of felony second-degree theft stemming from events occurring on January 19, 2024, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced.
Harshaw is to be arraigned on February 26, 2024, at a hearing before a Superior Court judge.
According to the government’s evidence, on January 19, 2024, Harshaw took store merchandise without paying from the CVS store in Northwest Washington, D.C. Harshaw was quickly located and arrested by the Metropolitan Police Department.
Harshaw has two or more prior theft convictions, though not from the same occasion, and therefore is subject to enhanced penalties for his alleged theft, including a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in jail for each count of theft for which he is indicted.
Since September 1, 2023, including the aforementioned case, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia has indicted 27 cases involving a felony second-degree theft charge based on a defendant’s two or more prior theft convictions, not from the same occasion.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Naveed Amalfard.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
Detroit, MI, Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison for His Leadership Role in a Drug Trafficking Organization Targeting two of North Dakota’s Native American ReservationsRead the Press Release
FARGO – United States Attorney Mac Schneider announced that Romel Rambus, age 29, of Detroit, Michigan, appeared before Chief Judge Peter D. Welte, U.S. District Court, Fargo, ND, for his leadership role in a drug trafficking organization targeting two of North Dakota’s Native American Reservations. Rambus pled guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Money Laundering Conspiracy, and was sentenced to 168 months in federal prison, Five Years of supervised release, and $100 special assessment.
A multi-agency investigation led by the Bureau of Indian Affairs Division of Drug Enforcement learned of a drug trafficking organization affiliated with the 5674 Reub Gang, a violent street gang operating out of Michigan, which was involved in transporting thousands of oxycodone/fentanyl pills to North Dakota for distribution, in Bismarck, ND, Minot, ND, Fort Berthold Indian Reservation and Spirit Lake Indian Reservation. As part of this organization, in approximately 2015, Romel Rambus, after the death of his brother, Reuben Rambus, took over the operation and worked with the Devonsha Dabney to distribute narcotics in North Dakota.
Co-Conspirator Jonathan B. Walker, a/k/a Jay, was sentenced on October 2, 2023, to 180 months incarceration, 5 years of supervised release, and $500 in special assessment fees.
Co-Conspirator Devonsha Dabney a/k/a Kemell, was sentenced on October 10, 2023, to 180 months in federal prison, 4 years of supervised release, and $100 special assessment fees.
Over forty defendants were charged for their involvement in the drug trafficking organization and all defendants have enter pleas of guilty or signed plea agreements with the intent to plead guilty.
“This sentence is another reminder to those who target tribal communities in North Dakota for distribution of dangerous drugs,” Schneider said. “Instead of short-term profits, you’ll be facing a long-term stay in federal prison. Bringing this defendant and his co-conspirators to justice is the result of relentless efforts by our career prosecutors and their multi-agency law enforcement partners.”
The Previous Press Release for this investigation can be seen by clicking the following link: https://www.justice.gov/usao-nd/pr/detroit-mi-man-sentenced-15-years-federal-prison-his-leadership-role-drug-trafficking
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs Division of Drug Enforcement, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (Detroit), the Drug Enforcement Administration, Ward County Narcotics Task Force, Metro Area Narcotics Task Force, Mandan Hidatsa Arikara Division of Drug Enforcement, North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation, North Dakota Crime Laboratory, and Minot Police Department.
The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office, with Assistant United States Attorneys Dawn Deitz and Alex Stock assigned with the assistance of lead investigator Bureau of Indian Affairs Division of Drug Enforcement Special Agent Isaiah Soldier.
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Denver Man Charged in Five Denver Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Samuel Richard Ruthstrom, age 41, has been charged by federal complaint in connection with a series of bank robberies in the city and county of Denver.
According to allegations in the criminal complaint, in the month of January 2024, Ruthstrom robbed a series of banks around the city and county of Denver.
The Defendant had his initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Kathryn A. Starnella on February 8.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force, and the Denver Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Brian Dunn is handling the prosecution.
The charges in the complaint are allegations and the Defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Case Number: 1:24-mj-00025-KAS
Dauphin County Man Indicted on Drug Trafficking and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Ewhnik Proctor, age 26, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted on February 7, 2024, by a federal grand jury for drug trafficking and firearms offenses.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that, on separate dates in 2022, Proctor distributed a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine and possessed a firearm while he was prohibited by law from doing so.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General. Assistant U.S. Attorney K. Wesley (Wes) Mishoe is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for the indicted offenses is a combined 35 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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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Cybertip Leads to Conviction of Lake Charles Man for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – Arthur Dorain Deville, 50, of Lake Charles, Louisiana, has been sentenced on child pornography charges, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. to 51 months in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release. Deville pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography on August 16, 2023.
In 2022, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a cybertip from Dropbox, Inc. in reference to images containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) being uploaded to one of their accounts. An investigation by agents with the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation (LBI) revealed that the Dropbox account belonged to Deville.
On October 26, 2022, Deville admitted to agents with LBI and the Department of Homeland Security Investigations that the Dropbox account belonged to him, and he was the only person with access to the account. Deville also confessed to possessing the CSAM maintained in the Dropbox account. An analysis of the deleted files in Deville’s account contained CSAM involving minor children not having reached the age of puberty.
The case was investigated by Department of Homeland Security Investigations and Louisiana Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Craig R. Bordelon.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood combines 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.
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Crystal Springs Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Jackson, Mississippi – A Crystal Springs man was sentenced to 204 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 429.9 grams of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Marcus Baldridge a/k/a Possum a/k/a Lil One, 40, of Crystal Springs, Mississippi, negotiated the sale of a pound of methamphetamine to an individual. During the sale, Baldridge realized he lacked two ounces to complete the pound. Baldridge left the buy location to meet with his source of supply, then returned to the location and provided the two ounces of methamphetamine to his co-conspirator, Dremarcus Taylor, who subsequently provided the two ounces to the buyer to complete the transaction. The substances sold by Baldridge were analyzed by the DEA Laboratory and confirmed to be methamphetamine hydrochloride with a combined net weight of 429.9 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine.
Dremarcus Taylor entered a plea of guilty for his role and is scheduled for sentencing on May 21, 2024.
This case is the result of an extensive investigation targeting illegal drug trafficking in the Hinds County, Mississippi, and surrounding areas. The case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Acting Special Agent in Charge Mike Arnett of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Keesha Middleton.
