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Wednesday 7 February 2024
Distributing fentanyl through the mail sends South Texan to prisonRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 37-year-old Brownsville resident has been sentenced for possession with intent to distribute 1,741 grams of fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar Hamdani.
Heriverto Ramirez pleaded guilty July 20, 2023.
U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera has now ordered Ramirez to serve 70 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release.
“This case is a perfect example of how fentanyl, a potent and deadly opioid, is overtaking every aspect of the illicit drug trade,” said Hamdani. “Ramirez was caught mailing half a kilogram of fentanyl through USPS, creating a potentially deadly hazard for anyone handling the package. The investigation revealed that this dangerous distribution scheme had been ongoing for almost a year.”
Ramirez packaged 494 grams of fentanyl for distribution through the U.S. Postal Service, concealing the dangerous narcotic in the shell of a tankless hot water heater.
Law enforcement executed a search warrant at the residence of Ramirez and discovered an additional 1,247 grams of fentanyl and 8.48 kilograms of cocaine.
Ramirez will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose A. Esquivel Jr. prosecuted the case.
Detroit Man Sentenced to Prison for Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
TOLEDO – Eddie Lee Pope, age 51, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced on February 6, 2024, to 240 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Helmick, after being convicted by a jury, in October 2023, of possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. Pope was sentenced to ten years of supervised release after he serves his prison term and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Pope was stopped by Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers on State Route 15 in Wyandot County for a traffic offense. After troopers on the scene pulled Pope over, Pope ran into a stand of woods on the side of the highway and discarded a bag containing a pound of crystal methamphetamine. Pope, who had several prior drug trafficking convictions, was on parole at the time he possessed the crystal methamphetamine.
The investigation was conducted by the Ohio State Highway Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Melching and Alissa Sterling.
Couple Charged with Fentanyl Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, a complaint was unsealed charging Levar Jackson and Jaclyn Misuraca with conspiring to distribute fentanyl. As alleged, Jackson and Misuraca sold approximately 270 grams of fentanyl—often in broad daylight and in public locations across Long Island including outside of a nursing home where Misuraca worked. They are being arraigned this afternoon before Magistrate Judge James M. Wicks.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent-in-Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, and Robert Waring, Acting Commissioner, Suffolk County Police Department, announced the charges.
Mr. Peace expressed his appreciation to the Nassau County Police Department and the New York State Police for their assistance on the case.
As alleged in the complaint and court filings, between May 2023 and January 2024, Jackson and Misuraca sold approximately 270 grams of fentanyl—often in broad daylight and in public locations across Long Island, including in residential areas and outside of stores. In several transactions, Misuraca sold significant quantities of fentanyl to an undercover officer in the parking lot of the nursing home where she worked. When the undercover officer arrived, Misuraca exited the nursing home, completed the sale, and then returned to work inside.
Several fentanyl doses sold by the defendants tested positive for xylazine, an animal tranquilizer that is of similar potency to fentanyl but not susceptible to treatment with Narcan, a medication that can reverse overdoses. Known by its street names “tranq” and the “zombie drug,” xylazine can cause users to blackout in a stupor and kill skin tissue by burning the flesh, which leads to deep sores.
According to the DEA, fentanyl is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin as an analgesic. From 2011 through 2021, fatal overdoses associated with misuse of clandestinely produced fentanyl and fentanyl analogs increased markedly. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids, excluding methadone were involved in roughly 2,600 drug overdose deaths each year in 2011 and 2012, but from 2013 through 2021, the number of drug overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids, excluding methadone increased dramatically each year, to more than 68,000 in 2021. The total number of overdose deaths for this category was greater than 258,000 for 2013 through 2021. Overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids are primarily driven by illicitly manufactured fentanyl, including fentanyl analogs.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Mark E. Misorek and James R. Simmons are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendants:
LEVAR JACKSON
Age: 44
Islip Terrace, New YorkJACLYN MISURACA
Age: 45
Islip Terrace, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-MJ-112
Convicted Felon Sentenced for Possessing Loaded Ghost Gun While on Federal Supervised Release for Heroin ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Cape Cod man, previously convicted of federal heroin distribution charges, was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for possessing a loaded “ghost” gun. The defendant was on federal supervised release at the time of his arrest.
Krymeii Fray, 28, of Hyannis, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In October 2023, Fray pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of ammunition.
On March 24, 2023, at 2:15 a.m., Fray’s vehicle was stopped on Blue Hill Avenue in Boston by local law enforcement. During a search of the vehicle, a Polymer 80 9mm firearm that was not commercially manufactured – commonly referred to as a “ghost” or kit firearm – loaded with seven rounds of ammunition was recovered from under Fray’s seat. Also seized was a live loose round of ammunition found near the gun as well as a spent shell casing found in the trunk:Fray was immediately taken into custody. At the time of his arrest, Fray was on supervised release from an earlier federal conviction for conspiracy to distribute heroin.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Pohl and Lauren A. Graber of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Firearm and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Haverhill man with multiple prior felony convictions, including manslaughter, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to possessing a loaded firearm and drugs intended for distribution.
Ramon Silvelo-Miles, 34, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. U.S. District Court Judge Dennis F. Saylor IV, scheduled sentencing for May 9, 2024. Silvelo-Miles was charged by criminal complaint in January 2022.
In the early morning hours of Sept. 20, 2021, Silvelo-Miles was stopped by law enforcement for driving erratically on Route 24 in West Bridgewater. Field sobriety tests administered on-site indicated that Silvelo-Miles was too impaired to drive. A subsequent search of the defendant’s car uncovered over 200 grams of cocaine and 9 grams of fentanyl packaged in small, clear plastic bags in a small backpack inside the glove compartment. Hidden by the defendant next to the backpack in the glove compartment was a Raven Arms MP-25 .25 caliber pistol within a black sock. The gun was loaded with one bullet in the chamber and five bullets in the magazine. Silvelo-Miles is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to multiple prior felony convictions including a 2014 conviction for manslaughter.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime provides for a minimum mandatory sentence of five years in prison, up to life, which must be served consecutively with any other term of imprisonment imposed in the case, five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred Wyshak, III of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Commercial Fisherman Pleads Guilty to Income Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A crew member on commercial fishing vessels operating out of New Bedford pleaded guilty today to evading nearly $300,000 in federal income taxes.
Rodolfo Membreno, 49, of Fall River, pleaded guilty to one count of evading and defeating taxes before U.S. District Judge Richard G. Stearns. Judge Stearns scheduled sentencing for May 15, 2024. Membreno was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2023.From 2013 through 2021, Membreno earned more than $1.3 million working as a commercial fisherman. During the calendar years 2013 through 2019 Membreno failed to file federal income tax returns. He then filed a false tax return for 2020, before again failing to file a return for calendar year 2021. Membreno failed to pay any income taxes on his fishing income and took other measures to prevent the IRS from tracing his income or determining his tax liabilities, including routinely cashing his paychecks and using the cash to fund his personal lifestyle. Membreno’s scheme resulted in tax losses of approximately $293,118 to the IRS, not including penalties and interest.
The charge of tax evasion carries a statutory maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater, and restitution to the IRS. 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; Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division; and Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Victor A. Wild of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts and Trial Attorney Ezra Spiro and Acting Chief John Kane of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.
Columbus woman pleads guilty to kidnapping infant twinsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus woman pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to two counts of kidnapping a minor.
As part of the plea, parties involved in the case have recommended a sentence of 20 years in prison for Nalah T. Jackson, 25.
“There is no greater responsibility than protecting our youth,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “This community watched in horror as Nalah Jackson preyed on two vulnerable babies. Today, she admitted her crime and agreed to spend 20 years in prison for her actions.”
According to court documents, between Dec. 19, 2022, and Dec. 22, 2022, Jackson kidnapped two minor children in Columbus and traveled interstate with one of them.
Specifically, close to 10pm on the night of Dec. 19, Jackson walked out of Donatos Pizza on North High Street in Columbus and drove away in a black Honda Accord that had been left running in the parking lot. Two twin five-month-old infants were buckled in the back seat. The infants’ mother was inside Donatos to pick up a delivery order at the time.
Over the next several hours, Jackson drove from Columbus to Dayton and to various other locations in central and western Ohio.
Jackson arrived at the Dayton International Airport close to 3am. She parked in an economy lot and left the infants in the car while she entered the airport. Jackson attempted to hire an Uber to find the stolen car in the economy lot, but could not pay, and ultimately found the stolen car on foot. After finding the vehicle, Jackson left one of the infants in the parking lot at approximately 4am. A passerby parking their vehicle saw the baby in his car seat wrapped in a quilt between two vehicles and alerted security.
After Jackson left the Dayton International Airport parking lot at high speeds, she traveled to Indianapolis with the second baby still in the vehicle.
She arrived at a Papa Johns Pizza on Indiana Avenue near the university district at approximately 8am on Dec. 20, and exited the stolen car on foot. She never returned to the vehicle, leaving the second baby strapped in his car seat in the back seat of the car.
The baby remained strapped in the car seat for the next two-and-a-half-days while family members, concerned citizens and law enforcement officers continued to search for him.
By happenstance, an Indianapolis woman encountered Jackson after she abandoned the stolen vehicle on Dec. 20. Jackson was selling stolen merchandise outside of a local gas station. The woman gave Jackson a ride to a nearby shopping plaza and gave Jackson her cell phone number in case Jackson came across any more holiday gifts for resale.
