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22 March 2024
Three men charged with armed robbery conspiracy targeting U.S. Postal Service mail carriersRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – Three men from the Hampton Roads area have been indicted and arrested on federal charges accusing them of planning and executing robberies of U.S. Postal Service mail carriers at gunpoint and related financial fraud.
On March 19, Ricky Damion Christopher Jones, Jr., 20, of Virginia Beach was arrested on the following charges:
Charge
Statute
Conspiracy to Interfere with Commerce by Robbery
18 U.S.C. § 1951(a)
Interference with Commerce by Robbery
18 U.S.C. §§ 1951(a) and 2
Assault of a Federal Employee with a Dangerous Weapon
18 U.S.C. §§ 111(b) and 2
Stealing Keys Adopted by the Post Office
18 U.S.C. §§ 1704 and 2
Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud
18 U.S.C. § 1349
On March 19, Samir As-sad Hurd, 23, of Chesapeake, was arrested on the following charges:
Charge
Statute
Conspiracy to Interfere with Commerce by Robbery
18 U.S.C. § 1951(a)
Interference with Commerce by Robbery
18 U.S.C. §§ 1951(a) and 2
Assault of a Federal Employee with a Dangerous Weapon
18 U.S.C. §§ 111(b) and 2
Stealing Keys Adopted by the Post Office
18 U.S.C. §§ 1704 and 2
Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud
18 U.S.C. § 1349
Possession of a Stolen Firearm
18 U.S.C. §§ 922(j) and 2
On March 20, Manray Perry, 22, of Virginia Beach was arrested on the following charges:
Charge
Statute
Conspiracy to Interfere with Commerce by Robbery
18 U.S.C. § 1951(a)
Interference with Commerce by Robbery
18 U.S.C. §§ 1951(a) and 2
Assault of a Federal Employee with a Dangerous Weapon
18 U.S.C. §§ 111(b) and 2
Stealing Keys Adopted by the Post Office
18 U.S.C. §§ 1704 and 2
According to court documents, beginning at least in April 2023 through at least July 2023, Jones, Hurd, Perry, and other co-conspirators allegedly planned and executed armed robberies of postal carriers in which the co-conspirators approached U.S. Mail Carriers, brandished a firearm, and demanded their U.S. Postal Service-issued “arrow” keys. These alleged offenses occurred in Norfolk, Hampton, and James City County, Virginia.
The following co-conspirators pleaded guilty in the earlier-charged case United States v. O’Sirus Landres Charles Ford (a/k/a Siris), et al., 4:23-cr-51, and are awaiting sentencing:
On Dec. 13, 2023, Da’Twan Watson pleaded guilty to one count of interference with commerce by robbery. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 18.
On Dec. 15, 2023, Jayden Stukes pleaded guilty to one count of interference with commerce by robbery. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 17.
On Dec. 21, 2023, O'Sirus Ford pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of, a crime of violence. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 2.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Ajay Lall, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service – Washington Division, made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The Newport News, Hampton, Williamsburg-James City County, and Virginia Beach Police Departments also assisted with the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Podlesni is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-cr-18.
Superseding Tax Indictment Against Chicago Attorney Adds Charge for Alleged Witness TamperingRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal grand jury has charged a Chicago attorney with corruptly attempting to influence the testimony of a witness in his federal tax fraud case.
MICHAEL ABRAMSON was originally indicted in 2018 on federal tax charges for allegedly filing false individual and corporate income tax returns. The original charges alleged that Abramson provided more than $1 million for personal expenses to a woman with whom he was romantically involved and then falsely characterized the funds as commissions or loans in his corporations' books and on the tax returns. Abramson was an attorney in Chicago who held ownership interests in two companies – Leasing Employment Services Co., Inc. and Eastern Advisors, Inc.
The superseding indictment returned this week in U.S. District Court in Chicago renews the prior tax charges and adds counts of witness tampering and contempt of court for Abramson’s alleged attempt to script the testimony of a witness to make it more favorable to Abramson. Abramson allegedly gave the witness a copy of her previous court testimony, on which he had made handwritten notes changing, supplementing, or otherwise scripting her answers, and told her to review it before Abramson’s trial on the tax charges, which was scheduled for Feb. 5, 2024. The witness for several years had provided bookkeeping and accounting services for Abramson’s companies.
As a result of the alleged witness tampering, Abramson’s trial was continued to July 1, 2024. Abramson’s bond was also revoked and he was remanded into federal custody pending trial.
Abramson, 74, of Wilmette, Ill., will be arraigned on the superseding indictment on March 28, 2024, at 9:30 a.m., before U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Kendall.
The superseding indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Justin Campbell, Special Agent-in-Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Chicago Field Office. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard M. Rothblatt and Misty N. Wright.
The public is reminded that charges are not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Abramson superseding indictmentSuperseding Indictment Adds New Charges for Viva Grocery Store Owner and Adds New Defendants in Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned a 58-count superseding indictment Thursday adding new charges for Shahrir “Sean” Loloee, 53, of Granite Bay, and charging Sacramento residents Mirwais Shams, 36, and Ahmad “Shah” Shams, 29, for their participation in the fraud conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Loloee is the owner of the Viva Supermarkets chain of grocery stores, and Karla Montoya, 42, of Sacramento, is the general manager. Mirwais Shams was the controller and financial auditor of the Viva Supermarkets, and Ahmad Shams held various positions, including as the human resources director.
In December 2023, Loloee and Montoya were charged in the original indictment with conspiracy, obstruction of Department of Labor proceedings, and possession and use of false immigration documents. They are alleged to have employed a labor force with many workers who lacked employment authorization, to have reduced labor costs through unlawful means including by failing to pay overtime wages, and to have obstructed Department of Labor investigations into their employment practices. Loloee was additionally charged with falsification of records and a pandemic relief fraud scheme.
Thursday’s superseding indictment additionally charges Loloee with conspiracy to defraud the IRS, willful failure to collect or pay over withheld taxes, three counts of filing a false tax return, and three counts of money laundering. Mirwais Shams and Ahmad Shams are each charged with conspiracy to defraud the IRS and two counts of filing a false tax return. Ahmad Shams is additionally charged with two counts of perjury. According to court documents, beginning in November 2017, Mirwais Shams and Ahmad Shams used various methods to manipulate employee time data to lower Loloee’s on-the-books payroll, overtime pay, the federal payroll tax obligation, and the labor costs overall. At the direction of Loloee, Mirwais Shams and Ahmad Shams modified the number of hours of Viva Supermarkets employees recorded on the time clock in tens of thousands of instances, representing a significant percentage of all punch-clock recorded worker time. This deprived employees of overtime pay and deprived the IRS of the payroll tax obligation that Loloee would bear if true hours were reported. Loloee and both Shams also filed their own false tax returns that underreported their own income, and Ahmad Shams is charged with two counts of lying to a federal grand jury about taxes and off-the-books payments.
The superseding indictment further charges Loloee with three counts for money laundering fraudulently obtained COVID-19 pandemic relief funds. According to court documents, in May 2021 Loloee fraudulently applied for $2.2 million in COVID-19 relief from the Restaurant Revitalization Fund program (RRF) and received $1.2 million. After receiving the $1.2 million, Loloee initiated the laundering of funds with 10 checks all bearing the same issue date of June 18, 2021, moving the money through multiple accounts that he controlled. Loloee completed the laundering with three bank transfers that moved $949,900 into a trust account in the name of one of his family members.
This case is the product of an investigation by the IRS Criminal Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Audrey B. Hemesath, Matthew Thuesen, and Kevin Khasigian are prosecuting the case.
This case was investigated with the assistance of the Tax Recovery in the Underground Economy (TRUE) Task Force includes the California Department of Justice, the California Employment Development Department, the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, the Franchise Tax Board, the IRS Criminal Investigation and HSI. The TRUE Task Force was created to ensure multi-agency collaboration and to combat wage theft, tax evasion, and other crimes in the underground economy.
If convicted, the defendants face these maximum sentences for each count of the following charges: five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for conspiracy to defraud the Department of Labor, to commit immigration document fraud, and to obstruct justice; 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for conspiracy to defraud the IRS; 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for possession of false immigration documents; five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for possession, acceptance and receipt of false immigration documents; 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for obstruction of agency proceeding; 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for falsification of records; five years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000 for willful failure to collect or pay over tax; three years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000 for a false tax return; 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for wire fraud; 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000 for money laundering; and five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for perjury.
Any sentence, however, would 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. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
loloee_superseding_indictment.pdfSt. Louis Man Who Killed a Woman During Two Carjackings Sentenced to 40 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge John A. Ross on Thursday sentenced a man from St. Louis, Missouri to 40 years in prison for killing a woman during one carjacking and shooting another woman during a carjacking a few weeks later.
Loyse Dozier, 21, fatally shot Laruth Jones on July 10, 2022, while stealing her Mercedes CLA 250. Jones had just parked at the Raqqa Mart at 352 Chambers Road, in Riverview, in St. Louis County. She was standing near the store’s entrance when she saw Dozier, who was wearing a full-face mask, get into her car. She confronted Dozier with her own pistol. During the resulting exchange of gunfire, Dozier fatally shot Jones. Before leaving in the stolen Mercedes, Dozier got out and stole Jones’ gun. He later set her car on fire in an alley in St. Louis.
On Aug. 1, 2022, Dozier shot another woman while trying to steal her car from a Walgreens at 1400 North Grand Boulevard in St. Louis. A masked Dozier walked onto the parking lot, opened the door of the victim’s Kia Optima and ordered her out. The victim got out and handed her keys to Dozier, who shot her twice with Jones’ stolen gun before getting in the Kia. An off-duty Florissant Police Department officer, who was working as a security guard inside the Walgreens, ran outside after the shooting and scared Dozier away. Dozier left his phone behind in the Kia.
Nine days later, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers spotted Dozier at a gas station at West Florissant and Adelaide Avenues. He ran, discarding the gun he’d stolen from Jones and a bag containing 5.76 grams of fentanyl. Dozier had cocaine base in 25 plastic baggies in his pocket when he was arrested. He is also a convicted felon and is barred from possessing a firearm.
At Thursday’s sentencing hearing, the surviving carjacking victim spoke of the impact of Dozier’s crimes, as did Jones’ sister.
Dozier pleaded guilty in December to four felonies: carjacking resulting in death, attempted carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury, being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Martin prosecuted the case.
Springfield Man Indicted for Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Springfield man was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury in Springfield for unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition.
Robbie Delgado, 25, was indicted on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Delgado will make an initial appearance in federal court in Springfield later today.
According to the indictment, on Feb. 8, 2024, Delgado allegedly possessed a Baretta .380 caliber semi-automatic handgun after being convicted of a felony.
The charge of possession of the firearm by a previously convicted felon provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Brian A. Kyes, United States Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Springfield Police Commissioner Cheryl Clapprood made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd E. Newhouse of the Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
South Louisiana Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Aggravated Identify TheftRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. - United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Joshua Dunbar, 24, of St. Martinville, Louisiana, and Jaqualyne Etienne, 24, of Lafayette, have both been sentenced by United States District Judge David C. Joseph for aggravated identity theft.
Dunbar was sentenced to two years in prison, followed by one year of supervised release. Etienne was previously sentenced on February 27, 2024, to two years in prison, followed by one year of supervised release. Dunbar and Etienne each pleaded guilty to one count of committing aggravated identify theft.
A federal investigation revealed that Dunbar and Etienne were involved in a scheme to use the personal identifying information (PII) of individuals to obtain the credit card accounts maintained by Synchrony Bank. Dunbar and Etienne used the PII of those individuals to request that a new credit card be issued for each of those accounts and sent to addresses in St. Martinville and New Iberia. Dunbar and Etienne then used those credit cards to make several fraudulent purchases.
Dunbar admitted at his guilty plea hearing that as a result of this fraudulent activity, he charged $66,421.43 using credit cards issued by Synchrony Bank and Etienne fraudulently charged $164,437.66 to those credit cards. Both defendants admitted to using the same method to acquire numerous credit cards from Synchrony Bank in the names of other real individuals and in each case, made fraudulent purchases.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Craig R. Bordelon.
