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Friday 9 February 2024
Individual Sentenced to 64 Months of Imprisonment for Two Cases of Identity Theft and FraudRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A Juncos, Puerto Rico resident was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Pedro A. Delgado to a total of five years and four months of imprisonment for aggravated identity theft and bank fraud violations in two separate cases, announced U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico.
According to court documents, Juan Rivera Mundo, 27, devised a scheme to acquire individuals’ debit cards and PIN numbers from legitimate debit card transactions with the help of other people working as cashiers at multiple business locations in Puerto Rico that he recruited as part of the scheme. The defendant then used counterfeit access device equipment to “clone” those debit cards and then used them to illegally withdraw cash and make extravagant purchases, all for his own enrichment and that of others. In doing so, Rivera Mundo stole debit card numbers and personal identifying information in order to fraudulently obtain funds under the control of a federally insured financial institution.
Juan Rivera Mundo was originally charged on March 24, 2022. While on bail pending trial, Rivera Mundo engaged in additional illegal skimming activity. He was then charged for the new conduct and arrested on August 25, 2022. The defendant pleaded guilty to both cases on November 9, 2023.
In addition to the sixty-four months sentence of imprisonment, Rivera Mundo was ordered to serve five (5) years of supervised release and to pay restitution in the amount of $18,528.60.
Defendant was also charged in a third and separate federal indictment in the District of Puerto Rico on May 11, 2023, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud in 2020 by fraudulently requesting a Payroll Protection Program (PPP) loan as part of a scheme to defraud and obtain money and property from the United States Small Business Administration and a financial institution. This case is currently pending disposition.
The United States Secret Service investigated the bank fraud and aggravated identity theft cases. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marie Christine Amy prosecuted the cases.
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Hickman County Man Sentenced to Fifteen Years in Federal Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Dustin L. Truett, 40, of Lyles, Tennessee, was sentenced today to fifteen years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, announced United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis. In July 2023, Truett pled guilty to a three-count Indictment charging him with Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking, and Possession of a Firearm by a Previously Convicted Felon.
The convictions stemmed from an incident in December 2020, when law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Truett’s residence. During the search, they recovered a gun safe, two bolt-action rifles, a bolt-action shotgun, digital scales, and ammunition. Inside the safe, they recovered $33,765 in cash, a stolen AR-style semi-automatic rifle, and 319 grams of 92% pure methamphetamine. Truett had previously been convicted of multiple felony drug offenses and was prohibited by law from possessing firearms.
The case was investigated by the Hickman County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel M. Stephens prosecuted the case.
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Guatemalan Leader of Multi-Ton Cocaine Trafficking Organization Sentenced to Almost 22 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Josue Adan Lemus-Lara, aka “Fenix,” was sentenced in federal court today to 260 months in prison. His sentence follows his conviction after a week-long jury trial in November 2023 where he was convicted on all charges in a maritime cocaine trafficking conspiracy.
During a multi-year wiretap investigation led by agents from Homeland Security Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration, Josue Lemus-Lara and his brother and co-conspirator, Willian Lemus-Lara, aka “Humilde,” were identified as leaders of a transnational criminal organization. The organization moved multi-ton quantities of cocaine at sea from South America to Guatemala and ultimately over land to Mexican counterparts, including members of the Sinaloa Cartel, for importation to the United States.
At trial, prosecutors presented evidence from 13 rounds of court-authorized wiretaps demonstrating that in 2017 Josue Lemus-Lara traveled from Guatemala to Colombia to oversee the Lemus-Lara Organization’s cocaine trafficking operation and to establish new cocaine supply lines. As Josue Lemus-Lara told a co-conspirator, “We either make money or we get thrown in jail or we get killed.”
In January 2018, U.S. Coast Guard officers seized a vessel sent by the
organization with cocaine concealed within fuel barrels.Prosecutors presented evidence at trial showing Lemus-Lara’s role as head of South American operations for the organization, including extensive wiretap transcripts, pictures Lemus-Lara sent of bespoke cocaine brands the group was procuring, and over a dozen photos of a cocaine laboratory in the Ecuadorian jungle. As prosecutors outlined at trial, in just a five-day span in May 2017, the organization dispatched four vessels, each carrying over 750 kilograms of cocaine from South America to Guatemala. Interdiction efforts by the United States Coast Guard stymied two of those loads, including 781-kilograms seized from the vessel below.
Josue Lemus-Lara, a Guatemalan national, was initially apprehended by Colombian authorities in February 2019. He was extradited to the United States from Colombia on December 2, 2020, upon request by the United States government.
This was a “highly sophisticated” and “spectacular conspiracy in its scope and depth,” said Chief U.S. District Judge Dana M. Sabraw. “It’s hard to put into words how sophisticated and involved it was.”
“This prosecution sends a shot across the bow to maritime traffickers moving narcotics across the Americas and into the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “Coordinated efforts of U.S. government agencies continue to identify, dismantle, and prosecute these operators inside our borders and beyond.”
“This significant sentencing reflects HSI, the United States Attorney’s Office, and our partner law enforcement agencies’ commitment to holding international drug traffickers responsible for their illicit activity,” said Chad Plantz, special agent in charge for HSI San Diego. “This complex multi-year investigation demonstrates HSI’s ability to disrupt and dismantle transnational criminal organizations and our commitment to protecting our communities and the people of the United States of America.”
“Drug traffickers drive addiction and destroy communities,” said DEA Acting Special Agent in Charge Paul Abosamra. “As such, the DEA and its partners will continue to pursue these traffickers in every corner of the globe and bring them to justice.”
“The members of the U.S. Coast Guard remain dedicated to helping dismantle the transnational criminal organizations that continue to threaten the lives within our community and country,” said Rear Admiral Andrew Sugimoto, commander, Coast Guard District 11. “As a service, we will continue to work with our international, federal and local partners to put an end to their illegal and dangerous operations and ensure these individuals are held accountable.”
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney P. Kevin Mokhtari and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison B. Murray.
DEFENDANT Case Number 18cr0390-DMS
Josue Adan Lemus-Lara Age: 39 Esquipulas, Guatemala
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine on Board a Vessel – Title 46, U.S.C., Sections 70503 and 70506(b)
Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine Intended for Unlawful Importation into the United States – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 959, 960 and 963
Maximum Penalties: Life in prison; $10 million fine
AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
U.S. Coast Guard
HSI Attaché Guatemala City, Guatemala
Department of Justice, Office of Enforcement Operations
Department of Justice, Office of International Affairs
Department of Justice, Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF)
Joint Interagency Task Force-South (JIATF-S)
Granada Hills Man Sentenced to 17½ Years in Federal Prison for COVID Jobless Benefits Scam and for Stealing Title to Dozens of CarsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A San Fernando Valley man was sentenced today to 210 months in federal prison for using stolen identities to fraudulently obtain more than $1,568,000 in COVID-19 pandemic-related unemployment benefits, and for stealing title to dozens of cars by presenting forged documents to the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
Eduard Gasparyan, 38, a.k.a. “Rudy Pineda” and “Papin Galstyan,” of Granada Hills, was sentenced by United States District Judge Josephine L. Staton, who also ordered him to pay $2,232,767 in restitution.
Gasparyan pleaded guilty in February 2023 to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
From at least 2020 to September 2022, Gasparyan and his then-fiancée, Angela Karchyan, 39, of Granada Hills, stole the identities of victims and used them to apply for unemployment insurance benefits from the California Employment Development Department (EDD), which administers the state’s unemployment insurance program.
As the COVID-19 pandemic worsened in 2020, Congress implemented Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) provisions to expand access to unemployment benefits to self-employed workers, independent contractors, and others who would not otherwise be eligible for them.
After the bogus unemployment insurance benefits applications were approved, Gasparyan and Karchyan used debit cards containing the fraudulently obtained benefits to withdraw cash at ATMs.
For example, on August 23, 2021, Gasparyan was filmed via surveillance camera at a bank ATM withdrawing $4,500 from nine debit cards within a 7-minute span. Three of the debit cards were issued in Gasparyan’s name while the other six debit cards were in the names of other individuals, court documents state.
From February 2020 to August 2022, EDD paid out approximately $544,089 in fraudulently obtained jobless benefits on at least 32 claims using the same address in Van Nuys that Gasparyan used as a mailing address, according to court documents. During that same time, EDD paid out approximately $307,012 in jobless benefits on at least 16 claims to a Granada Hills address linked to Gasparyan.
Gasparyan and Karchyan purchased vehicles using their own names as well as the names of identity theft victims but provided the sellers with worthless checks or bank account numbers to purportedly pay for the vehicles.
Gasparyan and his co-conspirators also used stolen identities to rent vehicles and then caused the DMV to remove the true owners – rental car companies – from the registration for those vehicles by using forged documents.
“The primary victims of [Gasparyan’s] conspiracy are the taxpayers, whose efforts to ameliorate the suffering of those who lost their jobs during the COVID pandemic [Gasparyan] took for himself, and the owners of the automobiles he stole,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “Of course, many individual victims of [Gasparyan’s] identity theft also suffered the anxiety of destroyed credit ratings, and the tremendous effort necessary to prove to lenders and landlords that they are not deadbeats, but rather victims of [Gasparyan’s] scheme.”
Karchyan pleaded guilty in February 2023 to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. She is serving a 41-month prison sentence and was ordered to pay $2,232,767 in restitution.
The United States Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, California Employment Development Department – Criminal Investigations, and the Orange County Auto Theft Task Force investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Brown of the Major Frauds Section prosecuted this case.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at (866) 720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Franklin, Indiana, Man Sentenced to 172 Months in Prison for Transporting a Minor with Intent to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A Franklin, Indiana, man, Dylan B. Clark, 20, of the 1500 block of South Highland Drive, has been sentenced to 172 months in prison, to be followed by ten years of supervised release, for transporting a minor across state lines, with intent to engage in sexual activity.
At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that Clark, who was 19 years old, traveled from his home in Indiana into Illinois to pick up an 11-year-old girl, returning with her to his home, where he engaged in sexual conduct with the child.
During the hearing, U.S. District Court Judge Colin S. Bruce noted that the offense was “horrific,” and that Clark had irrevocably scarred a child through his actions.
Clark has been in the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service since his arrest on September 2, 2022. He pleaded guilty to the offense on September 8, 2023.
The statutory penalties for transporting a minor with intent to engage in sexual activity are a prison term of not less than 10 years and a term of supervised release of not less than five years.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Central District of Illinois and elsewhere continues to fight to protect this nation’s children from sexual abusers. Through the hard work of specialized agents within the Federal Bureau of Investigation and close cooperation with local law enforcement agencies across Illinois and Indiana, justice was gained for the minor victim in this tragic case,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel E. Ritzer.
“A child’s vulnerability can easily be exploited by offenders like Clark. Even though this sentence reflects the magnitude of his criminal conduct, it cannot undo the impact suffered by an 11-year-old child,” said FBI Springfield Special Agent in Charge David Nanz. “The FBI is committed to ensuring that those intent on harming children will instead spend their days behind bars.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, Vermilion County (IL) Sheriff’s Department, and the Johnson County (IN) Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel E. Ritzer represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Clark was investigated as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Four Members of Bank Fraud Ring SentencedRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Four members of a multi-year bank fraud conspiracy, including a former bank teller who stole customer information, have been sentenced for fraudulently obtaining over $650,000 using the stolen identities of at least 25 victims.
According to court documents, Brianna Mills, 28, of Loganville, Georgia, abused her position as a bank teller to steal the personal identifying information (PII) of bank customers. Mills passed the information to her then-boyfriend, Stanley Desirade, 36, of Lanham, Maryland. Desirade used that PII to order fake identification documents from Desmond Nkwenya, 37, of Brookhaven, Georgia. These fake identification documents, which Nkwenya made according to Desirade’s specifications, usually included a victim’s PII but the face of a co-conspirator.
Once Nkwenya sent the fake identification documents to Desirade, Desirade provided them to Terrell Hale, 33, of Rockville, Maryland. At times, Hale supervised other co-conspirators as they went into the bank, impersonated the identity theft victim, and withdrew money from the victim’s account. During the conspiracy, the conspirators stole the PII of at least 25 customers and used that information to create at least 100 fake identification documents. Using these fake identification documents, the conspirators successfully stole approximately $660,082, and they attempted to steal an additional $1,008,134.
Desirade and Mills pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit identity fraud. Desirade was sentenced on September 29, 2023, to six years in prison, and Mills was sentenced on August 25, 2023, to 18 months in prison. Hale and Nkwenya pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Hale was sentenced on July 21, 2023, to four years in prison, and Nkwenya was sentenced today to 30 months in prison.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; David J. Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division; Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service – Washington Division; and Matthew Stohler, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hood prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 1:23-cr-40 and 1:23-cr-60.
Former Wenatchee Man Pleads Guilty to COVID-19 Fraud Involving More than $117,000 in Pandemic Relief FundingRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – Vanessa R. Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that Jason Carnell O’Daffer, formerly of Wenatchee, Washington, pled guilty to fraudulently obtaining more than $117,000 in COVID relief funding. United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice accepted O’Daffer’s guilty plea, and set sentencing for May 8, 2024, at 10:30 a.m., in Spokane.
