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11 March 2024
St. Croix Man, 65, Charged with Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
St. Croix, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Juan Bermudez, 65, of St. Croix, was charged with sexual exploitation of a child, coercion and enticement, aggravated rape second degree, and unlawful sexual contact second degree. If convicted, Bermudez faces a mandatory minimum of 10 to 15 years and up to life imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Virgin Islands Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rhonda Williams-Henry and Everard Potter. “Homeland Security Investigations is dedicated to protecting our children and will continue to work jointly with the Virgin Islands Police Department to investigate and pursue individuals who sexually abuse our children”, said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Eugene Thomas.
United States Attorney Delia L. Smith reminds the public that an indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Representative John Rogers Agrees to Plead Guilty in Fraud Case Involving the Jefferson County Community Service FundRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Alabama State Representative John Rogers has agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and conspiracy to obstruct justice in connection with the scheme to defraud the Jefferson County Community Service Fund, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples, and Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman.
In a plea agreement filed today in United States District Court, John Westley Rogers, Jr., 83, of Birmingham, has agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice. These charges arise from an investigation of wrongdoing in connection with the Jefferson County Community Service Fund. Rogers has also agreed to resign from the Alabama House of Representatives. In February 2024, Rogers’s former assistant and companion, Varrie Johnson Kindall, pleaded guilty to conspiring with Rogers and former Representative Fred L. Plump, Jr. to defraud the Fund. Plump also pleaded guilty to conspiracy and obstruction of justice charges in June 2023 and resigned from the Alabama House of Representatives.
According to the second superseding indictment, in 2015 the Alabama Legislature passed Alabama Act No. 2015-226 (the “Act”) and authorized the Jefferson County Commission to levy and distribute a one percent sales tax and a one percent use tax to benefit the public welfare and enhance the education of the children of Jefferson County. Jefferson County began levying the new taxes in or about August 2017. The Act required the County to distribute the tax revenue according to certain specified priorities, including paying debt incurred during school construction, increasing the County’s general fund, giving funds to each board of education serving students in the County, and for certain other purposes set forth in the Act.
The Act created the Jefferson County Community Service Fund (the “Fund”), which was subsidized by approximately $3.6 million annually from the new taxes. The Act also created the Jefferson County Community Service Committee (the “Committee”), the four members of which were elected by members of the Jefferson County House and Senate delegations. The Committee was responsible for ensuring that the Fund was used only for the purposes set forth in the Act, which included to support public entities and projects such as schools, libraries, museums, parks, zoos, neighborhood associations, athletic facilities, youth sports associations, road construction, the performing arts, police departments, the sheriff’s office, fire departments, and certain nonprofit entities. Each Representative and Senator representing Jefferson County could make recommendations to the Committee of expenditures from their allotted amount of the Fund. These recommendations were made on a form created by the Committee that required certain certifications by the legislator. The organization receiving the funds was required to submit information about the organization and confirm that it intended to use the money for a public purpose. During each fiscal year from 2018 to 2022, each Representative was allocated approximately $100,000 and each Senator was allocated approximately $240,000 from the Fund.
The second superseding indictment identifies certain relevant parties. Defendant John Rogers was a long-serving member of the Alabama House of Representatives. Fred L. Plump, Jr. served as the Executive Director of the Piper Davis Youth Baseball League (“Piper Davis”), a nonprofit organization that claimed to provide a positive sporting experience for inner city youth in Jefferson County. Varrie Johnson Kindall was Rogers’ personal and professional assistant. Individual #1 was the Founder of Organization #1.
Between fiscal year 2018 and fiscal year 2022, Defendant Rogers was allocated approximately $500,000 by the Fund. Rogers directed approximately $400,000 of those discretionary funds to Piper Davis. In turn, Plump gave approximately $200,000 to Rogers and Kindall as a kickback.
The second superseding indictment alleges that from in or about March 2019, and continuing through April 2023, Rogers and Kindall conspired with Plump to defraud and obtain money from the Fund. It is alleged that it was part of the conspiracy that Rogers, with Kindall’s assistance, recommended during each fiscal year that most of his allotment of Fund money be paid to Piper Davis. In turn, Plump agreed to pay kickbacks to Rogers and Kindall. Rogers, Kindall, and Plump submitted false and fraudulent information to the Committee about Piper Davis’s intended use of Fund money, and Rogers’s certifications on the request forms were false. Upon receipt and deposit of Fund checks, Plump gave checks to Rogers and Kindall for approximately one-half of the amount of Fund money received by Piper Davis. The second superseding indictment also alleges that, in 2019, Rogers directed Fund money to Organization #1 and Kindall then required Individual #1 to pay kickbacks.
Additionally, the second superseding indictment alleges that, after learning about the federal investigation into the fraud scheme, Rogers and Kindall attempted to obstruct justice by offering a witness grant money as a bribe and otherwise trying to corruptly persuade the witness to give false information to federal agents. It is also alleged that Rogers and Kindall agreed that she would accept full responsibility for the crimes and falsely tell federal investigators that Rogers did not participate in the scheme in exchange for Rogers’s promise to take care of personal issues for Kindall if she went to prison. As part of that agreement, Rogers had Kindall give false statements to investigators and prosecutors during a meeting at the United States Attorney’s Office on May 25, 2023.
The maximum penalty for conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for conspiracy to obstruct justice is 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation investigated the case, with assistance from the Alabama Attorney General’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys George Martin, Catherine Crosby, and Ryan Rummage are prosecuting the case.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Readout of U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland’s Meeting with Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy KostinRead the Press Release
On March 7, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland welcomed to the Justice Department Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin (PG Kostin), Ambassador Oksana Markarova of Ukraine to the United States, and Director Yurii Belousov of the Prosecutor General’s Department for Countering Crimes Committed in Conditions of Armed Conflict. On March 6 and 7, PG Kostin and Director Belousov also met with numerous Justice Department officials in Washington, D.C.
AG Garland expressed the Department’s continued support and commitment to working with Ukraine on all fronts and across numerous areas. He highlighted the Department’s work holding Russia accountable for war crimes, through the work of the Justice Department’s War Crimes Accountability Team (WarCAT) as well as the Department’s participation in the International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression in The Hague (ICPA). He also noted the Department’s ongoing work to seize illicit Russian assets for the benefit of the people of Ukraine, to prosecute those who facilitate the evasion of sanctions imposed on Russia, and to fight back against the export of sensitive technologies through Task Force KleptoCapture (TFKC) and the Disruptive Technology Strike Force (DTSF).
During the meeting, AG Garland reiterated the Department’s commitment to working closely with Ukraine to secure their democratic future through the prosecution of high-level corruption and highlighted recent successes including the December war crimes indictment charging four Russia-affiliated military personnel and recent cases brought by TFKC and the DTSF. AG Garland and PG Kostin also discussed the impact of relationships developed across the Department including with the Environment and Natural Resources Division, the FBI’s Art Crime Team, and the Office for Access to Justice (ATJ).
On March 6, PG Kostin met with Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew G. Olsen to discuss cooperation in identifying and prosecuting illicit actors and how to build upon the relationship between the Ukrainian government and the DTSF, including opportunities for engaging with partners in Europe and the United Kingdom on preventing the export of sensitive dual-use technologies to Russia and to other foreign adversaries for malign purposes.
On March 7, PG Kostin also met with Deputy Assistant Attorney General and Counselor for International Affairs Bruce C. Swartz, WarCat, TFKC, the Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT), Resident Legal Advisor at U.S. Embassy Kyiv Jared Kimball, the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program (ICITAP), Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section, ATJ, and the Office of International Affairs (OIA). In addition, PG Kostin met with victim witness support experts of the Office of Victims of Crime, Office on Violence Against Women, Office of Justice for Victims of Overseas Terrorism, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
The meetings were a follow-up to the meetings in September 2023 to discuss progress made and priorities moving forward including investigating and prosecuting war crimes of torture and sexual violence and providing support and resources to victims and witnesses of these horrific crimes. They discussed increased efforts to provide guidance, case-based mentoring, expertise, and capacity building to Ukrainian prosecutors and investigators on investigating war-related cyber-attacks to critical infrastructure and environmental crimes, as well as the theft and smuggling of cultural property and protecting cultural heritage.
It also was an opportunity to demonstrate the United States’ unwavering support and confidence in the Prosecutor General’s Office’s critical work and understand the current challenges they are facing and how the Department can help.
The Justice Department is proud to stand by our Ukrainian law enforcement partners in their courageous and crucial work and looks forward to continued collaboration and partnership.
Quincy, Illinois, Man Sentenced to 162 Months for Distributing Heroin Mixed with FentanylRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Quincy, Illinois, man, Ralph Thompson, 38, was sentenced on March 7, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Colleen R. Lawless to 150 months in prison for distributing heroin that also contained fentanyl. He received an additional 12 months for committing the new offense while he was on supervised release for a prior federal drug offense, for a total of 162 months.
Thompson was indicted on November 15, 2022, and pleaded guilty on November 6, 2023. He has been detained by the United States Marshals Service since his arrest in November of 2022. This is Thompson’s third federal drug conviction. Thompson has state convictions for possession of a controlled substance and for being a felon in possession of a weapon. The evidence presented at the sentencing hearing showed that Thompson was selling heroin containing fentanyl in Moline, Rock Island and Quincy. In total, he was held accountable for 100 grams of heroin and 35 grams of fentanyl.
The statutory penalties for distributing methamphetamine are up to 40 years’ imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000 fine, and up to a life term of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Illinois State Police, the Moline Police Department, the Rock Island Police Department, and the Quincy Police Department with assistance from the Adams County States Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Z. Weir represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Thompson 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.
Poteau Resident Sentenced for Distribution of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Matthew Carl Cripps, age 43, of Poteau, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 240 months in prison for one count of Distribution of Methamphetamine.
The charges arose from investigations by the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
On March 13, 2023, Cripps pleaded guilty to one count of Distribution of Methamphetamine. According to investigators, Cripps sold 24 grams of methamphetamine on November 15, 2021, and was responsible for distribution of over 50 kilograms of methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Oklahoma between November 2021 and February 2022.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearings. Cripps 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 Joshua Satter represented the United States.
- Pine Ridge Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison
Physician Pays $95,000 to Resolve Allegations of Genetic Testing FraudRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Nishi Patel, MD, a physician who received his medical training at Drexel University, will pay $95,000 to resolve allegations that he violated the False Claims Act by ordering medically unnecessary genetic testing for Medicare beneficiaries.
Between August 2018 and May 2020, Dr. Patel referred more than 400 patients for medically unnecessary genetic tests that were paid for by Medicare. The United States alleges that Dr. Patel had no medical relationship with these patients, never examined these patients, and that the referrals were based on brief telemedicine consultations, and in some instances, no consultation. The genetic tests that Dr. Patel ordered often cost thousands of dollars per patient.
“Doctors who refer patients for medically unnecessary and costly services, such as genetic testing, deplete vital funds from Medicare and other government healthcare programs,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “This office will continue to work with law enforcement partners, and our own internal analytics tools, to identify healthcare providers who increase costs through unnecessary procedures and will hold them accountable.”
“Accurately billing for services provided to Medicare beneficiaries is required of all health care providers,” said Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, Region III. “HHS-OIG and the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to evaluate and pursue allegations of medically unnecessary services.”
