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15 March 2024
Justice Department Secures Agreement with Connecticut Department of Correction to Protect Religious Rights in PrisonRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has reached an agreement with the Connecticut Department of Correction (CDOC) that expands opportunities for group religious practice throughout the state prison system. The agreement resolves the department’s investigation of CDOC, pursuant to the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA).
Under the agreement, CDOC has adopted a new policy that expands access to group worship or other collective religious activities. Under the prior policy, only a chaplain or approved outside volunteer of the same faith as the members of a religious group could supervise the group’s religious practice. The revised policy will permit other staff and chaplains of other faiths to supervise group religious practice and will allow incarcerated persons to facilitate some group religious activities.
“Religious liberty is a foundational principle of the United States, and the religious rights of incarcerated persons are guaranteed by both the Constitution and federal law,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This agreement will protect the religious practices of people held in correctional facilities across Connecticut by expanding the available options for supervising group religious activities. The Justice Department remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting the religious rights of all persons, including those who are incarcerated.”
“Federal law guarantees all Americans the right to freely exercise one’s religion, which includes the right of institutionalized persons to practice their faith and worship together,” said U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery for the District of Connecticut. “We are committed to protecting this fundamental right and are grateful for the Connecticut Department of Correction’s ongoing collaboration to ensure better protection for collective religious services.”
In addition to expanding who can supervise group religious practice, the agreement requires CDOC to implement a new “inmate conductor” program, which will allow incarcerated persons to take an active role in facilitating collective religious activities. CDOC will also collect and review data on a regular basis to ensure that the new policy has the intended effect of increasing access to group worship or collective religious activities. The settlement requires appropriate notification and training of CDOC staff and leadership to implement the revised policy. The department will have access to documents and correctional facilities to assess compliance with the agreement.
For additional information about the Civil Rights Division and the Special Litigation Section, please visit www.justice.gov/crt/special-litigation-section. The Justice Department issued a report on the 20th Anniversary of RLUIPA in 2020 and a statement and on the Institutionalized Persons Provisions of RLUIPA in 2017. Those interested in finding out more about RLUIPA can visit www.justice.gov/crt/religious-land-use-and-institutionalized-persons-act-0.
Jury Convicts Former Drug Felon of Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that a federal jury took less than two hours to returned guilty verdicts against Russell Robinson, 57, of St. Thomas, on conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Chief District Judge Robert A. Molloy scheduled Robinson’s sentencing for July 3, 2024.
In 2007, Robinson was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, conspiracy to import cocaine, and money laundering and was sentenced to serve 160 months of incarceration.According to evidence introduced at trial, Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine
Operations detected a vessel heading towards Vessup Beach in St. Thomas operating without lights.
After arriving at Vessup Beach, aviation agents observed several individuals offloading duffle bags from the vessel to Robinson, Trevor Stephen and an individual who Stephen identified in his trial as
Ikim Blackett loading the duffle bags into Robinson’s Toyota Tundra truck. The aviation agents provided updates on Robinson’s location to agents on the ground as he traveled from Vessup Beach to Charlotte Amalie. Agents attempted to stop Robinson near the waterfront, but he fled at a high rate of speed towards Hull Bay and headed up a one-way road into a small residential area. While agents set up a perimeter at the entrance of the one-way road, the aviation agents continued their surveillance of Robinson’s truck and later observed him and Stephen as they threw the duffle bags from the truck into the bushes. Robinson then drove to the entrance of the one-way road and agents stopped his truck and arrested Robinson and Stephen. Agents then retrieved seven duffle bags from the bushes. The duffle bags contained a total of 210 kilograms of a substance that tested positive for cocaine. In June 2023, a federal jury convicted Stephen of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. His sentencing is currently scheduled for March 27, 2024. For his conviction, Robinson faces a mandatory minimum sentenced of 15 years and up to life imprisonment.The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations, with assistance from Homeland Security
Investigations. Assistant United States Attorneys Kyle Payne and Natasha Baker prosecuted the case. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.Inmate Guilty of Pandemic Fraud During Incarceration Sent Back to PrisonRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A Valdosta, Georgia, resident who was serving a federal prison sentence for drug trafficking and gun convictions when he illegally obtained money from a pandemic unemployment program was sentenced to prison this week for his crime.
Isaac Camon, 49, of Valdosta, was sentenced to serve 36 months in prison for one count of wire fraud plus 36 months in prison for revocation of his supervised release for a total of 72 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on March 14 by U.S. District Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self, III. The defendant is not eligible for parole.
“Our office has prosecuted individuals responsible for millions of dollars of CARES Act fraud, money earmarked to help sustain hard-working and law-abiding citizens during the historic pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Working with our law enforcement partners, our office will continue to root out fraud and hold individuals accountable for these criminal schemes.”
“Camon clearly has no regard for the law, as he decided to defraud the State of Georgia during a national emergency while he was still serving time for drug trafficking,” said Rich Bilson, Supervisory Senior Resident of FBI Atlanta’s Valdosta office. “This lengthy sentence demonstrates the FBI’s relentless pursuit of justice and will hopefully put an end to Camon’s career as a criminal.”
According to court documents, on June 16, 2020, Camon filed a fraudulent online claim for federal and state pandemic unemployment assistance with the Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL). In the claim, Camon falsely asserted he worked for two companies during a time period when he was actually serving a federal sentence in a prison, a halfway house or on home confinement for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance in the Middle District of Florida. Camon never reported any work income for tax purposes and one of the companies Camon claimed to work for wasn’t in operation at the time he stated he was employed by them. Camon is being held accountable for an intended fraud loss of $19,452; the restitution amount payable to the Georgia Department of Labor is $16,322.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
This case was investigated by FBI Atlanta’s Valdosta Resident Agency, the U.S. Department of Labor-OIG, the U.S. Department of Transportation-OIG and the Lanier County Sheriff's Office.
Criminal Chief Leah McEwen and Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert McCullers prosecuted the case for the Government.
Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt:
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on March 12 was:
Adriano Spark LeBeaux, 19, of Lame Deer, on charges of aggravated sexual abuse. If convicted of the most serious crime, LeBeaux faces a maximum of life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release LeBeaux was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI and Bureau of Indian Affairs conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 23-121.
Renee Esperanza Arambula, 26, of Billings, on charges of conspiracy to possess fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and money laundering. If convicted of the most serious crime, Arambula faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and five years of supervised release on the drug counts and a mandatory minimum of seven years to life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on the charge of possessing and brandishing a firearm in a drug trafficking crime. Arambula was released pending further proceedings. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Billings Police Department conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 24-02.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Illinois Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Methamphetamine and Heroin CrimesRead the Press Release
A man who worked with others to distribute methamphetamine and heroin was sentenced today to more than 34 years in federal prison.
Michael Garrick Denson, age 34, from Illinois, received the prison term after a September 14, 2023 jury verdict finding him guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin and one count of possession with the intent to distribute heroin.
The evidence at trial showed that Denson was a methamphetamine and heroin dealer in the Dubuque, Iowa, area who was nicknamed “Ice Mike.” Between February 2018 and February 2020, Denson conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine and heroin in Dubuque and Cedar Rapids. On July 23, 2019, investigators observed Denson outside of a hotel in Dubuque. Denson had an outstanding warrant for his arrest, and investigators stopped a car in which he was a passenger. During the stop, Denson got out of the passenger side of the car and ran from investigators. Investigators located six small baggies containing heroin near where Denson had been seated in the car.
Denson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Denson was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 419 months and 18 days. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Denson is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Adam J. Vander Stoep and Dan Chatham and was investigated as part of the Northern Iowa Heroin Initiative and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Dubuque Drug Task Force (consisting of the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office and the Dubuque Police Department) and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-01003-CJW.
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Hugo Resident Sentenced for Sexual Abuse of A MinorRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Hunter Lee Wallace, age 21, of Hugo, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for one count of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country.
The charges arose from investigations by the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Tribal Police, the Hugo Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On April 11, 2023, Wallace entered a guilty plea to the sexual abuse of a minor in Indian country. According to investigators, on September 12, 2022, Wallace sexually abused a minor he had previously met and conversed with on Snapchat, despite knowing the victim’s true age. The crime occurred in Choctaw County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable John F. Heil, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Wallace was remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Morgan Muzljakovich represented the United States.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources”.
We encourage anyone who suspects or has information regarding child sexual exploitation, trafficking of minors, sextortion, child pornography, or any other means of child exploitation to immediately contact law enforcement. You can file a report on the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC)'s website at www.cybertipline.com, call 1-800-843-5678, contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), or call 877-4-HSI TIP.
Harrison County Man Guilty of Fentanyl, Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – William Kevin Glover was convicted today on multiple counts of distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine in Harrison County.
Glover, age 62, of Clarksburg, was found guilty by a jury today on seven counts of drug trafficking and one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises after a four-day trial. The jury heard testimony that Glover worked with others to sell illicit drugs in Harrison County, using his home as a hub for the distribution operation. Investigators searched Glover’s home and found fentanyl powder, fentanyl pills, methamphetamine, and a firearm.
Three other Clarksburg residents pled guilty in 2023 to charges related to the operation and are awaiting sentencing. They are Stacy Elaine Russell, age 50; Robert Anthony Brockington, age 41; and Jerri Rena Lucente, age 35.
Glover faces at least 10 years and up to life for the charge of distribution of 50 grams or more methamphetamine, and he faces up to 20 years for each of the remaining charges.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Flower and Christie Utt prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The case was investigated by the Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Graham County Man Sentenced to over 8 Years in Prison for Possession of Child Sex Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Eric Lavon Williams, 36, of Pima, Arizona, was sentenced to 97 months in prison on February 21, 2024, by United States District Judge Rosemary Márquez. Williams pleaded guilty to one count of Knowing Access of Child Pornography on July 12, 2023. When Williams is released from prison, he will be on supervised release for the remainder of his life and will be required to register as a sex offender.
On April 26, 2022, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Douglas began an investigation into Williams for possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) after receiving Cybertips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. On June 29, 2022, HSI Douglas executed a search warrant at Williams’s Pima residence in Graham County. The investigation confirmed that Williams possessed and had distributed CSAM files to others using multiple online platforms. Williams’s wife, Cori, was also charged for distribution and possession of CSAM after the investigation showed that she had obtained such material for her husband and sent it to him. Cori Williams pleaded guilty to Possession of Child Pornography on July 20, 2023, and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 17, 2024.
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 www.justice.gov/psc.