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South Carolina Man Facing Federal Charges for Murder of NMSP OfficerRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Jaremy Smith has been charged by federal prosecutors for the murder of New Mexico State Police Officer Justin Hare. Smith, 33, of South Carolina, made his initial appearance today in federal court, where a detention hearing was scheduled for March 26, 2024.
Charges were announced at a press conference today. U.S. Attorney Uballez and Attorney General Torrez were joined by New Mexico Department of Safety Cabinet Secretary Jason R. Bowie, New Mexico State Police Deputy Chief Carolyn Huynh and Deputy Chief Matt Broom, Bernalillo County Undersheriff Johan Jareno and 2nd Judicial District Attorney Sam Bregman.
“We are one community, and the loss of one is a loss to us all,” said U.S. Attorney Uballez. “Never forget that this tragedy was bookended by hope—by strangers doing the right thing for people they’ve never met. Thank you to New Mexico State Police, Quay County Sherriff’s Office, the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, and all our local partners for their tireless work this week. Your partners in federal law enforcement stand with you today and always.”
"We stand side-by-side with our federal and law enforcement partners to bring the fullest measure of justice to Officer Hare and his family,” said AG Torrez. “We will commit every resource available to this prosecution and hold Mr. Jaremy Smith accountable for his reprehensible actions."
The federal criminal complaint charges Smith with carjacking resulting in death and discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. If convicted of the current charges, Smith faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in federal prison for the firearms offense. The more-serious charge of carjacking resulting in death carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment or death.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, in the early morning of March 15, 2024, New Mexico State Police Officer Justin Hare stopped to assist a disabled motorist. The motorist (later identified as Smith) exited the driver’s side of the car and approached the passenger window of Hare’s patrol car. Hare did not exit the patrol vehicle as he talked to Smith. After a short discussion, Hare asked Smith to walk to the front of the patrol vehicle. Instead, Smith shot Hare, who slumped to the right in the driver’s seat.
Smith then moved to the driver’s side of the patrol vehicle and shot Hare two additional times. SMITH then drove away with Hare still inside the vehicle. At some point, the vehicles distress system was activated and in response backup units were activated. Responding officers subsequently located Hare’s patrol vehicle near mile marker 304 on the north frontage road of I-40. Hare was found nearby with multiple gunshot wounds to the head and neck. He was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.
Local and federal enforcement immediately launched a large, coordinated effort across multiple jurisdictions to locate Smith, and his name and photograph were widely disseminated by media news outlets.
On March 17, 2024, Smith went to a gas station in Albuquerque. The clerk checked Smith’s identification card and recognized the distinct spelling of his name. The clerk contacted law enforcement, and Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) deputies and NMSP officers responded to the area to investigate.
Officers located Smith, and he attempted to flee on foot. BCSO deputies pursued Smith, who reached for his waistband as officers closed in. At that point, BCSO officers fired their duty weapons, striking Smith, who was subsequently taken into custody and rendered medical aid.
Officers later determined that Smith had stolen a white flat-bed truck from the area of Cuervo, New Mexico.
“I am grateful for all the assistance and support my agency has received from our local and federal law enforcement partners in bringing the man accused of killing Officer Justin Hare to justice”, said Troy Weisler, Chief of the New Mexico State Police. “With the help of the Albuquerque office of the FBI, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the Attorney General, we will work together to see this case through. Our hearts continue to go out to the family and friends of Officer Hare, and we hope that the capture and prosecution of Smith will bring them closer to peace and closure.”
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office and New Mexico State Police investigated this case with assistance from the Tenth Judicial District Attorney’s Office and the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. States Attorneys Paul Mysliwiec and Jack Burkhead are prosecuting the case.
View the Criminal ComplaintA criminal complaint 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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Schenectady Man Sentenced to 132 Months for Cocaine, Marijuana and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jeffrey C. Civitello Jr., age 24, of Schenectady, New York, was sentenced today to a total of 132 months and a day in prison for conspiring to traffic more than 5 kilograms of cocaine and more than 100 kilograms of marijuana, and to possessing two firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, made the announcement.
In previously pleading guilty to marijuana and firearms offenses, Civitello Jr. admitted that from 2019 to 2021, he worked with others to acquire and sell more than 100 kilograms of marijuana. On October 21, 2021, the DEA executed a federal search warrant on Civitello’s penthouse apartment residence in Schenectady. Investigators located approximately 75 pounds of marijuana, mostly packaged in 1-pound bags, which Civitello Jr. intended to sell. Additionally, they found $407,545 in cash and a 14-karat Miami Cuban chain, all of which were proceeds of drug trafficking.
In Civitello Jr.’s bedroom, investigators located a loaded Taurus Judge Public Defender revolver and a Smith and Wesson M&P 15-22 rifle loaded with a high-capacity magazine containing numerous .22 caliber rounds, including a round in the chamber. Civitello Jr. admitted that he possessed these firearms to protect himself in the event that someone attempted to enter his apartment and steal his marijuana or his drug proceeds.
Additionally, Civitello Jr. was found guilty of cocaine offenses following an 8-day trial in April 2023. The trial evidence demonstrated a conspiracy to traffic about 15 kilograms of cocaine in March and April 2021, among Civitello Jr., his father Jeffrey C. Civitello, Sr., and three New York City-area men. Civitello Sr. was sentenced last year to 120 months in prison.
United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also imposed on Civitello Jr. a 5-year term of post-imprisonment supervised release. Civitello Jr. has now forfeited the $407,545 in cash found in his safe, as well as the firearms, ammunition and the Miami Cuban chain, and agreed to entry of a $250,000 money judgment against him.
These cases were investigated by the DEA’s Capital District Drug Enforcement Task Force, which includes DEA Special Agents and investigators from state and local police agencies, including the Saratoga Springs Police Department, the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, and the New York State Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Barnett and Dustin Segovia prosecuted these cases.
These cases are part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Rashad Trice, Who Killed Two-Year-Old Wynter Cole-Smith, Pleads Guilty to Kidnapping Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
Faces Mandatory Life Sentence
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Rashad Trice, 27, pled guilty to Kidnapping Resulting in Death. Trice was indicted in July 2023 for Kidnapping Resulting in Death and Kidnapping a Minor. Sentencing is scheduled to proceed at 3 p.m. on July 19, before U.S. District Court Judge Robert J. Jonker. Trice faces a mandatory life sentence.
“What happened is heart-wrenching, but today marks an important step forward as we seek justice for Wynter Cole-Smith’s family and the people of Michigan,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “I’m incredibly grateful to FBI Michigan, the Lansing Police Department, and the more than two dozen other local, state, and federal partners who came running to help.”
As part of his plea agreement attached, Trice admitted that he kidnapped two-year-old Wynter Cole-Smith from her home in Lansing, Michigan on July 2, 2023, after a dispute with her mother. Trice took Wynter and drove to an alley in Detroit where he killed her and left her body. Investigators discovered her remains three days later.
According to the initial complaint, on July 2, 2023, a woman reported to the Lansing Police Department that she had been attacked by Trice and ultimately fled her apartment to escape him. When police responded to her apartment, Trice and the woman’s daughter, Cole-Smith, were no longer present. A white Chevrolet Impala had also allegedly been stolen. On July 3, police attempted to stop the white Chevrolet Impala in St. Clair Shores and the driver attempted to flee. Police apprehended the driver, Trice, but Cole-Smith was not in the car. Cell site information showed the approximate path Trice’s phone had recently taken, which prompted law enforcement to start conducting searches for Cole-Smith in specific areas. On July 5, 2023, law enforcement found Cole-Smith’s body in Detroit. Previous press releases can be viewed below.
- Rashad Trice Trial Date Set for April 16 in Wynter Cole-Smith Case
- Trice Pleads Not Guilty During Arraignment In Wynter Cole-Smith Case
- Trice Indicted For Kidnapping Resulting In Death And Kidnapping A Minor In Wynter Cole-Smith Case
- U.S. Attorney Totten Announces Federal Charges In The Kidnapping Of 2-Year-Old Wynter Cole-Smith
“Thank you to U.S. Attorney Mark Totten and his office for bringing this case across the finish line,” said Lansing Police Chief Ellery Sosebee. “My hope is this will give Wynter’s family, friends, and all of the law enforcement partners who were and are still affected by this tragedy a sense of closure.”
“Our primary objective during this investigation and judicial proceedings was to ensure justice for Wynter Cole-Smith and her family,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “We stand in solidarity with our law enforcement partners to hold Rashad Trice accountable for his actions and bring closure to the family so they may begin to heal.”
This case was investigated by the FBI and Lansing Police Department, along with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Secret Service, Federal Air Marshal Service, Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, Michigan State Police, Michigan State University Department of Police and Public Safety, Michigan Department of Corrections, Ingham County Sheriff’s Office, Ingham County Prosecutor’s Office, Eaton County Sheriff's Office, Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, Macomb County Sheriff's Office, Detroit Police Department, Detroit Public Schools Community District Department of Public Safety, Eastpointe Police Department, St. Clair Shores Police Department, Bloomfield Hills Police Department, Dearborn Police Department, Sterling Heights Police Department, West Bloomfield Police Department, Bloomfield Police Department, Southfield Police Department, Northville Township Police Department, and Clinton Township Police Department.
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Randolph County Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Possession and Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO – A 46-year-old Archdale man was sentenced today to a total of 360 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count of possession of child pornography and one count of production of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC).
According to court records, acting on tips provided to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and other agencies, the Archdale Police Department interviewed KEVIN THOMAS FAISON on January 31, 2021. During the interview FAISON admitted to viewing and exchanging images of child pornography online. The following day, FAISON gave written consent to the search of three smartphones in his possession. On one of the phones, investigators discovered more than 300 images of child pornography, including multiple images that appeared to have been produced by FAISON. Forensic analysis of FAISON’s other phones revealed additional images of child pornography, including images produced by FAISON.
United States District Court Judge Loretta C. Biggs sentenced FAISON to a 120-month term of imprisonment for the possession of child pornography count and to a 240-month term of imprisonment for the production of child pornography count and ordered that the terms run consecutively. Upon release from prison, FAISON will be subject to lifetime supervised release. In addition, FAISON was ordered to pay restitution to victims totaling $32,500.00 and special assessments totaling $5,000.00. He pleaded guilty to one count each of possession and production of child pornography on November 9, 2022.
The case was investigated by the Archdale Police Department, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lindsey A. Freeman and JoAnna G. McFadden.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Purported Aircraft Leasing Business Pays $700,000 to Resolve Alleged Violations of FAA Safety RegulationsRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina announced today that Campbell Oil Company (“Campbell Oil”); Executive Aircraft Services, Inc. (“EAS”); Brian D. Campbell; and David Taylor Stephens have agreed to resolve allegations that they conducted illegal charter flights, contained in the March 10, 2023, Complaint filed by the United States captioned United States v. Campbell Oil Company et al., No. 7:23-CV-265 (the “Complaint”).
The settlement resolves allegations, which are more fully laid out in the Complaint, that beginning at least as early as April 2017 and through March 2019, the defendants operated more than 150 paid, passenger-carrying flights in violation of Federal Aviation Administration safety regulations.
Federal law recognizes two types of aircraft leases: “wet leases,” in which an aircraft lessor also provides crew and other services, and “dry leases,” in which an aircraft lessor provides only the aircraft. The Federal Aviation Administration requires that lessors who make aircraft available pursuant to wet leases satisfy heightened safety and certification requirements. Pilots who conduct flights pursuant to wet leases also must satisfy heightened requirements for training, testing, and competency. Federal law further requires “commercial operators”—individuals or entities that hold themselves out as willing to transport person or property for compensation—to comply with those same heightened certification and safety standards.