This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Deborah W. Frey and Auditor Dawn Wiggins.
The government’s pursuit of this matter illustrates its emphasis on combatting health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services, at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
Philadelphia Man Indicted for Firearms Possession and Narcotics TraffickingRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Norman Copper, 32, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was arrested and charged by indictment with multiple firearms and narcotics offenses related to his possession and trafficking of those items. Specifically, the defendant is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, and one count of possession of firearms by a felon.
The indictment alleges that Copper was found in possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it on January 24, 2024, in King of Prussia, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. The indictment further alleges that on January 24, 2024, the defendant was found to be in possession of three semi-automatic handguns and one AK-style semi-automatic rifle. Finally, the indictment alleges that the defendant had been previously convicted of a felony before he possessed each of these firearms.
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Upper Merion Township Police Department, the Montgomery County Detective Bureau, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lindsey T. Mills.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Pensacola Heroin and Methamphetamine Dealer Armed with an Illegal Machinegun Sentenced to 44 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Pensacola, Florida man was sentenced to 44 years in prison for conspiring to possess and possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, possessing an illegally modified machinegun and other firearms in furtherance of drug-trafficking crimes, and possessing firearms as a convicted felon.
According to court documents, Grayson Zachary Eagan, 30, led Baldwin County sheriff’s deputies on a 30-mile high-speed chase on March 8, 2021, after he refused to stop for a traffic violation in Elsanor. During the pursuit, Eagan reached speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour, frequently crossing into the wrong lane of traffic and blowing through several stop signs and lighted intersections. Near Lillian, deputies used a spike strip to deflate the front left tire of Eagan’s car, leaving only the rim of the wheel on the vehicle. Nevertheless, Eagan continued at speeds between 80 and 100 miles per hour, crossing into Florida.
Near the end of the chase, Eagan sped into a residential neighborhood in Pensacola, spinning out and losing control of his car in the front yard of a house. Dash-camera video showed Eagan’s codefendant, Lakin Amanda Wright, throwing a black bookbag from the backseat of the car into a driveway as Eagan sped away. The bookbag contained four handguns, more than a kilogram of 100% pure methamphetamine ice, 38 grams of heroin, drug paraphernalia, and more than $74,000 in banded-up cash. Forensic DNA analysts found Eagan’s DNA on items inside the bookbag.
Shortly after Wright discarded the bookbag, Eagan again lost control of his car and got stuck in a gravel driveway. Eagan and another codefendant, Dylan Michael Miller, attempted to flee on foot before deputies took them into custody. Lying next to Eagan on the ground, deputies found a loaded AR 15-style rifle equipped with an arm brace. Eagan had more than $3,000 in cash on his person. Inside Eagan’s car, deputies located six additional firearms, including a Glock pistol equipped with a machinegun-conversion device, commonly referred to as a “Glock switch,” which illegally converted the semiautomatic pistol into a fully automatic machinegun.
Deputies’ search of Eagan’s car also uncovered numerous rounds of ammunition and gun magazines, a tactical body-armor vest, small amounts of methamphetamine and marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and more than $1,000 in cash. At the time Eagan possessed the 11 guns that deputies seized from the car and the bookbag, he previously had been convicted of felony crimes in Florida. Those convictions rendered Eagan’s possession of firearms and ammunition illegal under federal law.
Agents also seized Eagan’s cell phones and obtained warrants to search them. The phones contained hundreds of Facebook and text messages that Eagan exchanged with Wright, Miller, and others regarding his drug-trafficking activities and illegal possession of firearms. The messages included Eagan discussing amounts and prices for heroin, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and other drugs. Eagan also discussed trading drugs for firearms. In one such message, Eagan offered to clear an individual’s drug debt in exchange for obtaining a machinegun-conversion device for him.
In addition to the 44-year prison sentence, Chief United States District Judge Jeffrey U. Beaverstock ordered Eagan to serve a five-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison, during which time he will undergo drug testing and treatment. The court did not impose a fine, but Chief Judge Beaverstock ordered Eagan to pay $600 in special assessments and forfeited Eagan’s firearms and ammunition to the United States.
Chief Judge Beaverstock previously sentenced Miller and Wright to serve 221 months and 186 months in prison, respectively. Miller and Wright each will serve five-year terms of supervised release upon their release from prison, during which they will receive drug testing and treatment.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. The Escambia County, Florida Sheriff’s Office and the Santa Rosa County, Florida Sheriff’s Office substantially assisted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Roller and Gaillard Ladd prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Oregon Woman Sentenced for Union EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Oregon woman, formerly of Middleborough, was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for embezzling nearly $40,000 from a labor union.
Andrea Anderson, 61, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to two years’ probation. Anderson was also ordered to pay restitution and forfeiture in the amount of $30,316. In October 2023, Anderson pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement from a labor union.
From approximately 2013 through July 2022, Anderson worked as a part-time administrative employee of the Brotherhood of Shoe and Allied Craftsman (BSAC), whose union office was located inside the garage of Anderson’s father’s residence in Lakeville. Anderson’s duties included signing checks, secretarial work and paying bills. Additionally, Anderson was a signatory on the union bank account, and therefore signed and prepared checks and had a union debit card. During her tenure working for BSAC, Anderson embezzled a total of $39,169 from the union. She repaid BSAC some $8,000 leaving a loss to BSAC of $30,316.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jonathan Russo, District Director, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura J. Kaplan of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Orangeburg Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Postal Conspiracy to Distribute MarijuanaRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Lemont Antwaun Darby, 37, of Orangeburg, was sentenced to more than three years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute marijuana.
Evidence presented to the court showed that Lemont Darby was a drug dealer who regularly received packages of marijuana through the U.S. Mail from California and elsewhere. Mjaan Roland, 31, of Chapin, was a city carrier with the Columbia Main Post Office and Dutch Fork Station. Darby approached Roland in March 2022 and asked him to facilitate the delivery of these packages of marijuana. The address Darby used was on Roland’s route. Darby compensated Roland for some of the deliveries by paying him between $100 and $200. On other occasions, he gave him small amounts of drugs.
United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Darby to 46 months imprisonment, to be followed by a two-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
Codefendant Mjaan Roland previously pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, and the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED). Assistant U.S. Attorney Winston D. Holliday Jr. is prosecuting the case.
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New Milford Man Sentenced to 262 Months in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Luke Shager, age 37, of New Milford, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on March 7, 2024, to 262 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani for sexual exploitation of children.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the Wayne County District Attorney’s Office received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that an individual, later identified as Shager, was transmitting multiple images and videos of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Law enforcement officials executed a search warrant at Shager’s New Milord residence and seized four cellular telephones. The devices contained over 1,200 images and videos of child pornography, including 2 self-produced videos depicting Shager engaging in sexual contact with a minor under the age of 12.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts prosecuted 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."
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New Haven, Vermont Woman Sentenced to Prison Term for Pandemic FraudRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Jennifer Stocker, 46, of New Haven, Vermont was sentenced on Friday, March 8, 2024, in United States District Court in Burlington for making false statements to a credit union on an application for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan, and for violating conditions of probation related to Stocker’s 2018 false statements conviction. Chief U.S. District Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford sentenced Stocker to a four-month term of imprisonment for the PPP loan offense, and a consecutive 30-day term of imprisonment for the violation of conditions of probation. After she is released from custody, Stocker will be subject to a three-year term of supervised release.
According to court records, in 2018, Stocker pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Burlington to making false statements in applications for benefits funded by federal agencies. For that 2018 offense, Stocker was sentenced to five years of probation and ordered to pay nearly $140,000 in restitution. Then, while on probation in May 2020, Stocker falsely stated on a PPP loan application for Twelve Acres LLC, an entity that she co-owned, that she had not been convicted of a felony in the past five years and was not on probation. Stocker submitted a second PPP loan application in February 2021 and again included a false statement about her criminal history. Both PPP loan applications were approved, and Stocker received approximately $86,000 in loan proceeds. Stocker submitted loan forgiveness applications for both PPP loans, and both forgiveness applications were granted for the full loan amounts plus interest.
In addition to committing this new offense while on probation, Stocker also violated her conditions of probation by failing to pay restitution, and by opening auto loans without obtaining approval from the probation officer.
Stocker is represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Sara Puls. The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Cate.
Addressing pandemic-related fraud is a priority of United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest and of the Department of Justice. For information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
New Haven Man Charged with Possessing Loaded Gun While Released on Bond in another Federal CaseRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned an indictment charging ANTRUM COSTON, 41, of New Haven, with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, and with committing the offense while released on bond in another case.
On September 18, 2023, Coston was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 37 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for pandemic relief fraud, money laundering, and drug offenses. Judge Underhill ordered Coston, who was released on bond, to surrender for service of his sentence on November 29, 2023.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, on October 25, 2023, New Haven Police arrested Coston after they found him in possession of a loaded Taurus G3 9mm handgun with an extended magazine, and various controlled substances.
It is alleged that Coston’s criminal history includes multiple felony convictions, including two federal convictions for firearm offenses.
The indictment was returned on March 6, 2023. Coston, who has been detained since his state arrest, appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas O. Farrish in Hartford and entered a plea of not guilty to the charge.
If convicted, Coston faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, and a consecutive sentence of up to 10 years for possessing the firearm while on federal release.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that a criminal complaint is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the New Haven Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel J. Gentile
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Minot, ND Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearms TraffickingRead the Press Release
Fargo – United States Attorney Mac Schneider announced today that April Bergman of Minot pleaded guilty today to firearms trafficking and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from on or about June 25, 2023 to July 9, 2023, Bergman received a Sig Sauer Model P365 9mm pistol, a Beretta Model PX4 Storm .40 caliber pistol, and a Smith and Wesson Model M&P 40 Shield .40 caliber pistol from another person in and otherwise affecting interstate and foreign commerce while knowing and having reasonable cause to believe that receipt of these firearms would constitute a felony in violation of a federal firearms trafficking statute, Title 18, United States Code, Sections 933(a)(2). Bergman also pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).
Bergman is scheduled to be sentenced on July 1, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. She faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison for firearms trafficking, 15 years in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, and a period of supervised release.
“The United States Attorney’s Office is committed using the tools Congress has provided to prosecute firearms trafficking,” Schneider said. “Aggressive prosecutions under these statutes will help keep firearms out of the hands of convicted felons and those who seek to use firearms to commit violent crime. I want to credit our partners in law enforcement and our career prosecutors for their work to secure this plea.”
This case was prosecuted under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress enacted, and the President signed in June 2022. The Act is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, and Stutsman County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Richard Lee, District of North Dakota.