Homeland Security Investigations - Douglas conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carin C. Duryee, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-01660-001-TUC-RM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-033_Williams# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Four-Time Recidivist Pittsburgh Felon Charged with Possession of Firearm Following Shooting in McKees RocksRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been arrested and charged with violating federal firearms laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
On March 14, 2024, Ernest Terry, 45, was charged by federal criminal complaint following his arrest by investigators from the Allegheny County Police Department (ACPD) on the same date.
According to an affidavit submitted in support of a state court arrest warrant, Terry was identified by ACPD as the alleged shooter in an incident that occurred in a McKees Rocks public housing building on March 12, 2024. County detectives subsequently located and arrested Terry near the Hays Manor apartment complex in McKees Rocks after he briefly attempted to flee. During a search incident to arrest, detectives located and seized a loaded .45 caliber Ruger pistol tucked in the waistband of Terry’s pants. The firearm had been reported stolen. In addition to several prior felony drug convictions, Terry also has a prior federal felony conviction for being an Armed Career Criminal, for which he was sentenced to 15 years in prison. He is currently serving a term of federal supervised release, and as a convicted felon is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
“After serving 15 years in federal prison, Ernest Terry, a recidivist drug and firearm offender, allegedly possessed yet another firearm—a loaded .45 caliber Ruger—which was recovered by county detectives who were investigating a shooting in McKees Rocks,” said U.S. Attorney Olshan. “When our office learns that violent offenders have violated federal law, we will work quickly in partnership with our state and local partners to bring them to justice, and we commend the work of the Allegheny County Police Department in apprehending Terry.”
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. If it is determined that Terry again should be classified as an Armed Career Criminal, the possible penalties would increase to a term of imprisonment of not less than 15 years and up to life in prison. 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 U.S. Attorneys Douglas C. Maloney and Vincent Joseph Sonson are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The case is being investigated by the Allegheny County Police Department, Allegheny County Housing Police Department, McKees Rocks Police Department, Stowe Township Police Department, Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 190 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE –Yesterday, Ronday L. Tinker, 35 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Tinker was sentenced to 190 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, on April 26, 2023, Tinker possessed with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and cocaine. Tinker was also in possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Drug Enforcement Administration North Central Laboratory, the Fort Wayne Police Department, and the Indiana State Police Laboratory. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacey R. Speith.
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.
Former S.C. Police Chief Sentenced for Cyberstalking and Threats in Multi-Victim Sextortion SchemeRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — William Bruce Parker, 67, of West Columbia, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison yesterday after pleading guilty to cyberstalking resulting in serious bodily injury and communicating threats with the intent to extort victims for the production of pornography and coerced sex acts.
Evidence presented to the court showed that Parker, a former Chief of Police of the Town of Pine Ridge and a retired 35-year veteran of law enforcement in South Carolina, was a state constable at the time of the offenses. Parked admitted to sending a series of threatening emails, texts, and voice messages in 2021 and 2022 from spoofed accounts and phone numbers to numerous female victims. Evidence presented at sentencing indicated there were six victims, many of whom were related by blood or marriage. His messages demanded his victims produce and send pornography of themselves or he would harm the victims and their families, including physical and sexual violence directed at his victims and their spouses, children, and grandchildren, if they did not comply with his demands. In his threats, he identified the victims’ homes, churches, workplaces, schools, and communities, specific family members and their children, and threatened harm if his victims went to the police or male family members. Parker also threatened sexual violence against his victim’s toddler-aged children and grandchildren.
After receiving the demands, victims reached out to Parker for advice and help given their relationship with him and his position in his law enforcement. Parker lied to the victims by telling them he was coordinating an investigation by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED). SLED confirmed in truth Parker never contacted SLED. Parker directed the victims to comply with the extortionists’ demands to assist SLED in the investigation. Once Parker had the coerced pornography, he then threatened to leak these images to obtain more. His threats culminated with demands that the victims engage in sex acts with Parker, record the conduct, and send to the extortionists. As a result of these threats, Parker obtained coerced sex.
Senior United States District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie sentenced Parker to 15 years imprisonment to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release. At sentencing, Judge Currie stated that the conduct in this case was “as depraved as anything I’ve seen in my 30 years as a federal district judge.” Parker is also required to pay $10,000 in restitution to the victims.
The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office and Lexington County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels and Elle E. Klein are prosecuting the case.
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Former Pentwater Area Timber Business Owner Faces Indictment for Wire Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Trent William Witteveen Operated Titan Timber as a Ponzi-like Scheme from 2018 to January 2021
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Trent William Witteveen, 39, of Montague, Michigan, with wire fraud. Witteveen, formerly of Pentwater, Michigan, operated a timber harvesting business under the names “Titan Timber” and “Titans Timber LLC.”
“Hardworking people, who play by the rules and earn an honest day’s wage, should not see their savings wiped away by those who cheat and steal,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “Financial fraud is a serious problem and the schemes are endless. We’re committed to holding the most serious offenders accountable. We look forward to proving these allegations and doing all we can to help the victims.”
If convicted of wire fraud, defendant faces a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison and will be ordered to pay restitution to his victims.
According to allegations in the indictment, between June 2018 and January 2021, Witteveen operated a Ponzi-like scheme involving his timber business that defrauded investors and others. Witteveen routinely represented to investors that he secured timber harvesting rights from landowners and promised the investors a significant return if they provided the investment capital necessary to pay the landowner for such rights. In reality, on most occasions, no current contracts for timber harvesting existed because, unknown to the investors, Witteveen had already harvested timber from the landowner’s property at an earlier time.
On other occasions, to obtain more investment capital from the investors, Witteveen misrepresented the true value of timber on a landowner’s property by purposely inflating the value to an amount higher than what he knew a sawmill would pay for the lumber after harvesting the timber. Witteveen also obtained cashier’s checks or money orders payable to the landowners and showed those checks to the investors to make his contract with the landowner appear genuine. In reality, no such contract existed, and Witteveen simply deposited those funds back into his own bank account.
After Witteveen obtained money from an investor, he used that investor’s money to repay all or some of what he owed to prior investors, or to repay the same investor with his or her money to give the appearance that he was actually paying the promised returns. This allowed Witteveen to perpetuate his scheme by causing investors to believe that they were likely to realize the promised returns and to continue to invest with him. During the period alleged in the indictment, Witteveen obtained over $2,000,000.00 from investors and used some of that money to pay his own personal expenses and fund his lifestyle.
“Mr. Witteveen is alleged to have deceived his investors and taken advantage of their trust for personal gain over several years,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “The FBI is committed to investigating and bringing to justice individuals who commit financial crimes and illegally profit from hard-working citizens. Put simply, if you engage in illegal behavior to satisfy your greed, your actions will lead to incarceration.”
The FBI’s Grand Rapids Office is investigating this case and received assistance during the investigation from the Michigan State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ron Stella is prosecuting the case.
The charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Former Florida Keys Resident Pled Guilty to Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On March 12, Eric Edward Cadogan, a/k/a “livelife4fun69,” 39, of La Crosse, Wisconsin, formerly of Marathon, Florida, pled guilty to distributing child pornography before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lurana S. Snow.
According to the factual proffer in support of the plea and information presented in court, Cadogan uploaded and distributed child pornography using a social media messaging platform. Cadogan also offered to sell child pornography and said he had “100 of videos n pictures.” In messages with an online undercover agent, Cadogan indicated he had engaged in sexually explicit conduct with minor children.
A sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled before U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore. Cadogan faces a mandatory minimum term of 5 years in prison, and up to twenty years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office, announced the guilty plea.
FBI Miami Key West Resident Agency investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine W. Guthrie is handling the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about the PSC initiative and for information regarding Internet safety, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Anyone with information regarding suspected child abuse (to include physical and sexual abuse) is encouraged to call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 23-CR-10017.
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Former Employee Convicted of Defrauding His Employer Sentenced to Five Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
The former Midwest general manager of a nation-wide financial services company who defrauded his employer out of more than $3.4 million was sentenced today to five years in federal prison.
James Dwyer, age 46, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 26, 2023 guilty plea to one count of wire fraud and one count of filing a false tax return.
Information from the plea hearing and sentencing hearing showed that Dwyer was employed by Mobile Money, Inc. for over 20 years. Part of Mobile Money, Inc.’s business operations were servicing ATMs across eastern Iowa. Starting in January 2016, Dwyer defrauded and stole from Mobile Money, Inc. by stealing cash that was meant for ATMs or cash that was supposed to be deposited into a Mobile Money, Inc. bank account.
In January 2021, Dwyer told his superiors, which included someone Dwyer had been friends with for over 30 years, that there was approximately $1.1 million in cash locked in a vault in Waterloo that he could not access because the vault lock was broken. It was later discovered that Dwyer had intentionally tampered with the vault in order to prevent anyone else from accessing it. In February 2021, other employees got into the vault and discovered there was less than $100,000 in cash in it.
Also in January 2021, Mobile Money, Inc. executives discovered Dwyer had failed to deposit approximately $2.5 million in cash into bank accounts. On February 1, 2021, Dwyer sent ten bank deposit tickets to Mobile Money, Inc., purporting to show he had deposited that money. However, the bank deposit tickets were fraudulent and he had not deposited any such money.
Once Mobile Money, Inc. discovered Dwyer had been stealing from the company, the company determined his fraud had resulted in the company losing $3,407,000. Even though this money was obtained illegally, Dwyer was required to report it as income to the Internal Revenue Service. He failed to do so and filed false tax returns for multiple years.
Dwyer was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Dwyer was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $3,407,000 in restitution to Mobile Money, Inc. and the company’s insurance company. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Dwyer was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-cr-2046.
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Federal Jury Convicts Man Using Hidden Cameras to Produce Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida–United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Gregory Allen Williamson a/k/a “Vlad Vlad” (58, North Port) guilty of enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, three counts of production of child sexual abuse material, three counts of distribution of child sexual abuse material, and possession of child sexual abuse material. Williamson faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is not yet set. Williamson was indicted on November 3, 2021.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Williamson isolated and groomed a minor victim, a recent immigrant from Eastern Europe, to engage in sexual activity when she was 12 years old. Using the alias, “Vlad Vlad,” Williamson began to send the victim anonymous, sexually explicit emails, including ones that contained child sexual abuse material. Williamson later gifted the victim two cell phone chargers that contained hidden cameras and used them to produce sexually explicit images of the victim when she was naked in her bedroom.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Tampa Division−Sarasota Resident Agency and the North Port Police Department, with substantial assistance from the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Erin Claire Favorit and Lindsey Schmidt.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Federal Inmates and Others Involved in Drug Trafficking Conspiracy Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced the sentencings of four co-defendants involved in a drug trafficking conspiracy in the Western District of Louisiana. United States District Judge Dee D. Drell has sentenced the following defendants in this case:
Brian Jesus Garcia Pena, 34, a federal prison inmate, was sentenced to 235 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. This sentence will run consecutive to the federal prison sentence Pena is currently serving.
