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Friday 26 January 2024
Foreign National Pleads Guilty to Kidnapping and Assaulting U.S. Army Soldiers in ColombiaRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A Colombian national pleaded guilty today, in Miami, Florida, to kidnapping and assaulting two U.S. Army soldiers who were on temporary duty in Bogota, Colombia.
According to court documents, Jeffersson Arango Castellanos, 36, and his co-conspirators targeted, incapacitated, and kidnapped two U.S. soldiers in Bogota. On the evening of March 5, 2020, the two victims were in an entertainment district in Bogota. They visited a pub, where Arango and his co-conspirators incapacitated the two victims by putting drugs, including benzodiazepines, in their drinks. They then kidnapped the victims and took their wallets, debit cards, credits cards, and cell phones. Arango and his co-conspirators used one victim’s credit card and the other victim’s debit card to make purchases and withdraw money. The two victims lost consciousness until the following day, by which point they had been separated.
Arango pleaded guilty to kidnapping an internationally protected person, conspiracy to kidnap an internationally protected person, assaulting an internationally protected person, and conspiracy to assault an internationally protected person. A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
In May 2023, Arango was extradited from Colombia to the United States pursuant to a U.S. extradition request. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Judicial Attaché Office in Bogota, and U.S. Marshals Service worked with Colombian law enforcement authorities to secure the arrest and extradition of Arango.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI Miami Field Office made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bertila L. Fernandez for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorneys Clayton O’Connor and Elizabeth Nielsen of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section are prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 23-CR-20173.
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Foreign National Pleads Guilty to Kidnapping and Assaulting U.S. Army Soldiers in ColombiaRead the Press Release
A Colombian national pleaded guilty today to kidnapping and assaulting two U.S. Army soldiers who were on temporary duty in Bogota, Colombia.
According to court documents, Jeffersson Arango Castellanos, 36, and his co-conspirators targeted, incapacitated, and kidnapped two U.S. soldiers in Bogota. On the evening of March 5, 2020, the two victims were in an entertainment district in Bogota. They visited a pub, where Arango and his co-conspirators incapacitated the two victims by putting drugs, including benzodiazepines, in their drinks. They then kidnapped the victims and took their wallets, debit cards, credits cards, and cell phones. Arango and his co-conspirators used one victim’s credit card and the other victim’s debit card to make purchases and withdraw money. The two victims lost consciousness until the following day, by which point they had been separated.
Arango pleaded guilty to kidnapping an internationally protected person, conspiracy to kidnap an internationally protected person, assaulting an internationally protected person, and conspiracy to assault an internationally protected person. A sentencing date has not yet been set. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
In May 2023, Arango was extradited from Colombia to the United States pursuant to a U.S. extradition request. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Judicial Attaché Office in Bogota, and U.S. Marshals Service worked with Colombian law enforcement authorities to secure the arrest and extradition of Arango.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI Miami Field Office made the announcement.
Trial Attorneys Clayton O’Connor and Elizabeth Nielsen of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bertila L. Fernandez for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
Florida Man Sentenced to 60 Years in Federal Prison for Charges Related to the Sexual Exploitation of MinorsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Chief U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar today sentenced John W. Balch, age 76, of Jacksonville, Florida, to 60 years in federal prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for two counts of sexual exploitation of a child. Balch had previously pleaded guilty to those charges and further admitted to the sexual exploitation of six minor victims, including prepubescent minors. On January 23, 2024, Chief Judge Bredar sentenced co-defendant Jane Ellen Campbell, age 35, of Hagerstown, Maryland, to 210 months in federal prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release, for distribution of child pornography, related to one of the victims. Chief Judge Bredar also ordered that, upon their release from prison, the defendants will be required to register as sex offenders in the places where they reside, where they are employees, and where they are students, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”).
The sentences were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Chief Paul Joey Kifer, Chief of the Hagerstown Police Department; and Frederick County State’s Attorney J. Charles Smith, III.
According to Balch’s guilty plea and other court documents, between 2017 and 2022, Balch sexually exploited six minors between the ages of 3 and 15 years old. Balch paid the victims’ mothers to produce images and videos of the victims engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The exploitation also included paying the victims’ mothers to perform sex acts on their prepubescent children, record the abuse, and send the files to Balch. Balch also admitted that he paid one of the mothers to transport her 15-year-old daughter to engage in sex acts with Balch in a hotel room.
As detailed in Campbell’s plea agreement, Campbell and Balch met in approximately 2007. In recent years, Campbell drove various women to have commercial sex with Balch in hotels when Balch traveled to Maryland from his home in Florida. In 2017, Balch asked Campbell multiple times to produce naked images of Minor Victim 1, who was nine years old at the time. Campbell admitted that she sent Balch three sexually explicit images of Minor Victim 1 in July 2017. Beginning in 2021, Balch initiated conversations directly with Minor Victim 1. According to Campbell’s plea agreement, Balch paid Campbell $3,245, between November 23, 2020, and August 5, 2022.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the HSI, the Hagerstown Police Department, and the Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in this investigation. U.S. Attorney Barron also recognized the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Northern District of West Virginia and the Middle District of Florida, and the FBI’s Pittsburgh Field Office for their assistance in the Balch case. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Joyce King, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-childhood and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Federal Jury Convicts Heavily Armed Methamphetamine DealerRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- A federal jury has found Manuel L. Brown, 49, of Indianapolis, guilty of trafficking methamphetamine, carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and evidence introduced at trial, on September 3, 2020, Fishers Police Department officers were on active patrol when they observed a Dodge Caravan commit multiple traffic violations. Officers conducted a routine traffic stop and identified Manuel Brown as the driver. A K9 officer was called to the scene and dedicated the presence of drugs inside the vehicle.
Officers searched the van and located a glass smoking pipe with methamphetamine residue in the center console, a loaded .22 caliber revolver, an additional .22 caliber revolver, a loaded Smith and Wesson revolver, a zippered case containing a loaded.45 caliber pistol, multiple plastic bags containing a total of 214 grams of methamphetamine, 20 grams of heroin and fentanyl, and two digital scales, plastic bags for packaging drugs, a night vision rifle scope, multiple boxes of ammunition, and $1,750 in cash. An examination of the data on his mobile phone located numerous messages relating to drug trafficking as well as images of drugs on scales and of one of the seized firearms.
At the time of his arrest, Brown had a prior felony conviction for criminal confinement, and was prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law.
“Illegal guns and deadly drugs are a scourge on our neighborhoods, and armed drug traffickers like this defendant will continue to be a priority for federal prosecution,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “The trial conviction here is a testament to the talent and dedication of the officers, agents, and prosecutors who disrupted the defendant’s crimes and ensured that he will be held accountable. Hamilton County is safer today because of them.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration and Fishers Police Department investigated this case. U.S District Court Judge James R. Sweeney presided over the trial and will sentence Brown at a later date. Brown faces up to life in federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Pamela S. Domash and Jeremy C. Fugate, who prosecuted this case.
Federal Jury Convicts Felon of Possessing a Firearm and Ammunition While on Federal Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was convicted yesterday for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, specifically a loaded Taurus 9mm pistol with an obliterated serial number. At the time of the offense, the defendant was on supervised release after serving a federal prison sentence for firearm and drug convictions.
Tevin Abercrombie, 29, was convicted of one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock scheduled sentencing for April 24, 2024. Abercrombie was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2020.
In April 2020, Abercrombie possessed a black Taurus 9mm pistol with an obliterated serial number, loaded with one round in the chamber and an additional 7 rounds of 9mm ammunition in the magazine. In 2016, Abercrombie was convicted in federal court of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and conspiracy to distribute cocaine base, cocaine and heroin and sentenced to 60 months in prison. Abercrombie was on federal supervised release at the time of this offense.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. Dawley and Fred M. Wyshak, III of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
FBI Arrests Two Individuals in Two Child Exploitation CasesRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned two separate indictments charging two individuals for child exploitation.
According to court documents, Willie Torres-Gerena, 57, of Arecibo, PR, transported a 16-year-old female minor with the intent that the minor engaged in sexual activity.
In an unrelated case, FBI agents arrested Samuel Quiñones-Vargas, 55, of Camuy. According to the indictment, from on or about July 2023, through October 2023, Quiñones-Vargas possessed and transported child exploitation material, including child pornography of a prepubescent minor or a minor who had not attained 12 years of age, in a laptop and a tablet.