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March Federal Grand Jury 2024-A Indictments AnnouncedRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the March Federal Grand Jury 2024-A Indictments.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Fernando Gonzalez-Leyva. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Gonzalez-Leyva, 53, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in Oct. 2017, at or near Laredo, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Attila Bogdan is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-065
Wesley Dale Pedro, Jr. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury to an Intimate/Dating Partner in Indian Country; Assault by Striking, Beating, and Wounding (Misdemeanor). Pedro, 54, of Tulsa, and member of Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, is charged with intentionally assaulting a victim with a dangerous weapon and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence in Sep. 2021. He allegedly assaulted a victim whom he had an intimate relationship with on Sep. 29, 2021. He is further charged with assaulting the same victim on Sep. 30, 2021. The FBI, Tulsa Police Department, and Coweta Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Briden is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-066
Jacob Dean Rowell. Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a
Drug Trafficking Crime; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; Possession of Drug Manufacturing Equipment. Rowell, 27, of Tulsa, is charged with knowingly possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. He allegedly maintained a residence for the distribution of fentanyl. Rowell is further charged with possessing a machine to manufacture controlled substances. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, Tulsa Police Department, and Oklahoma Highway Patrol are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Nasar is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-069Tallo Dominic Williams. Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Williams, 48, of Bristow, is charged with knowingly failing to register as a sex offender from Aug. 2023 through the date of the Indictment. The U.S. Marshal Service is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl L. Baber is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-067
Man Sentenced to 7+ Years in Prison After Domestic Assault, ShootingRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig on Monday sentenced a St. Louis County man who assaulted his then-girlfriend in 2022 to seven years and five months in prison.
Joshua Lee, 37, pleaded guilty in October to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He admitted being caught with a handgun on Aug. 6, 2022, by Saint Louis County Police Department officers who were responding to a report of a domestic incident involving an assault and shooting. The victim had been shot in the back. When Lee was arrested, he told officers that the victim shot herself.
Judge Fleissig on Monday found that evidence and testimony showed that Lee committed an aggravated assault by striking and choking his then-girlfriend before she was shot during a struggle over the gun Lee had in his waistband. Lee is a convicted felon and is barred from possessing a firearm. Judge Fleissig sentenced Lee to seven years in prison for that crime.
Lee was also on supervised release at the time of the assault after pleading guilty in 2016 to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Judge Fleissig on Monday sentenced Lee to five more months in prison for violating his supervised release.
The St. Louis County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine Hoag is prosecuting the case.
KC Woman Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of Two Child VictimsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., woman pleaded guilty in federal court today to charges related to the sexual exploitation of two child victims.
Jessica Ann Young, 33, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to two counts of the sexual exploitation of a minor.
Her husband, Houston Wade Young, 36, pleaded guilty to one count of the sexual exploitation of a minor on Jan. 30, 2024.
According to today’s plea agreement, Houston Young, while detained at the Vernon County, Mo., jail on March 5, 2020, was found to be in possession of a cell phone that contained images of child pornography. On March 7, 2020, law enforcement officers received information that Jessica Young had sent pornographic images of a 7-year-old child (identified in court documents as “John Doe 1”) to Houston Young’s cell phone.
Investigators found text messages on the cell phone between Jessica and Houston Young that discussed sexually abusing John Doe 1. During the text messages, Jessica Young sent Houston Young two pornographic images of John Doe 1. Multiple other images of child pornography sent by Jessica Young also were found on Houston Young’s cell phone.
Jessica Young admitted she had sexually abused two child victims, John Doe 1 and 13-year-old John Doe 2, on multiple occasions at a residence in Clay County, Mo. Jessica Young also admitted that she had recorded video of herself sexually abusing John Doe 2.
A forensic analysis of Houston Young’s cell phone also determined that he sent images of child pornography to Jessica Young and a 16-year-old child victim (identified in court documents as “Jane Doe”). Houston Young sent pornographic images of himself to Jane Doe, solicited child pornographic images of her that she sent to him, and engaged in sexual conversations. Jane Doe told investigators she met Houston Young on a game room chat, League of Legends, and started talking via that forum. They communicated via text, the Kik and Whatsapp applications, and video chat.
Houston Young has two prior felony convictions related to the sexual exploitation of children. He was convicted of child molestation in Wright County, Mo., in 2005 and of possessing child pornography in Jackson County, Mo., in 2016.
Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, the state has agreed to dismiss charges against Jessica Young of statutory rape and statutory sodomy in Clay County Circuit Court after she has been sentenced in federal court.
Under federal statutes, Jessica Young is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 30 years in federal prison without parole, on each of the two counts. Due to his prior convictions, Houston Young is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 35 years in federal prison without parole, up to life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the FBI, the Vernon County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and the Kentucky Department of Criminal Investigations.
Project Safe Childhood
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 . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Justice Department Fiscal Year 2025 Funding Request Budget Proposal to Uphold the Rule of Law, Keep America Safe, and Protect Civil RightsRead the Press Release
Note: Read the Department of Justice FY2025 Budget Fact Sheets here.
The President today submitted to Congress his Budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025, which requests a total of $37.8 billion in discretionary resources, an increase of $467 million over an FY 2024 Annualized Continuing Resolution, and a total of $10.5 billion in mandatory funding for the Justice Department.
“The dedicated men and women of the Justice Department work every day to uphold the rule of law, keep our country safe, and protect civil rights,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Securing these resources is critical to advancing that mission in service of the American people.”
Key investments to keep our country safe include:
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Over $20.6 billion to expand the capacity of the Department’s law enforcement and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to combat a wide range of complex and evolving threats. This includes $11.3 billion for the FBI and $2.8 billion for U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to carry out their complex missions, including keeping our country safe from violent crime, cybercrime, hate crimes, terrorism, espionage, and the proliferation and potential use of weapons of mass destruction. The budget also includes:
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$2.7 billion for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to continue the fight against dangerous drug trafficking gangs and cartels and to prevent the flow of deadly drugs into our communities.
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$1.9 billion for the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) to assist local law enforcement in apprehending violent fugitives from our neighborhoods and to protect our nation’s judges and courts.
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$2 billion for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to reduce gun violence and violent crime.
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Investments of $1.6 billion in discretionary funding and $3.5 billion in mandatory funding to combat violent crime and reduce gun violence in the United States. This includes the new Violent Crime Reduction and Prevention Fund (VCRPF) and mandatory funding for the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring Program. The VCRPF, over five years, will hire new federal law enforcement agents, prosecutors, and forensic specialist to combat fentanyl, as well as apprehend dangerous fugitives and aims to drive down the high rate of unsolved violent crimes and the lengthy delays that undermine public trust and public safety.
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$2.2 billion in mandatory funding, and $370 million in discretionary funding, for a total of almost $2.6 billion for the COPS Hiring Program to provide resources to meet the administration’s goal of 100,000 new police officers in America’s neighborhoods, through the President’s Safer America Plan.
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$884 million for a new mandatory Gun Crime Prevention Strategic Fund totaling $4.4 billion over five years in funding to provide states and localities with comprehensive resources to invest in law enforcement and crime prevention.
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$247.1 million in funding annually for five years for the new mandatory-funded VCRPF dedicated to providing resources to states, localities, and Tribal communities to help prevent and respond to violent crime. This funding supports 4,700 detectives at the state and local level over five years through COPS funding, as well as the USMS’ Operation North Star, DEA’s Operation Overdrive, additional prosecutors for U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, and expansion of ATF’s and FBI’s staffing efforts to bolster violent crime reduction.
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$7.7 billion for programs to protect national security, enhance cybersecurity, and combat cybercrime to counter terrorism and keep pace with rising national security threats, while protecting civil rights and civil liberties.
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$4.7 billion to support state and local law enforcement and community violence prevention and intervention programs to make neighborhoods safer.
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$483 million for COPS, which includes funding for law enforcement to boost community policing, the STOP School Violence Program to provides resources to prevent school violence, and active shooter training to prepare officials to respond to shooting incidents.
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$856.5 million for the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), which includes funding to support state, local, and Tribal public safety and community justice activities to reduce violent crime.
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$1.1 billion to protect the most vulnerable by combating child exploitation, combating gender-based discrimination and harassment, and protecting victims of violence and abuse. Funding is provided for several new programs within the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), including $20 million the Access to Sexual Assault Nurse Exams, $10 million for the Special Initiative to Address the Intersection of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons and Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Stalking, and Human Trafficking, and $3 million for the National Service Line for Incarcerated Survivors of Sexual Abuse.
Key investments to support the Department’s mission of protecting civil rights includes include $737.6 million in funding that supports:
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$641 million for the OJP to provide resources, leadership, and solutions to advance community safety, build community trust, and provide grants, including a $5 million increase for the Khalid Jabara and Heather Heyer NO HATE Act grant program. Funding includes $300 million for the Accelerating Justice System Reform initiative to enhance public safety while reducing disparities in the criminal and juvenile justice systems and $5 million for the Deaths in Custody Reporting Act (DCRA) to enhance the collection and reporting of DCRA data.
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$94 million to support the Department’s Body Worn Camera Initiative.
Key investments to support the Department’s mission to uphold the Rule of Law include $119.1 million in funding that supports:
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$38.1 million to protect democratic institutions, including:
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$28.1 million for the USMS’ Supreme Court of the U.S. Protective Services, which includes personnel and equipment for protective services and details.
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$10 million for grants under the Daniel Anderl Judicial Security and Privacy Act to help prevent the disclosure of personal information of Federal judges and their family members.
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$12.5 million for Justice Information Sharing Technology. This includes $10 million to support for the new National Law Enforcement Accountability Database that helps law enforcement agencies make more informed hiring decisions, thereby enhancing both accountability and public safety. In addition, $2.5 million is requested to support the Department’s effort to capitalize on the extraordinary capabilities of artificial intelligence in a responsible and secure manner.
The Department’s overall request for FY 2025 reflects the limits imposed by the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) of 2023.
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Jackson Man Sentenced to 26 Months in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A Jackson man was sentenced to 26 months in prison for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Anthony Craig Myrick, 45, of Jackson opened an account at BankPlus in September 2022 using someone else’s identity. He received several $500 checks he knew to be counterfeit United States Treasury checks from his co-defendant, Ronald Gardner. Gardner and Myrick deposited several counterfeit United States Treasury checks in the account at various BankPlus branches in the Jackson metro area and withdrew the cash before the checks were determined to be counterfeit. Myrick was ordered to pay restitution to BankPlus as part of his sentence.
Ronald Gardner and Anthony Myrick were indicted by a federal grand jury on August 22, 2023. Myrick pleaded guilty on October 17, 2023, and Gardner pleaded guilty on February 2, 2024. Gardner is scheduled to be sentenced on May 2, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 32 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick Davis made the announcement.
The U.S. Secret Service and Rankin County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie is prosecuting the case.
Hong Kong Man Charged with Smuggling Protected TurtlesRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury charged a Chinese man on Friday in a four-count indictment alleging he smuggled eastern box turtles, a protected wildlife species, from the United States to China for the global pet trade black market.
Photo of box turtles, from the complaint in case U.S. v. Sai Keung Tin. Credit: USFWS.Sai Keung Tin, 53, aka “SK Tin,” “Ricky Tin” and “Ji Yearlong,” of Hong Kong, is charged with four counts of exporting merchandise contrary to law.
Tin was arrested Feb. 25 at John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport in New York City and made his initial appearance the following day in federal court in Brooklyn. His arraignment is expected in the coming weeks in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.
According to the indictment returned Friday, Tin in June 2023 knowingly and illegally aided in the exportation of 40 eastern box turtles to be sent from the United States to Hong Kong. Wildlife inspectors at an international mail facility in Torrance, California, intercepted four packages addressed to “Ji Yearlong,” a name believed to be one of Tin’s aliases, and which were to be shipped to Tin’s home in Hong Kong, according to court documents. Tin allegedly falsely labeled the packages containing the protected turtles as containing almonds and chocolate cookies.