That night, the woman noticed several social media posts regarding the kidnapping and recognized Jackson as the alleged kidnapper. The woman called her cousin, and together they formulated a plan to meet up with Jackson to confirm her identity, recover the infant if possible and lead Jackson to law enforcement.
On Dec. 22, the women met up with Jackson, whom they traced to a local residence through a phone number Jackson had previously used to call one of them. The women confirmed that Jackson was the same person identified as the kidnapping suspect and drove her to several shopping centers in Indianapolis, all-the-while surreptitiously attempting to contact law enforcement in Columbus and Indianapolis.
Eventually, one of the women was able to route local law enforcement to their vehicle over the phone by pretending that she was speaking with her boyfriend and providing updates on her location. The women tried to signal to Indianapolis police that Jackson was the kidnapping suspect, and eventually told officers when they were removed from Jackson’s immediate presence. Jackson provided a false name and another individual’s identification card to the officers. After some time, the officers confirmed Jackson’s identity and arrested her for kidnapping. After the arrest, they let the two women go without interviewing them about their time spent with Jackson.
The two women decided to continue searching for the missing infant. They discovered a bus schedule that Jackson left behind in the backseat of their vehicle and decided to focus their search on a bus route near the university district.
While driving around searching that area to no avail, and with driving conditions worsening quickly due to an impending snowstorm, the women decided to get something to eat before heading home. As they were pulling into a Blaze Pizza, they noticed a black Honda Accord at the nearby Papa Johns and noticed snow had already accumulated on the car.
They drove up to the stolen car and attempted to open the back door, which was locked. The driver’s door did open. Due to an overwhelming foul smell coming from the car, and the silence of the baby, one of the women screamed, assuming the baby was deceased. Upon hearing the scream, the baby alerted and began crying. One of the women removed the baby from his car seat and began comforting him.
The women then noticed an empty Indianapolis police cruiser parked nearby and began looking for officers, who they found on their lunch break inside the Blaze Pizza. Indianapolis police then relocated to Papa Johns Pizza and took custody of the baby, taking him to a local hospital. The infant was treated for dehydration, heart abnormalities due to the dehydration, extreme diaper rash and skin deterioration due to him being buckled in a car seat for three days while sitting in his own excrement.
U.S. Attorney Parker acknowledged the numerous law enforcement agencies who have assisted in this case, including FBI offices in Columbus, Dayton and Indianapolis; the Columbus, Dayton, Huber Heights, Riverside, Vandalia, Dayton International Airport and Indianapolis police departments; the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office; Ohio State Highway Patrol and U.S. Marshals Service’s Southern Ohio Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team (SOFAST).
Assistant United States Attorneys Emily K. Czerniejewski and Noah R. Litton are representing the United States in this case.
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Columbia, KC Residents Indicted for Armed Robbery SpreeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Two Columbia, Mo., residents and a Kansas City, Mo., man have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a conspiracy to commit a series of armed robberies across the state over a four-day period.
Kahvaseon Z. Smith, 25, and Janaia R. Cason, 26, both of Columbia, and Kentrail M. Collins, 26, of Kansas City, were charged in a 12-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Tuesday, Feb. 6.
The federal indictment alleges that Smith, Cason, and Collins participated in a conspiracy to commit a series of armed robberies from Jan. 5, 2023, to Jan. 8, 2023. In addition to the conspiracy, they are each charged together in five counts of robbery and five counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
The indictment alleges that Smith, Cason, and Collins committed five armed robberies:
- Petromart at 1004 N. Stadium, Columbia, Mo., on Jan. 5, 2023;
- Breaktime at 2241 Pioneer St., Boonville, Mo., on Jan. 5, 2023;
- Casey’s at 807 S. Broadway, Oak Grove, Mo., on Jan. 5, 2023;
- Casey’s at 5869 N. Main, Joplin, Mo., on Jan. 8, 2023;
- Lamarti’s Truck Stop at 71 US 160, Lamar, Mo., on Jan. 8, 2023.
Collins is also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Collins allegedly possessed a Taurus 9mm pistol on Jan. 9, 2023. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Collins has felony convictions for burglary, robbery and resisting arrest.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan A. Baker. It was investigated by the FBI, the Columbia, Mo., Police Department, the Boonville, Mo., Police Department, the Oak Grove, Mo., Police Department, the Jasper County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Barton County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Chicago Man Sentenced to 24 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking ChildrenRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Chicago man has been sentenced to 24 years in federal prison for recruiting four children to engage in sex acts for money.
On multiple occasions in 2017, DARYL S. ARNOLD arranged for the four victims, all of whom were under 18 years old, to meet with individuals to engage in commercial sex acts in the Chicago area. Arnold used websites such as Backpage to advertise the commercial sex acts and find customers. Afterward, Arnold kept half of the proceeds.
Arnold, 48, pleaded guilty in 2022 to four counts of sex trafficking of a minor. In addition to the prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Jorge L. Alonso on Friday ordered Arnold to pay $136,700 in restitution to the victims. The prison term will be followed by ten years of court-supervised release.
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The Chicago Police Department provided valuable assistance.
Arnold’s arrest was part of Operation Cross Country XI, a nationwide law enforcement effort to combat underage human trafficking.
“Defendant’s tactic of grooming minors is extremely dangerous because of the ease with which it can be implemented,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles W. Mulaney argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “He ‘sold the dream’ with a false promise of independence and love.”
If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by calling 1-800-843-5678 or logging on to www.cybertipline.com.
Canadian National Indicted in Washington D.C. on Charges of Distributing of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Matthew Norman Ballek, 31, of Saskatchewan, Canada, was taken into custody today following an indictment charging him with distribution of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
According to the indictment, unsealed today, on January 23, 2024, Ballek distributed three video files depicting adult males engaging in sexually explicit conduct with minors via a social media communication application.
On January 23, 2024, a member of the MPD-FBI Child Exploitation Task Force was monitoring an online application in an undercover capacity. Law enforcement has come to learn that the application is used by some individuals who have a sexual interest in children. The undercover agent encountered Ballek, who sent a message believing he was communicating with a pedophile. Ballek later sent the undercover agent three video files depicting adult males sexually abusing minor children. On February 1, 2024, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Ballek with one count of distribution of child pornography. The case is assigned to the U.S. District Court Judge Reggie B. Walton.
Earlier today, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Ballek’s residence in the District of Columbia and took him into custody. Ballek will remain in custody pending a detention hearing scheduled for Monday, February 12, 2024.
Distribution of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 20 years in prison. The statutory sentences for federal offenses are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes. Any sentence will be determined by the Court based on the advisory Sentencing Guideline and other statutory factors.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen Shinskie and Paul V. Courtney.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
California Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Federal Prison for Transnational Drug Trafficking SchemeRead the Press Release
Richland, Washington - Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that Michael Lopez Ferrel, age 30, of Salinas, California, was sentenced after pleading guilty to Possession with the Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Actual (Pure) Methamphetamine. United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke imposed a sentence of 108 months imprisonment to be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
According to court documents and information disclosed at sentencing, In February of 2022, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) learned Ferrel was supplying a large quantity of drugs to distributors in Eastern Washington. A confidential informant was used to set up a meeting to buy as much as 20 pounds of crystal methamphetamine and 500 fentanyl laced pills.
In March of 2022, a call was recorded between the Ferrel and the informant. During the call, Ferrel claimed he had been traveling from Mexico to Yakima every week with between 180 and 220 pounds of methamphetamine. Later that day, Ferrel and the informant met in person. Ferrel offered to provide the informant with 20 pounds of methamphetamine as well as pills that contained deadly amounts of fentanyl. Ferrel also said he had direct access to a source of drugs in Mexico and people in Mexicali and Tijuana to help move it.
On March 10, 2022, Ferrel called the confidential informant and made arrangements to sell the informant 10 pounds of methamphetamine. Surveillance units set up at Ferrel’s residence and the location where he was to meet the informant. Agents followed Ferrel as he traveled from his residence to another location that was being used as a drug stash house. Agents then observed Ferrel put drugs into the trunk of the vehicle. Agents continued to follow Ferrel as he traveled to meet the informant.
When Ferrel arrived, he pulled up alongside the informant’s vehicle and retrieved the drugs from the truck. He then got into the informant’s vehicle and gave the informant 10 pounds of methamphetamine. The drugs were packaged in 10 pre-packed zip-lock bags, each containing 1 pound of meth.
The next day, Ferrel made arrangements to meet the informant in Prosser, Washington, to collect payment for the drugs. When Ferrel arrived at the location, he was taken into custody by investigators.
Later that day, agents executed a search warrant at the residence being used as a stash house for Ferrel’s organization. Agents located more than 10 pounds of methamphetamine, a digital scale, a loaded Colt .45 pistol and $32,000 in US currency.
“Mr. Ferrel was part of a transnational drug trafficking scheme and was responsible for transporting massive amounts of illegal narcotics into the Eastern Washington and distributing those drugs into our communities,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “I commend law enforcement for identifying Mr. Ferrel’s drug trafficking activities and preventing him from further distributing this poison in our neighborhoods. As a result of these efforts, Eastern Washington is safer and stronger.”