Willie Torres-Gerena is charged with transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. The defendant made his initial court appearance on before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marcos E. López of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years up to life in prison, followed by a supervised release term of five years up to life. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Samuel Quiñones-Vargas is charged with transportation and possession of child exploitation material. The defendant made his initial court appearance on before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marcos E. López of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico; and Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Juan made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the cases.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daynelle Álvarez-Lora and Emelina Agrait-Barreto from the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit are prosecuting the cases.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Evansville Man Sentenced to over Eleven Years in Federal Prison for Fentanyl and Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
EVANSVILLE, Adam Gerhardt, 34, of Evansville, has been sentenced to 140 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl and over 50 grams of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, in 2022, Gerhardt had an active felony warrant out of Kentucky for Burglary. On February 11, 2022, members of the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force located Gerhardt at an apartment complex in Evansville and took him into custody.
During a sweep of the home, agents found a set of digital scales, a glass smoking pipe for methamphetamine, four plastic bags containing 387 grams of pure methamphetamine, three plastic bags containing 793 grams of blue fentanyl pills pressed to look like oxycodone pills, two plastic bags containing cocaine, and two plastic bags containing heroin.
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, as little as two milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal, depending on a person’s body size, tolerance, and past usage—a tiny amount that can fit on the tip of a pencil. Seven out of ten illegal fentanyl tablets seized from U.S. streets and analyzed by the DEA have been found to contain a potentially lethal dose of the drug.
A search of text messages sent by Gerhardt showed him selling an eighth of an ounce of crystal methamphetamine for $100, the blue counterfeit pills for $15 each, and a gram of another drug for $225.
At the time agents located the drugs in the apartment, Gerhardt’s infant child was living in the residence under his care.
“Drug dealers like this defendant peddle deadly substances with utter disregard for human life, seeing only dollar signs and not the faces of the many loved ones have been lost to overdoses caused by the fentanyl hidden in these counterfeit pills,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers. “It is our responsibility as federal law enforcement officials to attack the drug overdose epidemic head-on by identifying and prosecuting those who are funneling this poison into our communities. This prosecution and sentence demonstrate that our office will continue to work alongside DEA, USMS, and local Drug Task Forces to do just that.”
The DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, and Evansville-Vanderburgh County Drug Task Force investigated this case. The Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program provided valuable assistance and resources to support this operation. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Richard L. Young. Judge Young also ordered that Gerhardt be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 5 years following his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Lauren M. Wheatley, who prosecuted this case.
One Pill Can Kill: Avoid pills bought on the street because One Pill Can Kill. Fentanyl has now become the leading cause of death for adults in the United States. Fentanyl is a highly potent opioid that drug dealers dilute with cutting agents to make counterfeit prescription pills that appear to be Oxycodone, Percocet, Xanax, and other drugs. Fake prescription pills laced with fentanyl are usually shaped and colored to look like pills sold at pharmacies. For example, fake prescription pills known as “M30s” imitate Oxycodone obtained from a pharmacy, but when sold on the street the pills routinely contain fentanyl. These pills are usually round tablets and often light blue in color, though they may be in different shapes and a rainbow of colors. They often have “M” and “30” imprinted on opposite sides of the pill. Do not take these or any other pills bought on the street – they are routinely fake and poisonous, and you won’t know until it’s too late.
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Earlsboro Man Sentenced to Serve 30 Years in Federal Prison for Child Exploitation and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Defendant Ordered to Pay $12,000 in Restitution to Victims
OKLAHOMA CITY – ALEXANDER WILLIAM SANTIAGO, 26, of Earlsboro, has been sentenced to serve 30 years in federal prison for sexual exploitation of a child and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On March 9, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a Superseding Indictment against Santiago, charging him with sexual exploitation of a child and possession of child pornography.
In April 2023, Santiago was tried by a federal jury and found guilty on both counts. Evidence presented at trial indicated that in July 2021, authorities with the Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office became aware of Santiago sexually abusing a minor. Following Santiago’s arrest, agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed a federal search warrant of his cell phone and discovered thousands of images and videos depicting child pornography, including images that Mr. Santiago produced using the minor he had sexually abused.
“The stiff punishment cannot undo the damage done to the innocent child victims, but it will certainly keep this defendant from harming other children,” said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. “This sentence should also serve as a warning to those who seek to sexually exploit children that such despicable behavior will not be tolerated in a civilized society. I commend law enforcement and the prosecutors who work these difficult and challenging cases.”
“This sentence is proof that this defendant’s deviant behavior of victimizing children will not go unpunished,“ said Robert Melton, Assistant Special Agent in Charge, HSI Dallas - Oklahoma, and Texas Panhandle Division. “Thanks to the assistance of the Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office, this predator is behind bars, preventing him from ever abusing a child ever again.”
At the sentencing hearing on January 26, 2024, U.S. District Judge Patrick R. Wyrick sentenced Santiago to serve 30 years in federal prison, followed by supervised release for life, and $12,000 in restitution. Judge Wyrick also ordered Santiago to pay $16,700.00 in special assessments to funds that assist victims of sexual exploitation. In announcing his sentence, Judge Wyrick noted the “vile, horrifying” images found on Santiago’s phone, adding that “our most vulnerable members of society were taken advantage of” as a result of Santiago’s actions.
This case is the result of an investigation by HSI and the Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys D.H. Dilbeck and Brandon Hale prosecuted the case.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Tornado Alley Child Exploitation Task Force. Members of the Task Force in the Western District of Oklahoma include Homeland Security Investigations, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigations, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Oklahoma City Police Department, and Comanche County Police Department. The Tornado Alley Child Exploitation Task Force is an implementation of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Eagle Butte Man Sentenced for Assault with a Dangerous WeaponRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced an Eagle Butte, South Dakota man convicted of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon. The sentencing took place on January 22, 2024.
Taryn Peter Ducheneaux, age 35, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Ducheneaux was indicted by a federal grand jury in January of 2023. He pleaded guilty on December 22, 2023.
In the early morning hours of August 13, 2022, Ducheneaux and several other people were at a bonfire at a home in Eagle Butte. The victim parked his car across the street to pick up some clothing from a neighbor. Following some verbal sparring, an altercation broke out between the victim, Ducheneaux, and several others. During the fracas, Ducheneaux struck the victim on the head with a baseball bat. The victim incurred a serious brain injury during the fight.
This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.
Ducheneaux was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
EDNC Prosecuted 281 Illegal Firearms Offenders and Forfeited 249 Illegal Firearms in 2023Read the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Today, United States Attorney Michael Easley announced that over the course of 2023, his office prosecuted 281 illegal firearm offenders resulting in the forfeiture of at least 249 illegally owned, possessed, used, or obtained firearms. Firearms that are criminally forfeited are removed from the possession of a convicted criminal defendant and relinquished to the government for disposal, including potentially the return of stolen firearm to rightful owners.
“We are meeting violent crime head on – prosecuting violent offenders and taking guns out of the hands of the most dangerous felons,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Through our strong partnership with local, state and federal law enforcement, our violet crime action plan puts us shoulder to shoulder with local law enforcement to target the serial trigger pullers and armed drug traffickers driving violence in our communities.”
Since the start of 2023, EDNC charged approximately 281 defendants with federal firearms offenses, including possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, possession of a firearm as a convicted felon, and straw purchasing of a firearm. These prosecutions are a result of close cooperation between prosecutors and partners at federal and local law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). EDNC also partners with the State Bureau of Investigation, North Carolina State Highway Patrol, North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement, and local police and sheriffs across the District.
EDNC’s efforts to seize and forfeit illegal firearms in 2023 was the result of multiple investigative and prosecutorial efforts, including the Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN) and the Violent Crime Action Plan (VCAP) initiative which are both collaborative efforts with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, working with the community, to identify and address the most significant drivers of violent crime, and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), which works to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
“We’ve seen that collaborative efforts to address gun violence can make a significant impact,” said Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims. “Through proactive strategies, cooperative partnerships, and relentless efforts to protect our communities, we’re recovering thousands of firearms each year and addressing violent gun crime with every resource we have available.”
“Every day the FBI battles alongside our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners against violent crime in our communities. One way we make our streets safer is to take guns out of the hands of those who cannot legally have them," said Robert M. DeWitt the FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina.
“Driven by greed, these violent criminals’ activities posed a significant threat in our communities,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Division. “The success of these investigations demonstrates that the DEA will use all of its resources to destroy violent drug distribution networks.”
“The success of these investigations is a direct result of the collaborative effort between all facets of law enforcement and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina and is a testament to HSI’s tireless efforts to prevent the use of illegal weapons to terrorize communities both domestically and internationally,” said Ronnie Martinez, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Charlotte that covers North and South Carolina. “HSI and its law enforcement partners are committed to identifying, investigating and prosecuting organizations involved in these crimes to better safeguard society, as a whole.”