The settlement resolves allegations that Campbell Oil and EAS entered into “sham” dry lease agreements, which purported to lease aircraft without any pilot or other services. However, according to the Complaint, the leases were, in substance, wet leases because Campbell Oil and EAS, through their President Brian Campbell, allegedly made the aircraft available to their customers in conjunction with pilot services offered by David Stephens and other pilots with whom Defendants had relationships, all without complying with the heightened safety and certification standards mandated by law for wet leases and commercial operators. Defendants allegedly also held themselves out to the public as offering air charter services, including by paying commissions to Stephens for soliciting customers for the air charter business.
Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Defendants agreed to pay a $700,000 civil penalty. Defendants are no longer operating the aircraft leasing business that is the subject of the allegations resolved in the settlement.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina and the Federal Aviation Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Kasper represented the United States.
The United States’ factual and legal assertions are allegations only, and there has been no admission or judicial determination of liability. The civil settlement agreement is not an admission of any liability by Defendants, nor a concession by the United States that its potential claims were not well-founded.
Related court documents and information from the civil lawsuit are available on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:23-CV-265.
Physician pays $1.8M to settle False Claims Act liabilityRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A Houston-area doctor and his diagnostic facilities have agreed to pay to resolve False Claims Act (FCA) allegations regarding the submission of claims to Medicare and Medicaid that were medically unnecessary and in violation of the Physician Self-Referral Law (aka Stark Law), announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
From July 22, 2014, through July 10, 2017, Dr. Mohammad Athari, 80, Houston, and United Neurology P.A. allegedly engaged in a pattern and practice of falsely billing Medicare Part B. The claims were for services that were not reasonable or medically necessary because the patients’ diagnoses or medical records did not support them or unlicensed and untrained technicians had incorrectly or inadequately rendered them.
This settlement also resolves allegations that from Jan. 7, 2014, through Jan. 8, 2021, Athari submitted or caused the submission of false claims to Medicare by billing for diagnostic imaging procedures in violation of the Stark Law. Athari allegedly referred his neurology patients to diagnostic centers he owns (Universal MRI Baytown, Universal MRI Humble and Universal MRI Conroe) in violation of the Stark Law.
The Stark Law seeks to safeguard the integrity of the Medicare program by prohibiting physicians from referring patients to receive “designated health services” Medicare pays from entities with which the physician has a financial relationship.
“The Stark Law was enacted to ensure that a physician’s clinical judgment is not corrupted by improper financial incentives,” said Hamdani. “Similarly, physicians that bill government healthcare programs must ensure they are billing for medically necessary services and not just maximizing their own income. Our office will continue to pursue cases that will protect the integrity of government healthcare programs and safeguard taxpayer dollars while ensuring that patients receive consistent and quality care.”
“Personal financial incentives corrupt the medical decision-making process, leading to harm for patients and depletion of funds from federally funded health care programs. Physicians who fraudulently submit medically unnecessary claims prioritize profit over their duty to patients,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason E. Meadows with the Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General (DHHS-OIG). “DHHS-OIG remains steadfast in holding accountable those who prioritize personal gain over delivering legitimate medical services.”
The settlement stems from a qui tam or whistleblower complaint filed under the FCA which permits a private party to file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is United States ex rel. Lisa Parker v. Mohammad Athari M.D., et al. (4:20-cv-02056). The whistleblowers will receive 18% of the proceeds from the settlement with Athari.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas and the Texas Attorney General’s Office – Civil Medicaid Fraud Division conducted the investigation with assistance from DHHS - OIG. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Green handled the matter.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Ohio Felon Convicted of Carrying Out Series of Armed Pharmacy Robberies Throughout Western PennsylvaniaRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - After deliberating for approximately two and a half hours, on March 21, 2024, a federal jury found Abdulrahman Abdelaziz Jamea guilty of seven crimes: one count each of conspiracy to commit armed pharmacy robbery and conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances, three counts of armed pharmacy robbery, and two counts of pharmacy robbery, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Jamea, 26, formerly of Columbus, Ohio, was tried before United States Senior District Judge Arthur J. Schwab in Pittsburgh.
Evidence introduced during the four-day trial, through 19 witnesses, established that the defendant participated in a conspiracy to rob pharmacies of Schedule II controlled substances—that is, highly addictive opioids and stimulants—between September 2018 and July 2019. This conspiracy included the robberies of pharmacies in Beaver, Bridgeville, Edinboro, Erie, and the Oakland area of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. During three of the robberies, Jamea and his co-conspirators brandished a firearm to threaten the lives of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians and to intimidate them into opening the locked safes where the controlled substances were kept. Evidence also established that the defendant went on to distribute these stolen narcotics in the Columbus, Ohio, area.
Judge Schwab scheduled sentencing for July 31, 2024. The maximum penalty for the most serious offense of conviction is 25 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based on the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Jamea is currently serving a prison sentence of more than 40 years following his earlier conviction in Ohio state court for multiple counts of felonious assault with a firearm. He remains in custody pending his sentencing in the Western District of Pennsylvania.
Assistant United States Attorneys Barbara K. Doolittle and Michael R. Ball prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Pennsylvania State Police, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Erie Police Department, Edinboro Police Department, Beaver Police Department, Bridgeville Police Department, and Ohio Highway Patrol all participated in the investigation leading to the conviction of Jamea.
New Jersey man admits sexual abuse of passenger while on flight from New Jersey to BozemanRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A New Jersey man on March 21 admitted to repeatedly touching a woman who was seated next to him on a commercial flight from New Jersey to Bozeman, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
Piyush Mathew, 31, of Robbinsville Township, New Jersey, pleaded guilty to abusive sexual contact in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States as charged in an indictment. Mathew faces a maximum of two years in prison, a $250,000 fine and at least five years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. Sentencing was set for July 31 before U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Mathew was released pending further proceedings.
In court documents, the government alleged that Mathew and the victim, identified as Jane Doe, were seated next to each other on a commercial airlines flight from Newark, New Jersey, to Bozeman on Sept. 7, 2023. During the flight, Mathew, pretending to be asleep, touched Jane Doe multiple times on different parts of her body, including her thighs, fingers, arms, stomach, and breasts. Jane Doe, who was afraid of Mathew, leaned forward at one point, but Mathew then placed his hands on her side. Upon arrival in Bozeman, Jane Doe, still in fear of Mathew, hoped to alert the flight crew of Mathew’s behavior, however, Mathew stood immediately behind her for deboarding, and she felt she was unable to tell the flight crew. Jane Doe asked another male passenger, identified as C.B, whom she did not know, to pretend to be her husband’s friend and stay with her as they left the airplane. C.B. told investigators he observed Mathew lean toward Jane Doe during the flight and that Jane Doe “looked like she was about to cry” after they landed. When law enforcement approached Mathew in New Jersey and told him they were investigating an incident that occurred on the flight, Mathew responded, “Did she complain that I was touching her?”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno B. Baucus is prosecuting the case. The FBI, Gallatin Airport Authority, and Bozeman Airport Police conducted the investigation.
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Nebraska Man Sentenced to 63 Months in Federal Prison for Firearms ChargeRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Pilger, Nebraska man was sentenced March 19, 2024, to 63 months in prison for Prohibited Person in Possession of Ammunition.
According to public court documents, Nathaniel Lewis Kreikemeier, 32, was charged in a two-count Indictment, and on November 2, 2023, he pled guilty to Count Two, Prohibited Person in Possession of Ammunition.
Kreikemeier fled from an Iowa State Patrol traffic stop. After a chase that included Kreikemeier ramming through a fence gate and driving into oncoming interstate traffic, law enforcement officers were able to complete the stop. Kreikemeier attempted to flee on foot and was caught and placed in custody. A subsequent search of the vehicle located a double-barreled sawed-off shotgun, ammunition, and illegal drugs. Kreikemeier had been previously convicted of a felony and knew he was prohibited from possession of firearms and ammunition.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Kreikemeier will be required to serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Iowa State Patrol and Council Bluffs Police Department.
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.
Navajo Nation Man Sentenced to Prison for Second-Degree MurderRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A federal judge sentenced a man to federal prison for the December 2020 murder of his friend. Isaiah Augustine Bob, 39, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was sentenced to 15 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Bob was also ordered to pay restitution to his victim’s family for funeral expenses, as well as for expenses his victim’s family incurred cleaning up the blood and damage to the victim’s home that resulted from his killing.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, John Doe invited Bob, a lifelong family friend who was temporarily homeless, to reside with Doe in June 2020 at Doe’s residence in Church Rock, New Mexico. On December 4, 2020, Bob beat Doe to death following an argument at Doe’s home. Doe’s causes of death were determined to be blunt-force trauma to his head, torso, and extremities.
On March 10, 2023, Bob pled guilty to second-degree murder in Indian Country.
At sentencing, the federal judge found John Doe was a “vulnerable victim,” which means Doe was particularly susceptible to Bob’s criminal conduct and thus was in need of greater societal protection than the average citizen. This finding resulted in an upward adjustment to Bob’s sentencing-guideline level.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The case was investigated by Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander F. Flores and Zachary Jones prosecuted the case.
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Multi-Agency Lowcountry Take Down Results in Illegal Narcotics, Firearm Offenses, and Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — United States Attorney Adair F. Boroughs, together with federal, state, and local law enforcement officials, announced that more than a dozen individuals were charged in federal court in connection with narcotics, firearms, and conspiracy offenses after a targeted violent crime reduction initiative in Walterboro and the surrounding areas. The indictments are a result of a series of coordinated arrests made following a targeted multi-agency investigation that spanned several months.
During the investigation, the FBI assisted local and state law enforcement agencies in an advanced, intelligence-based, multi-faceted law enforcement operation. The purpose of the operation was to target criminal entities, specifically those engaged in the illegal possession and distribution of narcotics, as well as the unlawful possession and use of firearms. Federal, state, and local law enforcement officials concentrated resources and personnel in these areas to curb the narcotics trafficking and its related violence.
The joint investigation has led to 14 defendants facing federal charges. Agents seized multiple firearms, ammunition, and various dangerous drugs such as fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine.
The following charges have been filed in United States District Court, according to court documents:
- Trevor Courtney Fishburne, Jr., 34 of Walterboro, was charged with conspiring to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, 400 grams or more of fentanyl and a quantity of MDMA. Fishburne is currently serving a sentence for armed robbery, assault and battery with intent to kill and weapons offense in the South Carolina Department of Corrections.
- Zaquann Ernest Hampton, 30, of Walterboro, was charged with conspiring to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, 500 grams or more of cocaine, 500 grams or more of cocaine base, 40 grams or more of fentanyl, a quantity of heroin and a quantity of MDMA. Additionally, Hampton is charged with multiple counts of distribution of methamphetamine; one count of possession with intent to distribute quantities of cocaine, cocaine base, and fentanyl; two counts of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and one count of possession of firearms by a prohibited person.
- Jaziah Samone Dresha Lewis, 27, of St. George, was charged with conspiring to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, 500 grams or more of cocaine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Additionally, Lewis was charged with one count of possessing with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and a separate additional count of possessing with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine.
- Jamie Brown, 50, of Yemassee, was charged with conspiring to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, a quantity of cocaine base and a quantity of fentanyl. Additionally, Brown is charged with possessing with intent to distribute quantities of cocaine, cocaine base and fentanyl, possession of firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of firearms by a prohibited person.
- Stephanie Hawkins, 37, of Summerville, was charged with conspiring to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 4o grams or more of fentanyl. Additionally, Hawkins was charged with one count of possessing with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
- Oshalum Grant, 27, of Walterboro, was charged with conspiring to distribute a quantity of cocaine. Additionally, Grant was charged with one count of possession of ammunition by a prohibited person.
- Matthew Rashaun Jones, 30, of Walterboro, was charged with conspiring to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and quantities of cocaine, cocaine base, MDMA and fentanyl. Additionally, Jones was charged with possessing with intent to distribute quantities of cocaine, cocaine base and fentanyl; possession of firearms by a prohibited person; and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
- Brianna Alnisa Lawrence, 28, of Walterboro, was charged with conspiring to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and a quantity of cocaine. Additionally, Lawrence was charged with distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and transfer of ammunition to a prohibited person.