Colorado Springs Woman Sentenced to 30 Years for Distributing Fentanyl Which Killed TeenagerRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Marlene McGuire, 59, of Colorado Springs was sentenced to 30 years in prison for her role in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl resulting in the death of a juvenile. McGuire was found guilty by a federal jury in Denver in September of 2023.
According to the facts established at trial, on January 30, 2022, McGuire sold four pills which contained fentanyl and para-fluorofentanyl to the three juveniles near a fire station in the Security-Widefield area of Colorado Springs. On January 31, 2022, the father and stepmother of one of the juveniles—a 16-year-old boy—discovered the boy deceased in his bedroom in their home. The boy’s parents and paramedics attempted to resuscitate him, but the boy had already died. Police and a deputy coroner found paraphernalia used for smoking fentanyl pills in the boy’s room and near his body, as well as two remaining blue pills in a baggie in his dresser drawer. After an autopsy, the El Paso County Coroner’s Office determined the otherwise healthy boy’s cause of death was acute fentanyl and para-fluorofentanyl toxicity. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Western Laboratory tested the two pills found in the boy’s dresser drawer. Both pills contained para-fluorofentanyl, a dangerous chemical analogue of fentanyl. One of the two pills also contained fentanyl, lidocaine, and xylazine.
An investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) identified McGuire and a co-defendant as the individuals who sold the blue pills that killed the boy. The investigation also revealed that they had been engaged in a conspiracy to sell various controlled substances—including methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, and blue pills—since at least May 2020. On February 21, 2022, the FBI and CSPD executed a federal search warrant at McGuire’s long-time residence in Colorado Springs. In addition to finding both McGuire and a co-defendant in the residence, law enforcement officers located and seized methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, and a blue pill which contained fentanyl.
“Fentanyl again has ended the life of someone far too soon, and it is infuriating that an adult contributed so strongly to a young person’s untimely death,” said U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan. “We are grateful to our agency partners for their perseverance in getting this drug off the street.”
“Sadly, communities continue to grapple with the effects of fentanyl sales and deaths. Law enforcement alone can’t solve the latest drug crisis, but the FBI will continue to work with partners like the Colorado Springs Police Department to target the worst offenders and hold them accountable,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek. “This sentence should send a strong message to those who choose to sell fentanyl.”
“I am saddened by the tragic loss of a young member of our community to the fentanyl epidemic,” said Colorado Springs Police Department Chief Adrian Vasquez. “Fentanyl is having deadly consequences here in Colorado Springs. This case underscores the effectiveness of our collaborative efforts with our federal partners, including the FBI, and demonstrates our unwavering commitment to holding accountable those in our community who prey on others. This sentence also highlights the reason CSPD continues to advocate for stricter state laws that could be used to increase accountability for these crimes.”
United States District Court Judge Regina M. Rodriguez sentenced the defendant on February 22, 2024. After serving her custodial sentence, the defendant will have six years of supervised release.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Colorado Springs Police Department conducted the investigation. The prosecution as handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Peter McNeilly and Alyssa Mance.
CASE NUMBER: 1:22-cr-00080-RMR
Clothing Wholesaler Executive Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison for Customs Fraud Scheme to Avoid Paying Millions of Dollars in DutiesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Paramount-based clothing wholesale company executive was sentenced today to 48 months in federal prison for undervaluing imported garments in a scheme to avoid paying millions of dollars in customs duties.
Mohamed Daoud Ghacham, 40, of Bell, was sentenced by United States District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong, who also ordered him to pay $6,390,781 in restitution.
Ghacham pleaded guilty in December 2022 to one count of conspiracy to pass false and fraudulent papers through a customhouse.
Ghacham’s company, Ghacham Inc., which does business under the “Platini” brand name, imported clothing from China and submitted fraudulent invoices to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) that undervalued the shipments, allowing the company to avoid paying the full amounts of tariffs owed on the imports.
At Mohamed Ghacham’s direction, Chinese suppliers would prepare two invoices for the clothing ordered by Ghacham Inc. – a true invoice, which reflected the actual price paid for the goods, and a fraudulent “customs invoice,” which reflected an understated price. Ghacham Inc. submitted the customs invoices to CBP and customs brokers to fraudulently reduce the tariffs owed on the imports, while it maintained the true invoices in its accounting records.
From July 2011 to February 2021, Ghacham Inc. and Mohamed Ghacham undervalued imported garments by more than $32 million and failed to pay approximately $6,390,792 in customs duties.
Ghacham Inc. pleaded guilty in December 2022 to one count of conspiracy to pass false and fraudulent papers through a customhouse and one count of conspiracy to engage in any transaction or dealing in properties of a specially designated narcotics trafficker under a statute known as the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act for doing business with María Tiburcia Cazarez Pérez.
Cazarez Pérez previously was listed as a Specially Designated Narcotics Trafficker under the Kingpin Act for her involvement in the financial network of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada García and Victor Emilio Cazares Salazar, two leaders of the Mexico-based Sinaloa Cartel. Cazares Salazar was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for drug trafficking activities in federal cases out of San Diego and New York City.
In December 2023, Judge Frimpong fined Ghacham Inc. $4 million, ordered it to pay $6,390,781 in restitution, and placed it on probation for five years.
Mohamed Ghacham was not charged in connection with the Kingpin Act violation.
Homeland Security Investigations and CBP investigated this matter. The U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Export Enforcement, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, and IRS Criminal Investigation provided significant assistance.
Assistant United States Attorney Alexander B. Schwab of the Corporate and Securities Fraud Strike Force prosecuted this case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Clear Lake Man Charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited PersonRead the Press Release
Michael Ryan Mikkelson, age 37, from Clear Lake, Iowa, has been charged with one count of possession of a firearm by a felon and person convicted of domestic violence. The charges are contained in an Indictment filed on February 14, 2024, in United States District Court in Sioux City.
The Indictment alleges that from March 1, 2023, through October 3, 2023, Mikkelson knowingly possessed a firearm and ammunition having been previously convicted on four occasions of crimes punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and also convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.
If convicted, Mikkelson faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
Mikkelson appeared today in federal court in Sioux City and was held without bond. Mikkelson’s next appearance for a detention hearing is set for February 28, 2024.
