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9 March 2024
Tea Man Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Tea, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on March 4, 2024.
Nicholas Ganske, 44, was sentenced to 10 years and 10 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Ganske was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in August of 2023. He pleaded guilty on November 29, 2023.
Ganske, along with his co-conspirators, was responsible for distributing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine in the District of South Dakota. Ganske would meet a co-conspirator to purchase drugs, which both knew Ganske would then sell to others in the Sioux Falls, South Dakota area.
The investigation is being led by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from other law enforcement agencies such as: FBI, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Brookings Police Department, South Dakota Highway Patrol, Rock County (MN) Sheriff’s Office, Worthington (MN) Police Department, and the Mitchell Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen.
Ganske was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Readout of Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General Marshall Miller’s Trip to San Francisco and San DiegoRead the Press Release
This week, Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General (PADAG) Marshall Miller traveled to San Francisco and San Diego to highlight the Justice Department’s efforts to uphold the rule of law through its corporate criminal enforcement program and through its commitment to ensuring robust access to counsel for federal criminal defendants.
On Wednesday, March 6, in San Francisco, PADAG Miller participated in a panel of Enforcers and Regulators at the American Bar Association’s 39th Annual National Institute on White Collar Crime — a panel which also included Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Ismail Ramsey for the Northern District of California, and the enforcement directors of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). In his remarks, PADAG Miller outlined the Justice Department’s approach to corporate criminal enforcement: holding individuals accountable; targeting resources to combat the most serious white-collar criminal conduct; and pursuing tough penalties for repeat corporate offenders. PADAG Miller also previewed Deputy Attorney General (AG) Monaco’s announcement of a new Justice Department whistleblower rewards program.
On Friday, March 8, PADAG Miller led an access to counsel stakeholder convening at Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) San Diego, providing opening remarks and facilitating a wide-ranging stakeholder conversation. PADAG Miller was joined at this event by representatives from the leadership teams at the Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP) and the Office for Access to Justice (ATJ), as well as U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath for the Southern District of California and leadership representatives from the Federal Defenders of San Diego, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. District Court, and U.S. Probation Office, among others. This meeting was the last in an annual series of 10 convenings on access to counsel at pretrial detention facilities across the FBOP.
PADAG Miller’s visit to MCC San Diego follows a comprehensive, 100-day review of practices and policies related to access to counsel in FBOP’s 10 pretrial facilities, launched by Deputy AG Monaco last year. Coming out of that review, on July 21, 2023, Deputy AG Monaco issued a groundbreaking Report and Recommendations Concerning Access to Counsel at the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ (BOP) Pretrial Facilities (the “Report”). The Report provided over 30 recommendations for BOP to further safeguard the right to counsel in its pretrial facilities, including the recommendation to convene annual meetings of local stakeholders to “assess legal correspondence, discovery, visiting, and other pertinent legal access challenges at pretrial facilities and to identify solutions.”
During the San Diego convening, PADAG Miller stressed the importance of local, cross-agency participation in the Department’s ongoing efforts to protect the right of access to counsel in federal facilities. He also highlighted several access to counsel reforms that the Department has implemented since the Report’s publication. Those reforms included, among other recommendations, policy authorizing defense practitioners to bring laptops for legal visitations at all pretrial facilities and guidance standardizing the rules for legal visits by non-attorney legal staff.
Following the convening, PADAG Miller toured MCC San Diego, accompanied by U.S. Attorney McGrath, as well as representatives from FBOP and ATJ. The tour inspected the facility’s newly constructed legal visitation pods and counsel consultation phone booths, which provide additional confidential spaces for legal visits and calls with counsel. After departing the BOP facility, PADAG Miller visited both the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California and the Federal Defenders of San Diego, where he met with office leadership and staff for further conversation on access to counsel and other topics. At the U.S. Attorney’s Office, PADAG Miller thanked U.S. Attorney McGrath, her leadership team, and office personnel for their hard work in fulfilling the Department’s mission to uphold the rule of law, keep our country safe, and protect civil rights.
Readout of Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco’s Trip to San Francisco and SeattleRead the Press Release
Deputy Attorney General (AG) Lisa Monaco traveled to San Francisco and Seattle this week to highlight the Justice Department’s efforts to uphold the rule of law through its corporate criminal enforcement program and the development of guardrails to prevent misuse of artificial intelligence (AI).
In her keynote remarks at the American Bar Association's 39th Annual National Institute on White Collar Crime, the Deputy AG outlined the Justice Department’s approach to corporate criminal enforcement: holding individuals accountable; targeting resources to combat the most serious white-collar criminal conduct; and pursuing tough penalties for repeat corporate offenders. She highlighted the Justice Department’s “carrots and sticks” approach of encouraging companies and individuals to self-report corporate crimes and other financial misconduct and imposing the most significant penalties on those most culpable.
To reinforce these efforts, the Deputy AG announced a new Justice Department whistleblower rewards program, which will offer rewards to individuals who discover and report financial and corporate misconduct not otherwise known to the government – akin to the successful whistleblower programs operated by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The Department’s program’s launch will follow a 90-day pilot development period and will complement the Department’s existing voluntary self-disclosure programs that operate with the same principle: individuals and companies who want to qualify for reporting benefits have to be the first in the door. In her announcement, the Deputy AG said, “Our message to whistleblowers is clear: the Department of Justice wants to hear from you. And to those considering a voluntary self-disclosure, our message is equally clear: knock on our door before we knock on yours.”
The Deputy AG also warned of AI’s potential to supercharge corporate crime, stressing that federal prosecutors will seek stronger sentences when AI is abused to render a corporate crime significantly more serious. She also announced that going forward, in all corporate cases, federal prosecutors will assess companies’ ability to manage AI-related risks as part of their overall compliance efforts.
In keeping with the Department’s focus on AI, the Deputy AG convened the first roundtable discussion of the “Justice AI Initiative,” which she launched last month at the University of Oxford. Justice AI brings together stakeholders across industry, academia, law enforcement, and civil society to share expertise on both the promise of AI and the perils of its misuse. Together with industry leaders, the Deputy AG discussed how AI will impact the Department’s mission to uphold the rule of law, keep the nation safe, and protect civil rights.
The Deputy AG concluded her trip in Seattle, where she visited the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington. In meetings with U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman for the Western District of Washington, her leadership team, and the prosecutors and professional staff of the office, she thanked them for their hard work to combat increasingly complex and dangerous threats, such as swatting incidents, cybercrime, and nation state actors seeking to steal our best technology. She also sat down with federal law enforcement partners and leadership of the Swinomish Tribe to discuss their collaboration around violent crime and public safety challenges, including deadly synthetic opioids such as fentanyl.
Kyle Man Found Guilty of Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted Evan Brown Bull, age 38, of Kyle, South Dakota, of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance - Methamphetamine following a three-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on March 8, 2024.
The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of ten years, up to life, in custody and/or a $10,000,000 fine, five years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Brown Bull was indicted by a federal grand jury in July of 2023.
Evidence at trial established that between 2016 and 2023, Brown Bull conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine on the Pine Ridge Reservation and Rapid City, South Dakota. Brown Bull was seen on video selling drugs and chat records obtained also detailed multiple methamphetamine deals and demonstrated the conspiracy in which Brown Bull was involved.
This case was investigated by the Badlands Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, which is comprised of agents from the FBI, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Bureau of Indian Affairs Division of Drug Enforcement, Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, and the Martin Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date has yet to be set. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
8 March 2024
Westerville man sentenced to more than 8 years in prison for $1.8M fraud schemesRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Prince Oduro, 34, of Westerville, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 102 months in prison for wire fraud and conspiring to commit money laundering.
As part of his sentence, Oduro will pay approximately $1.8 million in restitution.
After being arrested in this case, Oduro was initially released from custody. He continued to defraud a victim of romance fraud while on release, causing an additional $709,500 in loss.
According to court documents, Oduro was involved in multiple fraud and money laundering schemes for several years, including through his employment at a bank and via online romance scams.
In 2015, while Oduro worked for JPMorgan Chase Bank in Columbus, he stole a customer’s bank information before calling to gain access to the account and fraudulently opening a PayPal account. Oduro transferred a total of $12,500 of the customer’s money to the PayPal account before withdrawing it in cash for himself. He attempted an additional $8,000 transfer but it was denied.
In 2016 and 2017, Oduro stole the personal information of at least four other victims. He would then open PayPal accounts linked to the stolen information and use the accounts to launder the proceeds of online romance scams. In total, through March 2020, Oduro received and laundered at least $1 million in fraud proceeds.
Victims sent money to individuals who they believed needed a medical operation, had been an American soldier in Afghanistan, were building roads in Dubai, had access to gold or silver, or other schemes. Oduro then laundered the fraudulent proceeds.
For example, one victim was told her late husband had allegedly stored valuable artwork and other items in Atlanta. The story seemed plausible to the victim because her husband had traveled extensively. The victim sent a total of $390,300 to bank accounts controlled by Oduro to receive her husband’s purported assets.
When law enforcement executed a search warrant on Oduro’s phone, they found messages in his WhatsApp messenger stating:
“This is the only business in America I can do and make 20k in a month and not get arrested…I’m locating money, I’m not fraud anyone…It’s called money laundering.”
Oduro was arrested in February 2022 and pleaded guilty in January 2023.
After being arrested and even after pleading guilty, Oduro continued his romance fraud. Before his arrest, he had caused approximately $1.1 million in loss. He caused an additional $709,500 in loss after his arrest. After investigators discovered the fraud, Oduro was arrested in November 2023.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Karen Wingerd, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); and Lesley Allison, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Pittsburgh Division; announced the sentence imposed on March 7 by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorney Peter K. Glenn-Applegate is representing the United States in this case.
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Utica Man Sentenced for Possession of Cocaine for Distribution and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK –Edgar Tejada, age 36, of Utica, New York, was sentenced yesterday to serve 12 months in federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, and 60 months for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Those sentences were ordered to run consecutively, for a total of 72 months (6 years) imprisonment.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division and Thomas Fattorusso, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), New York Field Office.
As part of his guilty plea, Tejada admitted to possessing over 500 grams of cocaine for distribution at his residence in Utica, as well as possessing a loaded silver Ruger handgun to protect himself and the drugs he kept at that location.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), the New York State Police, the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office, the Oneida County District Attorney’s Office, the Utica Police Department, the Syracuse Police Department, the Rome Police Department, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, New York Army National Guard Counter Drug Program, the Yorkville Village Police Department, and the Whitesboro Village Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamara Thomson.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
United States Seizes $1.4 Million in Cryptocurrency Linked to Alleged Tech Support ScamRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — Through a court-authorized seizure warrant, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago has seized approximately $1.4 million of Tether (USDT), a cryptocurrency pegged to the U.S. dollar. The funds, which are suspected fraud proceeds, will be returned to victims of the fraud scheme. The seizure marks one of the first times the United States has recovered USDT from an unhosted virtual currency wallet.
The seizure was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Valuable assistance was provided by the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven J. Dollear. The U.S. Attorney’s Office acknowledged Tether for its assistance in effectuating the transfer of these assets.
The alleged fraud scheme, which remains under investigation, was initiated by a computer popup that indicated a victim’s computer had been compromised. The popup directed the victim to contact Microsoft or Apple, depending on the victim’s operating system, at a certain telephone number. Once on the phone, the perpetrators, posing as tech support employees, informed the victim that the victim’s bank account had also been compromised. The perpetrator then transferred the call to others posing as employees of the fraud department of the victim’s bank. The perpetrators convinced the victims to convert money from traditional bank accounts into cryptocurrency to keep it “safe” from hackers. The funds were then transferred into unhosted virtual currency wallets controlled by the perpetrators. The scheme has impacted victims, mostly elderly, throughout the United States.
In its most recent Internet Crime Report, the FBI estimated that tech support scams caused losses in excess of $924 million in 2023.
Application and Affidavit for Seizure Warrant Funds on Deposit with TetherUnited States Attorney Prim Escalona Holds United Against Hate Event at Alabama A&M UniversityRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – United States Attorney Prim Escalona announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office held an event at Alabama A&M University to promote the Department of Justice’s United Against Hate initiative. The event, which included federal prosecutors and state and local law enforcement partners, focused on educating students on how to identify, report, and prevent hate crimes.
With approximately 195 students attending, Alabama A&M hosted subject matter experts from the United States Attorney’s Office; Montrez Payton, Chief of Police, Alabama A&M University; and Tafeni English-Relf, State of Alabama Director, Southern Poverty Law Center. Presenters highlighted differences between hate crimes and hate incidents and provided options for responding to hate incidents when situations do not constitute a federal or state crime. Presenters also distinguished unlawful conduct from protected First Amendment activity, including distinguishing between protected speech and speech that advocates violence or encourages people to commit hate crimes.
U.S. Attorney Escalona previously hosted meetings in November 2023 in the Birmingham area at Ramsay High School for students and faculty and in the community with the FBI Birmingham Division and the Multi-Cultural Advisory Committee, which consists of community leaders from across the Northern District of Alabama.