“The Drug Enforcement Administration and our Federal, state, tribal, and local partners, strive to keep us all safe from those who would prey on our communities,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “This sentence against a methamphetamine and fentanyl trafficker proves our resolve to stop traffickers like Mr. Ferrel wherever they operate.”
This case was investigated by DEA Tri-Cities, assisted by the Tri-Cities Metro Drug Task Force, Tri-Cities FBI, United States Border Patrol, and Tri-Cities Regional SWAT. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Van Marter.
Brothers get significant sentences for manufacturing deadly fentanyl-laced pills disguised as pain medsRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Two Corpus Christi brothers have been ordered to federal prison for manufacturing and distributing tens of thousands of fentanyl-laced pills disguised as legitimate pharmaceutical-grade pain medications, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Chad Williams Wesevich, 40, and his brother Jamie Wesevich, 41, pleaded guilty in August 2023 to conspiracy to manufacture and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now ordered both men to serve a total of 35 years in prison - 360 and 240 months concurrently on the drug and money laundering charges, respectively as well as a consecutive 60 months on the firearm charge. In imposing the sentence, the court noted the brothers possessed a network of friends and family who had said supportive and loving things in letters requesting leniency, but that those letters must be tempered against the facts that people had overdosed on these pills. “We can’t get those people back,” said Judge Morales.
“Synthetic opioids, like fentanyl, account for almost 70% of drug overdose deaths in the United States, and Corpus Christi is no stranger to this new epidemic,” said Hamdani. “The dismantling of this deadly drug trafficking organization, including the seizure of two industrial fentanyl pill presses, has made Corpus Christi a better and safer place to live.”
“There were several overdose/fentanyl poisoning deaths tied to the Wesevich Drug Trafficking Organization,” said Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the Houston Division. “The exemplary work of DEA agents alongside our federal and state partners sought justice for the families of victims who lost their lives due to the poison spread by Chad Wesevich and his co-conspirators.”
Between 2017 and 2021, Chad and Jamie Wesevich acquired equipment and materials from foreign sources, which were used to manufacture pills disguised as legitimate medications such as hydrocodone. The equipment included two industrial pill presses capable of producing 9,000 pills per hour.
The fraudulent hydrocodone was distributed through a network of trusted associates throughout Corpus Christi and the surrounding areas. The pills the Wesevich brothers manufactured were linked to several overdoses, both fatal and non-fatal.
As a result of this investigation, authorities seized tens of thousands of
counterfeit hydrocodone pills containing over 1,500 grams of fentanyl as well as pill presses, pill dies, vacuums, separators and other tools used in the illicit production of fentanyl-laced pills. In addition, law enforcement seized seven vehicles, five houses, seven guns and $350,000 in cryptocurrency and bulk cash.
The brothers have been in custody since their arrests in May 2022 and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The DEA led the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation along with IRS Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, Corpus Christi Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance of the Texas Department of Public Safety. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach leveraging the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittany Jensen and Tyler Foster prosecuted the case.
Brimhall Man Pleads Guilty to MurderRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Gilbert John, Jr. pled guilty in federal court to second degree murder. John, 35, of Brimhall, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
A federal grand jury indicted John on March 23, 2022, along with a co-defendant. According to publicly available court records, on July 1, 2019, an individual brought a stolen car to John at his apartment in the Sunset Hills complex in Gallup, New Mexico to dispose of and to sell. When John got in the car to test drive it, he heard John Doe from the trunk cry out for help. The individual who brought John the car told John to “get rid of him.” John understood this statement to mean that he should kill John Doe
John and the other individual drove around through the night and into the next evening, smoking methamphetamines, and eventually stopping on the back roads to Bass Lake. John walked away from the car, at which point John Doe opened the trunk from inside and attempted to escape. John slammed the trunk back down on him, sat on the top of the trunk door and asked the other individual for a machete that he had seen inside of the car. The individual gave the machete to John, who opened the trunk and stabbed John Doe repeatedly with the machete. John and the individual then closed the trunk and sat together on top of the trunk. John and the individual remained on the trunk until they stopped hearing movement from inside.
Afterward, John drove the car with John Doe’s body inside of it to a relative’s house in Standing Rock, New Mexico. Before leaving the car there, John attempted to remove a tracking device, but ended up disabling the car instead.
About ten days later, John asked a friend to tow the car to a remote location north of Church Rock, New Mexico. Once the car had been towed to the location, John released the car and let it roll down a hill out of view of the road and borrowed a gas can which he used to pour gasoline onto the car. John lit the car on fire and left it burning with John Doe’s body inside of it. John did not know John Doe prior to killing him.
On July 16, 2019, charred remnants John Doe’s body were found in the trunk of the car by the McKinley County Fire Department. John Doe was identified only because investigators were able to match serial numbers from John Doe’s medical records to metal hip replacement devices found in the burned-out trunk of the car. The hip replacement devices were the only substantial parts of John Doe’s body that remained after the fire.
In his plea agreement, John expressed remorse for killing John Doe and burning his body. He is facing between seventeen-and-a-half years and twenty-one years in prison at sentencing.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorneys Mark A. Probasco and Alexander F. Flores are prosecuting the case.
View the Plea Agreement# # #
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Baltimore Man Pleads Guilty to Participating in a Violent Racketeering Conspiracy, Including a MurderRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Daniel Williams, age 33, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity, including murder, carjacking, and armed robbery, just before the start of his trial in U.S. District Court in Baltimore.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Acting Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department; Chief Robert McCullough of the Baltimore County Police Department.
According to his guilty plea, from at least April 2019 to the present, Williams and at least five other people agreed to participate in a criminal enterprise which committed a series of armed commercial robberies, armed robberies, attempted armed robberies, and carjackings, some of which resulted in the murder or non-fatal shooting of the victims. Williams and the co-conspirators used at least three different firearms to commit the crimes and shared the proceeds of their exploits, which they promoted on social media.
As detailed in the plea agreement, between June 9, 2019 and August 12, 2019, the conspirators committed seven carjackings, six armed robberies and two attempted armed robberies. During a carjacking on June 12, 2019, a victim was shot and killed; a victim was shot during an attempted armed robbery on July 24, 2019; and a victim sustained life threatening injuries after the victim was shot during a robbery on August 8, 2019.
Williams admitted that he personally participated in an armed carjacking on June 9, 2019, the armed robberies of three businesses in Baltimore and on June 28, 2019, the attempted armed robbery of a victim in the 22800 block of Forest Glen Road during which the victim was shot to death.
Williams and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Williams will be sentenced to 16 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher has scheduled sentencing for June 6, 2024, at 10:00 a.m.
This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (ATF) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
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.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF, the FBI, the Baltimore Police Department, and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia C. McLane and Clinton J. Fuchs, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Atlanta-area doctor and medical staff indicted for running illegal pill-millRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Isaac Sved has been arraigned on federal charges of conspiracy to possess, and possession, with intent to distribute controlled substances, maintaining a premises for drug trafficking, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and money laundering.
“Regrettably, the opioid epidemic has at times been fueled by physicians who abused their positions of trust in illegally prescribing excessive amounts of narcotics,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Those who abuse the power of their medical profession to unlawfully profit must face the consequences of their actions.”
Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division commented on the case, “DEA investigators will continue to aggressively pursue the unlawful dispensing practices of healthcare providers, as was the case with Dr. Sved. The DEA is committed to making sure healthcare providers are abiding by the law.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges, and other information presented in court: Isaac Sved was an Atlanta-area physician registered with the DEA to prescribe controlled substances, including oxycodone. Sved operated two clinics: FamCare located in Roswell, Georgia, and Valere Medical PC located in Buford, Georgia. Sved was the sole prescribing physician for both FamCare and Valere and allegedly regularly prescribed excessive amounts of controlled substances in dangerous combinations. Dikla Rosh managed FamCare, and Lucciano Lopez worked as a medical assistant.
The indictment alleges that patients received minimal or non-existent medical examinations, evaluation, or testing prior to Sved prescribing them controlled substances such as Oxycodone, Alprazolam, and Carisoprodol.
The indictment further alleges that Sved falsified patient files to make it appear that the patient had been evaluated on certain dates when, in fact, the patient was not even present at the clinics. Sved also allegedly received large sums of cash from “sponsors,” such as Co-conspirator Bobby Lamar Mosley, Sr., who obtained prescriptions for controlled substances from Sved in the names of purported patients, some of whom were never examined. Sved and his associates also allegedly hired security guards armed with firearms to patrol and protect the clinic as part of the illegal operation.
Isaac Sved, M.D., 65, of Gainesville, Georgia, was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Justin S. Anand. Sved and his Co-conspirators Dikla Rosh, 45, of Dunwoody, Georgia, Lucciano Lopez, 27, of Sandy Springs, Georgia, and Bobby Lamar Mosley, Sr., 60, of Buford, Georgia, were indicted by a federal grand jury on January 9, 2024.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges and it is the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy M. Palumbo and C. Brock Brockington are prosecuting the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.gov.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Arizona Woman Sentenced for Concealing Funds Intended to Support Acts of TerrorismRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Jill Marie Jones, 37, formerly of Chandler, was sentenced on Monday by United States District Judge Dominic W. Lanza to 78 months in prison, followed by 25 years of supervised release. Jones pleaded guilty to Concealment of Funds Intended to Support Acts of Terrorism.