Isidro Chavarria, 42, a federal prison inmate, was sentenced in October 2023 to 120 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. This sentence will run consecutive to the federal prison sentence Chavarria is currently serving.
Darius Nelams, 38, of Springhill, Louisiana, was sentenced to 160 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Andres Ballesteros Medina, 45, of Springhill, Louisiana, was sentenced to 46 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Law enforcement agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) began this investigation in 2021 after learning that Pena, a federal inmate incarcerated at the U.S. Penitentiary in Pollock, was coordinating a large scale drug distribution from inside the prison. Through their investigation, agents learned that Pena was using contraband phones smuggled into the prison in order to communicate with Cartel members and others involved in the conspiracy. In May and June of 2021, agents seized multiple pounds of methamphetamine that had been sent through the mail from California after Pena and his co-defendant, Salvador Bucio, who worked as a go-between, coordinated the purchase of the methamphetamine in Mexico.
In June 2021, Pena’s cell was searched, and two contraband phones were located. Agents located multiple messages on the phone with Pena coordinating drug deals, as well as CashApp payments from multiple individuals, including Bucio and a payment from the wife of Isidro Chavarria. Chavarria, another federal prison inmate at USP Pollock, was also communicating with his co-conspirators on contraband phones and in fact, was directing his wife and other parties to distribute methamphetamine that Pena was sending her.
In September 2021, law enforcement agents conducted a controlled delivery of packages containing large amounts of methamphetamine, which were sent by Andres Ballesteros Medina in California through the U.S. Postal Service to an address in Springhill. Agents observed Medina drop the package off at the Post Office in California and conducted surveillance in Springhill where they observed Nelams arrive to pick up the package at the address in Springhill and open it. Nelams then fled the scene and left behind his cell phone containing text messages indicating he would deliver the narcotics and photos of same. All of the above defendants pleaded guilty to the charges rather than going to trial.
Salvador Bucio, 34, from Washington, is the one remaining defendant in this case and he is currently a fugitive. Anyone with information concerning the whereabouts of Bucio should contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or online at tips.fbi.gov.
The case was investigated by the FBI and USPIS and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Aaron Crawford.
The investigation and conviction of these defendants is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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Fayette County Man Sentenced for Possession of Firearm by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Lexington man Davon S. Tooley, 37, was sentenced on Friday, by Chief U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves, to 145 months in prison, for two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to his plea agreement, on April 28, 2022, law enforcement officers were dispatched to a vehicle collision. Upon arrival, officers discovered that one of the drivers, later identified as Davon Tooley, had fled the scene. There, officers located a quantity of cocaine, marijuana, and a firearm. Tooley was later located and apprehended. A few months later, on July 7, 2023, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Tooley. While speaking with Tooley, officers observed a firearm at Tooley’s feet. The firearm was seized. Tooley has admitted that on both occasions he was in possession of a firearm, knowing that he was a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing firearms.
Tooley has previous convictions for Manslaughter Second Degree and Tampering with Physical Evidence from 2010, in Jefferson Circuit Court. Tooley was on parole at the time of both new offenses.
Under federal law, Tooley must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the ATF and Lexington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Rieker is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Eastern District of Kentucky, U.S. Attorney Shier coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
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Family of Human Smugglers Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – Four family members were sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to federal prison for their roles in operating an extensive human smuggling organization (HSO).
According to court documents, Eva Maria Galeas, 43, of San Antonio; Lisa Marie Ortega, 25, of San Antonio; and Sandra Galeas-Mejia, 48, of Mexico, and Norma Galeas-Mejia, 52, of Honduras, were identified as co-conspirators of Roberto Galeas-Mejia, 47, of Honduras.
Roberto, who is the husband to Eva, stepfather to Lisa Ortega and brother of the other two defendants, led a San Antonio-based HSO, overseeing activities that included the transportation and harboring of undocumented noncitizens and the coordination of payments.
Eva, Lisa, Sandra and Norma played roles accepting and withdrawing human smuggling proceeds. Funds were funneled through the conspirators’ bank accounts and used to pay load drivers and stash house operators, to rent stash houses and to further aid the HSO. Funds were also used for personal expenses such as vehicle purchases. Over the course of the investigation, Homeland Security Investigations thwarted multiple smuggling loads and arrested numerous co-conspirators and undocumented noncitizens.
Eva Maria Galeas and Sandra Galeas-Mejia were arrested in San Antonio on June 11, 2019, along with Lisa Marie Ortega. Norma Galeas-Mejia was arrested June 17, 2019 in Houston. On July 27, 2022, a federal jury found Roberto Galeas-Mejia, Eva Maria Galeas and Lisa Marie Ortega guilty of all three counts of a superseding indictment: conspiracy to transport illegal migrants, conspiracy to harbor illegal migrants, and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. Sandra Galeas-Mejia and Norma Galeas-Mejia both pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens.
Eva Maria Galeas was sentenced to 180 months in prison and Lisa Marie Ortega was sentenced to 156 months in prison. Sandra Galeas-Mejia was sentenced to 84 months in prison, and Norma Galeas-Mejia was sentenced to 78 months. Chief U.S. District Judge Alia Moses also ordered the forfeiture of $603,593.00 in U.S. currency, which was discovered in a safe during the home search of Roberto Galeas-Mejia, Eva Maria Galeas, and Lisa Marie Ortega. Additionally, Eva Galeas and Lisa Ortega were assessed money judgements in the amounts of $97,668 and $21,388, respectively.
Roberto Galeas-Mejia remains in federal custody while he awaits his sentence hearing.
“These defendants, along with Roberto Galeas-Mejia, built a family enterprise through human smuggling operations,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “Thanks to our federal partners at HSI and Border Patrol, along with our state and local law enforcement partners, the Galeas human smuggling business ultimately failed. All five members of the family will serve extensive federal prison sentences, joining many of their co-conspirators after several years of apprehensions and disruption to their efforts.”
“This sentencing is a great example of how HSI uses its agency partnerships to bring criminals to justice in the United States,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee for HSI San Antonio. “The defendants in this case put our national security at risk by illegally bringing people to the U.S. without any inspection. HSI is committed to combatting this type of crime throughout the border.”
HSI investigated the case with valuable assistance from U.S. Border Patrol, Texas Department of Public Safety, Maverick County Sheriff’s Office, Eagle Pass Police Department, Dimmit County Sheriff’s Office and the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Holly Pavlinski, Antonio Franco and Rex Beasley prosecuted the case.
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Erie Resident Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Methamphetamine ViolationRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty and was sentenced in federal court to seven years in prison on his conviction of violating federal drug laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter imposed the sentence on Cordae Shatwon Jones, 27.
According to information presented to the Court, on or about April 8, 2022, Jones sold a confidential informant 223 grams of methamphetamine for $1,560 at a residence in Erie. On April 21, 2022, the FBI executed a search warrant at that residence and located $1,709 in cash, a small amount of drugs, cutting agents, a pill press, Jones’s driver’s license, 12 firearms, and ammunition. Jones admitted that he had been dealing drugs and that the guns were his. Jones was convicted in 2016 of Terroristic Threats and Possession of an Instrument of a Crime.
Assistant United States Attorney Molly W. Anglin prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Jones.
District Man Indicted on Enhanced Second-Degree Theft for Theft from CVS in NorthwestRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, March 13, 2024, Troy Thompson, 44, of Washington, D.C., was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on one count of felony second-degree theft stemming from events occurring on February 22, 2024, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced.
Thompson is on bench warrant status and will be arraigned when he returns to court at a hearing before a Superior Court judge.
According to the government’s evidence, on February 22, 2024, Thompson took a range of merchandise without paying from the CVS store at 2009 8th Street NW, Washington, D.C. Thompson was quickly located and arrested by the Metropolitan Police Department.
Thompson has two or more prior theft convictions, though not from the same occasion, and therefore is subject to enhanced penalties for his alleged theft, including a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in jail for each count of theft for which he is indicted.
Since September 1, 2023, including the aforementioned case, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia has indicted 33 cases involving a felony second-degree theft charge based on a defendant’s two or more prior theft convictions, not from the same occasion.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sidrah Miraaj-Raza.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
District Man Indicted on Enhanced Second-Degree Theft for Theft from CVS in NorthwestRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, March 13, 2024, Andre Seay, 38, of Washington, D.C., was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on one count of felony second-degree theft stemming from events occurring on February 21, 2024, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced.
Seay is to be arraigned on March 18, 2024, at a hearing before a Superior Court judge.
According to the government’s evidence, on February 21, 2024, Seay took a range of merchandise without paying from the CVS store at 1781 Florida Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. Seay was quickly located and arrested by the Metropolitan Police Department.
Seay has two or more prior theft convictions, though not from the same occasion, and therefore is subject to enhanced penalties for his alleged theft, including a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in jail for each count of theft for which he is indicted.
Since September 1, 2023, including the aforementioned case, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia has indicted 33 cases involving a felony second-degree theft charge based on a defendant’s two or more prior theft convictions, not from the same occasion.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sidrah Miraaj-Raza.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
District Man Convicted of Assaulting His ParamourRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Barrington Hart, 36, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty today in Superior Court of two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon (Firearm), two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, one count of assault with significant bodily injury while armed, two counts of obstruction, one count of threats, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm (prior conviction), one count of simple assault, and one count of carrying a pistol without a license. The verdict was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department.
The defendant and the victim had been in a previous romantic relationship, broken up, and then reunited for four days when, on July 27, 2023, they got into an argument over the victim’s phone. Hart was accusing the victim of cheating on him and wanted to look through her phone. When she refused, he became angry, retrieved a black and yellow gun, and hit the victim on the head with it causing a laceration. Rather than taking her to the hospital, Hart made the victim come with him to a job interview while her head was still bleeding. She later went to the hospital alone and had the wound treated with nine staples to the top of the head. She reported the assault to the Metropolitan Police Department on July 30 2023. Less than a week later, on August 4, 2023, the victim called the police again and reported that the night before, Hart started an argument about her seeing other people, slapped her, and pointed the same black and yellow firearm at her. The victim snuck out the next morning to call for help. Hart was arrested on August 4, 2023.
