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4 April 2024
Medford Man Indicted in Federal Court for Illegally Selling ExplosivesRead the Press Release
MEDFORD, Ore.—A federal grand jury in Medford returned an indictment today charging a local man with illegally possessing and selling explosives.
Wesley Allen Armstrong, Jr., 56, a Medford resident, has been charged with distributing explosives by a non-licensee, possessing with intent to distribute and distributing fentanyl, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, in March 2024, detectives from the Medford Area Drug and Gang Enforcement Team (MADGE) notified special agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) of Armstrong’s alleged possession of and desire to sell explosives. On March 27, 2024, Armstrong was arrested after selling eight cast explosives, seven non-electric shock tube detonators, and a small quantity of fentanyl. Investigators executed a search warrant on Armstrong’s vehicle and located and seized a loaded pistol and an additional quantity of fentanyl.
On March 28, 2024, Armstrong was charged by federal criminal complaint with dealing explosives without a license, possessing stolen explosives, possessing explosives as a convicted felon, possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl; made his first appearance in federal court; and was ordered detained pending further court proceedings. He will be arraigned on today’s indictment at a later date.
This case was investigated by ATF and MADGE. It is being prosecuted by Marco A. Boccato, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
MADGE is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force that identifies, disrupts, and dismantles local, multi-state, and international drug trafficking organizations using an intelligence-driven, multi-agency prosecutor-supported approach. MADGE is supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) and is composed of members from the Medford Police Department, the Jackson County Sheriff and District Attorney’s Offices, the Jackson County Community Corrections, FBI, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives, including MADGE.
An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering Involving More Than $1.8 Million in Drug ProceedsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Gerrod Davis, age 46, of Glen Burnie, Maryland pleaded guilty yesterday to his role in a conspiracy to commit money laundering.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Field Division; and Chief Robert McCullough of the Baltimore County Police Department.
According to the guilty plea, as part of the drug trafficking organization, Davis handled bulk cash narcotics proceeds while his associates were responsible for street-level distribution of narcotics. Members of the drug trafficking organization shared the cash proceeds of their street-level distributions with Davis, who laundered the money on behalf of the organization. Davis conducted “money drops” in which he transported large sums of drug proceeds to an individual purporting to act on behalf of a Mexican Cartel. Davis made these transactions with the intention of promoting the drug trafficking organization and its business relationship with the Cartel as well as concealing the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the proceeds of the drug trafficking organization. Between July 20, 2020, and May 6, 2021, the amount of money Davis laundered, or attempted to launder in furtherance of the conspiracy was at least $1,811,611.
Davis faces a maximum of 20 years in prison followed by up to 3 years of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow has scheduled sentencing for June 28, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. Davis and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Davis will be sentenced to 75 months in federal prison.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (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 that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DEA for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Adeyemi Adenrele who is prosecuting the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Man sentenced to 27 years in prison for production of child pornography of infant childRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On April 1, a man was sentenced to 324 months in federal prison, followed by supervised release for life, for producing child pornography of an infant child after pleading guilty in November 2023.
In 2023, while the United Kingdom authorities were examining offenders’ electronic devices, discovered a video showing Codey Allen Bates, 30, of Vero Beach, Florida, and an infant child. Law enforcement officers were able to identify Bates from the video. In the video, Bates, then living in Palm Beach County, while live streaming with an unknown person on a social networking application, produced child pornography of the child. The unknown person communicating with Bates recorded the production which was later located by law enforcement.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami and Sheriff Eric Flowers of the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office (IRCSO) announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Robin L. Rosenberg.
HSI West Palm Beach, HSI Fort Pierce and IRCSO investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Schiller prosecuted it.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about the Project Safe Childhood initiative and for information regarding Internet safety, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report online child sexual exploitation, use the electronic Cyber Tip Line or call 1-800-843-5678. The Cyber Tip Line is operated by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in partnership with the HSI and other law enforcement agencies.
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-80123.
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Man Accused of Secretly Recording Women in St. Louis AreaRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man has been indicted on a federal charge and accused of secretly recording women in the St. Louis area.
Erik Elsasser, 37, was indicted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis March 27 on one felony count of distribution of child pornography. He pleaded not guilty Thursday.
The indictment accuses Elsasser of distributing images and videos containing child pornography online between August 2022 and August 2023.
A motion seeking to have Elsasser held in jail until trial says he surreptitiously recorded a partially nude 17-year-old female in a store changing room on Aug. 18, 2023. Investigators found other videos made in changing rooms, as well as nearly 200 successful or attempted “upskirt” recordings and three recordings of a woman using a residential bathroom, taken through a window, the motion says. There were also indications that some of those videos, as well as child sexual abuse material, had been distributed online via Telegram.
The distribution charge carries a penalty of five to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both.
Charges set forth in a criminal complaint are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case was investigated by the Brentwood Police Department, the St. Charles County Police Department and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hayes is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Longtime treasurer charged with stealing nearly $1 million in campaign fundsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus man who served as a campaign treasurer for more than 100 candidates since the 1980s has been charged with wire fraud related to stealing nearly $1 million in campaign funds.
William Curlis, 76, was charged by a bill of information that was filed today. The United States also filed a plea document in this case today, which will be considered by the Court at a future plea hearing.
According to the court documents, from 2008 until June 2023, Curlis defrauded candidates of approximately $995,231 of campaign funds.
Curlis allegedly wrote checks from the bank accounts of certain candidates and one PAC to himself for personal use. It is alleged the defendant transferred funds between campaign accounts without candidates’ knowledge to conceal the deficit he created.
Curlis sold his home in 2016, allegedly to cover the cost of campaign expenses, to include campaign media costs and account balances, to prevent the discovery of his theft.
“As the campaign treasurer and only signatory on numerous bank accounts, Curlis took advantage of his trusted position and wrote checks to himself from the accounts of multiple candidates and one PAC,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “I urge candidates, PACs, and businesses alike to protect themselves from future fraud by examining their accounting processes for vulnerabilities and other blind spots. Embezzlement is often committed by persons who take advantage of the victim’s trust, and I encourage everyone to reassess from time to time the safeguards they have in place."
“The long-running fraud perpetuated by Curlis negatively impacted dozens of political campaigns in Ohio,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola. “While Curlis stole from campaigns and worked to conceal his theft, the fraud scheme collapsed and he is now being held accountable.”
“Fraud and abuse will not be tolerated in Ohio,” said Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose. “When our Public Integrity Division became aware of this matter, we immediately began investigating and referred our findings directly to federal law enforcement. We will continue working alongside our partners to bring bad actors to justice and to root out any criminality in campaigns and elections.”
“This defendant believed he could outsmart his clients by shuffling funds while skimming off the top – a scheme that worked for a while, but he couldn’t outwit law enforcement,” Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said. “Great work by BCI and our partners to unravel this embezzlement.”
Wire fraud is a federal crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Southern Ohio Public Corruption Task Force, which includes agents and officers from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI), Columbus Division of Police and Ohio Auditor’s Office. The Ohio Secretary of State’s office was also an integral part of the investigation.
Deputy Criminal Chief Jessica W. Knight is representing the United States in this case.
A bill of information is merely an allegation, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Long Island Man Charged with Distributing Fentanyl, Heroin, Cocaine and OxycodoneRead the Press Release
Defendant Distributed Fentanyl that Caused the Death of a 49-Year-Old Man in Elmont
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, a two-count indictment was unsealed charging Ryan Mueller with distributing fentanyl that caused the death of a victim (Victim‑1) and with conspiring to distribute heroin, cocaine, and oxycodone. Mueller was arrested this morning and is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before Magistrate Judge Anne Y. Shields.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Frank A. Tarentino, III, Special Agent-in-Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Darren B. McCormack, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Patrick J. Ryder, Commissioner Nassau County Police Department (PDCN) announced the arrest and the charges.
“As alleged, the defendant purposely disguised fentanyl to look like prescription drugs and sold them to unsuspecting customers, leading to the poisoning death of a Long Island resident,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “The defendant’s callous disregard for human life in pushing deadly drugs on to the streets of Long Island concealed as prescription drugs has contributed to the alarming opioid epidemic that has continued to harm communities in this district.”
“Today’s arrest shows the commitment the DEA and our law enforcement partners have in targeting those individuals who are poisoning our communities. Fentanyl is a lethal drug that dealers mix into their product knowing the harmful effects it presents to those using it, including death” stated DEA New York Division Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino. “We will continue to bring those responsible for this deadly distribution to justice.”
“It is appalling how criminals attempt to profit from the distribution of fentanyl which has led to a rising number of overdose and poisoning fatalities,” said HSI New York acting Special Agent in Charge Darren B. McCormack. “HSI New York continues to prioritize investigations into individuals and organizations that intentionally misrepresent fentanyl, heroin and other dangerous opioids as prescription drugs, having a devastating impact on the health of our citizens and the safety of our neighborhoods. Together with our law enforcement partners, HSI New York is committed to crippling and dismantling the illicit drug supply chains plaguing our American communities.”
“Today’s indictment of defendant Ryan Mueller for selling Fentanyl, Heroin, Cocaine and Oxycodone to numerous individuals and lead to the death of a 49 year old Elmont man is a clear message that these crimes will never be tolerated. In addition, Defendant Mueller was also in possession of numerous illegal firearms in which he is also being charged with. Law Enforcement continues to work together to bring these criminals to justice, thus keeping our communities and neighborhoods safe. I would like to congratulate all of the dedicated law enforcement professionals and their agencies for a job well done,” stated Nassau County Police Department Commissioner Ryder.
According to court filings, over the last several years, the defendant conspired with others to sell several controlled substances, including heroin, cocaine, oxycodone, and fentanyl. The investigation revealed that in December 2022, a 49-year-old individual (Victim-1) died of a drug-related overdose at his residence in Elmont, Long Island. Additional investigation showed that the fentanyl that killed Victim-1, which was in a pressed pill that made it appear to be oxycodone, was sold to the victim by the defendant. During the investigation, law enforcement officers recovered several kilos of fentanyl from the defendant’s home. Law enforcement also recovered multiple pill press parts from another location controlled by the defendant, including powder dryers, blenders, and grinders.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of Justice, in 2019, nearly 71,000 people died from drug overdoses, making it a leading cause of injury-related death in the United States. The increase in overdose deaths has been driven in large part by fentanyl, a drug that has been described as 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. In 2019, over 14,000 people died in the United States from a drug overdose involving heroin. From 2013 to 2019, the synthetic opioid death rate increased by more than 1,000 percent. Of those deaths, over 70% involved a prescription or illicit opioid. Among New York State residents, the number of overdose deaths involving any opioid increased each year between 2010 and 2017, with an overall increase of 200.2 percent from 1,074 in 2010 to 3,224 in 2017, according to the New York State Health Department. If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or FindTreatment.gov.
If convicted on the charges in the indictment, the defendant faces a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and a maximum sentence of life.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorney Adam R. Toporovsky is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
RYAN MUELLER
Age: 32
Lynbrook, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-134
Lodge Grass man admits meth trafficking charges in large-scale investigation centered on Crow Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Lodge Grass man today admitted to a methamphetamine trafficking crime for his role in a large-scale, multi-state narcotics investigation that was centered on the Crow Indian Reservation, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Morgan Luke Hugs, 33, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute meth. Hug faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. A sentencing date will be set before U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Hugs was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that federal law enforcement, in collaborative effort with local and tribal law enforcement, engaged in a large-scale, multiple-state narcotics trafficking investigation centered on multiple properties on the Crow Indian Reservation. The properties, including one referred to as Spear Siding, were a source of supply of meth for both the Crow and Northern Cheyenne reservations. Hugs is one of the individuals affiliated with the investigation.
The government further alleged that from about January 2022 until March 2023, Hugs was receiving meth from Spear Siding and distributing it to others on the Crow Reservation. Hugs received meth from two main co-conspirators involved with the investigation. Hugs was fronted some drugs for sale and a source noted that Hugs was indebted to one of the conspirators. In addition, law enforcement obtained meth from Hugs in a controlled purchase in Hardin in November 2022.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Bureau of Indian Affairs, Drug Enforcement Administration and FBI conducted the investigation.