On March 27, 2020, the President signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The CARES Act provided a number of programs through which eligible small businesses could request and obtain relief funding intended to mitigate the economic impacts of the pandemic for small and local businesses. One such program, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), provided forgivable loans to eligible small businesses to retain jobs and maintain payroll during the pandemic. Another program, the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, provided low-interest bridge funding for small businesses placed at risk during the pandemic.
In February 2022, U.S. Attorney Waldref and the U.S. Attorney’s Office began working with federal law enforcement agencies to create and launch a COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force that would leverage partnerships between different agencies to aggressively investigate and prosecute fraud against COVID-19 relief programs in Eastern Washington. The Strike Force consists of agency representatives from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Inspector General (OIG), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Department of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs OIG, General Services Administration OIG, Internal Revenue Service, Department of Energy OIG, Department of Homeland Security OIG, and others. Cases investigated and prosecuted by the Strike Force have resulted in numerous indictments, criminal prosecutions, convictions, and civil penalties.
In the plea agreement accepted by the court, and in information disclosed during court proceedings, O’Daffer admitted to fraudulently obtaining $117,400 in EIDL funding for his purported home appraisal business, Chelan Douglas Appraisal Services. When O’Daffer submitted his EIDL application, he was not licensed as an appraiser, and his business was no longer engaging in home appraisals. Rather, O’Daffer spent the loan proceeds on non-business expenses including more than $39,000 for the purchase of a personal RV.
“We created the Eastern Washington COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force because combatting pandemic-related fraud and holding those accountable who abused these programs is critical to protecting our small and local businesses, and the critical jobs and services that these businesses provide for the community,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “I commend the superb investigative work performed on these cases by the Strike Force and especially in this case by SBA OIG and the Secret Service. My office’s White Collar team will continue to vigorously prosecute those who abuse and misuse COVID-19 funding.”
“This investigation serves as a reminder to those who would prey on government programs, meant to help individuals in need, that they will be identified and held accountable,” said Greg Ligouri, Resident Agent in Charge of the Secret Service’s Spokane Office. “The Secret Service sincerely appreciates the U.S. Attorney’s Office, SBA and its other federal and local law enforcement partners for the collaborative effort in investigating and prosecuting these types of financial crimes.”
This case was investigated by the Eastern District of Washington COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force, the U.S. Secret Service, Spokane Resident Office and San Francisco Field Office, and the SBA OIG. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy Kelly, and Assistant United States Attorney Tyler H.L. Tornabene are prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
A video statement from U.S. Attorney Waldref, about the Eastern Washington COVID-19 Strike Force, can be viewed here.
Former South Carolina Priest Sentenced to Federal Prison for Sexual Abuse of a ChildRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Jaime Adolfo Gonzalez-Farias, a/k/a “Father Gonzalez,” 69, a former Catholic priest, of Laurens, was sentenced to more than 21 years in federal prison following a conviction for transportation of a minor with intent to engage in illegal sexual acts.
Father Gonzalez-Farias served as a Catholic priest since at least 1990, including in South Carolina from 2015 until his suspension by the Catholic authorities in late 2020. He most recently served at parishes in Newberry and Laurens Counties. He also served in parishes in Florida and New Jersey.
In early 2020, Gonzalez-Farias met the minor victim, an 11-year-old boy, and his family through his position as a priest. Gonzalez-Farias began giving high levels of attention to the child, including giving gifts such as a cellphone that he used to communicate with the victim. In November 2020, the child’s family reported to Catholic authorities their concern that the priest’s relationship with the child was inappropriate. Church authorities suspended Gonzalez-Farias and made a report to the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office and FBI Columbia Field Office.
Investigators learned that in November 2020 the priest took the minor victim to Florida alone under the pretense of a beach vacation, and during that trip, Gonzales-Farias masturbated in front of the victim, attempted to sexually assault him, and showed the minor victim pornography. Investigators uncovered numerous text messages and WhatsApp messages sent by the priest to the minor, that included affectionate names for the child and messages that were inappropriate, crossed appropriate boundaries, and were consistent with the minor victim’s disclosure of abuse.
After his arrest by FBI agents on Nov. 28, 2022, at the Miami International Airport, Gonzalez-Farias admitted that he touched the minor victim’s genitals in Florida and that he showed the victim pornography and showered with the victim in South Carolina. FBI searched the contents of Gonzales-Farias’s devices, and the contents of those devices showed a continued interest in minors. Gonzalez-Farias pleaded guilty in August 2023.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Gonzalez-Farias to 262 months imprisonment, followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Gonzalez-Farias will also have to register as a sex offender as a result of his conviction, and he was ordered to pay restitution to the victim for losses incurred as a result of his conduct.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office and the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels and E. Elizabeth Major are prosecuting the case.
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Former Palm Beach County Resident Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Not Filing Tax Returns and Naturalization FraudRead the Press Release
A former Florida woman was sentenced yesterday to three years in prison for willfully failing to file tax returns and naturalization fraud.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Lucia Andrea Gatta was an Italian citizen, born in Chile. In 2001, Gatta moved to and began residing in the United States, and in 2012 she became a naturalized U.S. citizen.
Starting with tax year 2005, Gatta stopped filing tax returns or paying taxes on her income to the IRS. From 2011 to 2013, Gatta possessed millions of dollars in assets held in a foreign bank account in Switzerland that earned her hundreds of thousands in interest and dividend income every year. U.S. citizens and permanent residents are required to file with the U.S. Treasury Department a FinCEN Form 114 - Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR) if the combined balance of all foreign accounts they own, have a financial interest in or signature authority over is more than $10,000 at any point during a calendar year. For those years, Gatta did not file an annual FBAR reporting her interest in her Swiss bank account.
During her citizenship application process, Gatta falsely reported that she had not committed crimes, including her willful failure to file tax returns. Instead, Gatta lied to immigration officials about her income and claimed that her family financially supported her. She also submitted to a U.S. immigration officer false documents that purported to show she had minimal income.
Once Gatta knew she was under criminal investigation, she left the United States for Italy and contested her extradition for over 18 months. But in August 2023, the Italian government ordered Gatta’s extradition to the United States to face charges for her willful failure to file tax returns for tax years 2011 through 2013 and naturalization fraud.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon ordered Gatta to serve one year of supervised release and to pay a $50,000 fine.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.
Senior Litigation Counsel Sean Beaty and Trial Attorney Parker Tobin of the Justice Department’s Tax Division prosecuted the case.
Former Navy corpsman indicted for failure to register as sex offenderRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 34-year-old South Carolina man has been taken into federal custody for failing to register as a sex offender after traveling interstate to Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Authorities arrested Robert Counterman in Laredo. He is set to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Diana Song Quiroga at 9:30 a.m.
In 2018, Counterman, corpsman in the U.S Navy, was convicted for attempting lewd acts with a child under the age of 16 and was ordered to register as a sex offender, according to the charges. He was allegedly discharged from military service following his conviction.
According to the indictment returned Feb. 6, Counterman failed to register or update his registration as a sex offender upon arriving in Texas in December 2022.
If convicted, Counterman faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) led the investigation with assistance from the Gulf Coast Violent Offenders and Fugitive Task Force. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Terence A. Check Jr. is prosecuting the case, which is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
The Gulf Coast Violent Offenders and Fugitive Task Force is a team comprised of law enforcement officers from the USMS, Laredo Police Department, Webb County Sheriff’s Department, Webb/Zapata County District Attorney’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety and Border Patrol. The task force’s objective is to seek out and arrest violent criminals, gang members and sex offenders. These task forces combine the efforts of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate and arrest the most dangerous fugitives. Anonymous tips can be made by texting 411TIPS (847411) keyword GULFCOAST.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Former CEO Sentenced to Prison for COVID-19 Relief Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On Feb. 8, Gregory Scott Keough, 57, of Wellington, Florida, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for submitting fraudulent loan applications seeking approximately $2 million in forgivable Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. These loans are guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).
From March 2020 to Aug. 2020, Keough and conspirator Derek Acree, an attorney, submitted one fraudulent EIDL application and three fraudulent PPP loan applications on behalf of entities they both controlled. Of the funded loans, Keough was responsible for approximately $1,612,222. Keough individually submitted four additional false loan applications on behalf of companies he controlled as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Two of those applications were funded and Keough received $309,555 in CARES Act proceeds. These companies included National Financial Holdings Inc., NFH Florida LLC, DBA Finova Financial LLC, NFH Partners LLC, Grupo Keough LLC, Enclave Partners LLC, and National Financial Holding Technology LLC. The loans misrepresented the number of employees, payroll expenses, and gross revenues.
After obtaining the fraudulent loan proceeds, Keough transferred some of it to other bank account, paid multiple credit cards, as well as used to purchase and install storm windows for his home, private jet travel, and private school tuition.
Keough had entered a guilty plea to two counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering in Nov. 2023. In addition to prison, Keough was ordered to pay $1,922,355 million in restitution.
Acree was charged separately and pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in Oct. 2022 (Case No. 22-cr-80157). Acree was sentenced, in Jan. 2023, to 41 months in prison and ordered to pay $1,262,600 million in restitution.
Restitution was paid in full jointly by both Acree and Keough.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
FBI West Palm Beach investigated the case. The Office of State Attorney Dave Aronberg for the 15th Judicial Circuit – Palm Beach County and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office PPP Fraud Task Force provided invaluable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robin W. Waugh prosecuted it and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Pastor handled asset forfeiture.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
On September 15, 2022, the Attorney General selected the Southern District of Florida’s U.S. Attorney’s Office to head one of three national COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force Teams. The Department of Justice established the Strike Force to enhance existing efforts to combat and prevent COVID-19 related financial fraud. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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-80154.
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Former Attorney Sentenced for Defrauding Personal Protective Equipment PurchaserRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – FRANK LABRUZZO was sentenced on February 6, 2024, for conspiring with co-defendant, Cynthia Caronna, and a United Kingdom resident, for defrauding a business that sought to purchase personal protective equipment (PPE) during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
U.S. District Judge Greg G. Guidry sentenced LABRUZZO to five years’ probation and $1,012,500 in restitution.
Caronna and the UK resident formed a business to sell PPE, and selected LABRUZZO as the business’s escrow agent. LABRUZZO (who was then an attorney employed as an investigator with the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office) was presented to would-be buyers of PPE as a trustworthy escrow agent to safeguard the buyer’s purchase funds in an escrow account until the PPE was satisfactorily delivered.
According to court records, the conspirators agreed that LABRUZZO would disburse the would-be buyers’ funds despite their neither receiving the PPE nor consenting to the disbursements. The conspirators also agreed that each would receive portions of the would-be buyers’ funds without their knowledge or consent.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more
information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at
866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at:
https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chandra Menon of the Public Integrity Unit was in charge of the prosecution.
Florida Felon Admits Role in Multi-Million Dollar Health Care Kickback Scheme After Pleading Guilty to COVID-19 Fraud and Unlawfully Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On Feb. 8, a Florida man admitted his role in a multimillion-dollar durable medical equipment (DME) kickback scheme, after previously pleading guilty to carrying out a COVID-19 fraud scheme and being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.
Kareem Memon, 34, of Coral Springs, Florida, pleaded guilty, before U.S. District Judge Raag Singhal in the Southern District of Florida, to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and one count of conspiracy to violate the federal Anti-Kickback Statute (Case No. 24-cr-60004).
According to documents filed in the health care fraud case and statements made in court, Memon and his conspirators owned and operated marketing call centers and telemedicine companies through which they obtained doctors’ orders for DME for Medicare beneficiaries without regard to medical necessity. Memon and his conspirators provided doctors’ orders in exchange for bribes from DME companies that provided the braces to Medicare beneficiaries. Memon and his conspirators caused losses to Medicare in excess of $11 million.
On Sept. 21, 2023, Memon pled guilty to wire fraud, money laundering, and felon in possession charges in a separate case before Judge Singhal (Case No. 23-cr-80068). According to documents in the wire fraud case and statements made in court, Memon submitted fraudulent loan applications seeking more than $451,000 in forgivable Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and used those funds for personal gains. Moreover, at the time of Memon’s arrest he was a convicted felon and illegally possessed 12 firearms and ammunition.
Memon is scheduled to be sentenced in the two cases on March 26, 2024. The health care fraud conspiracy charge is punishable by a maximum of 10 years in prison and the kickback conspiracy charge is punishable by a maximum of five years in prison. The wire fraud charge is punishable by a maximum of 20 years in prison, the money laundering charge is punishable by a maximum of 10 years in prison, and the felon in possession charge is punishable by a maximum of 15 years in prison. The charges are also punishable by a fine.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida; Attorney for the United States Vikas Khanna for the District of New Jersey (for the health care fraud matter); Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy of the FBI, Newark Field Office, made the announcement.
FBI West Palm Beach and Newark Field Offices investigated the cases. Invaluable assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General; U.S. Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service; and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robin W. Waugh for the Southern District of Florida and Matthew Specht for the District of New Jersey are prosecuting these cases. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Pastor for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture.
In May 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts.
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 numbers 23-cr-80068 and 24-cr-60004.