After arrest, Hart continued to attempt to control the victim. He instructed her, twice, over Department of Corrections Video Visits, to refrain from testifying in the grand jury. Also, while incarcerated, Hart threatened the victim via numerous text messages.
Superior Court Judge Jason Park scheduled sentencing for May 31, 2024.
DeShawn Whited Sentenced to 546 Months in Prison for Multiple Hobbs Act Robberies and CarjackingRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On March 15, DeShawn Whited, 26, of Knoxville, was sentenced to 546 months imprisonment by the Honorable Katherine A. Crytzer, United States District Court Judge for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville. Following his incarceration, he will be on five years of supervised release.
On January 18, 2023, Whited was found guilty of four counts of Hobbs Act Robbery and one count of Attempted Hobbs Act Robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951, one count of carjacking, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2119, four counts of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A), and one count of felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1). According to evidence present at trial, Whited, a previously convicted felon, committed a series of armed robberies and an armed carjacking in the Knoxville community in January 2021.
The evidence presented at trial demonstrated that in January of 2021, Whited, disguised in a hoodie and bandana, robbed at gunpoint employees of EZ Stop at 8605 Walbrook Drive, Waffle House at 6230 Papermill Drive, Pilot Food Mart at 410 Merchants Drive, Wendy’s at 4407 Western Avenue, and Pilot Travel Center at 314 Lovell Road, all located in Knoxville. Whited also committed an armed carjacking near downtown Knoxville during the same timeframe. Victims from each of the incidents testified at the trial and the evidence included surveillance footage and cellphone location tracking information.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III, of the Eastern District of Tennessee, and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent Joseph E. Carrico, made the announcement.
The investigation was led by the FBI, Knoxville Division, the Knoxville Police Department, and the Knox County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alan S. Kirk and Brent N. Jones represented the United States.
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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Dauphin County Man Sentenced to 10 Years' Imprisonment for Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Larry Patterson, age 32, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on March 12, 2024, to 10 years in prison, to be followed by a three year term of supervised release, by United States District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson for possessing with intent to distribute cocaine.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Patterson was stopped by law enforcement in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in 2022. He was found to be in possession of 29 grams of crack cocaine in two clear plastic baggies, as well as a digital scale.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Harrisburg City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Johnny Baer and Michael Scalera 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.
# # #Cumberland County Man Sentenced to Three Years of Imprisonment for Threatening President Biden and Former President TrumpRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Mohamed Farah, age 34, of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson to three years’ imprisonment for threatening the President and a former President. The Court also imposed a three-year term of supervised release to follow imprisonment.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Farah previously admitted that in January 2022, he threatened to assassinate President Biden and threatened to assassinate former President Trump if he ran for reelection. Farah, a citizen of Somalia, may face deportation after serving his prison sentence.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Lower Allen Township Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carlo D. Marchioli prosecuted the case.
# # #Court Sentences District Man to Seven Years in Connection with 2023 Armed Carjacking in Northeast Washington, D.C.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Marcus Thompson, 28, of Washington D.C., was sentenced yesterday to seven years in prison in connection with an early morning armed carjacking in Northeast Washington D.C. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
In November 2023, Thompson pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to armed robbery and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. During that plea hearing, Thompson admitted that at approximately 6:00 a.m. on July 17, 2023, and armed with a handgun, he approached the victim as the victim was taking property out of his car in the 2300 block of R Street Northeast. Thompson put the weapon in the victim’s back and demanded his car keys. The victim, who had a lawful concealed carry permit, and fearing for his life, turned, and shot Thompson once in self-defense. The victim immediately called 911 and, while waiting for law enforcement to arrive, administered first aid to Thompson’s non-fatal wound. The victim remained cooperative with law enforcement. Metropolitan Police officers recovered a firearm from Thompson on scene.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of the investigators from the Metropolitan Police Department and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sabena Auyeung, who investigated and prosecuted this case.
Clarksville Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Selling Fentanyl while on Bond in State Court for MurderRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Mark Ellis, 30, of Clarksville, Tennessee was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison today for selling fentanyl while on bond for state murder charges, announced Henry C. Leventis, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee.
Ellis was convicted in May 2023 after a jury trial for Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl, Sale of Fentanyl, Possession of over 400 grams of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, and Possession of a Firearm as a Convicted Felon. The evidence admitted at trial showed that in January 2022, while on bond for a first degree murder indictment, Ellis sold a fentanyl mixture to a confidential informant working at the direction of law enforcement. The evidence showed that Ellis possessed a 9mm pistol during this drug deal. A search warrant was later executed at the home of one of Ellis’ family members in Clarksville where officers seized a pound of fentanyl. At trial, the prosecution played a recording between Ellis and his co-conspirator, Yennifer Angeles, made while Ellis was in jail after his arrest, in which Ellis and Angeles made plans to continue drug trafficking activities even while Ellis remained incarcerated. Angeles pled guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl and was sentenced in August 2023.
Ellis was sentenced to 300 months in federal prison by Chief U.S. District Judge Waverly D. Crenshaw, Jr. at a sentencing hearing this morning. He was previously indicted in Clarksville for murder. That case remains pending in state criminal court.
“Fentanyl continues to poison countless people throughout Middle Tennessee,” said United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis. “Combating fentanyl trafficking is a top priority for this office and we will continue to work aggressively to hold accountable those who deal this deadly drug. Today’s sentence should send a clear message that fentanyl dealers face serious consequences.”
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Clarksville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert E. McGuire prosecuted the case.
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Citizen of India Pleads Guilty to Tech Support Fraud Scheme That Exploited the ElderlyRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that VINOTH PONMARAN pled guilty today to participating in a conspiracy that for several years exploited elderly victims by remotely accessing their computers and convincing victims to pay for computer support services they did not need, and which were never actually provided. In total, the conspiracy generated more than $6 million in criminal proceeds from at least approximately 6,500 victims. PONMARAN pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to intentionally damage victims’ computers before U.S. District Judge Vernon S. Broderick, to whom his case is assigned.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As he admitted today, Vinoth Ponmaran was a leader of a sophisticated fraud scheme that preyed on thousands of victims, including the elderly. This conspiracy caused pop-up windows to appear on victims’ computers — pop-up windows which claimed, falsely, that a virus had infected the victim’s computer. Through this and other misrepresentations, this prolific fraud scheme deceived victims into paying a total of more than $6 million.”
According to the allegations contained in the Superseding Information, court filings, and statements made during plea proceedings:
From approximately March 2015 through July 2018, PONMARAN was a member of a criminal fraud ring (the “Fraud Ring”) based in the United States and India that committed a technical support fraud scheme targeting elderly victims located across the United States and Canada, including in the Southern District of New York. The Fraud Ring’s primary objective was to trick victims into believing that their computers were infected with malware in order to deceive them into paying hundreds or thousands of dollars for phony computer repair services. Over the course of the conspiracy, the Fraud Ring generated more than $6 million in proceeds from at least 6,500 victims.
The scheme generally worked as follows. First, the Fraud Ring caused pop-up windows to appear on victims’ computers. The pop-up windows claimed, falsely, that a virus had infected the victims’ computers. The pop-up windows directed the victims to call a particular telephone number to obtain technical support. In at least some instances, the pop-up windows threatened victims that, if they restarted or shut down their computer, it could “cause serious damage to the system,” including “complete data loss.” In an attempt to give the false appearance of legitimacy, in some instances, the pop-up windows included, without authorization, the corporate logo of a well-known, legitimate technology company. In fact, no virus had infected victims’ computers, and the technical support phone numbers in the pop-up windows were not associated with the legitimate technology company. Rather, these representations were false and were designed to trick victims into paying the Fraud Ring to “fix” a problem that did not exist. And while the purported “virus” was a hoax, the pop-up windows themselves did cause various victims’ computers to completely “freeze,” thereby preventing these victims from accessing the data and files in their computer — which caused some victims to call the phone number listed in the pop-up windows. In exchange for victims’ payment of several hundred or thousand dollars (depending on the precise “service” victims purchased), the purported technicians remotely accessed the victim’s computers and ran an anti-virus tool, which is free and available on the Internet.
PONMARAN was an India-based leader of the Fraud Ring. Among other things, PONMARAN managed a call center in India that was used to provide purported computer repair services to victims of the scheme. PONMARAN also recruited co-conspirators in the United States to register fraudulent corporate entities and open bank accounts that were used to receive fraud proceeds from victims of the scheme. PONMARAN also laundered fraud proceeds in multiple ways, including by directing co-conspirators to wire fraud proceeds to accounts in India and the United States.
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PONMARAN, 35, a citizen of India, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to intentionally damage a protected computer, each of which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Under the terms of his plea agreement, PONMARAN has agreed to forfeit $6,110,884.51 and to pay restitution of $1,851,830.18.
The statutory maximum sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as PONMARAN’s sentence will be determined by the judge. PONMARAN’s sentencing is scheduled for June 24, 2024, at 3:00 p.m.
PONMARAN’s co-defendants, Romana Leyva and Ariful Haque, were both sentenced by U.S. District Judge Paul A. Crotty in 2022, following their respective guilty pleas. Leyva was sentenced to 100 months in prison and three years of supervised release, and she was ordered to forfeit $4,679,586.93 and to pay restitution of $2,707,882.91. Haque was sentenced to one year and one day in prison and three years of supervised release, and he was ordered to forfeit $38,886.32 and to pay restitution of $470,672.16.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the New York Office of Homeland Security Investigations’ El Dorado Task Force, Cyber Intrusion/Cyber Fraud Group. Mr. Williams also thanked the New York City Police Department for its assistance on this case.
This matter is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Neff is in charge of the prosecution.
Cheswick Resident Sentenced to Prison for Failure to Register as Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Cheswick, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 21 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release on his conviction of failure to register as a sex offender, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States District Judge W. Scott Hardy imposed the sentence on Roy W. Knoch, 51.
According to information presented to the Court, Knoch, from May 9, 2022, until in and around November 2022, failed to register or update his sex offender registration after relocating from Nebraska to Pennsylvania, as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). Knoch was convicted in 2011 of sexual assault on a child in the first and third degrees in the state of Nebraska, and was required to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Hardy noted that the defendant had a previous conviction in Nebraska for failing to properly register as a sex offender and stated that a sentence of 21 months’ imprisonment, the middle of the sentencing guideline range, was sufficient but not greater than necessary to serve the purposes of just punishment and deterrence.
Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the United States Marshals Service for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Knoch.
