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20 March 2024
Justice Department Seeks to Shut Down Las Vegas Tax Return Preparers Filing False and Fraudulent Tax Returns for CustomersRead the Press Release
The Justice Department filed two civil complaints today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada against Las Vegas tax return preparers and their companies. The complaints seek to enjoin these tax return preparers and their companies from preparing and filing federal income tax returns for others.
The complaints allege that Michael Moreno and his company, Awesome Tax LLC, and Carlos Yero and his company, Travel All The World, prepared and filed thousands of federal income tax returns for customers since at least 2018. Allegedly, Moreno and Yero and their companies regularly filed returns with the IRS that fraudulently overstated the amount of refund due while simultaneously telling their customers that they would receive a smaller refund. Moreno and Yero would then allegedly collect as “bank fees” the substantial difference between these amounts. The complaints allege that the amount collected as “bank fees” ranges between $300 and $800 per return.
The complaints allege that Moreno and Yero prepared, and their companies filed, tax returns with false tax credits, fabricated business income and expenses on Form 1040 Schedule C and improper itemized deductions on Form 1040 Schedule A to improperly understate their customers’ tax liabilities and to inflate refunds. Moreno and Awesome Tax have allegedly caused a tax loss of approximately $2.74 million in 2018 and 2019, while Yero and Travel All The World allegedly caused a tax loss of $2.64 million in 2019 alone.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General David A. Hubbert of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
Attorneys from the Justice Department’s Tax Division are handling the case.
Taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. The IRS also offers 10 tips to avoid tax season fraud and ways to safeguard their personal information.
In the past decade, the Justice Department’s Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
United States v. Carlos Roberto Yero et al..pdf United States v. Michel Moreno et al..pdfJustice Department Secures Agreement to Extend Obligations in 2021 Agreement with Florida’s Volusia County School District to Protect Students with DisabilitiesRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – The Justice Department announced today a Memorandum of Agreement (Agreement) with Florida’s Volusia County School (VCS) District, which extends the term of a 2021 settlement agreement between the United States and the district by an additional two years to allow its revised policies and practices for students with disabilities to be fully implemented. The settlement agreement addressed the district’s discriminatory policies and practices that discipline students with disabilities for their disability-related behavior and deny them equal access to VCS’s educational program. In addition to the two-year extension, the Agreement requires the district to take additional critical steps to increase its Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance.
“Students have the right to go to school and be treated with dignity without fear of being punished for their disabilities,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The department will continue to vigorously enforce the ADA’s protections for students with disabilities, and this Agreement ensures that the robust changes being implemented by the district can be monitored appropriately.”
“We are encouraged the Volusia County School District has taken initial steps to change its policies and practices, providing critical training to staff and law enforcement and adopting strict accountability measures so that students with disabilities will have equal access to educational programs,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “My office will continue to work with the district to ensure its compliance with the terms of the Memorandum of Agreement.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida and the Civil Rights Division’s Disability Rights Section (DRS) investigated the case.
Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt, and additional information about the work of the DRS is available at www.ada.gov. Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at civilrights.justice.gov/report/. Information about the Civil Rights Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida and a complaint form for the unit can be found at www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/civil-rights.
Individuals with information related to the department’s investigation and the district’s compliance with the settlement agreement are encouraged to report such information by email at [email protected].
Justice Department Secures Agreement to Extend Obligations in 2021 Agreement with Florida’s Volusia County School District to Protect Students with DisabilitiesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today a Memorandum of Agreement (Agreement) with Florida’s Volusia County School (VCS) District, which extends the term of a 2021 settlement agreement between the United States and the district by an additional two years to allow its revised policies and practices for students with disabilities to be fully implemented. The settlement agreement addressed the district’s discriminatory policies and practices that discipline students with disabilities for their disability-related behavior and deny them equal access to VCS’s educational program. In addition to the two-year extension, the Agreement requires the district to take additional critical steps to increase its Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance.
“Students have the right to go to school and be treated with dignity without fear of being punished for their disabilities,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The department will continue to vigorously enforce the ADA’s protections for students with disabilities, and this Agreement ensures that the robust changes being implemented by the district can be monitored appropriately.”
“We are encouraged the Volusia County School District has taken initial steps to change its policies and practices, providing critical training to staff and law enforcement and adopting strict accountability measures so that students with disabilities will have equal access to educational programs,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “My office will continue to work with the district to ensure its compliance with the terms of the Memorandum of Agreement.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida and the Civil Rights Division’s Disability Rights Section (DRS) investigated the case.
Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt, and additional information about the work of the DRS is available at www.ada.gov. Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at civilrights.justice.gov/report/. Information about the Civil Rights Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida and a complaint form for the unit can be found at www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/civil-rights.
Individuals with information related to the department’s investigation and the district’s compliance with the settlement agreement are encouraged to report such information by email at [email protected].
Interior Department Employee Sentenced to Five Years of Probation for EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – George Thomas Onwiler, 49, of Hayfork, California, was sentenced on Monday to five years’ probation by United States District Judge Michael Liburdi. On November 7, 2023, Onwiler pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. In addition to his probation term, the Court ordered that Onwiler pay restitution in the amount of $139,168.02.
Beginning in May 2018 and continuing through April 2020, Onwiler embezzled approximately $139,000 from the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), a component of the United States Department of the Interior. Onwiler was employed as an electrician for the BOR, located in Yuma, Arizona. In his employment with the BOR, Onwiler was responsible for purchasing commercial and agricultural grade electrical supplies and materials needed for his government work, and he was issued a BOR credit card to make those purchases.
Onwiler embezzled money from the government by using his government issued credit card to pay fictional electrical company suppliers. Onwiler created fake company names and used PayPal and Block/Square to transfer money to himself. Through 47 unauthorized wire transfers, Onwiler transferred $139,168.02 to his personal bank account. These transactions were fraudulent as he did not purchase electrical supplies for the BOR.
The United States Department of the Interior conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney, Kristen Brook, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-00400-PHX-MTL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-037_Onwiler# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Individual Sentenced to 20 Years and Three Months in Prison for a Series of Hobbs Act Robberies and Firearms ViolationsRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A Río Grande man was sentenced to 20 years and three months in prison for four counts of Hobbs Act violations and one count of firearms violations, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.
According to court documents, Miguel Cancel-Marrero, 62, committed a series of robberies while brandishing, carrying and using a firearm, in the presence of employees against their will, by means of threatened force, violence and fear of injury. The defendant admitted to the following robberies:
- On January 14, 2021, the defendant took United States currency from Auto Zone in Trujillo Alto, PR. During this robbery, the defendant aimed the firearm at customers and employees and pointed the firearm at the head of an employee. Cancel-Marrero also admitted that he discharged the firearm while committing the robbery, shooting himself in the right leg and subsequently bleeding inside the Auto Zone.
- On December 2, 2020, the defendant took U.S. currency from Advanced Auto Parts in Río Grande, P.R.
- On December 4, 2020, the defendant took U.S. currency from Advanced Auto Parts in Trujillo Alto, P.R.
- On December 16, 2020, the defendant took U.S. currency from Auto Zone in Guaynabo, P.R.
On March 14, 2024, the Honorable Silvia Carreño-Coll, United States District Court Judge, sentenced Cancel-Marrero to 108 months on the four counts of Hobbs Act violations concurrent to one another and consecutive to 120 months on the 924 (c) discharge where the defendant shot himself in the leg for a total of 228 months imprisonment (19 years). The Court also sentenced the defendant to 15 months on the revocation of supervised release. The defendant was also ordered to pay restitution to the victims.
U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico; and Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI, San Juan Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Luis A. Valentin from the Transnational Organized Crime Unit prosecuted the case.
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Illinois Man Sentenced for Unlawful Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Joshua C. Murphy, 37, of Villa Park, Illinois, was sentenced March 20, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for being a felon in possession of a firearm. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Johnson to 68 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Murphy’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release.
On October 4, 2022, an ATF confidential source made a controlled buy of a Sig Sauer 9mm handgun from Murphy, a convicted felon. The handgun was reported stolen from West Virginia, and it included an extended high-capacity magazine. The confidential source paid Murphy $1,200 of ATF buy money in exchange for the handgun. The buy was audio and video recorded and monitored by law enforcement.
Murphy has previously been convicted of the following felonies punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year: Motor Vehicle Theft over $20,000 (2013), in the 17th Judicial District of Colorado and Escape (2014), in the 19th Judicial District of Colorado.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.
IRS Revenue Agent Arrested for Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Revenue Agent for the United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS) was arrested today for allegedly filing false personal tax returns for three years.
Ndeye Amy Thioub, 67, of Swampscott, was charged with filing false tax returns. Thioub will appear in federal court in Boston at 2 p.m. today.
According to the charging documents, Thioub has been employed by the IRS for over 17 years. In her current position as a Revenue Agent assigned to the Large Business and International Division of the IRS, Thioub conducts independent field examinations and related investigations of complex income tax returns filed by large businesses, corporations and organizations. Thioub has extensive and specialized knowledge of and training in accounting techniques, practices and investigative audit techniques. She is also responsible for examining and resolving various tax issues of individuals and business organizations that may include extensive national and/or international subsidiaries. In addition to her IRS position, Thioub worked as a Visiting Instructor at Salem State University, teaching college-level classes that included instruction on the verification of records; valuation and analysis of accounts; the importance of financial accounting and financial statements; professional standards; and ethics, professional responsibilities and legal liabilities issues facing auditors.
It is alleged that Thioub filed false personal tax returns for tax years 2017, 2018 and 2019. It is further alleged that, for each year, Thioub filed a false Schedule C claiming a business loss from a purported “import and export” business she claimed to have. As a result, the claimed net loss was carried over to her personal IRS Form 1040s and used to reduce Thioub’s adjusted gross income and ultimate tax liability. Specifically, Thioub allegedly underreported her total income by approximately $42,805 in 2017, $20,324 in 2018 and $27,063 in 2019.
The charge of filing a false tax return provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, followed by one year of supervised release and a $100,000 fine. 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; Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; and Christopher J. Gust, Acting Special Agent in charge of the U.S. Department of Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Northeast Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Kristina E. Barclay of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Gangster Disciples, Sisters of the Struggle Members Sentenced to Prison for Gang-Related MurdersRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A high-ranking member of the Gangster Disciples and a leader of its parallel female organization, the Sisters of the Struggle, were sentenced to prison today for their roles in a murderous conspiracy stemming from gang-related retribution that resulted in the shooting deaths of three Athens, Georgia, men.
Philmon Deshawn Chambers, aka “Dolla Phil,” 35, of Atlanta was sentenced to serve two consecutive Life terms plus 120 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Chambers was found guilty of Racketeer Influenced and Corruption Organization (RICO) Conspiracy; Violent Crime in Aid of Racketeering - Murder (VICAR-Murder); Carry and Use of a Firearm During and In Relation to a Crime of Violence; and Causing the Death of a Person Using a Firearm.