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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Latin Kings Leader Sentenced to Life Plus Seven Years in Prison for the 2017 Murder of Joshua FloresRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JONATHAN GARCIA, a/k/a “Jayo,” was sentenced to life plus seven years in prison for the May 2017 murder of Joshua Flores. GARCIA, who was a leader in the Latin Kings gang, shot and killed Flores in front of a playground on a residential street in Queens, New York, while Flores was running away from GARCIA. GARCIA was sentenced by U.S District Judge Valerie E. Caproni after being convicted by a jury following a four-day trial in June 2023.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Jonathan Garcia gunned down his victim, 23-year-old Joshua Flores, to gain standing within the violent Latin Kings street gang. Then, Garcia bragged about the murder for years as he advanced in the ranks of the Latin Kings and engaged in additional violence and drug trafficking with his fellow gang members. Gang violence will not be tolerated in this community. This Office remains fully committed to working with our law enforcement partners to root out gang violence from the streets of New York City.”
According to court filings and the evidence presented in court during the trial:
GARCIA is a member of a racketeering enterprise known as the Latin Kings and, specifically, the set, or “tribe,” of the Latin Kings known as the Black Mob, which operates in the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, and Long Island. In order to enrich the enterprise, protect and expand its criminal operations, enforce discipline among its members, and retaliate against members of rival gangs, members and associates of the Black Mob committed, conspired, attempted, and threatened to commit acts of violence; distributed and possessed with intent to distribute narcotics, including heroin, fentanyl, and crack; committed robberies; and obtained, possessed, and used firearms. In December 2019 and April 2021, several members and associates of the Black Mob, including its senior-most leaders, were charged with racketeering offenses, narcotics conspiracy, and firearms offenses.
GARCIA has been a member of the Latin Kings since at least 2012. On May 18, 2017, GARCIA brought a firearm to a meeting with other Latin Kings members with whom he had been arguing and who intended to revoke GARCIA’s membership in the Latin Kings. During the meeting, next to a park and playground in a residential area of Queens, GARCIA began arguing with the other gang members. When the argument escalated, one of GARCIA’s associates fired a warning shot into the air, and gang members immediately began running away. GARCIA then took the firearm from his associate and shot at the fleeing gang members, hitting Joshua Flores, who was trying to run away. The bullet went through Flores’s back, into his jaw, and killed him. The murder elevated GARCIA’s status within the Latin Kings, including the Black Mob, with whom GARCIA committed additional crimes in the years after the murder.
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GARCIA, 29, of Queens, New York, was previously found guilty of conspiracy to commit racketeering, murder in aid of racketeering, narcotics conspiracy, and use of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New York City Police Department.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (“OCDETF”) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam S. Hobson, David J. Robles, and Patrick R. Moroney are in charge of the prosecution.
Large-Scale Methamphetamine Trafficker Is Sentenced to 16 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A large-scale methamphetamine trafficker was sentenced to 192 months in prison today, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Jeffrey Scott Ohmer, 34, of Morganton, N.C. was also ordered to serve 5 years under court supervision after he is released from prison. Ohmer’s girlfriend and co-defendant, Destiny Nicole Miller, 36, also of Morganton, has pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and is awaiting sentencing.
Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Sheriff Alan C. Jones of the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to filed court documents and court proceedings, on April 5, 2022, CCSO deputies encountered Ohmer and Miller driving in a vehicle that had been reported stolen. Ohmer was the driver of the vehicle and Miller was in the front passenger seat. A traffic stop was initiated during which deputies searched Miller, Ohmer, and the vehicle. Deputies retrieved from Miller’s waistband a zipper bag that contained methamphetamine. Deputies also located in the front seat area of the vehicle a box of quart size Ziploc bags and a set of digital scales. Both Ohmer and Miller were charged with state drug offenses.
Court records show that on October 27, 2022, CCSO deputies encountered Ohmer driving a vehicle and attempted to pull him over for a traffic violation. CCSO deputies searched Ohmer’s vehicle and located a black backpack. Inside the backpack they found 12 Ziploc bags containing methamphetamine with a combined weight of 1.3 kilograms, a handgun with an extended magazine, 29 rounds of ammunition, two bags of marijuana, and digital scales. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement determined that Ohmer possessed over 15 pounds of methamphetamine, which he sold to other local distributors.
According to court records, on November 1, 2022, CCSO deputies learned that Miller was attempting to sell a fully automatic machine gun on Ohmer’s behalf. During an undercover operation, Miller met with an undercover officer (UC) and a confidential informant (CI) who told Miller they were interested in buying guns and drugs. Miller sold the UC a machine gun with a silencer, a pistol, and ammunition. Miller sold the CI approximately 7.8 grams of methamphetamine.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the ATF and CCSO for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Boykin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Laredo man admits to smuggling toddler from Mexico into South TexasRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 27-year-old man has pleaded guilty for attempting to transport a two-year-old child from Mexico further into the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Julio Chavez-Olan admitted to making an agreement with another person to transport the girl in exchange for financial gain.
On Nov. 23, 2023, Chavez-Olan arrived at the Juarez Lincoln Bridge Port of Entry in Laredo driving a grey Honda sedan with a two-year-old child in the backseat. He attempted to enter the United States by claiming the girl was his own daughter and presented law enforcement with her birth certificate.
Upon primary inspection, Chavez-Olan showed family photographs to authorities, claiming the photos included the child in the backseat.
Law enforcement then referred Chavez-Olan to secondary inspection where further investigation determined the photographs did not depict the two-year-old girl and were instead of his daughter and niece.
The investigation also revealed the minor was not related to Chavez-Olan and was not accompanied by a parent, legal guardian or family member during the smuggling attempt.
U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo will impose sentencing July 16. At that time, Chavez-Olan faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Chavez-Olan was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Terence Andrew Check Jr. is prosecuting the case.
Lancaster County Man Sentenced to 140 Months’ Imprisonment for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on April 3, 2024, United States District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson sentenced Brian Johnson, age 43, of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, to 140 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine. Johnson had previously pleaded guilty to this offense. Judge Wilson also ordered Johnson to serve three years on supervised release after the conclusion of his prison sentence.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Johnson and three co-conspirators who have also pleaded guilty distributed hundreds of grams of methamphetamine in Lancaster and Dauphin Counties between September 2020 and August 2021, operating primarily out of Columbia Borough. Johnson began selling large quantities of methamphetamine to another co-conspirator in September 2020, when Johnson was living in Philadelphia. Johnson then relocated to Columbia Borough in early 2021, and continued trafficking substantial quantities of methamphetamine until he was arrested on August 30, 2021. By the time he was sentenced, Johnson had at least eight previous convictions for other criminal offenses, including drug trafficking, assault, and unlawful firearms possession.
The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Pennsylvania State Police, the Lancaster County Drug Task Force, and the York County Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Christian T. Haugsby prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Kingsport Man Convicted at Trial on Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
Greeneville, Tenn. – On April 3, 2024, following a two day trial in United States District Court in the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville, before the Honorable J. Ronnie Greer, United States District Judge, a federal jury convicted Eric Eugene Robinson, 55, of Kingsport, Tennessee, of being a felon in possession of a firearm in violation of 18 U.S.C. §922(g)(3).
Sentencing is set for July 22, 2024, at 9:00 a.m., before Judge Greer in United States District Court in Greeneville, Tennessee. Robinson faces a sentence of a minimum of 15 years, up to life, in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to five years.
The evidence and testimony presented during the trial showed that in early September of 2020, surveillance was conducted at a residence in Kingsport, which determined that Robinson, a convicted felon, was in possession of a firearm. A search warrant was executed at the residence by the Kingsport Police Department and, during the search, a 9mm pistol, with a loaded magazine, was located beneath a couch in the living room of the residence. An agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) testified that the firearm was manufactured in Brazil and imported into Bainbridge, Georgia, before ultimately arriving in Tennessee.
United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton, III of the Eastern District of Tennessee made the announcement.
Kingsport Police Department officer Mike Slater, formerly a Task Force Officer assigned to the ATF led the investigation with assistance from agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the ATF.
Assistant United States Attorney B. Todd Martin and Special Assistant United States Attorney AnCharlene Davis represented the United States at trial.
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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Justice Department to Provide Technical Assistance Related to Next-of-Kin Death Notifications to the Jackson, Mississippi, Police Department and Hinds County Coroner’s OfficeRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it will provide technical assistance to the Jackson Police Department (JPD) in Jackson, Mississippi, and the Hinds County Coroner’s Office in Hinds County, Mississippi, concerning their policies and procedures related to next-of-kin death notifications.
The department is providing this technical assistance to JPD and the Hinds County Coroner’s Office pursuant to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI), which prohibits discrimination based on race, color and national origin in programs receiving federal financial assistance. The lack of timely next-of-kin death notifications resulted in deceased individuals receiving pauper’s burials in unmarked graves in Hinds County, and some reports have indicated that there may be a perception that race or other factors played a role in the process concerning next-of-kin death notifications.
“Families want and deserve transparency and the opportunity to make decisions about their loved ones’ burials,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Through technical assistance, we aim to ensure that officials are able to deliver death notifications and make decisions regarding burials in a timely and trauma-informed way that complies with federal civil rights law.”
“The department looks forward to working with city and county officials to improve the death notification system in the Jackson area so that the families of missing and deceased persons can receive all the information available about their loved ones,” said U.S. Attorney Todd Gee for the Southern District of Mississippi.
The technical assistance, which will be provided by the Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi, will examine JPD’s General Order on Missing Persons and new General Order on Death Notifications and provide recommendations on implementation and training. The technical assistance to the Hinds County Coroner’s Office will provide recommendations on policies and training related to locating next-of-kin.
The provision of technical assistance is not a finding of fault or wrongdoing by JPD, the Hinds County Coroner’s Office or any other individual or entity. JPD and the Hinds County Coroner’s Office voluntarily agreed to receive technical assistance and support from the department.
Under Title VI, the department is working to make sure that law enforcement agencies and other recipients of federal funding take affirmative steps to comply with their civil rights obligations by offering technical assistance to facilitate Title VI compliance. Technical assistance helps agencies update and/or enhance their policies and practices, while strengthening the connection between law enforcement agencies and communities of color and other stakeholders. For example, the department has provided technical assistance through its Law Enforcement Language Access Initiative, a nationwide effort to assist law enforcement agencies in meeting their obligations to provide meaningful language assistance to limited English proficient individuals.
Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt.
Justice Department to Provide Technical Assistance Related to Next-of-Kin Death Notifications to the Jackson, Mississippi, Police Department and Hinds County Coroner’s OfficeRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it will provide technical assistance to the Jackson Police Department (JPD) in Jackson, Mississippi, and the Hinds County Coroner’s Office in Hinds County, Mississippi, concerning their policies and procedures related to next-of-kin death notifications.
The department is providing this technical assistance to JPD and the Hinds County Coroner’s Office pursuant to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI), which prohibits discrimination based on race, color and national origin in programs receiving federal financial assistance. The lack of timely next-of-kin death notifications resulted in deceased individuals receiving pauper’s burials in unmarked graves in Hinds County, and some reports have indicated that there may be a perception that race or other factors played a role in the process concerning next-of-kin death notifications.
“Families want and deserve transparency and the opportunity to make decisions about their loved ones’ burials,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Through technical assistance, we aim to ensure that officials are able to deliver death notifications and make decisions regarding burials in a timely and trauma-informed way that complies with federal civil rights law.”
“The department looks forward to working with city and county officials to improve the death notification system in the Jackson area so that the families of missing and deceased persons can receive all the information available about their loved ones,” said U.S. Attorney Todd Gee for the Southern District of Mississippi.
The technical assistance, which will be provided by the Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi, will examine JPD’s General Order on Missing Persons and new General Order on Death Notifications and provide recommendations on implementation and training. The technical assistance to the Hinds County Coroner’s Office will provide recommendations on policies and training related to locating next-of-kin.
The provision of technical assistance is not a finding of fault or wrongdoing by JPD, the Hinds County Coroner’s Office or any other individual or entity. JPD and the Hinds County Coroner’s Office voluntarily agreed to receive technical assistance and support from the department.
Under Title VI, the department is working to make sure that law enforcement agencies and other recipients of federal funding take affirmative steps to comply with their civil rights obligations by offering technical assistance to facilitate Title VI compliance. Technical assistance helps agencies update and/or enhance their policies and practices, while strengthening the connection between law enforcement agencies and communities of color and other stakeholders. For example, the department has provided technical assistance through its Law Enforcement Language Access Initiative, a nationwide effort to assist law enforcement agencies in meeting their obligations to provide meaningful language assistance to limited English proficient individuals.
Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt.