- Rashawn Lymel Brown, 29, of Summerville, was charged with conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of cocaine. Additionally, Brown was charged with two counts of distribution of cocaine; two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; one count of possessing with intent to distribute marijuana; and one count of possession of a short-barreled rifle.
- Brittaney Smith, 28, of Walterboro, was charged with conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.
- James Joseph Young, III, 30, of Summerville, was charged with conspiring to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Additionally, Young was charged with three counts of distribution of cocaine.
- Wanda Catrece Fishburne, 50, of Yemassee, was charged with conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and quantities of fentanyl and cocaine base. Additionally, Fishburne was charged with possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine base and cocaine; possession of a firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and possession of firearms by a prohibited person.
- Jaden Tyrone Smith, 23, of Walterboro, was charged with conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.
- Richard Vernon Deas, 25, of Charleston, was charged with conspiring to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Deas is currently serving a sentence for murder in the South Carolina Department of Corrections.
The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), United States Secret Service, State Law Enforcement Division (SLED), South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC), Fourteenth Circuit Solicitor’s Office, Colleton County Sheriff’s Office, Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office, Charleston County Sheriff’s Office, Florence County Sheriff’s Office, Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Charleston Police Department, North Charleston Police Department, Mount Pleasant Police Department, Summerville Police Department and South Carolina Highway Patrol. Assistant United States Attorneys Carra Henderson and Nick Bianchi are prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The United States Attorney stated that all charges in this indictment are merely accusations and that all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Montana Man Sentenced for Assaulting a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Wolf Point, Montana, man convicted of Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer. The sentencing took place on March 18, 2024.
Marcus Cloke, age 19, was sentenced to nine years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Cloke was indicted for Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer by a federal grand jury in May of 2023. He pleaded guilty on December 7, 2023.
As part of an inmate exchange agreement, Cloke was transferred to the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Adult Corrections Facility in Mission, South Dakota, from the Fort Peck Adult Correctional Facility in Poplar, Montana. The defendant was serving a sentence after being convicted in Fort Peck Tribal Court. On May 6, 2023, the defendant was housed in the disciplinary unit refusing to go to his individual cell. A correctional officer entered the unit to speak to the defendant. Rather than going back to his cell, the defendant struck the officer in the face and a struggle ensued, with the defendant continuing to throw punches at the officer. The officer wrestled the defendant to the floor to gain control. The defendant, however, was able to grab the officer’s baton and struck the officer in the head numerous times. As the two continued to wrestle, the defendant was able to gain an advantage and position himself on top of the officer. The defendant then used his fists to strike the officer in the face and body. The officer had significant swelling to his right eye, lacerations to his lip, forehead, and scalp, and bruising to his tongue, left ear, and right jaw. The officer received staples for his scalp laceration and sutures for his forehead laceration.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Adult Corrections Facility. Assistant U.S. Attorney Abby Roesler prosecuted the case.
Cloke was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Mobile Woman Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Bank Fraud and Mail TheftRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Mobile woman was sentenced to 24 months in prison for bank fraud and mail theft.
According to court documents, Sanya Heathco Gutierrez, 47, admitted to using the stolen personal identifying information of an elderly Saraland resident to create a Gmail account. Federal agents executed a search warrant for the contents of the Gmail account, which Gutierrez admitted that she used for fraudulent purposes. Specifically, in January 2023, Gutierrez used the Gmail account to open a Chime checking account and obtain a Chime debit card without the elderly victim’s knowledge or authorization. Gutierrez then fraudulently used the card at various merchants, including Cash App, Cricut, Hulu, Roku, and Walmart.
In April 2023, Mobile police received several reports of mail thefts in a residential neighborhood. Police obtained surveillance video capturing Gutierrez stealing mail from her white Chevrolet Impala. On April 13, 2023, officers arrested Gutierrez at a gas station in Mobile and seized a pile of stolen mail from the passenger seat of the Impala. Gutierrez confessed to stealing mail and attempting to cash fraudulent checks that she stole from the mail. Gutierrez allowed agents to search her house, where they found additional stolen mail and a gun with an obliterated serial number. Agents seized and obtained a warrant to search Gutierrez’s cell phone, which contained numerous messages that she sent regarding her involvement in mail theft, check fraud, and identity theft.
In addition to the 24-month prison sentence, United States District Judge Terry F. Moorer ordered Gutierrez to serve a five-year term of supervised release, during which time she will undergo drug testing and treatment. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge Moorer ordered Gutierrez to pay $200 in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of made the announcement.
The United States Postal Inspection Service, the United States Secret Service, and the Mobile Police Department investigated the case. The Jackson Police Department substantially assisted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Mexican National Sentenced for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A federal judge sentenced a Mexican national to five years in federal prison for trafficking marijuana into the United States. Carlos Arturo Quintana, 41, of Namiquipa, Chihuahua, Mexico, was identified as the Police Chief of Namiquipa, as well as the Namiquipa Plaza Boss for the Juarez Cartel, and extradited to the United States in August of 2022.
According to court records, in March 2011, a confidential informant (CI) ordered 600 kilograms of marijuana from Elmy Hermosillo Trujillo, a key figure in the Juarez Cartel, known for trafficking large quantities of drugs into the United States annually. The Juarez Cartel, one of Mexico's oldest and most influential criminal groups, had diversified into various illicit activities beyond drug trafficking, including human trafficking, arms trading, kidnapping, extortion, and large-scale fuel theft from the government.
On March 19, 2011, the CI met with Quintana, who arrived wearing a police uniform, driving a marked police vehicle, and was accompanied by other uniformed officers. Quintana and the other officers delivered the 600 kilograms of marijuana in a dump truck. The CI then placed a GPS tracking device with the marijuana.
By March 26, 2011, the tracker revealed the marijuana's location at a storage facility in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, prompting a law enforcement raid resulting in arrests, a fatality, and the confiscation of drugs, firearms, and communication devices.
On January 18, 2024, Quintana pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute 100 kilograms and more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of marijuana, intending and knowing that said controlled substance would be unlawfully imported into the United States. Today, Quintana was sentenced to a term of 60 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release and ordered to pay a $10,000 fine.
There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Las Cruces-Doña Ana County Metro Narcotics Agency. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Quintana from Mexico. Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Y. Armijo and Randy M. Castellano are prosecuting the case.
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Member of Catalytic Converter Theft Crew Sentenced to Nearly Five Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Springfield man was sentenced in federal court in Boston to his role in a regional organized theft crew that stole catalytic converters from over 490 vehicles. It is alleged that the crew also stole from ATMs and jewelry stores.
Santo Feliberty, 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to 57 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In October 2024, Feliberty pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport stolen property in interstate commerce; two counts of interstate transportation of stolen property; conspiracy to commit bank theft; bank theft; and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
In April 2023, Feliberty was arrested and charged along with six others in connection with the theft, transportation and sale of stolen catalytic converters taken from at least 496 vehicles across Massachusetts and New Hampshire in 2022 through April 2023 alone. It is believed that a significant number of additional thefts have not been identified or were not ever reported to law enforcement.
According to court filings, there has been a precipitous decline in catalytic converter thefts reported in Massachusetts as a result of the April 2023 takedown – with only seven reported incidents of catalytic converter theft over the past 11 months following the arrests, in comparison to the hundreds of thefts reported during the nine-month period prior.
Catalytic converter theft has become a nationwide problem across a multitude of state, local, and federal jurisdictions due to the high-valued precious metals they contain – some of which are more valuable than gold, with black-market prices being more than $1,000 each in recent years. The theft of a vehicle’s catalytic converter results in damage that renders the vehicle inoperable – both mechanically and legally under EPA regulations.
The thefts in this case resulted in losses of approximately $5,000 per vehicle with certain trucks costing over $10,000 to repair. This amounts to an approximate $2 million in losses suffered by more than 300 separate victims who were forced to deal with their vehicles being disabled for potentially weeks on end. The more than 300 victims included businesses and individuals across Massachusetts and parts of New Hampshire, including a food pantry, automotive businesses, tradesmen, a bakery, single parents, a home healthcare provider and the elderly. Some businesses were repeatedly targeted on multiple nights.
Once in possession of the stolen catalytic converters, the crew would then sell them to Jose Torres, who would accumulate stolen catalytic converters from multiple theft crews and then in turn sell them to scrap dealers in the Northeast – transacting approximately $30,000 to $80,000 in stolen catalytic converters per week. Torres then sold stolen catalytic converters to scrap dealers who have since been charged federally for interstate transportation of stolen property and money laundering in the District of Connecticut, the Eastern District of California and Northern District of Oklahoma.
At sentencing, Feliberty was held accountable for his participation in thefts of catalytic converters from 52 vehicles across eight cities and towns in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. On the first night of the thefts, Feliberty was confronted by the vehicle owner, who took matters into his own hands and smashed out the rear window of the car Feliberty was driving.
In addition to the catalytic converter thefts, Feliberty also conspired to steal from ATMs of federally insured banks in Massachusetts on three separate occasions in December 2022. This conspiracy involved the use of stolen trucks to rip the ATMs from the ground and gain access to the vault.
Feliberty also committed burglaries of two New Hampshire jewelry stores on Jan. 12, 2023, and the theft of a trailer on Dec. 14, 2022. The combined total value of the jewelry stolen during the burglaries was determined to be over $137,000, with each store facing approximately $10,000 in costs to repair the resulting damage.
Additionally, a firearm and ammunition were found at Feliberty’s residence. Feliberty is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to prior felony convictions.
On May 17, 2023, Torres pleaded guilty to his role in the catalytic converter theft conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; and Kevin Gallagher, Director of Operations for the National Insurance Crime Bureau, Northeast Region made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was also provided by the United States Attorney’s Offices for the District of Connecticut, the Northern District of Oklahoma and the Eastern District of California; Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; and the New England State Police Information Network (NESPIN). Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
Over 70 local police departments in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Connecticut contributed to this investigation through the submission of their investigations of catalytic converter thefts in their jurisdiction. The Massachusetts police departments contributing to the investigation were Abington, Acton, Andover, Auburn, Bedford, Bellingham, Beverly, Billerica, Burlington, Bridgewater, Canton, Carver, Chelmsford, Concord, Cranston, East Hampton, Easton, Fitchburg, Framingham, Franklin, Gardner, Hampton, Hanover, Haverhill, Hingham, Holliston, Holyoke, Hudson, Ipswich, Lawrence, Leominster, Lynn, Malden, Mansfield, Medford, Marlborough, Methuen, Middleton, Milford, Millbury, Needham, Newton, Northborough, Norwell, Norwood, Peabody, Pembroke, Plymouth, Randolph, Rockland, Sharon, Shrewsbury, Springfield, Sterling, Sturbridge, Sudbury, Tyngsborough, Walpole, Waltham, Watertown, West Bridgewater, Weymouth, Wilmington, Woburn and Worcester. The Bow, Concord, Derry, Hooksett, Hudson, Londonderry, Manchester, Salem and Windham New Hampshire police departments also contributed. The South Windsor and Windsor Connecticut Police Departments also contributed to the investigation.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Man Ordered to Remove Shipping Container and Floating Docks from Lake Worth Lagoon after Violating Rivers and Harbors ActRead the Press Release
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida ordered a man to remove a shipping container and floating docks on which it rested from Lake Worth Lagoon near Palm Beach, Florida.
A 2021 complaint alleged that Fane Lozman violated the Rivers and Harbors Act (RHA) by placing the shipping container – which Lozman modified to include windows, doors, stairs, a rooftop deck and other additions – on floating docks in navigable waters of the United States without authorization. Since the United States commenced the action, Lozman removed several pieces of floating docks from Lake Worth Lagoon, but two floating docks and the modified shipping container remained.