As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is 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.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Fletcher and was investigated by the Clear Lake Police Department, Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Office, Manly Police Department, Worth County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa State Patrol, Cerro Gordo County Attorney’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, and United States Marshal’s Service.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-03009.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Chicago Man Convicted on Federal Carjacking and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Chicago man has been convicted in federal court of carjacking a vehicle at gunpoint on the city’s West Side and firing a handgun while attempting to carjack another vehicle.
The jury in U.S. District Court in Chicago on Tuesday convicted KIAR EVANS, 24, on all four counts against him, including one count of carjacking, one count of attempted carjacking, one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and one count of illegal possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon.
The convictions are punishable by a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in federal prison and a maximum of life. U.S. District Judge Martha M. Pacold has not yet set a sentencing date.
The guilty verdicts were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paige A. Nutini and Jimmy L. Arce.
According to evidence presented at the week-long trial, the carjacking and attempted carjacking occurred within minutes of each other on the afternoon of May 20, 2021. In the attempted carjacking, Evans approached a Chevrolet Impala near the intersection of Independence Boulevard and Congress Parkway in Chicago and fired shots through a window while attempting to get inside. The driver of the Impala was able to drive away from the scene.
Evans then approached the driver-side window of a Nissan Altima, pointed a firearm at the driver and demanded that the driver exit the vehicle. The victim complied and Evans drove off in the Nissan. A short time later, Evans was driving the stolen vehicle when he was involved in a multi-vehicle crash at the intersection of Harrison Street and Ogden Avenue in Chicago. Chicago Police officers arrested Evans and discovered a loaded semi-automatic handgun in his possession. As a previously convicted felon, Evans was not lawfully allowed to possess a firearm.
Bristol Man Sentenced on Drug, Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A Bristol, Virginia man, who possessed approximately 100 firearms while conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison. In addition, Stout is forfeiting all of the firearms and ammunition he possessed.
Zachary Stout, 26, pled guilty in September 2023 to one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of possession with the intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, on April 19, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the residence of Robert Hockett in Bristol, Virginia. During that search, law enforcement recovered more than 1,600 grams of nearly pure methamphetamine, 135 grams of heroin, 40 pills of fentanyl, approximately $28,000 in cash, firearms, ammunition, and two cellphones.
In addition, investigators learned that Hockett was being supplied methamphetamine from Tyshawn Blackwell and Zachary Stout.
On July 27, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Stout’s residence in Bristol, Virginia. During that search, authorities recovered approximately 30 grams of methamphetamine, digital scales, four cell phones, and approximately 100 firearms—many of which were loaded. The firearms included semiautomatic rifles, pistols, and three sawed-off shotguns. Numerous high-capacity magazines and more than 3,300 rounds of ammunition were also seized.
In August 2023, Hockett was sentenced to 127 months in prison for his role in the conspiracy. Blackwell is awaiting sentencing in the Eastern District of Tennessee.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh and Craig B. Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement.
The investigation of the case was handled by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; and the Bristol, Virginia Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Whit D. Pierce is prosecuting the case for the United States.
Bridgeport Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ALEXIS A. VALLEJO, also known as “Boobie” and “Boobie Porter,” 33, of Bridgeport, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 29, 2021, Vallejo attempted to flee from Bridgeport Police officers. Officers apprehended Vallejo and found him in possession of a loaded SCCY 9mm semiautomatic handgun.
Vallejo’s criminal history includes felony convictions in state court for firearm possession, robbery, larceny, and failure to appear 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.
Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for June 4, at which time Vallejo faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years.
Vallejo has been detained since his federal arrest on June 30, 2022.
This matter is being investigated by the FBI’s Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force and the Bridgeport Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ross Weingarten and Karen L. Peck 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.
Boynton Beach man found guilty of threatening a member of CongressRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On Feb. 22, following a two-day trial, a federal jury in Ft. Lauderdale convicted a man for calling the office of a Congress member in Washington, D.C. and threatening to kill the member of Congress and another.
On Jan. 29, 2023, Frank Stanzione, 53, of Boynton Beach, Florida, made a telephone call from his residence in Boynton Beach to the office of a member of the United States House of Representatives. Stanzione left a voice message for the member that stated the following:
[Victim 1] you fat f------ piece of s--- f-----. You better watch your mother f------ back because I’m gonna bash your mother f------ f----- head in with a bat until your brains are splattered across the f------ wall. You lying, disgusting, disgraceful, mother f------ f-----. You mother f------ piece of s---. You’re gonna get f------ murdered you goddamn lying piece of garbage. Watch your back you fat, ugly, piece of s---. You and [Victim 2] are dead.
The Congress member’s chief of staff reported the message to the United States Capitol Police (USCP) the next morning. The USCP began investigating the voice message as a threat and determined that it was made from a telephone number assigned to Stanzione.
On Jan. 31, 2023, USCP special agents went to the address associated with the telephone number and interviewed Stanzione. USCP confirmed that Stanzione had left the voice message for the Congress member. Stanzione found the telephone number on an online search engine.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Chief J. Thomas Manger of USCP announced the guilty verdict.
USCP – Threat Assessment Section investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Dispoto and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Wheeler are prosecuting it.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 23-cr-80064.
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Bellingham man sentenced to 12 years in prison for attempted enticement of a minor and possession of images of child sexual abuseRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 28-year-old Bellingham, Washington, man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 12 years in prison for possession of child pornography and attempted enticement of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Clayton Harker was arrested in December 2022, when he arrived at a Bellingham hotel believing he was going to sexually assault an 8-year-old girl. The ‘girl’ in this case was fictitious and Harker had been communicating with undercover Homeland Security Investigation agents.
At today’s sentencing hearing Judge Richard jones said, “The court finds these cases extremely troubling. Fictitious individual or not, you had a clear thought in your mind to act on your desires.”
According to records in the case, Harker came to the attention of law enforcement as they were investigating a different snapchat user who was pressuring young people for explicit images, claiming he wanted to pay them as “models.” Based on the communication between that subject and the person later identified as Harker, law enforcement began investigating his online activity. In November 2022, Harker began communicating with an undercover agent who claimed to have an 8-year-old niece Harker could molest. Harker not only communicated with that undercover agent, he also communicated with another agent who posed as the 8-year-old girl. Harker arrived at the hotel with materials to molest the child and video the assault. Harker was arrested before he even entered the hotel.