Co-defendant Andrea Paige Browner, aka “Drea,” 29, of Athens, Georgia, was sentenced to serve two concurrent sentences of 30 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Browner was found guilty of Racketeer Influenced and Corruption Organization (RICO) Conspiracy; Violent Crime in Aid of Racketeering - Murder (VICAR-Murder); and Causing the Death of a Person Using a Firearm. The co-defendants were convicted on all counts by a federal jury on Aug. 17, 2023. Chief U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell is presiding over the case and handed down these sentences on March 20. The defendants are not eligible for parole.
“Philmon Chambers and his co-conspirators’ murderous crimes caused intense pain and suffering for three Georgia families whose loved ones were taken from them in a heinous manner,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “While no court can restore the lives that were lost, we hope these sentences provide some measure of justice and underscore our office’s commitment – working alongside our law enforcement partners – to combatting violent crime.”
“While these sentences won’t ease the pain felt by the victim’s families and friends, this does send a message of hope to our community that we will fight for the rights of those targeted by violent street gangs,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Dismantling violent criminal organizations is a priority for the FBI, and a goal we share with our law enforcement and prosecution partners across the country.”
“While these sentences will never undo the loss of the affected families, it sends a message that justice will prevail,” said Athens-Clarke County Police Chief Jerry Saulters. “We are grateful to our officers for their continued support of this case and those involved in the prosecution. Our community is safer because of your efforts.”
Two co-defendants previously entered guilty pleas and will be sentenced on March 27 in Macon:
Robert Maurice Carlisle, aka “Different,” 37, of Lithonia, Georgia, pleaded guilty to Racketeer Influenced and Corruption Organization (RICO) conspiracy on June 8, 2023, and is facing a maximum sentence of life in prison; and
Shabazz Larry Guidry, aka “Lil Larry,” 29, of Decatur, Georgia, pleaded guilty to Racketeer Influenced and Corruption Organization (RICO) conspiracy on June 8, 2023, and is facing a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The following co-defendant was sentenced to prison on Feb. 20:
Lesley Chappell Green, aka “Grip,” 35, of Stone Mountain, was sentenced to life in prison on Feb. 20 after he was convicted by a federal jury of Racketeer Influenced and Corruption Organization (RICO) conspiracy on Aug. 17, 2023.
According to court documents, Chambers held a “Position of Authority” within the national Gangster Disciples criminal organization, which included overseeing members of the “Enforcement Team.” Enforcement Teams within the Gangster Disciples are directed to discipline gang members for violations of gang rules through physical assault or murder. Co-defendant Green was a member of the Enforcement Team and held the title of “Assistant Chief Enforcer.” Co-defendant Browner was a member of the “Sisters of the Struggle” (SOS), a parallel female component of the Gangster Disciples, and held a leadership position in the gang.
Evidence presented at trial proved that on Dec. 10, 2018, Gangster Disciples member Walter Brown was murdered in Athens, Georgia. Chambers and Browner sought retaliation for Brown’s death and believed three unnamed Athens residents were responsible. On Dec. 14, 2018, Browner met Rodriquez Apollo Rucker, of Athens, at a downtown Athens hotel and learned that Rucker was related to one of the individuals she believed killed Brown. Browner sent text messages directing Chambers to travel to the motel, which he did. Chambers then followed Rucker home and shot and killed him. Browner notified an associate of the Gangster Disciples that she and Chambers would be leaving town because the police would be looking for them.
Browner was taken into custody in Mt. Enterprise, Texas, on Dec. 15, however Chambers, who had been in the vehicle with Browner, fled from law enforcement. Chambers was suspicious that someone was cooperating with law enforcement and focused his suspicions on Derrick Ruff and Joshua Jackson who were, in fact, not cooperating with law enforcement. Chambers incorrectly concluded that Ruff and Jackson were “snitches” and directed Green, who held a subordinate position on the Enforcement Team, to carry out the murders of Ruff and Jackson.
Text messages and intercepted phone calls between Chambers, Green, Carlisle and Guidry revealed that Ruff and Jackson were lured by Green, as directed by Chambers, to drive from Athens to Lawrenceville, Georgia, to break into storage sheds and steal items to send to Chambers as “aid and assistance” as he was hiding out from law enforcement in a Gangster Disciple “safe house” in Killeen, Texas. The ruse worked, and Ruff and Jackson were murdered on Dec. 19 and their bodies concealed in the storage unit until March 17, 2019, when police with the assistance of cadaver sniffing dogs located them. Additional messages between Chambers, Green, Carlisle and Guidry showed that they conspired to dispose of the victims’ bodies, which included potentially burning the bodies or dumping the bodies in a landfill. Law enforcement recovered the bodies and made arrests before these plans could be carried out.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Athens Resident Agency Middle Georgia Safe Streets Gang Task Force, the Athens-Clarke County Police Department and the Gwinnett County Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Morrison of the Middle District of Georgia and Trial Attorney Kenneth Kaplan, formerly of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section, are prosecuting the case with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart Walker of the Middle District of Georgia.
Four Hoover Criminal Gang Members Indicted for Murder in Aid of RacketeeringRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A federal grand jury in Portland has returned an indictment charging four Hoover Criminal Gang members for their roles in murdering a Portland man in December 2020.
Taezhon Tyreik Kelly, 23, Anthony Devion Bagsby, 32, and Delane William Roy, 25, all of Portland, and Cocoa Dalonta Taplin, 28, of Fairview, Oregon, have been charged with murder in aid of racketeering, using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence, and causing death through the use of a firearm.
The indictment alleges that on December 11, 2020, Kelly, Bagsby, Taplin, and Roy intentionally murdered D.M., a Portland man, for the purpose of maintaining and increasing their position in the Hoover Criminal Gang, a criminal enterprise engaged in racketeering in California, Oregon, Washington, and elsewhere.
Bagsby and Taplin were arrested today in Portland by the FBI, Portland Police Bureau (PPB), and Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO). Both made their first appearances in federal court and were ordered detained pending a six-week jury trial scheduled to begin on April 30, 2024. Kelly was arrested Tuesday in Halton City, Texas and made his first appearance today in the Northern District of Texas. Roy was arrested today in Kaplan, Louisiana and made his first appearance in the Western District of Louisiana. Both were detained pending their transfer to the District of Oregon.
According to the indictment, the Hoovers are a criminal street gang operating in Oregon known to engage in acts of violence including murder, assault, robbery, sex trafficking, and the distribution of illegal narcotics. The Hoovers originated in Los Angeles in the late 1960s and established a presence in Portland in the early 1980s. The gang has a loose hierarchical structure in which members have different amounts of power and influence based on age and gang activity. To maintain status and increase one’s position in the gang, members are expected to carry out violence on behalf of the enterprise.
This case was investigated by the FBI, PPB, MCSO, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Gresham Police Department, and is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This prosecution is the result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the U.S. 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.
Fort Myers Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Jonathan Garduno (33, Fort Myers) to 14 years in federal prison for distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and attempting to possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Garduno pleaded guilty on September 14, 2023.
According to court documents, on December 10, 2021, Garduno distributed approximately 109 grams of methamphetamine in exchange for a cash payment. The transaction occurred at Garduno’s residence.
On or about January 11, 2022, Garduno arranged for the shipment of a package containing methamphetamine to a residence in Lee County. Investigators with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service were able to locate the package within the mail stream, discovering it contained methamphetamine. Subsequent testing of the substance by a DEA forensic chemist determined that it was approximately 1,695.2 grams of actual methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael V. Leeman.
Fort Lauderdale Man Pleads Guilty to $36.2 Million Medicare Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Omar Solari (35, Fort Lauderdale) has pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit health care fraud in a $36.2 million scheme in which pharmacy owners paid kickbacks and bribes to telemarketers and telemedicine providers to secure orders for medically unnecessary prescriptions that were billed to Medicare. Solari faces up to 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, Solari and his co-conspirators owned and operated pharmacies that participated in the Medicare program. From approximately September 2018 through November 2021, Solari and his co-conspirators paid kickbacks and bribes to telemarketing companies in exchange for recruiting Medicare beneficiaries to accept prescriptions for various medications – mainly topical creams – which the beneficiaries usually did not want or need. Solari also owned and operated a telemarketing company, through which he received kickbacks from the pharmacies in exchange for beneficiary leads he provided.
Solari and his co-conspirators also paid kickbacks and bribes to telemedicine companies that employed or contracted with physicians who signed the prescriptions. The physicians had no physician-patient relationship with the beneficiaries and typically signed the prescriptions after a cursory telephone conversation with the beneficiary or with no contact at all. After obtaining Medicare beneficiary information and the signed prescriptions, Solari and his co-conspirators submitted claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary medications, sometimes through multiple pharmacies they owned and controlled in a practice known as “recycling,” and were reimbursed more than $36.2 million by Medicare Part D.
Solari has agreed to forfeit $6,341,240.58, which constitute the proceeds he obtained as a result of the conspiracy. He further agreed to forfeit four pieces of real property, two jet skis, and numerous watches and pieces of jewelry as substitute assets.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David B. Mesrobian and Trial Attorney Gary Winters of the Department of Justice – Criminal Division, Fraud Section. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer M. Harrington.
Former Universal Companies Executives Convicted at Trial of Conspiracy to Defraud the United States GovernmentRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that defendant Abdur Rahim Islam, 66, the former Chief Executive Officer of Universal Community Homes and defendant Shahied Dawan, 72, the former Chief Financial Officer and Secretary of Universal, both of Philadelphia, PA, were convicted today at trial of conspiring to defraud the United States.
Islam was also convicted of six counts of honest services wire fraud, five counts of wire fraud, and six counts of filing false tax returns.
Details of the charges follow.
Count 1 – Conspiracy to Defraud the United States (Islam and Dawan convicted)
The defendants conspired to defraud the United States by impeding, impairing, obstructing, and defeating the lawful functions of the Internal Revenue Service of the Department of the Treasury in the ascertainment, computation, assessment, and collection of income taxes, and in the regulation of tax-exempt charitable organizations, from at least in or about 2011 until at least in or about 2018.
The object of the conspiracy was to conceal from the Internal Revenue Service taxable income, including unapproved bonuses and payments to both defendants, and improperly reimbursed personal expenses to Islam. The defendants hid the true nature of these payments from Universal’s auditors as they prepared the IRS Forms 990 for Universal. As a result, the tax returns for Universal and its related companies were false. Because Universal was able to maintain its tax-exempt status as a Section 501(c)(3) organization, the defendants were able to take advantage of the benefits of Universal’s tax-exempt status, including the ability to solicit donations based on representations that such donations would be tax deductible.
Counts 2-7 – Honest Services Wire Fraud (Bribery) (Islam convicted)
Islam devised and participated in a scheme and artifice to defraud and to deprive the citizens of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, of their right to the honest services of then-Milwaukee Public Schools Board President Michael Bonds, from in or about December of 2014 to in or about February of 2018.