Some of the major firearms-related cases prosecuted by EDNC in 2023 include:
Violent Fayetteville Pimp and Drug Dealer Sentenced to More Than 32 Years in Prison for Kidnapping, Drug and Gun Offenses. Yomere Busbee trafficked woman, sold drugs, and possessed firearms, resulting in 32 years in federal prison. (Case No. 5:20-CR-00393-M)
Rocky Mount Blood Gang Leader Sentenced for Drug Trafficking and COVID-19 Fraud. Tyrone Foreman aka Ty Nitty was the leader of a violent drug trafficking organization in Rocky Mount that regularly carried firearms. He was sentenced to 30 years. In this operation, more than 20 guns were seized. (Case No. 5:21-CR-289-D-1)
Convicted Fayetteville Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to More Than 20 Years in Prison. Jarrell Bordeaux was convicted at trial. He distributed fentanyl and heroin to a confidential informant, and then multiple firearms were found in his possession during the execution of search warrants. (Case No.5:20-cr-00428-M)
Wendell Armed Robber Targeting Aldi Grocery Stores Sentenced to Nearly 30 Years in Prison. Lionel Robinson got 30 years for targeting and robbing Aldi grocery stores at gun point. (Case No. 5:21-cr-00017-FL)
Armed Robber Sentenced to More Than 38 Years in Federal Prison. Frank McCree was sentenced to more than 38 years after a string of robberies in Robeson County. (Case No. 7:17-cr-00134-FL-1)
Armed Career Criminal Who Shot Fayetteville Pawn Shop Owner Sentenced to 45 Years in Prison. Armed Career criminal Mario Whitted was convicted by a jury and sentenced to 45 years after he shot a pawn shop owner in Fayetteville. (Case No. 7:21-CR-87-BO)
Career Offender Who Led Authorities on a High-Speed Chase on I-95 Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison. A jury convicted Nazeer Vick of gun and drug charges after he led police on a dangerous 30-mile highspeed chase through three counties on I-95. (Case No. 5:20-cr-00485-D)
Leader of Craven County Armed Drug Organization Trafficking Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Sentenced To 35 Years. Ivan Medina-Beltran received a 35-year sentence for leading an armed methamphetamine and fentanyl trafficking organization. During search warrants, firearms were seized. (Case No. 4:22-cr-00075-D-1)
Convicted Murderer Sentenced to 30 Years for Fentanyl Distribution. Aaron Goode was convicted of heroin, fentanyl, and 922(g) offenses. Goode was confirmed to be a large-scale fentanyl supplier. Goode was found with firearms, body armor, currency, and a hydraulic press to package drugs. (Case No. 5:21-CR-334-D)
Eight Time Prior Drug Felon Sentenced to 300 Months for Armed Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Trafficking. Montrel Rhone was distributing fentanyl, para-fluorofentanyl, and methamphetamine. During a search warrant, agents found two guns. Defendant tried to flush drug evidence down the toilet. Defendant had eight prior felony drug convictions. (Case No. 5:21-CR-280-D-1)
Armed Career Criminal Facilitating the Sale of Firearms to Juveniles Sentenced to 18 Years. Braxton Benton and his codefendant, Takara Wilson, were engaged in a straw purchasing scheme that put guns in the hands of juveniles. (Case No. 5:22-CR-153-1D)
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for the case number.
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During National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, U.S. Attorney Dena J. King Emphasizes the Importance of Education, Outreach, and Community Partnerships to Disrupt Criminal Activity and Assist SurvivorsRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – As National Human Trafficking Prevention Month draws to a close, U.S. Attorney Dena J. King continues to highlight the importance of education and outreach in the prevention, identification, and disruption of human trafficking activity, and commends community organizations for their partnership and provision of trauma-informed services to trafficking victims and survivors.
“We simply cannot, and will not, live in a society where human trafficking is allowed to happen,” said U.S. Attorney King this morning during a human trafficking awareness event hosted by Present Age Ministries, an organization dedicated to the prevention of the sex trafficking of minors. Present Age Ministries is also a member of the Charlotte Metro Human Trafficking Task Force, a coalition of law enforcement, prosecutors, and service providers committed to supporting survivors and eliminating the crime of human trafficking through prevention and intervention strategies.
“It is important to bring this sinister crime out of the shadows – where it thrives – and into the forefront – where it belongs – where we can learn about it, understand it, and educate others, so together we can fight against it,” U.S. Attorney King expressed in her remarks, and noted her Office’s renewed commitment to eradicating human trafficking by partnering with law enforcement agencies and the community to bring traffickers to justice, protect victims, and empower survivors.
To further those efforts, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has a team of experienced prosecutors and personnel that handle human trafficking cases. A federal prosecutor also serves as the Western District’s Human Trafficking Coordinator, and works closely with the Office’s Victim Witness Assistance Unit to ensure that the rights and needs of trafficking victims remain central throughout the investigation and prosecution of each case. The Victim Witness Assistance Unit also partners with the Charlotte Metro Human Trafficking Task Force and other non-governmental organizations and service providers to ensure that appropriate trauma-informed care and resources are made available to rescued trafficking victims and survivors.
“Brokering relationships and building strategic partnerships at the local, state, and federal level is vital to creating a network of resources that can provide holistic support to victims of human trafficking,” said U.S. Attorney King. “I want to thank all the partner agencies, public and private, for their dedication to eradicating human trafficking and for sharing their resources, insights, and understanding of victim-centered care. Their work helps us better-serve victims and bring traffickers to justice.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is also committed to raising awareness by educating the public on how to identify signs of human trafficking and where to report suspected trafficking activity.
While there are no defining characteristics of a human trafficking situation, recognizing the signs, or indicators, is the first step in identifying this crime. The presence of one or more of the red flags below may signal a human trafficking situation that should be reported:
- Limited freedom – trafficking victims may have security measures in their work and/or living locations, their movements are monitored, or they are not free to come and go as they please.
- Lack of control – trafficking victims may have few or no personal possessions, are not in control of their money, owe a suspiciously large debt to an employer and are unable to pay it off, do not possess their identification documents and personal records, appear fearful, are unable or unwilling to communicate freely, and when they do, their answers seems scripted or rehearsed.
- Suspicious/Unsafe working conditions – trafficking victims may work excessively long hours with no breaks and under poor conditions, show signs of physical abuse, appear deprived of food, water, sleep, or medical care, and are under 18-years-old and engaged in commercial sex.
If you encounter a potential trafficking situation and can communicate with a suspected victim without jeopardizing the victim’s safety, the following questions may assist in determining if someone is in a trafficking situation:
- Has someone hurt you/do you need help?
- Are you safe/scared?
- Where do you sleep and eat?
- Are you able to come and go as you please?
- Have you been hurt or threatened with violence if you attempted to leave?
- Has the safety of your family been threatened?
- Do you live with your employer?
- Can you leave the job if you want to?
- Do you owe a debt to your employer?
- Do you have your passport/identification? If not, who has it?
If you believe you are the victim of human trafficking or have information about a potential trafficking situation, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888. Specialists are available to answer calls 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also send a text to 233733 or submit a tip online. You can also contact the Charlotte Office of the FBI at 704-672-6100, or your local law enforcement agency.
To further enhance awareness and educate the community about human trafficking, the U.S. Attorney’s Office also has released a Public Service Announcement on how to identify potential trafficking situations and where to report suspected human trafficking activity.
Durable Medical Equipment Companies to Pay Millions in False Claims SettlementRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Durable Medical Equipment (DME) companies Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc., Hill-Rom Company, Inc., Hill-Rom Services, Inc., and Advanced Respiratory Inc. (collectively, Hillrom) have agreed to pay $2.1 million to resolve allegations that the companies violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims for payment to the Medicare, TRICARE, Department of Veterans Affairs, and Medicaid programs.
The settlement reached this week resolves allegations that, from January 1, 2011, through December 1, 2019, Hillrom’s Direct to Consumer division sold used Clinitron, TotalCare, and VersaCare beds but billed federal healthcare programs as if they were new beds. Also included in the settlement are allegations that Hillrom sold certain hospital beds and pressure support surfaces to beneficiaries of federal healthcare programs under a miscellaneous code, which sometimes resulted in a higher price paid by the government. The third allegation involves Hillrom’s presenting claims to the federal government and its contractors that mischaracterized travel time as DME repair time in order for it to be reimbursable by federal healthcare programs. Baxter International purchased Hillrom after the allegations involved in the settlement, and the division involved in the alleged fraud is no longer operational.
“Millions of citizens depend on programs like Medicare and TRICARE for their healthcare, “ said Adair F. Boroughs, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina. “Hillrom’s actions damage our federal health programs and impact the families who need them.”