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Firearms Trafficker Pleads Guilty to 27 Counts Related to Unlicensed Firearms Sales and Possession of Illegal WeaponsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Joshua Markanson, 32, of Victorville, pleaded guilty Thursday to conspiring to unlawfully manufacture and deal firearms, unlawfully manufacturing and dealing in firearms, engaging in the business of manufacturing and dealing firearms without registering and paying taxes, possession of unregistered firearms, and possession of unserialized firearms, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between Nov. 13, 2017, and Dec. 14, 2017, Markanson entered into a conspiracy to manufacture and sell firearms outside of lawful channels. An undercover agent and a confidential informant working for law enforcement purchased over 30 guns from the conspirators during the course of six undercover transactions. This included six unserialized short-barrel rifles and six unserialized silencers.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Sacramento Police Department and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Lee and Cameron Desmond are prosecuting the case.
Co-defendant Donte Robins was convicted of conspiracy to unlawfully deal firearms without a license and was sentenced to nine months in prison. Co-defendant Rayshawn Wray was convicted of conspiracy to unlawfully deal firearms without a license and was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
Markanson is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley on May 2, 2024. Markanson faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the counts of conspiracy to unlawfully manufacture and deal firearms and the unlawful dealing and manufacturing firearms count. He faces 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the counts of possession of an unregistered firearm and the count of possession of an unserialized firearm. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Felon with Lengthy Criminal Past Pleads Guilty to ID Theft in Dark Web SchemeRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. –A Florida resident who is already serving more than a decade in federal prison for committing fraud in his home state pleaded guilty this week to a new aggravated identity theft charge in Southwest Georgia after being caught trading personal identification information with individuals on the dark web and teaching others how to obtain fraudulent bank loans.
Damien D. Dennis, 44, of Middleburg, Florida, pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated identity theft before U.S. District Judge Leslie Gardner on Feb. 7. Dennis faces a mandatory minimum of two years in prison to be served consecutively to 12 years imprisonment imposed in the Middle District of Florida to be followed by three years of supervised release and a maximum $250,000 fine. For more information about the Middle District of Florida conviction and sentencing, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/pr/jacksonville-man-sentenced-12-years-federal-prison-bank-fraud-and-aggravated-identity. Dennis is not eligible for parole.
“Innocent people’s identities were stolen and used to create phony documents so other scam artists could commit all manner of theft and fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Damien Dennis was running an ID theft scheme that went so far as to teach other individuals how to commit fraud—including how to obtain bank loans—using other people’s stolen identities. Working alongside our law enforcement partners, our office is committed to holding fraudsters accountable and stopping these criminals from preying upon individuals and businesses.”
“This case is another example that clearly shows criminals are continuously looking for ways to steal from unwitting victims. In this case, victims were violated when Damien Dennis possessed their Personal Identifiable Information (PII) for the sole purpose of committing fraud,” said Resident Agent in Charge Clint Bush of the U.S. Secret Service’s Albany, Georgia, Resident Office. “The United States Secret Service, along with our state, local and federal law enforcement partners, will continue to investigate, arrest and support the successful prosecution of the criminals who choose to commit this and other types of financial fraud in our community and around the nation.”
According to court documents, the Ashburn Police Department pulled Dennis over for speeding on Feb. 25, 2020; Dennis was driving with a suspended license and was taken into custody. Inside Dennis’s car, officers found eight drivers licenses belonging to actual people living in seven states and one social security card. Officers also found blank W-2 forms, blank check papers, badge makers, printers, bank ID cards, security laminates and scotch business card protectors inside the car; these materials are some of the tools used to commit fraud and identity theft. Cells phones, laptops and a USB thumb drive were also recovered.
Dennis told officers he purchased the identification documents from unknown individuals on the dark web. He would use this information to create profiles to sell to other people. Dennis admitted to using the equipment and documents found in his car to make counterfeit identification cards, drivers licenses, social security cards, W-2s, lease agreements and entire profiles for customers needing them for fraudulent uses. Secret Service agents discovered extensive conversations on Dennis’s cell phones where he was teaching unknown individuals how to use the fake profiles to request and obtain bank loans.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service (USSS) and the Ashburn Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Redavid is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Federal Way, Washington man indicted for abusive sexual contact on a flight from San Diego to SeattleRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 25-year-old Federal Way, Washington resident will appear today on an indictment returned last year for Abusive Sexual Contact, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Desmond D. Bostick was located by law enforcement and arrested on February 9, 2024. The indictment was returned under seal September 27, 2023.
According to records in the case, Bostick was seated in the last row of the plane on an Alaska Airlines flight from San Diego to Seattle. Bostick was in the aisle seat and the victim, who was a stranger to Bostick, was seated in the middle seat. Bostick allegedly repeatedly touched the victim on the thigh and grabbed her buttocks when she stood to allow the passenger in the window seat to exit the row. Bostick allegedly used a blanket he brought on the plane to hide his conduct.
After the plane touched down, the victim reported the conduct to the flight crew and law enforcement began its investigation. Bostick had left the airport and his location was unknown. The FBI located and arrested him.
In June 2023, the U.S. Attorney’s Office reported an alarming increase of sexual misconduct on aircraft. Since highlighting the issue, three additional cases have been filed or adjudicated.
This case is being investigated by the FBI with the assistance of the Port of Seattle Police.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sean H. Waite.
Federal Judge Sentences Man to 20 Years in Prison for Detonating Pipe Bomb at Suburban Chicago Train StationRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal judge today sentenced a man to 20 years in prison for detonating a pipe bomb at a suburban Chicago train station.
On Sept. 1, 2006, THOMAS JAMES ZAJAC placed a pipe bomb in a trash can at the BNSF Railway station in Hinsdale, Ill. The device exploded during the morning commute, injuring a station agent.
U.S. District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly imposed the sentence during a hearing in federal court in Chicago. Judge Kennelly ordered that the sentence must be served after the completion of a federal sentence that Zajac is currently serving for bombing a public library in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 2006.
Today’s sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Valuable assistance was provided by the Hinsdale Police Department, DuPage County, Ill., Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the BNSF Police Department. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys G. David Rojas, Brian Kerwin, and Andréa L. Campbell.
Evidence at Zajac’s federal trial in Chicago last year revealed that Zajac felt disrespected when a family member was arrested by Hinsdale Police in the year before the bombing. About a month after the bombing, Zajac sent an anonymous letter to the Hinsdale Police Department, stating that the police had “[expletive] with” the wrong person and that the writer had “fired a warning shot” last month. The letter indicated that police actions would “likely eventually lead to the death” of at least one person in Hinsdale, and that the writer wanted to see whether the department was “bright enough or possess[ed] the character to stop this death.”
Zajac, 70, formerly of Oakbrook Terrace, Ill., was convicted on all three counts against him, including one count of attempting to damage property with an explosive, one count of possessing an unregistered destructive device, and one count of willfully making a threat through the mail to kill or injure a person with an explosive.
Federal Inmate Convicted of Assault with Intent to Commit Murder and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Lorenzo Scott, age 50, formerly of Rayville, Louisiana, and an inmate at the United States Penitentiary (USP) at Lewisburg, was convicted of assault with intent to commit murder and assault resulting in serious bodily injury following a three-day jury trial before Chief Judge Matthew W. Brann in Williamsport.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Scott was an inmate at USP Lewisburg on March 25, 2015, when he physically assaulted his cellmate and repeatedly struck, stomped, and inflicted blunt force trauma to the cellmate’s head resulting in severe, life- threatening injuries. A corrections officer at USP Lewisburg, who was conducting rounds at 4:00 a.m., observed Scott stomping on the cellmate’s head as the cellmate lay on the floor of the cell in a puddle of blood. The cellmate died approximately two years and two months after the assault from the injuries inflicted by Scott.
The indictment in this case originally charged Lorenzo Scott with murder. However, the charge of murder was withdrawn by the government due to existing federal caselaw regarding the “year-and-a-day-rule,” which bars a prosecution for murder in cases in which the victim dies more than a year and a day after the infliction of the wound causing the victim’s death.
During the trial, Scott testified and admitted that, without provocation, he assaulted and intended to kill his victim.
A bill has been introduced in Congress which would abolish the year-and-a-day-rule in federal murder cases.
The case was investigated by the FBI-Williamsport Division and the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Special Investigations Section (SIS). Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara and Kyle A. Moreno prosecuted the case.
The charges of assault with intent to commit murder and assault resulting in serious bodily injury each carry a maximum sentence under federal law of up to 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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February Federal Grand Jury 2023-A Indictments AnnouncedRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the February Federal Grand Jury 2023-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.
Nathan Dewayne Burks. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Felon in Possession of Ammunition (superseding). Nathan Dwayne Burks, 32, a Cherokee Nation member, is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. He is further charged with possessing ammunition after being convicted of 3 felonies in Muscogee (Creek) Nation District Court. The FBI and Sand Springs Police Department are the investigating agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Cyran is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-312
Juan Cervando Cervantes Sepulveda. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Cervantes Sepulveda, 37, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in Jun. 2022, at or near Laredo, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl L. Baber is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-038
Nicholas Kyle Dietzel. Attempted Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor Under 12 Years of Age; Attempted Interstate Travel with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct with a Person Under 18 Years of Age; Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor; Attempted Distribution of Child Pornography to a Minor; Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography; Possession of Child Pornography in Indian Country. Dietzel, 43, of Tulsa, a Cherokee Nation member, is charged with attempting to cross State lines to entice a minor under 12 years old to engage in a sexual act. He allegedly attempted to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity. Dietzel also attempted to distribute videos depicting the sexual abuse of children to a minor. He is further charged with knowingly receiving, possessing, and distributing visual images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. Homeland Security Investigations – Tulsa, Homeland Security Investigations – Phoenix, Tulsa International Airport Police Department, Tulsa Police Department, Tulsa County Sherriff’s Office, Creek County Sherriff’s Office, and Collinsville Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Robert is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-30
Mark Alfred Foreman. First Degree Burglary in Indian Country (Counts 1 and 2); Second Degree Burglary in Indian Country (Count 3); Third Degree Burglary in Indian Country (Counts 4 through 7). Foreman, 37, of Tulsa, a Sac and Fox Nation member, is charged with breaking into the home of three separate individuals in Nov. 2023. He is further charged with breaking into the vehicles of four separate individuals in Nov. 2023. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen J. Flynn is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-044
Freddie Dewayne Gaskey. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Possession of an Unregistered Weapon Made from a Shotgun. Gaskey, 46, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition after he had previously been convicted of several felonies in various Oklahoma District Courts. He is further charged with possessing an unregistered shotgun. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and U.S. Marshal Service are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin G. Bish is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-039
Christin Brianna Kelley. Second Degree Murder in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Kelley, 33, of Sapulpa, a Muscogee (Creek) Nation member, is charged with killing Isaac Smith in Jan. 2024. She is further charged with discharging a firearm during a crime of violence and possessing a firearm and ammunition after being convicted of three felonies in Tulsa County District Court. The FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Sand Springs Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric O. Johnston and Stephen J. Flynn are prosecuting the case. 24-CR-040
Timothy Don Major, Jr. Coercion and Enticement of a Minor; Receipt of Child Pornography; Possession of Child Pornography in Indian Country. Major, 34, of Tulsa, a Cherokee Nation member, is charged with persuading and enticing a minor child under 18 years old. He is further charged with knowingly receiving and possessing visual images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children under 12 years old. Homeland Security Investigations, Tulsa Police Department and the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Robert is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-033
Victor Adrian Medina-Beltran. Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute. Medlina-Beltran, 37, a Honduran national, is charged with knowingly and intentionally possessing over 5 kilograms of cocaine with intent to distribute. The Drug Enforcement Administration – Tulsa and El Paso Division, Tulsa Police Department, and Oklahoma Highway Patrol are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Nasar is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-032
Cavin Tyler Morgan. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country (Counts 1 through 3); Making a Materially False, Fictitious, and Fraudulent Statement (Counts 4 and 5); Tampering with Evidence by Corrupt Persuasion (Count 6). Morgan, 27, of Welch, a Cherokee Nation member, is charged with assaulting three individuals with a dangerous weapon. He is further charged with making false statements to law enforcement and persuading someone to conceal evidence in Jan. 2024. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Craig County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen N. Scaife and John Brasher are prosecuting the case. 24-CR-041
Robert Ivan Nading. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Possession of an Unregistered Weapon Made from a Shotgun Having a Barrel of Less Than 18 Inches in Length; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence in Indian Country; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence (superseding). Nading, 55, of Welch, a Cherokee Nation member, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition after previously being convicted of felonies in Kansas and Ohio. He allegedly possessed an unregistered shotgun, with intent to do bodily harm to two individuals while discharging a firearm in relation to a crime of violence. He is further charged with intent to do bodily harm to a third individual while brandishing a firearm in Apr. 2023. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Craig County Sherriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Dowdell is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-250
Jovin Roque-Avila. Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of a Firearm. Roque-Avile, 26, a Honduras national, is charged with knowing he was an illegal alien and unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition in Dec. 2023. The Homeland Security Investigations and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shakema M. Onias is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-042
Ronald Dale Sanders. Transportation of a Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity; Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country; Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor in Indian Country; Tampering with Evidence by Corrupt Persuasion; Coercion and Enticement of a Minor; Production of Child Pornography (superseding). Ronald Dale Sanders, 55, of Belton, Missouri, is charged with traveling to engage in a sexual act with an Indian child under the age of 16, from Aug. 2023 through Oct. 2023. He allegedly attempted to destroy or conceal evidence as well as coercing and enticing the child. He is further charged with enticing a minor for the purpose of producing visual images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. The FBI, Ottawa County Sherriff’s Office, Miami Police Department, and Oklahoma Highway Patrol are investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia Hockenbury is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-354
Luis Gerardo Trejo-Zambrano; Luis Antonio Soria; Bryan Ulysses Martinez; Darmel Dashun Batemon Jr. Conspiracy and Attempt to Traffick Firearms (Counts 1 and 3); Kidnapping (Count 2); Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition (Count 4); Possession of an Unregistered Silencer (Count 5); Receipt of a Firearm While Under Indictment for a Felony (Count 6); Transporting Firearms in Interstate Commerce While Under Indictment (Counts 7 and 8). Trejo-Zambrano, 22, of Watts, Soria, 21, of Siloam Springs, AR, Martinez, 18, of Springdale, AR, and are charged with conspiring to dispose of one or more firearms. Trejo-Zambrano, Soria, and Martinez knowingly kidnapped a victim. Batemon, 21, of North Little Rock, AR, Trejo-Zambrano, and Soria are also charged with transporting firearms while under indictment. Trejo-Zambrano is further charged with allegedly conspiring to dispose of a firearm and possessing an unregistered silencer. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Elmore and John Brasher are prosecuting the case. 24-CR-045
Fairfax Man Sentenced for Downloading Child Sexual Abuse Videos and Images, Including Computer-Generated MaterialRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Fairfax man was sentenced yesterday to seven years in prison for downloading millions of images and videos of child exploitation, including child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and computer-generated videos depicting the violent rape of children.