“Through the United Against Hate initiative, we are working with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners and community stakeholders to prevent hate crimes and incidents through education and awareness,” said U.S. Attorney Escalona. “It is so important to build community trust so that people feel comfortable reporting hate crimes. We want people to feel safe in their communities and that means they should be free of fear based on what they look like, where they are from, what faith they practice, and who they love.”
Those who believe they are subject to hate crimes or incidents should contact local law enforcement and the FBI. Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/. Anyone in the Northern District of Alabama may also report civil rights violations to the Civil Rights coordinator of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama by calling 205-244-2001.
U.S. Attorney’s Eastern Washington COVID-19 Strike Force Announces Indictment of Trio for COVID Relief Fraud, including Two Tri-Cities ResidentsRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – Vanessa R. Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that a federal grand jury has indicted three individuals for fraud in connection with COVID-19 relief funding. The Indictment is the most recent announced by the Eastern Washington COVID-19 Strike Force, which has brought criminal charges against numerous individuals and recovered millions of dollars in fraudulently obtained COVID relief funding.
On March 27, 2020, the President signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act. The CARES Act provided a number of programs through which eligible small businesses could request and obtain relief funding intended to mitigate the economic impacts of the pandemic for small and local businesses. One such program, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), provided government-backed funding to small businesses which could be forgiven so long as the proceeds were used for payroll and other eligible expenses. Another program, the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, provided low interest loans that could be deferred until the conclusion of the pandemic to provide “bridge” funding for small businesses to maintain their operations during shutdowns and other economic circumstances caused by the pandemic. The PPP and EIDL programs have provided billions of dollars in aid, the vast majority of which have not been paid back, including hundreds of millions of dollars disbursed within Eastern Washington.
The Indictment announced today charges Kelly Jo Driver, of South Carolina, David Kurt Schneider, of Kennewick, Washington, and Leif Gerald Larsen, of Pasco, Washington, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, wire fraud, bank fraud, and false, fictitious, or fraudulent claims. Additionally, David Kurt Schneider is charged with money laundering. The Indictment alleges that the trio fraudulently obtained at least $250,000 in CARES Act funding through the PPP and EIDL programs, and submitted fraudulent applications seeking at least an additional $1,000,000 in CARES Act funding that were ultimately not approved. The indictment alleges that as part of the conspiracy, all three defendants submitted false information to the SBA and participating PPP lenders regarding gross revenues, number of employees, and amount spent on payroll in an attempt to obtain CARES Act funds to which they were not otherwise entitled. The indictment alleges that defendants submitted funding applications in the name of Larsen Firearms, owned by Leif Gerald Larsen, and Solar Mobility LLC, RealNZ Water LLC, and Tempest Tactical Solutions, LLC, all owned by David Kurt Schneider. The Indictment alleges that Kelly Jo Driver created fraudulent payroll and tax forms that were submitted in support of the applications, and that, for her part in the scheme, Kelly Jo Driver received 10% of the funds disbursed by the SBA and participating lenders.
“Many struggling, deserving small businesses requested money from COVID-19 relief programs. Because of the overwhelming need, the programs quickly ran out of money and some businesses were not able to obtain the critical funding they needed,” said U.S. Attorney Waldref. “We created the Eastern Washington COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force to combat pandemic-related fraud and protect local and small business that provide critical services for our community and support our economy.”
In February 2022, U.S. Attorney Waldref and the U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) began working with federal law enforcement agencies to create and launch a COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force that would leverage partnerships between different agencies to aggressively investigate and prosecute fraud against COVID-19 relief programs in Eastern Washington. The Strike Force consists of agency representatives from the USAO, Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Inspector General (OIG), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Department of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs OIG, General Services Administration OIG, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) OIG, Internal Revenue Service, Department of Energy OIG, and others.
The fraud charges carry sentences of up to 30 years in federal prison as well as restitution for fraudulently-obtained funds. This case was investigated by the Eastern District of Washington COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force and by FBI and SBA OIG. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jeremy J. Kelley and Frieda K. Zimmerman.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
4:24-CR-6004-SAB
Two Men Accused of Kidnapping St. Louis County ToddlerRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Two men were indicted by a grand jury Wednesday and accused of kidnapping a toddler in St. Louis County, Missouri last year.
Kendal “KD” White, 19, of St. Charles, and Cam’Ron Henderson, 19, of St. Louis, were each indicted on one felony count of kidnapping. The indictment accuses them of kidnapping the child on Aug. 10, 2023.
White and Henderson are in custody. A motion seeking to have them held in jail until trial says the incident occurred in north St. Louis County. White and Henderson were searching for someone they believed had stolen firearms from White, and the pair kicked in the door of the child’s mother’s home, the motion says. The target of their search was the child’s father, but he was not there. Rather than leave, White tried to take the child, and pistol-whipped the mother when she resisted, the motion says. They dropped off the child with strangers in St. Louis after seeing an Amber Alert about the incident, the motion says.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The kidnapping charge carries a potential penalty of at least 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both prison and a fine.
The St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski is prosecuting the case.
Two Defendants Sentenced for Drug Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Gerardo Soto-Sigala, 42, of Mexico and Daisy Franco, 35, of California were sentenced March 8, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for their participation in drug trafficking offenses. Soto-Sigala possessed with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced him to 75 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Soto-Sigala’s release from prison, he will begin a 2-year term of supervised release. Daisy Franco distributed 500 grams or more of meth and Chief United States District Judge Rossiter, Jr. sentenced her to 68 months’ imprisonment. After Franco’s release from prison, she will begin a 4-year term of supervised release.
On May 9, 2023, Lincoln Police officers conducted a probable cause traffic stop for a vehicle infraction on a grey‐colored 2010 Honda Odyssey that was traveling eastbound, near the area of Mile Marker 396 on Interstate‐80 in Nebraska. During the course of the traffic stop, officers identified the driver as Gerardo Soto‐Sigala and the front passenger as the Daisy Franco.
Soto-Sigala gave consent for law enforcement officials to search the vehicle. During the search, officers discovered a concealed compartment underneath the center console of the Odyssey that contained approximately 50 individual packages of suspected methamphetamine. A forensic laboratory analysis later confirmed it was 98% pure methamphetamine weighting 25.7 kilograms in total.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration.
Two Convicted of Drug and Firearm Charges After Mailing Fentanyl from Arizona to IowaRead the Press Release
A man who drove to Arizona several times to mail fentanyl pills to his co-conspirator in Sioux City, was convicted by a jury on March 1, 2024, after a 5-day trial in federal court in Sioux City.
Aki Awou, age 33, from Omaha, Nebraska, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, and two counts of possession with intent to distribute and aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. The verdict was returned following about 4 hours of jury deliberations.
On February 21, 2024, just prior to heading to trial, Awou’s co-conspirator, co-defendant, and brother, Karom Bol, age 20, of Sioux City, entered a guilty plea to five counts: conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, two counts of possession with intent to distribute and aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of firearms by a drug user, and possession of a firearm during and in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Evidence in the case revealed that between January 2022 and May 2022, Awou traveled to the Phoenix, Arizona area, where he would mail packages containing thousands of fentanyl pills disguised as oxycodone to Bol’s address’ in Sioux City, Iowa. The Omaha Police Department’s Gang Intelligence Unit utilized a GPS tracker on Awou’s vehicle to pinpoint Awou’s travels and possible package locations, including at addresses in Sioux City and Post Offices in Arizona. Postal Inspectors were able to intercept a package, and conduct a controlled delivery at one of the Sioux City addresses. Afterwards, Postal Inspectors executed a search warrant. During the search warrant, Bol was observed throwing firearms out a second story bedroom window. During the search, agents identified a second location tied to Bol and Awou, and obtained a second search warrant for that residence. Smaller quantities of additional illegal pills were found, as well as documents identifying Bol and Awou as the occupants of both Sioux City residences.
The day after the search warrants were executed, Postal Inspectors received notice of another package being sent from Arizona to the address in Sioux City. The Postal Inspector was able to intercept that package as well before delivery, revealing that package also contained thousands of fentanyl pills. Laboratory results subsequently revealed that Awou’s fingerprints were on three packages used as evidence in the case and Bol’s palm print was located on the package used during the controlled delivery. Evidence also established Bol and Awou are known Trip Set gang members aka South Sudanese Soldier gang members.
United States Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa Timothy T. Duax stated: “This was a great example of local law enforcement from Iowa and Nebraska working with federal law enforcement to stop fentanyl dealers in their tracks, and prevent thousands of fentanyl pills from hitting the streets.”
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Awou and Bol both remain in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.
Awou and Bol face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and 5 years to life of supervised release following any imprisonment. Bol must also serve a mandatory minimum and consecutive 5 years’ imprisonment for his possession of firearms during and in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes.
This case was investigated by the Omaha, Nebraska Police Department, Sioux City, Iowa Police Department, United States Postal Inspector, DEA Tri-State Drug Task Force, Lancaster County, Nebraska Sheriff’s Department, and the ATF. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons, Shawn Wehde, and Patrick Greenwood.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-4051.
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Trailer full of meth lands trafficker in prisonRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 51-year-old Edinburg man has been sentenced following his conviction of conspiracy to possession with intent to distribute 200 kilograms of meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Daren Lynn Lopez pleaded guilty Nov. 16, 2022.
U.S. District Chief Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Lopez to serve 192 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard of Lopez’s long criminal history including three prior felonies. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the additive, potent and dangerous effects meth has on the community.
In March 2022, Lopez arranged for the transportation of a tractor-trailer concealing 200 kilograms of meth to be imported from Mexico. The trailer successfully entered the United States and was driven to Lopez’s truck yard in Edinburg.
Lopez then coordinated and hired a driver to transport the trailer to Dallas. Law enforcement intervened, stopped and seized the trailer on its way north. At that time, they discovered a false compartment spanning the entire roof of the trailer which concealed hundreds of bricks of meth.
The drugs have an estimated street value of $1 million.
Lopez will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Garcia prosecuted the case.
St. Cloud Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A St. Cloud man has been sentenced to 120 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing multiple firearms as a felon, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, Roberto Antwan Williams, 39, attempted to rob a man at gunpoint outside an apartment in St. Cloud on July 31, 2020. Williams was apprehended by law enforcement in a vehicle that the victim identified. Law enforcement found a firearm in the vehicle’s glovebox with Williams’ DNA on it. In a separate incident on November 13, 2020, law enforcement was notified that a five-year-old child had been shot in the head and declared dead at a St. Cloud hospital. Williams and his fiancé, the child’s mother, were at the hospital and stated they were shopping when they got a phone call that the child had been injured. Williams claimed that they immediately returned home and took the child to the hospital together. However, law enforcement obtained surveillance video from a neighboring residence that showed the fiancé taking the child to the hospital alone while Williams placed two backpacks in a garbage bin outside of the house. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for his residence and garbage bins. Inside the bins, they discovered the two backpacks which contained a semiautomatic rifle and a purple Taurus model G2C 9mm semiautomatic pistol with an extended magazine. The Taurus had the deceased child’s blood on it. Law enforcement also searched Williams’ cell phone and found a picture of the purple Taurus 9mm semiautomatic pistol with the text “my new toy.”
On August 29, 2023, Williams was convicted by a federal jury on two counts of possession of firearms as a felon. Because he has multiple prior felony convictions, Williams is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time. He was yesterday sentenced in U.S. District Court by U.S. District Judge Ann D. Montgomery.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI, the St. Cloud Police Department, and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tom Calhoun-Lopez and Mary S. Riverso prosecuted the case.
South Florida Man Sentenced to Prison for Covid-19 Relief Fraud, After Buying Jewelry and Luxury Cars with Loan MoneyRead the Press Release
MIAMI — On March 7, Andre Lorquet, 39, of Miami, Florida was sentenced to 71 months in federal prison for fraudulently obtaining COVID-19 relief loans and grants under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the Economic Injury Disaster Relief Program (EIDL), and the Shuttered Venue Operator Grant (SVOG).
According to a court records, Lorquet submitted fraudulent applications, seeking more than $4.7 million in COVID-relief funds. In the COVID-relief applications, Lorquet falsified his revenue and payroll and submitted fraudulent IRS tax forms.
Lorquet received approximately $4.4 million in COVID-relief funds from the fraudulent scheme. Lorquet used the fraudulently obtained proceeds to purchase, among other things, two Tesla S models, a Lamborghini Urus, a Porsche Panamera GTS, a diamond Audemars Piguet watch, a rose gold and diamond pendant with his company’s logo, a half-kilogram gold chain with 70 carats of diamonds, and a 1-kilogram gold chain.
Lorquet pled guilty to money laundering. He was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Michael K. Moore.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami, made the announcement.
HSI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Bailyn prosecuted it, and Assistant United States Attorney G. Raemy Charest-Turken handled asset forfeiture.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov. under case no. 22-cr-20326.
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South Florida Couple Arrested in Relation to Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl and Distribution Resulting in Death of BabyRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On March 7, Samantha Yi, 32, and Darnell Mendez, 31, of Lake Worth, had their initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in West Palm Beach on a criminal complaint charging Yi and Mendez with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, and Yi with distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. Their arrests followed a long-term joint investigation by the Boynton Beach Police Department (BBPD), the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) after the death of a 10-month-old infant in Boynton Beach who ingested fentanyl.