“We expect health care providers who serve Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries to refrain from harming the integrity of the programs on which their patients rely. Billing in any fashion that results in overpayment from the programs threatens that integrity,” said Special Agent in Charge Tamala Miles with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “In coordination with fellow law enforcement agencies, HHS-OIG ceaselessly works to examine allegations involving inappropriate billing and HHS beneficiaries.”
“Hill-Rom threatened the integrity of the Department of Defense’s (DoD) TRICARE program by attempting to profit from false billing,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Mid-Atlantic Field Office. “Working closely with our law enforcement partners, DCIS will continue to thoroughly investigate and hold accountable all those who defraud or attempt to defraud Federal healthcare programs.”
The civil settlement resolves a lawsuit brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Jeri Harris, a former employee of Hillrom. The False Claims Act permits private citizens with knowledge of fraud against the government to bring a lawsuit on behalf of the United States and to share in any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Harris v. Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc. et al., No. 19-cv-3081 (D. S.C.).
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina, the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; the United States Defense Criminal Investigative Service with assistance from the Defense Health Agency; and the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General.
This matter was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Nancy G. Cote of the District of South Carolina.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
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District Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Aggravated Assault of a Senior CitizenRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Alexander Adams, 35, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to two counts of aggravated assault of a senior citizen, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves announced.
Adams was sentenced to 96 months of incarceration followed by three years of supervised release by the Honorable Lynn Leibovitz of the Superior Court for the District of Columbia. Adams pled guilty on December 4, 2023. He has been in custody since February 24, 2022.
According to the government’s evidence, around 11:10 p.m. on February 23, 2022, two senior citizens, then 78-year-old victim #1 and then 79-year-old victim #2, were randomly approached by Adams outside of the Giant located in the 3700 block of Newark Street in Northwest D.C., who asked them for five dollars. When victim #1 gave the defendant one dollar, the defendant declared, “That is not enough!” and began attacking victim #1 and victim #2. Adams first struck victim #1 with his fist, causing victim #1 to fall and then began beating victim #2 with victim #1’s wooden cane about her head and body. His attack caused her to fall backward and hit her head on the concrete. District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services personnel, who were nearby saw the attack and were able to act immediately and transport victim #2 to the hospital. As a result of the attack, victim #2 suffered numerous injuries including a concussion, a brain bleed, swelling on the brain, altered mental state and cognitive deficits. Victim #2 suffers from severe cognitive decline to this day and will likely never recover.
In announcing the sentencing, U.S. Attorney Graves commended the work of the Metropolitan Police Department, which investigated the case. He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Noah Simmons, Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Clark and Paralegal Specialists Cynthia Muhammad, ReShawn Johnson, Tiffany Jones, and Richard Cheatham.
Finally, he expressed appreciation for the work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Stabbing Homicide in Southeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Michael Caldwell, 29, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 12 years of incarceration today for the June 4, 2023, stabbing of a man on the sidewalk in Southeast Washington D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Pamela A. Smith, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Caldwell pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed on August 14, 2023, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Today, the Honorable Maribeth Raffinan sentenced Caldwell to 144 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on June 4, 2023, Caldwell was in the 4300 block of Halley Terrace SE, around 11:30 p.m. The victim, Damien Thompson, 44, and Caldwell got into a verbal dispute on the street. Mr. Thompson threw a bottle at Caldwell, and the two continued to argue. At one point, Mr. Thompson grabbed a plastic chair to throw at Caldwell, but before he could do so, Caldwell lunged at Mr. Thompson, and stabbed him in the face. Mr. Thompson fell to the ground unconscious. Caldwell then proceeded to stab Mr. Thompson eight more times in the chest as he laid helpless and defenseless on the ground. Mr. Thompson died from his injuries a short time later.
In announcing today’s sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office including Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Hall, who prosecuted the case, with valuable assistance by Paralegal Specialist Lisa Minott and Victim Witness Program Specialist Karina Hernandez.
Defendant pleads guilty in dark web narcotics case involving largest cryptocurrency seizure of $150 million in drug proceedsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – An Indian national pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court here today to running a dark web narcotics conspiracy that moved hundreds of kilograms and tens of thousands of pills of controlled substances throughout the United States and established a multi-million-dollar drug enterprise. According to the DEA, this case involves the largest single cryptocurrency and cash seizure in DEA history; the defendant has forfeited cryptocurrency accounts that ultimately became worth $150 million.
Specifically, Banmeet Singh, 40, of Haldwani, India, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
According to court documents, Singh created vendor marketing sites on dark web marketplaces such as Silk Road 1, Silk Road 2, Alpha Bay, Hansa and others, to sell controlled substances, including fentanyl, LSD, ecstasy, Xanax, Ketamine and Tramadol.
Customers ordered controlled substances from Singh using the vendor sites and by paying with cryptocurrency. Singh then personally shipped or arranged the shipment of controlled substances from Europe to the United States through U.S. mail or other shipping services.
From at least mid-2012 through July 2017, Singh controlled at least eight distribution cells within the United States, including one in Columbus. Other distribution cells were in Florida, North Carolina, Maryland, New York, North Dakota and Washington. Individuals in those distribution cells received drug shipments from overseas and then re-packaged and re-shipped the drugs to locations in all 50 states, Canada, England, Ireland, Jamaica, Scotland and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Singh was arrested in London in April 2019 and the government secured his extradition to the United States in 2023. Singh is one of eight defendants who were members of this drug trafficking organization who have been convicted of drug trafficking charges throughout the United States.
“In the Singh organization’s drug orders, the members frequently used the vendor name ‘Liston’ and signed off with the signature phrase, ‘I’m still dancing.’ Today, with Banmeet Singh’s plea of guilty, the dance is over,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker.
“Banmeet Singh and traffickers like him think they can operate anonymously on the dark web and evade prosecution,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s guilty plea, which includes forfeiture of approximately $150 million in cryptocurrency, demonstrates that the Justice Department will hold criminals who violate U.S. law accountable no matter how they conceal their activity. Together with our international partners, we will continue to find criminals lurking in the darkness and bring their crimes to light.”
“Banmeet Singh is designated as a Consolidated Priority Target, which makes him one of the most significant drug trafficking threats in the world,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene. “He is responsible for shipping massive quantities of deadly drugs throughout the United States, mostly purchased on the internet and sent through the mail. His criminal enterprise has caused untold suffering to perhaps tens of thousands of people throughout the country. Along with our global network of law enforcement partners, the investigation into his associates will continue, wherever they operate, until the threat to our communities has been stopped.”
Parker, Argentieri and Greene were joined by Special Agent in Charge Bryant Jackson of the IRS’ Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Acting Special Agent in Charge Shawn Gibson of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit Field Office, Inspector in Charge Lesley Allison of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Pittsburgh Division, Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin, Upper Arlington Police Chief Steve Farmer, Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant and officials with the Ohio Narcotics Intelligence Center in announcing today’s guilty plea.
The United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA), Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and Central Authority (UKCA) provided significant assistance. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Singh from the UK.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Hunter of the Southern District of Ohio and Trial Attorney Emily Cohen of the Justice Department’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section are prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, and gangs that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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Dark Web Vendor Pleads Guilty to Distributing Narcotics and Forfeits $150MRead the Press Release
An Indian national pleaded guilty today to selling controlled substances on dark web marketplaces and agreed to forfeit $150 million.
According to court documents, Banmeet Singh, 40, of Haldwani, India, created vendor marketing sites on dark web marketplaces, such as Silk Road, Alpha Bay, Hansa, and others, to sell controlled substances, including fentanyl, LSD, ecstasy, Xanax, Ketamine, and Tramadol. Customers ordered controlled substances from Singh using the vendor sites and by paying with cryptocurrency. Singh then personally shipped or arranged the shipment of controlled substances from Europe to the United States through U.S. mail or other shipping services.
“Banmeet Singh and traffickers like him think they can operate anonymously on the dark web and evade prosecution,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s guilty plea, which includes forfeiture of approximately $150 million in cryptocurrency, demonstrates that the Justice Department will hold criminals who violate U.S. law accountable no matter how they conceal their activity. Together with our international partners, we will continue to find criminals lurking in the darkness and bring their crimes to light.”
“In the Singh organization’s drug orders, the members frequently used the vendor name ‘Liston’ and signed off with the signature phrase, ‘I’m still dancing’,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio. “Today, with Banmeet Singh’s plea of guilty, the dance is over.”
From at least mid-2012 through July 2017, Singh controlled at least eight distribution cells within the United States including cells located in Ohio, Florida, North Carolina, Maryland, New York, North Dakota, and Washington, among other locations. Individuals in those distribution cells received drug shipments from overseas and then re-packaged and re-shipped the drugs to locations in all 50 states, Canada, England, Ireland, Jamaica, Scotland, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
“Banmeet Singh operated a global dark web enterprise to send fentanyl and other deadly and dangerous drugs to communities across America — in all 50 states — as well as Canada, Europe, and the Caribbean,” said Administrator Anne Milgram of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “DEA is proud to have worked with its law enforcement partners in the United States and the United Kingdom to dismantle this enterprise, protect the American people, and bring Singh to justice.”