As early as 2019, Jones regularly posted anti-American content on social media platforms because she believed the United States military unjustly treated Muslims overseas. In 2020, Jones began communicating online with a person she believed to be a member of al Qaeda, but who was in fact working for the FBI. On May 10, 2020, when asked by this individual if she supported al Qaeda and their struggle against the kuffar (non-believers), Jones responded, “Yes, I do.” Jones communicated with this individual about traveling to Afghanistan to support al Qaeda because “supporting AQ against the oppressors would be an honour.”
On May 18, 2020, when asked whether she could spare any money to buy weapons for al Qaeda to kill American soldiers, Jones responded that, while she was not well-off financially, the U.S. government’s COVID stimulus checks presented an opportunity: “The timing is interesting. Since because of coronavirus we all got government money. Free money basically. ... [I]t would be most ironic the money from that goes for this . . . They give us free money, and I turn it around on them.”
Jones agreed to send money, via a prepaid credit card. After researching prepaid cards online, Jones determined that an online purchase could be traced back to her because it required the disclosure of personal information. In order to conceal the source, ownership, and control of her funds, Jones traveled to a national retail store and purchased a $500 prepaid credit card using the COVID stimulus money provided to her by the U.S. government. She then sent the card information to the purported al Qaeda member with the message, “may it help them to be victorious.” Jones intended for these funds to be used by al Qaeda to purchase rifle scopes for use against American soldiers in Afghanistan.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy Chang, David Pimsner, and Lisa Jennis, District of Arizona, Phoenix handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-20-0634-PHX-DWL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-015_Jones# # #
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 Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Alien smuggler heads to prison after hiding people in tractor bed and cabinetsRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 46-year-old man has been convicted of unlawfully transporting undocumented aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
A federal jury deliberated for 15 minutes following a one-day trial before convicting Deibi Ramos on Nov. 14, 2023.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now ordered Ramos to serve 18 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the number of aliens and manner of transportation was concerning.
On April 19, 2023, Ramos drove a tractor-trailer to the Border Patrol checkpoint near Sarita. The jury heard that a K-9 soon alerted to the sleeper area of the vehicle. Upon further inspection, law enforcement discovered 10 illegal aliens concealed beneath the bed compartment and in the cabinets of the tractor.
The jury saw evidence of phone calls on Ramos’ phone between him and one of the illegal aliens as well as a voice message from a smuggling coordinator. The message included pickup and drop-off instructions.
At the trial, the defense attempted to convince the jury that Ramos’ knowledge was not proven beyond a reasonable doubt. The jury did not believe those claims and found him guilty as charged.
Ramos was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tyler Foster, Liesel Roscher and Yasmine Tucker prosecuted the case.
Ada Resident Pleads Guilty to Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jaylon Parker Jackson Gore, age 23, of Ada, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country.
The Indictment alleged that Gore sexually assaulted a minor victim between January and June of 2019. The crime occurred in Pontotoc County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Ada Police Department.
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Gore was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending the sentencing hearing.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Jenna Rudoff (Dallas, TX) and Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Paladino represented the United States.
Tuesday 6 February 2024
Zuni Man Charged with AssaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Joey Luarkie appeared in federal court on a criminal complaint charging him with assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury in Indian County. Luarkie, 23, of Zuni Pueblo, will remain in temporary custody pending a detention hearing which is scheduled for Feb. 8, 2024.
According to the criminal complaint, on Feb. 4, 2024, Luarkie was at the home of Jane Doe in Zuni when her boyfriend, John Doe, knocked on the door. Jane Doe and John Doe went outside and argued for a short time before John Doe entered the residence to get his stuff. Luarkie followed John Doe and Jane Doe into her bedroom, where a physical altercation allegedly ensued, and John Doe was stabbed in the throat. John Doe left the residence and collapsed in the front yard, where responding officers from the Zuni Police Department found Jane Doe performing CPR on him. John Doe was transported to Zuni Health Center before being life-flighted to the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque where he underwent two emergency surgeries.
A criminal complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of the current charge, Luarkie faces up to ten years in prison per count.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Marshall is prosecuting the case.
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Yakima Man Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Yakima, Washington - Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that Christopher Lee Osborn, age 32, was sentenced after pleading guilty to Distribution of Child Pornography. United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke imposed a sentence of ninety-six months imprisonment to be followed by fifteen years of supervised release and lifetime registration as a sex offender.
According to court documents and information disclosed at sentencing, in April of 2021, Osborn used the KIK app to send images and videos of child pornography to an undercover agent with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The images included young children being sexually assaulted.
On April 16, 2021, HSI executed a search warrant at a home in Yakima where Osborn lived and seized several electronic devices. During the search, agents recovered 48 images or videos of child pornography, including the images sent to the HSI agent. Osborn had previously been arrested on September 18, 2020, and charged in Yakima County Superior Court with First Degree Possession of Depictions of Minor Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct under Washington State law based upon a separate investigation. He pleaded guilty to two counts of that charge in January 2024, and has been sentenced to a ninety-six-month sentence which will run concurrently with his sentence in this Federal case.
“Prosecutors, law enforcement, educators, parents, and community stakeholders must be vigilant in protecting the most innocent among us,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “Our law enforcement team will continue to tirelessly pursue those who use technology to harm young children. By prosecuting these cases, we protect children and vulnerable populations, thereby strengthening Eastern Washington families and communities.”
“Thanks to the unwavering collaboration with our law enforcement partners, including the invaluable assistance of the Yakima Police Department, HSI agents have successfully apprehended and put a stop to the distribution of child exploitation images,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest. “This sentence is as much as a service to the victims as it is a promise to the community to protect children wherever threats may be hiding.”
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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Yakima Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Michael Murphy, Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.
Utah Man Charged in Attack on Memorial to African American Civil War Soldiers at the National Gallery of ArtRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jackson Green, 27, of Sandy, Utah, was taken into custody today following an indictment charging him with Damage to National Gallery of Art Property for his attack on the Shaw 54th Regiment Memorial in the National Gallery of Art’s West Wing.
According to the indictment, unsealed today, on November 14, 2023, Green, a member of the Declare Emergency climate group, entered the National Gallery of Art, carrying red paint. He then proceeded to smear the words “Honor Them” in red paint on the wall next to the patinated plaster work. The attack was videotaped by supporters of Declare Emergency and released online. Green caused more than $700 in damages.
The oversized piece, created by American sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens in the late 1880s, commemorates one of the first Civil War regiments of African Americans enlisted in the North, which drew recruits from many states and included Frederick Douglass’ own sons.
This is the third member of Declare Emergency charged in relation to attacks on the National Gallery of Art. In April 2023, Joanna Smith, 54, and her alleged co-conspirator, Timothy Martin, 54, of North Carolina, smeared paint on the case and base of Edgar Degas’ Little Dancer, Age Fourteen, at times smacking the case with force. Prior to the attack, members of the conspiracy had alerted the Washington Post, and two reporters from the Post recorded and photographed the offense. Following the action, the National Gallery was required to remove the sculpture from public display for 10 days. Gallery officials said it cost over $4,000 to repair the damage to the Degas sculpture.
In December, Smith pleaded guilty to one count of causing injury to a National Gallery of Art exhibit in the April 27, 2023, defacement of Edgar Degas’ Little Dancer, Age Fourteen. U.S. District Court Judge Berman Jackson scheduled sentencing for April 3, 2024. A trial for Ms. Smith’s co-conspirator Timothy Martin is scheduled for August 26, 2024.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, specifically the FBI’s Art Crime Team, with assistance from National Gallery of Art Police, and U.S. Park Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron A. Tepfer of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two-time felon convicted of carrying a firearm contrary to federal lawRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 35-year-old Laredo man has admitted to illegally possessing a loaded 9-millimeter handgun, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
On Dec. 8, 2023, Bruce James Lyles arrived at the Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint on IH-35 just north of Laredo. At that time, a K-9 alerted to his van. Upon further inspection, authorities discovered a 9-millimeter pistol with a magazine loaded with 12 rounds of ammunition in Lyles’ backpack.
Lyles admitted he knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms, that the weapon had been purchased at a pawn shop in Anchorage, Alaska, and had placed the pistol in his backpack.
Lyles had been convicted for two felony convictions in Minnesota – for robbery and for second-degree assault – which resulted in prison sentences of 23 and 30 months, respectively. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition per federal law.
U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña will impose sentencing at a later date. At that hearing, Lyles faces up to 15 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He will remain in custody pending sentencing which will be set at a later date.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with the assistance BP.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Homero Ramirez is prosecuting the case as part of the joint federal, state and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program. In May 2021, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced a new effort to reduce violent crime, including the gun violence that is often at its core. Integral to that effort was the reinvigoration of PSN, a two-decade old, evidence-based and community-oriented program focused on reducing violent crime. The updated PSN approach, outlined in the department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime is guided by four key principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results of our efforts. The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime, not simply to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions.
Two Philadelphia Men Plead Guilty to 2022 Crime Spree, Admitting to Seven Armed Robberies and a Carjacking in 12 DaysRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Angel Fayez, 19, and Kevin Antun, a.k.a. Acquah Evans, 20, both of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty today to one count of carjacking, eight counts of Hobbs Act robbery, and one count of carrying and using a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence.