Justice Department Secures Agreement with Dallas-Based Management Services Company to Resolve Claims of Employment DiscriminationRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it secured a settlement agreement with Riata Corporate Group LLC, a Dallas-based company that provides management services to the energy and consumer goods sectors. The settlement resolves the department’s determination that the company violated the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) when it discriminated against an applicant by refusing to consider her for employment because she is a naturalized United States citizen.
“Discrimination against workers based on their citizenship or immigration status not only harms workers, but employers as well, because they miss out on qualified applicants,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Ignorance of the law is no excuse, and the Justice Department will continue to hold accountable employers that violate our nation’s federal civil rights laws.”
The Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) opened an investigation based on a worker’s complaint and determined that, in October 2023, Riata unlawfully discriminated against her even though the company had initially recruited her for employment. After learning the worker is a naturalized U.S. citizen, the company informed her that it could not hire her because of her citizenship status. The department determined that Riata rejected the worker because it misunderstood one of its government contracts to require the company to hire only U.S.-born citizens.
The INA prohibits employers from discriminating against workers based on their citizenship or immigration status, unless the discrimination is required by a law, regulation, executive order or government contract. Although Riata had a government contract that required it to hire only U.S. citizens for certain work, the contract did not authorize Riata to exclude naturalized U.S. citizens.
Under the terms of the settlement, Riata will pay lost wages to the affected worker. The agreement also requires Riata to pay a civil penalty to the United States, train its staff on the INA’s anti-discrimination provision, revise its employment policies and be subject to monitoring and reporting requirements.
IER is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. The statute prohibits citizenship status and national origin discrimination in hiring, firing or recruitment or referral for a fee, unfair documentary practices and retaliation and intimidation.
Find more information on how employers can avoid discrimination in recruitment and hiring on IER’s website. Learn more about IER’s work and how to get assistance through this brief video. Applicants or employees who believe they were discriminated against based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin in hiring, firing, recruitment or during the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify) or subjected to retaliation, may file a charge. The public can also call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); sign up for a live webinar or watch an on-demand presentation; email [email protected] or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites. Sign up for email updates from IER.
Justice Department Announces Publication of Third Volume of National Firearms Commerce and Trafficking AssessmentRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced the publication of Firearm Trafficking Investigations, the third volume of the National Firearms Commerce and Trafficking Assessment (NFCTA), a four-part, comprehensive examination of commerce in firearms and the diversion of firearms to illegal markets. This Volume incorporates input from the most comprehensive national survey of the special agents who conduct Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) trafficking investigations to provide the first in-depth analysis of firearm trafficking investigations in more than two decades. This report examines 9,708 closed ATF firearm trafficking investigations initiated between CY 2017 and 2021. In April 2021, Attorney General Garland directed the ATF to undertake its first comprehensive study of criminal gun trafficking, the intentional movement of one or more firearms into the illegal market for a criminal purpose or possession.
“This report makes clear that black-market guns sold by unlicensed dealers without a background check are increasingly being found at crime scenes,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Under the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the Justice Department has proposed a new rule to clarify when gun dealers must get licenses and conduct background checks. The Department is also vigorously enforcing the new provisions Congress passed in the Act to prohibit illegal gun trafficking and straw purchasing. This report reminds us of the urgency of our work, and I am grateful to the extraordinary professionals of the ATF who put their lives on the line to help keep our communities safe, and whose tireless work is responsible for the most comprehensive look at America’s crime gun data in over two decades.”
“Thanks to the hard work of ATF, we now have fresh data and cutting-edge insights on the key drivers of illegal firearms trafficking,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “Among other trends, the report shows the high frequency of traffickers selling firearms without a license to evade federal law, and the widespread impact of straw purchasers concealing the true recipients of illegally diverted firearms. This report will help agents and prosecutors target investigations, prosecute offenders, and reduce gun violence.”
“This is the most comprehensive survey ever of ATF’s thousands of expert gun trafficking agents to learn about the cases they do,” said ATF Director Steven Dettelbach. “Americans need this data to understand this threat and to better address it. One striking finding from the data is that individuals illegally engaged in the business of unlicensed firearms dealing are contributing more and more to the flow of firearms into the black market, where we know that felons, gang members, and other violent offenders often get their guns. I want to be crystal clear – illegal firearms trafficking is not a victimless crime. You can’t illegally help to arm violent people and not be responsible for the violence that follows. We fight this public safety battle every day at ATF, as the thousands of ATF cases analyzed in this volume demonstrate. I commend the men and women of ATF and our truly wonderful partners for producing this important study, and also for risking everything to pursue these cases every single day.”
One of the key data-points identified in the analysis is the increased use of intelligence to initiate trafficking investigations. The use of Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC) referrals increased nearly 20% from 2017 to 2021, while the use of Confidential Informants to initiative cases dropped nine percent during that time. This data underscores the value of CGICs, which are law enforcement hubs that focus exclusively on investigating and preventing gun violence in local communities. They bring together, under one roof, the expertise of state and federal investigators, firearms evidence examiners, and intelligence analysts to rapidly collect, analyze, and share information and leads about guns used in violent crimes and to take action to disrupt and dismantle firearm trafficking. ATF operates and supports more than 60 CGICs nationwide.
Another key data point demonstrates the shift in the types of supply lines, or trafficking channels, used to move firearms out of lawful commerce into the illegal market over the past two decades. Investigations involving corrupt federal firearms licensees (FFLs) decreased over the study period with the most frequent channels identified now being illegal, unlicensed firearm dealing by private persons and straw purchasing, which is when someone buys a gun for someone who is prohibited.
The report also identified source-to-market type trends. For instance, 56% of the cases examined involved intrastate trafficking, while 32% involved interstate trafficking. Intrastate trafficking was most prevalent in all regions except the northeast, where interstate trafficking was most prevalent. This reinforces the findings from Volume II, which confirmed that although most — 72% nationally — traced crime guns are recovered in the same state in which they were acquired from an FFL, certain states and cities are targets for firearm traffickers. The cross-jurisdictional nature of this issue — guns purchased in one state and trafficked to another where they’re used in crime — is what led the Attorney General to launch five firearms trafficking strike forces in July 2021.
Additional key findings from the study period include:
- The three most frequently identified violations of federal law in the investigations analyzed during this study included: (1) dealing in firearms without a license, (2) providing false information to an FFL, which is associated with straw purchasing, and (3) possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
- Firearms trafficked through unlicensed dealers were used in shootings in 368 cases.
- Trafficked firearms were used in homicides in 265 cases, attempted homicide in 222 cases, and aggravated assaults in 446 cases.
- Over half of the firearms trafficked were handguns (nearly 56%), with rifles following in second (nearly 19%).
- The average number of firearms trafficked per case was 16.
- In nearly 58% of the cases, five or fewer firearms were trafficked.
- The majority of traffickers who directly or indirectly facilitated the movement of firearms to illegal markets were white (53%), male (84%), and U.S. citizens (95%).
- The recipients or end users of the trafficked firearms tended to be previously convicted felons (60%) and young adults aged 25 to 34 (48%).
- The annual percentage of juvenile (17 and under) end-users increased almost 10% between 2017 and 2021.
In February 2023, the Department issued Volume II of the NFCTA, Crime Gun Intelligence and Analysis, which presents and analyzes data on crime guns (firearms used in crime) recovered between 2017 and 2021. The analysis reinforces the critical importance of ATF’s unique crime gun tracing authority and highlights the value of data from ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) program.
In May 2022, the Department issued Volume I of the NFCTA, Firearms in Commerce, which presents and analyzes data collected by ATF and other federal agencies related to the manufacture, exportation, and importation of firearms.
To produce the NFCTA, the ATF assembled a team of subject experts from ATF, as well as from academic and related fields. Although ATF issues a variety of public and law enforcement reports and bulletins regarding firearm commerce, trafficking, and related issues every year, it has not undertaken a joint academic study on the scale of the NFCTA in more than 20 years.
Jefferson Parish Man Guilty of Possessing Unregistered SilencerRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JOSEPH METZLER, III, age 44, of Gretna, La., pleaded guilty on April 2, 2024 before U.S. District Judge Brandon S. Long, to possession of an unregistered silencer.
According to court records, federal agents learned that METZLER received unlawfully imported firearm parts from China. Agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives agents, as well as Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Department officers, executed a search warrant at METZLER’s residence. As a result, they discovered that he possessed a silencer that was not registered to him, in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 5861(d).
METZLER faces up to ten (10) years imprisonment, followed by up to three (3) years of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. Sentencing is scheduled for July 23, 2024.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon Maestri of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Jackson County volunteer fire chief pleads guilty to mail fraudRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The chief of the Coalton volunteer fire department pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to using more than $200,000 in fire department funds for personal expenses.
Johnny Baker, 37, of Wellston, Ohio, pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud for the embezzlement, which included using fire department money to have items for his personal use shipped to his house via UPS.
Baker has worked for the volunteer fire department since 2009, filling various roles including secretary/treasurer, assistant fire chief, and as of January 2023, fire chief. Baker has been solely responsible for maintaining the department’s finances.
According to his court documents, from 2020 until 2023, Baker used a fire department credit card for personal expenses, including vacations and entertainment, sports tickets, a utility task vehicle, firearms, home utility payments, electronics and clothing. Baker was the sole user of the credit card during this time.
Baker admitted to paying the credit card bills with fire department funds that he raised from the local community through a pull-tab gaming system, which he initially implemented as a fundraiser. Several local businesses sold pull tabs to the community and sent the proceeds to Baker.
As part of his plea, Baker has agreed to pay approximately $226,000 in restitution.
Mail fraud is a federal crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Congress sets the maximum statutory sentence, and sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court at a future hearing based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Lesley Allison, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Pittsburgh Division, announced the guilty plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorney David J. Twombly is representing the United States in this case.
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Independence Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Mo., man has pleaded guilty in federal court after law enforcement officers seized 22 firearms and a large quantity of a variety of illegal drugs from his residence and his two campers in Bagnell, Mo.
Jonathan P. Henik, 44, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner on Wednesday, April 3, to two counts of being a felon in possession of firearms, two counts of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, possessing THC with the intent to distribute, two counts of possessing marijuana with the intent to distribute, possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute, and possession of an unregistered firearm.
Independence police officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop while Henik, whose driver’s license was revoked, was driving a Dodge Charger on Sept. 1, 2021. However, as officers attempted to contact him after he pulled to the side of the road, Henik accelerated at a high rate of speed and fled the area.
On Oct. 5, 2021, officers executed a search warrant at Henik’s residence. Investigators found 11 firearms in Henik’s bedroom, including two Taurus .45-caliber firearms, a Glock 9mm semi-automatic firearm, a Glock .40-caliber firearm, a Smith & Wesson .40-caliber firearm, a Colt .45-caliber firearm, a CZ 9mm firearm, a Diamond Back .223-caliber firearm, a Freedom Ordnance 9mm firearm, an ATI OMNI .223-caliber firearm, and a KEL-TEC 9mm firearm.
Officers also found two jars of THC wax and drug paraphernalia in the kitchen. Officers found a black duffel bag that contained a Palmetto 7.62 x 39mm firearm, several rounds of ammunition, 105 grams of marijuana, and drug paraphernalia in a closet near the front door.
In the garage, officers found six more firearms, including a Glock .40-caliber firearm, two Glock 9mm firearms, a Sig Sauer 9mm firearm, an SCCY 9mm firearm, a Ruger 9mm firearm, a 9mm extended magazine, a 7.62x39 magazine, and two 9mm magazines. Officers also found 928 grams of methamphetamine, a container of approximately 8.6 kilograms of THC edibles, numerous heat-sealed bags that contained a total of approximately 8.6 kilograms of marijuana, a bag that contained approximately 510.8 grams of marijuana, a bag that contained approximately 166 grams of marijuana, a bag that contained approximately four grams of psilocybin mushrooms, several prescription medications, approximately 40 pills of suspected MDMA (ecstasy), and a bag that contained approximately four grams of THC edibles.
On Aug. 2, 2023, Henik was arrested on a federal warrant related to the original indictment in this case following law enforcement surveillance at his Sandpiper and Catalina campers parked in Bagnell, Mo.