Three of the packages contained between eight and 12 live eastern box turtles each – all bound in socks, according to court papers. The fourth package contained seven live eastern box turtles and one deceased eastern box turtle. A special agent also searched property records and learned that the name listed as the sender on each of the packages was fake.
Photo of two eastern box turtles seized from a shipping container, from the complaint in case U.S. v. Sai Keung Tin. Credit: USFWS.The eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) is a subspecies of the common box turtle and is native to forested regions of the eastern United States with some isolated populations in the Midwest. Turtles with colorful markings are especially prized in the domestic and foreign pet trade market, particularly in China and Hong Kong. These animals are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), an international agreement to protect fish, wildlife and plants that are or may become threatened with extinction. The United States and China are parties to this agreement.
An affidavit that was filed with a criminal complaint filed with this case on Feb. 26 says that Tin was associated with Kang Juntao, of Hangzhou City, China, a convicted felon and international turtle smuggler. Kang recruited turtle poachers and suppliers in the United States to ship turtles domestically to middlemen, who would then bundle the turtles into other packages and export them to Hong Kong. The turtles were bound in socks to protect their shells and so they could not move and alert authorities.
Court papers allege that from June 2017 to December 2018, Kang caused at least 1,500 turtles – with a market value exceeding $2.25 million – to be shipped from the United States to Hong Kong. Middlemen shipped approximately 46 packages containing turtles from New York and New Jersey, which were routed through an international mail facility at JFK, to addresses in Hong Kong, including Tin’s.
Kang pleaded guilty to a money laundering charge after his extradition from Malaysia in 2019, and later was sentenced to 38 months in federal prison. Since Kang’s sentencing, law enforcement has continued to intercept packages addressed to Tin and others, court papers state.
If convicted, Tin faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for each smuggling count.
Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, U.S. Attorney E. Martin Estrada for the Central District of California and Assistant Director Edward Grace of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Office of Law Enforcement made the announcement.
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is investigating this case, with assistance from Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations.
Senior Trial Attorney Ryan Connors and Trial Attorney Lauren Steele of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dominique Caamano for the Central District of California are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Hong Kong Man Charged with Smuggling Protected TurtlesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Chinese man has been charged in a four-count indictment alleging he trafficked eastern box turtles, a protected wildlife species, from the United States to China for the global pet trade black market, the Justice Department announced today.
Sai Keung Tin, 53, a.k.a. “SK Tin,” Ricky Tin,” and “Ji Yearlong,” of Hong Kong, was charged on Friday with four counts of exporting merchandise contrary to law.
Tin was arrested February 25 at John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport in New York City and made his initial appearance the following day in federal court in Brooklyn. His arraignment is expected in the coming weeks in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.
According to the indictment returned Friday, Tin in June 2023 knowingly and illegally aided in the exportation of 40 eastern box turtles to be sent from the United States to Hong Kong. Wildlife inspectors at an international mail facility in Torrance intercepted four packages addressed to “Ji Yearlong,” a name believed to be one of Tin’s aliases, and which were to be shipped to Tin’s home in Hong Kong, according to court documents. Tin allegedly falsely labeled the packages containing the protected turtles as containing almonds and chocolate cookies.
Three of the packages contained between eight and 12 live eastern box turtles each – all bound in socks, according to court papers. The fourth package contained seven live eastern box turtles and one deceased eastern box turtle. A special agent also searched property records and learned that the name listed as the sender on each of the packages was fake.
The eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) is a subspecies of the common box turtle and is native to forested regions of the eastern United States with some isolated populations in the Midwest. Turtles with colorful markings are especially prized in the domestic and foreign pet trade market, particularly in China and Hong Kong. These animals are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), an international agreement to protect fish, wildlife and plants that are or may become threatened with extinction. The United States and China are parties to this agreement.
An affidavit that was filed with a criminal complaint filed with this case on February 26 says that Tin was associated with Kang Juntao, 27, of Hangzhou City, China, a convicted felon and international turtle smuggler. Kang recruited turtle poachers and suppliers in the United States to ship turtles domestically to middlemen, who would then bundle the turtles into other packages and export them to Hong Kong. The turtles were bound in socks to protect their shells and so they could not move and alert authorities.
Court papers allege that from June 2017 to December 2018, Kang caused at least 1,500 turtles – with a market value exceeding $2.25 million – to be shipped from the United States to Hong Kong. Middlemen shipped approximately 46 packages containing turtles from New York and New Jersey, which were routed through an international mail facility at JFK, to addresses in Hong Kong, including Tin’s.
Kang pleaded guilty to a money laundering charge after his extradition from Malaysia in 2019, and later was sentenced to 38 months in federal prison. Since Kang’s arrest, prosecution, and conviction, law enforcement has continued to intercept packages addressed to Tin and others, court papers state.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted, Tin would face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for each count.
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is investigating this matter. Homeland Security Investigations and United States Customs and Border Protection are assisting in this investigation.
Assistant United States Attorney Dominique Caamano of the Environmental Crimes and Consumer Protection Section and Senior Trial Attorney Ryan Connors and Trial Attorney Lauren Steele, both of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section, are prosecuting this case.
Harvey Man Indicted for Being Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – MIGUEL KEELEN, age 35, of Harvey, La., was indicted on March 8, 2024 for being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to the indictment, KEELEN possessed a firearm on the night of December 11, 2023. While at the Valero Gas Station on 2013 South Claiborne Avenue in New Orleans, KEELEN displayed and drew a pistol from his waistband before concealing the pistol and fleeing from police. KEELEN was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to his previous felony convictions. If convicted, KEELEN faces up to fifteen (15) years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to three (3) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
United States Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendants must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
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 and the New Orleans Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Rayburn of the Violent Crimes Unit.
Georgia Woman Sentenced in Rhode Island for Role in Multi-Million Dollar Romance Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – A Georgia woman who played a key role in a romance scam conspiracy that defrauded seniors in several states, including Rhode Island, out of at least $5.8 million has been sentenced in U.S. District Court in Rhode Island to nearly four years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Syretta Scherer, 42, of Snellville, GA, pleaded guilty on April 28, 2023, to a charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering. She was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., on March 7, 2024, to 46 months of incarceration to be followed by two years of federal supervised release.
The Court found that that Scherer laundered nearly $1.1 million of the nearly $3 million in stolen proceeds laundered by members of the conspiracy during the time she was part of the conspiracy, money that was stolen primarily from widows through internet-based romance scams. To carry out the schemes, members of the conspiracy contacted victims using app-based communication platforms, then cultivated relationships of trust and convincing their victims that money was needed for various purposes, among them supposed serious medical issues. The scammers directed their victims to send money via mail or wire transfer to various persons and addresses. The money would be deposited into various accounts controlled by Scherer and others before being redirected elsewhere.
According to information presented to the court, in late 2017, in support of her fraudulent activity, Scherer created a sham company, Precise Carriers, that she used to open numerous bank accounts, at different banks, into which victim funds were deposited. Beginning in February 2018 and continuing into November 2019, Scherer used bank accounts in her name and in the name of the sham company to deposit and withdraw victim funds, often in a structured manner to avoid bank currency transaction requirements. On multiple dates, Scherer deposited victim funds at multiple bank branches on a single day so as to avoid questions about the amounts of the deposits and withdrawals. When some of the banks questioned her banking activity, and shut down an account into which victim funds had been deposited, Scherer opened another account. As part of the scheme, Scherer also recruited others, including her friends, to open bank accounts that she used to launder victim funds.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Denise M. Barton and John P. McAdams.
The matter was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Labor-Office of Inspector General, and U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration in Atlanta.
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Fort Myers Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Unlawfully Possessing Loaded FirearmRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Christopher Jorge Ponce (37, Naples) to 6 years and 10 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. The court also ordered Ponce to forfeit the firearm and ammunition possessed during the offense. Ponce pleaded guilty on November 22, 2023.
According to court records, on December 30, 2022, a Lee County Sheriff’s Office deputy responded to a gas station in Lehigh Acres and observed what appeared to be a sleeping man sitting in the driver’s seat of vehicle parked at a gas pump with a six-inch long clear glass pipe and lighter sitting in his lap. The male was later identified as Christopher Ponce, and when his vehicle was searched, deputies found quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine, as well as a loaded Smith and Wesson firearm which was linked to Ponce. As a convicted felon who previously served time in federal prison for a firearms offense, Ponce is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the Fort Myers Police Department, and Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon R. Eth.
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 federal officer admits to smuggling aliens and receiving bribes to allow cocaine across the borderRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A former Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer has been convicted in two separate federal cases and now faces decades in prison, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Emanuel Isac Celedon, 36, Laredo, pleaded guilty to four counts of bringing an undocumented alien to the United States through the Lincoln Juarez Port of Entry (POE) in Laredo. In a separate case, he also admitted to bribery and attempted importation of cocaine for taking money to allow what he thought was cocaine to cross into the United States from Mexico.
As part of the smuggling conspiracy, Celedon provided his daily lane assignment to conspirators to allow entry without inspection or documentation of passengers. This occurred on at least nine occasions between September and November 2023. Authorities also discovered that during at least two of these smuggling events, Celedon falsely input information into a CBP database in order to avoid sending the driver to mandatory secondary inspection.
The investigation revealed he asked others to relay information about his role to Mexican smugglers in attempts to reassure them he was doing his part to facilitate the organization’s human smuggling efforts.
Law enforcement seized $1,980 in cash from Celedon at the time of his arrest, which he admitted were proceeds from human smuggling.
In a separate case, Celedon agreed to smuggle what he believed were kilograms of cocaine from Mexico through his duty lane at the Laredo POE on two occasions in October 2023.
Celedon sought contacts within the cartels who would pay him to smuggle cocaine through the POE. The undercover investigation revealed Celedon expressed his interest in smuggling cocaine for payment, provided his duty schedule and instructed others to direct vehicles to his lane so he could allow them to safely cross into the United States.
Celedon was paid a total of $6,000 after the vehicles with sham cocaine safely crossed the POE.
U.S. District Judges Diana Saldana and Marina Garcia Marmolejo will impose sentencing at later dates on the smuggling and bribery cases, respectively. At those times, Celedon faces up to 10 years on two counts and 15 years on the other two counts in the smuggling case as well as another 15 years for the bribery and 40 years for the drug charges. He also faces hundreds of thousands in possible fines.
Celedon will remain in custody pending those hearings.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) - Office of Inspector General, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations and CBP- Office of Professional Responsibility conducted the investigation with assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety, Border Patrol, Webb County Constable Precinct 2 and CBP Laredo Joint Forensic Center. Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSA) Jennifer Day and Richard Bennett are prosecuting both cases. AUSA Brian Bajew handled the plea today.
This investigation is related to an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) case. 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 on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
This case is also supported by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). Attorney General Merrick B. Garland created JTFA in June 2021 in partnership with the DHS to strengthen the Justice Department’s overall efforts to combat the rise in prolific and dangerous smuggling emanating from Central America and impacting our border communities. JTFA is comprised of detailees from southwest border U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, including the Southern and Western Districts of Texas, District of New Mexico, District of Arizona and Southern District of California. Numerous components of the Criminal Division are part of JTFA and provide dedicated support for the program which the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section leads. The Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training; Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section; Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section; Office of Enforcement Operations; Office of International Affairs and Violent Crime and Racketeering Section also provide support. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, DEA and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in over 271 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers and significant facilitators of human smuggling; more than 211 U.S. convictions; significant jail sentences imposed; and substantial asset forfeiture.