Fayez and Antun were charged by indictment in March 2023 with these offenses, in connection with a series of gunpoint robberies of businesses in the Kensington and the Lower Northeast sections of Philadelphia.
According to the indictment, the defendants committed one carjacking and robbed a variety of small businesses, stealing approximately $3,613 total between November 22, 2022, and December 3, 2022. The incidents detailed are as follows:
- On November 22, 2022, Fayez and Antun carjacked a woman at the Liberty gas station located at 3949 Kensington Avenue;
- On November 22, 2022, Fayez and Antun robbed the Dollar General located at 1240 E. Erie Avenue;
- On November 22, 2022, Fayez and Antun robbed the Popeyes located at 501 Adams Avenue;
- On November 28, 2022, Fayez and Antun robbed the Texas Chicken and Burger located at 3960 Kensington Avenue;
- On November 30, 2022, Fayez and Antun robbed the Wingstop located at 3855 Aramingo Avenue;
- On November 30, 2022, Fayez and Antun robbed the Wingstop located at 2118 Cottman Avenue;
- On November 30, 2022, Fayez and Antun robbed the Domino’s Pizza located at 6391 Oxford Avenue; and
- On December 3, 2022, Fayez and Antun robbed the Popeyes located at 3541 Aramingo Avenue.
“Fayez and Antun terrorized the community with their brazen gunpoint crimes, at times committing multiple armed robberies in the same day,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Taking repeat offenders like these off the street is a priority for my office and our law enforcement partners, as we work to crack down on violent crime in Philadelphia and keep the public safe.”
“During their vicious crime spree, Fayez and Antun showed a complete disregard for public safety after carjacking an innocent woman and threatening multiple store employees with firearms,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Philadelphia Field Office. “I want to thank the Philadelphia Police Department and the United States Attorney’s Office as we work to protect the people of our district.”
“The brazen carjacking that initiated this crime spree and the violence used throughout these robberies put our community members at a real risk,” said Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel. “I applaud the collaborative efforts of the Philadelphia Police Department, ATF, and U.S. Attorney’s Office that brought these individuals to justice. This case again demonstrates our commitment to tackling carjackings and gun violence that plague our city. We will continue to relentlessly pursue those who choose to terrorize our neighborhoods and ensure they face the full force of the law.”
After pleading guilty, Fayez is set to be sentenced on May 29, 2024, and Antun on May 30, 2024, before the Honorable Juan R. Sanchez.
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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Eckert and Special Assistant United States Attorney David Osborne.
Two Fort Worth Gang Members Sentenced for Trafficking FentanylRead the Press Release
Two individuals have been sentenced to a combined 20+ years in federal prison for trafficking fentanyl in the Fort Worth area, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.First, Rhance Guerin, 27, was charged in August 2023 via criminal complaint and pleaded guilty in October to one count of conspiracy to possess of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. He was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Reed C. O’Connor to 108 months in prison.
According to court documents in Mr. Guerin’s case, on August 2, 2023, based on information that Mr. Guerin was selling fentanyl pills, the Johnson County STOP Special Crimes Unit (STOP SCU) conducted an arrest and search warrant operation in Fort Worth, Texas resulting in the arrest of Mr. Guerin and the seizure of 425.05 grams of fentanyl, 3.923 kg of marijuana, 14.65 grams of cocaine, 253.90 grams of psylocibin, and 3 firearms. Mr. Guerin is a documented Crips gang member.
Second, Willie Bryant, 39, was charge in May 2023 via criminal complaint and pleaded guilty in October to one count of conspiracy to possess of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. He was sentenced on February 2, 2024 by U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman to 135 months in prison.
According to court documents in Mr. Bryant’s case, on May 25, 2023, a Crime Stoppers Tip was received that Bryant was distributing black tar heroin, cocaine, crack, fentanyl, China white heroin, Xanax, and ecstasy from a Fort Worth residence. Law Enforcement obtained a search warrant for the residence and located approximately 24 grams of methamphetamine, 15 grams of black tar heroin, 51 fentanyl pills, 5 grams of cocaine and 1.65 ounces of marijuana near the location where Mr. Bryant was located. A search of the bathroom revealed a large cutout in the wall behind a mirror that contained 10 firearms, drivers licenses, identification cards, bank cards and social security cards issued to 10 different individuals. A doctor’s prescription pad, two bricks of fentanyl, a brick of heroin, a clear plastic Tupperware container containing methamphetamine, two plastic containers containing ecstasy pills, two plastic containers containing black tar heroin, and a small plastic container with additional fentanyl powder were also located in the cutout.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn Smith prosecuted the cases.
Two East Idaho Men Each Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Sex Crimes Against a Minor ChildRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced the outcomes in two separate East Idaho cases in which the defendants were sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for attempted sex crimes against a minor child.
“These cases demonstrate that child predators will find no refuge in Idaho,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “Instead, they will find justice and a ticket to federal prison. My office is fortunate to work with law enforcement across the state who spare no effort in tracking down these criminals. And we will continue to prosecute these offenders to the fullest extent of the law.”
On February 2, 2024, Lawrence Osborn, 44, of Soda Springs, was sentenced to ten years in prison for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. According to court records, on February 24, 2023, agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in San Angelo, Texas, conducted an online undercover operation to identify adults engaged in sexually predatory behavior towards children. During the operation, Osborn engaged in online chat communications with one of the undercover HSI agents who was posing as a mother with a 7-year-old daughter. In those communications, Osborn proposed that the mother travel from Texas to Idaho so that Osborn could sexually abuse the 7-year-old child. Osborn offered the mother money and travel accommodations to facilitate the sexual abuse of the 7-year-old. On March 3, Osborn arrived at a grocery store in Soda Springs with the intention of meeting the mother and 7-year-old, and he was arrested.
“Fortunately, Osborn was talking to an undercover agent and not a real parent or child,” said Shohini Sinha of the Salt Lake City FBI. “This case highlights the collective efforts of law enforcement to protect society’s most vulnerable and hold child predators accountable.”
“Internet crime knows no border or boundaries, and in this instance our joint law enforcement partnerships were able to stop this Idaho based child predator from finding victims wherever his disgusting impulses may have led him,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest. “This sentence helps to keep our communities, both virtual and throughout Idaho, safe from those who would prey upon children.”
Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered that Osborn be placed on supervised release for ten years following his prison sentence. Osborn pleaded guilty to the charge on September 14, 2023.
In a separate case, Nathan Mark Law, 49, of Idaho Falls was also sentenced to ten years in prison on February 5, 2024. According to court records, between July and September 2022, the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force found that Law had downloaded thousands of images of child pornography also known as, “child sexual abuse material” (CSAM) over the internet. Investigators executed a search warrant of Law’s residence where they discovered CSAM on Law’s electronic devices. Law admitted not only that he downloaded CSAM but also that he had hidden a camera in his camp trailer bathroom and captured images of a minor female using the shower. Law also admitted to sharing CSAM including the images he produced with another Idaho Falls man, Che Miles. Miles was sentenced to 136 months in federal prison in September.
“This is the level of evil that we fight against – a man who would seek to create pornographic images of children,” said Attorney General Raúl Labrador, who oversees the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force for Idaho. “We cannot pretend it doesn’t happen in our communities. This kind of exploitation must be stopped at every turn. These cases are a cooperative effort and I’m grateful for everyone involved in these successful prosecutions. The stakes could not be higher when it comes to putting those that prey on Idaho’s children behind bars.”
Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye sentenced Law to 120 months in federal prison followed by ten years of supervised release. Law pleaded guilty to attempted sexual exploitation of a minor child on June 26, 2023.
The Osborn case was investigated by HSI in Idaho Falls, in conjunction with HSI in Dallas and San Angelo, with assistance from the Idaho State Police, the United States Marshals Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Soda Springs Police Department. The Law and Miles cases were investigated by the Idaho ICAC Task Force, HSI in Idaho Falls, the Idaho Falls Police Department, and the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Paskett prosecuted these cases.
These case were 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. As part of Project Safe Childhood, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho and the Idaho Attorney General’s Office partner to marshal 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.
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Tulsa Gang Member Sentenced for Second Degree MurderRead the Press Release
U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Sir Michael Morgan, Jr., 20, of Tulsa to 210 months imprisonment, followed by
5 years of supervised release for Second Degree Murder in Indian Country.“Gang rivalry and gun violence resulted in the senseless death of Isaiah Jones,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Today’s sentence reflects this defendant’s callous disregard for life and reaffirms that prosecutors and law enforcement will hold violent criminals accountable for their actions.”
According to court documents, on January 29, 2022, Morgan killed Isaiah Jones by shooting him multiple times. Morgan believed that Jones, who was in a rival gang, shot his friend. A confrontation led to Morgan shooting at Jones and Jones returning fire. Morgan pleaded guilty to intentionally shooting and killing Jones with a 9mm handgun. Morgan sustained four gunshot wounds.
Morgan is a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau
of Prisons facility.The FBI and Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alicia N. Hockenbury and Stacey P. Todd prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Three Individuals Sentenced for $3.5M COVID-19 Relief Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Three people were sentenced today for fraudulently obtaining and misusing Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans that the U.S. Small Business Administration guaranteed under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act in connection with their involvement in a COVID-19 fraud ring.