“The guilty plea serves as a reminder that IRS:CI special agents will uncover illegal activity here and abroad, pierce the perceived veil of anonymity provided by cryptocurrencies, and bring those responsible for laundering drug proceeds to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Bryant Jackson of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS:CI) Cincinnati Field Office. “IRS will continue to push the agency to the forefront of complex cyber and money laundering investigations and work collaboratively with our law enforcement partners to protect the American public.”
Over the course of the conspiracy, the Singh drug organization moved hundreds of kilograms of controlled substances throughout the United States and established a multimillion-dollar drug enterprise which laundered millions of dollars of drug proceeds into cryptocurrency accounts, which ultimately became worth approximately $150 million.
In April 2019, Singh was arrested in London, and the United States secured his extradition in 2023.
“Dismantling online marketplaces that seek to poison our communities is a top priority for Homeland Security Investigations,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Shawn Gibson of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit. “Capitalizing on our international footprint and our law enforcement partnerships, we will do everything we can to safeguard Ohio communities against drug traffickers. Today’s guilty plea is the culmination of years of hard work across multiple jurisdictions both here in the United States and internationally.”
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is committed to keeping employees and customers of the U.S. Postal Service safe from dangerous substances in the mail,” said Postal Inspector in Charge Lesley Allison of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS). “Furthermore, we will continue to take all necessary actions to combat and remove dangerous and illicit drugs from the mail stream and the dark web. The charges against this individual proves the resolve of postal inspectors and our law enforcement partners to pursue these organizations with every resource at our disposal, and to ultimately see that justice is served.”
Singh pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to commit money laundering. He faces an agreed upon sentence of eight years in prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
DEA, IRS:CI, HSI, USPIS, and Upper Arlington and Colombus, Ohio Police Departments are investigating the case. The United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA), Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), and U.K. Central Authority (UKCA) provided significant assistance.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Singh from the United Kingdom.
Trial Attorney Emily Cohen of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Hunter for the Southern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.
Dana Adkins Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for COVID-19 Unemployment Insurance Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - On January 25, 2024, Dana Adkins, 45, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment after being convicted of mail fraud involving a scheme to defraud COVID-19 unemployment programs in several states. Adkins was sentenced by the Honorable Charles E. Atchley, Jr., in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Following her incarceration, she will be on three years of supervised release. In addition, she was ordered to pay $150,804 in restitution, and to forfeit to the United States over $150,000 as part of a money judgment.
As part of the filed plea agreement with the court, Adkins waived indictment by a Grand Jury and pleaded guilty to an information charging her with Mail Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1341.
According to court documents, from June 2020 through January 2021, Adkins conspired with others to devise a scheme in which she defrauded the United States government and the governments of Tennessee, Alabama, Pennsylvania, and California to obtain money from the states’ COVID relief programs in the form of unemployment insurance proceeds funded by the United States government. Specifically, Adkins acquired personal information from others and used it to fraudulently make mass online applications for money earmarked by the states to provide unemployment insurance relief for those affected by the national pandemic. She falsely claimed in the applications that the individuals whose personal information was reflected on the applications worked in those states. The states then mailed debit cards to addresses in the Eastern District of Tennessee, and Adkins would receive a percentage of the payout of the fraudulent claim. The defendant was personally responsible for the fraudulent distribution of over $150,000 of unemployment protection insurance funds. The scheme itself involved the fraudulent distribution of over $550,000 in unemployment protection insurance funds. Adkins is the fourth defendant to be convicted in the scheme.
“We remain committed to working with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who callously undermine the United States government’s efforts to help hard working Americans and small business owners with COVID unemployment relief funds,” said United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton, III. “Thieves and fraudsters who take these funds under false pretenses are not only stealing from American taxpayers, generally, but also specifically from their neighbors and members of the communities who have businesses that are struggling in the wake of massive losses due to the pandemic.”
“Dana Adkins defrauded the State of Pennsylvania by filing fraudulent unemployment insurance claims. Adkins stole benefits intended to assist American workers who became unemployed due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Mathew Broadhurst, Special Agent-in-Charge, Southeast Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to safeguard unemployment insurance programs from those who seek to exploit them.”
“The FBI along with our federal and state law enforcement partners will relentlessly pursue those who defraud the government and hold accountable those who use illegal means and criminal behavior to take advantage of others,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico.
Assistant United States Attorney Steven Neff represents the United States.
The investigation was conducted by the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General and the FBI as part of the Smoky Mountains Financial Crimes Task Force.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across the government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Craven County Woman Sentenced to More Than 6 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking of MinorRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A New Bern, N.C. woman was sentenced today to 78 months in prison, and 5 years of supervised release, for sex trafficking a minor victim in March of 2022. On August 9, 2023, Brittney Chantel McCoy, 34, pled guilty to one count of sex trafficking of a minor. McCoy is also required to register as a sex offender.
“Sex trafficking of minors is happening right here in Eastern North Carolina,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. "We have launched two Human Trafficking Task Forces with our law enforcement partners, working tirelessly to identify, locate, and rescue victims and zealously prosecuting those responsible.”
According to court documents and other information presented in court, in March 2022, McCoy was residing with her co-defendant, Melody Faye Nobles-Green, and a 16-year-old minor victim, in Wilmington. McCoy, who was already engaged in commercial sex, began posting online escort advertisements for the minor. McCoy arranged for the minor to see commercial sex clients and engaged in commercial sex dates with the minor. Nobles, who was previously sentenced to 48 months for her role, allowed McCoy and the minor to entertain the commercial sex dates in her home in exchange for a portion of the money they earned. Later that same month, McCoy took the minor to Jacksonville, NC to engage in commercial sex. Nobles was again promised a share of the proceeds but when she did not receive any money, Nobles called authorities to report McCoy for exploiting and sex trafficking the minor.
Investigators moved quickly to locate and recover the minor victim the same day. McCoy admitted to knowing the minor’s age but initially denied sex trafficking the minor. Investigators were eventually able to establish McCoy’s role after reviewing phone messages and other material demonstrating that she posted commercial sex ads for herself and the minor, negotiated rates, and facilitated and arranged commercial sex dates for the minor in both Wilmington and Jacksonville. Although Nobles was initially not viewed as a subject because she had called in the tip to authorities, further investigation revealed her role in aiding and abetting the exploitation of the minor victim and attempting to profit from the same. Investigators also identified and arrested an adult male, Jermaine Linton, who transported McCoy and the minor, and facilitated their commercial sex while in Jacksonville. Linton is facing state charges for his role.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The case was investigated by the Coastal Carolina Human Trafficking Task Force, led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from Onslow County Sheriff’s Office, Jacksonville Police Department, Wilmington Police Department, and Naval Criminal Investigative Service. the North Carolina 5th Prosecutorial District Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the state case; and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan M. Stephany prosecuted the federal case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:23-cr-00022-M-RJ.
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Convicted Felon Charged with Possession of A FirearmRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Byron Louder (34, Orlando) with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. If convicted, Louder faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Louder that the United States intends to forfeit a Sig Sauer firearm, which is alleged to be involved in the offense.
According to the indictment, on December 25, 2022, Louder possessed a firearm. At the time of the alleged offense, Louder had prior felony convictions for delivery of cocaine, possession of cocaine with intent to sell or deliver, possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell or deliver. As such, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Orlando Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie A. McNeff.
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.
Connecticut Woman Sentenced for Role in Fentanyl and Cocaine Trafficking in Franklin CountyRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Connecticut woman was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor today for possessing fentanyl and cocaine base with the intent to distribute.
U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Chrissie LaForge, 43, to 18 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. LaForge pleaded guilty on June 5, 2023.
According to court records, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation into the suspected trafficking of illegal narcotics out of a residence in Avon. Over the course of several months, law enforcement observed vehicles parked at the residence rented or owned by LaForge that stayed for short durations. The investigation produced evidence that a drug trafficking organization was operating out of the residence and that LaForge was renting vehicles in Connecticut for others to transport narcotics to the residence or was transporting them herself.
In July 2020, investigators executed a search warrant and found LaForge inside the residence and a vehicle she had rented in Connecticut in the driveway. Investigators seized approximately $1,200 in cash from LaForge’s pocket and found 44.9 grams of fentanyl and 12.65 grams of cocaine base in her purse. She admitted to investigators that she brought the drugs to the residence and planned to pick up between $5,000 and $6,000 in drug proceeds during this visit. Investigators also seized $8,863 in cash, digital scales with residue powder, baggies, straws, hypodermic needles, and other drug paraphernalia.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and Franklin County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case.