In asking the court to sentence Harker to 30 years in prison, Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Hampton noted that Harker told agents that he regularly solicited minors to send him sexually explicit imagery over the internet and would use threats and extortion when necessary to induce these children to send him that imagery. “Simply put, Harker has cut a swath of destruction across the lives of vulnerable minors whose only mistake was to cross paths with a predator. The threat he poses is real. And neutralizing that threat will require incapacitation through lengthy confinement followed by close supervision for the remainder of Harker’s life.”
Harker will be on 15 years of supervised release following prison and will be required to register as a sex offender.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) as part of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force based at the Seattle Police Department. The Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office also assisted.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Hampton.
Armed Carjacking Added to a 55-Count Superseding Indictment Charging Members of the Violent KDY Drug CrewRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A superseding indictment adds 22 new charges – including armed carjacking, armed robberies, and weapons offenses involving machineguns –against the alleged core members of the violent Kennedy Street drug trafficking organization. The superseding indictment also names a 17th co-defendant, Adebayo Adediji Green, 29, of Hyattsville, MD., who was arrested on February 22, 2024.
The superseding indictment charges defendants Keion Michael Brown, 20, and Jovan “Chewy” Williams, 19, in a November 17, 2023, spree of armed carjackings and robberies; defendants Tristan Ware and Keion Brown with illegal possession of a machine gun in furtherance of drug trafficking; defendants Khali Brown, Aaron Mercer, Angel Suncar, and David Penn with illegal possession of firearms; defendants Brown, Ware, and David Penn with possession with intent to deliver marijuana; defendants Penn, Aaron Mercer, and Angel Suncar with possession with intent to deliver cocaine; and defendant Adebayo Adediji Green with conspiracy to distribute cocaine base and marijuana, and illegal possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Defendants Warren Fields and Antonio Reginald Bailey previously pleaded guilty. A chart of the remaining defendants and their charges can be found below.
According to the original indictment, KDY members operated open-air drug markets in the 100-1200 blocks of Kennedy Street in Northwest, as well as surrounding streets. The organization’s members are charged with conspiring to distribute fentanyl, oxycodone, cocaine base, and marijuana, and using firearms, including fully automatic weapons, to enforce and protect the crew’s territory, including through intimidation and acts of violence.
The original indictment further alleges that KDY crew members conspired to establish shell companies to launder their illegal proceeds. During the investigation, law enforcement seized more than 40 firearms (including eight suspected machineguns).
The sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department, the DEA’s Washington Division, ATF’s Washington Field Division, with assistance from FBI’s Washington Field Office, and the IRS-Criminal Investigation Washington, D.C. Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Kinskey and Sitara Witanachchi, of the of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Valuable assistance was provided by former Special Assistant United States Attorney Brian Lynch.
KDY DEFENDANTS
NAME
AGE
CHARGES
Kenneth Ademola Olugbenga
27
Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute One Hundred Kilograms or More of Marijuana, Four Hundred Grams or More of Fentanyl, and a Mixture and Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Cocaine Base, and Detectable Oxycodone
Unlawful Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana (2 Counts)
Using, Carrying, and Possessing a Firearm During a Drug Trafficking Offense (2 Counts)
Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Person Convicted of a Crime Punishable by Imprisonment Exceeding One Year (2 Counts)
Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering (2 Counts)
Khali Ahmed Brown, AKA
“Migo Lee”22
Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 100 Kilograms or More of Marijuana, 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl, and Detectable Oxycodone
Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Aiding and Abetting (1 Count)
Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl (2 Counts)
Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana (3 Counts)
Using, Carrying, and Possessing a Machinegun and Firearm During a Drug Trafficking Offense (3 Counts)
Unlawful Possession of a Machinegun (2 Counts)
Possession of a Firearm with an Obliterated Serial Number (2 Counts)
Keion Michael Brown
20
Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Marijuana, and a Mixture and Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Cocaine Base, and Detectable Oxycodone
Using, Carrying, and Possessing a Firearm During a Drug Trafficking Offense (4 Counts)
Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana (2 Counts)
Armed Robbery, Aiding and Abetting
Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Crime of Violence (2 Counts)
Carjacking while Armed and Aiding and Abetting
Unlawful Possession with Intent to Distribute Oxycodone
Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by an Individual Under Felony Indictment
Using, Carrying, and Possessing a Machinegun in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense
Miasiah Jamal Brown, AKA “Michael Jamal Crawford”
21
Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 100 Kilograms of Marijuana, 400 Grams of Fentanyl, a Mixture and Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Cocaine Base, and Detectable Oxycodone
Using, Carrying, and Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense
Using, Carrying, and Possessing a Firearm During a Drug Trafficking Offense
Tristan Miles Ware, AKA “Greedy”
23
Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 100 Kilograms of Marijuana, 400 Grams of Fentanyl, and a Mixture and Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Cocaine Base
Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana (3 Counts)
Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Person Convicted of a Crime Punishable by Imprisonment Exceeding One Year (2 Counts)
Using, Carrying, and Possessing a Firearm During a Drug Trafficking Offense (2 Counts)
Using, Carrying, and Possessing a Machinegun in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense
Jovan Williams, AKA “Choo Choo” and “Chewy”
19
Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 100 Kilograms of Marijuana, 400 Grams of Fentanyl, and a Mixture and Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Cocaine Base
Unlawful Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana (2 Counts)
Using, Carrying, and Possessing a Machinegun and Firearm During a Drug Trafficking Offense (2 Counts)
Unlawful Possession of a Machinegun (2 Counts)
Unlawful Shipment, Transportation, and/or Receipt of a Firearm and Ammunition to Commit a Felony Offense
Armed Robbery and Aiding and Abetting (2 Counts)
Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Crime of Violence
Carjacking while Armed and Aiding and Abetting
Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Crime of Violence
Juwan Demetrius Clark, AKA “Squirrel” and “Juan Clark”
23
Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Marijuana, 40 Grams or Fentanyl, and a Mixture and Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Cocaine Base
Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering (2 Counts)
Aaron Deandre Mercer, AKA “Curby,”
27
Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Marijuana, 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl, and a Mixture and Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Cocaine Base
Unlawful Possession with Intent to Distribute 40 Grams or More of Fentanyl (2 Counts)
Unlawful Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine Base
Using, Carrying, and Possessing a Firearm During a Drug Trafficking Offense
David Penn, AKA “Turtle”
30
Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Marijuana, 40 Grams or Fentanyl, and a Mixture and Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Cocaine Base
Unlawful Possession with Intent to Distribute 40 Grams or More of Fentanyl (2 Counts)
Unlawful Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana (2 Counts)
Unlawful Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine Base
Using, Carrying, and Possessing a Machinegun in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense (2 Counts)
Using, Carrying, and Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense
Engaging in the Business of Dealing in Firearms without a License (2 Counts)
Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Person Convicted of a Crime Punishable by Imprisonment for a Term Exceeding One Year (2 Counts)
Angel Enrique Suncar, AKA Coqui”
29
Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Marijuana, 40 Grams or Fentanyl, and a Mixture and Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Cocaine Base
Unlawful Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine Base
Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Person Convicted of a Crime Punishable by a Term Exceeding One Year
Carrying and Possessing a Firearm During a Drug Trafficking Offense
Adebayo Adediji Green
29
Using, Carrying, and Possessing a Firearm During a Drug Trafficking Offense
Defendant Cameron Reid is from Falmouth, VA; and defendant Green is from Hyattsville, MD. The 15 remaining defendants are from Washington, D.C.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Altamont Man Accused of Unlawful Gun Possession and ManufacturingRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – An Effingham County man is facing criminal charges in southern Illinois for illegally possessing firearms even though he’s prohibited under federal law.