Khadijah X. Chapman, 59, of Atlanta, was sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison; Daniel C. Labrum, 42, of South Jordan, Utah, was sentenced to two years in prison; and Eric J. O’Neil, 58, of Bethel, Connecticut, was sentenced to two years and three months in prison.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Chapman, Labrum, and O’Neil fraudulently obtained PPP loans for fictitious businesses in 2020 and 2021. The defendants worked with co‑conspirators to falsify information and submitted fraudulent documents to financial institutions in Boise and elsewhere to collectively obtain approximately $3.5 million in relief funding intended for small businesses struggling with the economic impact of COVID-19.
Chapman was convicted in November 2023 of bank fraud. Labrum and O’Neil pleaded guilty in 2023 to bank fraud.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit for the District of Idaho, Special Agent in Charge Thomas M. Fattorusso of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS:CI) New York, Assistant Director Michael D. Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, Special Agent in Charge Matthew Miraglia of the FBI Buffalo Field Office, Inspector General Gail S. Ennis of the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General (SSA-OIG), Special Agent in Charge Sharon B. MacDermott of SSA-OIG, and Inspector in Charge Ketty Larco-Ward of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Boston Division made the announcement.
IRS:CI, the FBI, SSA-OIG, and USPIS investigated the cases.
Trial Attorneys Jennifer Bilinkas and Tamara Livshiz of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Mazorol for the District of Idaho prosecuted the cases.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Justice Department in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866‑720‑5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Tax Preparer Sentenced for Including False Information on Federal Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA – Today, Acting United States Attorney Jonathan S. Ross announced the sentencing of a Sandersville, Georgia woman for aiding and assisting in the filing of false tax returns. On February 2, 2024, a federal judge sentenced 44-year-old April Michelle Nesbitt to 33 months in prison. Federal inmates are not eligible for parole.
According to her plea agreement and other court records, from 2015 to 2021, Nesbitt worked at Superior Tax Group in Montgomery, Alabama. There, Nesbitt filed federal income tax returns for clients. In her plea agreement, Nesbitt admitted that, on at least two occasions, she included false information on a client’s return. Doing so caused the taxpayer to receive greater refunds than he or she was entitled to receive. Specifically, Nesbitt included expenses on a client’s 2018 and 2020 tax returns related to a childcare business that did not exist. In addition to the prison sentence, the judge also ordered that Nesbitt pay restitution in the amount of $46,669 to the IRS.
“Tax fraud is a major problem costing the American taxpayer millions each year,” said Acting United States Attorney Ross. “I encourage all taxpayers to review their returns and confirm that they recognize the information. If a tax preparer refuses to let you examine your tax return before it is filed, or if you review your tax return and see a business that is not yours or expenses you do not recognize, ask for clarification or seek a second opinion from a different return preparer.”
“April Nesbitt used her position as a tax preparer to steal from the American people,” said Demetrius Hardeman, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “Tax preparers contemplating filing fraudulent tax returns should look at her sentencing as an example of what to expect after IRS Criminal Investigation special agents and our law enforcement partners discover their crimes.”
For additional guidance, see the IRS fact sheet on their website at https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-news/fs-08-10.pdf.
IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated this case, which Assistant United States Attorney Megan A. Kirkpatrick prosecuted.
Tampa Woman Charged with Smuggling over $100,000 into the United States from CubaRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest and filing of a criminal complaint charging Mirtza Ocana (38, Tampa) with smuggling over $100,000 of United States currency into the United States from Cuba. If convicted on all counts, Ocana faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.
According to the complaint, Ocana arrived at Tampa International Airport on an international flight from Cuba on February 5, 2024. She claimed that she did not have more than $10,000 on her person (a limit that would trigger reporting requirements), thus had nothing to declare. However, during a routine inspection of her luggage, agents from the Department of Homeland Security recovered approximately $30,000 in bulk cash concealed in three wrapped packages. Ocana then admitted that she flew from Cuba to Tampa two to three times per month to smuggle cash into the United States and that she knew that bringing bulk cash into the United States without reporting it was illegal. Agents searched Ocana and discovered an additional $70,000 in cash hidden in her clothes. Ocana’s flight history later revealed that she had flown from Cuba to Tampa 45 times since May 2023.
A complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection Field Operations. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Buchanan.
Statement of U.S. Attorney Alison Ramsdell on the Tragic Death of Moody County Chief Deputy Sheriff Ken ProrokRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS – Alison J. Ramsdell, United States Attorney for the District of South Dakota, has issued the following statement on the death of Moody County Chief Deputy Sheriff Ken Prorok:
"It is with profound sadness that we mourn the tragic loss of Ken Prorok, Chief Deputy for the Moody County Sheriff’s Office, who died in the line of duty on February 2, 2024.
Chief Deputy Prorok was a devoted and proud family man. He was an enthusiastic role model and a pillar of his community. As an officer, Chief Deputy Prorok exhibited the highest levels of professionalism. He was firmly committed to the cause of justice and displayed unwavering dedication to the safety of the communities he was charged with protecting, even to his last breath. The men and women of the U.S. Department of Justice stand with the entire law enforcement community as we honor the life of Chief Deputy Ken Prorok and share in the sorrow of this tragic loss. Our thoughts are with Chief Deputy Prorok’s family, friends, colleagues, and community.”
St. Louis Man Admits Fatally Shooting Driver and Burning Stolen CarRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis, Missouri on Tuesday admitted fatally shooting his friend before stealing his car in 2022.
Laveal David Jones, 25, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to three felony counts: carjacking resulting in death, being a felon in possession of a firearm and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, with death resulting.
After leaving a night club in Sauget, Illinois just after 4 a.m. on Oct. 1, 2022, the shooting victim drove Jones to an area near the 300 block of Walton Place in St. Louis. Jones confronted the victim about money Jones believed the victim owed, leading to a physical fight. Jones suffered a bloody nose. Jones admitted in his plea that he used the victim’s firearm to shoot the victim twice, killing him.
Jones then stripped the victim naked so the blood from Jones’ bloody nose couldn’t be recovered from the victim’s clothing. He left the victim’s body in the street, then drove away in the victim’s 2015 Kia K900 sedan. Jones got lighter fluid and then drove the Kia to West Missouri Avenue and North B Street in East St. Louis, Illinois. He set the car on fire and walked away. An acquaintance picked Jones up in East St. Louis. Jones was still wearing bloody clothing.
On Oct. 17, 2022, while the shooting death was still under investigation, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers spotted Jones in a different stolen Kia. He crashed the car and then fled on foot, discarding a pistol before he was caught, his plea agreement says.
Jones was a convicted felon at the time of the crimes, having been convicted of second-degree robbery, and was thus barred from possessing a firearm.
Jones is scheduled to be sentenced May 7. The U.S. Attorney’s office has agreed to recommend a prison term not to exceed 30 years. Jones’ lawyer has agreed to recommend not less than 20 years.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Finlen is prosecuting the case.
Smuggler Sentenced to 72 MonthsRead the Press Release
Driver Who Transported Alien in a Toolbox Also Found Responsible for Sexual Assault
TUCSON, Ariz. – Luis Carlos Ballesteros-Moreno, 43, of Hermosillo, Mexico, recently living in Tucson, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker to 72 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. On September 20, 2023, Ballesteros-Moreno pleaded guilty to Transportation of Illegal Aliens for Profit Placing in Jeopardy the Life of Any Person.
On March 27, 2023, Ballesteros-Moreno was encountered by United States Border Patrol agents at the State Route 90 checkpoint. At the time, he appeared to be the only occupant of his vehicle, a Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck. Approximately an hour into the encounter, Ballesteros-Moreno informed agents that a female person was hidden inside a commercial-sized toolbox mounted in the truck bed. Upon opening the toolbox, agents discovered an 18-year-old female. She was determined to be an undocumented noncitizen that Ballesteros-Moreno was transporting for financial gain. The young woman reported to law enforcement that she had been sexually assaulted by Ballesteros-Moreno during the transportation.
During sentencing, evidence was presented substantiating the sexual assault. The judge found that Ballesteros-Moreno created a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury via the method of transporting the young woman in the exterior toolbox, and that he sexually assaulted and involuntarily detained her during the transportation.
Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol, Tucson Sector, and the Cochise County Sheriff’s Department conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 23-CR-00542-TUC-JCH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-014_Ballesteros-Moreno# # #
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 Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.San Diego Restaurant Owner Charged with Tax and COVID-Relief Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in San Diego returned a superseding indictment on Feb. 2, charging a California man with wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, tax evasion, filing false tax returns, conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to commit money laundering and failing to file tax returns.
According to the indictment, Leronce Suel was the majority owner of Rockstar Dough LLC and Chicken Feed LLC, both of which operated restaurants in the San Diego area. He allegedly conspired with his business partner to underreport over $1.7 million in gross receipts on Rockstar Dough LLC’s 2020 corporate tax return filed with the IRS. The indictment alleges that from March 2020 to June 2022, Suel and the business partner then used this false corporate tax return to qualify for the COVID-19-related Paycheck Protection Program and Restaurant Revitalization Funding loans. Suel also allegedly falsely certified on loan forgiveness applications that he spent the money his restaurants received from these programs only for payroll. The indictment charges that Suel and his co-conspirator made substantial cash withdrawals from their business bank accounts to launder the fraudulently obtained funds. As part of the conspiracy, Suel and his co-conspirator allegedly concealed more than $2.4 million in cash at their residence.