According to allegations in the criminal complaint, on March 31, 2022, PBSO responded to a 911 call of an infant in distress. The infant was transported to Bethesda Hospital East in Boynton Beach, Florida with her mother. On April 1, 2022, the baby was transferred to Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in Hollywood, Florida. On April 5, 2022, the baby died. An autopsy conducted by the Palm Beach County Medical Examiner determined that the baby’s death was caused by fentanyl intoxication and that her manner of death was homicide.
The BBPD conducted a homicide investigation during which law enforcement recovered fentanyl at the baby’s home. Investigation determined that the baby’s mother and father were addicts and had been abusing fentanyl regularly in the kitchen of their apartment. The investigation also determined that the baby was teething and ingested fentanyl on March 31, 2022, while in the care of her mother, and while her father was at work. The mother was arrested by the BBPD and charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child by culpable negligence.
DEA joined the investigation to identify the drug dealers that were responsible for the distribution of the fentanyl that killed the baby. Through data and information retrieved from the mother’s cellphone, law enforcement was able to identify YI as the drug dealer. The investigation uncovered months of electronic communications exchanged between YI and the mother involving drug transactions in which the mother was the customer. The investigation further determined that Yi’s boyfriend, Mendez was also involved in the distribution of fentanyl. As contained in the criminal complaint, Mendez has a history of controlled substance and violent crime offenses and may qualify as a career criminal. Investigators were able to determine that on March 30, 2022, the mother met with Yi in Boynton Beach, Florida to purchase fentanyl, and that fentanyl was ingested by the baby resulting in her death.
As part of the joint investigation, DEA, the BBPD, and PBSO conducted an operation involving two undercover officers who purchased fentanyl from Yi and Mendez. The undercover operation culminated in the arrests of Yi and Mendez on March 6, 2024, at their residence in Lake Worth, Florida.
In court, on March 7, 2024, the United States sought the pretrial detention of both YI and Mendez. The United States informed the Court that the couple is believed to be a risk of flight and danger to the community based upon the offenses described in the criminal complaint. Furthermore, the United States informed the Court that the couple was found in possession of 14 firearms in their home when they were arrested. Both Yi and Mendez are convicted felons.
Detention hearings are scheduled for Yi on March 12 and Mendez on March 14, respectively. The arraignment and preliminary hearings are scheduled for March 21.
If convicted of the offenses charged in the criminal complaint, Yi faces a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 20 years to a maximum sentence of life. Mendez faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of DEA, Chief Joe DeGiulio of BBPD, and Sheriff Ric Bradshaw of PBSO, announced the arrest and charges.
The Office of State Attorney Dave Aronberg for the 15th Judicial Circuit – Palm Beach County provided invaluable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam McMichael and Shannon O’Shea Darsch are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint contains allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-80041.
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South Bay Man Charged in Federal Grand Jury Indictment with Sex Trafficking and Allegedly Raping Victim in Angeles National ForestRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – A South Bay man is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon on a five-count federal grand jury indictment that alleges he kidnapped a woman, forced her to work for him as a prostitute in Orange County, and then raped her in the Angeles National Forest.
Leslie Anthony Bailey, 32, who lives on a boat docked in Wilmington, was arrested Thursday by special agents with Homeland Security Investigations and members of the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force. Bailey is expected to be arraigned today in United States District Court in Santa Ana.
The indictment returned Wednesday and unsealed Thursday afternoon charges Bailey with sex trafficking, kidnapping, aggravated sexual abuse and two counts of using a cellphone to facilitate his business involving prostitution, pimping and pandering.
The victim identified as “J.H.” was kidnapped on February 5, 2022, held for several days, and was subjected to force, threats of force and coercion that caused her to engage in at least one commercial sex act, according to the indictment. That kidnapping continued until February 8, 2022, when Bailey drove the victim into the Angeles National Forest, where he raped her “by using force against victim J.H. and by threatening victim J.H. and placing victim J.H. in fear that victim J.H. would be subject to death, serious bodily injury, and kidnapping,” the indictment states.
“Sex traffickers prey upon vulnerable people, turning their misery into profits,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “This defendant is charged with using threats, coercion and physical violence to control his victim. We are committed to fighting human trafficking and bringing perpetrators to justice.”
“HSI Los Angeles and our partners at the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department are committed to ensuring that violent sexual criminals and their heinous conduct have no place in our community,” said HSI Los Angeles Special Agent in Charge Eddy Wang. “My office will hold these predators accountable and will provide victims with a pathway towards restorative justice.”
Bailey allegedly used a “facility of interstate commerce” – a cellphone – as part of a business enterprise in which he “caused victim J.H. to engage in prostitution and supervised, directed, and collected the proceeds of victim J.H.’s prostitution.”
The fifth count in the indictment alleges that between March 7 and April 25, 2023, Bailey used the internet and a cellphone to further the prostitution, pimping and pandering of a second victim.
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.
The sex trafficking offense in the indictment carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a potential sentence of life imprisonment. Both the kidnapping and the aggravated sexual abuse charges carry a maximum statutory penalty of life. The two counts alleging the use of a facility in interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activity each carry up to five years in federal prison.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department are investigating this matter. The Task Force includes HSI, the Anaheim Police Department, the Irvine Police Department, the Santa Ana Police Department, and the California Highway Patrol.
Assistant United States Attorney Kristin N. Spencer of the Santa Ana Branch Office is prosecuting this case.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Prohibited Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man, convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on March 4, 2024, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Marcus Jerell Anderson, age 35, was sentenced to four years and two months federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $100 as a statutorily required special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Anderson was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in June of 2023. He pleaded guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person on December 1, 2023.
On February 11, 2023, Anderson was the driver of a vehicle pulled over for a traffic violation. While car-side, officers smelled marijuana coming from the vehicle and the vehicle was searched. Law enforcement located over 100 grams of marijuana, over 20 grams of cocaine, a working digital scale, $2,575 in cash, and a Springfield Armory Hellcat 9mm handgun under the driver’s seat. The investigation confirmed that Anderson had been in possession of that firearm; however, he is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition because he is a convicted felon. In 2009, Anderson was convicted of Aggravated Assault in Davison County, South Dakota.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Ebert prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Anderson was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to continue serving his sentence.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Production of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on March 4, 2024.
Jayden Kusiek Wolf, age 24, was sentenced to 19 years and seven months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Wolf will also need to register as a sex offender upon his release.
Wolf was indicted by a federal grand jury in March of 2022. He pleaded guilty on November 30, 2023.
The conviction stemmed from incidents between May 25, 2021, and July 7, 2021, when Wolf persuaded a minor female in Sioux Falls to send him sexually explicit images of herself. Wolf used the social media app Snapchat to induce the minor to send explicit photographs to him.
“This case underscores the dangers of social media in the hands of vulnerable youth,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell. “Here, Jayden Wolf used Snapchat to entice very young victims into sharing sexually explicit images of themselves. Their lives have been forever changed by his predatory behavior. We are grateful to our law enforcement partners at Homeland Security Investigations for uncovering Wolf’s criminal activity, and we hope this case will serve as a reminder to parents throughout South Dakota that they must be vigilant in monitoring their children’s use of social media.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper prosecuted the case.
“Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) St. Paul special agents work tirelessly to combat child predators like Wolf,” said Jamie Holt, HSI St. Paul Special Agent in Charge. “We will continue to fight against the exploitation of children and support victims by providing critical resources and services. Well done to the HSI special agents in South Dakota and our law enforcement community partners for bringing Wolf to justice for his reprehensible crimes.”
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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Wolf was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rosebud Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Sexual ContactRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Rosebud, South Dakota, man convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact with a Child. The sentencing took place on March 4, 2024.
Christopher Wright, age 32, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Wright was indicted for Abusive Sexual Contact with a Child by a federal grand jury in February of 2023. He pleaded guilty on December 11, 2023.
Wright’s mother regularly provided childcare for her friends’ children, including the victim. Wright would be present in the Rosebud home while the children were there. When the victim was approximately 8 or 9 years old, and the defendant was in his mid-twenties, the defendant engaged in sexual contact with the victim. During an interview, the defendant admitted that he knew it was wrong and further stated that he put the victim through “traumatizing stuff.”
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Abby Roesler prosecuted the case.
Wright was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Romanian citizen pleads guilty to people smuggling scheme across northern borderRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 27– year-old citizen of Romania pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to conspiracy to transport those not legally in the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Daniel Andronache was arrested near Blaine, Washington on November 9, 2023, after he and a coconspirator picked up 12 people who had illegally crossed into the U.S. From Canada. Andronache is scheduled for sentencing by U.S. District Judge Lauren King on June 12, 2024.
“We are seeing a huge increase in human smuggling attempts across our northern border,” said U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. “As in this case, the conduct is unsafe, putting the lives of many at risk. The Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigation is working diligently to stop these smuggling schemes and interdict those being transported in a way that keeps everybody safe from harm.”
According to the plea agreement, Andronache flew from Omaha, Nebraska to Seattle on November 7, 2023, and obtained a white Ford Expedition in Tacoma. Andronache and a coconspirator used the car to drive to Blaine, Washington. The men parked on a road near the international border. Twelve Romanian citizens emerged from brush near the border and got into the car. The car only had seats for eight people, and there were 14 in the vehicle. When Border patrol stopped the car, they found two children unrestrained in the trunk of the car, and another was unrestrained on the center console of the vehicle. The youngest child in the car was under the age of three.
In his plea agreement Andronache admits he knowingly entered the conspiracy to transport the non-citizens so they could stay illegally in the U.S.
Those who entered the U.S. illegally were referred to immigration authorities for processing.
Conspiracy to transport non-citizens is punishable by up to ten years in prison.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigation.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda McDowell.
Romanian Woman Sentenced for Possession of Device Making Equipment and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Mona Maria Tataru, 32, a Romanian citizen whose most recent address was in Los Angeles, California, was sentenced on March 8, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for possession of device making equipment with intent to defraud and aggravated identity theft. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Tataru to 10 months in prison for possession of device making equipment with intent to defraud and a consecutive 24 months in prison for aggravated identity theft, to be followed by 2 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
In April 2023, surveillance video showed Tataru and a confederate placing a skimming device and pinhole camera on an ATM in Omaha. Omaha police officers located the vehicle shown in the video and contacted Tataru and the confederate at a local motel. In Tataru’s and the confederate’s possession, officers located more skimming devices and cameras, equipment to generate phony debit and ATM cards, and several cards that had been encoded with stolen bank account information that enabled them to be used as ATM cards. In total, officers located approximately 220 sets of bank account information corresponding to accounts at more than a dozen different banks.
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security and the Omaha Police Department.
Richland Drug Trafficker Who Transported Drugs in Sophisticated “Trap Car” Sentenced to 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Richland, Washington - Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that Angela Madrigal Chavez, was sentenced on February 22, 2024, after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke imposed a sentence of 120 months imprisonment to be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
According to court documents and information presented at sentencing, The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) began investigating a substantial drug trafficking organization with ties around the United States. As part of the investigation, and in February of 2022, The DEA used a confidential informant to contact a member of the organization, Ruben Galvan-Trujillo, and arrange for the purchase and delivery of 20 pounds of methamphetamine to Pasco, Washington. Per Galvan Trujillo, this was a test run for establishing a drug distribution line to this Eastern Washington, wherein Galvan-Trujillo’s Drug Trafficking Organization would begin to send regular drug shipments in excess of 50 pounds of methamphetamine, cocaine and other product. Chavez worked as a transporter and drug distributor supplied by this Drug Trafficking Organization. Chavez and another member of this organization transported the 20 pounds from California to Pasco, WA.
The drugs were hidden in a sophisticated trap car. Chavez even had to use tools to open the trap, which contained 20 individual packages, each containing approximately one-pound quantities of crystal methamphetamine. After the arrest of Galvan Trujillo, Chavez was again located in Eastern Washington with that same trap car, which again contained large quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine and deadly fentanyl laced pills.
“Ms. Chavez was engaged in transporting a large quantity of drugs, hidden in a vehicle designed to avoid detection from law enforcement. Even after his co-conspirator was apprehended, Mr. Chavez was undeterred and again used the same method to transport illegal drugs. I grateful for the superb investigative work by our law enforcement partners to stop Ms. Chavez from transporting and distributing illegal narcotics,” said U.S. Attorney Waldref. “As this case demonstrates, The U.S. Attorney’s Office is dedicated to removing illegal drugs from Eastern Washington communities. Even those who use sophisticated methods to transport large quantities of illegal drugs will be caught and prosecuted.”
“The DEA and our partners work hard every day to stop drug traffickers like Ms. Chavez from preying on our communities,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “The sentence Ms. Chavez received in this case should serve as a warning to anyone trying to profit from the misery caused by methamphetamine trafficking.”This case was investigated DEA Tri-Cities which includes DEA, USCBP, and Kennewick PD. The Metro Drug Task Force assisted. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Van Marter.
Repeat Felon Sentenced to over Eight Years in Prison for Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A previously convicted felon was sentenced yesterday in connection with the armed robberies of two Boston and Brockton businesses. At the time of the offenses, defendant had pending state charges for armed and unarmed robbery and three outstanding warrants.