California Man Sentenced to over 22 Years in Prison for Attempting to Distribute 441 Grams of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Palmdale, California man was sentenced to 270 months in prison for attempting to possess with intent to distribute 441 grams of pure methamphetamine in Mississippi.
Keith Quintal McGill, 44, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to court records, in 2019, an investigation began into a large-scale drug trafficking organization that was shipping large amounts of methamphetamine through the United States Postal Service to the Southern District of Mississippi. Keith McGill was identified as someone who had been sending pound quantities of methamphetamine to Mississippi. On July 8, 2019, federal agents made arrangements to conduct a controlled purchase from McGill. McGill sent 441 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine to a controlled post office box in Mississippi.
McGill was indicted by a federal grand jury and pled guilty on December 13, 2023, to attempting to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee, Acting Special Agent in Charge Eric P. DeLaune of Homeland Security Investigations, and Special Agent in Charge Steven L. Hofer of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor- led, intelligence driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.
California Man Charged with Federal Cares Act FraudRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that NIPUN DESAI, formerly of Hammond, La., but now a California resident, age 55, was charged on March 8, 2024, with making false statements related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).
On March 27, 2020, the President of the United States signed into law the CARES Act, which provided emergency assistance, administered by the United States Small Business Administration (SBA), to small business owners affected by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The two primary sources of funding for small businesses were the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) program.
According to the charging document,on or about April 2, 2021, DESAI made false statements to an approved lender regarding a closed hotel in order to obtain an SBA backed PPP loan for $146,947.50. At the time of the loan application, DESAI’s hotel had no employees or payroll.
DESAI faces up to five years in prison for making the false statements , a fine of up to $250,000, up to three years of supervised release, and the payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that this is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
As part of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Task Force, this investigation was conducted by U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs - Office of Inspector General. The PRAC was established to promote transparency and facilitate coordinated oversight of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response. The PRAC’s 20 member Inspectors General identify major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending, including spending via the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. This case was also supported by the PRAC’s Pandemic Analytics Center of Excellence, which applies the latest advances in analytic and forensic technologies to help OIGs and law enforcement pursue data-driven pandemic relief fraud investigations.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs - Office of Inspector General, the Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Bankruptcy Trustee’s Office (Region 5) in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Bradford County Man Indicted for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Jay Holloway, age 36, of Bradford County, Pennsylvania, was indicted on child pornography charges.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Holloway distributed, received, and possessed child pornography from August 2021 to May 17, 2023, in Bradford County. The indictment further alleges that images and videos contained minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, some of which depict the sexual abuse of infants and toddlers.
The case was investigated by the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General’s Child Predator Section. Assistant United States Attorney Tatum R. Wilson is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is 20 years, with a mandatory sentence of 5 years, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
# # #Boswell Resident Sentenced to Five Years for Involuntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Chase Lane Rocha, age 21, of Boswell, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for one count of Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country.
The charges arose from investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Lighthorse Police, and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of Oklahoma.
On October 4, 2023, Rocha was found guilty by a federal jury at trial of one count of Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country. According to investigators, on January 24, 2023, after family members had twice disarmed him during a dispute at a Boswell-area residence, Rocha returned a third time, armed with a revolver. During the third attempt to disarm Rocha of a firearm, Rocha shot and killed the victim. The crime occurred in Choctaw County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable David C. Joseph, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee. Rocha was remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Patrick M. Flanigan and Special Assistant United States Attorney Genevieve Ozark represented the United States at trial.
Alamogordo Man Sentenced to 60 Years in Prison for Enticement of MinorsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Eric McLoughlin, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations - El Paso, announced today that Alfonso Salcido Herrera, Jr. was sentenced to 60 years in prison. Herrera, 46, of Alamogordo, pleaded guilty in federal court to enticement of a minor on March 30, 2023.
According to publicly available court records, beginning in 2019 until May 2022, Herrera groomed and repeatedly sexually abused four children who were between nine and 13 years old at the time.
Upon his release from prison, Herrera will be subject to 5 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated this case with assistance from the Alamogordo Police Department and the 12th Judicial District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Matilda McCarthy Villalobos and Joni Autrey Stahl are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
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5 Central Ohioans plead guilty in narcotics & human trafficking case that charged 23 total defendantsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Five individuals from Central Ohio have pleaded guilty this week in U.S. District Court to charges stemming from a narcotics conspiracy. The guilty pleas involve an overdose death, sex trafficking and money laundering.
A multi-agency law enforcement task force initially announced the case in July 2022 after a federal grand jury indicted 11 defendants for distributing bulk amounts of fentanyl, cocaine and crack cocaine within 1,000 feet of a Columbus elementary school. In October 2022, the government added 12 defendants and 28 new charges.
According to court documents, from 2008 until June 2022, lead defendants Patrick Saultz and Cordell Washington ran a large-scale drug trafficking organization in Columbus that included sex trafficking, labor trafficking, fraud and money laundering.
Court documents detail that the drug trafficking organization brought large quantities of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, oxycodone, alprazolam and marijuana into Columbus. These drugs were sold or used to coerce individuals into sexual activity for some members of the drug ring and their profit.
It is alleged that Saultz began distributing heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine from his residences on Vida Place and South Hague Street in Columbus as early as 2008. The drug trafficking organization sold drugs out of more than 20 Columbus residences to customers and distributed larger amounts to regional drug traffickers who then trafficked those narcotics to places such as West Virginia and the Northern District of Ohio. Most of the alleged drug dealing took place within 1000 feet of Burroughs Elementary School in Columbus.
The defendants who pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court before U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr., on March 13 through today include:
Name
Age
City of residence
Tyler N. Bourdo
30
Columbus
Priscilla L. Washington
59
Columbus
Michael D. Burton
40
Columbus
Gabriel R. Smith, aka Gabe
36
Canal Winchester
Brittany A. Williams
38
Columbus
Bourdo admitted to distributing fentanyl and cocaine base that resulted in death, conspiring to commit sex trafficking, and conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances within 1,000 feet of an elementary school. Bourdo’s plea agreement includes a recommended sentence of 20 to 25 years in prison.
According to Bourdo’s plea agreement, on Oct. 14, 2021, an individual was found deceased in an alley between Bourdo’s primary residence and a drug distribution house. The woman was found with a needle in her hand and another needle in her pocket and had been dead for approximately 18 hours.
Further investigation revealed that, on Oct. 10, 2021, the woman had overdosed on crack cocaine and fentanyl at one of the organization’s drug houses that Bourdo supplied on North Warren. Witnesses on site immediately placed the woman in a bathtub and soaked her in cold water. The witnesses provided multiple rounds of Narcan, CPR and chest compressions, eventually resuscitating her. The woman left and, over the next 48 hours, met up with Bourdo on more than one occasion to get and use more drugs.
Video surveillance of the alley shows Bourdo walking to the deceased woman’s body just moments before police personnel arrived to attempt (unsuccessfully) to obtain her phone to prevent further investigation into her death.
As part of his plea, Bourdo admitted to coercing adult drug-addicted females into performing commercial sex acts by using violence as well as providing and then withholding or threatening to withhold narcotics and lodging.
Coconspirators used residences on Racine, South Eureka, South Ogden and North Ogden avenues, Vida Place and Chestershire Road for the drug-addicted females to reside in. Various women engaged in a cycle where they would be allowed to stay at one of the residences, receive a “get well” amount of drugs, go work the street and have sex for money in order to pay the debt from the small hit of drugs, and then be allowed to remain at the house. Some of the drug-addicted women brought in hundreds of dollars per day for the organization.
Bourdo entered his guilty plea before the court on March 13.
Priscilla Washington, drug ringleader Cordell Washington’s mother, was associated with the narcotics conspiracy for a number of years. She pleaded guilty today to using a facility in interstate commerce in aid of racketeering, a federal crime punishable by up to five years in prison. Priscilla Washington often communicated with coconspirators via phone or internet, participating in the group’s illicit conduct, and allowed her home – which her son purchased for her in 2017 – to be a safe house for the lead defendants. When investigators searched Priscilla Washington’s home on Smith Road, they discovered 32 firearms, more than $143,000 in cash and bulk amounts of fentanyl and cocaine.
Burton pleaded guilty on March 13 to conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine within 1,000 feet of an elementary school (five to 80 years in prison) and illegally possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon (up to 15 years in prison).
Burton became a source of supply for the conspiracy in 2021. He would provide bulk amounts of cocaine to the drug trafficking organization on a routine basis.
Gabriel Smith pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and alprazolam within 1,000 feet of an elementary school (five to 80 years in prison). Smith trafficked drugs on behalf of the organization, including in Morgantown, West Virginia. In addition, he was the group’s main source of supply for Perc30 pills.
Williams pleaded guilty on March 14 to conspiring to distribute controlled substances within 1,000 feet of an elementary school (one to 40 years in prison) and conspiring to launder money (up to 20 years in prison). Williams admitted to purchasing illegal narcotics on a daily basis. She participated in transporting drugs on behalf of the organization and collected rent checks from the defendants’ purported rental homes. Williams would collect the “rent” in cash each month and obtain cashier checks or money orders for the organization.
As part of this case, local, state, and federal law enforcement officers have executed more than 20 search warrants at various locations throughout Central Ohio and seized more than $1.7 million in alleged drug proceeds. For example, while executing a search warrant at Car-Go storage units, law enforcement officials discovered approximately one million in bulk United States currency. Searches of additional residences yielded 47 firearms, diamonds, Rolex watches and additional bulk amounts of cash.
As of today, 17 of the 23 defendants have pleaded guilty. One defendant, Carmella Brooks, has been sentenced and received a term of imprisonment of five years.
U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker commended the investigation coordinated by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force, which includes Columbus Division of Police Chief Elaine Bryant; Shawn Gibson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations; and Orville O. Greene, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Other agencies that have assisted the task force with the investigation include the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, HIDTA Task Force, IRS-Criminal Investigation, FBI, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI), Ohio National Guard Counter Drug Task Force, Pickerington Police Department, New Albany Police Department, and the Fairfield County Sheriff's Office SWAT Team.
Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy Prichard and Emily Czerniejewski are representing the United States in this case.
This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. More information about OCDETF can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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14 March 2024
“Operation SLO Ride” Dismantles Major Drug Trafficking Organization in Tulare CountyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Operation SLO Ride has resulted in the dismantling of a criminal organization operating in Tulare County, charging 28 individuals with drug trafficking and illegal possession of firearms.