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Claremore Man Sentenced for Child Coercion and EnticementRead the Press Release
U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Jacob William Fairchild, 34, of Claremore for Coercion and Enticement of a Minor in Indian Country. Judge Frizzell ordered Fairchild to 120 months imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release. Upon release, Fairchild will also be required to register as a sex offender.
According to court documents, in March 2012, Fairchild persuaded a 13-year-old minor child to engage in a sexual relationship with him. At that time, Fairchild was 23 years old. Fairchild will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The FBI and Rogers County Sherriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Brasher, Stacey Todd and Gina Gilmore prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Charleroi Resident Pleads Guilty to Drug and Firearm ViolationsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Charleroi, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court on January 25, 2024, to federal drug and firearm charges, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Rashawn Ford, 28, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge William S. Stickman to one count of possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing detectable amounts of heroin and fentanyl and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime.
According to admissions made during Ford’s plea hearing, on March 13, 2021, a trooper with the Pennsylvania State Police initiated a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Ford in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. During the stop, the trooper recovered from Ford’s person packaged heroin and fentanyl, in addition to a loaded handgun. Subsequently, law enforcement learned that Ford was staying at a hotel in Westmoreland County and that additional controlled substances were located in Ford’s hotel room. On March 14, 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant upon Ford’s hotel room, with the search resulting in the seizure of packaged heroin and fentanyl, a handgun loaded with 27 rounds of ammunition, and over $8,600.
Judge Stickman scheduled sentencing for May 20, 2024. The maximum penalty for the drug charge is a term of not less than five years and up to 40 years in prison and a $5,000,000 fine. The maximum penalty for the firearm charge is a term of not less than five years and up to life imprisonment and a $8,000,000 fine. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Pennsylvania State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution in this case.
Cedar Rapids Man Receives Statutory Maximum Decade in Prison for Possessing Ammunition While a Drug UserRead the Press Release
A Cedar Rapids man who possessed ammunition and firearms while being a drug user was sentenced today to ten years in federal prison.
Booker Deon McKinney, age 24, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 7, 2023 guilty plea to possession of ammunition by a drug user.
Evidence at sentencing showed that on April 17, 2021, McKinney was in a vehicle with a juvenile male. Police officers searched the vehicle and located a privately made firearm, also known as a ghost gun, with an extended magazine loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition. McKinney’s DNA was located on the firearm, and he later admitted handling the weapon. During 2020 and 2021, McKinney used another individual to purchase firearms for him. McKinney later assaulted that same person and was convicted of Assault Causing Bodily Injury, Domestic Abuse, Strangulation. McKinney also admitted to handling a firearm in 2022 that was used in an incident where shots were fired in the area around his parents’ residence.
McKinney was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. McKinney was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
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.
McKinney is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. His sentence was ordered to run consecutive to his state conviction in the strangulation case.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily K. Nydle and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, Cedar Rapids Police Department, and the Marion Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-cr-2.
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Brooklyn Man Charged with Sex Trafficking of ChildRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Brooklyn, New York, man was charged with child sex trafficking and related offenses, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Soauib Butcher, 30, of Brooklyn, is charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor, sex trafficking of a minor, and transporting a minor to engage in commercial sexual activity. He appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge James B. Clark III in Newark federal court and was detained.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In August 2019, Butcher induced a minor victim, whom he met on social media, to run away from a group home and meet him at a train station in Somerville, New Jersey. Butcher brought the victim by train to New York City, where he instructed the victim to perform oral sex for money on a rooftop in Brooklyn. Several days later, Butcher brought the victim to Elizabeth, New Jersey, where, from August 2019 to January 2020, the victim stayed with Butcher and a conspirator in a series of motel rooms. The conspirator posted advertisements depicting the victim on escort websites and, together with Butcher, arranged for customers to come to the motels to have sex with the victim in exchange for money.
Each of the crimes charged in the indictment carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum term of life imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron L. Webman of the Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
butcher.indictment.pdfBronx Man Sentenced to 21 Months’ Imprisonment for His Role in “Grandparents” Mail Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Yeurys Peguero-Rosario, age 25, of Bronx, NY, was sentenced on January 25, 2024, by United States District Judge Robert D. Mariani to 21 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release, for his role as a courier in a Dominican Republic-based “grandparents” fraud scheme that preyed upon elderly American victims from states across the country.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, from approximately June 2020 to October 2020, along with a group of other men from Bronx, NY, Peguero-Rosario regularly traveled from New York City to locations in Pennsylvania to retrieve UPS and Fed Ex packages containing thousands of dollars in cash. These packages were sent by elderly victims, who were induced to send the money based upon false claims that their grandchildren had been arrested and charged with serious crimes and, consequently, were in immediate need of money. These false claims were made to the elderly victims in phone calls that they received from oversees co-conspirators in the Dominican Republic, who posed either as the victims’ grandchildren or as attorneys representing the victims’ grandchildren.
At his sentencing, Peguero-Rosario was ordered to pay $220,000.00 in restitution to the victims of the scheme.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation –Philadelphia Division, and its state and local law enforcement partners in Berks County, PA. Assistant United States Attorney Jeffery St John prosecuted the case.
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Brandon Man Pleads Guilty to Brandishing a Firearm During Convenience Store RobberiesRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. - A Brandon man pleaded guilty today to brandishing a firearm during two convenience store robberies.
According to court documents and admissions during public court proceedings, Tramaine Jadell Pettaway, 35, used a firearm to commit two convenience store robberies along with another individual in January and February of 2018. One store was in Clinton and the other was in Ridgeland. The Ridgeland Police Department was able to arrest both Pettaway and his co-defendant after a short chase following the Ridgeland convenience store robbery in February 2018. Pettaway and his co-defendant have been in custody since their 2018 arrest.
Pettaway is scheduled to be sentenced on April 24, 2024, and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of seven years in prison up to a maximum potential penalty of life in prison, as to each count. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Acting Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.
The Ridgeland Police Department, the Clinton Police Department, and the FBI are investigating the case.
Deputy Criminal Chief S. Lynn Murray is prosecuting the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Boston Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Receive 24 Kilos of Cocaine from a Mexican Drug Cartel SourceRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man has pleaded guilty to attempting to receive 24 kilograms of cocaine intended for distribution.
Eddy Javier Guerrero, 31, pleaded guilty on Jan. 19, 2024 to one count of attempt to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for April 23, 2024. Guerrero was arrested and charged in July 2022.
In June 2022 in El Paso, Texas, a confidential source received 23.9 kilograms of cocaine from a drug-trafficking organization (DTO) based in Mexico. A member of the Mexican DTO subsequently instructed the confidential source to transport the cocaine to Massachusetts. However, the drugs were intercepted by law enforcement and replaced with “sham” cocaine for the delivery to the Massachusetts recipient – later identified as Guerrero. On July 1, 2022, in Boston, Guerrero arrived to receive the cocaine delivery, for which he provided an envelope containing $15,100 in exchange. He was immediately taken into custody.
The charge of attempt to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement. Special assistance was provided by the Boston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
Black Diamond, Washington couple charged with illegally possessing machine guns, silencers, “Glock switches” and fentanyl for distributionRead the Press Release
Tacoma – A 38-year-old Black Diamond, Washington man will appear in U.S. District Court in Tacoma today following his arrest for six federal felonies related to illegal firearms and fentanyl distribution, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Ross A. Heinzinger was arrested yesterday shortly after leaving his residence. His co-defendant, Ashley N. Lewis, 36, will make a court appearance at a later date.
According to the criminal complaint, the couple were first contacted by law enforcement when a Jefferson County Sheriff’s deputy noticed them apparently passed out in their vehicle at the Village Store in Port Ludlow, Washington. Officers observed burned foil and blue pills in the car. The couple was arrested, and officers obtained a search warrant for the car.
Inside the car were seven privately made firearms – these are guns that have no serial number, often called ghost guns. There were also three handguns with serial numbers. Also in the car were 12 silencers and 11 Glock conversion
devices – a small part that turns a semi-automatic firearm into an automatic or machine gun. Law enforcement also found high-capacity magazines, ammunition, more than $53,000 in cash, and 700 suspected fentanyl pills.
The pair were charged in Jefferson County for drug distribution and carrying a concealed weapon. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) undertook a deeper investigation into the pair’s gun activity.
A court-authorized review of a cell phone seized from the couple revealed numerous videos of their fentanyl dealing activity and videos related to Heinzinger’s manufacturing of firearms. Several videos on the phone document his sales of firearms to a convicted felon. At one point in the video, Heinzinger offers the person several of his machineguns.