Fernando Bost, 32, of Boston, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to eight and half years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. In December 2023, Bost pleaded guilty to two counts of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
“This defendant has wreaked havoc in our community for over a decade, committing a string of armed robberies against innocent victims. Keeping our communities safe from this type of violence is at the core of DOJ’s mission,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy.
“Fernando Bost is a hardened and chronic offender who targeted two businesses in Boston and Brockton in one day, threatening his victims at gunpoint to force them into compliance,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Getting violent criminals like this off the street is a priority for FBI Boston’s Violent Crimes Task Force and our local law enforcement partners, as we all work our hardest to keep the public safe."
Bost is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to two previous armed robbery convictions from 2012 and 2017. Additionally, at the time of the federal offense, Bost had several pending state charges for armed and unarmed robbery as well as three outstanding warrants issued in three different courts for armed robbery, assault with a dangerous weapon, breaking and entering during the daytime with intent to commit a felony, receiving stolen property and shoplifting.
On March 29, 2023 at approximately 11:05 p.m., a man entered RJ Smoke and Convenience Store in Dorchester, held the victim cashier at gunpoint and took cash before fleeing the store. While investigating the robbery, it was determined that a 7-Eleven in Brockton was robbed approximately 40 minutes earlier that same day. Surveillance footage depicts the robber wearing the same unique clothing worn in the RJ Smoke and Convenience store robbery in Dorchester.
A subsequent investigation identified a Kia Sorento captured in the vicinity of both businesses prior to the robberies and leaving after each robbery took place. Records determined that the vehicle had been rented to Bost’s girlfriend. It was also determined that Bost’s EBT card had been used at a gas station and a Target the same day of the robberies. Surveillance footage obtained from those locations show Bost wearing clothing identical to that worn by the robber.
Bost was arrested during a traffic stop near Springfield where a loaded Glock 43x with a high-capacity magazine was recovered in his sweatshirt.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy and FBI SAC Cohen made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Hamden County District Attorney’s Office; and the Boston and Brockton Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Previously Convicted Murderer Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Willie Burroughs, 53, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 5 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, in June of 2023, IMPD officers began investigating a shooting that occurred on June 13, 2022. The target of this investigation was Willie Burroughs. On June 22, 2023, IMPD officers located Burroughs at Stratford Apartments in Indianapolis and saw him drive off in the passenger side of Chevrolet Equinox.
Officers followed the vehicle and conducted a felony stop of the Equinox in the area of West 38th Street and Moller Road. Burroughs was ordered from the front passenger seat and detained. An officer received consent from the driver to search the Equinox and located one Glock 19 Gen4 9mm semi-automatic pistol under the front passenger side seat. The Glock was fully loaded, with one round in the chamber and 16 rounds in the magazine. Burroughs admitted that the Glock was his.
In 1994, Burroughs was convicted of Murder and Armed Robbery in Marion County, prohibiting him from ever again legally possessing a firearm.
“Illegally armed, repeat violent criminals are responsible for a disproportionate share of the gun violence suffered in Indianapolis and all of our communities These offenses will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers. “Like this defendant, every offender returning to our community has a choice. If you want to turn your life around, and be there for your family, seek out the services and supporters committed to keeping you safe, alive, and successful. If instead, you choose to carry a firearm, you will return to prison to serve a serious sentence behind federal bars.”
“Armed repeat offenders such as Mr. Burroughs who choose to knowingly possess firearms when they are expressly prohibited from doing so demonstrate a clear disregard for the lives of others,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “The FBI and our partners will continue our commitment to the community to investigate and hold accountable criminals who illegally have these deadly weapons.”
The FBI and IMPD investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Sarah Evans Barker. Judge Barker also ordered that Burroughs be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years following his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Jayson W. McGrath, who prosecuted this case.
This case was brought as part of the LEATH Initiative (Law Enforcement Action to Halt Domestic Violence), named in honor of Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) Officer Breann Leath, who was killed in the line of duty while responding to a domestic disturbance call. A partnership among the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the IMPD, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana, the LEATH Initiative focuses federal, state, and local law enforcement resources on domestic violence offenders who illegally possess firearms.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Owner of Telemedicine Companies Pleads Guilty to Role in $136M Medicare Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
The owner of two purported telemedicine companies pleaded guilty today to her role in a conspiracy to defraud Medicare of $136 million.
According to court documents, Jean Wilson, 52, of Richmond Hill, Georgia, was a licensed nurse practitioner in New Jersey. Wilson owned two purported telemedicine companies, Advantage Choice Care LLC (ACC) and Tele Medcare LLC (Tele Medcare), and two orthotic brace suppliers, Southeastern DME and Choice Care Medical. Wilson, through these companies, recruited medical professionals who were bribed to sign prescriptions for Medicare beneficiaries for orthotic braces and prescription drugs that were medically unnecessary, ineligible for Medicare reimbursement, or not provided as represented. In certain instances, Wilson only paid providers when they signed orthotic brace orders. The medical professionals Wilson recruited would often sign the orthotic brace orders based solely on a brief telephonic interaction with the beneficiary, or no interaction at all. Wilson and the medical providers she retained frequently signed false and misleading documentation to support claims to Medicare.
During the conspiracy, Wilson and others submitted, or caused the submission of, false and fraudulent claims to Medicare, Medicare sponsors, and Medicare Part D plans in excess of approximately $136 million for orthotic braces and prescription drugs that were medically unnecessary, ineligible for Medicare reimbursement, or not provided as represented. Medicare, Medicare sponsors, and Medicare Part D plans paid at least $66 million for these claims.
Wilson pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud. She is scheduled to be sentenced on July 18 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. As part of her plea, she has agreed to pay over $66 million in restitution to Medicare and the IRS. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Special Agent in Charge James Dennehy of the FBI Newark Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Newark Field Office made the announcement.
The HHS-OIG, FBI, and IRS-CI are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Darren C. Halverson and Nicholas K. Peone of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,400 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $27 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Newport News man sentenced for prolific card-swiping operationRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man was sentenced today to nine years and 11 months in prison for leading a credit card fraud and identity theft scheme that victimized thousands of people and caused at least $1.5 million in loss.
According to court documents, Damier Dorsey, 29, and his co-conspirators purchased account information for identity theft victims from the darknet, including the “BriansClub” website, and re-encoded that information onto cards in their possession. They used the altered cards without authorization from the legitimate account holders, beginning in 2017 when Dorsey purchased cartons of cigarettes that he would resell to a local business.
In 2018, the scheme evolved to purchasing items for resale and purchasing lottery tickets to launder proceeds through the Virginia Lottery. For example, on April 14, 2018, Dorsey and his co-conspirators purchased $2,716.06 of merchandise from Toys “R” Us and attempted to resell the merchandise on Facebook Marketplace. The same day, Dorsey used the same re-encoded card to withdraw $300 from a bank ATM. On June 27, 2018, Dorsey and his coconspirators purchased $200 of lottery tickets with a re-encoded card.
Dorsey and his co-conspirators were aspiring musicians who released music under the moniker, “$wipaG@ng.” Dorsey participated in a music video in which he and his co-conspirators boasted about committing fraud and other criminal activities.
On Aug. 2, 2018, Dorsey and a co-conspirator were stopped while driving by the Virginia State Police. Dorsey was in possession of a credit card embossing machine, numerous credit cards in various states of imprinting, and over $23,000. During a search of Dorsey’s home, law enforcement recovered multiple re-encoded credit cards, magnetic strip cards without labels, a magnetic strip card reader/writer, lists of numbers, lottery tickets, and W-2G tax forms for lottery winnings. The operation was so prolific that a co-conspirator approximated that she and Dorsey spent $10,000 per week on re-encoded and re-embossed credit and debit cards.
On Sept. 11, 2023, Dorsey pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Ajay Lall, Acting Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen.
U.S. Attorney Aber thanks the Virginia State Police for their assistance in this investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney D. Mack Coleman prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:23-cr-38.
Mount Vernon Man Sentenced to 50 Years in Prison for His Enticement of A MinorRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that LELAND ROBINSON was sentenced to 50 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Karas for his enticement of a 14-year-old minor to engage in sexual activity. ROBINSON was convicted of enticement of a minor following a week-long jury trial in July 2023.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Leland Robinson’s crime is the nightmare of every parent of a child who uses a smartphone. Robinson met his victim on a social media application and then traveled to Connecticut, where he sexually assaulted the child outside the child’s home. I encourage parents and caregivers to have conversations with their children about the dangers of communicating online with strangers. We will continue to use every tool available to law enforcement to prosecute and punish those who seek to exploit our children.”
According to court documents and the evidence presented in the trial of ROBINSON:
In or about February 2019, ROBINSON, who was 31 years old but posing as a high school student, met a 14-year-old boy (“Victim-1”) on a social media application. ROBINSON sent Victim-1 sexually explicit images and videos of himself and requested the same from Victim-1. In the fall of 2019, ROBINSON agreed to provide Victim-1 with a JUUL if Victim-1 would engage in sex with ROBINSON. On multiple occasions in September and October 2019, ROBINSON traveled to Victim-1’s home in Connecticut. On October 24, 2019, ROBINSON returned to Victim-1’s house and sexually assaulted him in the yard outside his house.
In imposing the sentence, Judge Karas said: “People should understand that when they prey on kids, they will pay the price.”
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In addition to the prison term, ROBINSON, 35, of Mount Vernon, New York, was sentenced to 15 years of supervised release.
Mr. Williams praised the efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New Canaan Police Department, and the Greensboro Police Department in Greensboro, North Carolina, in connection with this investigation.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marcia S. Cohen and Jennifer Ong are in charge of the prosecution.
Michigan Man Sentenced to 96 Months for Drug and Gun Crimes in BurlingtonRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on March 7, 2024, Quenton Dodson, 36, originally from Ypsilanti, Michigan, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Geoffrey Crawford to a term of 96 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a four-year term of supervised release. Dodson previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, as well as being a felon in possession of firearms.
According to court records, after serving almost eight years in a Michigan prison and another year on parole in connection with previously shooting three individuals in a dispute over drugs, Dodson came to Vermont in 2021 to sell methamphetamine and fentanyl. In late 2021 and early 2022, the Burlington Police Department conducted a series of controlled purchases of drugs from Dodson and, in January 2022, obtained warrants to search not only Dodson’s Farrell Street apartment, but also the Ledgewood Circle apartment of a woman suspected of working with Dodson. In Dodson’s Farrell Street apartment police found more than $10,000 in cash (including some of the bills used in one of the controlled buys), about 20 grams of fentanyl, about 65 grams of methamphetamine, about 20 grams of cocaine, and a loaded handgun. In the Ledgewood Circle apartment, police found almost three pounds of methamphetamine (some of which was contained in a plastic bag bearing Dodson’s fingerprint), as well as another loaded handgun.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest observed: “This case demonstrates that Vermont should not be perceived as a friendly destination for those preying on the addictions of others. We are grateful that the Burlington Police Department, in collaboration with the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, as well as the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, were able to intervene in Dodson’s criminal activity before either of the loaded firearms he possessed in connection with his drug dealing were fired.”
Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad added: “The Burlington Police Department believes in using a multi-faceted approach to address the scourge of drugs in our community, from treatment and succor for those with substance-use disorder to prosecution and prison for those who peddle poison. I’m proud of our detective team’s work and I’m immensely grateful for our federal partners. This case shows our collective resolve to ensure accountability for traffickers who prey on the suffering of others and harm our community in the process.”
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael P. Drescher. Dodson was represented by Mark Kaplan, Esq.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Meridian Man Pleads Guilty to Destruction of an Energy Facility for Shooting at Two Idaho Power Hydroelectric Power PlantsRead the Press Release
BOISE – Randy Scott Vail, 59, of Meridian, pleaded guilty to destruction of an energy facility in Idaho, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to court records, on June 8, 2023, and continuing into June 9, 2023, Vail shot at the Hells Canyon Dam hydroelectric power station and the Brownlee Dam hydroelectric power station causing power loss and substantial damage to both. The Hells Canyon Dam and the Brownlee Dam are located on the Snake River along the Idaho-Oregon border and were built and are operated by Idaho Power Company. The dams are essential to electricity production, transmission, and storage in Washington, Idaho, and Oregon.
Specifically, in the late-night hours of June 8, 2023, Vail arrived on the top of Hells Canyon Dam via motorcycle, loaded a rifle with ammunition and discharged the rifle, shooting at the power substations. As a result, power loss occurred at Hells Canyon Dam. Approximately one hour later, on June 9, 2023, Vail arrived via motorcycle to the Brownlee Dam. Vail again loaded a rifle with ammunition and shot at the dam’s power substations. As a result, large plumes of sparks were visible in the switch yard of the power plant.
Approximately 45 minutes after Vail shot the Brownlee Dam power substations, a sheriff deputy encountered Vail on a motorcycle on Highway 71 traveling south towards Cambridge, Idaho. Law enforcement initiated emergency lights and sirens, but Vail failed to yield and increased speed. After approximately three miles, Vail yielded to lights and sirens, and he was taken into custody. During a search and inventory of Vail and the motorcycle, law enforcement located bolt cutters, a guitar case housing two rifles, and live and spent ammunition. Vail also was carrying two yellow compressed air tanks with gasoline with the pressure gauge missing.