Announcing the results of Operation SLO Ride today are U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert, DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian M. Clark, Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux, Central Valley California High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) Director John Martin, Tulare Police Chief Fred Ynclan, Visalia Police Chief Jason Salazar, and Porterville Police Chief Jake Castellow.
In the course of the operation, law enforcement seized more than 936 pounds of methamphetamine, 8.6 pounds of cocaine, 5.5 pounds of heroin, 5.5 pounds of fentanyl, more than $600,000 in currency, and 50 firearms.
“The drug and gun activities in this case presented a real danger to multiple communities in the Eastern District of California, including in Tulare County,” said U.S. Attorney Talbert. “The targets of this operation ranged from dealers to the Mexican source of supply. We will work with our federal, state, and local partners to do all we can to disrupt these unlawful activities.”
“Dedicated law enforcement officers built this case from the ground up, using old fashion police work, following every lead that ultimately led to the destruction of a deep-rooted drug distribution network operating in the Central Valley,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian Clark. “A case of this magnitude is like a puzzle, and it takes thousands of hours to put all the pieces together. More importantly, it takes strong relationships between law enforcement agencies to share intelligence, coordinate efforts, and maximize resources. These partnerships have proven to be invaluable as we work together to save lives.”
According to court documents, beginning in July 2023, investigators gathered evidence regarding individuals involved in the distribution of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and other narcotics in Tulare County using investigative tools that included confidential sources, surveillance, and wiretaps. As the investigation progressed, investigators developed evidence that the group was engaged in drug and firearm trafficking, including the following individuals now charged:
Alberto “Beto” Alvarado, 53, of Mexico, is alleged to be the Mexico-based source of supply who directed the importation and transportation of methamphetamine, cocaine, as well as other controlled substances in Tulare County and elsewhere. He is currently a fugitive from justice.
Alfonso Ortiz, 37, of Tulare, is alleged to be a large-scale methamphetamine distributor in Tulare County, who distributed methamphetamine with the assistance of his sister Angelica Flores.
Angelica Flores, 32, of Tulare, is alleged to be a methamphetamine distributor and transporter who operated at the direction of her brother, Alfonso Ortiz.
Yerlly Vega, 41, of Orisi, is alleged to be a poly-narcotic source of supply and transporter who operated at the direction of Alvarado. On Dec. 20, 2023, Vega was arrested while transporting approximately 30 pounds of methamphetamine for Alvarado.
Roberto Soria-Cuevas, 64, of Yettem, is alleged to be a poly-narcotic source of supply and transporter who operated at the direction of Alvarado. On Feb. 25, 2024, Soria-Cuevas was arrested while transporting approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine for Alvarado.
Jose Maria Medina Franco, of Yokuts Valley, is alleged to be a drug stash house operator and transporter who operated at the direction of Alvarado. On Mar. 6, 2024, Medina was arrested while transporting approximately 266 pounds of methamphetamine for Alvarado.
Anthony Ochoa, 40, of Orosi, and Vega’s cousin, is alleged to be involved in transporting and distributing methamphetamine that belonged to Alvarado. On Dec. 16, 2023, a vehicle Ochoa was driving was stopped resulting in the seizure of approximately 20 pounds of methamphetamine.
Jorge Avila Perez, 49, of Orosi, is alleged to be Alvarado and Soria-Cuevas’ transporter and distributer of methamphetamine. On Feb. 23, 2024, a vehicle Perez was driving was stopped resulting in the seizure of approximately 20 pounds of methamphetamine.
Lorraine Renteria, 39, of Tulare, and Ortiz’ girlfriend, is alleged to have used her vehicle and residence to aid in Ortiz’s distribution of methamphetamine. On Dec. 18, 2023, Renteria purchased a new cellphone for Ortiz after Ortiz informed Renteria that he was being monitored by law enforcement.
Carlos Fernando Macias Manzo, 41, of Rancho Cordova, is alleged to be a poly-narcotic source of supply and transporter who supplied Ortiz with methamphetamine. On Feb. 19, 2024, Macias was seen at Ortiz’s residence, unloading three large duffle bags into Ortiz’ garage. On the same date, Macias was stopped by law enforcement, and investigators seized approximately $65,040 in U.S. currency.
Francisco Garcia, 28, of Tulare, is alleged to have supplied methamphetamine to Hicks on Dec. 23, 2023, which resulted in the arrest of Hicks and the seizure of the methamphetamine. On Feb. 20, 2024, Ortiz and Flores allegedly supplied Garcia with 10 pounds of methamphetamine, which was seized from Garcia during a subsequent stop, and Garcia was found to be illegally in possession of a firearm.
Cory Jay Donaldson, 46, of Tulare, is alleged to have distributed methamphetamine and firearms to a confidential source during controlled purchases. Donaldson has been intercepted multiple times distributing methamphetamine or obtaining methamphetamine from Ortiz.
Adam Sahagun, 44, of Tulare, allegedly sold firearms and ammunition to a confidential source.
Joshua Brock, 42, of Exeter, allegedly ordered methamphetamine multiple times and was arrested on Oct. 1, 2023, after obtaining methamphetamine from Flores.
Alejandro Hernandez Diarte, 21, of Dinuba, is alleged to be a methamphetamine transporter. On Oct. 17, 2023, Hernandez was arrested with approximately 30 pounds of methamphetamine while transporting the drugs from a known stash house in Orange Cove.
Cornell Hicks, 45, of Tulare, is alleged to be a methamphetamine customer and transporter who was arrested on two occasions during this investigation. On Oct. 21, 2023, Hicks was supplied with methamphetamine by Flores and subsequently stopped and arrested with the drugs. On Dec. 23, 2023, Hicks purchased methamphetamine from Garcia and was arrested again. During the second arrest, Hicks was illegally in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Landon Jones, 43, of Tulare, is alleged to be a pound-level methamphetamine customer of Ortiz, as well as a methamphetamine distributor in Tulare County.
William Bosma, 52, of Visalia, was arrested on Oct. 24, 2023, after fleeing from police with multiple pounds of methamphetamine previously purchased by Jones from Ortiz.
Arnold Huerta, 37, of Visalia, is alleged to be a methamphetamine and illegal firearms distributor who consistently ordered pound quantities of methamphetamine from Ortiz. Arnold Huerta was also found to be illegally in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Jennifer Huerta, 44, of Visalia, was arrested on Dec. 29, 2023, while transporting methamphetamine obtained from Ortiz to Arnold Huerta.
Edgar Robles Amezquita, 41, of Hanford, is alleged to be a methamphetamine customer and transporter who was consistently supplied by Ortiz. On Feb. 13, 2024, Robles was arrested with the methamphetamine and was found illegally in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Priscilla Pitts, 37, of Ivanhoe, is alleged to be a methamphetamine customer supplied by Ortiz. On Feb. 19, 2024, Pitts ordered a pound of methamphetamine from Ortiz and was stopped and arrested with the drugs after departing Ortiz’s residence.
James Earl Melo, 51, of Visalia, is alleged to be a poly-narcotic distributor. On Jan. 25, 2024, Melo was arrested after methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin were seized at his residence.
Jesus Marin, 39, of Fontana, is alleged to be a methamphetamine source of supply and transporter who was arrested on Jan. 6, 2024, with approximately five pounds of methamphetamine that was supplied by Ortiz.
Marie Quaadman, 49, of Corcoran, allegedly sold methamphetamine to a confidential source. She has also been intercepted multiple times ordering various quantities of methamphetamine from Ortiz.
Jose Ramon Mayorga, 30, is alleged to have purchased approximately 50 pounds of methamphetamine from Alvarado and distributed by Medina and Vega.
Freddy Alvarado, 45, of Cutler, is alleged to have conspired with his brother, Alberto Alvarado, to receive approximately 266 pounds of methamphetamine from Medina.
Derrick Wallen, 33, of Tulare, is alleged to have maintained a drug stash house for Alfonso Ortiz and possessed more than 150 pounds of methamphetamine.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, Tulare County Tactical Narcotics Team, which is a part of Central Valley California HIDTA, the Tulare Police Department, the Visalia Police Department, the Kings County Sheriff’s Office, the Porterville Police Department, the Woodlake Police Department, the Clovis Police Department, the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, the California Highway Patrol, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and the Tulare County District Attorney. Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio Pataca is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, the defendants face a range of sentences from 10 years in prison to life in prison, and some face mandatory minimum sentences of five and 10 years for drug trafficking offenses. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
West Seneca man pleads guilty to receipt of child pornographyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Corey Beasley, 38, of West Seneca, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer to receipt of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a fine of $250,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Caitlin M. Higgins, who is handling the case, stated that in June 2022, Beasley took sexually explicit photographs of himself and a minor female (Victim) with his cellphone. In January 2023, a West Seneca police officer received a report that the sexually explicit images were found on a tablet belonging to Beasley. Subsequently, search warrants were executed at Beasley’s residence, during which investigators seized multiple devices. A forensic review of Beasley’s cellphone recovered multiple sexually explicit images of the Victim. The forensic review also recovered other images of child pornography, which Beasley received and possessed.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the West Seneca Police Department, under the direction of Chief Edward Baker and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino.
Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.
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USTP Prevails at Trial on Objection to Chapter 11 Debtors’ Executive BonusesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s U.S. Trustee Program (USTP) recently prevented the payment of bonuses to an executive of three small businesses that had stopped operating and already had sold their assets in bankruptcy.
Aviation Safety Resources and its two debtor affiliates, which filed for bankruptcy under subchapter V of chapter 11, argued that $30,000 in bonuses were designed to incentivize the companies’ president to avoid leaving for other employment and to facilitate a sale of the debtors’ assets. The U.S. Trustee’s Orlando office objected to the bonuses as a “key employee retention plan,” commonly known as a KERP, which is impermissible under the Bankruptcy Code for insiders unless the proponent can satisfy stringent standards. Among other things, the USTP argued that the bonuses were not incentivizing because they were not tied to any performance-based metrics and that the debtors had already closed on the sale of nearly all their assets three days before filing a motion to approve the bonuses.
On February 2, after a half-day trial, the Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida sustained the U.S. Trustee’s objection and denied the debtors’ KERP motion.
“The USTP scrutinizes executive bonus plans regardless of their label,” said Director Tara Twomey of the Executive Office for U.S. Trustees. “To ensure the faithful application of the Code, we will continue to hold the proponents of these plans to their proof.”