According to court documents, James Andrew Whitney, 62, sought out and downloaded video and image files depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including material depicting prepubescent minors and minors under the age of 12. Using technology to conceal his identity, Whitney collected millions of images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of children. Whitney also downloaded thousands of computer-generated images depicting the same. Among the downloaded computer‑generated materials was a video featuring the abduction of a child from a playground, followed by the sadomasochistic rape of the child.
As early as April 2010, Whitney also used the CSAM he downloaded to create projects in which he photoshopped prepubescent, naked minor females into photographs around his residence and narrated sexual encounters between himself and the minor victims.
Whitney pleaded guilty on September 11, 2023, to charges that he possessed and received CSAM and that he received obscene visual representations of the sexual abuse of children. The investigation showed that Whitney downloaded CSAM for at least 15 years, and investigators ultimately recovered more than five terabytes (TB) of CSAM from his electronic devices.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and David J. Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles announced the sentence.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel L. Rothberg and Assistant U.S. Attorney Vanessa Strobbe prosecuted the case. The forensic examiners of the High Technology Investigative Unit of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) provided significant assistance in this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-124.
Duo Indicted for Spree of Eleven Armed Robberies in Two Weeks Across Indianapolis and SpeedwayRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Donta Allen, 26, and Lance McGee, 32, of Indianapolis, each with one count of conspiracy to commit robbery, 11 counts of interference with commerce by robbery, 11 counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and one count each of possession of firearms by a convicted felon.
According to the indictment, from March 25, 2022, through April 8, 2022, Allen and McGee worked together to rob at least eleven different stores in Indianapolis and Speedway, Indiana. Allegedly, Allen disguised his appearance with a ski mask and attempted to cover his tattoos with make-up, entered the store, pointed a firearm at the cashier and demanded cash. In each alleged robbery, McGee served as the getaway driver in a Chevy Malibu and received a portion of the proceeds.
The series of robberies took place on the following dates and locations:
Date
Victim Business
March 25, 2022
Disc Replay; 8210 Rockville Road, Indianapolis
March 25, 2022
GameStop; 5816 Crawfordsville Road, Speedway
March 27, 2022
GameStop; 3269 West 86th Street, Indianapolis
March 27, 2022
AutoZone; 4606 East County Line Road, Indianapolis
April 2, 2022
GameStop; 4525 Lafayette Road, Indianapolis
April 2, 2022
AutoZone; 7455 Michigan Road, Indianapolis
April 3, 2022
Disc Replay; 9739 East Washington Street, Indianapolis
April 5, 2022
Disc Replay; 7317 US 31 South, Indianapolis
April 5, 2022
AutoZone; 8525 Southeastern Avenue, Indianapolis
April 5, 2022
AutoZone; 6055 East 82nd Street, Indianapolis
April 8, 2022
GameStop; 6905 South Emerson Avenue, Indianapolis
At the time of the alleged offenses, both defendants allegedly had previous felony convictions, prohibiting them from ever legally possessing a firearm.
The FBI, IMPD, and Speedway Police Department investigated this case. If convicted, each defendant could face up to life in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Pamela S. Domash, who is prosecuting this case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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District Man Pleads Guilty to Assault While Armed for Shooting Two Minor Victims in Northwest D.C.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Eric Lemus, 20, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to one count of assault with intent to kill while armed and one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for his role in shooting two minor victims on March 22, 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Pamela A. Smith, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
U.S. Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan set a sentencing date of June 7, 2024. Lemus faces a maximum sentence of up to 30 years for assault with intent to kill while armed, and up to 15 years for possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. The prison term will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
According to the government’s evidence, on March 22, 2023 at approximately 5:00 p.m., Lemus encountered the two minor victims, ages 15 and 17, at Park Road Park in the Columbia Heights neighborhood in Northwest D.C. Lemus then produced a handgun and opened fire on the two victims, who were both struck and later treated for gunshot wounds. After firing multiple rounds at the two victims until the magazine was empty, Lemus attempted to flee the scene but was immediately apprehended by officers with the Metropolitan Police Department. The handgun that Lemus used to commit the shooting was located inside of his sweatshirt pocket when he was stopped, and the crime was captured on video by a bystander who had witnessed the incident.
Lemus has been in custody since March 22, 2023, where he will remain until sentencing.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caroline Coates Huether and Carlos A. Valdivia.
District Man Indicted on Three Counts of Armed Carjacking and Other ChargesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON- Dallas McKinney, 19, of the District of Columbia, was arraigned yesterday on an indictment returned by a Superior Court grand jury that charged him with armed carjacking, possessing a firearm during a crime of violence, and other charges arising from a series of armed carjackings through several neighborhoods in Southeast DC, committed in just 35 minutes. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
The 11-count indictment charges McKinney with three counts of armed carjacking; four counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence; one count of assault with a dangerous weapon; two counts of unauthorized use of a vehicle during a crime of violence; and one count of carrying a pistol without a license. The Honorable Judge Jason Park ordered that McKinney be held without bond pending trial.
On September 29, 2023, McKinney carjacked an Uber driver at gunpoint in the Eastern Market neighborhood, threatening both the Uber driver and his passenger. About 20 minutes later, McKinney and a co-conspirator used the stolen Uber to try to commit another armed carjacking near Branch and Pennsylvania Avenues SE. Fifteen minutes later, McKinney and his co-conspirator then committed a third armed carjacking at the corner of Alabama and Massachusetts Avenues SE. Police arrested McKinney that afternoon in the 1300 block of Congress Street SE, not far from the two stolen vehicles. At the time, McKinney had a tan Glock 19X 9mm pistol loaded with an extended magazine and equipped with a “giggle switch” or “auto sear,” a device used to make a semi-automatic weapon automatic.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Will Lawrence and Erica Rudolf.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
District Man Indicted on Enhanced Second-Degree Theft for Theft from Macy’sRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, January 31, Antoine Harvell, 36, of Washington, D.C., was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on one count of felony second-degree theft and unlawful entry stemming from events occurring on January 24, 2024, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Pamela Smith, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced.
Harvell is to be arraigned on February 15, 2024, at a hearing before a Superior Court judge.
According to the government’s evidence, on January 24, 2024, Harvell went into Macy’s—having previously been barred from the store—and concealed store merchandise before walking out of the store past all points of sale without paying. Harvell was then arrested by the Metropolitan Police Department.
Harvell has more than two prior theft convictions, though not from the same occasion, and therefore is subject to enhanced penalties for his alleged theft, including a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in jail for the count of theft for which he is indicted.
Since September 1, 2023, including the aforementioned case, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia has indicted 21 cases involving a felony second-degree theft charge based on a defendant’s two or more prior theft convictions, not from the same occasion.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Connor Mulvey.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
District Man Indicted on Enhanced Second-Degree Theft for Retail TheftRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – This week, Leon Johnson, 50, of Washington, D.C., was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on one count of felony second-degree theft stemming from events occurring on January 6, 2024, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Pamela Smith, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced.
Johnson is to be arraigned on February 15, 2024, at a hearing before a Superior Court judge.
According to the government’s evidence, on January 6, 2024, Johnson went into a CVS in Northwest Washington, D.C., took merchandise from the store shelves, and walked out of the store past all points of sale without paying. Johnson was arrested soon thereafter by the Metropolitan Police Department.
Johnson has two or more prior theft convictions, though not from the same occasion, and therefore is subject to enhanced penalties for his alleged theft, including a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in jail for the count of theft for which he is indicted.
Since September 1, 2023, including the aforementioned case, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia has indicted 21 cases involving a felony second-degree theft charge based on a defendant’s two or more prior theft convictions, not from the same occasion.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Connor Mulvey.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
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District Man Indicted on Enhanced Second-Degree Theft for Series of Package Thefts Near Adams MorganRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, January 31, Rodrigo Miranda, 43, of Washington, D.C., was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on 35 counts of felony second-degree theft, seven counts of unlawful entry, and one count of destruction of property stemming from events occurring between July 19, 2022, and April 4, 2023, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Pamela Smith, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced.
Miranda was arraigned on, February 8, 2024, at a hearing before a Superior Court judge.
According to the government’s evidence, between July 19, 2022, and April 4, 2023, Miranda took packages from several locations in the Adams Morgan area. In doing so, Miranda unlawfully entered areas he was not legally allowed to be in and destroyed property to gain access. Miranda was later located and arrested after investigation by the Metropolitan Police Department.
Miranda has more than two prior theft convictions, though not from the same occasion, and therefore is subject to enhanced penalties for his alleged theft, including a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in jail for each count of theft for which he is indicted.
Since September 1, 2023, including the aforementioned case, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia has indicted 21 cases involving a felony second-degree theft charge based on a defendant’s two or more prior theft convictions, not from the same occasion.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Connor Mulvey.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
District Man Indicted on Enhanced Second-Degree Theft for Retail TheftRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – This week, Miguel Demonis, 30, of Washington, D.C., was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on one count of Felony Second-Degree Theft stemming from events occurring on February 1, 2024, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Pamela Smith, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced.
Demonis is to be arraigned on February 20, 2024, at a hearing before a Superior Court judge.
According to the government’s evidence, on February 1, 2024, Demonis went into a CVS in Northwest Washington, D.C., took merchandise from the store shelves, and walked out of the store past all points of sale without paying. Demonis was arrested minutes after walking out of the store by the Metropolitan Police Department.
Since September 1, 2023, including the aforementioned case, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia has indicted 21 cases involving a felony second-degree theft charge based on a defendant’s two or more prior theft convictions, not from the same occasion.
Demonis has two or more prior theft convictions, though not from the same occasion, and therefore is subject to enhanced penalties for his alleged theft, including a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in jail for the count of theft for which he is indicted.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rana Wahdan.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
Convicted Felon from Pittsburgh Pleads Guilty to Drug and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – On February 8, 2024, a resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to drug and firearm violations, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Allen Gregory Edmonds, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon before United States Senior District Judge Nora Barry Fischer.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on December 19, 2023, law enforcement executed federal search warrants upon Edmonds, his vehicle, and properties associated with him. Within the living room of his Pittsburgh residence, investigators found a backpack containing approximately two kilograms of cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance. The closet within Edmonds’ bedroom contained a loaded handgun, a search of the serial number of which revealed that it had been reported stolen. At the time Edmonds possessed the firearm and ammunition, he had been convicted in the Court of Common Pleas in Allegheny County of both a felony drug trafficking offense and a felony firearm offense. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
Judge Fischer scheduled sentencing for May 7, 2024. The maximum total sentence for the drug charge is not less than five years and up to 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $5 million, or both. The maximum total sentence for the firearm charge is up to 15 years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, or both.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Edmonds.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to a Total of 39 Months for Wire Fraud and Committing New Crimes While on Pretrial ReleaseRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY – A U.S. District Court Judge sentenced Matthew Ambrose Baker, 49, of Spanish Fork, Utah, to one year imprisonment and three-years’ supervised release for crimes committed while on pretrial release for wire fraud. This sentence will run consecutively to a 27 month sentence previously imposed for the wire fraud, resulting a total sentence of 39 months’ incarceration.
According to court documents, in 2020, Baker was serving a home-custodial sentence for a 2019 federal healthcare fraud conviction when Baker committed wire fraud by attempting to divert proceeds of a real estate transaction from a family member to himself. In December 2022, a federal jury found Baker guilty of two counts of wire fraud for that conduct. Baker was sentenced to 27 months’ imprisonment in July 2023 for the wire fraud and ordered to pay his family member $445,000 in restitution.