Officers searched the campers and found two firearms on the table in the living room of the Cataline camper, a loaded Browning Arms Company .22-caliber semi-automatic pistol with a silencer (which was not registered) and a loaded Polymer80 9mm semi-automatic firearm with no markings. In the Sandpiper camper, officers found a large bag of apparent marijuana on the table. In a black bag in the living room, they found multiple bags of apparent marijuana and a plastic bag that contained approximately 145 grams of cocaine. On a dresser in the bedroom, officers found a gun case that contained magazine and live ammunition, seven explosive devices, and approximately four grams of psilocybin mushrooms. In the dresser, officers found approximately 60 grams of methamphetamine.
The total amount of marijuana recovered was approximately 1,723 grams (3.8 pounds).
Officers also searched Henik’s Lincoln SUV and found a loaded Heckler & Koch 9mm semi-automatic pistol in the driver’s side floorboard, a loaded FMK 9mm semi-automatic pistol, a YETI cup that contained three different types of pills, $662 in cash in the center console, and a large bag of apparent marijuana in the back hatch.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Henik has prior federal felony convictions for conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine and use of a firearm in connection with a drug offense.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, Henik and the government jointly request the court to impose a sentence of between 15 and 20 years in federal prison without parole. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashleigh A. Ragner. It was investigated by the Jackson County Drug Task Force and the Mid Missouri Drug Task Force.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
Idabel Resident Sentenced for Federal Firearm CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Cedric Jamara Cherry, age 42, of Idabel, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 15 months in prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition after being previously convicted of a felony offense.
The charges arose from investigations by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On August 8, 2023, Cherry pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on March 15, 2023, Cherry possessed a loaded .40 S&W pistol after having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Cherry will remain in 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 Patrick M. Flanigan represented the United States.
ICYMI: We’re on InstagramRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia expanded its social media reach, launching an account on Instagram. You can follow us at USAO_DC.
“Social media continues to dominate our communications channels,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves. “We are hopeful this expansion will help us reach more people in our community - to educate them about who we are as well as about the important work we do.”
The office Instagram account features photos: related to cases, marking important events, illustrating our work in the community, as well as video messages from the U.S. Attorney and other members of the office. This account is the latest effort to keep the public informed of our work and engaged with us:
- Instagram: @usao_dc (https://www.instagram.com/usao_dc/)
- X (formerly known as Twitter): @USAO_DC (https://twitter.com/USAO_DC)
- YouTube: @USAO_DC (https://www.youtube.com/@USAO_DC)
- Facebook: USAODC (https://www.facebook.com/usaodc/)
Hugo Man Pleads Guilty to Embezzling More Than $1.3 Million from EmployerRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Hugo man has pleaded guilty to mail fraud after embezzling more than $1.3 million from his employer, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, Leon Arthur Keener, 55, was employed as a service manager at an interstate trucking company (“Company A”) from 2011 to 2022. In his role, Keener had managerial oversight for the financial operations at Company A’s Inver Grove Heights location. Beginning in 2015 through 2022, Keener knowingly devised and participated in a scheme to embezzle $1,314,633 from the Company A.
In his position, Keener was responsible for providing vehicle owners and insurance companies with estimates on repair work costs on damaged vehicles. He also provided insurance companies with supplemental repair estimates discovered during the repair process, after the original estimate had already been provided. If the insurance company denied reimbursement of some portion of the claim, Company A would write off the repair cost as a loss. As manager, Keener had the authority to write off repairs and create purchase orders in Company A’s accounts payable system. Keener used his managerial authority to embezzle funds from the company by misappropriating more than $562,000 in reimbursement checks from insurance companies to cover supplemental vehicle repair costs.
According to court documents, his scheme involved misappropriating insurance reimbursement checks for supplemental repairs by writing off the supplemental repair work as a loss, indicating in the accounts payable system that the insurance company had refused to reimburse the supplemental repair. Keener then deposited the insurance check into a personal bank account under his control. He concealed the embezzlement by directing his employees to provide him directly with any checks received from insurance companies, cutting out the administrative and accounting employees on staff at Company A.
Keener also embezzled $751,000 from the company by generating and submitting false vendor payment requests, which he diverted for his own use and benefit. Many of these bogus requests for vendor payments were for a shell company he created and controlled called “CR Services,” which he added to Company A’s accounts payable system in 2012, before the system required verified vendor identification.
All of the vendor and insurance reimbursement payments were facilitated using the mail. Keener used a bank account opened in the name of CR Services to pay personal expenses and transferred funds from the CR Services account into his personal bank account. He used the embezzled funds on gambling trips to Las Vegas, luxury cars, and a boat.
Keener pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court before Judge Ann D. Montgomery to one count of mail fraud. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Harry M. Jacobs is prosecuting the case.
Guilford Man Sentenced to 26 Years in Prison for Coercing and Threatening Children to Produce Sexually Explicit MaterialRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CHRISTOPHER MICHAELSON, 39, of Guilford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 312 months of imprisonment, followed by 20 years of supervised release, for coercing and threatening minors to send him sexually explicit images of themselves.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 9, 2019, the Guilford Police Department assisted Burrillville (R.I.) Police with the arrest of Michaelson at his residence in Guilford on Rhode Island state charges for child molestation, solicitation, and enticement. During the arrest, officers seized Michaelson’s cellphone. A court-authorized search of the seized phone revealed thousands of images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, primarily boys between the ages of five and 15, and communications between Michaelson and minor victims whom he coerced, and often verbally abused and threatened, to send sexually explicit images of themselves to him. Michaelson shared some of these images with others.
Michaelson has been detained since his arrest. On March 16, 2023, he pleaded guilty to production of child pornography.
The Rhode Island state charges against Michaelson are pending.
This matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office, the Guilford Police Department, and the Burrillville Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie T. Levick and Nancy V. Gifford.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Ghost Busted defendant who sold fatal fentanyl doses sentenced to two decades in prisonRead the Press Release
BRUNSWICK, GA: A Glynn County man has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to trafficking drugs that led to two fatal overdoses.
Jon Dillon Screen, 32, of Brunswick, Ga., was sentenced to 240 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine and a Quantity of Fentanyl, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood also ordered Screen to serve five years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Dillon Screen’s sentence is among the highest of all defendants sentenced in Operation Ghost Busted, and for good reason: He sold drugs that killed people,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “This multi-agency investigation and prosecution demonstrates our commitment to holding accountable those who illegally sell fentanyl and other deadly drugs.”
Operation Ghost Busted, unsealed in January 2023 as USA v. Alvarez et al., charged 76 defendants with involvement in a drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed large amounts of high-grade methamphetamine, along with fentanyl, heroin, and alprazolam in the greater Glynn County area.
For more than two years, investigators from the FBI Coastal Georgia Violent Gang Task Force, the Glynn County Police Department, the Brunswick Police Department, the Glynn County Sheriff's Office, and the Camden County Sheriff's Office collaborated with multiple federal, state and local agencies to identify the sprawling drug trafficking network. The conspiracy operated inside and outside Georgia prisons, coordinated by members of the Ghost Face Gangsters working with affiliates of other criminal street gangs including the Aryan Brotherhood, Bloods, and Gangster Disciples.
Screen, a member of the Gangster Disciples with a significant criminal history including a federal conviction for heroin trafficking, was a large-scale distributor and dealer in the operation. The investigation determined that two people – Screen’s 31-year-old girlfriend and a 58-year-old Brunswick man – died after injecting fentanyl obtained directly from Screen.
More than 70 defendants have been sentenced in the conspiracy or are awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty. Other defendants are awaiting trial including David D. Young, a/k/a “Khaos,” 43, of Hortense, Ga., who was a fugitive until his March 10 capture in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. The remaining defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Among the defendants previously sentenced in this case, James D. NeSmith, 26, of Brunswick, used contraband cell phones and a corrupt prison guard to coordinate the drug distribution operation as an inmate at Telfair State Prison where he was serving a life sentence for murder. He was sentenced to life in federal prison after pleading guilty in the drug trafficking conspiracy. His girlfriend Rachael P. Byrd, a/k/a “Bird is the Word,” 26, of Waverly, Ga., was a major drug distributor and transporter who served as the outside link between NeSmith and other drug dealers. She is serving a 324-month sentence after pleading guilty in the conspiracy.
“In September 2021, the McIntosh County Sheriff’s Office investigated Jon Dillon Screen after his girlfriend was found deceased in Darien,” said Lt. Mike Ward with the McIntosh County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division. “In the course of several months following the untimely death of Rebecca Cain, Investigators were able to obtain evidence that resulted in the arrest of Screen. Our agency began working with the FBI and Glynn County Police Department that identified similar acts. We will continue to hold responsible those who distribute narcotics resulting in the death of others.”
“Dillon Screen didn’t care whose lives he put in danger to sell his fatal drug mixtures, including his own girlfriend,” said Senior Supervisory Special Agent Will Clark of FBI Atlanta’s Brunswick office. “Operation Ghost Busted put a major dent in drug trafficking in Southeast Georgia. We will continue operations like this as long as gangs and dealers continue selling their deadly drugs.”
“The charges in this indictment further demonstrate the utter brutality of this group and the havoc the gang inflicts on our communities,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “ATF and our law enforcement partners will continue to combat gang violence with relentless perseverance until the gang is dismantled and its members are brought to justice.”
“Drug trafficking is not a victimless crime. Dangerous drugs are claiming lives and are damaging to the welfare of citizens and communities across the state,” said Chris Hosey, Director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. “The GBI takes these crimes very seriously and will continue to participate in operations like Operation Ghost Busted alongside partners to combat drug distribution in the state of Georgia.”
Operation Ghost Busted, the largest drug trafficking prosecution in the history of the Southern District of Georgia, was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.
Agencies involved in the investigation include the FBI Coastal Georgia Violent Gang Task Force; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Marshals Service; the Georgia Bureau of Investigation; the Georgia Department of Corrections; the Georgia Department of Community Supervision; the Glynn County Police Department; the Brunswick Police Department; the Glynn County Sheriff’s Office; and sheriff’s offices from Pierce, Camden, Wayne, Treutlen, McIntosh, Toombs, Telfair, Dodge, and Ware counties. The case is being prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer J. Kirkland and Criminal Division Deputy Chief E. Greg Gilluly Jr.
Georgia state prison inmate indicted for making, mailing bombs to federal facilitiesRead the Press Release
STATESBORO, GA: A man serving a life term in a Georgia state prison has been indicted on multiple federal charges for constructing and mailing bombs to federal facilities.
David Cassady, 55, an inmate at Phillips State Prison in Buford, Ga., is charged with Making an Unregistered Destructive Device; two counts of Mailing a Destructive Device; and two counts of Attempted Malicious Use of an Explosive, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“Protecting our personnel and facilities is a fundamental role of our office and of our law enforcement partners,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “We also will take action against inmates who seek to commit crimes and harm the public from behind bars.”
As described in the indictment returned by the April session of the Grand Jury in the Southern District of Georgia, Cassady was an inmate in the now-closed Georgia State Prison in Reidsville, Ga., in Tattnall County, when he constructed destructive devices and mailed two of them via U.S. Mail to the United States Courthouse and Federal Building in Anchorage, Alaska, and to a federal facility at 1400 New York Avenue NW in Washington, D.C.
The indictment alleges the bombs were sent in an attempt “to maliciously damage or destroy, by means of fire or explosive, a building in whole or in part owned or possessed by, or leased to, the United States,” and “created substantial risk of injury to a person.”
Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, the FBI Anchorage Office, Homeland Security Investigations Federal Protective Service, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and the Georgia Department of Corrections Office of Professional Standards, and Prosecuted for the United States of America by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorney L. Alexander Hamner.
Fugitives arrested in deadly human smuggling and kidnapping for ransom schemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Two individuals are expected to appear in Houston federal court in relation to a smuggling event that turned fatal in March 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Lorie Lin Flowers, 25, and Santiago Hernandez Jr., 26, are expected to make their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena Hanovice Palermo at 2 p.m.
The Houston residents had evaded law enforcement for over nine months until authorities recently apprehended them following their removal from Mexico back to the United States.
The charges allege that on March 17 and 18, 2023, a human smuggling operation resulted in the armed kidnapping of three migrants along I-10 East in Waller County. Three other victims were shot and left at the scene, according to the allegations. The alleged perpetrators held the victims hostage at two Houston area hotels and began requesting ransom money from their families. The charges allege the victims were beaten and threatened while held for ransom.
According to testimony presented in court, the kidnappers released two hostages after their families paid the ransom and law enforcement conducted an operation to rescue the remaining victim.
The scheme led to the death of one of the alleged perpetrators.