The Code restricts payments intended to induce corporate officers and other insiders to remain with the debtor through the bankruptcy. The proponent of those retention payments must prove that they are necessary because the insider has a bona fide job offer at the same or greater compensation, that the insider’s services are essential to the business’s survival and that the payments are within certain statutory limits. Many debtors improperly seek to characterize insider payments as incentive payments rather than retention payments to avoid this high standard.
The USTP’s mission is to promote the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system for the benefit of all stakeholders – debtors, creditors and the public. The USTP consists of 21 regions with 89 field offices nationwide and an Executive Office in Washington, D.C. Learn more about the program at www.justice.gov/ust.
U.S. Attorney’s Office declines to prosecute an officer involved in a fatal shootingRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming announced today that federal authorities will not pursue criminal charges against the Wind River Police Department officer involved in the fatal shooting of Terrance Skye Posey of Ethete, Wyoming, on August 11, 2022. This incident occurred on the Wind River Indian Reservation and was thoroughly investigated by the FBI. Prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section of the Department of Justice carefully reviewed the investigation and have concluded that the evidence is insufficient to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the officer violated Posey’s civil rights or that the officer did not act in self-defense.
The investigation showed that a Wind River Police Department officer was dispatched to Posey’s residence because two individuals had called asking for help, saying that Posey had threatened them with a knife and was outside with a BB gun. When the officer arrived, the individuals were still in the home and asking for help. The officer knocked on the front door, and through a window in the door the officer saw Mr. Posey approach. The officer asked him to come outside. Posey refused, told the officer to go away, and disappeared into the residence. The officer then heard individuals yelling from inside the home that they were locked in the bedroom. Mr. Posey returned to the door and pointed a weapon at the officer.
FBIFrom the officer’s perspective, the weapon appeared virtually identical to a semiautomatic handgun. The officer ordered Posey to drop the weapon, but Posey continued to point it at the officer, tracking the officer as he moved. Believing that Posey intended to shoot him with the weapon, and being unable to determine it was not a firearm, the officer shot Mr. Posey through the door. The officer then entered the residence and attempted to resuscitate Posey, but he was unsuccessful. When investigators inspected Posey’s weapon, they determined that it was not a firearm, but rather was a BB gun that looked very much like a firearm.
Applying applicable legal principles, and the Principles of Federal Prosecution, federal prosecutors determined that no criminal charges should be brought against the officer. They concluded the evidence was insufficient to establish, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the officer did not reasonably believe the force he used was necessary to defend himself against an immediate threat of death or great bodily harm. They further concluded the evidence was insufficient to establish, beyond a reasonable doubt, that rather than acting in self-defense, the officer acted unreasonably and for the specific purpose of violating Posey’s constitutional right to be free from an unreasonable use of force.
After deciding that no criminal charges should be filed, federal authorities notified Mr. Posey’s family of this decision.
U.S. Attorney’s Office and FBI Seeking to Identify Potential Victims in Connection with Online Child Exploitation CaseRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA - United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero and FBI Philadelphia Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs announced that their offices are seeking to identify potential victims of an online child exploitation scheme, which originated in Los Angeles, California, and is believed to have victimized minor females in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and elsewhere, starting as early as 2014.
The defendant in this investigation, John Douglas Burch, a resident of the Santa Monica, California area, has been charged by federal indictment in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania with traveling to engage in illicit sexual conduct and enticement of a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct and prostitution.
Between 2014 and 2024, the defendant was active on numerous online applications, including KIK, Omegle, Snapchat, Telegram, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Reddit, Discord, Seeking Arrangements, and Fetlife, and may be known by the following usernames: “Burch”; “Mstr_trainer”; “Just 9x6.5a”; “Notyourfitguru”; “@TheBurch9567”; “NOTYOURFITGURU”; “@food_is_not_enemy”; “@notyourfitguru2”; “@not_your_fit_guru_original”; “@backup_notyourfitguru”.
If you, your family member, or anyone that you know has had contact with this individual or any of the usernames above and would like to report a crime, please contact the FBI via email at [email protected] or complete this online questionnaire.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
For additional resources and information, please visit:
- DOJ Office for Victims of Crime - Help for Victims
- National Safe Place Network
- National Child Traumatic Stress Network
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline | 800-273-8255
- Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN)
- National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
U.S. Attorney’s Office Issues 2023 Annual ReportRead the Press Release
DETROIT –The United States Attorney’s Office made significant strides in 2023 in rebuilding community trust, reinvigorating our protection of civil rights, and restructuring our approach to violent crime, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today. The details of the office’s work in 2023 are set forth in a 51-page annual report highlighting prosecutions, community outreach, trials, convictions, systemic change, and community impact. The document is available here for review by the public.
The report sets forth the work done in service of the richly-diverse Eastern District of Michigan. The lawyers and support professionals in our Detroit, Flint, and Bay City offices, along with our partner agencies, had significant accomplishments this year.
Among them:
- In fiscal year 2023, our office collected $68,224,759.35 in criminal and civil actions in judgments, fines, restitution, and forfeiture, more than twice our operating budget of $ 24.9 million. These funds are being returned to victims and taxpayers.
- Our efforts to target the most violent offenders who are harming public safety resulted in numerous federal convictions. We obtained conviction for the leader of the Seven Mile Bloods Gang who terrorized Detroit’s east side for many years. We also obtained Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (“RICO”) convictions for three senior members of the Almighty Vice Lords Nation, a criminal enterprise that operates across the country including in Detroit.
- We filed suit against a Dearborn Heights landlord who is alleged to have subjected actual and prospective female tenants to sexual harassment on multiple occasions since at least 2017.
- We charged a former Warren police officer with violating a jail prisoner’s civil rights by assaulting the prisoner without justification.
- We remained committed to rooting out public corruption in our community as 2023 saw the Mayor of Inkster indicted by our office for bribery and guilty pleas from the Mayor of Taylor for conspiracy to receive bribes and wire fraud and the President of the Madison School Board for bribery and tax evasion.
- We obtained a conviction at trial against an ISIS fighter who left his home in Michigan and travelled to Yemen and Syria where he obtained ISIS training and spent more than 2 years as an ISIS soldier.
- The office has charged 142 defendants (52 in 2023) with participating in pandemic fraud schemes, ranging from unemployment insurance fraud conspiracies to fraud in pandemic loan programs. Of the individuals charged in such cases, the United States has thus far obtained more than 86 convictions.
- We indicted 8 people and charged them with federal civil rights offenses and violations of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act for using physical obstruction to intimidate and interfere with employees and patients of a reproductive health clinic, because the clinic’s employees were providing, and the patients were seeking, reproductive health services.
Although we are encouraged by the results of our efforts in 2023, we recognize that we still have more work to do. The work detailed in the 2023 Annual Report details our ongoing efforts to keep our community safe, protect civil rights, and ensure fairness and opportunity for everyone in our community. Each day, the 220 men and women of the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work diligently to further these goals and to advance the interests of our nation.
U.S. Attorney's Office Reaches Settlement with Chandler Nail Salon to End Disability DiscriminationRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office has reached a settlement with an Arizona nail salon to resolve allegations that the salon discriminates against individuals with mobility impairments in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino announced today.
Under the settlement, Canvas Nails & Spa LLC, of Chandler, agrees to adopt and post in a conspicuous place a non-discrimination policy, to train current and future employees on the requirements of Title III of the ADA, and to pay $500 in damages to the individual complainant in this matter. Title III prohibits disability discrimination in places of public accommodation, like nail salons. The settlement resolves allegations that Canvas Nails & Spa LLC discriminated against persons with mobility impairments by refusing equal services to those using a wheelchair.
The Department of Justice’s enforcement efforts under the ADA seek equal opportunity and dignity in all aspects of life, including access to public accommodations such as nail salons. This settlement agreement is the seventh agreement that the Department of Justice has reached with a nail salon through its U.S. Attorney Program for ADA Enforcement, and the second in the District of Arizona.
Additional information about the ADA can be found at www.ada.gov. Individuals who believe they may have been victims of discrimination in Arizona may file a complaint with the U.S. Attorney’s Office at [email protected] or (602) 528-7299.
In 2022, U.S. Attorney Restaino created an Affirmative Civil Rights Section within the Phoenix Civil Division of the United States Attorney’s Office with the sole focus on enforcing federal civil rights laws, including the ADA, with the goal of protecting and upholding the civil rights of all Arizonans. The Affirmative Civil Rights Section handled this matter.
Canvas Nails & Spa Settlement AgreementRELEASE NUMBER: 2024-030_Canvas Nails & Spa LLC
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Two Madison Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that two Madison men have been sentenced in connection with fentanyl trafficking.
Tysean J. Pollard, 22, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 24 months for distributing fentanyl. Pollard pleaded guilty to this charge on December 20, 2023.
In June 2023, the Madison Police Department conducted two undercover buys of fentanyl pills involving Pollard. During the two controlled buys, Pollard assisted with selling an undercover officer fentanyl pills weighing 52.8 grams and 50.7 grams. At Pollard’s sentencing, Judge Peterson noted his youthful age and the minor role he played in distributing fentanyl.
In a related case, Judge Peterson sentenced Steven P. Dixon, 30, Madison, Wisconsin, on March 12, 2024, to 122 months in prison for distributing 40 grams or more of fentanyl and possessing with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Dixon pleaded guilty to these charges on December 18, 2023. The prison sentence will be followed by a 6-year term of supervised release.
From late April to early June 2023, Madison Police Department conducted five undercover buys of fentanyl pills from Dixon. During the last buy, which also involved Pollard, Dixon sold an undercover officer 500 fentanyl pills weighing a total of 50.7 grams. Officers arrested him on June 28, 2023. Contemporaneously with his arrest, officers searched Dixon’s bags and found fentanyl pills weighing a total of 911.2 grams, 2 digital scales, drug packaging material, and 8 unfired 9mm cartridges.
At Dixon’s sentencing, Judge Peterson observed that fentanyl presented a serious public health concern and that Dixon had contributed to that concern with his large-scale drug dealing. Judge Peterson acknowledged that Dixon was not a king pin but found that he was more than a street-level dealer and that he had benefited financially from his dealing. Judge Peterson also noted that the defendant had a history of violence and of resisting arrest, including in this case.
The charges against Pollard and Dixon were the result of an investigation conducted by the City of Madison Police Department, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anita Marie Boor and Louis Glinzak prosecuted this case.
Two Cocaine Traffickers Are Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Two Charlotte-based members of a Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) were sentenced to prison today for trafficking large quantities of cocaine, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which oversees the Charlotte District Office, Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Sheriff Donald G. Brown II of the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
Carlos Hernandez Landeiro, 33, and Holly Christine Furlough, 31, both of Charlotte, were each sentenced to 10 years in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release. A third co-defendant, Dante Rashaun Ramseur, 44, of Hickory, North Carolina, was previously sentenced to 121 months in prison followed by six years of supervised release.