James R. Kraus, II, 42, is facing one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, one count of illegal possession of a machine gun, two counts of possession of an unregistered firearm and one count of illegal importation of a firearm.
"Individuals with domestic violence and other abusive convictions cannot lawfully possess firearms due to the increased safety risks to our communities, and offenders will be held accountable," said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe.
According to the charging document, Kraus is accused of possessing the firearms in November 2023. Due to a prior domestic violence conviction, Kraus is unable to legally possess firearms. The Government alleges that Kraus illegally possessed dozens of firearms including an automatic weapon, multiple short-barreled rifles and silencers.
“Individuals convicted of Domestic violence cannot possess firearms and will face serious consequences for manufacturing, possessing, or importing these firearms. Privately Made Firearms (PMFs) are commonly referred to as ghost guns and can be difficult to trace. Manufacturing devices to convert firearms to automatic weapons is a tremendous threat to our communities,” stated Kansas City Field Division, Special Agent in Charge, Bernard Hansen. “Identifying and prosecuting persons unlawfully converting and possessing machine guns, as well as unregistered silencers, is a focus of the ATF and persons will face serious consequences for possessing them.”
As outlined in the indictment, the Government is seeking forfeiture of Kraus’ nine commercially manufactured firearms, seven silencers and thousands of rounds of ammunition. In addition, Kraus is accused of manufacturing unregistered ghost guns with a 3D-printer and if convicted must forfeit 11 privately made firearms including four pistols and seven rifles.
“ISP is committed to ensuring those who are prohibited from possessing a firearm don't have guns illegally and we will continue to work with our federal partners to protect the public and combat gun trafficking,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly.
The Government is also seeking forfeiture of Kraus’ computer, 3D-printer and other firearm manufacturing tools.
An indictment is merely a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
If convicted, Kraus could face up to 15 years’ imprisonment and/or fines up to $250,000.
ATF is leading the investigation with assistance from ISP, HSI, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Trippi is prosecuting the case.
Alleged Mastermind of $5 Million Unemployment Fraud Scheme Extradited from RomaniaRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – February 23, 2024
SAN DIEGO – David Constantin, alleged mastermind of a scheme to steal more than $5 million in California unemployment benefits intended to help workers affected by the pandemic, appeared in federal court today following his extradition Monday to the United States from Romania.
At today’s hearing, U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael S. Berg ordered Constantin detained pending trial. The next hearing is scheduled for April 1, 2024, at 1:30 p.m. before U.S. District Judge Larry A. Burns.
Constantin was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2023 along with 13 others. In addition to the four counts of wire fraud conspiracy and wire fraud charges, the indictment also alleges that Constantin transmitted more than $128,000 in fraud proceeds to associates in Romania.
Constantin was apprehended by Romanian authorities at the request of the United States on November 14, 2023. The United States also seized valuable assets connected to Constantin, and co-Defendants in this case, Eduard Buse (D6), and Florentina Sima (D7).
The following agencies provided critical assistance in securing Constantin’s arrest and extradition: Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (DCCO) - Service for Countering of Organized Criminal Groups; Pitești Brigade for Combating Organized Crime (BCCO Pitesti); Teleorman County Service for Countering Organized Crime; Romanian Gendarmerie Battalion; Romanian Ministry of Justice; and Romanian Criminal Investigative Directorate - Fugitive Unit.
“We thank Romanian authorities for their assistance in securing Mr. Constantin’s arrest and for their continued efforts in support of this case.”, said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Adeline Schulberg and Valerie Chu. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance to secure the arrest and extradition from Romania of Constantin.
DEFENDANT Case Number 23CR2090-LAB
David Constantin Age: 28 Arges County, Romania
aka Vlad Alexandru
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Title 18, U.S.C. § 1349 — Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
Title 18, U.S.C. § 1343 — Wire Fraud
Maximum penalty: Thirty years in prison, $1 million fine
Title 18 U.S.C. § 1956(a)(2)(A) — Laundering of Monetary Instruments
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $500,000 fine or twice the value of the monetary instrument or funds involved in the transportation, transmission, or transfer, whichever is greater
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
San Diego Police Department Economic Crimes Unit
IRS Criminal Investigation
California Employment Development Department Investigative Division
U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Alabama Man Sentenced to over 30 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine and Fentanyl ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Monroeville, Alabama man was sentenced to 397 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.
Curtis Navelle Harrison, 46, was sentenced on February 21, 2024, in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to court documents, on July 23, 2021, as part of an ongoing investigation, law enforcement officers conducted a controlled purchase of methamphetamine from Louis Booker, Jr. at a residence in Moss Point, Mississippi. Three days later, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on the residence. During the execution of the search warrant, Booker, Harrison, another adult male, and a minor child fled from the residence. When the individuals were apprehended, officers located a $10.00 bill from the prior buy on Harrison’s person. Approximately 200 grams of methamphetamine, firearms, and fentanyl were also recovered from the residence. Subsequent investigation resulted in the discovery of text messages and social media messages between Harrison and Booker, which demonstrated that they were involved in a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and 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.