Brian Martinez, 24, and Christian Hernandez, 26, both of East Bernard, Miguel Gonzalez, 34, Richmond; and Houston residents Zachary Austin Palomo, 29, Alex Anthony Fisher, 27, and Brenda Roxana Serrano Figueroa, 25, were previously indicted and all but Miguel Gonzalez have remained in custody on various charges.
Santiago Hernandez, Flowers, Palomo, Figueroa and Fisher are charged with aiding and abetting kidnapping. If convicted, they face up to life in prison. For bringing in and harboring certain individuals, Gonzalez, Cristian Hernandez and Martinez could receive up to 10 years in federal prison upon conviction. All charged also carry a potential fine of $250,000.
The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the sheriff’s offices in Harris and Waller Counties, Houston Police Department and the State Attorney General of the State of Michoacán as helping in the arrest of the fugitives. Assistant U.S. Attorney John M. Lewis is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Former Weymouth Police Officer Charged with Assaulting a Man During an ArrestRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former Weymouth Police officer has been charged with assaulting a man in custody by allegedly punching him multiple times without legal justification.
Justin Chappell, 43, was charged with one count of deprivation of rights under color of law. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled a plea hearing for April 11, 2024.
According to the charging document, on July 2, 2022, Chappell was a police officer for the Weymouth Police Department. While arresting an individual, Chappell allegedly punched the arrestee approximately 13 times with a closed fist without legal justification.
“Members of law enforcement take an oath to serve and protect with professionalism and integrity. Today’s court filings allege that Officer Chappell violated this solemn obligation. Our office will continue to hold accountable officers who deprive people of rights under color of law,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy.
“It is hard to comprehend why Justin Chappell allegedly felt entitled to repeatedly beat a man in his custody, punching him in his face approximately 13 times,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “In doing so, we believe Officer Chappell violated this man’s civil rights and betrayed his sworn oath, his community, and colleagues. We’d like to thank the Weymouth Police Department for its full cooperation with our investigation.”
The charge of deprivation of rights under color of law resulting in bodily injury provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy and FBI SAC Cohen made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Weymouth Police Department and the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Torey B. Cummings and Neil J. Gallagher Jr. of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Romulus Mayor Sentenced for Theft and Misuse of Campaign FundsRead the Press Release
DETROIT – Former Romulus Mayor LeRoy Burcroff, 59, of Romulus, was sentenced to three years probation with four months home confinement following his theft and misuse of over $15,000 in campaign funds, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Burcroff was elected mayor of the City of Romulus in 2014. As part of his election efforts, Burcroff established a committee to elect (CTE) fund entitled, “Committee to Elect LeRoy D. Burcroff.” According to court documents, over the next two-and-a-half years, Burcroff defrauded donors to his CTE account by using these campaign funds for his personal benefit rather than for his election. For example, in November 2017, Burcroff spent over $3,500 of his campaign donors’ money to pay for a family member’s wedding. Burcroff spent the CTE money on a church fee, a banquet room rental, flowers, and the wedding bar tab. In 2017 and 2018, Burcroff used CTE funds to pay over $11,600 in dues and expenses to a yacht club which he used for his personal benefit. On multiple occasions, Burcroff overpaid his yacht club dues using his campaign account, which resulted in the yacht club issuing a refund, which Burcroff deposited in his personal bank account. In 2018, Burcroff made a $1,000 donation of campaign funds to a trade industry with the hope that he would receive a promotion at his private sector job. In 2019, Burcroff spent over $4,000 of campaign funds on a personal vacation to Florida with friends.
United States Attorney Ison said, “Trust in our state’s campaign finance system is a critical component of a healthy representative democracy. Mr. Burcroff’s conviction and sentence underscores our commitment to ensuring that the citizens of the Eastern District are represented by public officials who have integrity and are seeking office not for their self-interest, but for the good of the people they are elected to represent.”
"The citizens of Michigan demand and deserve utmost trust and integrity in our campaign finance system," said Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of the FBI in Michigan. "The former Mayor's actions severely undermined the confidence of those who bestowed trust and faith in him and his office. The FBI and law enforcement partners are fully dedicated to fighting public corruption by investigating and exposing corrupt officials whose greed erodes the public's trust in the government. We will not tolerate misconduct and will do everything we can to ensure justice is served."
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Detroit Area Corruption Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eaton P. Brown.
Former Oglala Sioux Tribe President Convicted of Wire Fraud, Larceny, and EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted Julian Bear Runner, age 38, of Pine Ridge, South Dakota, of six counts of Wire Fraud, one count of Larceny, and one count of Embezzlement and Theft from an Indian Tribal Organization following a three-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on April 4, 2024.
The charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and a $800 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Bear Runner was indicted by a federal grand jury in September of 2022.
Between January of 2019 and January of 2020, at Pine Ridge, Bear Runner, while acting in his capacity as President of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, fraudulently submitted travel vouchers for official business travel and received payment for travel that he was not entitled to as he was not actually traveling. The evidence at trial showed that Bear Runner submitted multiple travel authorizations to different locations outside South Dakota, including New Mexico, Montana, Ohio, North Carolina, New York, and Arizona, claiming the need to travel for official business. As a result of those travel authorizations, Bear Runner received thousands of dollars in advance travel payments but did not go on the travel. Instead, Bear Runner cashed the checks at a casino, gambled, and stayed in local hotels.
“When government leaders abuse positions of power for personal financial gain, it’s the public that pays the price,” said Alison J. Ramsdell, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota. “In this case, Julian Bear Runner stole more than $80,000 from the Oglala Sioux Tribe, embezzling money that could have otherwise been used to improve life for those living throughout the Pine Ridge Reservation. We are grateful to our partners at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and the FBI for conducting a fulsome investigation of Bear Runner’s fraudulent activities and helping us secure today’s swift verdict.”
“HHS-OIG, along with our law enforcement partners, is committed to holding government leaders accountable,” said Linda Hanley, Special Agent in Charge at the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. “This official violated the trust of his duties by exploiting tribal funds for personal pursuits. HHS-OIG is committed to ensuring that all government funds are used for their intended purposes.”
This case was investigated by the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Patterson and Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered, and a sentencing date will be scheduled. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
This case was brought pursuant to the Guardians Project, a federal law enforcement initiative to coordinate efforts between participating agencies, to promote citizen disclosure of public corruption, fraud, and embezzlement involving federal program funds, contracts, and grants, and to hold accountable those who are responsible for adversely affecting those living in South Dakota’s Indian country communities. The Guardians Project is another step of federal law enforcement’s on-going efforts to increase engagement, coordination, and positive action on behalf of tribal communities. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the participating agencies include: the FBI; the Offices of Inspector General for the Departments of Interior, Health and Human Services, Social Security Administration, Agriculture, Transportation, Education, Justice, and Housing and Urban Development; IRS Criminal Investigation; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General.
For additional information about the Guardians Project, please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (605) 330-4400. To report a suspected crime, please contact law enforcement at the federal agency’s locally listed telephone number.
Former Guam Police Officer Sentenced to 240 Months in Federal Prison for Trafficking Methamphetamine and Unlawful Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
Hagatña, Guam – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that Jose Pablo Ananich, age 52, from Yigo, Guam was sentenced to 240 months imprisonment. He was charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Fifty or More Grams Methamphetamine, Attempted Possession of Fifty or More Grams of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute, and Possession of Fifty or More Grams of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846 and 841(a)(1) and Carrying of Firearms During the Commission of a Drug Trafficking Crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A). The Court also ordered five years of supervised release following imprisonment and a mandatory $300.00 special assessment fee. Ananich was also ordered to forfeit $146,728.00 in currency, 12 firearms, and 5,918 rounds of ammunition. In addition, defendants convicted of a federal drug offense may no longer qualify for certain federal benefits.
From January 2020 to June 2021, Ananich agreed with Andrew Philip Manibusan (“Manibusan”), and James Bernard Ada Mafnas (“Mafnas”), to distribute methamphetamine in Guam. Ananich communicated with Manibusan, then located in Antioch, California, to mail the drugs to Guam. Mafnas received the packages in Guam and delivered them to Ananich.
Ananich and Mafnas purchased over $51,000 in postal money orders and cashier checks that were made payable to Manibusan to pay for the methamphetamine. Once the drugs arrived in Guam, Ananich distributed the methamphetamine. Ananich and Manibusan planned to use the proceeds from the sale of methamphetamine to start a larger drug distribution enterprise on island.
Law enforcement eventually searched Ananich’s residence and discovered 25 pounds of methamphetamine in his truck. Upon learning that police were conducting the search, Ananich tried to burn an additional 13 pounds in a shipping container on his property.
Ananich was arrested on June 1, 2021. At that time, he possessed $146,728.00 in cash, illegal proceeds from sales of methamphetamine. He also possessed 12 firearms and 5,918 rounds of ammunition. Notably, one of the firearms was affixed to the center console in Ananich’s truck, making it easily accessible.
Co-defendants Mafnas and Manibusan were previously sentenced in September 2022. Mafnas is serving 121 months imprisonment, while Manibusan is serving 168 months imprisonment.
“Ananich flooded our island with methamphetamine,” stated United States Attorney Shawn N. Anderson. “His criminal conduct was facilitated by alarming quantities of firearms and ammunition. Law enforcement should be commended for their continuing efforts to promote public safety. This case demonstrates the benefits of working together to combat the drug epidemic in Guam.”
“The sentencing of Ananich highlights the importance of rooting out criminal activity within law enforcement ranks. Such cases not only betray public trust but also undermine the integrity of the criminal justice system,” said Special Agent in Charge John F. Tobon. “This case underscores the importance of maintaining transparency, accountability, and adherence to the rule of law within law enforcement organizations.”
“The selfish actions of former officer Jose Pablo Ananich jeopardized the safety of the community, all in an effort to line his own pockets. These actions grossly violate the oath of a peace officer, and this joint investigation illustrates the collaborative work, alongside our local and federal law enforcement partners, to target and hold drug traffickers accountable who drive addiction and threaten public safety,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Victor J. Vazquez, DEA Honolulu Office. “The DEA is committed to safeguarding the health and safety of our communities, and to keeping all Americans safe from illicit narcotics and its accompanying violence."
“This sentencing and others like it are a clear message that postal inspectors will not allow the mail to be used to traffic dangerous controlled substances to Guam or anywhere else in our country,” said USPIS San Francisco Division Inspector-in-Charge Rafael Nuñez. “We owe thanks to the Guam Interdictions Anti-Narcotics Trafficking Task Force (GIANT TF), the Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency, Guam Police Department, and our federal law enforcement partners for their dedication to this important work to keep our communities safe.”
“It pains us when a former law enforcement officer betrays the public’s trust by trafficking narcotics and carrying firearms while doing so,” said ATF Seattle Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais. “Hopefully Mr. Ananich’s very significant sentence will show the public that ATF and our other law enforcement partners will not back down from investigating anyone who works to harm our communities this way.”
This joint investigation was conducted by the Homeland Security Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, United States Postal Inspection Service, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officers in Honolulu, assistance from the Guam Police Department and Guam Customs & Quarantine Agency. The case was prosecuted by Rosetta L. San Nicolas, Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Guam.
Former Delaware County Teacher Indicted for Coercing, Transporting, and Sexually Abusing StudentsRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Paul Geer, 56, of Hancock, New York, was arraigned today on a federal indictment charging him with three counts of coercing and enticing three separate children to travel across state lines to engage in unlawful sexual activity, and three counts of transporting the children across state lines with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity with those children.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Craig Tremaroli made the announcement.
The indictment filed against Geer alleges that, while Geer was a teacher at the Family Foundation School in Hancock, New York, Geer imposed various disciplinary sanctions on students which were tantamount to torture. The sanctions Geer imposed on students included depriving children of food or forcing children to eat food that had been regurgitated, binding children in rugs and leaving them in isolated rooms for extended periods of time and forcing children to perform forced physical labor. The indictment further alleges that, in 1994, 2000, and 2001, Geer used his position of authority and his ability to impose these brutal sanctions to coerce three students to travel with him, on separate occasions, to Maine, Pennsylvania, and Toronto, Canada. The indictment also charges that Geer transported the students across state lines with the intent to engage in sexual activity with them. While on those trips, Geer raped or otherwise sexually abused each of the three children. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The three counts of coercion and enticement each carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 5 years. The three counts of transporting children across state lines each carry a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 5 years. If convicted, Geer will also be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
The FBI is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica N. Carbone and Adrian S. LaRochelle are prosecuting the case as a part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
If you have any information about Paul Geer, the Family Foundation School, or other schools like it, which may have marketed themselves as part of the “Troubled Teen Industry,” please contact the FBI at [email protected].