The indictment further charges that Suel failed to report income he received from his businesses, including millions of dollars in cash and personal expenses paid for by the businesses, such as the rent for his home. In 2023, Suel also allegedly filed original and amended tax returns for prior tax years that included false depreciable assets and business losses.
If convicted, Suel faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison for each count of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 10 years in prison for each count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, five years in prison for tax evasion and conspiracy to defraud the United States, three years in prison for each count of filing false tax returns and one year in prison for each count of failing to file tax returns. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Tara K. McGrath for the Southern District of California made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Julia Rugg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Beeler for the Southern District of California are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Rochester man charged for purchases made on illicit online marketplaceRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Brandon Hall, 23, of Rochester, NY, was charged by criminal complaint with possessing 15 or more unauthorized access devices. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. Kruly, who is handling the case, stated that since August 2018, the FBI has been investigating an illicit online marketplace known as Genesis Market, whose operators compile stolen data, such as computer and mobile device identifiers, email addresses, usernames, and passwords, from malware-infected computers around the globe and package it for sale on the market. Purchases made through Genesis Market are conducted using virtual currency, such as bitcoin.
According to the complaint, between November 2019, and February 2021, Hall purchased 12 packages on Genesis Market that included approximately 1,100 stolen account credentials. The stolen credentials included accounts for Citi Bank, AT&T, Venmo, Twitter, Netflix, LinkedIn, Spotify, Hulu, Google, Paypal, Microsoft, Yahoo, Walmart, Target, and Amazon accounts. In May 2023, investigators executed a search warrant and seized Hall’s cell phone. An analysis of the phone recovered information regarding Hall’s activity on Genesis Market.
Hall will make an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark W. Pedersen on February 7, 2024, at 2:15 p.m.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.
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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Providence Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Trafficking Meth and FentanylRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – A Providence man with a lengthy criminal history, to include more than a dozen convictions for a wide variety of offenses, including breaking and entering, drug trafficking, domestic violence, forgery and counterfeiting, larceny, armed bank robbery, and carrying a concealed weapon, was sentenced today to five years in federal prison for trafficking more than a pound of methamphetamine and more than 60 grams of fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
John Walker, 61, pleaded guilty on June 13, 2023, to charges of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., to 60 months in federal prison to be followed by five years of federal supervised release.
During an investigation into Walker’s suspected drug trafficking activities in March 2022, members of the Rhode Island DEA Drug Task Force observed Walker provide another individual with a sample of methamphetamine. Later that same day the individual arranged for the purchase of meth from Walker. When approached by a DEA Task Force officer, Walker admitted that he had meth on his person and that he had additional drugs stored at a drug den that he frequently visited. Members of the DEA Task Force seized 59 grams of meth and $5,902 in cash from Walker’s person and 449 grams of methamphetamine and 64 grams of fentanyl stashed by Walker at the Providence drug den.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney G. Michael Seaman.
The Rhode Island DEA Drug Task Force is comprised of personnel from the DEA; Rhode Island State Police; the Cranston, Middletown, Newport, Pawtucket, Providence, Warwick, Woonsocket, Amtrak Police Departments.
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Pittsburgh Resident Indicted on Felony Firearms ChargeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating a federal firearms law, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Kendall McCoy, 21, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on or about June 27, 2022, McCoy is alleged to have possessed a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Federal law prohibits an individual who has been convicted of a felony from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney DeMarr W. Moulton is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Pittsburgh Resident Indicted on Drug and Felony Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal drug and federal firearms laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
The three-count Superseding Indictment named Elijah Hanna, 25, as the sole defendant in this case.
According to the Superseding Indictment, on December 12, 2023, Hanna possessed with intent to distribute a quantity of fentanyl, possessed a firearm in furtherance of a drug crime, and possessed a firearm after having been convicted of a felony. Federal law prohibits the possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
The law provides for a maximum possible sentence of not less than five years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $3,000,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Douglas C. Maloney is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Pittsburgh Bureau of Police conducted the investigation leading to the Superseding Indictment in this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Pittsburgh Man Indicted on Drug Trafficking and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal drug trafficking and federal firearms laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
The four-count Indictment named Lester Burrell Jackson III, 32, as the sole defendant in this case.
According to the Indictment, on or about November 14, 2023, December 7, 2023, and January 2, 2024, Jackson knowingly and unlawfully distributed quantities of methamphetamine. The Indictment further charges that, on or about January 27, 2024, Jackson possessed a firearm and ammunition after having been convicted of a felony. Federal law prohibits the possession of a firearm or ammunition by an individual who has been convicted of a felony.
The law provides for a maximum possible sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $5,000,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney DeMarr W. Moulton is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Pittsburgh Bureau of Police conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Philadelphia Woman Sentenced for Conspiring to Distribute 11 Kilos of NarcoticsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Philadelphia woman has been sentenced to eight days in prison for conspiring to distribute kilos of fentanyl and heroin. The government recommended a sentence of 37 months in prison.
Elba Pena, 34, was sentenced on Feb. 1, 2024 by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to time served (eight days) and three years of supervised release with one year to be served in home confinement. Pena pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin.
In November 2021, Pena traveled from Philadelphia to Methuen, Mass. to deliver two kilograms of heroin to a person she thought was a customer. Specifically, on Nov. 16, 2021, Pena met with an undercover officer posing as the purported customer at a commercial plaza in Methuen and delivered the heroin. Pena was immediately taken into custody. A subsequent search of Pena’s Philadelphia residence resulted in the recovery of nine kilograms of fentanyl.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
Pair Sentenced to 300 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND – Abigail Dawes, 30 years old, of East Chicago, Indiana, and Alfonso Rodriguez, 30 years old, of Chicago, Illinois, were sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after pleading guilty to Producing Visual Depictions of A Minor Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Dawes, sentenced February 1, 2024, and Rodriquez, sentenced today, were both sentenced to 300 months in prison followed by 15 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, on or about June 2022, Dawes and Rodriquez produced child sexual abuse material.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Philip C. Benson and Emily Morgan.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Ocean County Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Sexually Exploiting MinorRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – An Ocean County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 360 months in prison for coercing a minor into producing images of child sexual abuse, U.S Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Samuel Schwinger, 38, Lakewood, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Georgette Castner to an information charging him with one count of sexual exploitation of a minor. Judge Castner imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court.
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
In March 2019, Schwinger used an internet-based application to communicate with the victim, who was under the age of 12. Schwinger asked the victim to make sexually explicit videos of the victim and send them to him. Schwinger admitted that from October 2018 through April 5, 2019, he communicated with more than 25 minor victims for the purpose of producing and distributing sexually explicit material.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Castner sentenced Schwinger to 10 years of supervised release and ordered that he register as a sexual offender upon release.
U.S. Sellinger credited special agents Homeland Security Investigations, Cherry Hill, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso in Newark; the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer; and the Lakewood New Jersey Police Department under the direction of Chief Gregory Meyer.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Gasparian, Chief of the Organized Crime and Gangs Unit.
Newark Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Possessing Five Firearms in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking and Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl and CocaineRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Newark man was sentenced today to 96 months in prison for participating in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine in the area of Lincoln Park in Newark, and for possessing five firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Khalid Holland, 44, of Newark, pleaded guilty on May 15, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Julien Xavier Neals to an information charging him with one count of possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon; one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. Judge Neals imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Holland admitted conspiring to distribute fentanyl and cocaine between June 2022 and September 2022 in Newark, New Jersey. As a result of this investigation, law enforcement recovered 13 firearms at various residences, including five in Holland’s residence, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, and thousands of individual doses of fentanyl and cocaine. Holland admitted to possessing the five firearms recovered in his residence in furtherance of drug trafficking.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Neals sentenced Holland to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited members of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Newark Field Office, under the supervision of Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller; members of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New Jersey Division Office in Newark, under the supervision of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz; members of the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Armando B. Fontoura; members of the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Fritz G. Fragé; and members of the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor William A. Daniel, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The investigation was conducted as part of the Newark Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The Newark VCI was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Newark. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the DEA, the U.S. Marshals, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, Union County Jail, New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, New Jersey Department of Corrections, the East Orange Police Department, and the Irvington Police Department.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Levin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s National Security Unit in Newark.
New York City Resident Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Wisconsin Residents in Professional Sports Ticket ScamRead the Press Release
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on February 6, 2024, Nikhil S. Mahtani (age: 28) of New York, New York, was arraigned in federal court and immediately entered a guilty plea to a charge of wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343.
According to court documents, between approximately January 4, 2019, and December 11, 2022, Mahtani placed over 1,000 ads on Craigslist offering high end tickets and luxury box suites to National Football League, National Basketball League, and other professional sporting events around the country. Numerous victims throughout the Eastern District of Wisconsin and elsewhere were victimized by Mahtani, who accepted thousands of dollars in payments for tickets and suites he knew were not real. In one instance, a large group of friends and family arrived at the Fiserv Forum the night the Milwaukee Bucks won the NBA Championship in 2021, only to be turned away and told their tickets were fraudulent. As a result of his scheme, Mahtani received approximately $100,000 from victims in Wisconsin and across the United States.
Mahtani faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment when he sentenced by Senior United States District Court Judge William C. Griesbach on May 10, 2024. He may also be fined up to $250,000 and could serve up to three years on supervised release.