Photo of floating docks and a shipping container on Lake Worth Lagoon, from United States’ Motion for Summary Judgment, Page 4 in U.S. v. Fane Lozman, case no. 21-cv-81119.Lozman moved the floating docks and shipping container to different areas in Lake Worth Lagoon and anchored them. One of the floating docks split apart. And Lozman’s floating docks became unmoored on several occasions including once when the dock with the shipping container on it floated across Lake Worth Lagoon and beached at a public park. The floating docks together weigh over 100,000 pounds.
Lake Worth Lagoon is Palm Beach County’s largest estuary at up to a mile wide and running approximately 21 miles from North Palm Beach to Ocean Ridge, with two inlets connecting it to the Atlantic Ocean. The Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway cuts through Lake Worth Lagoon.
“Building or placing structures in navigable U.S. waters without authorization is a violation of the Rivers and Harbors Act,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “Unlawful structures can pose increased risks of harm to others, as in this case. We’re committed to enforcing the law.”
“The Rivers and Harbors Act provides for the safety of navigable U.S. waters,” said U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida. “Prompt enforcement action to remove unauthorized structures is needed to protect persons and commerce in navigable U.S. waters.”
“USACE Jacksonville greatly appreciates the expertise and support that the Justice Department brought to resolving this matter,” said District Commander Col. James Booth of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' (USACE) Jacksonville District.
“The USACE Jacksonville regulatory enforcement program is working to deter unauthorized activities such as this, while continuously maintaining the integrity of the nation's waterways and aquatic resources,” said Compliance and Enforcement Chief Bobby Halbert of USACE’s Jacksonville District.
The USACE’s Jacksonville District referred the case to the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). The Jacksonville District Enforcement Section is often aided by state and federal agencies, as well as groups and individuals who report suspected violations. To report suspected violations of the Rivers and Harbors Act, contact the Jacksonville District's enforcement program at [email protected].
Trial Attorneys Brandon N. Adkins and Rachel Martinez of ENRD’s Environmental Defense Section and Civil Section Chief Dexter Lee of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida handled the case.
Los Angeles Attorney Charged with Tax Evasion and Willful Failure to Pay TaxesRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Los Angeles indicted a California attorney yesterday with attempting to evade payment of his individual income taxes and willful failure to pay taxes.
According to the indictment, Milton C. Grimes, an attorney in Los Angeles, owed the IRS more than $1.7 million in taxes for tax years 2010 and 2014. The IRS allegedly tried to collect the unpaid taxes from Grimes by, among other things, levying his bank accounts. In response to the IRS’ collection efforts, from 2014 through 2020, Grimes allegedly engaged in a scheme to thwart the IRS’ levies by keeping his personal bank account balances low by routinely purchasing cashier’s checks and withdrawing cash from his business bank accounts, often immediately after depositing funds to his business bank accounts, thereby avoiding funding his personal accounts. Grimes allegedly withdrew approximately $16 million in funds from the accounts in cashier’s checks during those years.
In addition, Grimes allegedly filed individual income tax returns for tax years 2018 through 2021 reporting that he owed approximately $700,000 in taxes. Grimes allegedly did not, and has not, paid the taxes that he self-reported he owes.
In total, Grimes is alleged to have caused a tax loss of approximately $2,418,050 to the IRS.
If convicted, Grimes faces up to five years in prison for the tax evasion count and up to one year in prison for each count of willful failure to pay taxes. 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 Martin Estrada for the Central District of California made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Sara Henderson of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Valerie Makarewicz for the Central District of California 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.
Los Angeles Attorney Charged with Tax Evasion and Willful Failure to Pay over $2.4 Million in TaxesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A federal grand jury has indicted Los Angeles attorney Milton C. Grimes with the evasion of payment of his individual income taxes and willful failure to pay taxes, the Justice Department announced today.
The indictment filed Thursday afternoon charges Grimes with one count of attempted tax evasion and four counts of willful failure to pay taxes. He is expected to be arraigned in United States District Court on April 10.
According to the indictment, Grimes owed the IRS more than $1.7 million in taxes for tax years 2010 and 2014. The IRS tried to collect the unpaid taxes from Grimes by, among other things, levying his personal bank accounts. In response to IRS collection efforts, from 2014 through 2020, Grimes allegedly engaged in a scheme to thwart the tax levies by keeping his personal bank account balances low. Grimes deposited the money he earned from representing clients into his law firm’s business bank accounts, and then he routinely purchased cashier’s checks and withdrew cash from those business bank accounts, the indictment states. By not depositing income earned into his personal accounts, Grimes allegedly avoided IRS collection efforts. With this scheme, Grimes allegedly withdrew approximately $16 million in funds from the business accounts in cashier’s checks during those years, rather than paying the amount owed to the IRS.
Grimes also allegedly filed individual income tax returns for tax years 2018 through 2021 reporting that he owed approximately $700,000 in taxes. Grimes allegedly did not, and has not, paid the taxes that he self-reported he owes.
In total, Grimes is alleged to have caused a tax loss of approximately $2,418,050 to the IRS.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted, Grimes faces up to five years in prison for the tax evasion count and up to one year in prison for each count of willful failure to pay taxes. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Valerie L. Makarewicz of the Major Frauds Section and Trial Attorney Sara A. Henderson of the Justice Department’s Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
Long Island Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Distribute and Distributing Fentanyl Causing Two Overdose DeathsRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Devon Thurmond pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute fentanyl from 2021 through 2023 and to distribution of fentanyl in April 2021that ultimately caused the overdose death of a victim (Victim-1). As part of his plea, Thurmond admitted that he knowingly conspired with his codefendant Cartier Funderburke to sell fake oxycodone pills that actually contained fentanyl and on or about April 29, 2021 sold fake oxycodone pills containing fentanyl to Victim-1, leading to their death. Additionally, Thurmond also admitted at his plea proceeding, that while he was incarcerated on an unrelated state charge, he caused fake oxycodone pills containing fentanyl to be distributed by codefendant Melissa Trimarchi which ultimately led to the overdose death of another victim (Victim-2) on or about January 9, 2023. The plea proceeding was held before United States District Gary R. Brown. Both codefendants previously pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. When sentenced, Thurmond faces up to 40 years’ imprisonment.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Frank A. Tarentino, Special Agent-in-Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration, New York Division (DEA), and, William Whitton, Chief of Police, Glen Cove Police Department (GCPD), announced the guilty plea.
“As he admitted today, Thurmond’s conspiracy and sale of fentanyl disguised as prescription pain pills directly led to the poisoning deaths of two Long Island residents,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “My Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to prosecute traffickers for their callous disregard for human life in pushing deadly drugs and contributing to the alarming opioid epidemic that has continued to harm this District.”
"Fentanyl is the greatest threat to our nation. The men and women of DEA New York Division continue to do everything we can, along with our law enforcement partners, to target those responsible for poisoning and destroying our communities” stated DEA New York Division Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino. “While this guilty plea doesn’t bring back the lives lost, it sends a message that we will do everything we can to make sure those responsible face the consequences.”
“The Glen Cove Police Department will continue to collaborate with agents of the DEA and the U.S. Department of Justice to identify, arrest, and prosecute those who believe they can profit from selling lethal drugs in our community,” stated GCPD Chief of Police Whitton.
Between April 2021 and February 2023, Thurmond conspired with Funderburke and Trimarchi to sell fentanyl disguised as oxycodone pain pills and sold such pills to Victim-1 and Victim-2. The investigation revealed that on April 29, 2021, a 34-year-old individual (Victim-1) died of a drug-related overdose at his residence in Glen Cove, Long Island. Cellular telephone analysis and additional investigation, showed that the fentanyl that Victim-1 used was purchased from Thurmond and Funderburke earlier that same day and that Thurmond personally delivered the drugs to Victim-1. On January 9, 2023, a 27-year-old individual (Victim-2) died of a drug-related overdose at his residence in Locust Valley, Long Island. A search of Victim-2’s phone revealed text messages between Trimarchi and Victim-2, which related to Victim-2’s purchase of fentanyl in the form of a single fake oxycodone pill in the hours before his overdose death. In recorded jail calls between Thurmond and Trimarchi, Trimarchi admitted to selling the fatal dose of fentanyl in the form of a fake oxycodone pill to Victim-2, which pill came from the supply of fake oxycodone pills provided by Thurmond to Trimarchi to sell on his behalf while he was incarcerated.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of Justice, in 2019, nearly 71,000 people died from drug overdoses, making it a leading cause of injury-related death in the United States. The increase in overdose deaths has been driven in large part by fentanyl, a drug that has been described as 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. In 2019, over 14,000 people died in the United States from a drug overdose involving heroin. From 2013 to 2019, the synthetic opioid death rate increased by more than 1,000 percent. Of those deaths, over 70% involved a prescription or illicit opioid. Among New York State residents, the number of overdose deaths involving any opioid increased each year between 2010 and 2017, with an overall increase of 200.2 percent from 1,074 in 2010 to 3,224 in 2017, according to the New York State Health Department. If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or Findtreatment.gov.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorney Charles N. Rose is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
DEVON THURMOND (also known as “D Rock”)
Age: 23
Glen Cove, New YorkDefendants Who Previously Pleaded Guilty:
CARTIER FUNDERBURKE (also known as “Kartier,” “Kar” and “Slim”)
Age: 24
Glen Cove, New YorkMELISSA TRIMARCHI (also known as “Mel”)
Age: 37
Glen Cove, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-232 (GRB)
Las Vegas Resident Sentenced to Prison for COVID-19 Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas woman was sentenced Wednesday by United States District Judge James C. Mahan to 30 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for fraudulently seeking over $1 million in COVID-19 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans.
According to court documents, from April 2020 to July 2020, Karen Chapon, aka Karen Hannafious, made multiple false statements about her companies’ respective business operations and payroll expenses, and submitted false documents to support six fraudulent PPP loan applications, including false federal tax filings. As part of the fraudulent loan applications, Chapon falsely stated that she had not been convicted of a felony in the past five years, but in fact, she pleaded guilty to felony fraud offenses in 2016. She received four loans totaling approximately $596,931. Chapon used fraudulently obtained funds for her own benefit, including the purchase of a Mercedes Benz SUV.
In August 2023, Chapon pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud. In addition to the prison term, Chapon was ordered to pay $589,484.13 in restitution.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law enacted March 29, 2020. It is designed to provide emergency financial assistance to millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act is the authorization of up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the PPP. In April 2020, Congress authorized over $300 billion in additional PPP funding.
The PPP allows qualifying small businesses and other organizations to receive loans with a maturity of two years and an interest rate of one percent. Businesses must use PPP loan proceeds for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent and utilities. The PPP allows the interest and principal to be forgiven if businesses spend the proceeds on these expenses within a set time period and use at least a certain percentage of the loan towards payroll expenses.
United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada; Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI; Acting Inspector General Heather M. Hill for the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA); and Special Agent in Charge Weston King for the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG), Western Region made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the FBI, TIGTA, and SBA OIG. Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Oliva and Trial Attorneys Lucy Jennings and Jennifer Bilinkas of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.
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. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit 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 Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Lander man arraigned for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamineRead the Press Release
Brennon Scott, age 35, of Lander, Wyoming, was arraigned on Mar. 22 for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Scott pleaded not guilty. A trial has been set for May 28, before Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl.
Scott was detained at the request of the government and remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. If convicted, Scott faces 5-40 years’ imprisonment with no less than four years of supervised release and up to a $5 million fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This crime is being investigated by the FBI and the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy W. Gist.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Case No. 24-CR-00041
Lake County Woman Arrested for COVID-19 FraudRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest of Nicole Harding (38, Clermont) on an indictment charging her with one count of wire fraud. If convicted, Harding faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
According to court records, between March 28 and April 14, 2021, Harding devised a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration by submitting a false Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan application. PPP loans were one of the sources of economic relief provided for by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Harding, however, provided false representations in her PPP application to secure the loan. The loan proceeds ($19,965) were later electronically transferred into her bank account.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
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.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Service - Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk.