In October 2023, law enforcement executed search warrants on the couple’s Black Diamond apartment, storage locker, and vehicles. Agents seized 23
firearms, four silencers, two ballistic vests, and 2,300 rounds of ammunition. In one of the vehicles was a large quantity of fentanyl pills as well as a pistol magazine loaded with ammunition. In another vehicle were a silencer and additional ammunition.
Neither Heinzinger nor Lewis was present at the apartment during the search. Following the search, a warrant was issued for the pair’s arrest.
Both are now charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute; two counts of unlawful possession of machineguns; unlawful possession of unregistered silencers; and unlawful possession of unregistered firearms.
Because of the drug quantity involved, if convicted, the pair face a mandatory minimum five years and up to 40 years in prison. The firearm charges are punishable by up to ten years in prison.
The charges contained in the complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), with assistance from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and the King County Sheriff’s Office.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Marci Ellsworth.
heinzinger_and_lewis_filed_complaint.pdfBillings drug trafficker caught with four pounds of meth sentenced to 10 years in prisonRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Billings man who admitted to trafficking methamphetamine after getting caught with four pounds of meth was sentenced on Jan. 25 to 10 years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
Gary Michael Byrd, 52, pleaded guilty in August 2023 to a superseding information charging him with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that in 2023, the Billings Police Department received information that Byrd was trafficking meth from his residence. Law enforcement pulled over Byrd and arrested him on an outstanding warrant. During a search, officers found more than $5,600 cash in his pocket. Officers executed a search warrant at a workshop where Byrd was suspected of storing drugs and recovered approximately four pounds of meth from a toolbox. Four pounds of meth is the equivalent of 14,496 doses.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Billings Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration and Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Beaver County Farm Operator and Employee Found Guilty of Using Toxic Pesticide to Kill Migratory BirdsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A federal judge has found two Western Pennsylvania men guilty of three counts related to the unlawful killing of migratory birds, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Robert Yost, 52, of New Galilee, Pennsylvania, and Jacob Reese, 27, of Enon Valley, Pennsylvania, were tried before United States District Judge W. Scott Hardy in Pittsburgh in late-October 2022.
The evidence presented at trial established that, in June 2020, Yost—as operator of Yost Farms in Beaver County, Pennsylvania—and one of his employees, Reese, conspired to kill migratory birds present on leased farmland operated by Yost Farms using carbofuran, a registered restricted-use pesticide. The Environmental Protection Agency concluded no later than 2009 that the dietary, worker, and ecological risks for all uses of carbofuran were unacceptable and that all products containing carbofuran generally caused unreasonable adverse effects on humans and the environment. As part of the conspiracy, Yost directed Reese to spread whole kernel corn coated in carbofuran in and around a leased field used for soybean cultivation to which children had access. The tainted corn attracted protected migratory birds that were killed within a short distance of where they ingested the corn. Yost and Reese thereafter took steps to conceal their efforts to poison and kill the migratory birds, including destroying the feed bag containing the carbofuran-laced whole corn kernel. When confronted by officials from the Pennsylvania Game Commission and Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Reese and Yost also lied about their use of poisoned corn to kill the birds. In total, Yost and Reese were responsible for killing approximately 17 Canada geese, 10 red-winged blackbirds, and one mallard duck.
“Robert Yost and Jacob Reese used corn laced with an extremely toxic, banned pesticide to poison over two dozen migratory birds,” said U.S. Attorney Olshan. “The defendants’ indiscriminate criminal conduct also put the safety and health of the farm’s neighbors—including small children and a man suffering from Alzheimer’s disease—at risk. Protecting wildlife and the people who live in our communities from the illicit use of dangerous chemicals is, and will remain, a priority of this office and our dedicated partners in state and local law enforcement.”
“The deliberate application of a highly toxic pesticide, whose use is restricted due to the unreasonable risks to public health and the environment, threatened the health and well-being of the community and the children who played in the poison area, and resulted in the intentional killing of numerous migratory birds,” said Allison Landsman, EPA-CID Acting Special Agent in Charge. “The conviction of Robert Yost and Jacob Reese demonstrates EPA’s resolve to vigorously, with its federal and state partners, investigate, prosecute, and hold accountable those who criminally apply toxic pesticides and target species protected under federal law.”
“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is committed to holding accountable those who knowingly violate wildlife laws, which in this case resulted in the death of migratory birds and the potential serious harm of children and adults who live in the area,” said the Service’s Special Agent in Charge for the Northeast Region Ryan Noel. “We are grateful for strong relationships with partners, including the Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division, Pennsylvania Game Commission, and Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, that allow us to be successful in these investigations and ensure future generations can enjoy wildlife resources.”
Judge Hardy scheduled both sentencing hearings for May 29, 2024, with the defendants each facing a total maximum term of imprisonment of 13 months and a total fine of $31,000. The actual sentence imposed would be based upon a consideration of statutory sentencing factors and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants.
Assistant United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Brown and Special Assistant United States Attorney Perry D. McDaniel are prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Office of Law Enforcement, Environmental Protection Agency - Criminal Investigation Division, and Pennsylvania Game Commission conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Yost and Reese, with assistance from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.
Baltimore “Triple C” Gang Member Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison and Two Others Sentenced to 25 Years for a Racketeering Conspiracy, Including Murders and Attempted MurdersRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Chief U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Desmond Butler, age 26, of Baltimore, today to 30 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for a racketeering conspiracy, including murders and attempted murders, related to his participation in the violent street gang known as Cruddy Conniving Crutballs or Triple C, which operated throughout Baltimore. Earlier this week, Chief Judge Bredar sentenced Triple C members Wayne Gilliam, age 28, and Tyeshawn Rivers, age 24, both of Baltimore, each to 25 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for the same charge.
The sentences were announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department; and Chief Robert McCullough of the Baltimore County Police Departments.
“When you perpetrate violence upon communities, like these defendants, you will be held accountable,” said United States Attorney Erek L. Barron. “Young people must know that they can make another choice besides violence and murder and we will continue to work with our community partners to get that message out.”
According to Gilliam, Rivers and Butler’s plea agreements and other court documents, Triple C members engaged in a pattern of criminal racketeering activity between 2015 and 2020, including more than a dozen murders and numerous non-fatal shootings, robberies, and carjackings, in order to promote the reputation of Triple C and to command respect from the neighborhood. Other spin-offs of the gang are “SCL” and recently, “TRD.”
As detailed in the plea agreements, the gang benefitted financially from selling narcotics, murdering drug dealers, taking contract killings, and engaging in street robberies. Triple C members also robbed dice games for cash and occasionally carjacked vehicles. Triple C members and associates used at least 14 firearms to commit crimes, often trading with each other or other groups to avoid detection through ballistic evidence. Members divided the proceeds of illegal activities among those who participated in the crimes, and often contacted each other to commit a robbery if a member needed money. Members of Triple C often critiqued each other after committing crimes regarding ways to improve their performance.
Triple C members routinely used social media to identify and locate victims, to communicate with each other, and to share information concerning possible retaliation for violent crimes committed by gang members. Details of the crimes committed by Triple C members were publicized on social media and thus were well-known to CCC members.
Desmond Butler admitted that he participated in the August 19, 2017 murder of Devonte Monroe in the 1700 block of Durham Street in Baltimore; the April 21, 2018 murder of Diamante Howard during a dice game in the 6100 block of Fortview Way in Baltimore; the December 31, 2018 murder of Corey Mosley; the February 24, 2019 robbery and attempted murder of Q.W. in the 5200 block of Cedonia Avenue in Baltimore; and the July 4, 2019 attempted murder of A.C. and D.R. in the 5500 block of Bowley’s Lane in Baltimore.
Wayne Gilliam admitted that he participated in the December 31, 2018 murder of Corey Mosley in the 4900 block of Green Rose Lane in Baltimore, and the April 14, 2019 attempted murder of rival gang members “LTMN” in the 3500 block of Pelham Avenue in Baltimore, during which at least one member of the conspiracy fired a firearm.
Tyeshawn Rivers admitted that he participated in the August 5, 2020 murder of Donya Short in Baltimore City, during which Short was shot and killed; the April 4, 2018 attempted murder of rival gang members in the 2900 block of Mayfield Avenue, in Baltimore City, during which at least one member of the conspiracy fired a firearm; the March 17, 2020 attempted murder of T.B. and others in the 300 block of McMechen Street in Baltimore, during which T.B. was shot; and on October 30, 2020 the defendant possessed a .45 caliber handgun which is a ballistic match to shell casings found at the August 5, 2020 murder of Donya Short.
In addition to these violent acts, all three defendants admitted that they agreed to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances, including crack cocaine, on behalf of the racketeering enterprise.