The scheme involved the payment of an $18,000 bribe to Bonds, who previously pleaded guilty, in exchange for Bonds using his official position to take a series of official actions to financially benefit Universal. These actions included advocating for and voting in favor of Universal’s expansion of charter school operations in Milwaukee, and for favorable lease terms for Universal.
Counts 8-12 – Wire Fraud (Islam convicted)
Islam devised and participated in a scheme and artifice to defraud and to obtain money and property, that is, at least $491,000, from the Universal Companies, by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises, from in or about December of 2014 to in or about February of 2018.
He stole significant sums of money from Universal, even while Universal was losing significant amounts of money due to the failed charter school expansion in Milwaukee. The thefts included unapproved bonuses of $280,000 for Islam and at least $211,000 in fraudulent expense reimbursements to him.
Counts 13-18 – Filing False Tax Returns (Islam convicted)
Islam filed false tax returns for tax years 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016, underreporting his taxable income by approximately $573,823, resulting in a tax loss to the government of approximately $196,577. The defendant did not report any of the money he took from Universal during the execution of the wire fraud scheme that is the subject of Counts 8-12.
“Islam and Dawan conspired to defraud the government — and therefore, taxpayers — out of revenue,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Today’s verdict holds them accountable for doing so, and holds Islam responsible for his years-long pattern of criminal activity. He treated Universal like a virtual ATM, shortchanging its charter schools’ students, and the community, in the process.”
“Public corruption is a top FBI criminal investigative priority, as it erodes public confidence in the systems built to better our communities,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners remain steadfast in our commitment to combating public corruption at any level and aggressively pursue those who abuse their positions for personal profit.”
“The outcome today is due to the dedicated efforts of IRS Criminal Investigation special agents and our law enforcement partners,” said Yury Kruty, Special Agent in Charge of IRS-Criminal Investigation. “IRS-Criminal Investigation is proud to have provided its financial expertise in this investigation, and we will continue to aggressively investigate individuals who engage in money laundering, tax fraud, or other types of white-collar crimes.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations Division, with assistance from the Department of Education Office of Inspector General and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mark B. Dubnoff and Linwood C. Wright, Jr.
Former New York City Transit Worker and Former New York State Court Officer Sentenced to 18 Months' Imprisonment for COVID-19 Loan FraudRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, Arthur Cornwall, a former signal maintainer with the New York City Transit Authority, and Sean Williams, a former New York State Court Officer, were each sentenced by United States District Judge Joan M. Azrack to 18 months in prison for conspiring to commit wire fraud in connection with their receipt of approximately $770,000 in small business loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDLP). The Court also ordered the defendants to pay $770,000 in restitution to the United States Small Business Administration. The defendants pleaded guilty to the charge in June 2023.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Daniel Brubaker, Inspector-in-Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, New York Division (USPIS), announced the sentences.
“Abuse of public benefits programs, particularly shameful when those defrauding the government are public servants, will not be tolerated and not forgotten with the passage of time from the darkest days of the COVID-19 pandemic,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “The defendants’ theft of relief money, despite holding jobs with good salaries and benefits, so they could purchase real estate, cryptocurrency and pay off credit card bills with the stolen funds, is deserving of jail sentences. This Office and our agency partners will continue working to bring to justice those fraudsters who take advantage of a national emergency, and recover every dollar that they stole from the government.”
Inspector in Charge of the New York Division Daniel B. Brubaker said, “The sentencing today of these two defendants should serve as a clear message to anyone who schemes to steal the public’s money, Postal Inspectors and our law enforcement partners will track you down and see you prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. What makes this case even more egregious is that the defendants were employed in positions of public trust when they stole money specifically intended for those struggling to keep their businesses afloat during the pandemic. Today is a win for the good guys and the people we protect, but the fight is far from over and we will continue to use every resource at our disposal to pursue anyone who attempts to defraud the public.”
Between May 2020 and July 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Cornwall and Williams fraudulently applied for, and received, at least six PPP and EIDLP loans, totaling approximately $770,000, on behalf of purported corporate entities they controlled. As part of the scheme designed to mislead the SBA and a financial institution disbursing the funds, the defendants submitted supporting documentation that contained false information, including the identity of the individual applying for the loan, the number of employees, revenue, payroll costs, and the intended use of the loan proceeds. Instead of using the funds for disaster relief, Cornwall and Williams diverted them for their personal use, including the discharge of personal credit card debt and the purchase of cryptocurrency. Following their guilty pleas, the defendants resigned from their respective government jobs.
Congress created the PPP and EIDLP as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Enacted on March 29, 2020, the CARES Act provided emergency financial assistance in connection with economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the allocation of funds for the issuance of forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the PPP. The PPP allowed qualifying small businesses to receive unsecured loans on favorable terms, which they were required to use for specified expenses, including payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent and utilities. The PPP provided for forgiveness of the loan if the recipient businesses spent the proceeds on these specified expenses within a limited time period and used a certain percentage for payroll costs.
Another source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the EIDLP, which provided low-interest financing to small businesses, renters, and homeowners in regions affected by declared disasters. Under the program, EIDLP recipients were eligible to receive advances of up to $10,000 for small businesses within three days of applying for an EIDL (EIDL Advance). The amount of an EIDL Advance was determined based on the number of employees working for the applicant. The EIDL Advance did not have to be repaid.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorney Bradley T. King is in charge of the prosecution with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Samantha Schroder and Legal Assistants Danielle Casey and Janelle Robinson.
The Defendants:
ARTHUR CORNWALL
Age: 43
West Babylon, New YorkSEAN WILLIAMS
Age: 42
Valley Stream, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-238 (JMA)
Former Franklin Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Charge of Receiving and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - On March 19, 2024, a former resident of Franklin, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of receipt and possession of material depicting the sexual exploitation of children, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Aaron Ray McClelland, 29, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, in and around October 2020 and July 2021, McClelland received images depicting prepubescent minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The Court was also advised that the parties agreed as part of the plea agreement that the appropriate sentence in this case is a seven-year term of imprisonment, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release.
Judge Baxter scheduled sentencing for July 22, 2024. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than five years and up to 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pennsylvania State Police and Indiana County District Attorney’s Office conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of McClelland.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Correctional Officer Sentenced to Eight Months in Federal Prison for Accepting Bribes to Smuggle Tobacco into Terre Haute Correctional ComplexRead the Press Release
TERRE HAUTE- Jordan Kelsheimer, 25, of Blanford, Indiana, has been sentenced to eight months in federal prison after pleading guilty to accepting a bribe as a public official.
According to court documents, beginning in 2019, Jordan Kelsheimer was employed with the United States Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Prisons, as a Corrections Officer. At the time of the offense, Kelsheimer was employed at the Federal Correctional Complex in Terre Haute, Indiana.
In the summer of 2022, Bureau of Prisons investigators initiated an investigation of the defendant after receiving multiple reports from inmate witnesses that Kelsheimer was smuggling tobacco into the facility. Tobacco is prohibited for inmate use in federal prisons. The witnesses reported that they repeatedly observed Kelsheimer in intimate contact with “Inmate 1” in and near her office. The reported contact included kissing and, on occasion, more intimate contact. Investigators reviewed prison surveillance footage from July 2022, which showed repeated contact between Kelsheimer and Inmate 1 in and near her office, as reported. The witnesses also reported that Inmate 1 was selling the cigarettes to other inmates in the prison.
On July 18, 2022, staff searched Kelsheimer when she reported for work at the prison. Kelsheimer had eight packs of Newport cigarettes on her person, which she ultimately acknowledged she intended to deliver to Inmate 1 that day. Kelsheimer also had a stack of love letters from Inmate 1 on her person. She admitted that she was paid $400 per carton by Inmate 1’s brother via CashApp, and she communicated with the brother by text messaging. Electronic records showed that she received a total of 15 separate bribe payments for a total of $5,140.
“Corrupt correctional officers fuel the contraband problems in our prison facilities and exploit the vulnerability of inmates for their own profit,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Contraband sales fuel a cycle of debt, extortion, and violence, and officials whose honor is for sale endanger every inmate and staff member in the facility. As the sentence here demonstrates, these corrupt officers will find themselves returned to the prisons as inmates.”
FBI and Department of Justice- Office of Inspector General’s Chicago Field Office investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge James P. Hanlon. Judge Hanlon also ordered that Kelsheimer be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for two years following her release from federal prison, and pay a $500 fine.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney James M. Warden, who prosecuted this case.
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Five Men Charged with Murder in Connection with Failed Robbery Attempt That Left Two DeadRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; James Smith, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”); and David Gibson, the Commissioner of the Mount Vernon Police Department, announced the arrest of ILARIO CONTRERAS, JERPI DIAZ-FELIZ, a/k/a “Jorge Diaz-Feliz,” JHOAN DIAZ-FELIZ, VICTOR JIMENEZ, and JOSEPH PEREZ. The defendants are charged with murder in connection with an attempted gunpoint robbery of a Mount Vernon warehouse that sells various unlicensed marijuana and nicotine products. Two individuals — one employee of the warehouse and one member of the robbery crew — were shot and killed during the failed robbery attempt. The defendants were arrested and will be presented later today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Victoria Reznik.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged in the Complaint, these five defendants carried out a violent armed robbery that left two dead in Mount Vernon. The dedication, bravery, and expertise of our law enforcement partners led to the swift arrest of this dangerous crew. This was an outstanding coordinated effort to uphold the law and keep the public safe. This Office is determined to ensure that these defendants now face justice.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Smith said: “These five subjects allegedly orchestrated an attempted armed robbery of a warehouse that sells to smoke shops, which quickly turned deadly as a shootout ensued, culminating in the death of both an employee and one robbery crew affiliate. The defendants’ alleged brazen actions demonstrated extreme disregard for public safety and posed a significant threat to the community. The FBI will not cease its relentless pursuit of those who choose violence, especially using firearms, to further their criminal behavior. We urge the public to contact us at 1-800-Call-FBI or at tips.fbi.gov with any additional information related to this case.”
Mount Vernon Police Commissioner David Gibson said: “I would like to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, the FBI’s Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force, the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, and the New York Police Department for their partnership, assistance, and continued support in this investigation. I would also like to thank the Westchester County Police Department and the Westchester Real Time Crime Center for their vital assistance and teamwork. The Mount Vernon Police Department and the Patterson-Howard administration takes crime in our City seriously. We want to send a message to those who seek to commit heinous crimes in our community. We will partner with local, state, and federal partners to prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law. ”
As alleged in the Complaint filed today in White Plains federal court:[1]
On or about March 19, 2024, ILARIO CONTRERAS, JERPI DIAZ-FELIZ, JHOAN DIAZ-FELIZ, VICTOR JIMENEZ, JOSEPH PEREZ, and others known and unknown attempted to rob at gunpoint a warehouse in Mount Vernon that sells various unlicensed marijuana and nicotine products. As employees of the warehouse were assisting customers, approximately 10 to 15 people, including the defendants, approached the employees and customers with weapons and forced them back into the warehouse at gunpoint. A still image from video surveillance outside the warehouse is depicted below:
Shortly after the defendants and others approached the employees and customers with firearms, a gunfight between the warehouse employees and defendants broke out. As a result, one of the employees and one of the robbers were killed.