Damage and loss to the hydroelectric power stations was at least $546,982.46. In addition, the loss in power production at both facilities reduced capacity for Idaho Power, reducing power capacity in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington and thus caused a significant interruption and impairment of the function of the energy facilities.
Vail is scheduled to be sentenced on June 5, 2024 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended a host of federal, state, and local partners in both Idaho and Oregon, for their collaborative work on the case. They include the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the Washington County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, the Adams County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, the Meridian Police Department, the Ada County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, the Boise Police Department, and the Baker County Sheriff’s Office and Wallowa County Sheriff’s Office in Oregon. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heather S. Patricco and Erin C. Blackadar are prosecuting the case, in collaboration with the Department of Justice’s National Security Division.
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Man sentenced for illegal firearm possession and making online threatsRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Portsmouth man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition and sending threatening messages to a former girlfriend through Facebook.
According to court documents, on May 28, 2019, Robert Edgar English, aka “H.B.,” “Hot Boy,” and “Head Buster,” 40, accompanied another person to a firearms retailer in Chesapeake, Virginia, and provided money for the straw purchase of a semi-automatic firearm. On June 16, 2019, during a traffic stop in Portsmouth, Virginia, law enforcement seized the firearm from the vehicle’s trunk, as well as an attached drum magazine with 26 rounds of ammunition and a 60-round capacity.
In 2005, English was convicted in Kings County, New York, of attempted criminal possession of a weapon. As a previously convicted felon, English cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition.
On Sept. 7 and Sept. 8, 2021, English threatened his ex-girlfriend through messages from a Facebook account under the name “Howard Barnes.” Among other messages, English threatened that the victim “better be looking for the reaper” and that he would “black out your whole family.”
On Nov. 13, 2023, English pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and interstate threatening communication.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Stephen Jenkins, Chief of Portsmouth Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Mozzi prosecuted the case. Former Assistant United States Attorney William B. Jackson also provided assistance on this case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-19.
Man Sentenced for Escaping from CustodyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Anthony Aranda, 32, was sentenced on March 8, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for escape from custody. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Aranda to 8 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Aranda’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release.
Aranda was convicted on February 12, 2015, in the United States Court for the District of Nebraska of carjacking and possessing a firearm during a crime of violence. He was sentenced to 130-months imprisonment. After his custodial sentence, in September 2023 Aranda was designated by the Bureau of Prisons to serve the remainder of his sentence at DISMAS Charities in Omaha, Nebraska, through January 2024. On October 17, 2023, Aranda left DISMAS Charities and did not return. Aranda was eventually found and arrested on October 26, 2023, at a residence in Sioux City, Iowa.
This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service.
Mail thief who stole postal vehicles and mailbox keys sentenced to 3+ years in prisonRead the Press Release
Seattle – A man who committed a series of mail vehicle and mail key thefts was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 41 months in prison for theft of government property, mail theft, illegal transactions on access devices, and illegally possessing a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Johny Mixayboua, 27, committed a string of mail theft incidents involving stolen postal vehicles, stolen postal keys, mail theft and associated crimes. The postal service had to halt deliveries in the zip code 98118 for about a week while investigators worked to track down and arrest Mixayboua. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Court by Judge Richard A. Jones said, “You had opportunities to look at your past and look at your future. You have failed to take advantage of the opportunities provided along the way to change your future…As you grow and mature, you will see all the years wasted engaged in criminal activity.”
“Mr. Mixayboua’s thefts caused widespread hardship – especially for the elderly and disabled who were suddenly forced to line up at the post office to get their mail,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “The theft of checks and credit cards caused harm to those hit with fraudulent charges. But even those who did not suffer theft were impacted. Individuals who relied on the mail for medication, medical supplies, food, and financial documents, were asked to physically come into the post office to pick up their mail because they had to shut down service due to the defendant’s actions.”
“Mail theft and identity theft remains a plague in our communities. Mixayboua’s thefts victimized numerous U.S. Postal Service customers throughout the Seattle area, but through our partnerships with local law enforcement and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, we were able to shut down this prolific mail thief,” said Inspector in Charge Anthony Galetti, “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service remains steadfast in our commitment to ensure the U.S. mail remains safe and secure for all members of our community.”
According to records in the case, on December 28, 2022, a U.S. Postal Service vehicle was stolen from the 6300 block of South Bangor Street in Seattle. In the vehicle was a postal key that is used to access the cluster mailbox units in the 98178 zip code. The key allows the postal worker to open the back of the cluster box to deliver mail to multiple households. Since the theft of the vehicle and postal key, there had been numerous reports of cluster boxes in zip code 98178 being opened and mail stolen.
Working with neighbors, the Postal Inspection Service was able to get door camera footage showing the person accessing the postal boxes. Neighbors reported credit cards being stolen and attempts being made to use them. Inspectors were able to review images from when the credit card attempts occurred and ultimately identified Mixayboua as the person stealing the mail and attempting to use the stolen credit cards.
Additionally, local law enforcement determined that vehicles used in a number of the mail theft incidents were reported stolen.
On January 17, 2023, two more Postal Service vehicles were stolen. One in the 3000 block of Beach Drive SW and a second one in the 3600 block of 57th SW. Both are in zip code 98116. Using doorbell camera footage from the block where one of the vehicles was recovered, investigators saw Mixayboua removing mail and parcels from the stolen postal vehicle and putting them in another vehicle. Again, law enforcement traced credit cards stolen from the mail and obtained surveillance footage that appears to show Mixayboua attempting to make purchases with the credit cards.
On January 30, 2023, a fourth postal vehicle was stolen – this time from the 2000 block of S. Columbian Way in Seattle. On March 28, 2023, a fifth postal vehicle was stolen from the 5700 block of S. 129th Ave. One of the people associated with the theft matched the description of Mixayboua. In late January and February, the mail theft incidents continued -- this time in the Snoqualmie, Washington area. The cluster boxes were opened with either a counterfeit or authentic postal key. Again, credit cards were stolen, and one was linked to images of Mixayboua making purchases at Target.
Throughout April, mail thefts continued from as far north as Lake Forest Park and as far south as southeast Seattle.
The postal service halted deliveries in zip code 98118 for about a week while investigators worked to track down and arrest Mixayboua.
Mixaboua apparently was living in a vehicle near a relative’s home. He was arrested after running from officers. Law enforcement found a Polymer unregistered firearm – known as a ‘ghost gun’ - that Mixayboua threw into the bushes while attempting to run away. Mixayboua is prohibited from possessing firearms due to multiple felony convictions in King County for auto theft, possession of stolen property, and bail jumping.
In asking for a 41-month prison sentence, Assistant United States Attorney Elyne Vaught wrote to the court, “Beginning in December of 2022 up to his arrest in May of 2023, the defendant, Johny Mixayboua’s full-time job was to use stolen postal keys to steal mail from the residents of King County, leaving a trail of financial and sentimental loss along the way. As the thefts increased, the United States Postal Service made the difficult decision to shut down mail service to an entire zip code, requiring residents, including the elderly and disabled, to physically come into the office to pick up their mail.”
This case was investigated by U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elyne Vaught.
Louisiana Man Sentenced to over Nine Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – An Amite, Louisiana man was sentenced to 114 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine.
Kendrick Kenyon Davis, 45, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Jackson.
According to court documents, in August 2019, Davis conspired with others, including Juan Angel Gonzalez, Jr., 50, of Houston, Texas, and Jimario Juvonca Holmes, 35, of Louisville, Mississippi, to distribute cocaine. During the investigation, agents learned that Davis and Gonzalez negotiated the delivery of kilogram quantities of cocaine, and that Davis had elicited the assistance of Holmes to pick up narcotics from Gonzalez in Houston, Texas, and bring them back to Mississippi for distribution.
“This individual and several others conspired to traffic large quantities of cocaine from Texas into Mississippi without concern for the addiction, death and destruction they would leave in their wake,” said acting Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune. “Thanks to outstanding teamwork between our HSI office in Jackson, Mississippi, and our OCDETF partners, we were able to dismantle this multi-state drug trafficking ring and prevent them from flooding our local communities with these deadly narcotics.”
Juan Angel Gonzalez, Jr. previously pled guilty for his role in the conspiracy and was sentenced to 9 years in prison. Jimario Juvonca Holmes also pled guilty and is awaiting sentencing.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Eric Delaune of Homeland Security Investigations made the announcement.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations in Jackson and Houston, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, Kemper County Sheriff’s Office, Neshoba County Sheriff’s Office, Philadelphia Police Department, Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, Mississippi National Guard Counterdrug Task Force, and the Beaumont, Texas Police Department.
This case is the result of an extensive investigation targeting illegal drug trafficking in Philadelphia, Neshoba County, Mississippi, and surrounding areas. The case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Keesha Middleton.
Local drug trafficker gets life in prison for his role in murder-for-hire plotRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 50-year-old man has been sentenced for perpetrating multiple violent crimes related to a drug trafficking conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
A federal jury deliberated for six hours before returning the guilty verdicts Oct. 31, 2023, on all counts against Ronald Brown aka Nuk, Nook or Nookie following a six-day trial. He was found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder for hire, intentional killing related to drug trafficking, two counts of using a firearm in the commission of a murder, kidnapping and using a firearm in relation to the kidnapping as well as conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine.
U.S. District Judge Sim Lake has now ordered Brown to serve life in federal prison. At the trial, the court heard argument regarding Brown’s repeated attempts to intimidate, influence and kill witnesses in his trial. In handing down the life sentence, the court recommended that Brown be confined in a communications management unit to ensure heightened monitoring of Brown’s external and internal communications.
In December 2013, law enforcement seized 21 kilograms of cocaine from one of Brown’s associates who had placed the bag in a vehicle at a Valero gas station. Brown was upset by the loss and sidelined him from the drug operation at that time.
During trial, the jury heard from several witnesses who testified about working directly for Brown. He was responsible for moving as much as 100 to 200 kilograms of cocaine each week from Houston to Atlanta, Georgia, on 18-wheeler trucks and car haulers. Once in Atlanta, his associates would divide the shipments before delivering it to Brown’s customers.
The jury also heard testimony from one of Brown’s drivers who was robbed of approximately 56 kilograms of cocaine April 18, 2014. Brown suspected the same individual who lost the drugs at the Valero and another drug associate conspired to steal the cocaine from him.
On April 23, 2014, Brown and others kidnapped the associate, zip-tied his arms and legs and put him in the trunk of Brown’s girlfriend’s vehicle. A good Samaritan picked up the victim and attempted to drive him to safety after the victim managed to free himself from the trunk. However, Brown pursued and shot at them repeatedly, ultimately striking the good Samaritan in the upper body and the associate in the head. Both survived.
One of the kidnappers told the jury he met Brown following the kidnapping who directed him to dump the vehicle and gun used during the shooting. Brown also directed his girlfriend to report the vehicle as stolen.
Following the failed attempt to kill this person, Brown began searching for the other man from the Valero incident whom he also thought was part of the alleged theft on April 18, 2023, in order reclaim his drugs. He ultimately decided he wanted to kill him. Testimony revealed Brown was able to obtain the date of the man’s next parole visit. Through a middleman, Brown then hired a shooter and provided him with a handgun.
Following that parole visit on July 1, 2014, the victim returned to his vehicle in the parking lot. The shooter then fired multiple shots at close range at the victim as he sat in the driver’s seat. He died at the scene.
Afterwards, Brown met the shooter and middleman in the parking lot of a grocery store and paid them $20,000.
At the trial, the defense attempted to convince the jury that other members of Brown’s drug trafficking organization orchestrated the kidnapping and murder. They did not believe those claims and found Brown guilty as charged.
He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI conducted the investigation with assistance from the Houston Police Department’s Homicide Division, Texas Department of Criminal Justice – Parole Division, U.S. Marshals Service, Federal Bureau of Prisons and Drug Enforcement Administration.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sebastian A. Edwards and Britni Cooper prosecuted the case.
Leader of the Rodriguez Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 10 Years for Drug Conspiracy and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK –Ivan Rodriguez, Senior, age 48, of Utica, New York, was sentenced yesterday to serve 121 months in federal prison for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, distribution of more than 400 grams of fentanyl, and money laundering, announced United States Attorney Carla Freedman, Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division and Thomas Fattorusso, Executive Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), New York Field Office.
After a lengthy investigation, Rodriguez, Sr. was identified as the head of a drug trafficking organization that distributed fentanyl in and around Oneida County from May 2020 to October 2021. On September 20, 2021, the defendant and his son, Ivan Rodriguez, Jr. arranged for co-conspirator Eric Ares to drive to a source of supply in New York City to pick up fentanyl for redistribution in the Utica area. Law enforcement officers interdicted the vehicle en route back to Utica and recovered three kilograms of fentanyl from a speaker inside of Ares’ rental car. During the conspiracy, Rodriguez, Sr. also provided cash obtained from drug trafficking to a straw purchaser to buy cars, including a BMW.