On June 14, 2023, a jury in federal court found Harrison guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.
In imposing sentence, the court noted Harrison’s prior criminal history. Specifically, the Court pointed to the fact that at the time of his commission of this offense, Harrison was out on parole from a life sentence in Alabama. According to documents submitted to the court, Harrison was sentenced to life in Alabama based on his prior convictions for attempted murder and 1st degree armed robbery of an undercover police officer.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Buckner and Lauren Dick prosecuted the case with support from Assistant U.S. Attorney Gaines Cleveland.
15 Charged with Fentanyl, Methamphetamine, Cocaine, Firearms, and Money Laundering OffensesRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On February 21, 2024, a federal grand jury in Knoxville, Tennessee, returned a 19-count indictment against 15 defendants—Todd M. Evans, 31, and Joshua M. Vanriette, 38, both of Pontiac, MI; Gary L. Shadden, 70, Henri L. Ewing, 34, James M. Pass, 56, and Traythan W. Edwards, 23, all of Rockwood, TN; Robert S. Fugate, 53, and Charlotte A. Brown, 53, both of Spring City, TN; Amber B. Jackson, 33, Nicholas J. Eskridge, 46, Christopher C. Gilmore, 52, and Kristy L. Murray, all of Harriman, TN; and Bobby L. Robinette, 44, Liberty Warfield, 40, and Misty Walden, 46, all of Kingston, TN.
According to the indictment, all defendants are charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, multiple defendants are charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine as well as other fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine offenses, Evans, Vanriette, Ewing, and Pass are each charged with firearms offenses, and Evans, Vanriette, and Jackson are charged in a conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Jackson, Walden, Shadden, Brown, Gilmore, Edwards, and Warfield had their initial appearances on February 22, 2024, before the Honorable Judge Jill E. McCook, United States Magistrate Judge, and all entered pleas of not guilty. The remaining defendants will have their initial appearances at a later date. This case has been set for trial on April 30, 2024, before the Honorable Katherine A. Crytzer, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court in Knoxville.
If convicted, Evans, Vanriette, and Ewing each face a mandatory minimum term of 20 years and up to life in prison and other penalties; Jackson, Murray, and Pass each face a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to life in prison and other penalties; Eskridge and Robinette each face a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison and other penalties; Shadden, Walden, and Gilmore each face a mandatory minimum term of 5 years and up to 40 years in prison and other penalties; and Edwards and Warfield each face up to 20 years in prison and other penalties.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton, III, of the Eastern District of Tennessee; Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico; and Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), made the announcement.
This indictment is the result of an investigation led by the FBI, and the ATF, with significant support from the Roane County Sheriff’s Office, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Harriman Police Department, Rhea County Sheriff’s Office, Rockwood Police Department, as well as other partnering agencies to include the Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent N. Jones will represent the United States.
This operation 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.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment constitutes only charges and that every person is presumed innocent until their guilt has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Thursday 22 February 2024
Zaquikon T. Roy Arraigned on New Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Zaquikon T. Roy, 35, of Brooklyn, New York, was arraigned on February 20, 2024, in U.S. District Court in Burlington, Vermont on a superseding indictment charging the following: conspiracy to distribute cocaine base, fentanyl, and 500 grams or more of cocaine; two counts of distribution of cocaine base; one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base; two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; one count of felon in possession of a firearm; and one count of discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The count for discharge of a firearm relates to a shooting that occurred in Leicester, Vermont on June 4, 2023. Roy waived his appearance at his arraignment and pleas of not guilty were entered on his behalf. Roy was previously detained pending trial and is still detained.
If convicted of these offenses, Roy faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years imprisonment and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, and a fine of up to $5,000,000. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory Federal Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors. The United States Attorney emphasizes that the charges in the superseding indictment are merely accusations, and that Roy is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Vermont State Police.
The United States is represented in this matter by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul J. Van de Graaf and Wendy L. Fuller. Roy is represented by Chandler Matson, Esq.
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.
Woman charged with murder at U.S. Army military installationRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A Kansas woman has been charged through criminal complaint for a shooting death that took place on a federal military installation in Junction City, Kansas.
According to court documents, Margaret E. Shafe, 30, of Fort Riley is charged with murder in the second degree for shooting and killing Greg Shafe on February 19, 2024, while on Fort Riley.
The defendant made her initial court appearance February 22, 2024, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Rachel E. Schwartz of the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas. If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.
The Department of Army Criminal Investigation Division and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen A. Hunting and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Robin Graham are prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Wire Fraud Indictment Against Garland, Nebraska Man UnsealedRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that the federal Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska has returned an Indictment charging Bryce A. Nolde of Garland, Nebraska, with one count of wire fraud affecting a financial institution. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is no more than 30 years imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, a 5-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
An indictment is a charging document that contains one or more individual counts that are merely accusations. Nolde is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG), and Federal Housing Finance Agency-Office of Inspector General (FHFA-OIG).
Customers, subcontractors, suppliers or others who may have done business with Bryce Nolde or BV Builders are encouraged to contact the FDIC-OIG tipline at 1-800-964-3342 or https://www.fdicoig.gov/oig-hotline and reference “BV Builders.”
West Virginia Doctor Charged with Tax Fraud, Obstructing JusticeRead the Press Release
ELKINS - A doctor from Wheeling, West Virginia, has been indicted for failure to pay over nearly $2.5 million in payroll taxes.
United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced that Nitesh Ratnakar, age 48, was indicted Wednesday on forty-one counts of tax fraud and one count of obstructing a federal grand jury investigation. Ratnakar owned and operated a gastroenterology practice and a medical equipment manufacturer in Elkins, West Virginia. He is alleged to have withheld payroll taxes from his employees’ paychecks and then failed to make all required payments to the Internal Revenue Service. Between 2018 and 2022, Ratnakar allegedly failed to pay over $2,419,560 in employee withholdings to the I.R.S.
“We take tax fraud seriously because it affects all of us,” said U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld. “As tax season kicks into high gear, this case is a reminder that being dishonest with the I.R.S. is never a good idea.”
The indictment also charges Ratnakar with filing false tax returns in 2020, 2021, and 2022, and with causing false documents to be provided in response to a federal grand jury subpoena.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod Douglas.