If you have any information about this case, please contact the FBI at 1-800-Call-FBI or tips.fbi.gov.
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CONTRERAS, 23; JERPI DIAZ-FELIZ, 25; JHOAN DIAZ-FELIZ, 23; JIMENEZ, 35; and PEREZ, 26, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, one count of conspiracy to engage in drug trafficking, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison, one count of possessing and discharging a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking activity, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison, and murder through the use of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, which carries a maximum sentence of the death penalty or life imprisonment.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as the sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the work of the FBI’s Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force and the Mount Vernon Police Department. Mr. Williams also thanked the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, the Westchester County Police Department, the New York City Police Department, and the Westchester Real Time Crime Center for their invaluable assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared D. Hoffman and Justin L. Brooke are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Federal jury convicts Billings woman of trafficking methRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A federal jury on March 19 convicted a Billings woman who was accused of trafficking methamphetamine by walking the drug across the Mexican border using her U.S. passport and then mailing the drug from California to a Billings contact for distribution, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
After a two-day trial that began on March 18, the jury found Dawn Marie Guevara, 43, guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth as charged in an indictment. Guevara faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The court set sentencing for July 18 and continued Guevara’s detention pending further proceedings.
“Guevara’s convictions are yet another example of our office’s success in holding people accountable for trafficking drugs directly from Mexico to Montana, which is exactly what Guevara did here. Her convictions are due to the years of relentless work of our federal and state partners to bring Guevara and her co-defendants to justice, for which I am very grateful. I also thank Assistant U.S. Attorneys Colin M. Rubich and Jacob Yerger and our entire trial team for their diligent work in obtaining this result,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
In court documents and at trial, the government alleged that Guevara conspired with others to distribute meth in the Billings community from about July 2018 to December 2018. In July 2018, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation received information that Guevara, who was living in Mexico, was selling meth to an individual through social media orders and arranging to have another person in Billings receive the meth to complete the transaction. Law enforcement obtained meth sent by Guevara in a series of controlled purchases and for increasing amounts. and through an undercover. The investigation determined that Guevara would obtain meth in Mexico, then cross into the United States using her U.S. passport and mail the meth from a post office in San Ysidro. Money collected from sales was wired to Guevara in Mexico. Border crossing information determined that Guevara entered the United States through the San Ysidro Port of Entry approximately 20 times between July 7, 2018 and Oct. 18, 2018. Guevara was arrested in 2023 when she crossed the border from Mexico.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Colin M. Rubich and Jacob Yerger are prosecuting the case. The Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Postal Service conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Federal grand jury indicts four defendants for their roles in scheme that defrauded thousands of companies out of millions of dollarsRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Dylan Paul Costanza, 30, Tommy Lee Coburn, 29, Kyle Paul Edward Gibson, 33, all of Florida, and Heather Dierna, 30, of Rochester, NY, with conspiracy to commit mail fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Some of the defendants are also facing additional charges of mail fraud and conspiracy to engage in money laundering.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard A. Resnick, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment, between October 2020, and January 2022, the defendants obtained the names and addresses of primarily large companies located throughout the United States, where they could mail what appeared to be a legitimate invoice for cleaner/degreaser products that the victim companies would believe they had previously ordered and received. Large companies were targeted because it was less likely during the COVID-19 pandemic that account payable departments in these companies would question whether cleaner/degreaser products listed on the fraudulent invoices were ordered and received. The defendants also targeted large companies because the relatively small amounts owed on the fraudulent invoices would be less likely to raise questions regarding the legitimacy of the invoices, and because the accounts payable departments do not order products for their companies, and would be less likely to question or be suspicious of the grossly inflated prices for the cleaner/degreaser products.
Fraudulent invoices were mailed from Florida in the names of Hi-Tech Industrial and Nationwide Chemical, both sham companies. Additional fraudulent invoices under the names North Atlantic Supply and Top Tier Chemicals, also sham companies, were mailed from Rochester. Intended to look like legitimate invoices, the defendants placed statements that the documents were merely “solicitations,” and that there was no obligation to pay the amounts listed on the fraudulent invoices, in hard-to-find places on page two of the invoice. The statements were inserted so that if the defendants were ever later questioned, they could falsely claim that the intended purpose of the documents was merely to “solicit” future business from the victim companies.
As a result of the conspiracy, approximately 4,640 victim companies were tricked into believing that they had received a legitimate invoice for cleaner/degreaser products, paying approximately $3,721,229.31 to the sham companies. After receiving payment, the defendants attempted to cover up their fraud by having inexpensive cleaner/degreaser products delivered to the victim companies. A total of 10 companies in the Western District of New York were victimized. The companies are located in Henrietta, Lakewood, Brockport, Andover, Rochester, Avon, Tonawanda, and Niagara Falls.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Ketty Larco-Ward, Boston Division, and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Thomas M. Fattorusso.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Federal Jury Convicts Man of Damaging Reproductive Health Services Facilities in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal jury today convicted a man of intentionally damaging two reproductive health services facilities in Chicago.
MICHAEL BARRON, 42, of Chicago, used a sling shot and metal ball bearings to damage the two facilities on six occasions in May and June of 2021.
Barron was convicted on all six counts of intentionally damaging the two facilities because they provided reproductive health services. The jury returned the verdicts after a two-day trial in the courtroom of U.S. Magistrate Judge Young B. Kim in the Northern District of Illinois.
Each count of conviction is punishable by a maximum sentence of one year in federal prison. Sentencing was set for July 9, 2024.
The verdicts were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and LaDon Reynolds, United States Marshal for the Northern District of Illinois. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sivashree Sundaram and Paige Nutini.
Federal Inmate Charged with Sending Threatening Letter to U.S. Probation Officer in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal inmate has been charged with sending a threatening letter to a U.S. Probation officer in Chicago.
An indictment returned in U.S. District Court in Chicago charges GLENN BOWDEN, 62, most recently of Riverdale, Ill., with one count of mailing a threatening communication, one count of obstructing an official proceeding, and one count of willfully making false statements to the FBI. Arraignment is set for April 4, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Beth W. Jantz.
According to the indictment, Bowden was incarcerated in a federal prison on May 19, 2023, when he mailed a letter threatening to injure the U.S. Probation officer. The officer had conducted a presentence investigation of Bowden prior to Bowden’s sentencing on federal robbery charges in 2022. Bowden in the robbery case was sentenced to more than nine years in prison.
In addition to the alleged threat, the obstruction count in the new indictment alleges that Bowden authored a letter purportedly from his prison chaplain and caused it to be filed with the Court last year in support of a motion for compassionate release. The chaplain had no knowledge of the letter, which advocated for Bowden’s release from prison, the indictment states.
The false statements count pertains to alleged false statements provided by Bowden to the FBI during its investigation into the letters. When interviewed by the FBI, Bowden falsely claimed that he did not type or send the letter to the Probation officer and that he knew nothing about the Chaplain’s letter or who wrote it, the indictment states.
The 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 LaDon A. Reynolds, United States Marshal for the Northern District of Illinois. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey B. Rubenstein.
The public is reminded that an indictment is 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 statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Bowden indictmentFather and Two Sons Indicted and Arrested for Conspiracy to Transport Stolen Catalytic Converters and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging three men with conspiring to transport stolen property interstate and money laundering.
According to court documents, Jaime A. Pérez-Hernández, Jaime Pérez-Ramírez, and Jesiel Pérez-Hernández conspired to purchase catalytic converters that were stolen from vehicles in Puerto Rico and transport them in interstate commerce to sell them to entities in New Jersey and Massachusetts, all in order to enrich themselves.
Catalytic converters are a component of an automotive vehicle’s exhaust device that reduces the toxic gas and pollutants from a vehicle’s internal combustion engine into safe emissions. To do so, catalytic converters use precious metals in their center, or “core”, that are regularly targeted for theft due to the high value of these metals, especially palladium, platinum, and rhodium. Some of these precious metals are more valuable per ounce than gold, and their value has been increasing in recent years. The black-market price for catalytic converters can exceed $1,000 each, depending on the type of vehicle, the source state, and other factors. Thus, the theft of catalytic converters has become increasingly popular because of their value, widespread availability, and relative ease to steal.
Beginning in October 2020, the defendants used Facebook to advertise the purchase of catalytic converters from the public in Puerto Rico. The defendants used their two metal recycling companies, Borinken Catalytics LLC and Perez Metal Recycle, to purchase stolen catalytic converters.
After amassing catalytic converters, the Conspirators used private commercial shipping companies to regularly transport and sell the catalytic converters to various catalytic converter extraction companies in the continental United States, who in turn extracted and shipped the precious metals to refineries. The defendants earned more than $3,000,000 from the sale of catalytic converters between October 2020 and the date of the indictment.
Defendants Jaime A. Pérez-Hernández and Jaime Pérez-Ramírez face one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. The defendants received wire transfers, cash, and checks for the bulk shipments of catalytic converters, which they withdrew and transferred to conceal the stolen catalytic converter proceeds.
“Amidst a rise in catalytic converter thefts in Puerto Rico and in the continental United States, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, along with the Justice Department have executed investigations and arrest operations in order to deter this multimillion-dollar catalytic converter theft trend,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “We will continue to work alongside the FBI and our state and local partners to disrupt criminal conspiracies like this one that target innocent people.”
“The theft and resale of catalytic converters is a serious crime that not only harms the environment but also undermines the safety and security of our communities,” said Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Juan Field Office. “This coordinated effort spanned multiple states and involved numerous law enforcement agencies. I am proud of the tireless efforts of our agents and law enforcement partners in bringing these criminals to justice.”
The defendants are scheduled for their initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Héctor Ramos-Vega of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for the conspiracy to transport stolen property interstate, and up to 20 years for the money laundering conspiracy. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI is in charge of the investigation of the case, with the collaboration of the following agencies: Puerto Rico Police Bureau, PR Department of Treasury (Hacienda), Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, Bayamón Municipal Police, Carolina Municipal Police, the PR Department of Correction and Rehabilitation, and the US Postal Inspection Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys E. Giovannie Mercado, Carlos Romo-Aledo, and Cesar Rivera-Díaz from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico; and Cesar S. Rivera-Giraud, Trial Attorney from the Violent Crime & Racketeering Section, Criminal Division, are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Erie Resident Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison on Conviction for Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court on March 19, 2024, to seven years in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $18,000 on his conviction of violating federal laws relating to the sexual exploitation of children, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter imposed the sentence on Darren Steven George Akers, 48.