KC Man Charged After Officers Seize 59 Firearms, Including Machine Guns, and Illegal Drugs from ResidenceRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was charged in federal court today after law enforcement officers found 59 firearms, including machine guns, along with illegal drugs during a search of his residence.
Roberto Rosales Gonzales, 23, was charged in a three-count criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo. Gonzales remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing.
On Thursday, March 21, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Gonzales’s residence. During the search of the residence, officers found 59 firearms of various calibers, including two machine guns, assorted ammunition, a firearm silencer, and an inert hand grenade. Officers also found approximately 114.1 grams of suspected fentanyl pills, approximately 1.3 kilograms of methamphetamine, approximately 31.4 grams of suspected heroin, and more than $22,000 in cash.
The two machine guns, which were loaded, were identified as a Glock .40-caliber pistol and a Glock 17 9x19mm pistol, each of which contained a switch to convert it into a machine gun.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, an undercover law enforcement operation made several purchases of illegal drugs and firearms from Gonzales prior to the execution of the search warrant.
Following the transactions, the affidavit says, investigators learned that a pistol and a rifle sold by Gonzales had been reported stolen. A National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) evaluation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives indicates that the rifle was a match to shell casings recovered from two shootings.
Today’s criminal complaint charges Gonzales with one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing firearms, including machine guns, in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of illegally possessing machine guns.
The charges contained in this complaint are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad K. Kavanaugh. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Jackson County Drug Task Force, the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
National Integrated Ballistic Information Network
This investigation involved leads generated from the ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
Jury Finds Romance Scammer Guilty on All CountsRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal jury convicted Clinton Chukwudi Uchendu, 26, of Dunwoody, GA, today for his involvement in a romance scam that cost victims more than $600,000. In a five day trial, Uchendu was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, one count of mail fraud, and one count of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business.
According to evidence presented at trial, from February 2018 through October 2018, Uchendu participated in a money laundering conspiracy that involved receiving and transmitting funds from victims of romance scams. The object of the conspiracy was accomplished though social manipulators, referred to as “Yahoo Boys” who set up fake profiles online, developed relationships with their victims, gained the victims trust and then asked the victims for money using a variety of false pretenses. “Yahoo Boys” usually operate overseas, in this case, Nigeria, pretending to be United States soldiers, international businessmen, or celebrities. “Yahoo Boys” rely on their coconspirators in the United States, who have U.S. bank accounts to assist them. These individuals are referred to as “pickers.” As a “picker,” Uchendu provided accounts to collect funds from the victims and to add layers to conceal the source and destination of the funds, to avoid being flagged by banks. Uchendu collected money into bank accounts and then laundered the funds to Nigeria or other destinations.
At trial, the jury was presented with evidence that, Uchendu also participated in mail fraud and aided the operations of an unlicensed money transmitter. Several victims testified to losing hundreds of thousands of dollars. In addition to these victims’ testimony, evidence showed Mr. Uchendu received money from dozens of people from around the United States, whom he did not know, which he transmitted to Nigeria after retaining a portion of the money.
Uchendu is scheduled to be sentenced June 7, 2024, at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
United States Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office
Assistant United States Attorneys Carl D. LeSueur and Stewart Young of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case.
Jury Convicts KC Man of Heroin Conspiracy, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was convicted in federal court today of his role in a conspiracy to distribute heroin and of illegally possessing firearms.
Edgar A. Mejia, 49, was found guilty by a jury of one count each of conspiracy to distribute heroin and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
On Oct. 10, 2022, law enforcement officers searched a 2000 Coachman recreational vehicle that belonged to Mejia. At the time of the search, Mejia was in custody in Oklahoma following his arrest for drug trafficking. Investigators in Oklahoma received information that Mejia had additional drugs and firearms hidden in his Coachman RV, and notified local authorities.
Officers located Mejia’s RV parked next to an abandoned residence in the 2300 block of Drury Avenue in Kansas City, Mo. Investigators searched the RV and found, hidden behind a wall in the kitchen, 541 grams of heroin, a Springfield Armory Hellcat 9mm semi-automatic handgun, an American Tactical AR-15-style rifle, and ammunition.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for approximately three and a half hours before returning guilty verdicts to U.S. District Judge Greg Kays, ending a trial that began Wednesday, March 20.
Mejia previously pleaded guilty to one count of possessing the heroin inside the RV with the intent to distribute it and one count of being a felon in possession of the firearms recovered from the RV.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Mejia has two prior state felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance and prior federal felony convictions for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Under federal statutes, Mejia is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum sentence the court could impose is life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashleigh A. Ragner and Robert M. Smith and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Jennings. It was investigated by the Jackson County Drug Task Force; the District Attorney’s Task Force for the 13th Judicial District in Ottawa and Delaware Counties, Oklahoma; Wyandotte Nation Tribal Police Department, Wyandotte, Oklahoma; the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Iowa City Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison related to Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – An Iowa City man was sentenced yesterday to 25 years in federal prison for Conspiracy to Distribute a Mixture and Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Heroin Resulting in Death and Distribution of a Mixture and Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Heroin Resulting in Death.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at trial, on January 23, 2021, Iowa City Police Officers were dispatched to a residence related to a suspected overdose. After investigation, Lugene Shipp, 43, and Dione Dante Mobley, 43, were arrested related to the conspiracy to distribute and distribution of heroin.
Shipp and Mobley were both convicted after a trial last fall. This week, Shipp was sentenced to 25 years of imprisonment. After completing his term of imprisonment, Shipp will be required to serve 5 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Mobley is scheduled to be sentenced on April 23, 2024.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Iowa City Police Department, the University of Iowa Police Department, and the Johnson County Drug Taskforce.
Inmate at FCI Miami pleads guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine inside a federal prisonRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On March 21, an inmate serving a 60-month sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Miami pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.
During a routine search at FCI Miami, correctional officers found Pedro Jose Collazo-Prieto with more than 50 grams of cocaine, divided among 21 plastic baggies, and one larger, unsealed plastic bag, also containing cocaine. In addition to the cocaine, Collazo-Prieto was found with more than 17 grams of marijuana.
The sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 31 before U.S. District Judge Jose E. Martinez. Collazo-Prieto faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of FBI, Miami Field Office, and Warden Grant Heuett of FCI, Bureau of Prisons (BOP) made the announcement.
FBI Miami, Homestead Resident Agency, and BOP, Special Investigative Section (SIS), investigated the case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Noonan-Pomada is prosecuting the case.
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-20456.
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Honduran National Pleads Guilty to Possession of Machinegun, Additional Firearm, and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on March 19, 2024, JUNIOR ALEXANDER MONCADA-VARGAS, age 34, of Honduras, pleaded guilty to a four-count federal indictment. Count One charged MONCADA-VARGAS with possession and transfer of a machinegun, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(o) and 924(a)(2), and Counts Two through Four charged him with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(5)(A) and 924(a)(8).
According to court documents, on or about July 21, 2023, August 2, 2023 and September 18, 2023, respectively, MONCADA-VARGAS, sold to undercover agents, a Glock Model 22 Gen 5, .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun, with a Glock auto-sear, and approximately twenty-two (22) rounds of ammunition, a Kalashnikov USA Model KR103, 7.62 x 39 milli-meter semi-automatic rifle and approximately thirty (30) rounds of ammunition, and a Norinco Model SKS, 7.62 x 39 milli-meter semi-automatic rifle, and approximately thirty (30) rounds of ammunition. On September 18, 2023, MONCADA-VARGAS was arrested by federal agents. Following his arrest, he admitted that he was an illegal alien and unlawfully in the United States.
At sentencing, MONCADA-VARGUS, faces up to 10 years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000.00 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release for Count One, possession and transfer of a machinegun. He faces up to 15 years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000.00 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release for each of the charges described in Counts Two through Four, being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition. MONCADA-VARGUS also faces a mandatory $100 special assessment fee per count.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (A.T.F.) and the New Orleans Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Troy Bell of the Violent Crimes Unit.
Harrison County Man Charged with Firearms and Fentanyl OffensesRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA –Martin Lynn Queen, age 61, of Clarksburg, West Virginia, was indicted on federal firearms and fentanyl charges.
Queen is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. According to court documents, investigators conducted multiple vehicle and property searches, uncovering fentanyl stamps, fentanyl, drug paraphernalia, and other controlled substances, as well as several firearms. Queen is prohibited from having firearms because of a prior firearms conviction in the Northern District of West Virginia.
Queen faces up to 10 years in federal prison for the firearms charge and faces up to 20 years for the drug charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Parsons is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Harrisburg Man Sentenced to 65 Months’ Imprisonment for Possessing Ammunition as Previously Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jason Robles, age 43, formerly of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson to serve 65 months’ imprisonment, three years’ supervised release, and $100 in financial penalties based upon his guilty plea to possessing ammunition as a previously convicted felon.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, in August 2021, Robles was operating a motorcycle at a high rate of speed on I-81 in Cumberland County. A Pennsylvania State Trooper attempted to stop Robles and a high-speed chase ensued where speeds reached up to 115 mph and Robles crossed the median into oncoming traffic. Robles was eventually stopped and found in possession of heroin, marijuana, and cocaine base, as well as a .9mm Polymer handgun with no serial number, known as a “ghost gun,” loaded with 15 rounds of ammunition. Prior to the August 2021 incident, Robles was previously convicted of a state felony drug offense in 2021 and a federal drug offense in 2002 that prohibited him from possessing firearms or ammunition.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF). Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce D. Brandler and Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul J. Miovas prosecuted the case.
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Four Indicted in Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a six-count indictment Thursday against Tracy Arnett, 38, of Los Angeles; Daniel Hooker, 35, of Los Angeles; Sandro Duval, 36, of Atlanta, Georgia; and Shelina Bissett, 35, of Atlanta, Georgia, charging them with conspiracy to commit money laundering and charging Arnett and Hooker with additional counts of money laundering, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, from August 2023 through March 2024, Arnett, Hooker, Duval and Bissett conspired to launder purported drug trafficking proceeds, utilizing their personal bank accounts or commercial bank accounts they operated to wire the funds to controlled accounts. By wiring the proceeds, they intended to conceal their unlawful nature and source. In total, the co-conspirators received approximately $940,000 in purported drug trafficking proceeds. Of that amount, the co-conspirators laundered approximately $811,000.
This case is the product of an investigation by the IRS Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Thuesen and Whitnee Goins are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine or twice the value of the property involved in the money laundering for the conspiracy count. Arnett and Hooker face a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $200,000 fine for each count of money laundering. Any sentence, however, would 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. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Former privacy consultant convicted of cyberstalking campaign against former roommate, her family members, boyfriend, police and prosecutorsRead the Press Release
Seattle – A Seattle man previously employed as a privacy consultant was convicted today in U.S. District Court in Seattle of conspiracy to engage in cyberstalking, three counts of cyberstalking in violation of a criminal order, and three counts of cyberstalking, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Sumit Garg, 34, was Indicted in March 2021. He has been in custody at the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac since that time. U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour scheduled sentencing for June 25, 2024.
According to records in the case and testimony at trial, in 2020, Garg began an extensive campaign of threats and sexually explicit messaging and posts about a woman who used to share an apartment with Garg’s wife. Using personal information Garg accessed after he moved into the apartment with his spouse, Garg threatened and tormented the former roommate.
In April 2020, the victim reported the harassment to police. Following this, Garg and his wife tried to make it appear that they too were harassment victims and made false police reports.
Garg also used his computer skills to threaten multiple people in the former roommate’s life, including her uncle who represented her in obtaining a civil protection order; her boyfriend; the Seattle Police Detective who investigated the threats; and even the Deputy Prosecuting Attorney who prosecuted Garg for his illegal stalking conduct. Garg used his computer skills to try to hide who was sending the threats or making the posts. The stalking campaign also grew increasingly violent, ultimately coming to include gruesome threats of rape, torture, and death. Over time, Garg’s stalking campaign involved thousands of emails sent from scores of accounts set up for the purpose of stalking.