Foreign National Sentenced to Prison for Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
A foreign national was sentenced today to 13 years and one month in prison for his role in an international conspiracy to distribute more than 2,000 pounds of cocaine for unlawful importation into the United States.
According to court documents, from 2014 through May 2019, Lazaro Viton Rodriguez, 55, a long-time resident of the Dominican Republic, participated in a drug trafficking network based in the Dominican Republic that transported cocaine from South America, through the Caribbean, to the United States. The drug trafficking network used vessels, such as sailing yachts and sport fishing boats, to transport the cocaine, often stopping in various Caribbean ports while transporting the cocaine to give a cover of legitimacy to each voyage. One of these vessels, the Casablanca, was interdicted by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Marine Interdiction Unit in November 2018 as it entered U.S. waters near Key Biscayne, Florida. Officers boarded and searched the Casablanca, seizing more than 327 kilograms of cocaine.
Rodriguez was involved in purchasing, registering, and maintaining vessels used by the drug trafficking network to transport cocaine. He assisted in registering vessels in the names of straw purchasers, constructed secret compartments on the vessels to hide the cocaine, and coordinated with crew members via satellite phone as they sailed to locations in the Caribbean to pick up cocaine.
Rodriguez pleaded guilty in November 2023 to participating in a conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine for importation into the United States.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting Special Agent in Charge Darren B. McCormack of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York; and Administrator Anne Milgram of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) made the announcement.
The case is supported by the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF).
HSI New York and DEA New York investigated the case.
Acting Assistant Deputy Chief Melanie L. Alsworth and Trial Attorneys Samantha Thompson and Janet Turnbull of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section prosecuted the case.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance. The Justice Department thanks authorities in the Dominican Republic for their assistance in the investigation.
Florida Men Charged with Drug Trafficking and Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Noel Mateo, age 35, of Umatilla, Florida, and David Duclos, age 29, of Orlando, Florida, were indicted by a federal grand jury for conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute five kilograms and more of cocaine and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Mateo and Duclos possessed and conspired to possess with the intent to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine on or about December 7, 2023, in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. The indictment further alleges that three firearms were possessed in furtherance of the drug trafficking activities.
This case was investigated by United States Homeland Security Investigations and Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Dukes 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.
The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is life 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.
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Five New Federal Agencies Join Justice Department in Pledge to Enforce Civil Rights Laws in Artificial IntelligenceRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that five new cabinet-level federal agencies have joined a pledge to uphold America’s commitment to core principles of fairness, equality and justice as new technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) become more common in daily life.
“Federal agencies are sending a clear message: we will use our collective authority and power to protect individual rights in the wake of increased reliance on artificial intelligence in various aspects of American life,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “As social media platforms, banks, landlords, employers and other businesses choose to rely on artificial intelligence, algorithms and automated systems to conduct business, we stand ready to hold accountable those entities that fail to address the unfair and discriminatory outcomes that may result. We are mounting a whole-of-government approach to enforcing civil rights and related laws when it comes to automated systems, including AI.”
The joint statement, first announced in April 2023, now includes the Department of Education, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Housing and Urban Development and Department of Labor. The Consumer Protection Branch of the Justice Department’s Civil Division also joined the pledge. Additionally, the updated statement highlights recent agency accomplishments, including policy guidance and enforcement actions involving automated systems.
Assistant Attorney General Clarke also announced that the Civil Rights Division has launched a public-facing webpage to centralize content related to the Division’s work on AI and civil rights. This resource will help the public more easily access information about how advanced technologies can result in unlawful discrimination and what the division can do to assist victims of discrimination.
These announcements follow the April 3 convening, which brought together directors of civil rights offices and senior officials across the federal government to foster AI and civil rights coordination. This was the second such convening hosted by the Civil Rights Division following President Biden’s Executive Order on the Safe, Secure and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence, which directs federal agencies to use their authorities to prevent and address unlawful discrimination and other harms that result from the use of AI in programs and benefits, while preserving the potential social, medical and other advances AI may spur.
Meeting participants heard from the Justice Department’s Chief AI Officer, who discussed the department’s efforts under the Office of Management and Budget’s March 28 Memorandum, which includes the requirement that agencies assess and mitigate technology risks, including AI-enabled discrimination, in their operations. During the convening, agency representatives discussed strategies to enhance enforcement, coordination, external engagement and public awareness about AI's potential discriminatory uses and effects. Participants also gave updates on agency obligations under the Executive Order, including guidance, best practices and other resources, some of which may be released as early as the end of April.
Officials from the following agencies participated in the April 3 Civil Rights Division convening: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce, Department of Education, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of the Interior, Department of Labor, Department of Transportation, Department of the Treasury, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Federal Trade Commission and Social Security Administration.
Farrell Resident Sentenced to Eight Years of Imprisonment for Fentanyl and Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Farrell, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 96 months in federal prison on his conviction for fentanyl and cocaine trafficking crimes, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan imposed the sentence on Maurice Brooks, 37. Judge Ranjan also ordered Brooks to serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
Brooks previously pleaded guilty in this case to distributing fentanyl on May 2, 2022, and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine on June 2, 2022. Prior to sentencing, the Court was informed that Brooks distributed fentanyl and cocaine throughout May 2022 while Brooks was on parole following two convictions for cocaine trafficking from separate state prosecutions. Searches of Brooks’s residences in Farrell (Mercer County) in June 2022 also uncovered a stolen pistol along with additional fentanyl and cocaine.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Mercer County Drug Task Force, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Brooks.
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 of Justice 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.
El Departamento de Justicia proporcionará asistencia técnica relacionada con las notificaciones de muerte al pariente más cercano a la Policía de Jackson, Mississippi, y la Oficina del Médico Forense del Condado de HindsRead the Press Release
El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que proporcionará asistencia técnica a la Policía de Jackson (JPD, por sus siglas en inglés) en Jackson, Mississippi, y a la Oficina del Médico Forense del Condado de Hinds en el Condado de Hinds, Mississippi, con respecto a sus políticas y procedimientos relacionados con las notificaciones de muerte al pariente más cercano.
El Departamento está proporcionando esta asistencia técnica a la JPD y a la Oficina del Médico Forense del Condado de Hinds de conformidad con el Título VI de la ley de Derechos Civiles de 1964 (Título VI), que prohíbe la discriminación por motivos de raza, color de piel u origen nacional en programas que reciben apoyo financiero federal. El resultado de la falta de notificaciones oportunas de muerte al pariente más cercano es que personas fallecidas han sido enterrados como indigentes en fosas no señaladas en el Condado de Hinds, y algunos informes han indicado que puede haber una percepción de que la raza u otros factores han desempeñado un papel en el proceso con respecto a las notificaciones de muerte al pariente más cercano.
«Las familias quieren y merecen transparencia y la oportunidad de tomar decisiones sobre los entierros de sus seres queridos», afirmó Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. «A través de la asistencia técnica, nuestro objetivo es garantizar que los funcionarios puedan entregar notificaciones de muerte y tomar decisiones sobre enterramientos de una manera oportuna y sensible al trauma que cumpla con las leyes federales de derechos civiles».
«El Departamento espera trabajar con los funcionarios municipales y del condado para mejorar el sistema de notificación de muertes en el área de Jackson para que las familias de personas desaparecidas y fallecidas puedan recibir toda la información disponible sobre sus seres queridos», comentó Todd Gee, el Fiscal Federal para el Distrito Sur de Mississippi.
La asistencia técnica, que será proporcionada por la División de Derechos Civiles y la Fiscalía Federal para el Distrito Sur de Mississippi, examinará la Orden General de la JPD sobre Personas Desaparecidas y la nueva Orden General sobre Notificaciones de Muerte y proporcionará recomendaciones sobre la implementación y capacitación. La asistencia técnica a la Oficina del Médico Forense del Condado de Hinds proporcionará recomendaciones sobre políticas y capacitación relacionadas con la localización de familiares más cercanos.
La prestación de asistencia técnica no es un hallazgo de culpa o conducta indebida por parte de la JPD, la Oficina del Médico Forense del Condado de Hinds o cualquier otra persona o entidad. La JPD y la Oficina del Médico Forense del Condado de Hinds acordaron voluntariamente recibir asistencia técnica y apoyo del Departamento.
En virtud del Título VI, el Departamento está trabajando para asegurarse de que las agencias de aplicación de la ley y otros beneficiarios de fondos federales tomen medidas afirmativas para cumplir con sus obligaciones de derechos civiles al ofrecer asistencia técnica para facilitar el cumplimiento con el Título VI. La asistencia técnica ayuda a las agencias a actualizar o mejorar sus políticas y prácticas, a la vez que fortalece la conexión entre las agencias de aplicación de la ley y las comunidades de color y otras partes interesadas. Por ejemplo, el Departamento ha proporcionado asistencia técnica a través de su Iniciativa de Acceso Lingüístico de las Fuerzas del Orden Público, un esfuerzo a nivel nacional para ayudar a las agencias de aplicación de la ley a cumplir con sus obligaciones de proporcionar asistencia lingüística significativa a personas con un dominio limitado del inglés.
Hay más información sobre la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia en su sitio web en www.justice.gov/crt.
El Departamento de Justicia llega a un acuerdo con una empresa de servicios de gestión con sede en Dallas para resolver acusaciones de discriminación en el empleoRead the Press Release
El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que ha llegado a un acuerdo conciliatorio con Riata Corporate Group LLC, una empresa con sede en Dallas que presta servicios de gestión a los sectores de energía y bienes de consumo. El acuerdo resuelve la determinación del departamento de que la empresa infringió la ley de Inmigración y Nacionalidad (INA) cuando discriminó a un solicitante al negarse a considerarla para el empleo porque es ciudadana estadounidense naturalizada.
«La discriminación a los trabajadores basada en su ciudadanía o estatus migratorio no solo perjudica a los trabajadores, sino también a los empleadores, porque pierden a los solicitantes cualificados», afirmó Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. «La ignorancia de la ley no sirve de excusa, y el Departamento de Justicia seguirá responsabilizando a los empleadores que infrinjan las leyes federales de derechos civiles de nuestra nación».
La Sección de Derechos de Inmigrantes y Empleados (IER, por sus siglas en inglés), de la División de Derechos Civiles, inició una investigación basada en la queja de una trabajadora y determinó que, en octubre de 2023, Riata la discriminó ilegalmente, aunque la empresa la había reclutado inicialmente para el empleo. Después de enterarse de que el trabajador es ciudadana naturalizada, la empresa le informó de que no podía contratarla debido a su estatus de ciudadanía. El Departamento determinó que Riata rechazó a la trabajadora porque malinterpretó uno de sus contratos gubernamentales, creyendo que exige que la empresa contrate solamente a ciudadanos nacidos en los EE. UU.
La INA prohíbe que los empleadores discriminen a los trabajadores con base en su estatus migratorio o ciudadanía, a menos que una ley, un reglamento, una orden ejecutiva o un contrato gubernamental requiera tal discriminación. Aunque Riata tenía un contrato con el gobierno que le exigía contratar solo a ciudadanos de los EE. UU. para ciertos trabajos, el contrato no autorizó a Riata a excluir a los ciudadanos naturalizados de los EE. UU.
Según los términos del acuerdo, Riata pagará los salarios perdidos al trabajador afectado. El acuerdo también requiere que Riata pague una sanción civil a los Estados Unidos, que capacite a su personal en cuanto a los requisitos antidiscriminatorios de la INA, que revise sus políticas de empleo y que se someta a ciertos requisitos de supervisión y declaración.
La IER es responsable de hacer cumplir la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA. La ley prohíbe la discriminación por motivos de estatus de ciudadanía y nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido o reclutamiento o recomendación por comisión, prácticas documentales injustas y represalias e intimidación.
Puede obtener más información sobre cómo los empleadores pueden evitar la discriminación en la contratación y el reclutamiento en el sitio web de la IER. Aprenda más sobre el trabajo de la IER y cómo conseguir ayuda mediante este vídeo corto. Aquellos aspirantes o empleados que creen haber sido discriminados por motivos de su ciudadanía, estatus migratorio o nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido, reclutamiento o verificación de la elegibilidad para trabajar (Formulario I-9 e E-Verify) o sujetos a represalias pueden presentar una denuncia. El público también puede llamar a la línea directa de la IER para trabajadores al 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); llamar a la línea directa de la IER para empleadores al 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); inscribirse a un seminario en línea en vivo o visualizar una presentación a la carta; enviar un correo electrónico a [email protected] ; o visitar los sitios web de la IER en inglés y español. Inscríbase para recibir actualizaciones por correo electrónico desde la IER.