A bench trial was held in November 2023 on counts related to crimes committed by Baker while on pretrial release in the real estate transaction wire fraud case. During the bench trial, Baker was found guilty of contempt and being a felon in possession of ammunition. The evidence at trial showed that, on September 23, 2020, Baker was placed on pretrial release in connection with the wire fraud case. As a condition of his release, Baker was ordered not to transfer substantial assets over $1500, unless approved by a United States Probation Officer. Baker repeatedly violated this condition from August 2021 through February 2022. In total, Baker transferred more than $1,000,000 in assets without obtaining approval from his supervision officer, and without notifying the supervision officer of the transfers.
The evidence at trial further established that in March 2022, U.S. Probation Officers recovered two types of ammunition at Baker’s home. The first box contained 40 rounds of .38 special ammunition and was found in a dresser with men’s underwear and socks. The second box contained approximately 37 rounds of 9mm ammunition and was found in a duffel bag with more than $80,000 in cash. Baker was the only adult male who lived in the home.
U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins for the District of Utah and the FBI made the announcement.
“Mr. Baker’s decision to engage in new fraud while serving a custodial sentence for a 2019 fraud case was brazen,” said U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins for the District of Utah. “His subsequent decision to repeatedly violate his conditions of release and commit new crimes while awaiting trial in the fraud case demonstrates a complete lack of respect for our laws and the court. Repeated maleficence will not be tolerated.”
The case was investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer K. Muyskens and Stewart M. Young of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.Clay County Man Pleads Guilty to Using the Internet to Distribute Videos of Young Children Being Sexually AbusedRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Carl Stephen Smith, Jr. (33, Green Cove Springs) has pleaded guilty to distributing child sexual abuse materials using the internet. Smith faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison. Smith was arrested on January 31, 2023, and has been detained since that time.
According to court documents, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a CyberTipline report in July 2022 from an online social media application (app) that indicated three child sexual abuse videos had been uploaded on the app by a user named “daddysir142.” The internet protocol (IP) address used to upload these materials was traced to an internet service provider in Green Cove Springs. An investigation by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office revealed numerous other CyberTipline reports submitted by online social media apps for IP addresses that were linked to Smith and his residence in Green Cove Springs.
On January 31, 2023, agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), together with other law enforcement personnel, executed a federal search warrant at Smith’s residence. During an interview with law enforcement, Smith admitted that he communicated with minors on social media and that he used social media apps to search for child sexual abuse materials.
HSI agents seized a cellphone belonging to Smith. A forensic review of this device revealed that it contained at least 22 videos and 37 photos depicting minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The device contained online conversations between Smith and other users in which Smith distributed materials depicting the sexual abuse of young children.
This case was investigated by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Beaufort Lawyer Pleads Guilty to Transferring Millions of Dollars to Prevent SeizureRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Peter J. Strauss, 45, of Beaufort, has pleaded guilty to removal of property to prevent seizure.
Strauss was the founder and managing partner of the Strauss Law Firm, LLC located in Hilton Head. The Strauss Law Firm specialized in estate and tax planning, asset protection and the implementation of captive insurance solutions for clients. Strauss also served as principal of Hamilton Captive Management (“HCM”), a captive insurance management company that provides management services to his clients’ captive insurance funds.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Strauss knowingly transferred millions of dollars for Jeff and Paulette Carpoff, two individuals who have since been convicted and sentenced for their roles in the largest criminal fraud scheme in the Eastern District of California.
Jeff and Paulette Carpoff owned and operated DC Solar Solutions, Inc. and DC Solar Distribution, Inc. (“DC Solar”), California corporations that designed, manufactured and leased renewable energy products, specializing predominantly in the production of mobile solar generators.
On Dec. 18, 2018, the FBI and other federal law enforcement agencies executed numerous search warrants on the businesses associated with DC Solar, as well as the personal residences of Jeff and Paulette Carpoff. Several seizure warrants were also executed on bank accounts and assets associated with DC Solar and its principals. The search warrants were conducted in conjunction with a large-scale investigation regarding an investment fraud and money laundering scheme being operated by the principals of DC Solar. At the time, federal authorities alleged that the Carpoffs committed wire fraud and tax fraud and diverted investors’ money for personal use. Federal authorities further alleged that DC Solar manufactured only a small percentage of the mobile solar generators and created fictitious lease agreements to show their investors in order to obtain investments.
Following the execution of search and seizure warrants related to an investigation into the Carpoffs’ company, Strauss received $11 million from the Carpoffs. On Dec. 19, 2018, the first $5 million was transferred into Strauss’ IOLTA account and thereafter distributed to various criminal defense attorneys and bankruptcy counsel and to Carpoffs’ captive insurance funds, managed by Strauss’ captive insurance management company. Thereafter, on Dec. 28, 2018, Strauss received an additional $3 million, used to pay for the Carpoffs’ captive insurance fund premiums.
Finally, on Jan. 15, 2019, the Carpoffs wired Strauss $3 million into Strauss’ IOLTA account. Thereafter, the funds were comingled in Strauss’ IOLTA account and completely spent over the next few months. By pleading guilty, Strauss admitted that by the time of the $3 million transfer on Jan. 15, 2019, he knowingly transferred and aided and abetted the transfer of funds from Carpoff to prevent and impair the government’s lawful authority to take such property into its custody and control. The defendant has agreed to pay $2,700,000 in restitution to the Federal Clerk of Court at or before the sentencing.
On Jan. 24, 2020, Jeff Carpoff pleaded guilty in California to money laundering and wire fraud and was thereafter sentenced to 30 years in prison. On Nov. 9, 2021, Paulette Carpoff pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States and money laundering. Paulette was sentenced to 11 years and three months on June 28, 2022.
Strauss faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and three of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Strauss after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Limehouse is prosecuting the case.
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Associate of Violent Gang Pleads Guilty to Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An associate of the violent Boston gang Cameron Street pleaded guilty yesterday to drug trafficking charges in federal court in Boston.
Michael Lopes, a/k/a “Meech,” 35, of Pawtucket, R.I., pleaded guilty to a one-count Superseding Information charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, cocaine base and methamphetamine. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for May 6, 2024.
During a two-year long investigation into Cameron Street, it was determined that Lopes allegedly conspired with his cousin Anthony Centeio – the alleged leader of Cameron Street – and others to distribute cocaine, cocaine base and methamphetamine. Lopes and, allegedly, Centeio made several sales of cocaine and cocaine base to a cooperating witness in Boston, Braintree and Pawtucket, R.I. A search of Lopes’ Rhode Island residence in April 2022 resulted in the recovery of approximately 174 grams of cocaine base, 215 grams of cocaine and 180 grams of methamphetamine, packaging materials and $2,342 in cash.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, cocaine base, and methamphetamine provides for up to 20 years in prison, supervised release of at least three years and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office; Suffolk, Plymouth, Norfolk and Bristol County District Attorney’s Offices; and the Canton, Quincy, Randolph, Somerville, Brockton, Malden, Stoughton, Rehoboth and Pawtucket (R.I.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl and Charles Dell’Anno of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Arizona Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Upstate Cocaine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ANDERSON, S.C. — Jesus Paz Rodriguez, 30, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine.
Evidence presented to the court showed that Paz-Rodriguez was the source of at least 60 kilograms of cocaine from approximately 2019 until his arrest in February 2022. During the conspiracy, Paz was shipped large amounts of cocaine from his home state of Arizona to Upstate South Carolina. Members of the drug trafficking organization would then courier or ship drug proceeds from South Carolina back to Paz-Rodriguez in the border state. On Feb. 9, 2022, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant at a location in Mauldin, South Carolina, used by the traffickers to store and distribute drugs. Investigators found Paz-Rodriguez and co-conspirators with multiple kilograms of cocaine.
United States District Judge Timothy M. Cain sentenced Paz-Rodriguez to 120 months imprisonment, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and Greenville County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Lea Schoen is prosecuting the case.
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Thursday 8 February 2024
법무부, 워싱턴 주 보안관 사무실과 언어 접근성 협약 체결Read the Press Release
워싱턴 법무부는 오늘 워싱턴 주, 킹 카운티 보안관 사무실(KCSO)이 1964년 민권법 제6조를 위반하여 영어 능력이 제한된 사람(LEP)을 차별했다는 의혹을 해결하기 위한 협약을 발표했다.
협약 조건에 따라, KCSO는 LEP 사용자를 위한 언어 접근성을 개선하기 위한 여러 조치를 취하기로 합의했다. 타이틀 VI는 연방 재정 지원을 받는 기관의 인종, 피부색, 출신 국가에 따른 차별(영어 능력에 따른 차별 포함)을 금지하고 있다.
법무부 민권국의 크리스틴 클라크 법무부 차관보는 "법무부는 법 집행 기관이 영어 구사 능력에 관계없이 범죄 피해자를 포함한 지역 사회의 모든 사람들을 보호하고 지원할 수 있도록 최선을 다하고 있습니다. 이번 협약으로 공공 안전이 강화되고 킹 카운티의 영어 능력이 부족한 사람들을 위한 언어 서비스 제공이 개선될 것입니다."라고 말했다.
워싱턴 서부 지역의 테사 엠. 고먼 미국 연방 검사는 "오늘 킹 카운티 보안관실과의 협약은 지역 사회의 신뢰를 구축하는 데 도움이 될 것입니다. 보안관실에 문제가 제기되자마자 해당 기관에서 언어 접근성 관련 정책을 개선해야 한다는 사실을 깨닫고 즉시 변경에 동의하게 되어 기쁘게 생각합니다."라고 말했다.
일련의 언어 접근 지원을 통한 KCSO 보안관보와 LEP를 가진 개인 간의 의사 소통을 개선하는 것을 목표로 오늘 체결한 협약은 2년간의 단계적인 실행 계획을 상세히 담고 있다. 이 협약에 따라 KCSO는 언어 접근 프로그램 관리자를 고용하고, 언어 지원을 위해 아동, 가족, 구경꾼 및 기타 자격이 없는 개인이 이용하는 것을 금지하는 임시 및 최종 지침을 개발하며, 지역 사회 구성원 및 이해 관계자와의 소통을 강화하고, 강력한 교육 프로그램을 개발하며, 접근 가능한 민원 절차를 보장하기로 합의했다.
법무부는 한 지역 사회 기반 단체가 KCSO 보안관보와 LEP 거주자 간의 사건에 대해 우려를 제기한 후 KCSO와 협력하기 시작했다. 법무부는 KCSO에 기술 지원을 제공하여 이번 협약에 이르게 되었다.
이 협약은 민권부와 미국 워싱턴 서부 지방 검찰청이 공동으로 협상한 결과이다.
이 협약은 법 집행 기관이 일상 업무에서 언어 장벽을 극복할 수 있도록 지원하기 위한 전국적인 노력인 법무부의 법 집행 언어 접근 이니셔티브(LELAI)의 일환이다. 민권국이 미국 검찰청과 협력하여 주도하는 이 계획은 기술 지원 자원과 도구를 제공한다. 이 두 가지를 제공함으로써, 주 및 지역 법 집행 기관이 LEP를 가진 개인에게 의미 있는 언어 접근을 지원한다. 이 계획의 목적은 언어 접근 정책, 계획 및 교육을 검토, 업데이트
및/또는 강화하려는 법 집행 기관을 적극적으로 참여시키고, 법 집행기관과 LEP 지역 사회 이해 관계자 및 LEP 인구 간의 연결을 강화하기 위함이다.
민권국 웹사이트 www.justice.gov/crt에서 민권국에 대한 추가 정보를 확인할 수 있으며, 제한된 영어 능력 및 타이틀 VI에 대한 정보는 www.lep.gov에서 확인할 수 있다. LELAI에 대한 자세한 정보는 www.lep.gov/law-enforcement에서 확인할 수 있다. 일반인은 civilrights.justice.gov/report/에서 민권 침해 가능성을 신고할 수 있다.
司法部与华盛顿州警长办公室达成语言协助协议Read the Press Release
司法部今天宣布达成一项协议，撤销针对华盛顿金县治安官办公室 (KCSO) 歧视英语水平有限 (LEP) 人士的指控。该办公室被指控违反了 1964
年《民权法案》第六章。
根据协议条款，KCSO 同意采取一系列措施来改善 LEP
个人的语言使用能力。第六章禁止接受在联邦财政援助的实体中出现基于种族、肤色和国
籍的歧视（包括基于英语水平的歧视）。
司法部民事部门助理总检察长克里斯汀·克拉克(Kristen Clarke)
表示：“司法部致力确保执法机构能够保护和服务社区中的所有人，包括犯罪受害者，无论他们是否能够流利地说英语。”“这项和解协议将增强公共安全，并改善为金县（King County）英语水平有限的人们提供的语言服务。”
“今天与金县治安官办公室达成的协议有助建立社区信任，”华盛顿西区联邦检察官泰莎· M·戈尔曼表示。“当问题上报到治安官办公室后，KCSO
便意识到自己必须改善语言协助方面的政策，并马上同意做出改变。对此我感到很高兴。”
本日达成的协议详细介绍了一项为期两年的计划，该计划将分阶段提供一系列语言协助支持，以改善 KCSO 代表与 LEP 个人之间的沟通。根据协议，KCSO
同意聘请一名语言协助项目经理，并制定临时和最终指令，禁止儿童、家庭、旁观者和其他不合格的个人提供语言援助。此外，KCSO佳将会与社区成员和利益相关者进行外展活动，同时制定健全的培训计划，并确保建立无障碍投诉流程。
在收到一个社区组织对 KCSO 专员与 LEP
居民之间发生的事件表示担忧后，司法部开始与 KCSO 接触。司法部向 KCSO
提供了技术援助，最终达成了这项和解协议。
本次协议是由民权部门和美国华盛顿西区检察官办公室共同谈判达成。该协议是该部门执法机构语言通达倡议 (LELAI)
的一部分。该计划是一项全国性行动，旨在协助执法机构克服日常工作中可能遇到的语言障碍。该计划由民权部门与美国检察官办公室合作牵头，提供 技术援助资源 和
工具，帮助州和地方执法部门为 LEP
个人提供有意义的语言协助，并积极吸引那些希望审查、更新和/或加强其语言协助政策
、计划和培训的执法机构，同时加强执法机构与 LEP 社区利益相关者和LEP
人群之间的联系。
有关民权部门的更多信息，请访问： www.justice.gov/crt 。有关英语水平有限和第六章的信息，请访问：www.lep.gov。有关 LELAI 的更多信息，请访问 www.lep.gov/law- enforcement。如果需要举报可能侵犯公民权利的行为，请访问： civilrights.justice.gov/repo rt/。
Министерство юстиции США заключило соглашение о языковом доступе с Управлением шерифа в штате ВашингтонRead the Press Release
Сегодня Министерство юстиции США объявило о заключении соглашения об урегулировании обвинений в том, что Управление шерифа округа Кинг, штат Вашингтон (KCSO), дискриминировало лиц с ограниченным знанием английского языка (LEP) в нарушение раздела VI Закона о гражданских правах 1964 года.