It was investigated by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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United States Charges Four Mariners from Arabian Sea Vessel Transporting Suspected Iranian-Made Advanced Conventional WeaponsRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A criminal complaint was unsealed today charging four foreign nationals after U.S. naval forces interdicted a vessel in the Arabian Sea that was transporting suspected Iranian-made advanced conventional weaponry.
Two Navy SEALs lost their lives during the interdiction.
“The Justice Department extends our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the two Navy SEALs who lost their lives on January 11th while conducting an operation in the Arabian Sea,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The charges resulting from that interdiction make clear that the Justice Department will use every legal authority to hold accountable those who facilitate the flow of weapons from Iran to Houthi rebel forces, Hamas, and other groups that endanger the security of the United States and our allies.”
“The flow of missiles and other advanced weaponry from Iran to Houthi rebel forces in Yemen threatens the people and interests of America and our partners in the region,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “Two Navy SEALs tragically lost their lives in the operation that thwarted the defendants charged today from allegedly smuggling Iranian-made weapons that the Houthis could have used to target American forces and threaten freedom of navigation and a vital artery for commerce. Alongside our partners around the world, the Justice Department will continue to deploy every available tool to combat this grave threat.”
“The FBI will aggressively investigate and disrupt the Iranian Government’s attempts to provide Houthi rebels with missile components that are intended for use against U.S. military ships, merchant vessels, and Israel,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The defendants in this case allegedly transported suspected Iranian-made missile components for the type of weaponry used by the Houthi rebels in recent attacks. The FBI is committed to using its global partnerships to stop the illegal flow of weaponry that endangers U.S. national security.”
“As charged, Mr. Pahlawan attempted to smuggle advanced missile components, including a warhead, to Houthi rebels for use against cargo ships and U.S. vessels sailing across the Horn of Africa,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Justice Department, together with U.S. agency partners, is working tirelessly to deny malign actors the means to threaten international shipping and imperil the lives of our men and women in uniform.”
“The complaint alleges that the defendants were transporting weapons consistent with those used by Houthi rebel forces and then lied to the U.S. Coast Guard during the boarding of the vessel,” said U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia. “I want to thank the career prosecutors and our law enforcement partners for ensuring that the defendants now will face justice in an American court.”
“Today’s complaint sends a message that allegedly acting as a proxy for the IRGC in an effort to bring harm to U.S. persons overseas will not be tolerated by the U.S. Government,” said Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office. “Transporting explosive materials intended to be used to threaten and cause harm is yet another example of the IRGC’s disruptive and hostile actions. The FBI and our U.S. Government partners will continue to disrupt efforts by hostile foreign governments seeking to intimidate and cause harm through violence.”
According to court records, on the night of Jan. 11, U.S. Central Command Navy forces operating from the USS LEWIS B. PULLER, including Navy SEALs and members of the U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Security Response Team East, boarded an unflagged dhow, a small vessel, in the Arabian Sea off the coast of Somalia. As alleged, the U.S. boarding team encountered 14 individual mariners on the vessel.
During a search of the dhow, the U.S. boarding team allegedly located and seized what is believed to be Iranian-made advanced conventional weaponry. According to court records, preliminary analysis of the advanced conventional weaponry indicates that it includes critical components for medium range ballistic missiles (MRBM) and anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCM), to include a warhead and propulsion and guidance components. The type of weaponry found aboard the dhow is allegedly consistent with the weaponry used by the Houthi rebel forces in recent attacks on merchant ships and U.S. military ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
According to court records, the Navy brought the fourteen mariners aboard the USS LEWIS B. PULLER after determining the dhow was unsafe and unseaworthy. On Feb. 11, the United States obtained arrest warrants for four of the mariners who were aboard the dhow – specifically, defendants Muhammad Pahlawan, Mohammad Mazhar, Ghufran Ullah, and Izhar Muhammad. Pakistani identification cards allegedly were found on the dhow for each of the four defendants. The United States also obtained ten material witness warrants for the remaining individuals aboard the vessel.
The defendants and material witnesses were transferred from the USS LEWIS B. PULLER to the Eastern District of Virginia. The four defendants and eight of the ten material witnesses made their initial appearances before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in Richmond today.
Defendant Muhammad Pahlawan is charged with: (1) intentionally and unlawfully transporting on board the dhow a warhead, knowing the warhead would be used by the Houthi rebel forces against commercial and naval vessels in the Red Sea and surrounding waters; and (2) providing materially false information to U.S. Coast Guard officers during the boarding of the dhow regarding the vessel’s crew and cargo. Co-defendants Mohammad Mazhar, Ghufran Ullah, and Izhar Muhammad were also charged with providing materially false information to U.S. Coast Guard officers during the boarding of the dhow regarding the vessel’s crew and/or cargo.
Pahlawan faces a maximum of 20 years in prison if convicted of unlawfully transporting a warhead, and all four defendants face a maximum of five years in prison if convicted of the false statements offense. A federal district court judge will determine sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Affidavit in support of criminal complaint
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, FBI Director Christopher A. Wray, Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Washington Field Office and Naval Criminal Investigative Service are investigating the case, with significant assistance provided by the Department of Defense, U.S. Central Command, U.S. Navy, Department of Justice Office of International Affairs, Department of State, and Department of Homeland Security, including the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Troy A. Edwards Jr., John T. Gibbs, and Gavin R. Tisdale for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Lesley Woods of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents for the four charged defendants are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 3:24-mj-16, 17, 18, and 19.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
United States Charges Four Mariners from Arabian Sea Vessel Transporting Suspected Iranian-Made Advanced Conventional WeaponsRead the Press Release
A criminal complaint was unsealed today charging four foreign nationals after U.S. naval forces interdicted a vessel in the Arabian Sea that was transporting suspected Iranian-made advanced conventional weaponry.
Two Navy SEALs lost their lives during the interdiction.
“The Justice Department extends our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the two Navy SEALs who lost their lives on January 11th while conducting an operation in the Arabian Sea,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The charges resulting from that interdiction make clear that the Justice Department will use every legal authority to hold accountable those who facilitate the flow of weapons from Iran to Houthi rebel forces, Hamas, and other groups that endanger the security of the United States and our allies.”