District Men Charged with Armed Carjacking and Related OffensesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Gregory Patterson, 40, of Washington, D.C., was ordered held pending trial following a preliminary hearing today for an armed carjacking and armed robbery that occurred on June 11, 2023. Patterson’s codefendant, Jimmy Johnson, 43, was arrested on March 28, 2024. The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department.
According to the government’s evidence at the preliminary hearing, on June 11, 2023, the victim was trying to pull into the Kenilworth Market and had driven into an adjacent alley when he saw the driveway block. The alley also had a sign blocking the victim’s path, prompting him to get out to move the obstruction. At that point, Patterson started speaking with the victim, and then punched the victim twice and pushed him to the ground. Patterson then entered the victim’s car and rummaged through it before calling over the three other men who robbed the victim of personal property and tried to take his car. The victim fought off his attackers and they ultimately retreated. The victim subsequently identified Patterson and a second man, Jimmy Johnson, as two of the four attackers.
Patterson was arrested on February 28, 2024. Today, Magistrate Judge Heide Herrmann ordered Patterson held pending trial and set a status conference for April 9, 2024. Johnson is scheduled to appear for a detention and probable cause hearing on April 9, 2024.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Gimenez of the Major Crimes Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
District Man Pleads Guilty to the Shooting Death of a Woman in Her Apartment in April 2020Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Karlos Kinney, 24, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty on April 2, 2024, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to voluntary manslaughter while armed in the April 2020 shooting death of 25-year old Resha Blount and also to assault with significant bodily injury for the November 2022 attack on inmate Jordan Jones while detained at the DC Jail, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Superior Court Judge Anthony Epstein scheduled a sentencing hearing for June 21, 2024.
According to the government’s evidence, just prior to the homicide, Resha Blount, of Washington, D.C., had invited Kinney to her home for the purpose of purchasing marijuana from him. They had known each other from previous such occasions. During this meeting in her home, a dispute arose over the quality and price of the marijuana. When the argument escalated and Ms. Blount demanded that the defendant take his belongings and leave, Kinney pulled out a gun and shot Ms. Blount. Ms. Blount suffered four gunshot wounds and died on the floor of her apartment.
While detained at the DC Jail and awaiting trial on the homicide case, Kinney attacked inmate Jordan Jones with a sharp object, wounding him in the upper torso area. Mr. Jones had to be transported to Howard University Hospital and treated there due to the severity of his wounds.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the homicide and assault cases from the Metropolitan Police Department and the D.C. Department of Corrections. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rachel Forman, Sara Hanson, and Jin Park, who investigated and prosecuted the homicide case, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sabena Auyeung, who indicted the assault case, and Katrenia Shelly, who prepared the assault case for trial.
Daytona Beach Woman Pleads Guilty to Stealing over $88k of Veterans Affairs FundsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Tijuanna J. Thomas (65, Daytona Beach) has pleaded guilty to theft of government property. Thomas faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. As part of her plea, Thomas has agreed to forfeit $88,440, the proceeds of her criminal conduct, and to make full restitution to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Social Security Administration (SSA). Thomas is scheduled to be sentenced on July 10, 2024.
According to the plea agreement, R.S. received both VA and Social Security benefits, which were direct deposited into a checking account he shared with Thomas. R.S. died on May 6, 2016. Thomas did not report R.S.’s death to the VA or the SSA, which continued to deposit benefits for R.S. into the account, thinking he was still alive. Thomas took those benefits, to which she was not entitled, and spent them on her own personal expenses.
This case was investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Southeast Field Office and the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Del Mastro.
Convicted felon and sex offender sent to prison for possessing firearms, ammunition and methRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 45-year-old Corpus Christi resident has been sentenced for being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition in addition to possessing meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
A federal jury convicted Roberto Moya Dec. 12, 2023, following a two-day trial.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now ordered Moya to serve 75 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional testimony that described the extent of Moya’s involvement in drug dealing. Evidence was also presented that depicted Moya fighting with guards at the jail. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Moya’s gang affiliations and his associations with known drug dealers resulted in the position he is in today.
On May 25, 2022, law enforcement conducted a search at Moya’s residence as part of a narcotics investigation. Although he was not the target, the investigation led them to that location.
During the search, authorities discovered a Glock pistol and a fully loaded magazine along with five other bullets of various calibers. Law enforcement found them between the mattress and box spring of the bed inside Moya’s bedroom. Law enforcement also found three pistols throughout the house, a shotgun and five shotgun shells in the garage, to which only Moya had a key.
The investigation further revealed Moya was a convicted felon for robbery and failure to register as a sex offender. As such, he is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
Moya will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations and the Corpus Christi Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda L. Gould prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program. In May 2021, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced a new effort to reduce violent crime, including the gun violence that is often at its core. Integral to that effort was the reinvigoration of PSN, a two-decade old, evidence-based and community-oriented program focused on reducing violent crime. The updated PSN approach, outlined in the department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime is guided by four key principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results of our efforts. The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime, not simply to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions.
Children’s store employee gets 25 years for attempting to sexually assault nine-year-oldRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 21-year-old man residing in San Juan has been sentenced for coercion and enticement of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Jorge Eduardo Naranjo pleaded guilty July 8, 2023, admitting he utilized a social media application and made arrangements to engage in a sexual encounter with a nine-year-old child.
U.S. District Chief Judge Randy Crane ordered Naranjo to serve 300 months in federal prison. The sentence was enhanced after the court determined Naranjo was a repeat and dangerous offender against minors, the offense involved a minor under the age of 12 and it was a commercial sex act. During the hearing, the court also heard argument that Naranjo crafted a life where he had access to children through employment at a children’s store and even expressed a desire to have his own female child so he could sexually assault her. The court also heard additional information that Naranjo was in possession of hundreds of child pornography files and further distributed those files. In handing down the prison term, Judge Crane noted that despite Naranjo’s age, his behavior was alarming and expressed the need to protect children in our community from this danger. Naranjo will also serve 10 years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
“Naranjo exhibited some of the most dangerous behavior for our society,” said Hamdani. “He is a predator – he made specific inquiries about how to prevent children from reporting sexual abuse and if a nine-year-old could become pregnant. Thankfully, our partners put a stop to his threat and, together, we have taken another step in keeping our community safe from these reprehensible crimes.”
Naranjo, who operated several accounts with the username “Bored Dude” on a social media site, began communicating with an individual he believed had a nine-year-old child. Naranjo exchanged multiple messages clarifying his intent to engage in criminal sexual activity with the individual’s child who he referred to as “little.” Additionally, he sent files containing child pornography to the individual, messages inquiring how to keep children from reporting sexual abuse and if it was possible the child would become pregnant.
Naranjo traveled to an Edinburg hotel and intended to engage in the criminal sexual activity. Law enforcement took him into custody immediately upon his arrival at the hotel.
The FBI conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Devin V. Walker prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.
Career Offender Sentenced to 84 Months for PCP TraffickingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Harold Johnson, 41, of Temple Hills, Maryland, was sentenced today to 84 months in prison for trafficking more than one kilogram of PCP, a dangerous hallucinogenic drug, within Washington, D.C.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, Special Agent in Charge Jarod A. Forget of the Washington Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Johnson, aka “Hump,” pleaded guilty on December 15, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Jia M. Cobb to seven counts of distribution of phencyclidine (PCP). In sentencing Johnson, Judge Cobb also ordered five years of supervised release on completion of his prison term.
According to court documents, Johnson primarily operated on the 2600 block of 14th Street, NE, in the District’s Park Morton area. Between September 2022 and February 2023, law enforcement conducted seven undercover purchases from Johnson, buying a total of approximately 50 ounces (over 1 kilogram) of PCP and 15 grams of fentanyl from him.
On August 25, 2023, law enforcement agents arrested Johnson in his Maryland home. Federal and state law enforcement executed a search warrant at his residence where they seized $4,840 in cash, three bottles of an unknown liquid, a SIG Sauer P365 handgun with 9 mm ammunition with one round in the chamber and a Taurus 9mm handgun that was found under a mattress in a bedroom.
This investigation was 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 was investigated by the FBI Washington Division, the DEA, and MPD's Violent Crime Suppression Division. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alicia Long and Shehzad Akhtar.
COVID-19 Testing Fraudster Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
An Irving man was sentenced yesterday to seven years in prison for his role in a $7 million COVID-19 testing fraud, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Terrance Barnard, 40, was indicted in December 2022 and pleaded guilty in September 2023 to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and aggravated identity theft. He was sentenced Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Brantley Starr, who ordered him to pay more than $7 million in restitution.
“These defendants took advantage of unsuspecting patients – and a global pandemic – to steal millions of dollars from insurers using private patient information,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “This sort of crime breaches patients’ trust and raises the cost of healthcare for all – at a time when access to medical care feels precarious to many.”
“Terrance Barnard and his co-conspirators submitted false claims to multiple healthcare plans, including Employee Retirement Income Security Act covered plans, for COVID-19 testing services using the stolen personal identifiable information of numerous individuals. Today’s sentencing affirms the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General’s commitment to working with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration to protect the integrity of employee benefit plans,” said Casey Howard, Special Agent-in-Charge, Central Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.
According to plea papers, Mr. Barnard admitted that he and his coconspirators accessed private patient information – including names, dates of birth, and insurance subscriber numbers – through various clinics where Barnard worked as a contract lab technician. Mr. Barnard admitted that on some occasions, he took photographs of patient information and stored the images on “burner” phones, and on other occasions, he and a coconspirator accessed the clinics’ confidential electronic medical records to obtain large amounts of patient information at once.
They then used the patient information to submit claims to insurance providers – including Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, United Healthcare, Aetna, Humana, and Molina Health Care – for COVID-19 testing that was never performed. (The patients had not requested COVID-19 testing, nor were they aware their information was being used to submit claims.)
Mr. Barnard admitted that the “labs” at which the coconspirators claimed the testing occurred, including TC Diagnostics, ME Diagnostics, and PHR Diagnostics, were, in fact, shell entities that never operated as labs. Collectively, these three entities submitted approximately $30 million in claims and were paid more than $7 million in reimbursements for fake testing.
Under the terms of his plea agreement, Mr. Barnard agreed to forfeit almost $2.5 million from bank accounts tied to him or his family, several real properties, five vehicles, and five luxury watches.
Also charged in the scheme were Connie Jo Clampitt, William Paul Gray, and Don Hogg, all of whom submitted guilty pleas. Mr. Gray was sentenced to 54 months in prison for conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud; Ms. Clampitt and Mr. Hogg await sentencing on April 10 and May 1, respectively.
The Dallas Regional Office of the United States Department of Labor – Employee Benefits Security Administration, the Central Region of the Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, the Texas Department of Insurance Fraud Unit's Fort Worth Field Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Renee Hunter is prosecuting the case.
Bronx Man Charged with Foreign Murder of A U.S. NationalRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; Nicole M. Argentieri, the Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General and head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Mehtab Syed, the Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the Los Angeles Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and James Smith, the Assistant Director in Charge New York Field Office of the FBI, announced today that GANET ROZARIO was charged with the murder of a U.S. national on foreign soil, specifically, in Bangladesh. ROZARIO was arrested this morning and will be presented later today in Manhattan federal court. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge George B. Daniels.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Ganet Rozario, a citizen of the United States, allegedly murdered another U.S. national in Bangladesh. Today’s charges demonstrate that the reach of this Office and that of our law enforcement partners is vast and that our commitment to protect the men and women of New York City extends far beyond its geographical boundaries. The message is clear: this Office and its partners will be relentless in our pursuit of anyone who takes another life, even overseas.”
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri said: “As alleged in the indictment, the defendant, a U.S. national, murdered another U.S. national while they were both in Bangladesh. When an American murders another American abroad, they will face serious consequences. The Criminal Division is committed to investigating and prosecuting violent crimes committed against U.S. nationals wherever they occur and holding perpetrators accountable for their actions.”
FBI Los Angeles Acting Assistant Director in Charge Mehtab Syed said: “The FBI devotes significant resources to investigating crimes that occur overseas which affect U.S. interests and impact American citizens. Individuals who commit crimes against U.S. citizens abroad will be held accountable through the FBI's extraterritorial investigations, which exist to deliver justice for victims of crimes beyond U.S. borders.”