Ivan Rodriguez, Jr. will be sentenced on May 2, 2024. Eric Ares will be sentenced April 11, 2024.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), the New York State Police, the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office, the Oneida County District Attorney’s Office, the Utica Police Department, the Syracuse Police Department, the Rome Police Department, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, New York Army National Guard Counter Drug Program, the Yorkville Village Police Department, and the Whitesboro Village Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamara Thomson.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Leader of Tri-cities Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 15 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Richland, Washington - Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Etzael Bejar-Cardenas, was sentenced on February 22, 2024, after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute 400 Grams or More of a Mixture or Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Fentanyl. United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke imposed a sentence of 180 months imprisonment to be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
According to information presented during court proceedings, multiple members Bejar-Cardenas’ family have been involved in drug trafficking in the Tri-Cities and Seattle area for an extended period of time. This group was responsible for trafficking hundreds of thousands of deadly fentanyl pills into those communities.
In March 2022, search warrants were executed in the Tri-Cities area at several locations related to the investigation. A substantial amount (over 1 kilogram) of fentanyl pills, as well as multiple firearms were located in a “stash house” run by this family in Pasco, Washington.
When police knocked and announced their presence at the home where Bejar-Cardenas was staying at the time, a 15-year-old flushed an unknown quantity of fentanyl pills down the toilet. During a search of that the mother’s bedroom, multiple firearms were located in a safe with $30,000 in U.S. Currency, and an AR-15 style rifle was located under the teenager’s bunk bed. There also were a small amount of loose fentanyl pills located on the floor of the residence, where an infant resided along with other members of Bejar-Cardenas’s family.
Of note, Bejar-Cardenas was not located during the execution of the March 2022 search warrants. Instead, agents later learned Bejar-Cardenas had seen the search warrants being executed on a security camera and fled to Mexico. While in Mexico, Bejar-Cardenas continued his drug trafficking activities. He continued to take orders from customers in Eastern Washington and directed others in the United States to deliver the drugs.
Unbeknownst to Bejar-Cardenas, he began communicating with an undercover law enforcement officer, and solicited that individual to help him set up a new ‘stash house’ to store 50,000 fentanyl pills after law enforcement raided the previous one.
When Bejar-Cardenas later returned to the United States, he was arrested. While detained in custody awaiting the disposition of his case, he offered others housed with him the number for his “uncle,” who was the head of the drug trafficking organization, so those individuals would have a source of supply of drugs to sell when they got out of jail.
In fashioning the appropriate sentence, Judge Dimke noted the nature and circumstances of this offense were extremely serious, as Bejar-Cardenas and his family trafficked a substantial amount of fentanyl and were in possession of a substantial number of firearms. Judge Dimke ruled that Bejar-Cardenas’ pattern of behavior showed he was not deterred, despite law enforcement interventions, which gave him an opportunity to change course. Judge Dimke addressed the nature of the offense – noting that it was clear Bejar-Cardenas family was involved in this organization. Based on the totality of the circumstances, Judge Dimke advised she was “thoroughly convinced” a substantial sentence was needed to convince him to stop and hopefully to serve as an example to younger family members to not follow in Bejar-Cardenas’ footsteps.
“Mr. Bejar-Cardenas was a key member of a large drug trafficking organization and directed distribution of a large number of deadly drugs across Eastern Washington,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “Mr. Bejar-Cardenas exposed minor children and even an infant to deadly fentanyl and to his drug trafficking activities. After he was taken into custody, Mr. Bejar Cardenas brazenly attempted to distribute illegal narcotics. Fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat facing this country. The Eastern District of Washington is safer and stronger today as a result of the tireless work of our law enforcement partners and federal prosecutors.”
“The fentanyl crisis is the most dangerous drug threat I have seen in my 26 years of Federal drug enforcement,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “Fentanyl traffickers like Mr. Bejar-Cardenas act with total disregard for the lives lost or ruined for their profit, but this sentence shows the resolve of the DEA and our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to confront this threat and safeguard our community.”
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin Baunsgard.
Leader of Drug Trafficking Organization Based in Lewis County, Tennessee, Sentenced to 22 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Michael Sowell, 39, of Hohenwald, Tennessee, was sentenced yesterday to 22 years in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, announced United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis.
In May 2023, Sowell pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute various drugs, including heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine; distribution of methamphetamine; possession with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, and crack cocaine; and possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon.
The convictions stem from Sowell’s involvement in a large-scale drug trafficking organization that was responsible for distributing substantial quantities of heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine throughout middle Tennessee between 2017 and 2020. Sowell imported heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine from California and distributed those drugs to other individuals, many of whom were also charged as part of this case. Sowell admitted that he was aware that the charged conspiracy involved at least two kilograms of heroin, at least six kilograms of cocaine, and over 33 pounds of methamphetamine.
As part of the resolution of this case, Sowell forfeited firearms and ammunition recovered from his house during the execution of a search warrant in 2019, as well as a money judgment in the amount of $200,000, which represents proceeds he obtained from his illegal drug trafficking activity.
The other individuals charged in the Superseding Indictment with Michael Sowell have all pled guilty. Frank Sparkman, 42, of Hohenwald, Tennessee, was sentenced in October 2023 to 15 years in prison; Antonio Sowell, 39, of Hohenwald, Tennessee, was sentenced in January 2024 to 15 years in prison. Charles Lowe-Kelley, 32, of Columbia, Tennessee, was sentenced in February 2024 to 15 years in prison. Antonio Laster, 33, of Nashville, Tennessee, was sentenced in August 2023 to 10 years in prison. Tanasha Vaughn, 24, of Hohenwald, Tennessee, and Darron Weakley, 37, of Nashville, Tennessee, are awaiting sentencing.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Columbia Police Department; the Hohenwald Police Department; the Spring Hill Police Department; and the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert S. Levine and Nani M. Gilkerson prosecuted the case.
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Lake Worth resident on bond in federal case charged with bank fraud conspiracy involving over $2.1 million dollarsRead the Press Release
MIAMI – While on bond in an aggravated identity theft matter, Manley Vanel Neptune, 33, of Lake Worth, was charged in a second federal case with participating in a conspiracy to obtain over $2.1 million dollars by depositing a stolen U.S. Treasury check into a fraudulent bank account.
According to allegations in the initial complaint, on Feb. 2, Neptune attempted to open a fraudulent account at a First Horizon Bank in Lighthouse Point, Florida, by presenting a counterfeit U.S. passport card in the name of “W.H.” (Case No. 24-mj-6052). Neptune was arrested by law enforcement. On Feb. 15, Neptune was indicted for using a counterfeit passport and aggravated identify theft (Case No. 24-cr-60028). Neptune was released on bond.
Neptune was then charged in a second complaint when further investigation revealed that on Feb. 1, Neptune successfully opened a fraudulent account at a Truist Bank in Pompano Beach, Florida by using the same counterfeit U.S. passport card, in the name of “W.H.,” that Neptune used at First Horizon Bank the following day. On Feb. 20, while on bond, Neptune caused two female co-conspirators to deposit, into the fraudulent account at Truist Bank, a stolen U.S. Treasury check in the amount of $2,172,687.18 that was issued to “W.G.H.” The second criminal complaint (Case No. 24-mj-6093) charges Neptune with participating in the bank fraud conspiracy.
On March 7, Neptune had his initial appearance in federal court in Case No. 24-mj-6093. The parties stipulated to pretrial detention with the right to revisit. An arraignment hearing is scheduled for March 21.
If convicted of the bank fraud conspiracy, Neptune faces up to 30 years in federal prison. If convicted of using a fraudulent U.S. passport, Neptune faces up to 10 years in federal prison. If convicted of aggravated identity theft, Neptune faces a mandatory minimum term of 2 years in federal prison to run consecutive to any other sentence imposed. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines along with other mitigating, aggravating, and statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami, made the announcement.
HSI Ft. Lauderdale investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph A. Cooley is prosecuting it.
An indictment and complaint contain mere allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case numbers 24-mj-6039 and 24-cr-60028.
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Kashaun Lockett, 38, of Omaha, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for his involvement in a methamphetamine conspiracy.Read the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Kashaun Lockett, 38, of Omaha, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for his involvement in a methamphetamine conspiracy. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter Jr. sentenced Lockett to 204 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a 10-year term of supervised release.
Beginning in October 2020, the Federal Bureau of Investigation began investigating Lockett for distributing meth. Over the course of eight months, the FBI utilized a Confidential Source (CS) to make 13 controlled buys of meth from Lockett. In total, 419 grams of meth were purchased from Lockett. On one occasion, Lockett was unable to make the delivery, so he utilized his brother, Gary, to make the delivery.
On June 14, 2021, a controlled buy was arranged with Lockett. Lockett’s residence was under surveillance at the time, and Lockett was followed when he left to meet with the CS. The Omaha Police Department attempted a traffic stop on Lockett, however, Lockett fled from the traffic stop. Lockett was observed throwing an item down a storm drain, which later turned out to be 319 grams of meth.
During Lockett’s flight, surveillance officers still at Lockett’s residence saw Gary Lockett and Robert Culberson exit the residence and toss meth and a firearm into the tree line at the back of Lockett’s residence.
Lockett’s sentence was enhanced due to possessing the firearm and for having a previous federal drug conviction. Culberson was sentenced on August 15, 2023, to 120 months for his involvement. Gary Lockett is set for sentencing on March 15, 2024.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Omaha Police Department
Justice and Interior Departments Outline Commitment, Next Steps in Effort to Address Missing or Murdered Indigenous Peoples and Human Trafficking CrisisRead the Press Release
The Departments of Justice and the Interior today released their joint response to the Not Invisible Act Commission’s recommendations on how to combat the missing or murdered Indigenous peoples (MMIP) and human trafficking crisis. The response recognizes that more must be done across the federal government to resolve this longstanding crisis and support healing from the generational traumas that Indigenous peoples have endured throughout the history of the United States.
“These recommendations are an important and necessary step toward healing the trauma, pain, and loss that Tribal communities have endured for generations,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department is committed to working with our partners at the Department of the Interior to put an end to the missing or murdered Indigenous persons and human trafficking crisis. We are deeply grateful to the Not Invisible Act commissioners and the survivors and family members of victims who testified before the Commission about their heartbreaking experiences. Those testimonies and the Commission’s recommendations will continue to guide our work.”
“Addressing violent crimes against Indigenous peoples has long been underfunded and ignored, as a cause of intergenerational trauma that has affected our communities since colonization,” said Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland. “Through historic efforts like the Not Invisible Act Commission, we’re identifying recommendations created by Indian Country, for Indian Country. This will ensure that epidemics like the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples Crisis and Human Trafficking are addressed with the resources they demand.”
The Justice and Interior Departments’ response addresses the Commission’s areas of concern including:
- Law enforcement and investigative resources;
- Recruitment and retention of law enforcement;
- Data collection and reporting;
- Cross-jurisdictional coordination;
- Family and survivor resources;
- Improving public safety resources; and
- Alaska-specific issues.
The Not Invisible Act Commission was created by the Not Invisible Act, the enactment of which was led by Secretary Haaland during her time in Congress. The Commission included law enforcement, Tribal leaders, federal partners, service providers, family members of missing or murdered individuals, and survivors. As mandated by the Act, the Commission developed recommendations for federal government actions to take on focused topics to combat violent crime against Indigenous people and within Indian lands, and to address the epidemic of missing people, and the murder or trafficking of American Indian and Alaska Native peoples, as specified under the law.
Background on Efforts to Address the Crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP)
At the 2021 White House Tribal Nations Summit, President Biden signed Executive Order 14053 on Improving Public Safety and Criminal Justice for Native Americans and Addressing the Crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous People directing the Departments of the Interior, Justice, and Health and Human Services to work with Tribal Nations and partners to build safe and healthy Tribal communities and to support comprehensive law enforcement, prevention, intervention and support services. In March 2022, the President signed the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022 into law, which built on advancements from previous reauthorizations and reinforced Tribal sovereignty by recognizing Tribes’ inherent authority to address the epidemic of violence within their lands and communities.
At the 2022 White House Tribal Nations Summit, the Interior Department’s Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the FBI announced an agreement to provide for the effective and efficient administration of criminal investigations in Indian Country. The agreement specified that the BIA Office of Justice Services (BIA-OJS) and the FBI would cooperate on investigations and share information and investigative reports as well as establish written guidelines outlining jurisdiction and investigative roles and responsibilities. The agreement also requires that all BIA, FBI, and Tribal law enforcement officers receive training regarding trauma-informed, culturally responsive investigative approaches. In addition, at the Tribal Nations Summit, the Attorney General announced the selection of the Justice Department’s first Native American Outreach Services Liaison, who works to ensure that victims of crimes have a voice in every step of the criminal justice process where the federal government has jurisdiction.
Attorney General Garland traveled to Alaska last August, meeting with Tribal leaders and representatives of Native Tribal organizations to discuss public safety challenges and partnerships with Tribal communities to combat the MMIP crisis.
Since the establishment of the NIAC in 2020, the Justice Department has made strides in implementing systems aimed at preventing new instances of MMIP, locating individuals who are reported missing, and, where a crime has occurred, investigating and prosecuting those responsible.