According to filed court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, law enforcement conducting an investigation into drug trafficking networks in Catawba County determined that Ramseur was distributing significant quantities of cocaine in the Hickory area. Investigators further determined that the cocaine was supplied to Ramseur by Landeiro and Furlough. On February 13, 2023, Landeiro and Furlough attempted to deliver cocaine to Ramseur, which he then intended to sell to an undercover officer. Later that day, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Landeiro and Furlough’s residence. During the search, law enforcement seized 26 kilograms of cocaine, drug paraphernalia to include a vacuum sealer, a money counter, and more than $120,000 in cash drug proceeds. Court records show that the defendants’ residence where the cocaine was seized is next door to a Charlotte high school.
In September 2023, Landeiro and Furlough pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine near a school. They are currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
This case was investigated by a joint Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) which includes the DEA, the FBI, and the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Regina Pack of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is in charge of the prosecution.
Tri-Cities Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Richland, Washington - Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Larry Jay Halls, age 54, of the Tri-Cities, was sentenced today after pleading guilty to Receipt of Child Pornography. United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke imposed a sentence of 78 months imprisonment to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. Judge Dimke also imposed $12,000 in restitution.
Judge Dimke’s comments at sentencing focused on the impact on the victims and how the children in this case have been affected for the rest of their lives. Judge Dimke also highlighted the fact that Halls distributed 10,000 images and more than 600 videos to three separate undercover agents, demonstrating that Halls was distributing child pornography for a long period of time: “The quantity of images is substantial, but also the amount of particular victims’ images – the number of those images for any one victim is indicative of the viewer knowing how much abuse that victim was subjected to. That is significant to the court.”
In pronouncing the sentence, Judge Dimke emphasized that Mr. Halls apologized to her, but never once apologized or expressed remorse for what happened to the victims depicted in the child pornography Mr. Halls possessed and distributed.
According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, in February of 2021, investigators with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) linked image and video files depicting the sexual abuse of children (child pornography) on a file sharing program with an IP address assigned to Halls’s address in Kennewick, Washington.
On March 18, 2021, investigators executed a search warrant at Halls’s residence and located a desktop computer. The on-scene forensic examiner previewed the device and discovered it was actively downloading child pornography utilizing the aforementioned file sharing program. Ultimately, a forensic analysis of the desktop computer seized from Halls’s residence revealed more than 600 images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children.
When Halls was interviewed by investigators, he admitted to downloading files depicting the sexual abuse of children as early as 2018. Furthermore, Halls told investigators he had looked at such files twice the day before the search warrant was executed and that he had developed a sexual interest in children.
Following his guilty plea, while on pre-sentence release, Halls violated specific court ordered conditions designed to keep the community, and specifically, children within the community, safe. In July of 2023, despite a prohibition on loitering within 500 feet of any playground, park, athletic field or facility, Halls went to a miniature golf facility, a location frequented by children. Later that month, Halls left his home without approval from the United States Probation Office and went to a gas station directly across from an athletic field. During the same timeframe, Halls traveled to an unknown residence and apartment complex in violation of his monitoring requirements. On September 5, 2023, Halls’s pre-sentence release was revoked, and Halls was remanded into the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending his sentencing hearing.
“For years Mr. Halls sought out depictions of children being abused and then shared those pictures with others online. Following his arrest, Mr. Halls ignored the conditions of his release and traveled to locations where young children were present,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “Today’s sentence sends a clear message to those who seek to victimize children: The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our partners will continue to work tirelessly to seek justice for vulnerable populations."
“Each day HSI and its law enforcement partners bravely confront the harrowing reality of online predators,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest. “Today’s sentencing serves as a reminder of the perilous landscape our children navigate online. Let us unite in our resolve to shield our most vulnerable from the dangers lurking in the digital abyss. Every click, every download, carries the potential to inflict harm. May this case embolden us to fortify our defenses and safeguard the sanctity of childhood against those who would seek to exploit it.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Southeast Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (SER-ICAC). This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Alison Gregoire and Laurel Holland.
Tonawanda man going to prison for receipt of child pornographyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. — U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Andrew Vallone, 47, of Tonawanda, NY, who was convicted of receipt of child pornography, was sentenced to serve 96 months in prison by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Rudroff, who handled the case, stated that an individual contacted the Town of Tonawanda Police Department after discovering a video depicting a child (Victim) wearing only a pair of underwear on a desktop computer belonging to Vallone. On January 23, 2021, the Tonawanda Police contacted the FBI and further investigation determined that Vallone had secreted a camera in a location which allowed him to surreptitiously film the Victim. The MicroSD card recovered from that hidden camera contained numerous images which depicted the Victim in various states of undress. In addition, forensic analysis of electronic devices seized from Vallone recovered numerous images and videos of child pornography.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, and the Tonawanda Police Department, under the direction of James P. Stauffiger.
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Three Charged for Fraudulently Seeking $2.9 Billion in COVID-19 Tax CreditsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Three individuals were charged today for falsely seeking more than $2.9 billion from the IRS by filing 131 false tax forms claiming COVID-19 related employment tax credits, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Rudolph Johnson, Frantz Pasteur, and Frederick Anderson, all of Irvington, New Jersey, are each charged by complaint with one count of conspiracy to file false claims against the government and one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud. Additionally, Johnson is charged with three counts of money laundering, Pasteur with two counts of money laundering, and Anderson with three counts of money laundering. Johnson and Pasteur appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael A. Hammer in Newark federal court and were released on bail. Anderson will appear at a later date.
According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic impact, Congress authorized an employee retention tax credit (ERC) that a small business could use to reduce the employment tax it owed to the IRS.
To qualify, the business had to have been in operation in 2020 and to have experienced at least a partial suspension of its operations because of a government order related to COVID-19 (for example, an order limiting commerce, group meetings or travel) or a significant decline in profits. The credit was an amount equal to a set percentage of the wages that the business paid to its employees during the relevant time period, subject to a maximum amount. Congress also authorized the IRS to give a credit against employment taxes to reimburse businesses for the wages paid to employees who were on sick or family leave and could not work because of COVID-19.
From June 2021 to November 2023, Johnson, Pasteur, and Anderson established a slew of sham entities and filed fraudulent IRS forms in the names of these entities claiming fraudulent entitlement to tax refunds, including the ERC. These entities had limited tax histories, never paid any W-2 wages, and made only nominal, if any, payments to the IRS. In total, the defendants claimed $2.9 billion in tax benefits, and as a result, the U.S. Treasury issued $1.03 million in refunds. Subsequently, the defendants deposited the falsely claimed refunds into their bank accounts and used the money to purchase various items such as luxury cars to fraudulently enrich themselves.
The conspiracy to file false claims against the government offense carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud offense carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Each of the money laundering offenses carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine or twice the value of the criminally derived property.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins; and postal inspectors from the U.S. Postal Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen, Philadelphia Division, with the investigation leading to today’s charges. A civil referral from the IRS Office of Fraud Enforcement contributed to the indictments in this criminal complaint.
The District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dong Joo Lee of the Cybercrime Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
johnsonetal.complaint.pdfTampa Man Previously Imprisoned for Attempted First-Degree Murder Convicted of Unlawfully Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Gerard Eric Beasley (50, Tampa) has been found guilty of possession of a firearm as a convicted felon following a bench trial before U.S. District Court Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle. Beasley faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 12, 2024. Beasley was indicted on April 19, 2023.
According to evidence presented at trial, Beasley was stopped by officers from the Tampa Police Department for driving without his headlights on and for a partially opened trunk. During a search of Beasley’s vehicle, police officers discovered marijuana, crack cocaine, and a Taurus G2C 9mm pistol loaded with one round of ammunition. Beasley admitted to possessing the firearm and narcotics during an interview with the officers.
Beasley had previously served over 11 years in a Florida state prison for attempted first-degree murder and is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Tampa Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A. Chee and Shauna S. Hale.
Sudbury Bookkeeper Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former bookkeeper for a Lexington interior design firm was sentenced today to two years in prison after pleading guilty to bank fraud charges in connection with embezzling more than $180,000 from her former employer.
Christina Iannelli, 51, of Sudbury, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to two years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Iannelli was also ordered to pay restitution and forfeiture in the amount of $185,120. In December 2023, Iannelli pleaded guilty to seven counts of bank fraud.
Iannelli was an independent contractor for an interior design firm based in Lexington. Beginning in or about October 2018, Iannelli prepared dozens of fraudulent invoices with inflated totals derived from inaccurate math, and then issued herself checks for the inflated amounts due from the firm’s checking account. Additionally, beginning in or about July 2019, Iannelli issued herself dozens of additional unauthorized checks. In both instances, Iannelli used a signature stamp in the name of the firm’s owner to issue the fraudulent checks.
To conceal the fraudulent payments, Iannelli made false entries in the firm’s accounting records. In total, Iannelli embezzled more than $30,000 through inflated compensation checks and more than $150,000 through additional unauthorized checks.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Lexington Police Chief Michael McLean made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Sudbury Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney James R. Drabick of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
St. Louis Man Sentenced to 65 Months in Prison for Drug, Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig on Thursday sentenced a man who was caught with fentanyl, methamphetamine and two fully automatic handguns to 65 months in prison.
Courtlend Green was spotted by St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department detectives with the Mobile Reserve Unit on Jan. 3, 2023, driving into the parking lot of a supermarket in the 8300 block of North Broadway where he was known to sell drugs. Because of his history of fleeing from police, officers deployed tire deflation devices in front of Green’s Honda Crosstour before activating their lights and trying to approach Green’s car. Green sped away before crashing into another vehicle at the intersection of North Broadway and Gimblin Road. Green got out and ran before officers caught and arrested him.
Green’s Honda contained two Glock handguns that were equipped with illegal “switches,” or auto sears, that converted them into fully automatic weapons. One was stolen and had a drum magazine. The other had an extended magazine. Green, who is a convicted felon and therefore barred from the possession of firearms, admitted both possessing the firearms and buying the Glock switches for them. Officers also found about 64 grams of meth and at least 18 grams of fentanyl.
Green, 27, pleaded guilty in December to being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
In June of 2022, Green pleaded guilty in St. Louis Circuit Court to involuntary manslaughter related to a shootout a short distance from the supermarket, according to a detention motion filed in the federal case.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine Hoag prosecuted the case.