По условиям соглашения, KCSO согласилось предпринять ряд шагов для улучшения языкового доступа для лиц с ограниченным знанием английского языка (LEP). Раздел VI запрещает дискриминацию по признаку расы, цвета кожи и национального происхождения (включая дискриминацию по признаку владения английским языком) организациям, получающим федеральную финансовую помощь.
«Министерство юстиции США стремится к тому, чтобы наши правоохранительные органы могли защищать и обслуживать всех лиц в их местных сообществах, включая жертв преступлений, независимо от их способности свободно говорить по-английски», — заявила помощник Генерального прокурора США Кристен Кларк (Kristen Clarke) из отдела по гражданским правам Министерства юстиции США. «Это соглашение повысит уровень общественной безопасности и улучшит предоставление языковых услуг лицам с ограниченным знанием английского языка в округе Кинг».
«Сегодняшнее соглашение с Управлением шерифа округа Кинг способствует укреплению доверия в обществе», — отметила Прокурор США по Западному округу штата Вашингтона Тесса М. Горман (Tessa M. Gorman). «Я удовлетворена тем, что, как только проблема была представлена Управлению шерифа, ведомство осознало, что ему необходимо усовершенствовать политику в области языкового доступа, и сразу же согласилось внести изменения.»
Сегодняшнее соглашение предусматривает двухлетний план поэтапного внедрения ряда средств языковой поддержки для улучшения общения между сотрудниками KCSO и лицами с ограниченным уровнем владения английским языком. В рамках этого соглашения KCSO обязалось нанять менеджера программы по обеспечению языкового доступа; разработать промежуточные и окончательные директивы, запрещающие использовать для оказания языковой помощи работу детей, членов семьи, посторонних лиц и других неквалифицированных лиц; провести разъяснительную работу с членами сообщества и заинтересованными сторонами; разработать эффективную программу обучения и обеспечить доступный процесс рассмотрения жалоб.
Министерство юстиции США начало взаимодействовать с KCSO после того, как общественная организация выразила обеспокоенность по поводу инцидента между помощником шерифа KCSO и жителем с ограниченным уровнем владения английским языком. Министерство юстиции США оказало техническую помощь KCSO, в результате чего было заключено мировое соглашение.
Это соглашение было заключено совместно Отделом по гражданским правам и Прокуратурой США по Западному округу штата Вашингтон.
Соглашение является частью Инициативы по обеспечению языкового доступа в правоохранительных органах (LELAI), общенациональной инициативы по оказанию помощи правоохранительным органам в преодолении языковых барьеров в их повседневной работе. Эта инициатива, возглавляемая Отделом по гражданским правам в партнерстве с Прокуратурами США, предоставляет ресурсы технической помощи и инструменты, которые могут помочь штатным и местным правоохранительным органам обеспечить полноценный языковой доступ для лиц с ограниченным уровнем владения английским языком, привлекает правоохранительные органы, которые хотят пересмотреть, обновить и/или укрепить свою политику, планы и обучение в области языкового доступа, а также укрепляет связь между правоохранительными органами и заинтересованными лицами из сообщества лиц с ограниченным уровнем владения английским языком и населением с ограниченным уровнем владения английским языком.
Дополнительную информацию об Отделе по гражданским правам можно найти на его веб-сайте www.justice.gov/crt, а информацию об ограниченном владении английским языком и разделе VI: www.lep.gov. Дополнительная информация об инициативе LELAI выложена по ссылке: www.lep.gov/law-enforcement. Представители общественности могут сообщить о возможных нарушениях гражданских прав по следующей ссылке: civilrights.justice.gov/report/.
Бывший Президент Компании Lerner Group Признает Свою Вину По Обвинению В Мошенничестве В Отношении КлиентовRead the Press Release
Ранее сегодня в федеральном суде Бруклина Марат Лернер [Marat Lerner], бывший президент компании, занимающейся оказанием услуг по облегчению бремени задолженности, признал себя виновным по одному пункту обвинения в заговоре с целью совершения мошенничества с использованием электронных средств и по одному пункту обвинения в совершении мошенничества с использованием электронных средств в период досудебного освобождения. Лернер признал, что он обманывал своих жертв и украл денежные средства, которые они намеревались использовать для погашения ипотечных кредитов. Судебное слушание проходило перед окружным судьей США Николасом Гарауфисом [Nicholas G. Garaufis]. При вынесении приговора Лернеру грозит максимальное наказание в виде 50 лет тюремного заключения. Лернер также согласился выплатить 2 554 217,11 долларов в качестве компенсации. Обвинение было предъявлено ему в январе 2023 года.
Бреон Пис [Breon Peace], прокурор США по Восточному округу Нью-Йорка, Джеймс Смит [James Smith], помощник директора Федерального бюро расследований (FBI) в Региональном управлении Нью-Йорка, и Томас Фатторуссо [Thomas Fattorusso], руководящий специальный агент в Региональном управлении Нью-Йорка (Налоговое управление США – Отдел расследований по уголовным делам), объявили о признании обвиняемым своей вины.
«Как сегодня признал обвиняемый, Марат Лернер превращал американскую мечту своих жертв в настоящий кошмар, давая ложные обещания об облегчении бремени задолженности по ипотечным кредитам, а на самом деле занимаясь хищением их с трудом заработанных сбережений ради собственной выгоды, — заявил прокурор США Пис. — Прокуратура продолжит защищать сообщества иммигрантов от преступников, использующих свое доверительное положение для совершения мошенничества против них и хищения их денежных средств».
«Марат Лернер действовал в качестве подпольного посредника в своем местном сообществе, но вместо добросовестного выполнения своих обязательств путем выплаты ипотечных кредитов он незаконно присвоил деньги своих ничего не подозревающих жертв, чтобы жить в роскоши. Это было не просто мошенничество с денежными средствами; эти мошеннические действия затронули дома и семьи в его сообществе. Лица, ставшие жертвами обмана Лернера, не смогли выплатить свои ипотечные платежи, а некоторые столкнулись с лишением права собственности за просроченные задолженности. Сегодняшнее признание ответчиком своей вины и согласованное возмещение ущерба — это лишь один шаг на пути обеспечения полной справедливости для жертв его преступлений, а следующий шагом будет вынесение приговора».
Согласно судебным документам и фактам, представленным в ходе слушания о признании вины, Лернер был владельцем Lerner Group, компании, заявлявшей, что она предоставляет услуги по облегчению бремени задолженности, включая изменение ипотечных кредитов, главным образом, в сообществах иммигрантов из Восточной Европы в Бруклине. Многие из жертв, обманутые ответчиком, уже испытывали финансовые затруднения и специально обратились за помощью к Лернеру в надежде на снижение ежемесячных выплат по ипотечным кредитам. Лернер, в свою очередь, обещал им, что он поможет им снизить ежемесячные выплаты по ипотечным кредитам, работая с их ипотечными кредиторами с целью изменения ипотечного кредита или получения федеральной помощи домовладельцам. Для совершения мошенничества Лернер давал указания жертвам о том, что ему необходим доступ к их банковским счетам для прямого перевода платежей в ипотечные банки от их имени; он также заявлял, что платежи будут адресованы либо распорядителю условного депозита, который будет удерживать денежные средства до тех пор, пока их ипотечные кредиты не будут изменены, либо организациям, аффилированным с их ипотечными кредиторами. Лернер также давал указания жертвам не связываться напрямую со своими ипотечными кредиторами, поскольку он будет выступать в качестве связующего звена между ними и их кредиторами.
На самом же деле Лернер украл у потерпевших более 2,5 миллионов долларов — деньги, которые они намеревались использовать для выплаты своих ипотечных кредитов. Как только Лернер получил доступ к банковским счетам потерпевших, он перевел денежные средства с их счетов в подконтрольные ему компании и/или банковские счета. Лернер удержал большую часть денежных средства жертв, тратя их на личные и деловые расходы, включая автомобиль BMW, предметы роскоши и дорогую еду. С целью скрытия фактов мошенничества Лернер давал указания жертвам игнорировать уведомления от их ипотечных кредиторов о просроченных платежах и задолженностях.
В январе 2023 года большое жюри федерального суда Восточного округа Нью-Йорка предъявило Лернеру обвинение и арестовало его в связи с вышеуказанным мошенничеством. Во исполнение постановления Окружного суда США Восточного округа Нью-Йорка Лернер был освобожден под залог и, помимо прочего, получил указание не совершать дополнительных преступлений. Однако Лернер продолжил хищение средств у потерпевших даже после того, как был арестован ранее за те же преступные деяния. После ареста по этому делу, в период с января 2023 года по май 2023 года, Лернер украл у потерпевших не менее 10 тысяч долларов. Впоследствии постановление об освобождении Лернера под залог было отменено.
В результате многолетнего мошенничества Лернера ипотечные кредиторы возбудили дело о взыскании задолженности в отношении нескольких потерпевших. В рамках своего признания вины Лернер согласился выплатить потерпевшим около 2 554 217,11 долларов в качестве компенсации.
Государственное обвинение находится в ведении Отдела по борьбе с мошенничеством в сфере бизнеса и ценных бумаг Прокуратуры США. За уголовное преследование отвечают помощники прокурора США Николас Аксельрод [Nicholas Axelrod] и Дженни Нгай [Genny Ngai] при содействии помощника юриста Джейкоба Менца [Jacob Menz].
Ответчик:
МАРАТ ЛЕРНЕР
Возраст: 41
Бруклин, Нью-Йорк№ дела E.D.N.Y. 23-CR-15 (NGG)
West Michigan Man Charged with Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Richard Anthony Reyna Densmore, a/k/a “Rabid,” Claims Affiliation With Sadistic Child Abuse And Extortion Network
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Richard Anthony Reyna Densmore, 47, of Kaleva, with sexual exploitation of a child, conspiracy to sexually exploit a child, coercion and enticement, and possession of child pornography. Evidence introduced at the detention hearing alleged the defendant encouraged his victims to commit sadistic acts, i.e., acts of self-harm for the sexual gratification of the defendant.
“As the allegations in this case demonstrate, the online threats to our children and teenagers evolve and grow every day,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “Perpetrators can reach kids anywhere, anytime, with devastating effects on our families and communities. My office will do everything in its power to stop this menace and I strongly urge parents, guardians, and anyone who uses a device to be aware and protect themselves.”
Based on evidence presented at a February 5, 2024 detention hearing, the government alleged that Densmore, under the username “Rabid,” was involved in creating a chat room on Discord called “Sewer.” One purpose of the “Sewer” server was to stream minors engaging in self-harm and sexually explicit conduct. One example of such self-harm content is “cutting” or “fansigning,” in which someone writes or cuts, into their skin, another’s online username. The government alleges that Densmore was involved in soliciting minors to engage in such conduct and kept related images and videos on his phones.
The sexual exploitation offenses each carry a sentence of between 15 and 30 years’ imprisonment. The coercion and enticement offense carries a sentence of 10 years to life in prison. Possession of child pornography carries a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment.
During the detention hearing, the government introduced evidence of Densmore’s affiliation with an online network called “764” and related subgroups. In September 2023, the FBI issued a public service announcement regarding these groups. According to the FBI, these groups target minors; particularly, marginalized children and children experiencing mental health challenges. Prospective members gain access to associated online platforms by livestreaming or uploading videos of minor victims engaging in self-harm and sexually explicit conduct, among other things. Group members use that content to extort additional self-harm and sexually explicit content from victims.
“We would like to thank the Manistee County Sheriff's Office and our partners on the FBI’s West Michigan Based Child Exploitation Task Force (WEBCHEX) for their efforts in working to stop further harm against our most vulnerable members of our society, our children,” said Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of the FBI in Michigan. “The FBI encourages families and caregivers to have open and honest conversations with the young people in their life about online exploitation and related risks, including web-based predators, identity thieves, cyberbullies, sextortion, and more. To report online child sexual exploitation, please 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 FBI and other law enforcement agencies."