“The flow of missiles and other advanced weaponry from Iran to Houthi rebel forces in Yemen threatens the people and interests of America and our partners in the region,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “Two Navy SEALs tragically lost their lives in the operation that thwarted the defendants charged today from allegedly smuggling Iranian-made weapons that the Houthis could have used to target American forces and threaten freedom of navigation and a vital artery for commerce. Alongside our partners around the world, the Justice Department will continue to deploy every available tool to combat this grave threat.”
“The FBI will aggressively investigate and disrupt the Iranian Government’s attempts to provide Houthi rebels with missile components that are intended for use against U.S. military ships, merchant vessels, and Israel,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The defendants in this case allegedly transported suspected Iranian-made missile components for the type of weaponry used by the Houthi rebels in recent attacks. The FBI is committed to using its global partnerships to stop the illegal flow of weaponry that endangers U.S. national security.”
“As charged, Mr. Pahlawan attempted to smuggle advanced missile components, including a warhead, to Houthi rebels for use against cargo ships and U.S. vessels sailing across the Horn of Africa,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Justice Department, together with U.S. agency partners, is working tirelessly to deny malign actors the means to threaten international shipping and imperil the lives of our men and women in uniform.”
“The complaint alleges that the defendants were transporting weapons consistent with those used by Houthi rebel forces and then lied to the U.S. Coast Guard during the boarding of the vessel,” said U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia. “I want to thank the career prosecutors and our law enforcement partners for ensuring that the defendants now will face justice in an American court.”
“Today’s complaint sends a message that acting as a proxy for the IRGC in an effort to bring harm to U.S. persons overseas will not be tolerated by the U.S. Government,” said Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office. “Transporting explosive materials intended to be used to threaten and cause harm is yet another example of the IRGC’s disruptive and hostile actions. The FBI and our U.S. Government partners will continue to disrupt efforts by hostile foreign governments seeking to intimidate and cause harm through violence.”
According to court records, on the night of Jan. 11, U.S. Central Command Navy forces operating from the USS LEWIS B. PULLER, including Navy SEALs and members of the U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Security Response Team East, boarded an unflagged dhow, a small vessel, in the Arabian Sea off the coast of Somalia. The U.S. boarding team encountered 14 individual mariners on the vessel.
During a search of the dhow, the U.S. boarding team allegedly located and seized what is believed to be Iranian-made advanced conventional weaponry. According to court records, preliminary analysis of the advanced conventional weaponry indicates that it includes critical components for medium range ballistic missiles (MRBM) and anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCM), to include a warhead and propulsion and guidance components. The type of weaponry found aboard the dhow is allegedly consistent with the weaponry used by the Houthi rebel forces in recent attacks on merchant ships and U.S. military ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
According to court records, the Navy brought the fourteen mariners aboard the USS LEWIS B. PULLER after determining the dhow was unsafe and unseaworthy. On Feb. 11, the United States obtained arrest warrants for four of the mariners who were aboard the dhow — specifically, defendants Muhammad Pahlawan, Mohammad Mazhar, Ghufran Ullah, and Izhar Muhammad. Pakistani identification cards allegedly were found on the dhow for each of the four defendants. The United States also obtained ten material witness warrants for the remaining individuals aboard the vessel.
The defendants and material witnesses were transferred from the USS LEWIS B. PULLER to the Eastern District of Virginia. The four defendants and eight of the 10 material witnesses made their initial appearances before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in Richmond today.
Defendant Muhammad Pahlawan is charged with: (1) intentionally and unlawfully transporting on board the dhow a warhead, knowing the warhead would be used by the Houthi rebel forces against commercial and naval vessels in the Red Sea and surrounding waters; and (2) providing materially false information to U.S. Coast Guard officers during the boarding of the dhow regarding the vessel’s crew and cargo. Co-defendants Mohammad Mazhar, Ghufran Ullah, and Izhar Muhammad were also charged with providing materially false information to U.S. Coast Guard officers during the boarding of the dhow regarding the vessel’s crew and/or cargo.
Pahlawan faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison if convicted of unlawfully transporting a warhead, and all four defendants face a maximum penalty of five years in prison if convicted of the false statements offense. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, FBI Director Christopher A. Wray, Assistant Attorney General Matt Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office, and U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia made the announcement.
The FBI Washington Field Office and Naval Criminal Investigative Service are investigating the case, with significant assistance provided by the Department of Defense, U.S. Central Command, U.S. Navy, Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, Department of State, and Department of Homeland Security, including the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Troy A. Edwards Jr., John T. Gibbs, and Gavin R. Tisdale for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Lesley Woods of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Pahlawan complaintU.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich announces fraud alert for COVID-19 cryptocurrency scamRead the Press Release
NOTE: This press release has been updated to reflect the removal of the names of uncharged entities.
BILLINGS — U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich for the District of Montana and the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office are alerting the public about a nationwide scam to trick individuals into paying cryptocurrency to lift fake, non-existent arrest warrants.
Targets of the scam receive phone calls or forged court documents stating that they are being investigated for Payroll Protection Program (PPP) fraud and are the subject of an arrest warrant. The documents often claim to have been sent on behalf of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch. Additional documents sent by scammers advise the recipient that to lift the arrest warrant, the recipient must make a payment through a cryptocurrency kiosk. The documents contain detailed instructions on how to use a cryptocurrency kiosk to send payment.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office, along with the FBI, are warning the public that these solicitations are unapproved and illegitimate. If you receive solicitations to lift an arrest warrant in exchange for cryptocurrency payments, you should not respond or follow those instructions.
“We are aware of scammers attempting to target Montanans to trick us into paying cryptocurrency for bogus arrest warrants. No Montanan should ever be contacted by law enforcement asking for money to lift an arrest warrant. If you are contacted to do this, it’s fraudulent. These fraudsters can be convincing, and the documents may appear to be authentic, but they are not. I urge anyone who may be the targets of this scheme to report it to local law enforcement and the FBI,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
“Scammers prey on people’s fears or use intimidation tactics so victims will hastily provide personal information or payment,” said Special Agent in Charge Shohini Sinha of the Salt Lake City FBI. “Keep in mind, federal agencies and law enforcement will never contact individuals to ask for money.”
Please report these scams to law enforcement by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721, or by submission to the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form. You also may report the scam to the FBI at: https://www.ic3.gov/.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
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