Former Postal Employee Indicted for Delaying and Stealing U.S. MailRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – RANDY BROWN, JR., age 31, a resident of Gretna, La., was indicted on March 8, 2024 on four-counts including, unlawful delay of U.S. Mail matter by a postal employee, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1703(a) and theft of U.S. Mail matter by a postal employee, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1709.
According to Count One, between on or about July of 2022, through October 4, 2022, BROWN unlawfully secreted, detained, and delayed U.S. mail entrusted to him as a postal employee. If convicted, BROWN faces up to 5 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
According to Counts Two through Four, on September 26, 2022, September 27, 2022, and October 3, 2022, BROWN did knowingly embezzle, steal, abstract, and remove checks from U.S. mail entrusted to him as a postal employee. If convicted, BROWN faces up to 5 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Troy L. Bell of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Former Luzerne County Police Officer Sentenced to 96 Months in Prison for Conspiring to Distribute DrugsRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Kevin Davis, age 28, of Wilkes-Barre Pennsylvania, was sentenced on March 7, 2024, to 96 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, marijuana, fentanyl, and methamphetamine.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, between May 2021 and April 2022, Davis rented an apartment to a drug trafficking operation in Wilkes-Barre knowing the apartment was solely being used to store illegal drugs and drug proceeds. Davis installed security cameras inside the apartment and acted as security for the drug trafficking organization. He instructed members of the organization what to do and say if they were stopped by the police and warned them about potential law enforcement surveillance. On one occasion he used a law enforcement data base to determine whether a member of the organization had been stopped by law enforcement. During the time of the conspiracy, Davis was employed as a patrolman for a Luzerne County Municipal Police Department. Judge Mannion determined at sentencing that Davis abused is position of trust as a law enforcement officer when committing these acts.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Bureau of Narcotic Investigations, and the Luzerne County Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Hardik prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
This case is also 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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Former Laguna Niguel Resident Indicted for Allegedly Threatening to Kill Orange County Family Law JudgeRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A former Orange County resident has been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly threatening to kill a superior court judge who presided over his family law case, the Justice Department announced today.
Byrom Zuniga Sanchez, 32, formerly of Laguna Niguel, but whose most recent residence was in Morella, Mexico, is charged in an indictment returned Friday with two counts of threats by interstate and foreign communication.
Zuniga was arrested February 27 in San Diego and remains in federal custody there. His arraignment is expected to occur in the coming weeks in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
“There has been a troubling increase in threats against public servants, including judicial officers,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “These threats undermine the rule of law, are anathema in our democracy, and will not be tolerated. As such, my office will continue to aggressively prosecute all such violent criminal conduct.”
“The chilling threats allegedly made by Zuniga Sanchez via e-mail and online caused profound fear for many people in the legal and law enforcement community, and forced some to take extra security precautions,” said Amir Ehsaei, the Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The FBI and our partners take such threats extremely seriously so that judges and others who make difficult decisions every day don’t suffer needlessly for simply carrying out their duties.”
According to court documents previously filed in this case, from May 2023 to July 2023, Zuniga sent multiple death threats via email to the victim judge. Zuniga allegedly also threatened to kill or harm others, including other judges, lawyers, and law enforcement officials.
For example, in July 2023, Zuniga allegedly emailed the victim judge’s former courtroom, “I am more committed to murdering you than I am to being present as a father.”
In the same email, Zuniga allegedly also wrote, “You’re already dead. The remainder of my life will be dedicated to assassinating judges, attorneys, and a police station’s entire shift staff.”
In September 2023, Zuniga allegedly posted on his Instagram account, “With access to a weapon, it is easier for me to walk into a courthouse and indiscriminately assasinate [sic] because I notified lawyers and judges.” This statement was directed at the courthouse in Orange where he had been involved in family law proceedings from 2019 to 2021. Zuniga also allegedly in October 2023 threatened to conduct an active shooting at the same courthouse.
These communications were sent via interstate commerce, and law enforcement believes Zuniga was in Mexico when he sent the threatening messages. Zuniga was arrested last week after attempting to enter the United States.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted, Zuniga would face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each count.
The FBI is investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney J’me K. Forrest of the Violent and Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case.
Former Fresno Sleep Clinic Owner Sentenced to 19 Months in Prison for Submitting Nearly $1 Million in Fraudulent Claims for Sleep Studies to MedicareRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Travis Gober, 45, of Hanford, was sentenced to 19 months in prison today for committing health care fraud and aggravated identity theft by submitting more than $1 million in fraudulent claims for sleep studies to Medicare, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court records, Gober owned the VIP Sleep Center, which operated sleep clinics in Fresno and Tulare Counties. Sleep clinics perform diagnostic sleep studies on patients to identify disorders like sleep apnea and narcolepsy.
From October 2019 through September 2021, Gober caused the VIP Sleep Center to submit thousands of claims totaling nearly $1 million to Medicare for sleep studies that were not actually performed on patients. The claims also falsely stated that the patients had been referred for the sleep studies by physicians with whom Gober had previously worked. This was done because Medicare will not pay for a sleep study unless the patient was referred by a physician.
Gober committed this fraud, at least in part, to try to payoff financial debts and address other financial difficulties that his brother, Jeremy Gober, had caused the VIP Sleep Center and him to incur without his knowledge or consent.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the California Department of Health Care Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Barton is prosecuting the case.
Travis Gober’s brother, Jeremy Gober, was previously charged with, and has pleaded guilty to, health care fraud and aggravated identity theft related to other sleep clinics in the Central Valley. Jeremy Gober is scheduled to be sentenced on May 20, 2024.
Former Chairman of the Village of Hempstead Housing Authority Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Fraud and CorruptionRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Cornell Bozier, the former Chairman of the Board of Commissioners (Board) at the Village of Hempstead Housing Authority (VHHA) was sentenced by United States District Judge Joan M. Azrack to 10 years in prison for conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and three counts of federal program bribery. Bozier was convicted by a federal jury in April 2019.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and William Woolard, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of the Inspector General (HUD-OIG), Northeast Region, announced the sentence.
“The defendant exploited his official position as Chairman of the Village of Hempstead Housing Authority to enrich himself at the expense of the elderly, disabled and low-income residents whom he was meant to serve,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Corruption at any level of government erodes public confidence in the institution and will not be tolerated in this district as the defendant learned the hard way.”
“Cornell Bozier and his co-conspirators engaged in an egregious false billing and kickback scheme resulting in the theft of critical taxpayer dollars,” stated HUD-OIG Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Woolard. “Moreover, they risk damaging the integrity of HUD programs and violate the trust of the communities who rely on them. HUD OIG will continue to work with its law enforcement partners to vigorously pursue those who seek to profit by abusing HUD-funded programs.”
The VHHA was established to provide low-income families, disabled residents, and senior citizens in Hempstead with safe, sanitary, and affordable housing, and received nearly $1 million in federal funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) during the defendant’s tenure as Board Chairman from 2011 to 2013. The funding from HUD included money needed for capital improvements, major repairs, and other large-scale construction projects. Before HUD would release funds for the more expensive construction projects, the VHHA was required to follow a Procurement Policy designed to ensure open and transparent competition in the bidding process and contract awards to the lowest responsible bidder.
As proven at Bozier’s trial and set forth in court filings, rather than providing his residents with the honest services they needed, the defendant used his official position to orchestrate a bid-rigging and kickback scheme by filling numerous positions in the Housing Authority with either co-conspirators who were actively participating in the scheme, or people he believed could be manipulated and would not interfere. Bozier relied on bribes, threats and intimidation to pressure other Board members into supporting his fraudulent schemes. Bozier also fraudulently induced the Board to declare numerous projects as emergencies to sidestep the normal procedure process by which the VHHA obtained HUD funding. During the conspiracy, the defendant and his co-conspirators submitted grossly inflated bids to the Board for repair projects at properties throughout the VHHA and Bozier used his de facto control over the Board to secure the acceptance of those bids. The work related to those projects was then subcontracted out at a fraction of the amount paid by the VHHA for nominal and, in many cases, substandard repairs and work. Bozier demanded and received numerous cash payments from his co-conspirators, who prepared and submitted the fraudulent bids as kickbacks for his role in the scheme, which totaled more than $100,000.
For example, the VHHA paid a co-conspirator company, Devlin Mac Construction, $273,900 to replace the roof at one of its apartment buildings. Rather than replacing the roof, a subcontractor was paid $23,000 to patch and repair certain sections. The rest of the VHHA’s money was split between the defendant and his co-conspirators, with the defendant receiving $55,000 in kickbacks for his role. This scheme was repeated and fraudulent bids were submitted for more than a half dozen construction projects during Bozier’s tenure, as he tried to steal as much of the VHHA’s money as he could. In total, the defendant steered more than $800,000 of VHHA funds to co-conspirator companies as part of his fraudulent scheme and received more than $100,000 in kickback payments.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Paul G. Scotti and Artie McConnell are in charge of the prosecution. Assistant United States Attorney Madeline O’Connor of the Office’s Civil Division handled forfeiture matters.
The Defendant:
CORNELL BOZIER
Age: 63
North Baldwin, Long IslandE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 15-CR-303 (S-1) (JMA)
Former Attorney at Law Office Representing Foster Children Charged with Distributing and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A former supervising attorney at a nonprofit that provides legal representation to foster children in juvenile dependency court was arraigned today on federal criminal charges alleging he possessed and distributed child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Charles Aghoian, 61, of Camarillo, is charged with three counts of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. He voluntarily surrendered this morning to federal law enforcement.
He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. A federal magistrate judge set his bond at $1 million and a May 6 trial date has been scheduled in this matter.
According to an indictment that a federal grand jury returned on March 1, Aghoian in December 2020 and January 2021 knowingly distributed sexually explicit videos featuring children. In April 2021, Aghoian also allegedly possessed on his smartphone images of child sexual abuse material including children under the age of 12 years.
At the time of the alleged conduct, Aghoian was a supervising attorney at the Children’s Law Center of California, which maintains offices in Monterey Park, Sacramento, and Lancaster. The organization provides legal representation for abused, neglected, or abandoned children who fall under the jurisdiction of the state’s juvenile dependency court system. Its attorneys serve Los Angeles, Sacramento, and Placer counties.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted, Aghoian would face a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison on each child pornography distribution charge and a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each child pornography possession and distribution charges.
The FBI is investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Nisha Chandran of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section and Alexandra Kelley of the General Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.
Ford Motor Company Agrees to Pay $365M to Settle Customs Civil Penalty Claims Relating to Misclassified and Under-Valued VehiclesRead the Press Release
Ford Motor Company has agreed to pay the United States $365 million to resolve allegations that it violated the Tariff Act of 1930 by misclassifying and understating the value of hundreds of thousands of its Transit Connect vehicles, the Justice Department announced today.