U.S. Attorney Mark Totten advised that parents should look for unexpected packages, as members of these abuse and extortion networks are known to send children razor blades, sexual devices, and other materials to use in creating online content. The FBI further advised the public to take a number of precautionary steps, including:
- Looking for fresh cuts, bruises, wounds, and scars in unusual patterns;
- Looking for sudden behavior and appearance changes;
- Being attentive to children wearing long sleeves or pants in unusual circumstances;
- Monitoring children’s online activity and discussing the risks of sharing information and content; and
- Running frequent online searches of family and children’s information to help identify and prevent the spread of personal information on the internet.
If you are worried about someone who might be self-harming or is at risk of suicide, please consult a health care professional or call 911 in the event of an immediate, life-threatening emergency.
The FBI is investigating this case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Townshend is prosecuting it.
The charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Waaxda Caddaaladdu waxay Heshiis Helitaan Luuqadeed La Gashay Xafiiska Sheriff ee Gobolka WashingtonRead the Press Release
Waaxda Caddaaladda ayaa maanta ku dhawaaqday heshiis lagu xallinayo eedeymaha sheegaya in Xafiiska Sheriff ee Degmada King ee Washington (KCSO) uu takooray dadka aqoontooda Ingiriisiga ay xaddidan tahay (LEP), taasoo xadgudub ku ah Qodobka VI ee Xeerka Xuquuqda Madaniga ee 1964.
Sida uu dhigayo xeerka heshiiska, KCSO waxay ogolaatay inay qaado tallaabooyin dhowr ah oo lagu wanaajinayo helitaanka luqadda ee shakhsiyaadka ah LEP. Qodobka VI waxa uu mamnuucayaa takoorka ku salaysan isirka, midabka iyo asalka qaranka (ay ku jirto takoorida ku salaysan aqoonta Ingiriisiga) ee ay sameeyaan hay'adaha hela kaalmada maaliyadeed ee federaalka.
“Waaxda Cadaaladda waxaa ka go'an in ay hubiso in hay'adahayada sharci fulinta ay awoodaan in ay ilaaliyaan oo ay u adeegaan dhammaan dadka ku nool bulshadooda, oo ay ku jiraan dhibanayaasha dambiyada, iyada oo aan loo eegin awoodda ay u leeyihiin in ay si fiican ugu hadlaan Ingiriisiga,” ayuu yiri Kaaliyaha Xeer Ilaaliyaha Guud Kristen Clarke oo ka tirsan Waaxda Caddaaladda Qaybta Xuquuqda Madaniga. “Heshiiskan xalintu waxa uu wanaajin doonaa badqabka dadwaynaha, wuxuuna wanaajin doonaa bixinta adeegyada luqadda ee dadka aan ku hadlin luuqadda Ingiriisiga ee ku nool Degmada King.”
“Heshiiska maanta lala galay Xafiiska Sheriff ee Degmada King wuxuu gacan ka gaysanayaa dhisitaanka kalsoonida bulshada,” ayuu yiri Xeer Ilaaliyaha Mareykanka Tessa M. Gorman ee Western District of Washington. “Waan ku faraxsanahay in isla markii dhibaatada loo soo bandhigay Xafiiska Sheriff, ay wakaaladu ogaatay inay tahay in ay hagaajiso siyaasadaha ku saabsan helitaanka luqadda waxayna isla markiiba ogolaatay inay isbeddel sameyso.”
Heshiiska maanta ayaa faahfaahinaya qorshe laba sano ah oo lagu wajihi doono taageerooyin xiriir ah oo luuqadeed si loo horumariyo xiriirka ka dhexeeya ku xigeennada KCSO iyo shaqsiyaadka ah LEP. Sida ku cad heshiiska, KCSO waxay ogolaatay inay shaqaalaysiiso maamulaha barnaamijka helitaanka luqadda; dhisidda amarro ku meel gaadh ah iyo kuwa kama dambaysta ah ee mamnuucaya u adeegsiga carruurta, qoyska, dadka qalaad iyo shakhsiyaadka kale ee aan u qalmin bixinta adeegyada luqadda; la xiriiridda xubnaha bulshada iyo daneeyayaasha; dhisidda barnaamij tababar oo balaaran iyo hubinta habraac cabasho oo la heli karo.
Waaxda cadaaladda ayaa bilowday la shaqeynta KCSO kadib markii urur bulshada ku salaysan uu soo saaray walaacyo ku saabsan dhacdo dhexmartay ku xigeenka KCSO iyo degane ah LEP. Waaxda cadaaladda ayaa caawimo farsamo siisay KCSO, taas oo keentay in heshiiskan la dejiyo.
Heshiiskan waxaa si wadajir ah uga wada gorgortamay Qaybta Xuquuqda Madaniga ah iyo Xafiiska Xeer Ilaaliyaha Maraykanka ee Western District of Washington.
Heshiisku waa qayb ka mid ah Hindisaha Sharci-Fulinta ee Helitaanka Luuqadda ee waaxda (LELAI), dadaal qaranka oo dhan ah oo lagu caawinayo hay'adaha fulinta sharciga si ay uga gudbaan caqabadaha luqadda ee shaqadooda maalinlaha ah. Hindisaha, oo ay hogaaminayso Qaybta Xuquuqda Madaniga ah iyada oo lala kaashanayo Xafiisyada Xeer Ilaaliyaha Mareykanka, waxay bixisaa khayraadyada kaalmada farsamada iyo agabyada ka caawin kara fulinta sharciga gobolka iyo deegaanka inay si macno leh luqad u helaan shaqsiyaadka ah LEP, waxay si cad ula hawlgalaan hay'adaha fulinta sharciga ee doonaya dib-u-eegista, cusboonaysiinta iyo/ama xoojinta siyaasadoodda helidda luuqadooda, qorshayaashooda iyo tababaradooda waxayna xoojiyaan xiriirka ka dhexeeya wakaaladaha fulinta sharciga iyo daneeyayaasha bulshada LEP iyo dadka LEP.
Macluumaad dheeraad ah oo ku saabsan Qaybta Xuquuqda Madaniga ah ayaa laga heli karaa mareegteeda oo ah www.justice.gov/crt iyadoo macluumaadka ku saabsan aqoonta Ingiriisiga xaddidan iyo Qodobka VI laga heli karo www.lep.gov. Macluumaad dheeraad ah oo ku saabsan LELAI ayaa laga heli karaa www.lep.gov/law-enforcement. Xubnaha ka tirsan ee dadweynaha waxay ku soo wargelin karaan xadgudubyada xuquuqda madaniga ee suuragalka ah barta civilrights.justice.gov/report/.
Vermillion Parish Man Sentenced to 192 Months in Federal Prison for Distribution of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Jeremy Melancon, 47, of Kaplan, Louisiana, to 192 months in federal prison following his conviction for distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The Court further sentenced Melancon to serve five years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, on June 1, 2023, Melancon met with an undercover law enforcement officer in the parking lot of a fast food restaurant and distributed at least 18 grams of crystal methamphetamine to the undercover officer. A few hours later, in the parking lot of a retail store, Melancon met the same undercover officer and distributed at least 222 grams of crystal methamphetamine to the officer.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ben Wallace.
Utah Man Charged in $2.8 Million Wire Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment, unsealed yesterday, charging a Utah man with wire fraud, making a false statement, impersonating a federal officer and aggravated identity theft.
According to the indictment, from 2018 to 2020, Santiago Garcia Gutierrez allegedly falsely promised his victim that he could acquire at discounted prices exotic cars, planes and vessels that had been seized by the U.S. government through forfeiture. Garcia allegedly promised the victim that he would transfer these luxury assets to them in exchange for earnest money payments. Garcia allegedly assured the victim that those payments would be paid to the U.S. government, but instead he kept the money. To lure his victim into participating in the scheme, on numerous occasions, Garcia allegedly contacted the victim via text message from multiple phone numbers and falsely claimed to be a confidential government informant, federal agent or Garcia’s own attorney. The indictment alleges that Garcia furthered his scheme by lying to an IRS special agent.
In total, Garcia allegedly defrauded the victim of approximately $2.8 million.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for wire fraud, five years in prison for making a false statement, three years in prison for impersonating a federal officer and two years in prison for aggravated identity theft. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins for the District of Utah made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General and the Environmental Protection Agency are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Richard M. Rolwing and Erika V. Suhr of the Justice Department’s Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
United States Attorney’s Eastern Washington COVID-19 Strike Force Announces Additional Indictments, ArrestsRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – Vanessa R. Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that a federal grand jury has returned two additional indictments in connection with fraudulent COVID-19 relief funding. The indictments are the most recent charges announced by the Eastern Washington COVID-19 Strike Force, which has brought criminal charges against dozens of individuals and companies and recovered millions of dollars in fraudulently obtained COVID relief funding.
On March 27, 2020, the President signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The CARES Act provided a number of programs through which eligible small businesses could request and obtain relief funding intended to mitigate the economic impacts of the pandemic for small and local businesses. One program, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) program, offered forgivable loans to eligible small businesses in order to retain or rehire employees who lost their jobs, or were in danger of doing so, due to the pandemic. Another program, the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, provided low interest loans that could be deferred until the conclusion of the pandemic to provide “bridge” funding for small businesses to maintain their operations during shutdowns and other economic circumstances caused by the pandemic. The PPP and EIDL programs have provided billions of dollars in aid, the vast majority of which have not been paid back, including hundreds of millions of dollars disbursed within Eastern Washington.
The Indictments announced today charge two Spokane-area individuals in two separate cases. The Indictment in United States v. Crawford charges Antonio Feliciano Crawford, age 54, of Mead, Washington, with 30 counts of wire fraud, bank fraud, and false claims arising from PPP and EIDL applications submitted during 2020 and 2021 on behalf of four companies purportedly owned and operated by Crawford: Tann LLC, Crawford Entertainment, A&M Personal Training LLC, and a sole proprietorship doing business as “Antonio Crawford.” The Indictment alleges that Crawford submitted false and fraudulent information and documentation, including fraudulent and fictitious purported tax returns for the companies, in order to obtain at least $186,971 in PPP and EIDL funding for which he was not eligible.
In United States v. Oberg, the Indictment alleges that Cheryl Lynn Oberg, age 59, of Spokane, Washington, knowingly participated in a fraud scheme and conspiracy in which Oberg obtained $150,000 in EIDL funding based on a fraudulent application submitted in the name of a periodontal business in Mississippi with which Oberg had no involvement. The Indictment alleges that, while the Mississippi-based business did exist, the application was fraudulent, was submitted without the knowledge of the business, and the EIDL funds went to Oberg, who distributed some of the funds to co-conspirators, and used the remainder to fully pay off an outstanding loan on her personal vehicle. The Indictment further alleges that Oberg lied to FBI investigators when questioned about the scheme.
“COVID-19 relief programs were designed to provide a lifeline to struggling businesses during the pandemic. Due to the number of people and businesses that requested funding, some deserving businesses were not able to obtain funding to keep their business in operation. We created the Eastern Washington COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force to hold those accountable who abused these critical programs,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “My Office will continue to lead the effort to prosecute those who stole money intended for those in legitimate need.”
In February 2022, U.S. Attorney Waldref and the U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) began working with federal law enforcement agencies to create and launch a COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force that would leverage partnerships between different agencies to aggressively investigate and prosecute fraud against COVID-19 relief programs in Eastern Washington. The Strike Force consists of agency representatives from the USAO, Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Inspector General (OIG), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Department of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs OIG, General Services Administration OIG, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) OIG, Internal Revenue Service, Department of Energy OIG, and others.
The charges against Crawford carry a maximum of up to 30 years in federal prison, while the charges against Oberg carry a 20-year maximum.
United States v. Crawford was investigated by the Eastern District of Washington COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force and by TIGTA, HSI Spokane Field Office, SBA OIG, and the Department of Homeland Security OIG, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Fruchter and Tyler H.L. Tornabene.
United States v. Oberg was investigated by the COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force and by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Spokane Resident Agency, with analytical support and assistance from SBA OIG, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jeremy J. Kelley and Devin Curda.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
United States v. Crawford: 2:24-CR-00010-TOR
United States v. Oberg: 2:24-CR-00009-TOR
Two New York Men Indicted for Visa Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two New York men previously arrested and charged in December 2023 in connection with staging armed robberies in furtherance of a visa fraud conspiracy have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston, Mass.
Rambhai Patel, 36, and Balwinder Singh, 39, were indicted on one count each of conspiracy to commit visa fraud. Patel was arrested in Seattle on Dec. 13, 2023 and remains detained pending trial. Singh was arrested in Queens, N.Y. on Dec. 13, 2023, and was released on conditions following an initial appearance on Dec. 28, 2023.
According to the charging documents, starting in March 2023, Patel and his co-conspirators, including at times Singh, set up and carried out staged armed robberies of at least nine convenience/liquor stores and fast-food restaurants across the United States, including at least five in Massachusetts. It is alleged that the purpose of the staged robberies was to allow the clerks present to claim that they were victims of a violent crime on an application for U nonimmigration status (U Visa). A U Visa is available to victims of certain crimes who have suffered mental or physical abuse and who have been helpful to law enforcement in the investigation or prosecution of criminal activity.