In June 2023, the Justice Department launched the MMIP Regional Outreach Program. This program places regional attorneys and coordinators at U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the United States to help prevent and respond to cases of missing or murdered Indigenous people, and it will work closely with the Native American Outreach Services Liaison to improve the Justice Department’s response to the MMIP crisis.
The Justice Department’s Office for Victims of Crime expanded the scope of allowable activities under its Tribal Victim Services Set-Aside grant program to permit Tribal communities to pay for costs related to generating awareness of individual missing persons cases involving American Indians and Alaska Native persons, supporting search efforts and coordination of Tribal, state, and federal responses to MMIP cases.
Justice Department and USDA Enter into Memorandum of Understanding on Civil Enforcement of the Animal Welfare ActRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and USDA Office of the General Counsel (OGC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Civil Judicial Enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA).
Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of ENRD, USDA Principal Deputy General Counsel Mary Beth Schultz and USDA-APHIS Administrator Michael Watson made the announcement.
The agencies have been closely collaborating on civil judicial enforcement of the AWA for almost four years. This collaboration has resulted in a number of important enforcement actions, including securing the surrender of close to 150 animals from a Michigan animal dealer, some of which are protected under the Endangered Species Act, and an injunction protecting dogs and cats against pervasive mistreatment at a breeder facility.
The MOU represents another significant step forward in AWA enforcement, as it outlines new actions the agencies will take to enhance their collaboration. In general, the MOU establishes a framework for notification, consultation and coordination among APHIS, USDA’s General Counsel and ENRD. Building on the agencies’ ongoing relationship, this framework formalizes procedures for regular meetings, coordination on enforcement referrals, information sharing and additional training for employees, among other activities. These procedures will better enable the agencies to prepare for and coordinate on potential civil enforcement actions.
USDA and the Justice Department take seriously their common goal of ensuring that animals protected by the AWA are cared for and treated humanely. This MOU demonstrates the agencies’ joint commitment to fulfilling this mission.
Final_AWA_MOU_ signed (002).pdfJustice Department Sues to Shut Down Chicago-Area Return PreparerRead the Press Release
The Justice Department filed a complaint today seeking to bar a Chicago-area tax return preparer from owning or operating a tax return preparation business and preparing tax returns for others.
The civil complaint against Sir-Michael Davenport and his Illinois-based business, My Unity Financial & Tax Preparation LLC, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
The complaint alleges that Davenport knowingly took unreasonable or incorrect positions on returns he prepared that resulted in understatements of the tax his customers owed and overstatements of the refunds to which they were entitled to receive. In particular, the complaint alleges that Davenport prepared returns that claimed deductions for purported business losses on Form 1040 Schedule C that he knew were false. The complaint also alleges that Davenport conceals his identity from the IRS by operating as a “ghost preparer,” meaning he does not sign his clients’ tax returns, nor does he identify himself as the paid preparer by reporting his Preparer Tax Identification Number – or PTIN – on the returns he prepares for paying clients despite being legally required to do so. Not signing a return, or “ghost preparation,” is often a red flag that a preparer is attempting to avoid detection by the IRS.
The government further alleges that Davenport began preparing tax returns as early as 2018 and filed hundreds of tax returns in 2021 and 2022, with anywhere from 69% to 81% of the returns he prepared in those years reporting average business losses of between $26,507 to $31,879. By repeatedly understating his customers’ tax liabilities, the complaint alleges that the United States has been harmed by Davenport’s conduct resulting in the significant loss in tax revenue of an estimated $715,407 for tax year 2021 alone.
Deputy Assistant General David A. Hubbert of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
Taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. The IRS warns taxpayers to avoid "ghost preparers" and lists other improper acts that tax preparers engage in to take advantage of their unsuspecting customers. The IRS also offers guidance on the credentials and qualifications that taxpayers should seek from their return preparer.
In the past decade, the Justice Department’s Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
Davenport Complaint Filed Version 3.8.2024.pdfJustice Department Information on Efforts to Protect the Right to Vote, Prosecute Election Crimes, and Secure ElectionsRead the Press Release
Justice Department Press Release issued January 9, 2024:
In advance of this year’s federal election cycle, and consistent with longstanding Justice Department practices and procedures, the department today is providing information about its efforts, through the Civil Rights Division, Criminal Division, National Security Division (NSD), and U.S. Attorneys’ offices throughout the country, to ensure that all qualified voters have the opportunity to cast their ballots and have their votes counted free of discrimination, intimidation, or criminal activity in the election process, and to ensure that our elections are secure and free from foreign malign influence and interference.
Civil Rights Division
The department’s Civil Rights Division is responsible for ensuring compliance with the civil provisions of federal statutes that protect the right to vote, and with the criminal provisions of federal statutes prohibiting discriminatory interference with that right. This work is often performed in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ offices.
The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section enforces the civil provisions of a wide range of federal statutes that protect the right to vote including: the Voting Rights Act; the National Voter Registration Act; the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act; the Help America Vote Act; and the Civil Rights Acts. Among other things, collectively, these laws:
- prohibit election practices that have either a discriminatory purpose or a discriminatory result on account of race, color, or language minority status;
- prohibit intimidation of voters;
- allow voters who need assistance in voting because of disability or inability to read or write to receive assistance from a person of their choice (other than agents of their employer or union);
- require minority language election materials and assistance in certain jurisdictions;
- require accessible voting systems for voters with disabilities;
- require that provisional ballots be offered to voters who assert they are registered and eligible to vote in the jurisdiction, but whose names do not appear on poll books;
- require states to provide for absentee voting for uniformed service members serving away from home, their family members also away from home due to that service, and U.S. citizens living abroad; and
- require covered states to offer the opportunity to register to vote through offices that provide driver licenses, public assistance, and disability services, as well as through the mail, and to take steps regarding maintaining voter registration lists.
The Civil Rights Division’s Disability Rights Section enforces the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibits discrimination in voting based on disability. The ADA applies to all aspects of voting, including voter registration, selection and accessibility of voting facilities, and the casting of ballots on Election Day or during early voting, whether in-person or absentee.
The Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section enforces federal criminal statutes that prohibit voter intimidation and voter interference based on race, color, national origin, or religion.
- Throughout the election cycle, Civil Rights Division attorneys in the Voting, Disability Rights, and Criminal Sections in Washington, D.C., will be ready to receive complaints of potential violations of any of the statutes the Civil Rights Division enforces. The Civil Rights Division will work closely with counterparts at U.S. Attorneys’ offices and other department components to review and take appropriate action concerning these complaints.
- Individuals with complaints related to possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can call the Justice Department’s toll-free telephone line at 800-253-3931, and can also submit complaints through a link on the department’s website at www.civilrights.justice.gov/.
- Individuals with questions or complaints related to the ADA may call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA information line at 800-514-0301 or 833-610-1264 (TTY), or submit a complaint through a link on the department’s ADA website at ada.gov.
Complaints related to violence, threats of violence, or intimidation at a polling place should always be reported immediately to local authorities by calling 911. They should also be reported to the department after local authorities are contacted.
Criminal Division and the Department’s 94 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices
The department’s Criminal Division oversees the enforcement of federal laws that criminalize certain forms of election fraud and vindicate the integrity of the federal election process.
The Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and U.S. Attorneys’ offices are responsible for enforcing the federal criminal laws that prohibit various forms of election crimes, such as destruction of ballots, vote-buying, multiple voting, submission of fraudulent ballots or registrations, alteration of votes, and malfeasance by postal or election officials and employees. The Criminal Division and the U.S. Attorneys’ offices are also responsible for enforcing federal criminal law prohibiting unlawful threats of violence against election workers, and prohibiting voter intimidation and voter suppression for reasons other than race, color, national origin, or religion (as noted above, voter intimidation and voter suppression that has a basis in race, color, national origin, or religion is addressed by the Civil Rights Division often in partnership with the U.S. Attorneys’ offices).
U.S. Attorneys’ offices around the country designate Assistant U.S. Attorneys who serve as District Election Officers (DEOs) in their respective districts. DEOs are responsible for overseeing potential election-crime matters in their districts, and for coordinating with the department’s election-crime experts in Washington, D.C.
The U.S. Attorneys’ offices work with specially trained FBI personnel in each district to ensure that complaints from the public involving possible election crimes are handled appropriately. Specifically:
- In consultation with federal prosecutors at the Public Integrity Section in Washington, D.C., the DEOs in U.S. Attorneys’ offices, FBI officials at headquarters in Washington, D.C., and FBI special agents serving as Election Crime Coordinators in the FBI’s 56 field offices will be on duty while polls are open to receive complaints from the public.
- Election-crime complaints should be directed to the local U.S. Attorneys’ office or the local FBI field office. A list of U.S. Attorneys’ offices and their telephone numbers can be found at www.justice.gov/usao/districts/. A list of FBI field offices and accompanying telephone numbers can be found at www.fbi.gov/contact-us.
- Public Integrity Section prosecutors are available to consult and coordinate with the U.S. Attorneys’ offices and the FBI regarding the handling of election-crime allegations.
All complaints related to violence, threats of violence, or intimidation at a polling place should be reported first to local police authorities by calling 911. After alerting local law enforcement to such emergencies by calling 911, the public should contact the Justice Department.
National Security Division
The department’s NSD supervises the investigation and prosecution of cases affecting or relating to national security, including any cases involving foreign malign influence and interference in elections or violent extremist threats to elections. In this context:
- NSD oversees matters involving a range of malign influence activities that foreign governments may attempt.
- NSD’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section oversees matters involving covert information operations (e.g., to promulgate disinformation through social media); covert efforts to support or denigrate political candidates or organizations; and other covert influence operations that might violate various criminal statutes.
- NSD’s National Security Cyber Section oversees such matters when they are cyber-enabled (i.e., when online platforms, such as social media and other online services, are central to the commission of the offense), as well as those involving computer hacking of election or campaign infrastructure.
- NSD’s Counterterrorism Section oversees matters involving international and domestic terrorism and supports law enforcement in preventing any acts of terrorism that impact Americans, including any violent extremism that might threaten election security.
As in past elections, the National Security Division will work closely with counterparts at the FBI and our U.S. Attorneys’ offices to protect our nation’s elections from any national security threats. Attorneys from National Security Division sections will be partnered with FBI Headquarters components to provide support to U.S. Attorneys’ offices and FBI field offices to counter any such threats. The Department of Homeland Security also plays its own important role in safeguarding critical election infrastructure from cyber and other threats.
Complaints related to violence, threats of violence, or intimidation at a polling place should always be reported immediately to local authorities by calling 911 and, after local authorities are contacted, then should be reported also to the department.
Protecting the right to vote, prosecuting election crimes, and securing our elections are all essential to maintaining the confidence of all Americans in our democratic system of government. The department encourages anyone with information regarding concerns in these subject areas to contact the appropriate authorities.
For more information about the department’s work to ensure compliance with federal civil and criminal laws related to voting, please visit Voting | Department of Justice and Election Crimes Branch | Department of Justice.
Juan Orlando Hernández, Former President of Honduras, Convicted in Manhattan Federal Court of Conspiring to Import Cocaine into the United States and Related Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted Juan Orlando Hernández, also known as JOH, 55, of Honduras, on all three counts in the indictment, which included cocaine-importation and weapons offenses. Hernández is scheduled to be sentenced on June 26.
“Juan Orlando Hernández abused his position as President of Honduras to operate the country as a narco-state where violent drug traffickers were allowed to operate with virtual impunity, and the people of Honduras and the United States were forced to suffer the consequences,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “As today’s conviction demonstrates, the Justice Department is disrupting the entire ecosystem of drug trafficking networks that harm the American people, no matter how far or how high we must go.”
“When the leader of Honduras and the leader of the Sinaloa Cartel work hand-in-hand to send deadly drugs into American communities, both deserve to be held accountable in the United States,” said Administrator Anne Milgram of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “This case should send a clear message that no one is above the law or beyond our reach.”
“Juan Orlando Hernández had every opportunity to be a force for good in his native Honduras. Instead, he chose to abuse his office and country for his own personal gain and partnered with some of the largest and most violent drug trafficking organizations in the world to transport tons of cocaine to the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York. “It is my sincere hope that this conviction sends a message to all corrupt politicians who would consider a similar path: choose differently. My office will stop at nothing to investigate and prosecute those responsible for sending poison to this community, no matter their status or political power.”
According to court documents, from at least in or about 2004, up to and including in or about 2022, Hernández, the former two-term president of Honduras and former president of the Honduran National Congress, was at the center of one of the largest and most violent drug-trafficking conspiracies in the world. Hernández abused his position and authority in Honduras to facilitate the importation of tons of cocaine into the United States. In exchange, Hernández received millions of dollars in drug money from some of the largest and most violent drug-trafficking organizations in Honduras, Mexico, and elsewhere, and used those bribes to fuel his rise in Honduran politics.