The settlement resolves allegations that Ford devised a scheme to avoid higher duties by misclassifying cargo vans. Specifically, the government alleged that from April 2009 to March 2013, Ford imported Transit Connect cargo vans from Turkey into the United States and presented them to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) with sham rear seats and other temporary features to make the vans appear to be passenger vehicles. These temporary rear seats were never intended to be, and never were, used to carry passengers. Rather, the government alleged, Ford included these seats and features to avoid paying the 25% duty rate applicable to cargo vehicles. By classifying the vans as vehicles for the transport of passengers, Ford instead paid a duty rate of just 2.5%. Ford submitted entry papers to CBP declaring these vehicles as classifiable under tariff heading 8703 as “Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally designed for the transport of persons.” After customs clearance, each of these Transit Connect vehicles was immediately stripped of its rear seats and returned to its original identity as a two-seat cargo van.
The settlement also resolves allegations that, from April 2009 through August 2013, Ford avoided paying import duties by under-declaring to CBP the value of certain Transit Connect vehicles.
“When companies misclassify imports to avoid paying what they owe, they will be held accountable,” said Acting Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer. “Today’s settlement is a victory for American taxpayers and for our efforts to combat trade fraud and ensure compliance with United States trade laws. Companies that attempt to evade customs duties with sham representations and workarounds will not be rewarded.”
“Importers have an obligation to truthfully declare the nature of their products and pay the duties that are owed,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The government will not permit companies to evade duties by adding sham features to their products and then misclassifying them.”
“This settlement, which is one of the largest customs penalty settlements in recent history, demonstrates that U.S. Customs and Border Protection will pursue even the largest companies to ensure that all importers follow the rules; our intent is to enforce the customs laws fairly, which means that non-compliance is not an option for anyone,” said Senior Official Performing Duties of the Commissioner Troy A. Miller of CBP. “The partnership between CBP and the Justice Department provides a critical safeguard to protect the revenue of the United States.”
To combat trade fraud, including avoidance of import duties, the Justice Department created a Trade Fraud Task Force. The Task Force partners with CBP and other law enforcement agencies to ensure compliance with United States trade laws.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between CBP and the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch’s International Field Office and National Courts Section.
Attorneys Beverly Farrell and Justin Miller of the Civil Division’s International Trade Field Office and Claudia Burke, Joshua Kurland, Patricia McCarthy and Frank White of the Civil Division’s National Courts Section handled this matter.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
Florida Man Arrested for Alleged Decades-Long Scheme to Hide Assets from the IRSRead the Press Release
A federal criminal complaint was unsealed today in the Southern District of Florida charging a Florida man with conspiring to defraud the United States by hiding income and assets offshore and with making a false statement to the IRS.
According to the allegations contained in the complaint,[1] between 1985 and 2020, Dan Rotta hid more than $20 million in assets in at least two dozen secret bank accounts at five different Swiss banks, including UBS and Credit Suisse. Over the years, Rotta allegedly earned substantial income from these assets that he did not report on his tax returns.
Starting in 2008, after it was reported publicly that UBS and its bankers were under criminal investigation for helping U.S. taxpayers evade their taxes, Rotta allegedly took steps to continue concealing his offshore assets, including by closing his UBS account and moving the funds to Credit Suisse and another Swiss bank, and then later transferring the funds into Swiss bank accounts in the name of nominees.
In 2011, the IRS allegedly began auditing Rotta after it obtained evidence that he had unreported foreign financial accounts. Allegedly, Rotta falsely denied that he had any such accounts. During the audit, the IRS allegedly obtained evidence showing Rotta received transfers of hundreds of thousands of dollars from these foreign accounts that he did not report on his tax returns. Rotta allegedly claimed that these transfers were non-taxable loans from third parties and caused his representative to present the IRS with sham loan documents to corroborate his claims. As part of the scheme, Rotta allegedly enlisted his friend and cousin, Co-Conspirator 1, a native and resident of Brazil, to claim to the IRS that he either made or facilitated the fake loans.
The IRS allegedly did not believe Rotta and assessed additional taxes as well as penalties and interest against him. Rotta allegedly then caused a petition in U.S. Tax Court to be filed that sought a redetermination of the IRS’s assessments. In that petition, Rotta, through his attorney, allegedly falsely denied having any foreign accounts and attached the fictitious loan documents. Furthermore, Rotta allegedly caused Co-Conspirator 1 to travel to the United States and retell the false loan story to IRS attorneys. In 2017, after Rotta allegedly presented evidence showing that the purported loans had been repaid, the IRS reversed the deficiencies and agreed that Rotta owed no additional tax. Unbeknownst to the IRS, however, the funds that Rotta purportedly repaid to the third parties allegedly went into accounts that he controlled.
In 2019, after he allegedly became aware that the IRS would receive copies of his Swiss bank records, Rotta attempted to participate in the IRS’s voluntary disclosure practice. Under that practice, taxpayers who willfully do not comply with their tax and reporting obligations can make timely, accurate and complete disclosures of their conduct, which may be a way to resolve their non-compliance and limit their criminal exposure. In his submission, which was signed under penalties of perjury, Rotta allegedly made several false statements.
Rotta was arrested on March 9 and made his initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jared M Strauss of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. If convicted, Rotta faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the conspiracy charge and five years in prison for the false statement charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida made the announcement.
The International Tax and Financial Crimes group of IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Senior Litigation Counsels Sean Beaty and Mark Daly and Trial Attorneys Patrick Elwell and William Montague of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Homer for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Rotta Complaint.pdf
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the complaint and the description of the complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations. Every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Florida Man Arrested for Alleged Decades-Long Scheme to Hide Assets from the IRSRead the Press Release
Defendant Allegedly Hid Millions in Unreported Assets in Series of Swiss Bank Accounts
MIAMI – A federal criminal complaint was unsealed today in the Southern District of Florida charging a Florida man with conspiring to defraud the United States by hiding income and assets offshore and with making a false statement to the IRS.
According to the allegations contained in the complaint,[1] between 1985 and 2020, Dan Rotta hid more than $20 million in assets in at least two dozen secret bank accounts at five different Swiss banks, including UBS and Credit Suisse. Over the years, Rotta allegedly earned substantial income from these assets that he did not report on his tax returns.
Starting in 2008, after it was reported publicly that UBS and its bankers were under criminal investigation for helping U.S. taxpayers evade their taxes, Rotta allegedly took steps to continue concealing his offshore assets, including by closing his UBS account and moving the funds to Credit Suisse and another Swiss bank, and then later transferring the funds into Swiss bank accounts in the name of nominees.
In 2011, the IRS allegedly began auditing Rotta after it obtained evidence that he had unreported foreign financial accounts. Allegedly, Rotta falsely denied that he had any such accounts. During the audit, the IRS allegedly obtained evidence showing Rotta received transfers of hundreds of thousands of dollars from these foreign accounts that he did not report on his tax returns. Rotta allegedly claimed that these transfers were non-taxable loans from third parties and caused his representative to present the IRS with sham loan documents to corroborate his claims. As part of the scheme, Rotta allegedly enlisted his friend and cousin, Co-Conspirator 1, a native and resident of Brazil, to claim to the IRS that he either made or facilitated the fake loans.
The IRS allegedly did not believe Rotta and assessed additional taxes as well as penalties and interest against him. Rotta allegedly then caused a petition in U.S. Tax Court to be filed that sought a redetermination of the IRS’s assessments. In that petition, Rotta, through his attorney, allegedly falsely denied having any foreign accounts and attached the fictitious loan documents. Furthermore, Rotta allegedly caused Co-Conspirator 1 to travel to the United States and retell the false loan story to IRS attorneys. In 2017, after Rotta allegedly presented evidence showing that the purported loans had been repaid, the IRS reversed the deficiencies and agreed that Rotta owed no additional tax. Unbeknownst to the IRS, however, the funds that Rotta purportedly repaid to the third parties allegedly went into accounts that he controlled.
In 2019, after he allegedly became aware that the IRS would receive copies of his Swiss bank records, Rotta attempted to participate in the IRS’s voluntary disclosure practice. Under that practice, taxpayers who willfully do not comply with their tax and reporting obligations can make timely, accurate and complete disclosures of their conduct, which may be a way to resolve their non-compliance and limit their criminal exposure. In his submission, which was signed under penalties of perjury, Rotta allegedly made several false statements.
Rotta was arrested on March 9 and made his initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jared M. Strauss of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. If convicted, Rotta faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the conspiracy charge and five years in prison for the false statement charge. 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 Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
The International Tax and Financial Crimes group of IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Homer for the Southern District of Florida, and Senior Litigation Counsels Sean Beaty and Mark Daly and Trial Attorneys Patrick Elwell and William Montague of the Justice Department’s Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the complaint and the description of the complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations. Every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
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Federal Jury Convicts Four Unforgiven Members for Violent Racketeering OffensesRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Maverick Maher (42, Pensacola), Brandon Welch (36, Milton), Joshua Williamson (39, Live Oak), and Scott Marshall (48, Port Richey), guilty of violent crimes in aid of racketeering charges. Maher, Welch, Williamson, and Marshall were indicted on July 1, 2021.
Defendant
Conviction Offense(s)
Maximum sentence
Maverick Maher
a/k/a Saxon
Assault in aid of racketeering (3 counts)
Conspiracy to commit assault in aid of racketeering
(3 counts)
Threats in aid of racketeering
Conspiracy to commit assault in aid of racketeering
Conspiracy to commit assault in aid of racketeering
Threats in aid of racketeering
20 years in prison
(per count)
3 years in prison
(per count)
5 years in prison
3 years in prison
3 years in prison
5 years in prison
20 years in prison
20 years in prison
Brandon Welch
a/k/a Scumbag
Assault in aid of racketeering
20 years in prison
Joshua Williamson
a/k/a Chaingang
Assault in aid of racketeering
20 years in prison
Scott Marshall
a/k/a Solo
Kidnapping in aid of racketeering
Assault in aid of Racketeering
Life in prison
20 years in prison
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, the defendants were members of the “Unforgiven,” a white supremacy prison gang started in the Florida Department of Corrections. Since its founding, the enterprise has grown to include members inside and outside the department of corrections. The Unforgiven has a written “constitution” which described the means of gaining membership—by committing an extreme act of violence—and calls for violence against members who commit “violations.”
Members organized for meetings to discuss Unforgiven business. During these meetings, members in bad standing were discussed and their membership voted upon. In addition to in-person meetings, the Unforgiven Council used the Marco Polo messaging application to discuss and vote on violations, which included “patch takings” or the involuntary removal of the gang’s tattoo. The evidence at trial established assaults on five members of the Unforgiven who were attacked and mutilated.
On January 2, 2019, Welch and Williamson stabbed fellow Unforgiven member J.T. in the Columbia Correctional Institution. Welch and Williamson attacked J.T. to gain or maintain membership in the Unforgiven. Testimony and evidence established Welch and Williamson stabbed J.T. twelve times and caused significant injuries requiring J.T. be transported via helicopter for medical care.
On January 19, 2019, Maher confined and defaced C.L., a member of the Unforgiven, to maintain membership in the Unforgiven. Testimony of witnesses established Maher sat on C.L. while he forcibly tattooed over numerous existing tattoos on C.L.’s body.
Maher also aided or abetted two additional attacks. In July 2020, members of the Unforgiven attacked C.S. in his home in Lake City, Florida, and struck C.S. with a shotgun before slicing open his back to deface his “patch.” Testimony established Maher sent the group from a church meeting in Satsuma, Florida to enforce a vote taken by members.