During the alleged staged robberies, the “robber” would threaten store clerks and/or owners with an apparent firearm before taking cash from the register and fleeing, while the interaction was captured on store surveillance video. The clerks and/or owners would then wait five or more minutes until the “robber” had escaped before calling police to report the “crime.” The “victims” are alleged to have each paid Patel to participate in the scheme. One purported victim allegedly paid $20,000 to participate as a victim in one of the staged armed robberies. In turn, Patel allegedly paid the store owners for the use of their stores for the staged robbery.
It is alleged that at least two purported victim co-conspirators submitted U Visa applications based on being victims of the staged armed robberies.
The charge of conspiracy to commit visa fraud provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern District of New York and the Western District of Washington; FBI’s New York and Seattle Field Offices; U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services; Massachusetts State Police; Worcester County District Attorney’s Office; and the Hingham, Marshfield, Randolph, Weymouth, Worcester, Upper Darby, (Pa.), West Pittston (Pa.), Louisville, (Ky.) and Bean Station (Tenn.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elianna J. Nuzum and Jessica L. Soto of the Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two Men Plead Guilty to Carjacking and RobberyRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – Today in federal court, Ray Alexander Villalba, 21, of Arizona, and Elijah Paul Titone, 25, of Muskogee plead guilty to Carjacking; Carrying and Using a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Obstructing, Delaying, and Affecting Commerce by Robbery; Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.
According to both plea agreements, on December 3, 2022, Villalba and Titone messaged a victim to meet up through a dating app. Villalba and Titone took guns, duct tape, and masks. They hid in bushes and when the victim arrived, they hit, bound, and blindfolded him. They forced the victim to turn over the keys to his vehicle. Villalba drove, while Titone rode in the back with the victim. They threatened him and his family if he did not comply with their commands. Blindfolded and bound, the victim was forced out of the car where Villablba and Titone drove off. The victim was able to break the binding and walked home. He contacted the Tulsa Police Department and reported the vehicle stolen.
During a second incident on December 6, 2022, Villalba and Titone broke into a home in Broken Arrow wearing ski masks and carrying firearms. They threatened the victim in the home and demanded marijuana. The victim did not comply and Villalba hit him in the eye with his firearm. As a result, the victim lost sight in that eye. Before leaving the home, they took his cell phone and keys.
Villalba and Titone will remain in custody awaiting sentencing. They both face multiple term of imprisonment including up to life for the firearm offenses. At sentencing, the federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Tulsa Police Department, and Broken Arrow Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth Elmore and John Brasher are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Trucking company owner pleads guilty to wire fraud related to illegally consolidating loads, overbillingRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus interstate cargo-transport trucking company owner pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to wire fraud. He illegally overbilled shippers, consolidated shipments, and caused the loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of goods shipped to destinations in Ohio like Bath and Body Works and Amazon warehouses.
Gurtej Singh, 48, admitted to covertly opening sealed truck trailers and removing goods. Singh and others illegally consolidated loads to save on delivery costs and failed to deliver many goods to their final destinations.
According to court documents, from April 2018 until December 2019, Singh was employed by Cargo Solutions Express as the manager of its warehouse on Fisher Road in Columbus. Singh later created his own transport company, owning and managing Bhullar Transport Group LLC from January 2020 until May 2022. Singh maintained a warehouse for his company on Interchange Road in Columbus.
In January 2019, Singh filed an application with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) on behalf of Bhullar and lied by stating that he did not have certain relationships with other FMCSA-regulated entities. In reality, Singh was affiliated with Cargo Solutions Express and two other trucking companies, Roadhawk Transportation and Show Time Carrier.
The trucking companies provided interstate trucking transportation for manufacturers and retailers. The shippers often paid a premium to reserve the entire truck for cargo that they did not want mixed with others’ cargo. To ensure that loads were not tampered with in transit, the shippers often added serialized plastic seals to the trailer locking mechanism and noted the serial number on the shipping documents. Receivers of the goods could then compare a trailer seal to the paperwork to ensure that the trailer had not been opened.
Singh and others charged the premium rate but opened trailers and consolidated cargo to generate higher profits. They altered the seal serial numbers and paperwork, among other tactics to hide the scheme from shippers and receivers.
For example, in December 2018, Cargo Solutions Express picked up a load in Santa Clarita, California, to be delivered to Reynoldsburg, Ohio, containing products for Bath and Body Works. The load was delivered with an intact seal, indicating that the load had not been opened in transit, but 10 pallets of products worth nearly $230,000 were missing.
When law enforcement executed a search warrant at Cargo Solutions Express warehouse in Columbus, they discovered the 10 missing pallets of Bath and Body Works lotions, along with several other pallets of goods reported stolen from multiple shipments bound for an Amazon warehouse in Groveport, Ohio.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Andrea M. Kropf, Special Agent-In-Charge, U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Midwestern Region; and Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant announced the guilty plea entered on Feb. 6 before U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorney David J. Twombly is representing the United States in this case.
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Troy Man Pleads Guilty to Unemployment Insurance FraudRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Christopher Ward, a/k/a “Reek,” age 45, of Troy, New York, pled guilty today to conspiring to defraud the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) by obtaining unemployment insurance benefits under the name of another person, including benefits funded by the federal government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge, North East Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (USDOL-OIG).
Ward admitted that he provided Carl J. DiVeglia III with the personal identifying information of another individual, which DiVeglia used to file a false claim via the NYSDOL website. Ward further admitted that as a result of the fraudulent application submitted by DiVeglia, the NYSDOL paid $15,006 in unemployment insurance benefits. As part of his plea agreement, Ward agreed to pay $15,006 in restitution to the State of New York. DiVeglia previously pled guilty to fraudulently obtaining $1.6 million in unemployment insurance benefits as part of the scheme.
Charges against Ward’s three co-defendants, his brother Todd Ward, Rocco Resciniti and Jamaine Myers, are still pending. The charges against these defendants are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Ward faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years when he is sentenced on June 27, 2024 by United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby. 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 and USDOL-OIG are investigating this case, with assistance from the NYSDOL Office of Special Investigations, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph S. Hartunian and Joshua R. Rosenthal are prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Trempealeau Man Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison for Stealing Firearms from Rockland Gun StoreRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Nehemiah Sample, 27, Trempealeau, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 2 years in federal prison for stealing firearms from a federal firearms licensee. Sample pleaded guilty to this charge on October 31, 2023.
On April 25, 2023, Sample and two other individuals broke into a gun store in Rockland, Wisconsin, and stole 41 firearms. Officers conducting surveillance later that day saw Sample driving a pickup truck and, when they tried to stop him, he fled. Officers later found the truck abandoned in La Crosse, Wisconsin, with three of the stolen handguns in a bag on the backseat. Sample fled to Arkansas, where he was found in Lake Village trying to sell firearms out of his car. When Lake Village officers attempted to arrest Sample, he fled into a scrap yard. He was eventually taken into custody and officers found a handgun on him, one abandoned in the scrap yard, and five other firearms in his vehicle. All the firearms had been stolen from the Rockland gun store.
At sentencing Judge Conley said that Sample’s decision to sell these stolen guns on the street, including to felons, was an aggravating factor that required a significant sentence.
Codefendant Mackey K. Drake pled guilty to possessing firearms as a felon on January 17, 2024. He is scheduled for sentencing on April 3, 2024. The case against codefendant Robert E. Benson remains pending and he is presumed innocent unless and until he is found guilty.
The charge against Sample was the result of an investigation conducted by the La Crosse County Sheriff’s Office, the Lake Village, Arkansas, Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan handled the prosecution.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
Ten Defendants Arrested on Federal Indictments Related to a Multi- Million Dollar Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – As a result of a law enforcement operation on February 7, 2024, 10 defendants were arrested at locations throughout Maryland and three search warrants were executed related to an alleged money laundering conspiracy involving more than $9.5 million in proceeds from fraud schemes. Law enforcement agents from the Homeland Security Investigations Mid-Atlantic El-Dorado Task Force, the Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service participated in yesterday’s searches and arrests. Additional defendants are currently fugitives.
A federal grand jury in Maryland returned two indictments last year that were unsealed upon the arrests of the defendants. The following defendants were arrested in connection with these two cases.
Case Number: 23-CR-411 (MJM)
1. Adanegbe Gift Osemwenkhae, age 38, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland;
2. Emily Gil Arias, age 26, of Silver Spring, Maryland;
3. Fatoumata Boiro, age 30, of Largo, Maryland;
4. Lakeisha Parker, age 31, of Baltimore;
5. Martin Ogisi, age 35, of Severn, Maryland;
6. Blondel Ndjouandjouaka, age 30, of Silver Spring, Maryland;
7. Kevin Colon, age 33, of Curtis Bay, Maryland; and
8. Lorena Perez Herrera, age 27, of Silver Spring, Maryland.Case Number: 23-CR-304 (MJM)
9. Yahye Sowe, a/k/a “Cash,” age 40, of Largo, Maryland; and
10. Areal El-Lovieta Harris, age 24, of Hanover, Maryland.The defendants had initial appearances yesterday in U.S. District Court in Baltimore before U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles Austin. Osemwenkhae, Ogisi, and Ndjouandjouaka consented to detention, Sowe and Boiro were detained pending detention hearings scheduled for February 9, 2024, and the remaining defendants were released on conditions under the supervision of U.S. Pretrial Services.
The indictments were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) Baltimore; Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation (“IRS-CI”), Washington, D.C. Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Nicolas Evans of the Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Inspector General (“EPA OIG”); and Special Agent in Charge Ken DeChellis, of the Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service - Cyber Field Office (“DCIS”).
According to the indictments, the defendants allegedly created and used limited liability companies and other shell businesses to open bank accounts on which the shell entities were listed as the account holders. Members of the conspiracy had signature authority for the bank accounts, at times using aliases or stolen identities. The defendants and their co-conspirators used the bank accounts to receive money obtained from the fraud victims. The victims included government agencies, organizations, and companies, such as an environmental trust, an urban redevelopment program, a medical center, a transportation and logistics company, a school district, a college, and a county government, among others. Some of the co-conspirators obtained and used forged and counterfeited identification documents, including documents bearing the names of individual identity theft victims.
As detailed in the indictments, the victims were deceived into sending money to the conspirators’ bank accounts based on false pretenses, such as being provided with false bank account information for legitimate vendor payments and false wire transfer information for legitimate transactions. After the fraudulently obtained funds were received in the bank accounts, the defendants and their co-conspirators allegedly engaged in financial transactions to conceal and disguise the nature and source of the money through cash withdrawals, the purchase of cashier’s checks, debit card transactions, and by transferring funds to other bank accounts controlled by the conspirators.
According to the indictments, the defendants obtained and used a portion of the fraud proceeds for themselves. The defendants allegedly used some of the fraud proceeds to purchase vehicles, some of which were shipped or attempted to be shipped outside the United States. As alleged in the indictment, the defendants also engaged in international financial transactions and caused fraud proceeds to be sent outside the United States.
The indictment further alleges that the defendants in case 23-CR-411 (MJM) and their co-conspirators collectively conducted and attempted to conduct financial transactions involving more than $9.5 million in fraud proceeds. The indictment in 23-CR-304 (MJM) alleges that the defendants and their co-conspirators conducted and attempted to conduct financial transactions involving more than $2 million in fraud proceeds.
If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the conspiracy and for each count of money laundering. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the HSI Mid-Atlantic El Dorado Task Force, IRS-CI, EPA-OIG, and DCIS for their work in the investigation and recognized the Anne Arundel County, Prince George’s County and Montgomery County Police Departments for their assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Gruber and Stephanie Williamson, who are prosecuting these cases. He also recognized the assistance of the Paralegal Specialist Joanna B.N. Huber.
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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Talihina Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Michael John Jones, age 40, of Talihina, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
The Indictment alleged that on January 24, 2023, Jones knowingly and intentionally possessed 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, which he intended for distribution.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, Magistrate Judge in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Jones was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorneys Michael E. Robinson and Erin Cornell represented the United States.
Taholah, Washington man sentenced to 30 months in prison for sex offense against minorRead the Press Release
Tacoma – A 21-year-old Taholah, Washington, man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 30 months in prison for abusive sexual contact in connection with the sexual assault of a teenager on the Quinault Nation reservation, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Jerimiah McCrory was arrested in July 2021, after a teen victim reported McCrory raped her after attending a gathering on the Quinault reservation. The investigation by Quinault Nation Police and the FBI revealed that other teens also had been sexually assaulted. U.S. District Judge Tiffany M. Cartwright rejected a defense request for a time-served sentence, saying the forcible rape followed an escalating pattern of the sexual abuse of others.
According to the plea agreement, the sexual assault of one teenager occurred on April 12, 2021, when McCrory and the victim were visiting a home on the Quinault Nation reservation. McCrory is a member of the Quinault Nation. McCrory admitted that he sexually assaulted the teen and pleaded guilty to abusive sexual contact in connection with that assault in October 2023. As part of the plea agreement, McCrory admitted to two other sexual assaults against teenage victims in 2019. Those facts were considered by the judge at sentencing as relevant conduct.
McCrory will be on 10 years of supervised release following prison and will be required to register as a sex offender.
The case was investigated by the Quinault Nation Police and the FBI.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys J. Tate London and Rebecca S. Cohen. Mr. London serves as a Tribal Liaison for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Washington.