According to information presented to the Court, on or about March 9, 2023, Akers received and attempted to receive images depicting prepubescent minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Akers also possessed and accessed with intent to view child sexual abuse material from in and around May 2022 to in and around March 2023.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Akers.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Dominican Republic Native Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Adony Rivera-Cortorreal, age 28, of the Dominican Republic, was indicted on March 19, 2024, by a federal grand jury for illegal reentry into the United States by a previously deported alien.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Rivera-Cortorreal was previously removed from the United States on April 2, 2019, and it is alleged that he was subsequently found in the United States without having first obtained legal permission to reenter the country. The indictment also alleges that on March 2, 2023, Rivera-Cortorreal was encountered in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania.
This matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). Assistant United States Attorney Kyle Moreno is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is ten years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Crafton Resident Sentenced to Seven and a Half Years in Prison for Conspiring to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Crafton, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 90 months of imprisonment, to be followed by four years of supervised release, on his conviction for violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on Robert Allen, 44.
According to information presented to the Court, on May 11, 2017, Allen conspired to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Bissoon stated that the sentence was meant to reflect the seriousness of the defendant’s crime.
Assistant United States Attorneys Katherine C. Jordan and Stephen R. Kaufman prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pittsburgh City Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Allen.
Colorado CEO and Fund Manager Sentenced to 71 Months in Prison for $10.4 Million Securities Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Denver, Colorado, CEO was sentenced to 71 months in prison for conducting a securities scheme to fraudulently obtain $10.4 million from investors through various misrepresentations about fund operations, his background, and his contribution to the fund, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Samuel J. Mancini, 57, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Cecchi to an information charging him with one count of securities fraud. Judge Cecchi imposed the sentence in Newark federal court.
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger“This defendant concocted an elaborate scheme to swindle unsuspecting victims out of their hard-earned money. His lies and theft were successful to the tune of $10.4 million – right up to the moment law enforcement caught up with him. He will now spend the next several years of his life in prison, a just punishment for his crimes.”
“Schemes to make easy money on the backs of honest investors never work,” FBI – Newark Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy said. “History is littered with criminals similar to Mancini who think they will ultimately walk away with the millions they’ve stolen. It never works. At the end of the day, victims aren’t just going to accept their money is gone and not demand justice. That’s where the FBI – Newark and our law enforcement partners can help, so please reach out to us if you face a similar situation like the victims who believed in Mancini.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Mancini managed and controlled Outdoor Capital Partners LLC (OCP), which he purported to be a venture capital and private equity firm. OCP served as the managing director of OCP Italia Fund LLC (OCP Italia), a private investment fund. Mancini used OCP and OCP Italia to engage in the fraudulent scheme.
From February 2020 through July 2021, Mancini promised investors that he was raising $20 million, including $5 million of his own money, for OCP Italia to invest solely in acquiring controlling interests in three Italian cycling companies. Mancini represented to investors that the acquisitions would take place soon after the fund closed. To induce investments, Mancini promised investors approximately 70 percent of OCP Italia’s operating profits.
Mancini repeatedly misrepresented his finances and his contribution to OCP Italia. Mancini also misrepresented OCP Italia’s ability to close on the acquisitions. OCP Italia never acquired any of the Italian cycling companies. Instead, Mancini defaulted on contracts, diverted investor funds out of OCP Italia, and, in certain instances, paid investor funds to other investors seeking redemption.
Mancini also misled investors about his educational background by representing himself as a graduate of a prestigious military academy when, in fact, Mancini had failed to graduate from the academy due to an ethical violation.
When confronted with requests for transparency and redemptions by certain investors in OCP Italia, Mancini failed to honor the redemption requests, made misrepresentations about his inability to honor the redemption requests, misstated and omitted material facts, and provided certain investors with forged, modified, or otherwise fraudulent documentation and financial records. Mancini fraudulently obtained approximately $10.4 million from victims.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Cecchi sentenced Mancini to three years of supervised release.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has filed a civil complaint against Mancini based on the allegations underlying the securities fraud scheme to which Mancini pleaded guilty today.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and intelligence analysts of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the sentencing. He also thanked the FBI Denver Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Mark D. Michalek.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Repole, Deputy Chief of the Economic Crimes Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney James H. Graham of the Organized Crime/Gangs Unit.
Collin County man sentenced for bankruptcy-related fraudRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas – A McKinney man has been sentenced for bankruptcy-related fraud in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.
Jacobie Travinski Johnson, 53, was convicted of concealing assets in a pending bankruptcy proceeding and was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant on March 19, 2024.
According to information presented in court, Johnson filed a voluntary petition for Chapter 13 Bankruptcy in the Eastern District of Texas. In order to take advantage of the relief offered through the bankruptcy process, Johnson was required to truthfully disclose his assets, including his accounts at any financial institution, to the bankruptcy court, the trustee, and his creditors. Instead, Johnson concealed multiple accounts that he owned or controlled. Johnson also concealed hundreds of thousands of dollars, which were proceeds from fraudulently obtained Paycheck Protection Program loans, that he deposited into the concealed accounts.
The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean J. Taylor.
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Brooklyn Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing a Handgun with an Obliterated Serial NumberRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Adam Gomez, age 26, of Brooklyn, New York, pled guilty today to unlawfully possessing a handgun with an obliterated serial number.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.
Gomez admitted that on September 8, 2022, in the parking lot of a shopping mall in Albany County, he unlawfully possessed a Glock 17 handgun with an obliterated serial number.
Gomez faces a maximum term of 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
HSI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Belliss is prosecuting the case.
Brazilian Man Charged with Escaping from Federal CustodyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brazilian man residing in Framingham has been charged with allegedly escaping from federal custody while in transport to the Wyatt Detention Center in Rhode Island.
Victor Rodrigues De Moura-Pereria, 20, was charged with one count of escape from federal custody. He will appear in federal court in Boston on March 25, 2024.
According to the charging documents, in September 2021, Rodrigues was arrested by federal authorities in Arizona after unlawfully entering the United States. He was subsequently placed into removal proceedings in October 2021, but allegedly failed to report and was considered an absconder.
It is alleged that on Feb. 25, 2024, in Framingham, Mass., Rodrigues was approached by local law enforcement due to the outstanding warrant for his arrest. It is further alleged that Rodrigues ignored officers’ commands and resisted arrest. Rodrigues was then transferred into the custody of immigration officials.
On Feb. 26, 2024, while being transported to the Wyatt Detention Center in Rhode Island , Rodrigues made numerous attempts to escape. Specifically, it is alleged that – while placed in full restraints and seated in the prisoner compartment of the transport van – Rodrigues attempted to unlock the passenger side door by pulling on the lock pin with his teeth. Rodrigues then allegedly forced his body through a small gap between the vehicle’s rear cage and passenger side window and into the vehicle’s storage compartment, where he pulled the emergency release pull tab, opened the rear door and jumped out onto the highway. After exiting the transport van, Rodrigues ran down the middle of the highway and disappeared.
According to the charging documents, Rodrigues was later located inside a wooden fenced area behind a building in Waltham, Mass. approximately a quarter mile from where he exited the transport van.
The charge of escape provides for a sentence of up to one year in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $ 100,000. If convicted, Rodrigues faces deportation after serving any sentence imposed. 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 Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Boston made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Waltham Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Maynard of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Ashville Resident Sentenced to More Than 36 Years in Prison for Production and Possession of Materials Depicting the Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Ashville, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court to a total of 440 months in prison, to be followed by a lifetime term of supervised release, on his convictions for production and possession of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States Senior District Judge Kim R. Gibson imposed the sentence on Michael Joseph Sollenberger, 41, on March 19, 2024.
According to information presented to the Court, from February 2018 to February 2019, and from January 2019 to January 2020, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Sollenberger produced images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. In addition, in and around June 2020, Sollenberger possessed images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Assistant United States Attorney Arnold P. Bernard Jr. prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Department of Homeland Security Investigations and Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Sollenberger.
This case was brought as a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Arlington doctor who illegally flooded Northern Virginia with oxycodone pills sentenced to 10 years in prisonRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Arlington woman convicted of illegally prescribing and distributing over a million oxycodone pills was sentenced today to 10 years in prison.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Kirsten Van Steenberg Ball, 69, was a primary care physician who operated a medical practice out of her home in Arlington.
Ball directed her office manager, Candie Marie Calix, 42, of Front Royal, to recruit other individuals - including several of Calix’s immediate family members - to become pain patients of Dr. Ball’s so that she could prescribe large quantities of oxycodone to them. Calix, in turn, then sold the tens of thousands of oxycodone pills that Ball prescribed to them. Calix was herself a patient of Ball. Ball prescribed Calix approximately 50,000 oxycodone pills over 10 years.
It was common for Ball to prescribe her patients as many as 360 oxycodone 30-mg pills per month, although she would split the prescriptions into two 180-pill prescriptions to try to disguise the amount. Ball continued to prescribe oxycodone to patients showing blatant signs of drug dependence, abuse, diversion, and addiction; to patients that had been arrested and convicted for selling illegal drugs; and to patients who asked for early refills of oxycodone based on unsubstantiated claims of lost or stolen pills.
The government’s investigation identified three of Ball’s former patients who died of drug overdoses. Ball consistently overprescribed oxycodone to these patients and ignored signs of drug abuse, fueling their addictions.
For example, Ball concurrently prescribed a patient from Fauquier County large doses of both oxycodone and benzodiazepines, which when prescribed in combination with opioids significantly increases the risk of overdose. Ball repeatedly documented in the patient’s chart that the patient was overusing or abusing her medication and had even been admitted to the local emergency room for a likely drug overdose, yet Ball continued to prescribe oxycodone to her. On July 22, 2016, Ball prescribed 240 oxycodone 30-mg pills. A few weeks later, the patient was found dead in her home of an oxycodone overdose.
In 2015, at the same time Ball was under investigation by state regulatory authorities, Ball discharged a patient whom she knew was overusing his medication. Rather than referring the patient to a substance abuse clinic or another medical provider, Ball prescribed a total of 500 oxycodone 30-mg tablets, along with 90 diazepam 10-mg tablets, and 60 methadone 10-mg tablets, for the month of June 2015, even though she knew this was a dangerous combination of drugs. On July 14, 2015, Ball issued a final prescription to the patient for another 160 oxycodone 30-mg pills. In August 2015, the patient died of a drug overdose in his home. The Medical Examiner’s report noted a “toxic level of oxycodone.”
While under investigation by the Virginia Department of Health Professions (DHP) in 2014 and 2015, and again in 2021, Ball falsified records that she submitted to DHP to cover up the fact that she was prescribing oxycodone to patients for no legitimate medical purpose and outside the usual course of professional practice. Following the first DHP investigation, Ball directed Calix to use a false name in her capacity as office manager to hide the fact that Calix was receiving oxycodone from Ball.