Throughout his time in office, Hernández publicly promoted legislation and the efforts he purported to undertake in support of anti-narcotics measures in Honduras. At the same time, he protected and enriched the drug traffickers in his inner circle and those who provided him with cocaine-fueled bribes that allowed him to obtain and stay in power in Honduras. For example, Hernández selectively upheld extraditions by using his executive power to support extraditions to the United States of certain drug traffickers who threatened his grip on power, and promising drug traffickers who paid him and followed his instructions that they would remain in Honduras. In addition, Hernández and his co-conspirators abused Honduran institutions, including the Honduran National Police and Honduran Army, to protect and grow their conspiracy. Among other things, members of the conspiracy used heavily armed Honduran National Police officers to protect their cocaine loads as they transited through Honduras. Members of the conspiracy also turned to violence and murder to protect and grow their drug trafficking enterprise, attacking and murdering rival traffickers and those who threatened their grip on the Honduran cocaine trade.
Several of Hernández’s co-conspirators have already been convicted and sentenced in connection with this investigation. Among others, Hernández’s brother, Juan Antonio Hernández Alvarado, also known as Tony Hernández, was convicted after trial in October 2019 and sentenced to life in prison, and Geovanny Fuentes Ramirez, a violent cocaine trafficker who met with Hernández on multiple occasions to discuss their drug trafficking partnership, was convicted after trial in March 2021, and sentenced to life in prison. More recently, Juan Carlos Bonilla Valladares, also known as El Tigre, the former chief of the Honduran National Police, pleaded guilty to his participation in the cocaine importation conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 25, and Mauricio Hernández Pineda, a former member of the Honduran National Police and Hernández’s cousin, pleaded guilty to his participation in the cocaine importation conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 2.
In total, Hernández and his co-conspirators trafficked over more than 400 tons of U.S.-bound cocaine through Honduras during Hernández’s tenure in the Honduran government.
Hernández was convicted of three counts: (i) conspiring to import cocaine into the United States, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; (ii) using and carrying machineguns and destructive devices during, and possessing machineguns in furtherance of, the cocaine-importation conspiracy, which carries a mandatory consecutive prison term of 30 years; and (iii) conspiring to use and carry machineguns and destructive devices during, and possessing machineguns in furtherance of, the cocaine-importation conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The DEA’s Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit, Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) New York Strike Force, and Tegucigalpa Country Office are investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance in securing his arrest and extradition. The Justice Department thanked the Government of Honduras for extraditing Hernández to the United States.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob H. Gutwillig, David J. Robles, Elinor L. Tarlow, and Kyle A. Wirshba for the Southern District of New York are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Kayla A. Collins and Trial Attorneys Andrea Broach and Jessica Fender of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
Juan Orlando Hernandez, Former President of Honduras, Convicted in Manhattan Federal Court of Conspiring to Import Cocaine into the United States and Related Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; Merrick B. Garland, the Attorney General of the United States; and Anne Milgram, the Administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), announced today that a jury returned a guilty verdict against JUAN ORLANDO HERNANDEZ, a/k/a “JOH,” on all three counts in the Indictment, which included cocaine-importation and weapons offenses. U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel presided over the trial. HERNANDEZ is scheduled to be sentenced on June 26, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Juan Orlando Hernandez had every opportunity to be a force for good in his native Honduras. Instead, he chose to abuse his office and country for his own personal gain and partnered with some of the largest and most violent drug trafficking organizations in the world to transport tons of cocaine to the United States. It is my sincere hope that this conviction sends a message to all corrupt politicians who would consider a similar path: choose differently. My Office will stop at nothing to investigate and prosecute those responsible for sending poison to this community, no matter their status or political power.”
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said: “Juan Orlando Hernandez abused his position as President of Honduras to operate the country as a narco-state where violent drug traffickers were allowed to operate with virtual impunity, and the people of Honduras and the United States were forced to suffer the consequences. As today’s conviction demonstrates, the Justice Department is disrupting the entire ecosystem of drug trafficking networks that harm the American people, no matter how far or how high we must go.”
DEA Administrator Anne Milgram said: “When the leader of Honduras and the leader of the Sinaloa Cartel work hand-in-hand to send deadly drugs into American communities, both deserve to be held accountable in the United States. This case should send a clear message that no one is above the law or beyond our reach.”
As reflected in the Indictment and the evidence presented at trial:
From at least in or about 2004, up to and including in or about 2022, HERNANDEZ, the former two-term president of Honduras and former president of the Honduran National Congress, was at the center of one of the largest and most violent drug-trafficking conspiracies in the world. HERNANDEZ abused his position and authority in Honduras to facilitate the importation of tons of cocaine into the United States. In exchange, HERNANDEZ received millions of dollars in drug money from some of the largest and most violent drug-trafficking organizations in Honduras, Mexico, and elsewhere, and used those bribes to fuel his rise in Honduran politics.
Throughout his time in office, HERNANDEZ publicly promoted legislation and the efforts he purported to undertake in support of anti-narcotics measures in Honduras. At the same time, he protected and enriched the drug traffickers in his inner circle and those who provided him with cocaine-fueled bribes that allowed him to obtain and stay in power in Honduras. For example, HERNANDEZ selectively upheld extraditions by using his executive power to support extraditions to the United States of certain drug traffickers who threatened his grip on power and promising drug traffickers who paid him and followed his instructions that they would remain in Honduras. In addition, HERNANDEZ and his co-conspirators abused Honduran institutions, including the Honduran National Police and Honduran Army, to protect and grow their conspiracy. Among other things, members of the conspiracy used heavily armed Honduran National Police officers to protect their cocaine loads as they transited through Honduras. Members of the conspiracy also turned to violence and murder to protect and grow their drug trafficking enterprise, attacking and murdering rival traffickers and those who threatened their grip on the Honduran cocaine trade.
Several of HERNANDEZ’s co-conspirators have already been convicted and sentenced in connection with this investigation. Among others, HERNANDEZ’s brother, Juan Antonio Hernandez Alvarado, a/k/a “Tony Hernandez,” was convicted after trial in October 2019 and sentenced to life in prison, and Geovanny Fuentes Ramirez, a violent cocaine trafficker who met with HERNANDEZ on multiple occasions to discuss their drug trafficking partnership, was convicted after trial in March 2021, and sentenced to life in prison. More recently, Juan Carlos Bonilla Valladares, a/k/a “El Tigre,” the former chief of the Honduran National Police, pled guilty to his participation in the cocaine importation conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 25, 2024, and Mauricio Hernandez Pineda, a former member of the Honduran National Police and HERNANDEZ’s cousin, pled guilty to his participation in the cocaine importation conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 2, 2024.
In total, HERNANDEZ and his co-conspirators trafficked more than 400 tons of U.S.-bound cocaine through Honduras during HERNANDEZ’s tenure in the Honduran government.
* * *
HERNANDEZ, 55, of Honduras, was convicted of three counts: (i) conspiring to import cocaine into the United States, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; (ii) using and carrying machineguns and destructive devices during, and possessing machineguns in furtherance of, the cocaine-importation conspiracy, which carries a mandatory consecutive prison term of 30 years; and (iii) conspiring to use and carry machineguns and destructive devices during, and possessing machineguns in furtherance of, the cocaine-importation conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The minimum and maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding efforts of the DEA’s Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit, the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (“OCDETF”) New York Strike Force, and Tegucigalpa Country Office, as well as the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Mr. Williams additionally thanked the Government of Honduras for its assistance extraditing HERNANDEZ to the United States.
The OCDETF New York Strike Force provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The specific mission of the New York Strike Force is to target, disrupt, and dismantle drug trafficking and money laundering organizations, reduce the illegal drug supply in the United States, and bring criminals to justice.
This case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob H. Gutwillig, David J. Robles, Elinor L. Tarlow, and Kyle A. Wirshba are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Kayla A. Collins and Trial Attorneys Andrea Broach and Jessica Fender of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
Investment Firm Owner Charged with Defrauding at Least 30 Victim Investors over Three DecadesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, NJ. – A Monmouth County, New Jersey, man who owned and operated a purported investment firm was arrested today and charged with engaging in a decades-long scheme to defraud at least 30 victims of more than $5 million, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Vincent Dispoto Jr., 66, of Belmar, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count of wire fraud. He is scheduled to have his initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
Dispoto owned and operated Giddeon Financial Services, a purported investment services firm, and Liberty Mortgage Services, an alleged mortgage company. Beginning in 1988, Dispoto raised money through these and other entities by falsely claiming to victims, many of whom were elderly, that he would invest their money in low-risk investment products with guaranteed rates of return, including municipal bonds and certificates of deposits. Dispoto also told some victims that he was using their investments to fund loans and mortgages for medical professionals, which would generate long-term returns through interest payments. To perpetuate his fraud, Dispoto mailed victims false and fraudulent financial statements that purported to show significant increases in the value of their investments.
In reality, Dispoto did not invest the victims’ money as promised. Instead, he used it to make Ponzi-like payments to other victims, which he falsely claimed to be “returns” on investments. He also misappropriated victim money to fund his gambling and other personal expenses. Dispoto’s scheme collectively resulted in more than $5 million in losses to victims.
The wire fraud charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross amount of gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s arrest.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Kozar of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Economic Crimes 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.
dispoto.complaint.pdfInvestigation Leads to Conviction of Human Smuggling Organization Leader Involved in Alien Smuggling and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
17 Co-Conspirators Already Convicted and SentencedTUCSON, Ariz. – Tony Cardenas, 36, of Phoenix, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 48 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Cardenas, the leader of a Phoenix-based human smuggling organization, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Transport and Harbor Illegal Aliens for Profit and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering on November 17, 2023. Cardenas and 18 co-conspirators were indicted in November 2021 following an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Sells and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI).
In June 2018, HSI – Sells began investigating Cardenas and his human smuggling organization. Throughout the course of this investigation, agents discovered that undocumented noncitizens were being moved from Central America and Mexico to the Tohono O’odham Nation where they were directed to nearby stash houses or picked up and taken to stash houses in the Tucson and Phoenix areas. Using Phoenix as a distribution hub, the human smuggling organization held undocumented noncitizens in Phoenix until final payment was received. Once payments were made, the undocumented noncitizens were driven to their final destinations throughout the United States. A financial investigation conducted by IRS-CI identified numerous co-conspirators who were using their bank accounts and money service businesses to channel over $1 million back to the alien smuggling organization in Arizona. Seventeen co-conspirators with ties to the Cardenas human smuggling organization have been convicted of alien smuggling and/or money laundering. The final co-conspirator is scheduled to be sentenced on March 28, 2024.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Homeland Security Investigations – Sells and IRS Criminal Investigation – Tucson conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Craig Russell and Fred Cocio, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-02978-TUC-JGZ
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-026_Cardenas, et al.# # #
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 newsInformational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt:
Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on March 7 was:
Dai Shawn Whitford, 33, of Box Elder, on charges of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl. If convicted of the most serious crime, Whitford faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine and three years of supervised release. Whitford was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI and Tri-Agency Task Force conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 24-01.
Appearing on March 6 was:
Joseph Abe Racine, Jr., 53, of Browning, on assault resulting in substantial bodily injury to an intimate partner and assault with a dangerous weapon. If convicted of the most serious crime, Racine faces a maximum of 10 years prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Racine was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 24-09.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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In separate cases, two defendants plead guilty to assaults on aircraftRead the Press Release
Seattle – Two defendants entered guilty pleas this week, to abusive sexual contact and to simple assault of a person under 16, connected to their conduct on aircraft flying into Seattle, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Both defendants are scheduled for sentencing in June 2024.
Today, Jack Roberson, 69, entered a plea of guilty to simple assault for his contact with a 15-year-old seated next to him on a July 2023 flight from Atlanta to Seattle. According to records in the case, Roberson placed his hand on the 15-year-old victim’s thigh and slowly moved it up her thigh and under her skirt to her inner thigh. The victim reported to her guardian immediately and the defendant was taken into custody when the flight landed. Roberson faces up to a year in prison when sentenced by U.S. District Judge Lauren King on June 5, 2024.
On Tuesday March 5, 2024, Duane Brick, 53, entered a guilty plea to abusive sexual contact. Brick admitted that on March 20, 2023, on a flight from Phoenix to Seattle, he took the hand of the woman seated next to him and placed it on his crotch. The woman appeared to be asleep, and Brick reached under the woman’s shirt and touched her breast. He admits he did it for his sexual gratification. Sentencing is scheduled in front of U.S. District Judge John H. Chun on June 10, 2024. Brick faces up to two years in prison.
Finally, this week a 38-yar-old Indian citizen was arraigned on a charge of abusive sexual contact for an assault on a teen sitting near him on an Emirates flight to Seattle. Abhinav Kumar was arrested when the flight arrived on Sunday February 18, 2024. Today he pleaded “not guilty,” and trial before U.S. District Judge Jamal N. Whitehead is scheduled for May 6, 2024.
“The Western District of Washington continues to see an alarming increase in sexual abuse cases aboard aircraft,” said U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. “Last August we emphasized that we have zero tolerance for such assaults. Sadly, we continue to learn of new allegations and are investigating and charging those cases.”
The Assistant United States Attorneys prosecuting these cases are Sanaa Nagi, Jocelyn Cooney, Amanda McDowell, and Jin Kim.
These cases were investigated by the FBI, Port of Seattle Police, and U.S. Air Marshals.