Testimony and evidence also established that Maher targeted W.H., a member of the Unforgiven. Unforgiven members attacked W.H. in his living room within Pasco County in June 2020 and forcibly tattooed over W.H.’s Unforgiven tattoos.
In November 2019, Scott Marshall and two other Unforgiven members lured R.S. to a home in Pasco County. The men held R.S. against his will and forcibly covered R.S.’s Unforgiven tattoos. Parts of the attack were videotaped by one of the assailants and shared with Unforgiven members over Marco Polo.
Maher conspired with others over the Marco Polo application to assault a number of Unforgiven members, as well as “grey boys” and “race traitors” in response to perceived disrespect to the enterprise.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Florida Department of Corrections Inspector General’s Office, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, and the Lake City Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Samantha Beckman and David Sullivan
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. 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 www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Father and Son Duo Sentenced to Prison in $21 Million Dollar Medicare SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – March 11, 2024
SAN DIEGO – Anthony Duane Bell Sr. and his son, Anthony Duane Bell Jr., were sentenced in federal court today to 65 months and 12 months and one day, respectively, for their roles in fraudulently receiving more than $21 million in Medicare payments and lying to cover it up.
The pair, along with others, conspired to commit Medicare fraud by billing for medically-unnecessary durable medical equipment such as knee, ankle, shoulder, wrist and back braces. Bell Sr. pleaded guilty to Medicare fraud while Bell Jr. pleaded guilty to making false statements to a federal officer.
U.S. District Court Judge William Q. Hayes also ordered Bell Sr. to pay $21,725,604.56 in restitution to Medicare and forfeit $806,375.12 and a luxury house in El Cajon. The forfeited property was purchased using money obtained from the fraud. In arriving at the sentence, Judge Hayes found that Bell Sr. intended to defraud Medicare of over $46 million dollars and received over $21 million dollars.
“This brazen scheme exploited elderly and disabled Medicare beneficiaries so these defendants could line their own pockets,” said U.S. Attorney Tara K. McGrath. “Together with our law enforcement partners, this office will continue to vigorously investigate and prosecute fraud that diverts Medicare funds from some of our nation’s most vulnerable citizens.”
“Those who game the system to take advantage of federal health care programs for personal financial gain do so at the expense of those who rely on these programs and American taxpayers,” said Special Agent in Charge Timothy B. DeFrancesca of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Together with our law enforcement partners, HHS-OIG will continue working diligently to hold these individuals accountable.”
“The Bells using their business as a front to defraud the U.S. government and Medicare program is unacceptable,” said FBI San Diego Acting Special Agent in Charge Tom Ryan. “The FBI and its law enforcement partners will continue to dedicate their resources to make sure individuals who try to illegally profit from the U.S. government will be prosecuted.”
According to court records, the Bells created companies known as Universal Medical Solutions 1 and Universal Medical Solutions 2, which supplied durable medical equipment. In order to find customers for their businesses, the Bells entered into sham agreements with “marketing” companies that, instead of marketing, provided packets of information about Medicare beneficiaries for $125 to $350 each. These packets of information included a Medicare beneficiary’s personal information, medical history, Medicare number, and an audio recording between a call center and the patient, in which the patient supposedly agreed to accept a brace. The packet also included a signed prescription from a doctor, obtained via telemedicine, claiming that the brace was medically necessary for the patient – although in almost all cases the prescription was signed by a physician who had no previous doctor-patient relationship with the patient, was often in another state, and at most had conducted an audio call with the patient. In all cases the doctor had not conducted any kind of physical examination of the patient.
The Bells bought thousands of these patient packets, each time indirectly paying the telemedicine doctors through the “marketing” companies. The packets were referred to in the industry as “Doctor’s Orders” or “D.O.s.” The Bells purchased the “D.O.s” for a variety of braces, paying the most (up to $350) for a back brace prescription, the type of medical equipment for which Medicare offered the highest reimbursement. The Bells could then, after shipping the brace to the patient, bill Medicare around $1,359.89 for each back brace, through their companies. The Bells also bought other braces, including wrist, knee, and shoulder braces, and billed Medicare at much higher prices than they paid for them.
When Bell Jr. was interviewed by the FBI, he lied about his knowledge of the scheme.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Valerie H. Chu and Christopher M. Alexander of the Southern District of California.
DEFENDANTS Criminal Case No. 20CR2887-WQ
Anthony Duane Bell Sr. Age: 55 El Cajon, California
Anthony Duane Bell Jr. Age: 33 El Cajon, California
SUMMARY OF CHARGE
Health Care Fraud, a felony, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1347.
Maximum Penalty: Ten years in custody; a fine of $250,000; a mandatory special assessment of $100; an order of restitution; and a three-year term of supervised release.
False Statement, a felony, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001.
Maximum Penalty: Five years in custody; a fine of $250,000; a mandatory special assessment of $100; an order of restitution; and a three-year term of supervised release.
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General
United States Marshal’s Service
Fairbanks man sentenced to 25 years for enticing, trafficking two minorsRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A Fairbanks man was sentenced today to 25 years in prison for coercing two minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct.
According to court documents, in September 2022, Leveron Moore, 40, enticed two minors, aged 15 and 16 at the time, for the purpose of coercive sexual exploitation.
Moore also used his cell phone to produce, attempt to produce and possess photos of sexually explicit conduct involving both minor victims and used an application on his phone to hide the images from law enforcement.
One of the minor victims reported the abuse to a local health official, and Moore was arrested by the FBI in March 2023. Moore had previously been separated from the U.S. Army while stationed at Fort Wainwright in lieu of a court martial after having been charged with the attempted sexual assault of an 18-year-old subordinate in 2016.
The defendant is required to serve 20 years’ supervised release as part of his sentence.
“Mr. Moore deliberately targeted two of Alaska’s most vulnerable community members and will now pay the price for his destructive actions,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska. “We commend the tremendous bravery of both victims for disclosing Mr. Moore’s heinous conduct to officials. My office stands by our firm commitment to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute any instance of child exploitation.”
“Mr. Moore deliberately exploited and abused minors, the most vulnerable members of our community,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Kevin Vorndran of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “The FBI will continue to work collaboratively with law enforcement partners and service providers to seek justice for these horrific crimes against children.”
The FBI Anchorage Field Office, with assistance from the Alaska State Troopers and the Fairbanks Police Department, investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Alexander prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the
Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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Essex County Man Charged with Possession of Firearm and FentanylRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County man has been arrested on drug and weapons charges, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
William Elliot, 42, of Newark, is charged by complaint with one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa in Newark federal court on March 7, 2024, and was detained.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On March 6, 2024, law enforcement officers responded to Elliot’s residence and executed lawful searches of his residence and two vehicles, recovering over 40 grams of fentanyl labeled “GMA” and “SRT,” over 300 grams of cocaine, ammunition, and a Ruger Model P94 .40 caliber firearm.
The count of being a felon in possession of a weapon is punishable by a maximum of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest; the count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine is punishable by a statutory minimum of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years in prison and a fine of $5 million, or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greatest. The count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug crime in punishable by a mandatory minimum of five years in prison, a maximum of live in prison, and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest.
The charges carry a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 10 years.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and task force officers of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller; and the Jersey City Police Department Intelligence Unit, under the direction of Public Safety Director James Shea, with the investigation leading to the charges.
This investigation was conducted as part of the Jersey City Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The VCI was formed in 2018 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Jersey City Police Department, for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Jersey City. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate to strategize and prioritize the prosecution of violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals, the Jersey City Police Department, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, the Hudson County Jail, and the New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Linares of the Organized Crime/Gang Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
elliot.complaint.pdfEight-Time Violent Felon Sentenced to 45 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Possessing a Machinegun in Furtherance of Drug-Trafficking CrimesRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Mobile man was sentenced today to 45 years in prison for drug conspiracy, possessing bulk marijuana with intent to distribute it, possessing an illegally modified machinegun in furtherance of drug-trafficking crimes, illegally possessing firearms as an eight-time convicted violent felon, and illegally possessing an unregistered machinegun.
According to court documents and evidence presented at a December 2023 trial, Hassan D. Jones, 25, conspired with several individuals to distribute bulk marijuana in the Mobile area and elsewhere from at least March 2021 through February 2023. In May 2021, deputy sheriffs in Louisiana arrested Jones and two of his coconspirators following a traffic stop of a car they were using to return to Mobile from a drug pickup in Houston, Texas. In the car, police found a loaded Glock pistol equipped with an extended magazine, marijuana, promethazine syrup, and more than $5,000 in cash.
In February 2023, narcotics detectives with the Mobile Police Department executed a search warrant at Jones’s apartment in Eight Mile. During the search, detectives seized, among other things, four pounds of vacuum-sealed bulk marijuana, two loaded Glock pistols equipped with extended magazines, and two of Jones’s cell phones. One of the pistols was equipped with a machinegun-conversion device, commonly known as a “Glock switch,” which illegally converted the semiautomatic pistol into a fully automatic machinegun. A DNA expert located Jones’s DNA on the Glock pistols seized from his apartment. Jones’s phones and social media accounts contained dozens of videos, photos, and messages regarding Jones’s drug dealing and his illegal possession of firearms, including illegally-modified machineguns.
In addition to the 45-year prison sentence, Chief United States District Judge Jeffrey U. Beaverstock ordered Jones to serve a five-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison, during which time he will undergo drug testing and treatment and will receive mental health evaluation and treatment. The court did not impose a fine, but Chief Judge Beaverstock ordered Jones to pay $500 in special assessments.
“Illegal machineguns and machinegun-conversion devices continue to wreak havoc in our community and across the nation. In the hands of armed drug dealers and violent felons, such weapons present an even greater risk,” said U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello. “Today’s sentence sends a clear message: our office, working alongside our tireless federal, state, and local partners, will not tolerate it.”
“This sentence is a direct message to career criminals that law enforcement is observant and will not allow egregious violations of our laws to go unpunished,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson. “ATF and our law enforcement partners will remain on the frontline in our continuing effort to combat violent crime, maintain public safety, and remove criminals who continuously show total disregard for the law.”
Mobile Police Department Chief Paul O. Prine said, “I am pleased with the federal conviction of Hassan D. Jones. The collaboration with our federal partners and their willingness to prosecute those violent and repeat offenders shows their resolve and commitment to working with the Mobile Police Department in making our community safe. Mr. Jones’s incarceration no doubt will have an impact on our community by not trafficking drugs or possessing weapons that can cause mass casualties.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Mobile Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Roller and Jessica Terrill prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Drug Distribution and Child Neglect on Menominee Indian Reservation Lead to Prison Sentence for Keshena ManRead the Press Release
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that Louis J. Chevalier (age: 32), a former resident of Keshena and enrolled member of the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin, received a total sentence of 36 months following convictions for maintaining a drug-involved residence and felony child neglect.
The sentence, imposed on March 8, 2024, by Senior United States District Judge William C. Griesbach, was the result of guilty pleas entered by the defendant on December 7, 2023. Judge Griesbach sentenced Chevalier to concurrent 36-month sentences on each count. Chevalier will also face three years of supervised release once he completes his sentence.