The FBI introduced an undercover law enforcement officer, purporting to be the nephew of an existing patient. In recorded conversations, the undercover told Ball that he was sharing pills with his family members. In response, Ball told the undercover that was “a felony,” that she would simply not write it down in his patient file, and not to tell anybody else. She continued to prescribe escalating quantities of oxycodone to the undercover.
On Dec. 12, 2023, a federal jury convicted Ball on one count of conspiracy to distribute oxycodone, and 19 counts of distribution of oxycodone. On Sept. 28, 2022, Calix was sentenced to seven years in prison for conspiring to distribute oxycodone.
In addition to the 10-year prison sentence, the Court ordered Ball to forfeit $750,000 and pay an additional $50,000 in community restitution. The community restitution payment, which is the first of its kind in the Eastern District of Virginia, will go to two separate Virginia state entities, including the department tasked with receiving federal funds for substance abuse programs in the state.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and David J. Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine E. Rumbaugh and Heather D. Call prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-80.
Albany Resident Sentenced to 41 Months for Unemployment Insurance FraudRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jamie Johnson, age 38, of Albany, was sentenced today to 41 months in prison for filing false unemployment insurance applications online with the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) in order to fraudulently obtain $701,441 in benefits issued in the names of other people. The benefits included funds from federal programs intended to help out-of-work New Yorkers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang; Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the Boston Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); and Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge, New York Region, United States Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (USDOL-OIG).
Johnson pled guilty in February 2022 and admitted to receiving personal identifying information from other people and using it to file false unemployment insurance applications in other people’s names on NYSDOL’s online systems. She then collected the resulting unemployment insurance benefits, including by driving a Maserati sport utility vehicle to Capital Region banks and withdrawing cash using debit cards containing the benefits.
Senior United States District Judge Lawrence E. Kahn also imposed a 3-year term of supervised release, to begin after Johnson is released from prison, and ordered her to pay $701,441 in restitution to the State of New York. He also ordered Johnson to forfeit the Maserati, more than $200,000 in cash, and multiple jewelry items.
Judge Kahn had previously sentenced three of Johnson’s co-conspirators, Thomas Brace, Taliek Lanier, and Errol Murray, to terms of imprisonment of time served, 12 months, and 12 months, respectively. Johnson’s co-conspirators all admitted that they had provided her with personal information of others that Johnson used to file false unemployment insurance applications.
This case was investigated by the New York State Inspector General’s Office, HSI, USPIS and USDOL-OIG, with assistance from the NYSDOL Office of Special Investigations, the Capital Region Crime Analysis Center, the Albany County Department of Social Services, and the United States Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua R. Rosenthal and Joseph S. Hartunian prosecuted this case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
19 March 2024
Westbrook Man Sentenced to 18 Years for Sexually Exploiting a ChildRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Westbrook man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for sexually exploiting a child.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Rayevon Deschambault, 28, to 216 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release. Deschambault was convicted of two counts of sexually exploiting a child following a two-day jury trial in U.S. District Court in Portland in January 2023. Deschambault also received a concurrent 27-month sentence on an unrelated charge of distributing cocaine base, stemming from his sale of cocaine base to a confidential informant in August 2019. Deschambault pleaded guilty to the drug trafficking charge on March 30, 2023.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, in August 2019, Deschambault sexually abused a 14-year-old victim for the purpose of creating child sexual abuse material. The videos Deschambault produced were found on his cell phone after investigators seized the phone in August 2019.
In sentencing Deschambault, Judge Woodcock noted that videorecording of sexually exploitative acts “places this crime at a different level” because “videotaping is a potentially permanent visual record of the crime.”
The FBI and Portland Police Department investigated the case, with assistance from the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency.
“Rayevon Deschambault’s actions were beyond heinous. He sexually abused a child and recorded the abuse so he could savor it whenever he wanted. No child should ever have to experience this,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “We thank the victim in this case for cooperating with law enforcement. With today’s sentence, Mr. Deschambault won’t be able to victimize anyone else for years to come.”
“Mr. Deschambault sexually abused a child then took it even further to memorialize that abuse on video,” said U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee. “Protecting Maine children from the lasting and traumatic impact of sexual exploitation is among the most necessary and important work we do at the US Attorney’s Office In support of our law enforcement partners at every level,”
Reports of child sexual exploitation are increasing: In 2022, The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) CyberTipline received 32 million reports of suspected child sexual exploitation. That included more than 80,000 reports of online enticement of children for sexual acts, an increase of 82% from 2021 to 2022, and more than 31 million reports of child sexual abuse materials. Victimization can take place across every platform, including social media, messaging apps, gaming platforms, etc. To make a CyberTipline Report, visit https://report.cybertip.org/. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.
Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc.
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Watsonville Man Sentenced to 38 Months in Prison for Firearm CrimesRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE – Carlos Manuel Ruiz-Montanez was sentenced yesterday to 38 months in prison for crimes related to illegal firearms sales, including the sale of machineguns, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Cicolani. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. Edward J. Davila, United States District Judge.
Ruiz-Montanez, 22, of Watsonville, pleaded guilty to one count of Illegal Possession and Transfer of Machineguns, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(o), and one count of Dealing in Firearms Without a License, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(a)(1)(A), on October 2, 2023. He was charged by Information on August 26, 2022.
According to court documents, from February 11, 2020, to September 13, 2021, Ruiz-Montanez sold and helped facilitate the sale of eight firearms, including a short-barrel shotgun, two machineguns, a firearm with an obliterated serial number, and an assault rifle (AR) style pistol. The AR-style pistol was a “ghost gun,” meaning it was privately made and did not bear a serial number.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Davila ordered Ruiz-Montanez to serve three years of supervised release to begin after his prison term is completed.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Neal C. Hong prosecuted the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by ATF, the Salinas Police Department, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) Special Service Unit, and the California Highway Patrol.
Waterbury Man Sentenced to 29 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Kidnapping and Murder of Massachusetts ManRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CALVIN ROBERSON, also known as “Cutty,” 41, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to 348 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for his role in the kidnapping and murder of a Massachusetts man in 2020.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 24, 2020, Roberson and Brandon Batiste kidnapped Francisco Roman, Jr., 28, at gunpoint from a residence in Chicopee, Massachusetts. Roberson and Batiste threatened to harm Roman if he did not comply with their orders, handcuffed him, and stole cash, marijuana, and other items from Roman. Roberson and Batiste forced Roman into the rear of Roman’s car and transported Roman and the stolen property to Connecticut. Batiste shot and killed Roman while the car was en route to Hartford. They then drove the car to Shultas Place in Hartford and left it parked on the street.
Roberson and Batiste then drove a separate car to an apartment that Roberson shared with Shamari Smith in Waterbury, and took most of the property stolen during the robbery into the apartment.
Shortly before 9 p.m. on December 26, 2020, Hartford police and fire personnel responded to Shultas Place and found Roman’s car engulfed in flames. After the fire was extinguished, investigators discovered Roman’s body with multiple gunshot wounds in the rear of the vehicle.
Roberson has been detained since his arrest on February 11, 2021. On April 27, 2023, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit kidnaping, and causing the death of a person through the use of a firearm.
Batiste pleaded guilty to the same charges and, on December 20, 2023, was sentenced to 42 years of imprisonment.
Smith, who lied to law enforcement about what she knew about the robbery, kidnapping, and murder, and her role in the disposal of the stolen property, pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony. On October 13, 2023, she was sentenced to 25 months of imprisonment.
This investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, FBI’s Springfield Gang Task Force, Massachusetts State Police, Hampden County (Mass.) District Attorney’s Office, Hartford Police Department’s Major Crimes Division, Chicopee Police Department and Springfield Police Department, with the assistance of the Waterbury Police Department and the FBI’s Atlanta Field Office.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Angel M. Krull and Trial Attorney Brian P. Leaming of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section.
Washington State Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Marketing and Selling Low-Quality Ballistic Protective Equipment Produced in China to Dozens of Law Enforcement Agencies and the U.S. MilitaryRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Washington State man was sentenced to federal prison today for knowingly and intentionally marketing and selling low-quality ballistic protective equipment produced in China to dozens of domestic law enforcement agencies and the U.S. Military.
Jeffrey Meining, 42, of Vancouver, Washington, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison and three years’ supervised release.
According to court documents, from at least 2016 and continuing until 2022, Meining operated a ballistic equipment business called “BulletProof-IT” that sold products to numerous state, local, and federal agencies that included law enforcement agencies, fire departments, and the U.S. Military. Throughout his time in business, Meining lied about where the products he sold were made and their compliance with product safety and performance standards, including those set by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ).
On his website and other business materials, Meining falsely claimed that the ballistic protective equipment he sold—including helmets, body armor, and shields—were made in the United States, when in fact, most were made in China. For example, in December 2017, Meining purchased 600 helmets from a Chinese company for just over $50,000. At around the same time, Meining sold 600 of the same model helmets for $90,000 to a reseller than in turn sold them to the U.S. Department of State for $107,994.
In addition to lying about the origin of his products on business informational materials, Meining also lied about their origin on contracts with the U.S. Government. In 2016, BulletProof-IT became a supplier of goods to U.S Tactical Supply under a contract with the General Services Administration (GSA), which allowed federal, state, and local government agencies to place orders for tactical supplies from certified suppliers. Under the terms of the GSA contract, the government could only purchase goods made in the U.S. or designated countries. Between 2016 and January 2022, Meining supplied over $1 million in products under the GSA contract, nearly $400,000 of which were substitute products that did not meet required safety standards.
Meining further lied about his safety testing of products, falsely claiming to sell products certified to NIJ standards despite never having paid for any full NIJ testing. Achieving NIJ standards requires, among other criteria, the testing of numerous samples of a particular product. Instead of adhering to these requirements, Meining simply paid for “modified” testing usually completed as part of a product’s research and development. Several of the products Meining offered for sale failed even this more limited testing protocol. Despite these results, Meining continued offering these products for sale and, in several instances, falsified the test results he received to mislead his customers.
On June 28, 2021, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Portland intercepted and detained a package from China addressed to Meining that contained helmets and ceramic body armor plates. To release the shipment, Meining submitted doctored test results on which he removed notations of the various products having failed their performance tests.
Throughout his time in business, customers relied on Meining’s false statements and falsified product testing results in making their purchase decisions. For example, in 2019, Meining signed a $247,800 contract with the Mesa Police Department in Mesa, Arizona for the purchase of 840 ballistics helmets. In the contract, Meining falsely verified that the helmets met NIJ performance standards. In another instance, in 2021, Meining signed a $32,680 contract with the U.S. Air Force for helmets and equipment. In that contract, Meining again falsely stated that the helmets met NIJ standards and were made in the U.S.
On November 11, 2022, Meining was charged by criminal information with wire fraud, and, on March 23, 2023, he pleaded guilty to the single charge.