At one point in his scheme, Garg was videotaped in the lobby of the victim’s new apartment building at the same time photos were taken and sent of that location to frighten the victim.
Garg enlisted his wife in the scheme – instructing her to send harassing emails to herself and others while he was jailed to make it appear someone else was doing the harassment campaign. He told his wife to destroy clothes he wore when he was in the lobby of the ex-roommate’s apartment building. His wife did send emails but did not destroy the clothes and ultimately cooperated with investigators.
In her trial testimony, Garg’s wife said she finally felt free to tell the truth when he was booked on federal charges and would not be returning to their home to abuse her verbally and physically.
In closing arguments, prosecutors told the jury, “The victims were terrified. They were worried for themselves, and they were worried for their families…the victims all suffered substantial emotional distress.”
Conspiracy to engage in cyberstalking is punishable by up to five years in prison. Cyberstalking in violation of criminal order is punishable by a mandatory minimum of one year and a maximum of five years in prison. Cyberstalking is punishable by up to five years in prison.
The case is being investigated by the United States Secret Service with assistance from the Seattle Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Friedman and Senior Trial Attorney Anthony V. Teelucksingh of DOJ’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section.
Former employee of online car sales company pleads guilty to wire fraud for $2+million theftRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 41-year-old California man, who previously resided in Tacoma, Washington pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to wire fraud, for his scheme to steal more than $2 million from his employer, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. John Whisenant was arrested in July 2023. U.S. District Judge Lauren King scheduled sentencing for July 3, 2024.
According to records filed in the case, Whisenant worked in a variety of roles at the online used car sales company beginning in October 2018. About a year after he began with the company, Whisenant was promoted into a role where he had access to the company bank accounts and accounting software.
Beginning in about June 2019 and continuing until November 2021, Whisenant used his access to make 57 wire transfers totaling over $2 million into accounts he controlled. Whisenant disguised the transfers as legitimate business expenses in the company’s accounting software with a variety of false entries. Whisenant defrauded the company of $2,084,799. Whisenant then transferred the money to others and mixed it with other funds making it difficult to trace.
According to records in the case, Whisenant used some of the money for a lavish lifestyle. He bought luxury automobiles such as Porches and Mercedes. He spent $123,096 for a 2022 Audi E-Tron and bought a $98,100 Tesla. He rented luxury homes in Southern California and purchased two airline tickets to Paris at a cost of nearly $23,000 each.
The fraud on the company accounts was discovered when a bookkeeper began a more comprehensive review of the company’s financials in January 2022. Whisenant resigned abruptly in February 2022.
Prosecutors have agreed to recommend a seven-year prison sentence. Judge King is not bound by that recommendation and can impose any sentence allowed by law. Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
Whisenant has agreed to make full restitution of $2,084,779.
The case is being investigated by the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sean Waite.
Former U.S. Postal Service Employee Indicted for Theft of Postal Money OrdersRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former U.S. Postal Service (USPS) employee has been indicted for allegedly embezzling over $19,000.
Christine Hedges, 46, of Brockton, was indicted on March 20, 2024 on one count of theft of government money. She appeared today in federal court and was released on conditions.
According to the indictment, Hedges began working for USPS around 2020, most recently as a Lead Sales & Service Associate in Brockton. It is alleged that from approximately October 2021 to August 2023, Hedges engaged in a scheme to steal USPS funds for her personal use. As part of this scheme, Hedges allegedly generated, for her own use, no-fee money orders without a customer physically present at her customer window and which a customer did not request. Hedges also allegedly stole cash from her USPS workstation and often attempted to conceal her theft by replacing the cash with these fraudulent money orders. During the relevant period, Hedges allegedly generated approximately 70 fraudulent no-fee money orders. It is alleged that 11 of those no-fee money orders were made out to her boyfriend or a family member. From on or about Aug. 1, 2023 to on or about Aug. 14, 2023, video surveillance from above Hedges’ workstation allegedly showed Hedges on at least one occasion removing cash from her assigned drawer and putting it in her pocket. In all, Hedges allegedly stole approximately $19,707 in postal funds.
The charge of theft of government money provides a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Northeast Area Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugenia M. Carris, Deputy Chief of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Kentucky Probation and Parole Officer Sentenced for Sexually Abusing Women Under His Supervision and Covering up His MisconductRead the Press Release
Ronald Raye Tyler, 56, of Shepherdsville, Kentucky, was sentenced today to 36 months in prison and two years of supervised release for using his former position as a probation and parole officer at the Kentucky Department of Corrections to engage in unwanted sexual contact with women under his supervision.
In December 2023, Tyler admitted to engaging in unwanted sexual contact with three women who were under his supervision and to making false statements during an interview with the Kentucky State Police for the purpose of obstructing an investigation into allegations that he had sexually assaulted women under his supervision.
“The defendant is being held accountable for preying upon women who were under his supervision because of their probationary status,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Probation officers should not use their position of authority to make unlawful and unwanted sexual advances on women, regardless of whether they are in custody or on probation. The Justice Department will continue to pursue justice for victims of sexual misconduct and hold law enforcement accountable for their actions.”
“I commend the FBI Louisville Field Office and Louisville Metro Police Department for their outstanding work in investigating this case,” said U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett for the Western District of Kentucky. “Citizens involved in our system of justice have every right to be treated with respect and dignity by employees within the system who exercise authority over them. We will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute those employees who abuse their positions of trust.”
“When allegations of abuse of power are brought to our attention, the FBI will stop at nothing to uncover all of the relevant facts,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office. “In this case, these women were preyed upon by an officer whose duty it was to protect them. Our hope is that today’s sentencing will bring some semblance of closure to the victims and their families, send a message that we will not ignore such egregious behavior, and begin to restore the public’s trust in law enforcement that was once placed in this officer.”
The FBI Louisville Field Office and Louisville Metro Police Department’s Public Integrity Unit jointly investigated the case through the Louisville Public Corruption Civil Rights Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda E. Gregory for the Western District of Kentucky and Trial Attorneys Tara Allison and Anita Channapati of the Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
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Former Georgia Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine Pleads Guilty in Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - John W. Oxendine, the former Georgia State Insurance Commissioner, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit health care fraud in which a co-conspirator and he referred unnecessary medical tests to a lab company in Texas in return for hundreds of thousands of dollars in kickbacks.
“John Oxendine, as the former state-wide insurance commissioner, knew the importance of honest dealings between doctors and insurance companies,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “But for personal profit he willfully conspired with a physician to order hundreds of unnecessary lab tests, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. He will now be held accountable for violating the public’s trust.”
“This scheme to bill for unnecessary services has no place in our healthcare system,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “It not only increased healthcare costs for all beneficiaries, but they also violated the trust of patients. John Oxendine not only profited from this scheme but took it a step farther and directed another to lie to federal agents to try and cover up the fraud.”
“Individuals who participate in kickback schemes risk undermining the integrity of federal health care programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Tamala E. Miles, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “We will continue to aggressively investigate anyone engaging in illicit activities to protect taxpayer-funded federal health care programs from abuse by bad actors.”
“Today’s plea should serve as a strong deterrent to those in positions of power who seek to exploit and defraud TRICARE, the military’s healthcare system relied on by our service members, retirees, and their families,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Darrin K. Jones, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southeast Field Office. “This investigation is part of an ongoing effort by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service to work with our law enforcement partners and aggressively investigate allegations of healthcare fraud that affect the Department of Defense and put its personnel at risk.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: John Oxendine conspired with Dr. Jeffrey Gallups and others to submit fraudulent insurance claims for medically unnecessary Pharmacogenetic, Molecular Genetic, and Toxicology testing. Physicians associated with Dr. Gallups’s ENT practice were pressured to order these medically unnecessary tests from Next Health, a lab in Texas. As part of Oxedine’s health care fraud scheme, Next Health agreed to pay Oxendine and Dr. Gallups a kickback of 50 percent of the net profit for eligible specimens submitted by Dr. Gallups’s practice to the lab company.
In connection with the scheme, Oxendine gave a presentation at the Ritz Carlton in Buckhead where he pressured doctors in Dr. Gallups’s practice to order the unnecessary tests. Next Health later submitted insurance claims seeking more than $2,500,000 in payments from private health insurers for the unnecessary tests. The insurance companies paid almost $700,000 to Next Health because of these fraudulent claims. Next Health then paid $260,000 in kickbacks to Oxendine and Dr. Gallups. Some patients were also charged for the tests, receiving bills of up to $18,000.
To conceal the kickback payments, Oxendine and Dr. Gallups arranged for the payments to be made from Next Health to Oxendine Insurance Services, Oxendine’s insurance consulting business. Oxendine used a portion of the kickback money to pay debts for Dr. Gallups: a $150,000 charitable contribution and $70,000 in attorney’s fees.
When a compliance officer at Dr. Gallups’s practice raised concerns about the kickbacks, Oxendine told Dr. Gallups to lie and say the payments from Oxendine to Dr. Gallups were loans. He directed Dr. Gallups to repeat the lie after he was questioned by federal agents about Next Health. And when interviewed about Next Health by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in connection with a private lawsuit, Oxendine falsely denied working with the lab company or receiving money from the business.
This case is related to United States v. Gallups, criminal no. 1:21-cr-00370-SCJ, in which Dr. Jeffrey Gallups pleaded guilty to health care fraud.Sentencing for John W. Oxendine, 61, of Johns Creek, Georgia, is scheduled for July 12, 2024, at 10 am before U.S. District Judge Steve C. Jones.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Huber and David A. O’Neal are prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6280. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Former Executive Director Pleads Guilty in Federal Court for Stealing Thousands of Dollars from Gastonia Non-ProfitRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Stephanie L. Roberts, 54, of Gastonia, N.C., pleaded guilty today to stealing thousands of dollars from a non-profit corporation for cancer patients, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
U.S. Attorney King is joined by Donald “Trey” Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, Charlotte Field Office (IRS-CI),Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which oversees Charlotte, and Chief Trent Conard of the Gastonia Police Department in making today’s announcement.
According to court documents, Roberts served as the executive director of a Gastonia non-profit corporation that provides support and resources for cancer patients. Beginning no later than January 8, 2016, through January 21, 2022, Roberts embezzled more than $136,000 from the non-profit corporation. In addition, Roberts admitted in court today that she failed to pay more than $200,000 withheld from the paychecks of the non-profit corporation’s employees for federal income, Medicare and Social Security taxes to the IRS. Lastly, Roberts made and subscribed under penalty of perjury U.S. Income Tax Returns in which she falsely stated the amount of tax withheld from her wages and claimed that amount was paid to the IRS.
Roberts pleaded guilty to theft in connection with health care, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison; failure to truthfully account for and pay over trust fund taxes, which carries a statutory sentence of no more than five years in prison; and making and subscribing a false tax return, which carries a penalty of up to three years in prison. According to the terms of Roberts’ plea agreement, she will be required to pay full restitution to the non-profit corporation. Also, at sentencing, Roberts will be subject to additional court fines and a forfeiture money judgement. A federal judge will determine the actual sentence at a hearing not yet scheduled.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King commended IRS-CI, USPIS, and the Gastonia Police Department for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael E. Savage of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.
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Former Beverly Hills-Based Marriage and Family Therapist Indicted for Allegedly Distributing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A former Beverly Hills-based licensed marriage and family therapist has been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly distributing child sexual abuse material, the Justice Department announced today.
Ron Gad, 49, of the Pico-Robertson area of Los Angeles, was charged Thursday with one count of distribution of child pornography.
Gad, whose marriage and family therapist license expired in November 2023, is free on $250,000 bond. He is expected to be arraigned on May 3 in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
According to the indictment, on December 2, 2021, Gad knowingly distributed child sexual abuse material (CSAM) involving a pre-teen via the internet and which had been shipped in interstate commerce.
Court documents previously filed in this case state that in the fall of 2022, law enforcement became aware that Gad, who maintained a Beverly Hills office for his therapy practice, had engaged in sexually explicit online chats with someone he believed was a 13-year-old girl, but who in fact was an undercover law enforcement officer.