This case was investigated by the NYPD Financial Crimes Task Force, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.
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Nebraska Man Who Traveled to Utah to Attempt to Have Sex with a Minor Sentenced to 15 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Dusty Junior Goodspeed, 58, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today to 180 months’ imprisonment by a U.S. District Court Judge as a result of a guilty plea. Goodspeed admitted he traveled to Salt Lake City to attempt to engage in sexual activity with someone he believed was a minor. He was charged with attempted coercion and enticement, and travel with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct.
According to court documents and statements made at the change of plea hearing, Goodspeed, traveled from Nebraska to Salt Lake City International Airport in December 2022 to engage in sex acts with someone he believed was a 13-year-old boy. Goodspeed had been communicating with an undercover agent, who posed as a 13-year-old boy, and was arrested by law enforcement at baggage claim. Goodspeed admitted that in September 2022, he used Facebook Messenger to contact someone he believed was a 13-year-old. That same month, he began texting the undercover agent who was posing as a minor, messages that were sexual in nature. Goodspeed continued to communicate with the undercover agent until he landed at the airport in Salt Lake City. Goodspeed admitted to law enforcement he intended to spend the weekend with a 13-year-old and have sex with him. In addition to his sentence of imprisonment, Goodspeed was ordered to supervised release for life.
U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah; and the FBI made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Division.
Assistant United States Attorneys Allison H. Behrens, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc
Nashua Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Nashua man pleaded guilty today in federal court to firearms-related charges, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Joshua Smith, 39, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Laplante scheduled sentencing for May 16, 2024. Smith was indicted on May 31, 2022.
On March 8, 2022, Nashua Police detectives were executing an outstanding warrant for the defendant’s arrest. Detectives apprehended and arrested the defendant as he was leaving the building to get into a taxi. The defendant was carrying a duffle bag that contained a 40 mm caliber riot gun. Intelligence revealed that the riot gun was the property of the Manchester Police Department. The defendant had been convicted of several felonies, including a robbery in 2013, and was therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm.
The charges provide for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes, which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Nashua Police Department led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Gingrande is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Morton Man Pleads Guilty to Two Felony Counts in Connection with Scheme to Defraud Former EmployerRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Morton, Illinois, man, Aaron Rossi, 40, pleaded guilty today to two felonies connected to a scheme to defraud both his former employer, a Bloomington, Illinois, medical clinic, and the United States. Rossi pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud and one count of filing a false federal tax return in relation to this scheme. Sentencing for Rossi has been scheduled for June 5, 2024, at the U.S. Courthouse in Peoria, Illinois.
A federal grand jury initially returned an indictment in March 2022, charging Rossi with three counts of filing false tax returns. A superseding indictment was returned in July 2022 that added six counts of mail fraud.
In court before Chief U.S. District Judge Sara Darrow, Rossi admitted that he had carried out the scheme. He told the judge that he had not given all of his earnings information to his accountant so that he would not have to pay taxes on that income. He also admitted that he had taken funds from his former employer, Central Illinois Orthopedic Surgery in Bloomington, without their knowledge or permission, and had purchased personal items, including clothing and an ultra-high-definition big screen television, which he had mailed to his home.
During the hearing, the government noted that Rossi had been involved in extensive fraud upon his employer. This fraud included his purchase of thousands of dollars of clothing from an upscale men’s store and payment for that clothing using company funds. Rossi hid his clothing purchases by calling them “medical supplies” or “uniforms” in his employer’s books and records. Rossi’s undisclosed expenditures also included leasing a luxury vehicle for himself and renting a private plane for his bachelor party. The government further stated that in just 2017, Rossi had more than $500,000 in income that he purposefully hid from the United States and did not declare on his taxes.
Rossi was originally released on bond following indictment but was placed in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service in September 2023 after multiple bond violations. He remains in custody pending sentencing.
Rossi faces statutory penalties of up to 20 years’ imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for the mail fraud count, and up to three years’ imprisonment, followed by one year of supervised release, for the false tax return count. Each of the counts also carries the potential of a fine.
The case investigation was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Douglas F. McMeyer and Tanner K. Jacobs represent the government in the prosecution.
Morton Man Pleads Guilty to Two Felony Counts in Connection with Scheme to Defraud Former EmployerRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Morton, Illinois, man, Aaron Rossi, 40, pleaded guilty today to two felonies connected to a scheme to defraud both his former employer, a Bloomington, Illinois, medical clinic, and the United States. Rossi pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud and one count of filing a false federal tax return in relation to this scheme. Sentencing for Rossi has been scheduled for June 5, 2024, at the U.S. Courthouse in Peoria, Illinois.
A federal grand jury initially returned an indictment in March 2022, charging Rossi with three counts of filing false tax returns. A superseding indictment was returned in July 2022 that added six counts of mail fraud.
In court before Chief U.S. District Judge Sara Darrow, Rossi admitted that he had carried out the scheme. He told the judge that he had not given all of his earnings information to his accountant so that he would not have to pay taxes on that income. He also admitted that he had taken funds from his former employer, Central Illinois Orthopedic Surgery in Bloomington, without their knowledge or permission, and had purchased personal items, including clothing and an ultra-high-definition big screen television, which he had mailed to his home.
During the hearing, the government noted that Rossi had been involved in extensive fraud upon his employer. This fraud included his purchase of thousands of dollars of clothing from an upscale men’s store and payment for that clothing using company funds. Rossi hid his clothing purchases by calling them “medical supplies” or “uniforms” in his employer’s books and records. Rossi’s undisclosed expenditures also included leasing a luxury vehicle for himself and renting a private plane for his bachelor party. The government further stated that in just 2017, Rossi had more than $500,000 in income that he purposefully hid from the United States and did not declare on his taxes.
Rossi was originally released on bond following indictment but was placed in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service in September 2023 after multiple bond violations. He remains in custody pending sentencing.
Rossi faces statutory penalties of up to 20 years’ imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for the mail fraud count, and up to three years’ imprisonment, followed by one year of supervised release, for the false tax return count. Each of the counts also carries the potential of a fine.
The case investigation was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Douglas F. McMeyer and Tanner K. Jacobs represent the government in the prosecution.
Monroeville Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Narcotics and Firearms ViolationsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Monroeville, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to eight years of imprisonment and three years of supervised release on his conviction of violating federal narcotics and firearms laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States Senior District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentence on Tiryn Green, 27.
According to information presented to the Court, following two controlled buys of heroin and fentanyl from Green in February 2022, investigators from the PA Office of Attorney General Bureau of Narcotics Investigation (BNI) Unit as well as the Monroeville Police Department executed a search warrant on Green’s Monroeville residence. During that search, investigators recovered drug evidence along with multiple firearms, high capacity magazines, and several hundred rounds of ammunition. Under federal law, Green is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition based upon several prior felony convictions.
Assistant United States Attorney Michael R. Ball prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Monroeville Police Department, the PA Office of Attorney General BNI Unit, and the Drug Enforcement Administration for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Green.
Missouri Man Sentenced to Serve 30 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Exploiting MinorsRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – The U.S. Attorney's Office announced that Tony Ray Waites, 47, of Piedmont, Missouri, was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh, Jr. to 30 years in federal prison for the offense of production of child pornography.
According to court documents, the investigation began in March 2022 when a then 11-year-old boy reported that he had been sexually abused by Waites on multiple occasions. The young boy further reported that he believed Waites recorded the abuse. The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office immediately obtained a search warrant for Waites’ residence. When officers explained the nature of the investigation, Waites quickly grabbed a knife and cut himself in the throat. He was immediately rushed to the hospital for medical treatment, where his condition stabilized. Meanwhile, officers seized various electronic devices inside Waites’ residence. During an examination of the devices, officers discovered several videos depicting Waites engaging in sexual activity with the 11-year-old boy. The examination further revealed that Waites made sexually explicit recordings of nine additional young boys from the area. At his guilty plea hearing last November, Waites admitted that he produced the video recordings depicting the ten young boys engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
After serving the 30-year sentence, Waites will be placed on supervised release for the rest of his life. Waites will also be required to register as a sex offender.
This case was investigated by the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Jack Koester handled the prosecution for the government.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Missouri Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Child Pornography CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Daniel Phillip Beckman, 46, of Watson, Missouri, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for receipt of child pornography. Beckman must also register as a sex offender.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on or about November 27, 2022, Beckman began communicating through the Snapchat multimedia instant messaging application while at his Missouri residence with a minor female living within the Southern District of West Virginia. During these Snapchat communications, Beckman offered to pay the minor female for her sending him nude images and videos of herself.
Beckman admitted that he paid the minor female approximately $625 through the CashApp mobile payment service in exchange for numerous images and videos that the minor female sent him using Snapchat. Some of these images showed the minor female’s vaginal area or depicted her masturbating. Beckman admitted that he believed the female to be a minor when he received her photos and videos, and that he saved several of the images to his phone.
On or about December 6, 2022, the minor female introduced Beckman to her friend, also a minor female. Beckman admitted that he began communicating with the other minor female on Snapchat and paid her through CashApp for several images and videos that depicted her nude pubic area. Beckman further admitted that he believed her to be a minor when he received the images, and that he specifically described to her how he wanted her to pose.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the West Virginia State Police.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-158.
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