“We are thankful to the many investigative agencies that worked together to hold Jeffrey Meining accountable and deter others from engaging similar reckless criminal acts,” said Natalie Wight, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
“In the shadow of deceit, Jeffrey Meining orchestrated a scheme of betrayal, defrauding not only law enforcement agencies but the very fabric of trust woven into our nation’s armor,” said Robert Hammer, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Seattle Field Office. “Through his company, Meining peddled false promises, masqueraded Chinese-made products as American-made, and fabricated test results to conceal their inadequacy. His actions, a grave breach of integrity, endangered the lives of those sworn to protect and serve. Let today’s sentencing serve as a call to fortify our vigilance against nefarious actors who seek to compromise the safety of our nation’s defenders.”
“Mr. Meining’s sentencing culminates his illicit scheme to defraud various local, state, and federal government entities, including the Department of Defense,” said Bryan D. Denny, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Western Field Office. “He falsely claimed that the protective equipment he sold to the government, such as helmets and body armor, met specified testing standards and were made in the United States. Mr. Meining’s actions put U.S. servicemembers at risk, degraded American warfighter readiness, and undermined the missions of our military services.”
“This General Services Administration (GSA) contractor supplier made false claims about the country of origin and ballistic protection levels of their products that law enforcement and fire department personnel rely on for safety,” said Terry Pfiefer, Special Agent in Charge of the GSA Office of Inspector General Western Division. “This is unacceptable, and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold vendors accountable for such fraudulent acts.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the General Services Administration Office of Inspector General with assistance from CBP, the Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Army Criminal Investigation Division Major Procurement Fraud Unit, and the Offices of Inspectors General from the Department of Justice, Department of State, Department of Interior, and Department of Veterans Affairs.
It was prosecuted by Quinn P. Harrington, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Vermont Man Charged with Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office stated that Samuel W. Blatt, age 32, of Vermont, has been charged by criminal complaint with bank robbery.
On Friday, March 15, 2024, following an investigation involving numerous law enforcement offices, Mr. Blatt was arrested in Burlington. He is currently being held on state charges. An initial appearance in U.S. District Court will be scheduled at a later date.
According to court records, investigators have tied Mr. Blatt to bank robberies in Essex, Johnson, and Winooski, as well as an attempted bank robbery in Burlington.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that the complaint contains allegations only and that Mr. Blatt is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Mr. Blatt faces up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigative collaboration that occurred among the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Chittenden County Gun Violence Task Force, the police departments of Winooski, Burlington, Williston, Essex, and Milton, the Investigations Unit of Vermont DMV Enforcement and Safety, Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Border Patrol, the Sheriff’s Departments of Grand Isle and Lamoille Counties, and the Vermont State Police.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Colin Owyang. Counsel is yet to be appointed for Mr. Blatt.
U.S. Citizen Sentenced to More Than 16 Years in Federal Prison for the Murder of His Mother, a Department of Defense Employee Working in BahrainRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Giovanni Pope, age 30, to 200 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release for the murder of his mother, a Department of Defense civilian employee working in Bahrain.
The federal charge was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge John Parkinson of the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Middle East Field Office; and Acting Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
On November 3, 2023, Pope pleaded guilty to second degree murder in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. According to the plea agreement, on January 31, 2021, Pope killed his mother in the apartment they shared in Bahrain, by stabbing her with a knife he obtained from the kitchen. At the time, Pope’s mother was employed as a United States Department of the Navy civilian employee, assigned to Naval Support Activity, Bahrain, and Pope was living with her as a dependent.
As detailed in court documents, after fatally stabbing his mother, Pope cleaned her body and removed evidence of the murder from the apartment. He then left in his mother’s car. He was apprehended by Bahraini authorities on February 1, 2021. Pope admitted to law enforcement that he got a knife from the kitchen, went into the living room where his mother was seated, and fatally stabbed her. Pope further admitted that after killing his mother, he purchased an airline ticket to return to the United States, departing on the morning of February 2, 2021.
On February 11, 2021, Pope was ordered detained and removed from Bahrain to the United States pursuant to the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act. On March 4, 2021, Pope was charged by indictment in the District of Maryland with one count of Murder while Employed by or Accompanying the Armed Forces Outside the United States.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron and Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri commended the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and the FBI for their work in the investigation and thanked the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs for its assistance. Mr. Barron and Ms. Argentieri thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney P. Michael Cunningham and Trial Attorney Brian Morgan of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, who prosecuted the case.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office reaches settlement with Kansas hospital after complaint of disability discriminationRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office has reached a settlement with a Kansas medical facility to resolve allegations that the hospital failed to reasonably accommodate a deaf patient by not providing a sign language interpreter in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), U.S. Attorney Kate E. Brubacher announced today.
Under the settlement, Prime Healthcare Services – Providence, LLC doing business as Providence Medical Center (“PMC”), located in Kansas City, Kansas, agrees to compensate the aggrieved deaf individual for his inability to effectively communicate with the medical team during his five-day hospital stay. In addition, PMC agreed to change its policies and practices to come into compliance with their obligations under the ADA, which include:
• providing patients and companions who are deaf or hard of hearing with appropriate auxiliary aids and services that are necessary for effective communication; • designating at least one employee as an ADA Administrator or ADA Co-Administrators who will be on call and available twenty-four (24) hours a day, seven (7) days a week to answer questions and provide appropriate assistance regarding auxiliary aids and services including qualified interpreters; • maintaining a log for requests for qualified interpreters on site or through video remote services that documents the time and date the request, patient’s name, the time and date of the scheduled appointment; and
• establishing a complaint resolution mechanism to investigate disputes regarding effective communication with deaf patients and companions.“All patients deserve clear explanations about the nature of their diagnosis and medical treatment so they can have a full understanding of their options and make well-informed decisions about their healthcare,” said U.S. Attorney Kate E. Brubacher. “A patient’s disability doesn’t relieve a medical facility and its staff of their obligation to provide effective communication.”
Individuals who believe they may have been victims of discrimination may file a complaint with the U.S Attorney’s Office Civil Rights Unit at https://www.justice.gov/usao-ks/civil-rights or they may call (855) 321-5549. Additional information about the ADA can be found at www.ada.gov, or by calling the Department of Justice’s toll-free information line at (800) 514-0301 and (800) 514-0383 (TDD).
The United States is represented by Assistant United States Attorney, Andrea L. Taylor of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Kansas City, Kansas.
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U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich, Billings Police Department issue warning about pink fentanylRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich, for the District of Montana, and Billings Police Chief Rich St. John today issued a warning to the public about the appearance in the community of pink fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is more potent than morphine and heroin.
Law enforcement is beginning to see pink fentanyl pills in Billings. Noted for their pink color, the pills are more potent than the fentanyl that has been seen in the community. Many of these illicitly produced synthetic opioids can result in overdoses and death.
“It has become far too common for us to see illicit fentanyl as a blue pill, but synthetic opioids can come in all forms and colors. We are now seeing pink fentanyl pills and they’re even more potent and deadly than the fentanyl pills we’ve previously seen in Montana. All of us must remain vigilant in the fight against fentanyl, as one pill can kill you. Please don’t take any pill that is not prescribed to you by a medical professional. Our office stands shoulder to shoulder with the Billings Police Department in the battle to save lives and to stop the widespread trafficking of this poison in our community,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
“The emergence of pink fentanyl presents a new and serious challenge for the law enforcement community. The practice of mixing pink fentanyl with other street drugs has created a major public health concern. The increased potency has deadly results. Our officers, along with our law enforcement partners and supported by the USAO, are working tirelessly to reduce the amount of these dangerous drugs in our community and hold offenders accountable,” Chief St. John said.
Additional information about fentanyl can be found at https://www.dea.gov/factsheets/fentanyl
Persons with information about pink fentanyl and its distribution are asked to contact the Billings Police Department at 406-657-8200. Tips also may be reported anonymously to Crimestoppers at 406-245-6660.
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Two Plead Guilty to 2022 Gun Store Burglary in Patrick CountyRead the Press Release
DANVILLE, Va. – A pair of men from the Carolinas, who in the pre-dawn hours of a September morning in 2022 burglarized a Patrick County gun store, pled guilty last week in U.S. District Court in Roanoke.
Bradley Wayne McCraw, 43, of Gaffney, S.C., and Justin Darrell Whitaker, 31, of Mooresville, N.C., each pled guilty to one count of stealing firearms from a federal firearms licensee and aiding and abetting in the same, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court documents, in September 2022, McCraw and Whitaker stole a truck, attached a chain from it to the back door of the Rabbit Ridge Gun Shop and Range, and yanked it open. Surveillance video captured them wearing masks and entering the store where they proceeded to steal more than a dozen firearms, including shotguns, rifles, and pistols.
Both McCraw and Whitaker entered into plea agreements with the government in which the defendants would be sentenced to a range between 100 to 150 months in prison.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh and Craig B. Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case with assistance from the Patrick County Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriffs’ Offices in Cherokee County, South Carolina, Spartanburg, South Carolina, and Cleveland County, North Carolina also assisted with the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin B. Johnson is prosecuting the case.
Two Middle Georgia Repeat Offenders Sentenced in Drug Trafficking CasesRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – Two Georgia residents with lengthy criminal histories were sentenced to prison for their criminal involvement in separate armed drug trafficking investigations in the Middle District of Georgia.
Rodrick Taylor, aka “RT,” 40, of Athens, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 292 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release on March 13 in Case No. 3:20-CR-62-CAR after he pleaded guilty to one count of illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Antonio Reid, 48, of Walton County, Georgia, was sentenced as a career offender to serve 212 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on March 13 in Case No. 3:21-CR-25-CAR after he pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base.
U.S. District Judge C. Ashley Royal handed down the sentences. The defendants are not eligible for parole.
“These cases involve repeat felony offenders who disregarded the law time and again, endangering citizens and law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Both cases demonstrate how our office is teaming up with local, state and federal law enforcement across the Middle District of Georgia to identify those individuals who are causing the most chaos in their communities and hold them accountable for their crimes.”
According to court documents in the Taylor case, federal and local agents identified Taylor as a heroin dealer in the Athens community during a wiretap investigation into an armed drug trafficking organization controlled by Rickshun Willingham in 2019. During their investigation, FBI agents learned that Taylor assisted Willingham in a robbery of two kilograms of heroin in an Athens parking lot. A search warrant was executed at Taylor’s Bogart, Georgia, home on May 27, 2020. Agents found a .40 caliber pistol, along with drug distribution items. Taylor has multiple prior felony convictions and is prohibited from possessing a firearm. FBI agents received information in Aug. 2020 that Taylor was selling heroin from his home and was bragging about having a new firearm and posting a video of himself with a Glock 9mm pistol at a shooting range on his social media account. A search warrant was executed at Taylor’s home on Sept. 24, 2020, and agents found a loaded 9mm Glock pistol, 105 grams of heroin as well as evidence that Taylor flushed heroin down the toilet before agents made entry into his home.