FBI New York Assistant Director in Charge James Smith said: “Ganet Rozario allegedly committed the cold and calculated murder of Michael Rozario, a United States national, overseas in Bangladesh. It’s not up to the discretion of a single individual to take the life of another as this greatly disrupts the scales of justice. Today’s arrest emphasizes the FBI’s promise to aggressively pursue such egregious criminal acts against our citizens, even if they occur in foreign countries.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment:[1]
On June 11, 2021, GANET ROZARIO shot and killed Michael Rozario in Bangladesh.
* * *
ROZARIO, 52, of the Bronx, New York, is charged with the foreign murder of a U.S. national, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison, and use and carrying of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, which was discharged, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison.
The minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for information purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and thanked the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs for its assistance.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Violent & Organized Crime Unit, in conjunction with the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Slavik and Senior Trial Attorney Frank Rangoussis of the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Beaumont man sentenced for federal firearms violation arising from domestic disturbanceRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Beaumont man has been sentenced to federal prison for a firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.
Jorge Luis Castelan, Jr., 32, pleaded guilty on April 13, 2023, to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone on April 4, 2024.
According to information presented in court, during the early morning hours of May 15, 2022, Beaumont police responded to a domestic disturbance on Dogwood Lane in Beaumont. The 9-1-1 dispatcher advised the officers to look for a man who was armed and driving a silver pickup truck. Moments later when the officers arrived they found Castelan next to a silver pickup in possession of an assault-style rifle equipped with a fully-loaded, large-capacity magazine. After Castelan was taken into custody it was determined that he was previously convicted of aggravated robbery in Jefferson County. A federal grand jury indicted Castelan on Oct. 5, 2022. Under federal law, convicted felons are prohibited from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition.
“This case is emblematic of our commitment to utilize our violent crime prosecutors and our partner agents at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to investigate and prosecute criminals who illegally possess guns in connection with domestic abuse,” said U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs. “The long-lasting effects of domestic violence, dating violence and intimate partner violence are obviously amplified when firearms are involved. In this case, the quick response of the Beaumont Police Department defused a potentially deadly situation.”
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Beaumont Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John B. Ross.
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Austin Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison for Smuggling Attempt That Resulted in Migrant DeathsRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – An Austin man was sentenced in a federal court in San Antonio to 192 months in prison for one count of conspiracy to transport aliens resulting in death and 120 months for one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The two sentences will run concurrently.
According to court documents, on April 24, 2022, Joseph Alex Hernandez, 27, sped away from and attempted to evade Medina County Sheriff’s deputies for approximately seven minutes after they attempted a traffic stop. Hernandez reached speeds between 90 and 100 mph along the highway and access road, crossing the steep grassy median several times, and running a red traffic light. A rear tire on his vehicle eventually gave out, and Hernandez lost control, resulting in the vehicle crashing after flipping multiple times in the grassy median.
Hernandez had been transporting 13 undocumented noncitizens during the chase, including eight who were laying down in the covered truck bed. Three of the passengers were airlifted from the scene and the rest were transported via ambulance to local hospitals. While providing medical treatment, Emergency Medical Services personnel discovered that Hernandez was carrying a loaded pistol. Several days later, two of the smuggled migrants died in the hospital from their injuries.
Hernandez was charged with conspiracy to transport illegal aliens resulting in death, transportation of illegal aliens resulting in death, and being felon in possession. He pleaded guilty Oct. 23, 2023 to the conspiracy and firearm charges.
“This case is another unfortunate and tragic example of how dangerous smuggling humans across the border has become,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “The defendant in this case put thirteen lives at risk in an attempt to evade law enforcement. Sadly, his actions led to two of those individuals paying the ultimate price.”
“This sentencing highlights HSI’s commitment to use every tool in our arsenal to investigate and dismantle transnational criminal organizations involved with human smuggling,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee for HSI San Antonio. “This case shows the lack of regard these organizations have for the people they have been paid to smuggle. There will be no safe haven in our communities for criminals who seek to evade our nation's laws and whose greed results in tragedy.”
HSI and the Medina County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Brown prosecuted the case.
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Arizona Doctor Pleads Guilty to Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Linh Cao Nguyen, M.D., of Peoria, pleaded guilty on March 19, 2024, to Health Care Fraud. Nguyen’s sentencing is scheduled for May 28, 2024, before United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker.
Nguyen admitted that for years, he engaged in a scheme to defraud various health care benefit programs, including Medicare, TRICARE, AHCCCS, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and UnitedHealthcare. As part of his scheme, Nguyen knowingly caused to be submitted thousands of false billing claims. Nguyen also falsely created patient records to conceal and avoid detection of his fraudulent billing scheme. Generally, the fraudulent claims identified a medical doctor as the treating provider when, in fact, another provider such as a nurse practitioner, social worker, unlicensed psychology intern, or wound care nurse provided the service independently. By billing the medical service as if it were provided by a physician, Nguyen falsely inflated the amount his company was to be paid for the service.
Nguyen admitted the loss he caused was at least $3.7 million dollars. Nguyen agreed to pay restitution to the private insurance companies totaling over $1 million.
A conviction for Health Care Fraud carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-02716-TUC-JCH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-044_Nguyen# # #
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.April Federal Grand Jury 2024-A Indictments AnnouncedRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the April Federal Grand Jury 2024-A 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.
Jason Wayne Case. Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography; Possession of Child Pornography. Case, 43, of Miami, is charged with receiving and distributing images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. He is further charged with possessing visual images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children under 12 years old. The FBI and Miami Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen J. Flynn and Valeria Luster are prosecuting the case. 24-CR-102
Kyle Jackson Fugate. Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor. Fugate, 26, of Owasso and a member of the Osage Nation, is charged with knowingly attempting to persuade a minor child to engage in sexual activity in Mar. 2024. The Homeland Security Investigations and Rogers County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey P. Todd is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-101
O'Savion Goudeau. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Goudeau, 25, of Tulsa and a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition after previously being convicted of felonies in Wagoner and Tulsa County District Courts. The Homeland Security Investigations, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Dowdell is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-100
Edwin Francisco Hernandez Guerrero. Drug Conspiracy (Count 1); Possession of Heroin with Intent to Distribute (Count 2); Distribution of Methamphetamine (Counts 3 & 4); Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises (Count 5). Guerrero, 25, a Mexican national, is charged with conspiring to distribute heroin and methamphetamine from Nov. 2023 through Mar. 2024. He allegedly possessed heroin with intent to distribute and intentionally distributed methamphetamine. He is further charged with maintaining a residence to distribute heroin and methamphetamine. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mandy M. Mackenzie is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-106
John Carpenter Lucas. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. Lucas, 55, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition after previously being convicted of felonies in North Carolina and Georgia. He is further charged with allegedly possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen H. Flynn and Kenneth Elmore are prosecuting the case. 24-CR-108
Brandon Earl Presley. Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country (Counts 1 & 6); Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor in Indian Country (Counts 2 & 3); Production of Child Pornography (Count 4); Possession of Child Pornography (Count 5). Presley, 29, of Tulsa and a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, is charged with knowingly engaging in a sexual act with two different minors under 16 years old. He allegedly had abusive sexual contact with one of those minor victims and a third minor victim under 16 years old. Presley also used a third minor victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct with the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct. He is further charged with possessing a visual image depicting the sexual abuse of the child. The Homeland Security Investigations, Tulsa County Sheriff’s Department, and Bixby Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kate Brandon and Valeria Luster are prosecuting the case. 24-CR-107
Jerico Lee Reddell. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition (Count 1); Kidnapping in Indian Country (Counts 2, 5 & 8); Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country (Counts 3, 6 & 9); Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence (Count 4 & 7). Reddell, 41, of Bartlesville and a member of the Cherokee Nation, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition after previously being convicted of felonies in Washington and Oklahoma County District Courts. He allegedly kidnapped two different victims, intentionally assaulted them with a dangerous weapon, and used a firearm in a crime of violence. The FBI, Tulsa Police Department, and Bartlesville Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michele W. Hulgaard and Stacey Todd are prosecuting the case. 24-CR-105
Kory Bryan Tuell; Lexus Nicole Fenix. First Degree Murder in Indian Country; Accessory After the Fact. Tuell, 30, of Tulsa and a member of the Cherokee Nation Tribe, is charged with deliberately killing Mitchell Jefferson in Mar. 2024. Fenix, 19, of Tulsa and a member of the Absentee Shawnee Tribe, is charged with knowing Tuell committed murder and helping him avoid being arrested. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John E. Brasher and Stephen Flynn are prosecuting the case. 24-CR-099
23-Year-Old Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Distributing Fentanyl that Nearly Killed a Park City ResidentRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A U.S. District Court Judge sentenced Colin Andrew Shapard, 23, of Las Vegas, Nevada to 240 months’ imprisonment today, followed by 36 months supervised release. In December 2023, Shapard pleaded guilty to distribution of a controlled substance that resulted in serious bodily injury. Fentanyl Shapard shipped via U.S. Mail, nearly killed a Park City, Utah resident after the man overdosed in 2022. See prior release here.
DEAAccording to court documents, an investigation into Mr. Shapard began in November 2021 after a Park City resident reported to investigators that he obtained the drugs he possessed from Shapard. The resident also told investigators that in 2016, Shapard was the person who supplied a dangerous synthetic opioid to two 13-year-old middle-school students in Park City, who died as a result of ingesting the substance. Mr. Shapard was charged in juvenile court for the deaths of the two teens. Those offenses were processed through the juvenile court system as Shapard was a juvenile at the time.
In December 2021, subsequent to a search warrant, investigators identified and seized two shipments of counterfeit blue M30 pills laced with fentanyl that were mailed from Las Vegas to Utah. Simultaneously, DEA agents also learned that from December 2021 to May 2021, U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized four illicit drug shipments addressed to Shapard from the Netherlands. Additionally, in October 2020 customs enforcement agents in Germany seized two U.S. bound packages addressed to Shapard that contained illegal amphetamine-based drugs. Also in 2020, agents learned that Shapard received a FedEx package to a Midvale, Utah address that contained chemicals utilized in the manufacture of the drug GHB and or fentanyl. In 2022, undercover DEA agents purchased drugs from Shapard. Mr. Shapard told the undercover agent that the “blues” he sold were legitimate pharmaceuticals that he acquired from Canada. Shapard also claimed he tested every shipment of pills he received to confirm they did not contain fentanyl, when in fact they did.
In February 2022, the Park City resident was found on the floor unresponsive by his father. The father called 911 and began CPR. When emergency medical personnel arrived, they administered Naloxone, also referred to as Narcan, to the victim. Narcan is a drug that reverses the effects of opioids, including fentanyl, and is effective only on opioids. The victim was hospitalized and survived. The following day, DEA agents discovered that the victim overdosed on blue M30 fentanyl pills, which were purchased from Shapard. On March 8, 2022, Shapard was arrested.
“Community safety is a top priority for my office,” said U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah. “Mr. Shapard not only knowingly sold dangerous synthetic opioids, but he did so while deceiving his customers about the nature of the product. Fentanyl is 100 times stronger than morphine and 50 times stronger than heroin. Had it not been for the quick response from the victim’s family and the fast acting first responders who administered Narcan this would have been a more tragic outcome. My office will vigorously prosecute those who distribute this poison in the state of Utah, particularly those who repeat the same behavior.”
“There is no outcome that can fully heal the destruction caused by Mr. Shapard’s actions. Nevertheless, today’s sentencing is an important step toward justice for the victim and the many family members and friends affected by Mr. Shapard’s distribution of deadly fentanyl. The tireless work on this case by some of DEA’s finest investigators is proof that the DEA is unwavering in its commitment to pursuing those criminals who seek to distribute poison in our communities," said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Dustin Gillespie, of the Salt Lake City District Office.
DEA
“Mr. Shapard continued to profit off numerous individuals with his fentanyl-laced pills even after being charged for the deaths of two teenagers in 2016. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is committed to bringing all individuals to justice who use the U.S. Mail for their illegal activities. This significant sentence sends a message to drug traffickers who have no regard for human life, and we thank our law enforcement partners for their excellent teamwork,” said Inspector in Charge Glen Henderson of the USPIS Phoenix Division.
The case was part of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Park City Police Department, and the Summit County Sheriff’s Office.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.