According to court records, on March 31, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Chevalier’s residence on Onanekwat Resort West, which is just east of Keshena. When police executed the search warrant, they discovered evidence of drug distribution and use. Police also contacted child protective services, who removed a three-year old child from the residence. The child tested positive for multiple controlled substances and had extensive dental decay from neglect and drug exposure that required surgery to repair.
At sentencing, Judge Griesbach noted the seriousness of the defendant’s crimes, specifically mentioning the injuries suffered by the child and the potential for long-term developmental issues. Judge Griesbach described the need for the defendant’s sentence to deter those who might consider similar actions and to protect the community from the destructive effects of abuse of controlled substances. Another person residing in the home was also prosecuted for felony child neglect and was placed on probation for a period of three years.
The case was investigated by multiple agencies as part of the Safe Trails Task Force (STTF) and Native American Drug and Gang Initiative (NADGI). NADGI and STTF partner federal, tribal, state, and local law enforcement to combat drug trafficking and violent crime on the Menominee Indian Reservation. STTF members are deputized federal officers who identify and target for prosecution individuals who are involved in distribution of dangerous drugs on the Menominee Indian Reservation. Coordination of state resources through NADGI permits efficient communication and evidence processing, which are essential to swift but fair prosecution of offenders.
The Menominee Tribal Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case, with valuable assistance from the Menominee County Sheriff’s Office and the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Maier prosecuted the case in U.S. District Court in Green Bay.
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D.C. Felon Sentenced to 115 Months for Firearms Offenses and Distribution of PCP and ‘Boot’Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – James Fitzgerald Honesty, 35, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today to 115 months in prison for a May 2022 incident that involved a police foot chase resulting in the recovery of a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun with an extended magazine, and large quantities of drugs that included PCP and two varieties of “boot,” a designer synthetic stimulant, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Honesty pleaded guilty on September 2, 2023, in U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. He also pleaded to unlawful possession with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of Phencyclidine (PCP). In addition to the prison sentence, Judge Trevor N. McFadden ordered Honesty to serve five years of supervised release following his incarceration.
This conviction, Honesty’s fifth involving a gun and his third for possession of drugs with the intent to distribute, involved a flight from officers and abandonment of a loaded gun and dangerous controlled substances on a public sidewalk in a residential neighborhood in Southeast -- less than 1,000 feet from an elementary school. Two separate 911 callers alerted police to his possession of a gun, one of which said that he used it in a fight.
According to court documents, on May 23, 2022, MPD received a call at 6:25 p.m. reporting an altercation on the 2500 block of Ainger Place SE, and that “one of the guys pulled out a gun.” Another caller reported a man with a weapon, saying, “[h]e right here. He pulled out a gun on my boyfriend, threatened to kill him.” Several MPD squad cars responded. Officers in separate patrol cars spotted Honesty. After making eye contact with one of the officers, Honesty took off running.
With three officers in pursuit, Honesty reached for his waistband, produced a firearm and dropped it to the ground. The foot chase continued as he rounded a corner. Honesty dropped a black satchel to the ground shortly before police caught him. An officer recovered the gun -- a Springfield Armory 9mm semi-automatic loaded with 21 rounds in an extended magazine and one round in the chamber -- in the path of the Honesty’s flight. Another officer found the satchel bag which contained nearly 24 grams of liquid Phencyclidine aka PCP, 32 grams of a white powder, determined to be N, N-Dimethylpentylone, and brown rock-like substance later determined to be N-Propylbutylone. Both substances are considered to be varieties of “boot,” which is a designer synthetic stimulant that is typically sold as a cheaper alternative to Ecstasy or MDMA (sometimes referred to as “Molly”).
Honesty has been detained since his arrest on March 23, 2022.
This case was investigated by the MPD. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin F. Song, Meredith Mayer-Dempsey, former Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Cloherty and former Special Assistant United States Attorney Kristina Cervi.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to over 6 Years for Unlawful Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Leonard Stanley White, 41, of Phoenix, was sentenced on February 21, 2024, by United States District Judge David G. Campbell to 82 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. White pleaded guilty on November 21, 2023, to Felon in Possession of a Firearm and in doing so, he admitted to violating his supervised release conditions.
On May 9, 2023, White was arrested on a supervised release violation warrant and was found to be in possession of a firearm at that time. White had previously been convicted of Voluntary Manslaughter. After the Voluntary Manslaughter conviction, White was sentenced to 70 months for possessing the firearm and an additional 12 months for violating his supervised release in another case.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Chandler Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Raynette Logan, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-00819-PHX-DGC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024- 028_White# # #
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.Company that improperly took COVID 19 PPP loan agrees to pay nearly $1 million to settle False Claims Act caseRead the Press Release
Seattle –Brands LLC, has agreed to pay $989,438 to the United States to resolve allegations the company improperly obtained a Paycheck Protection Loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration. Docklight Brands develops and sells hemp derived products, and licenses certain marks for use in connection with state-licensed cannabis products. A False Claims Act qui tam lawsuit originally brought by relator Sidesolve LLC, alleged that the company was ineligible for the federal loan program because of its involvement with cannabis businesses that remain illegal under federal law.
According to the settlement, Sidesolve filed the qui tam case in September 2022, alleging that Docklight had falsely certified that it was eligible for a $494,719 Paycheck Protection Program loan. The Small Business Administration program allows the loan amount to be forgiven.
“Those seeking vital assistance from SBA’s pandemic response programs must comply with the requirements,” said SBA OIG’s Western Region Special Agent in Charge Weston King. “Today’s settlement sends a strong message of accountability. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s office and our law enforcement partners for their support and dedication to pursuing justice in this case.”
Under the terms of the settlement, Docklight has agreed to pay back double the amount of the loan, with the additional $494,719 as penalties. Under the qui tam statute, the relator receives a percentage of the settlement for bringing the false claims matter to the government’s attention. In this case Sidesolve LLC will receive $148,416.70 of the settlement funds.
The matter was handled for the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorney Matt Waldrop with investigative assistance from SBA-OIG.
Charleston Woman Pleads Guilty to Straw Purchasing FirearmRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Kayla Brooke McCallister, 29, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 17, 2023, McCallister purchased a Alex Pro Firearm (APF) model Guardian 5.56mm rifle at a South Charleston business. McCallister admitted that she falsely certified on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Federal Firearms Transaction Records Form 4473 that she was the buyer of the firearm when she knew she was purchasing it for someone else.
McCallister further admitted that she bought nine additional firearms at the South Charleston business and another business in Dunbar between April 24, 2023, and May 30, 2023, and falsely certified on the ATF Form 4473 during each purchase that she was the buyer when she was purchasing the firearms for someone else.
McCallister is scheduled to be sentenced on June 5, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-38.
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Canandaigua man who pleaded guilty to child pornography charge, caught again before reporting to prisonRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Preston Herbst, 27, of Canandaigua, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with distribution, receipt, and possession of child pornography, following a prior conviction for a federal child pornography offense. The charges carry a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum penalty of 40 years, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in January 2022, Herbst was serving a state probation sentence in Ontario County for Driving While Intoxicated and Assault. During a routine search of Herbst’s phone, Ontario County Probation Officers located images of child pornography and social media conversations, during which Herbst discussed trading child pornography with other individuals. A subsequent search by the FBI of his home and devices recovered approximately 81 images and 59 videos of child pornography, some of which depicted violence against children as young as 5-years-old. Herbst pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography and was sentenced to 36 months in prison. After his federal conviction and sentencing, but prior to self-surrendering to the Bureau of Prisons, investigators learned that Herbst uploaded child pornography to the Snapchat platform. The FBI executed new search warrants at Herbst’s Canandaigua home and on his Snapchat account, revealing that he had traded child pornography, using a prohibited device in violation of his release conditions.
Herbst made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark W. Pedersen and is being held without bail.
The criminal complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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California Man Charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A California man was charged today with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Timothy Alan Blank, 54, of California is charged by complaint with one count of knowingly and intentionally possessing with the intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl in Bergen County, New Jersey, and elsewhere. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael A. Hammer in Newark federal court and was detained.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On March 3, 2024, Blank traveled in an SUV from Los Angeles, California, to the District of New Jersey with approximately 5 kilograms of fentanyl inside of the vehicle. On March 8, 2024, New Jersey state law enforcement observed Blank commit a motor vehicle violation, and upon stopping the vehicle and conducting an inspection, located the narcotics within the trunk of the SUV.
The fentanyl count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso, with the investigation leading to the charge. He also thanked the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office, the Fort Lee Police Department and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Vincent D. Romano of the U.S. Attorney’s Narcotics/Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Unit in Newark.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
blank.complaint.pdfBradenton Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Dovontate James Wright (26, Bradenton) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Wright faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, on September 2, 2022, Wright was the front seat passenger of a silver Nissan Altima driving in the wrong direction on a one-way road in Sarasota, Florida. Sarasota Police Department officers stopped the vehicle and Wright fled on foot into a discount auto parts store. Inside the store, Wright ran behind the service counter, into the back of the store, where he tripped and fell into a product bin when he attempted to pull an object from his waistband. The object was a fully loaded Smith and Wesson model 40C .40 caliber pistol with one round in the chamber.
In an interview with agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Wright admitted to possessing the firearm and being a convicted felon. Wright had previously served three years in a Florida state prison for committing aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and grand theft of a motor vehicle. As such, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
An analysis of the DNA recovered from the firearm matched Wright’s DNA.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives and the Sarasota Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A. Chee and Michael Kenneth.
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.
Bradenton Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Dovontate James Wright (26, Bradenton) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Wright faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, on September 2, 2022, Wright was the front seat passenger of a silver Nissan Altima driving in the wrong direction on a one-way road in Sarasota, Florida. Sarasota Police Department officers stopped the vehicle and Wright fled on foot into a discount auto parts store. Inside the store, Wright ran behind the service counter, into the back of the store, where he tripped and fell into a product bin when he attempted to pull an object from his waistband. The object was a fully loaded Smith and Wesson model 40C .40 caliber pistol with one round in the chamber.
In an interview with agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Wright admitted to possessing the firearm and being a convicted felon. Wright had previously served three years in a Florida state prison for committing aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and grand theft of a motor vehicle. As such, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
An analysis of the DNA recovered from the firearm matched Wright’s DNA.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives and the Sarasota Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A. Chee and Michael Kenneth.
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.
Bozeman man admits assaulting woman passenger on aircraftRead the Press Release
Note: This press release has been updated to correctly identify the flight as SkyWest Flight 3789 operating as Delta Connections.
MISSOULA — A Bozeman man accused of assaulting a woman passenger while on a flight from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Bozeman admitted charges today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Hunter Andrew Dietrich, 32, pleaded guilty to assault onboard an aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States, a misdemeanor, as charged in a superseding information. Dietrich faces a maximum of six months in prison, a $5,000 fine and one year of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. The court set sentencing for July 10. Dietrich was released pending further proceedings.
In court documents, the government alleged that on Feb. 11, 2023, SkyWest Flight 3789 operating as Delta Connections traveled from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Bozeman. During the flight, Dietrich, a passenger, disobeyed repeated instructions from the flight crew to behave himself. In addition, Dietrich approached a woman passenger during the flight and touched her body in various places despite the woman passenger telling him to stop.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno B. Baucus is prosecuting the case. The FBI and Bozeman Airport Police conducted the investigation.
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