According to court documents in the Reid case, Monroe Police Department officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop on Reid’s vehicle on Oct. 5, 2020. When a police officer approached the vehicle, Reid sped away at a high rate of speed and eventually crashed into a curb and fled on foot into the woods. An adult woman and a three-year-old child remained in Reid’s vehicle; both were physically unharmed and released from the scene. When located in the woods by an officer, Reid continued to resist arrest, but ultimately was taken into custody. Reid was in possession of crack cocaine. Reid has multiple prior felony convictions including a 2014 conviction for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia. As a result, Reid was sentenced as a career offender.
The Taylor case was investigated by the FBI Middle Georgia Safe Streets Gang Task Force, Athens-Clarke County Police Department and the DEA.
The Reid case was investigated by the Monroe Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Morrison prosecuted the cases for the Government.
Tulsa Man Sentenced as Repeat Offender for Distributing Child Pornography while Failing to Abide by Sex Offender RequirementsRead the Press Release
Today, U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Mikaili Diwani Cohn, 26, to 180 months of imprisonment, followed by a lifetime term of supervised release for Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography; Possession of Child Pornography; and Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Upon his release, Cohn will be required to abide by sex offender registration requirements.
In Cohn’s first federal case, he pleaded guilty in June 2017 to Possession of Child Pornography and was sentenced to 48 months imprisonment, followed by 20 years supervised release. After being released, Cohn registered his residence following the offender registration requirements. However, in April 2022, U.S. Probation officers observed Cohn living at a different address with his girlfriend and her child. When Cohn was arrested, officers recovered evidence that showed Cohn used a social media application to send and receive sexually explicit videos of minors.
Cohn will remain in custody pending transfer to U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The U.S. Probation Office, U.S. Marshals Service, and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney George Jiang prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Tucson Man Arrested on Two Counts of Aiming a Laser Pointer at AircraftRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Charles William Preston II, 53, of Tucson, was arrested on March 6, 2024, after a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment against him on November 1, 2023. Preston is charged with two counts of aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft.
The indictment alleges that on two separate occasions, Preston aimed the beam of a laser pointer at a fixed-wing aircraft operated by the Pima County Sheriff’s Department and in the flight path of the same aircraft.
A conviction for aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release.
An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-01688-TUC-JAS
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-035_Preston# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Three Rutland Drug Traffickers SentencedRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office announced that three defendants have been sentenced in connection with drug charges related to the trafficking of cocaine base in Rutland, Vermont, concluding yesterday with the sentencing of Danielle Richardson. The three defendants are: Christopher Moton, 29, of North Charleston, South Carolina; Maurice Pompey, 35, of Anderson, South Carolina; and Danielle Richardson, 31, of Poultney, Vermont. Moton previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, while Pompey and Anderson pleaded guilty to distribution of cocaine base.
According to court records, law enforcement conducted multiple covert purchases of controlled substances from Pompey and Richardson between August and October of 2022. Both Pompey and Richardson were linked to 116 State Street, Apartment #4, in Rutland, Vermont. On October 24, 2022, a federal search warrant was obtained authorizing the search of the apartment. The search resulted in the seizure of two handguns and suspected cocaine base, heroin, and fentanyl. Moton was inside of the apartment when law investigators executed the warrant. Richardson was arrested during a traffic stop and found in possession of cocaine base at the time of her arrest.
United States District Judge Christina Reiss imposed the following sentences:
- Christopher Moton – 18 Months of Imprisonment to be followed by Three Years of Supervised Release;
- Maurice Pompey – Time Served to be followed by Three Years of Supervised Release;
- Danielle Richardson – Time Served to be followed by Two Years of Supervised Release.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the coordinated investigatory efforts of the Rutland Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Southern Vermont Drug Task Force, the Vermont State Police, and the Manchester Police Department.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Ophardt and Zachary Stendig.
Moton was represented by Kevin Henry, Esq. Pompey was represented by Richard Bothfeld, Esq. Richardson was represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Sara Puls, Esq.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Texas Man Charged with Orchestrating Digital Currency Scam That Bilked Investors out of More Than $10 MillionRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Texas man has been indicted in Chicago on federal fraud charges for allegedly orchestrating a digital currency scam that bilked investors out of more than $10 million.
ROBERT DUNLAP, 52, of Houston, Texas, is charged with four counts of mail fraud in an indictment returned in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Dunlap was arrested last week in Virginia. He appeared Monday in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia and was ordered to be removed in custody to Chicago.
According to the indictment and a criminal complaint previously filed in the case, Dunlap from 2018 to 2023 worked with others to market and sell a purported digital asset called “Meta-1 Coin” through the “Meta-1 Coin Trust.” Dunlap made numerous false and misleading statements to potential and actual investors, including claims that Meta-1 Coin was backed by as much as approximately $44 billion in gold and art, the indictment states. The charges accuse Dunlap of falsely claiming that an accounting firm had audited the gold and certified its value. The purported art collection was alleged to have included works by Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, Vincent Van Gogh, and other acclaimed artists. Dunlap caused the market price and trading volume of Meta-1 Coin to be inflated on the “Meta Exchange” – a website created by Dunlap – by fraudulently using automated software programs, the indictment states.
Investors were allegedly falsely told by Dunlap that they could withdraw their investments at any time by exchanging Meta-1 Coin for other cryptocurrencies or conventional currencies, including U.S. dollars. Dunlap created numerous legal, insurance, and other documents in an effort to conceal the fact that he did not possess the gold or art, the indictment states.
The 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. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey B. Rubenstein.
The public is reminded that an indictment is 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. Each count of mail fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. If convicted, the Court must impose reasonable sentences under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Dunlap indictment Dunlap complaintTexarkana high school band instructor guilty of federal child exploitation violationRead the Press Release
TEXARKANA, Texas – A Texarkana man has pleaded guilty to a child exploitation violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.
Brandon Neil Sams, 48, pleaded guilty on March 19, 2024, to coercion and enticement of a minor before U.S. Magistrate Judge James Boone Baxter.
According to court documents, while serving as a band instructor at Texas High School in Texarkana, Texas, Sams engaged in repeated attempts to coerce and entice several of his students to engage in sexual activity. Sams admitted to engaging in sexual conduct with several minor victims, all of whom were his students at Texas High. Sams would communicate with the students on social media and messaging applications to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce them to participate in sexual activity.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Sams with federal child exploitation violations in September 2023. He faces up to life in federal prison. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing 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 U.S. Probation Office.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the 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.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations and the Texarkana Independent School District. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Austin Wells.
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St. Paul Felon Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Illegal Possession of a Firearm Following Bar ShootoutRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A St. Paul man has been sentenced to 108 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for the illegal possession of a firearm following a 2021 shootout near a St. Paul bar, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on the afternoon of September 18, 2021, Anthony Charles Deberry, 42, also known as “Peanut,” got into a verbal altercation with a man inside a bar in St. Paul and, as a result, was forced to leave and prohibited from re-entering the bar. Deberry remained in the vicinity of the bar. Later that evening, Deberry waited outside the bar, followed a group of men down the sidewalk after they left the bar, and brandished a 9mm handgun with an activated laser site. Shortly thereafter, gunfire broke out, including one shot fired by Deberry. Deberry suffered from multiple gunshot wounds and was taken to Regions Hospital. Surveillance video footage from the bar showed Deberry hide his firearm under a parked car after the shooting. Responding law enforcement officers recovered Deberry’s firearm as well as multiple discharged cartridge casings on the sidewalk.
Because Deberry has prior felony convictions, he is prohibited from lawfully possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
On June 20, 2023, Deberry was convicted by a federal jury on one count of possession of a firearm as a felon. He was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Eric C. Tostrud. In sentencing Deberry, Judge Tostrud applied a 2-level enhancement for obstruction aimed at intimidating trial witnesses.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. Paul Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsey E. Middlecamp and Craig R. Baune prosecuted the case.
Sioux City Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine Trafficking and Immigration OffensesRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine pled guilty on March 15, 2024, in federal court in Sioux City.
Juan Cardona-Tinajero, 34, from Guadalajara, Mexico, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and being an illegal alien in United States.
At the plea hearing, Cardona-Tinajero admitted that from January 2023 to September 22, 2023, he and others in the conspiracy agreed to distribute at least 18 pounds of methamphetamine. Cardona-Tinajero also admitted that he was caught receiving approximately nine pounds of methamphetamine by mail which he intended to further distribute. Cardona-Tinajero was receiving packages through the U.S. postal service from California which contained methamphetamine that he distributed in Sioux City area.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Cardona-Tinjaro remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. On the drug convictions, Cardona-Tinajero faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release following any imprisonment. On the immigration conviction, he faces a possible maximum sentence of not more than 20 years’ imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to three years.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Shawn S. Wehde and Kevin C. Fletcher and was investigated by Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-4063 and 23-4072. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Shipyard Contractor Pleads Guilty to Stealing Nearly $600,000 Worth of Computer Equipment from the U.S. NavyRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – March 19, 2024
SAN DIEGO – Ernesto Saldivar, a civilian contractor at General Dynamics NASSCO who was part of the shipyards’ modernization efforts, pleaded guilty today to stealing nearly $600,000 worth of computer equipment from three U.S. Navy ships.
According to Saldivar’s plea agreement, from November 2022 to August 2023, he stole hundreds of items, such as hard drives and laptops, from declassified areas on ships undergoing maintenance. Saldivar was selling the stolen items, including two hard drives containing military communications, on eBay. The affected ships included the USS Pinckney, USS Curtis Wilbur and USS Spruance.
Saldivar admitted in his plea agreement that the total aggregate value of the stolen items was $596,997.53, almost all of which he will owe the United States government in restitution. The defendant also admitted to receiving $2,584.98 in payments from eBay sales of the stolen items.
“Stealing from our military doesn’t just hurt the taxpayer, it puts our national security and service members at risk,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “The military relies heavily on civilian support, and we will do our part to ensure our service members can trust the civilians standing by their side.”
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Goldwasser and Michelle Wasserman.
DEFENDANT Case Number 24CR532-JAH
Ernesto Saldivar Age: 30 San Diego, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Theft of Government Property – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 641
Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCY
Naval Criminal Investigative Service
If you have information regarding fraud, waste, or abuse relating to Department of Defense personnel or operations, please contact the DoD Hotline at 800-424-9098.
Sharon Resident Sentenced for Conspiring to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Sharon, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court to time served on her conviction for conspiring to distribute cocaine, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on Kayla Fair, 36, who has served approximately 16 months in prison. Judge Bissoon also ordered Fair to serve three years of supervised release following her imprisonment.
Fair pleaded guilty in this case to conspiring to distribute cocaine in October 2021. Prior to imposing sentence, the Court was informed that Fair, along with her co-defendant Zachariah Owens, conspired to distribute cocaine from their apartment in Sharon, Mercer County, with several of their children residing in the apartment at that time.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Mercer County Drug Task Force, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for the investigation leading to the prosecution of Fair.