In October 2022, Gad allegedly drove more than 180 miles from Beverly Hills to San Luis Obispo to a public park, an arranged meeting site where he believed he was to meet the “girl.” Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop, arrested Gad and seized several digital devices, according to an affidavit filed with a criminal complaint in this matter.
A search of Gad’s digital devices pursuant to a search warrant led to evidence of Gad’s distribution of CSAM, as well as communications with suspected minors and internet searches related to sex with minors, the affidavit alleges.
The San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office previously charged Gad in state court. That case was dismissed so Gad could be charged in federal court.
An indictment and a complaint contain allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted, Gad would face a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
Homeland Security Investigations and the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office are investigating this matter.
Anyone who may have additional information concerning this case is encouraged to call HSI's tip line at (866) 347-2423.
Assistant United States Attorneys Damaris Diaz of the Violent and Organized Crimes Section and Angela C. Makabali of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.
Fifth Member of Alleged Gun Trafficking Group Arrested on Indictment Charging the Burglary of a Pawn Shop for GunsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A fifth defendant was arrested this morning as part of an 11-count indictment, filed in U.S. District Court, connected to the December 13, 2023, robbery of nearly three dozen firearms – which included handguns, rifles, and shotguns – from a pawn shop in Glen Burnie, Maryland that is a Federal Firearms Licensee. The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Craig Kailimai of the ATF’s Washington Field Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Earlier today, agents with the ATF and officers from MPD arrested defendant Tyjuan McNeal, 27, of Washington, D.C. Charged in the conspiracy with McNeal are: Vincent Lee Alston, aka “Vedo,” 22, Juwon Markel Anderson aka “Peezy,” 21, and Niquan Odumn, aka “Stickz” and “Debo,” 22, all of Washington, D.C., and Cy’Juan Hemsley, aka “Juan,” 18, of District Heights, Maryland. Alston and Anderson were arrested December 15, 2023. Hemsley and Odumn are also in custody. The charges include conspiracy to commit firearm trafficking, conspiracy to commit theft from a federal firearms licensee, unlawful possession of stolen firearms, unlawful possession of firearms by a convicted felon, and interstate transportation of a stolen motor vehicle.
“These defendants allegedly conspired to steal dozens of firearms from a licensed dealer and to illegally flood our community with them,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “The spread of illegal firearms is like the spread of a virus; when there are more illegal guns in the community, more people will get hurt. We appreciate the efforts of our partners at ATF and MPD to stop these firearms from hitting our streets.”
“This group of individuals was looking to make a quick profit by filling the streets of D.C. with firearms and arming the sort of people who aim to destroy our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Kailimai. “But, today, we derailed that plan by arresting a fifth member involved in this scheme, all while seizing more of the stolen firearms. We will continue protecting the public from the proliferation of illegal guns.”
According to the indictment, one of the goals of the conspiracy was to transport stolen firearms from the Maryland pawn shop into the District, and then sell or transfer the stolen firearms to other individuals. The indictment further alleges that on December 13, 2023, the five men broke into the pawn shop with a portable saw and a crowbar. They collected 34 firearms and traveled back to Washington D.C. in a stolen red sedan. Later that day, a co-conspirator attempted to sell some of the stolen guns. Hemsley reached out to an associate stating that “I got u a gift” and “I got u a missile” while sending a video of two firearms. On December 14, 2023, one of the co-conspirators transferred four of the firearms – which included two Smith & Wesson M&Ps; a Glock 47, 9mm; and an FN, FNX 45 – to an unknown third party.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Metropolitan Police Department, with assistance from the ATF Baltimore Field Division. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shehzad Akhtar and Ryan Lipes.
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.
Federal jury convicts New York man for defrauding restaurant employees and COVID-19 relief programRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Mount Vernon, New York, man today on charges of wire and mail fraud.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Derickson Lawrence, 67, was the Chief Executive Officer and sole owner of MarketView Resources, Inc., a company that provided third-party payroll services. MarketView had only one significant client, a Virginia Beach company that owned restaurant franchises in the mid-Atlantic region. The Virginia Beach company regularly transferred payroll money to a bank account controlled by Lawrence to pay the salaries of its employees who elected to receive their wages via debit card.
From March 2017 through October 2019, Lawrence wired approximately $230,000 from the bank account with the employees’ wages to his brokerage account, most of which he lost through risky, speculative options trading. Lawrence also used the restaurant workers’ wages to pay debit cards he gave to himself, his own employee, and family members.
As early as December 2018, on numerous occasions there was not enough money left to cover the transactions of employees who used their debit cards to withdraw their wages. The financial services company that processed those transactions for MarketView covered nearly $90,000 until they terminated their relationship with Lawrence in September 2019. On Sept. 25, 2019, when the paycards were shut off, MarketView’s own records showed an available balance to cardholders of more than $465,000, while the bank account only contained $2,400.
In addition to defrauding his client, Lawrence defrauded the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a COVID-19 relief program under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The PPP program was intended to provide loans backed by the Small Business Administration to certain businesses, nonprofit organizations, and other entities to help them retain their employees or stay afloat during the pandemic. In April 2020, Lawrence submitted a PPP loan application that falsely stated he had two employees and paid over $10,000 in monthly wages. Lawrence falsely portrayed MarketView’s 2020 payroll by using an altered bank statement that actually reflected activity from February 2016. Lawrence received a PPP loan of $26,250, which he used for options trading.
Lawrence faces 20 years in prison on each of the 11 counts when sentenced on July 19. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr, accepted the verdict.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony Mozzi and E. Rebecca Gantt are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents 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. 2:23-cr-89.
Federal Jury Finds Shakopee Man Guilty of Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A federal jury found a Shakopee man guilty of possession and distribution of methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
Following a three-day trial before Judge Donovan W. Frank, Saul Rodriguez Pineda, 40, was convicted today on three counts of distribution of methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.
According to the evidence presented at trial, law enforcement executed a series of controlled buys of methamphetamine from Rodriguez Pineda on three separate occasions between September and October 2022. On October 12, 2022, law enforcement searched the residence where Rodriguez Pineda was staying in Shakopee, Minnesota, and found 31 pounds of methamphetamine in Rodriguez Pineda’s yard as well as a liquid methamphetamine conversion lab. Law enforcement also found numerous items related to drug trafficking inside the residence.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Minnesota River Valley Drug Task Force, and the Shakopee Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allen A. Slaughter and Raphael B. Coburn tried the case.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Logan County Felon for Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green, Kentucky, returned an indictment on March 13, 2024, charging a Logan County man with methamphetamine and fentanyl trafficking, possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Director Tommy Loving of the Bowling Green/Warren County Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (AHIDTA) Drug Task Force made the announcement.
According to the indictment, on February 15, 2024, in Warren County, Kentucky, Joshua O. Duncan, 39, possessed with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture and 400 grams or more of fentanyl mixture. Duncan is also charged with possessing a Smith and Wesson .38 caliber revolver in furtherance of his drug trafficking. In addition to the revolver, Duncan also possessed a Springfield Armory .45 caliber semiautomatic pistol, a Ruger .380 caliber semiautomatic pistol, and a Smith and Wesson .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol. Duncan was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses.
On August 21, 2018, in Logan Circuit Court, Duncan was convicted of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, first offense, greater than 2 grams of methamphetamine.
On August 27, 2012, in Logan Circuit Court, Duncan was convicted of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, first offense, cocaine.
On March 11, 2010, in Logan Circuit Court, Duncan was convicted of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, first offense, cocaine.
On March 21, 2024, Duncan made an initial court appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, he faces a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the ATF Bowling Green Field Office and the Bowling Green/Warren County Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (AHIDTA) Drug Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Yurchisin II, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, is prosecuting this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Federal Court Enters $9.9M Penalty and Injunction Against Man Found to Have Caused Thousands of Unlawful Spoofed RobocallsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A federal court in Montana entered a $9.9 million penalty on Tuesday against a man found responsible for causing thousands of unlawful and malicious “spoofed” robocalls to consumers across the nation. The court also imposed an injunction prohibiting any future violations of the Truth in Caller ID Act and Telephone Consumer Protection Act.
The case arose out of an investigation conducted by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) into unlawful robocalls received by consumers in states including Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa and Virginia in 2018. The calls displayed inaccurate caller IDs indicating they were from local phone numbers, inducing the recipients to answer the calls and listen to the recorded messages. Those messages included highly inflammatory and disturbing content, often directed at certain communities, that intended to offend or harm the recipients. For example, hundreds of the spoofed robocalls targeted residents of the Brooklyn, Iowa, area in the aftermath of a local woman’s murder. Similarly, more than 2,000 of the spoofed robocalls targeted residents of Charlottesville, Virginia, during the investigation and prosecution of James Alex Fields Jr. for killing one woman and injuring dozens during the “Unite the Right” rally in August 2017. Many consumers who received the calls submitted complaints to FCC and other law enforcement regarding unwanted and harassing robocalls.
FCC traced the unlawful spoofed robocalls to Scott Rhodes, a resident of Idaho and Montana, and in January 2021, FCC imposed a $9,918,000 forfeiture penalty against Rhodes. In September 2021, the Justice Department sued Rhodes in the District of Montana to recover that penalty and obtain an injunction. In October 2023, the United States moved for summary judgment, and the court subsequently entered an injunction and the full $9,918,000 forfeiture penalty against Rhodes, after concluding based on a de novo review of the evidence that Rhodes committed the violations found by FCC.
“The department is committed to protecting consumers from deceptive robocalls,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We are very pleased by the court’s judgment, and we will continue working with the FCC and other agency partners to vigorously enforce the telemarketing laws that prohibit these practices.”
“Virtually every Montanan has been the subject of unwanted and harassing robocalls, and the person responsible for such calls usually escapes accountability,” said U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich for the District of Montana. “But not this time. In placing thousands of harassing and malicious spoofing calls to consumers across the country, Rhodes showed a blatant disregard to caller ID and telephone consumer protection laws designed to prevent this sort of conduct. I applaud the court’s injunction and nearly $10 million forfeiture penalty that hold Rhodes accountable. These results send the clear message that the Justice Department is determined to protect consumers.”
“When persistent and malicious robocallers break the law, it takes strong partnerships like this one to bring them to justice,” said Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel of the FCC. “I thank the Justice Department team, in conjunction with FCC lawyers, for vigorously pursuing this penalty. I especially want to thank FCC investigators for tracking down this robocaller and building such a strong case. Our agency will continue to relentlessly pursue these unwanted robocalls and build on our multi-faceted collaborative approach with law enforcement agencies at home, as well as the growing partnerships we’re fostering with our counterparts abroad, so that we can quickly and effectively neutralize bad actors.”
Assistant Director Patrick Runkle, Trial Attorney Michael Wadden, Trial Attorney Amanda Kelly, Investigator Giovan Aloisio and Senior Deputy Director Lisa Hsiao of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch handled the case with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon Clarke for the District of Montana.
Drug trafficker with 10 previous convictions sentenced againRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Suffolk man was sentenced today to 24 years and four months in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents, from July 28, 2020, to July 15, 2022, Kevin Ronregus Jones, 54, conducted numerous sales of heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine to a confidential source working with federal investigators. In at least some of the fentanyl transactions, the defendant agreed to sell heroin, but instead knowingly sold fentanyl. On one occasion, Jones sold fentanyl while accompanied by a 12-year-old boy.
On Oct. 24, 2020, investigators executed a warrant to search Jones’ Portsmouth drug house where he received, stored, packaged, and distributed controlled substances. Investigators recovered approximately 1,683 grams of fentanyl, 420 grams of powder cocaine, 31 grams of cocaine base, four plastic bags containing drug-cutting agents quinine and caffeine, a drug press, and $24,915 in fentanyl proceeds.
Upon completion of his prison term, Jones will be subject to 10 years of supervised release.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; and Stephen Jenkins, Chief of Portsmouth Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Darryl J. Mitchell prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-104.