This investigation has led to the guilty pleas of 34 members and associates of Triple C.
This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (ATF) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in this investigation and thanked the United States Marshals Service and the Office of the Baltimore City State’s Attorney for their assistance in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia C. McLane and Michael C. Hanlon, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn.
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Attorney Pleads Guilty to Contempt for Violating Protective OrderRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – David Kenner, 82, of Encino, California, pleaded guilty today to misdemeanor criminal contempt and was sentenced to one year of probation and a $5,000 fine in connection with his failure to abide by the terms of a protective order in case for which he was counsel of record.
Kenner was counsel of record for the defendant in United States v. Prakazrel Michel, Case No. 19-cr-148, a criminal case pending before the Honorable Colleen Kollar-Kotelly in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. On March 3, 2023, the attorneys representing the Government in that matter filed a motion for order to show cause, asking the Court to bring contempt charges. The motion was referred to the Honorable Amit P. Mehta for consideration and granted following an investigation. Kenner pleaded guilty to one count of contempt before Judge Mehta after entering into a plea agreement with the United States.
According to Court documents, as counsel of record, Kenner was provided discovery materials by the United States subject to a Protective Order which the limited disclosure and use of the discovery material. The Order required that, “[b]efore first disclosing discovery material or its contents [to any individual] … the defendant or his attorneys of record must give to the individual… a copy of this Order, and maintain a copy signed and dated by the individual … until such time as all appeals in this matter (if any) are concluded.”
In late November 2022, the Defendant was introduced to two members of the news media from Bloomberg Media. In early December 2022, the Defendant agreed to share discovery materials with the two members of the news media and asked them to sign a copy of the Protective Order, which they did. Shortly thereafter, the members of the news media ripped Protective Order, in the presence of the Defendant, and expressed concerns with having signed it.
Contemporaneous with this conversation an individual acting with the Defendant’s authorization arranged for the members of the news media to be given access to the database procured by the defense team to hold the discovery materials. The Defendant did not take any proactive steps to prevent them from obtaining access or to withdraw his authorization.
On March 2, 2023, the members of the news media published multiple articles containing information derived from the discovery materials and reflecting the discovery materials’ content. The next day, the Defendant admitted to the Court in United States v. Prakazrel Michel, 19-cr-148, that information had been shared with the members of the news media, but did not disclose to the Court that the members of the news media had destroyed their copies of the Protective Order before being given access to the discovery materials, in contravention of the Protective Order’s requirements.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan Hooks and Elizabeth Aloi of the Fraud, Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section. This case is being investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Unit.
Armed Drug Dealer Convicted of Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
A Chicago man who distributed significant amounts of methamphetamine, cocaine, and crack cocaine, and was found in possession of a firearm, was convicted by a jury on January 25, 2024, after a four‑day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Antonio Rayshaun Evans, from Chicago, Illinois, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, two counts of distribution of a controlled substance, one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, one count of carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. The verdict was returned yesterday following about one hour and thirty minutes of jury deliberations.
The evidence at trial showed that beginning in the summer of 2021 and continuing to March 2023, Evans distributed over 70 pounds of methamphetamine and significant amounts of cocaine and crack cocaine. On April 2, 2023, Evans distributed four pounds of methamphetamine, and on April 11, 2023, Evans distributed four ounces of cocaine. On April 18, 2023, law enforcement officers stopped Evans’ vehicle and arrested him. A closer inspection of Evans’ vehicle revealed a hidden compartment in the dash of the vehicle, which contained a firearm, over 26 grams of crack cocaine, and over 12 grams of fentanyl.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Evans remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Evans faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $44,500,000 fine, and a lifetime term of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dillan Edwards and Kyndra Lundquist and was investigated by the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force consisting of the Waterloo Police Department, Cedar Falls Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Department, Evansdale Police Department, Waverly Police Department, Hudson Police Department, La Porte City Police Department, and the Bremer County Sheriff’s Department; the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23‑CR‑02033‑CJW.
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Ardmore Resident Sentenced for Assault with A Dangerous WeaponRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that David Lawrence Hudson, age 67, of Ardmore, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 21 months in prison for one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to Cause Bodily Harm in Indian Country.
The charge arose from investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Ardmore Police Department, and the Chickasaw Nation Lighthorse Police.
On February 7, 2023, Hudson pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on April 9, 2022, Hudson struck the victim in the head with a wooden club, intending to cause bodily harm. The crime occurred in Carter County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Hudson will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Alleged Drug Trafficker Wilder Emilio Sanchez Farfan Extradited from ColombiaRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – January 26, 2024
SAN DIEGO – Wilder Emilio Sanchez Farfan, aka Gato, an Ecuadorian national and alleged drug trafficker, made his first appearance in federal court today following his extradition to the United States from Colombia yesterday.
At the hearing, Sanchez Farfan entered a not guilty plea. U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara L. Major ordered him detained pending trial. The next hearing is scheduled for March 4, 2024, at 1:30 p.m. before U.S. District Judge Gonzalo P. Curiel.
On October 30, 2019, a federal grand jury in the Southern District of California returned an indictment charging Sanchez Farfan with participating in a transnational conspiracy to traffic substantial quantities of cocaine from Colombia, through Ecuador, and into the United States. Sanchez Farfan’s organization is alleged to have been a major source of supply for the Sinaloa Cartel and the New Generation Jalisco Cartel in Mexico.
Sanchez Farfan was apprehended by Colombian authorities at the request of the United States in February 2023 while traveling in Colombia.
“We thank Colombian and Ecuadorian law enforcement authorities for their significant assistance,” said U.S. Attorney Tara K. McGrath.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Judicial Attaché’s office at the U.S. Embassy in Bogota provided critical assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Sanchez Farfan.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyle Martin and Ashley Goff.
DEFENDANT Case 19cr1610-GPC
Wilder Emilio Sanchez Farfan Age: 43 Ecuador
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
International Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances– Title 18, U.S.C., Section 959, 960, and 963
Maximum penalty: Life in prison with a mandatory minimum of ten years in prison
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Drug Enforcement Administration
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations
U.S. Marshals Service
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Ada Resident Sentenced for Theft in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Steven Esquivel Martinez, age 48, of Ada, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 20 months in prison for Theft in Indian Country, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Martinez was also ordered to pay restitution to the victims.
The charges arose from investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Coal County Sheriff’s Office.
On November 1, 2022, Martinez pleaded guilty to one count of Theft in Indian Country. According to investigators, between April 2018 and February 2020, Martinez, the appointed Personal Representative over his deceased grandmother’s estate, intentionally moved over $350,000 from the estate’s account into his personal bank account. Martinez then used the transferred estate funds for his own benefit. The crimes occurred in within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
“This sentencing demonstrates that individuals like Mr. Martinez, who commit financial crimes to enrich themselves, will be held accountable,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. “The FBI is dedicated to working with our law enforcement partners to identify and investigate those who illegally profit at the expense of others.”
“Financial crime can be devastating to victims,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to prosecuting those like Mr. Martinez who defraud others.”
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearings. Martinez will self-report to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility on February 23, 2024, to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Kara Traster represented the United States.
Activity in the U.S. Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Drug Trafficking
Alyssa Bury, age 31, of Spearfish, South Dakota, was sentenced to 33 months’ imprisonment for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Jan. 12. According to court documents, on Oct. 21, 2021, Cheyenne Police Department officers were dispatched to a welfare check for a female suspected to be on
narcotics. They found Bury hiding in the back of a black truck parked in an alleyway. The defendant was unable to describe how she arrived at that location. Another officer was dispatched to check out the defendant’s car. Upon searching the vehicle, officers discovered methamphetamine, a digital scale, several unused plastic baggies, and other controlled substances. The crime as investigated by the FBI, Cheyenne Police Department, and Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Z. Seth Griswold.
Sex Offenses
Louis Whiteplume, age 51, of Ethete, Wyoming, was sentenced to time served for failing to register as a sex offender. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Jan. 16. The defendant was required by a court order to register with the Wind River Sex Offender Registration & Notification Act office personnel as well as Wyoming Department of Criminal Investigation. He failed to do so and was arrested on Jul. 21, 2023. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy W. Gist.
Illegal Re-entry of a Previously Deported Alien
Jorge Sanudo Zavala, age 43, of Sinaloa, Mexico, was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison for illegal re-entry of a previously deported alien into the United States. The defendant will be deported to Mexico upon his release. According to court documents, on Aug. 3, 2023, the defendant was arrested by the Wyoming Highway Patrol, in Johnson County, Wyoming, for speeding and not having a drivers license. The defendant claimed to be a citizen of Mexico. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement verified that Sanuda Zavala had been previously deported and was in the United States illegally. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Elmore. Senior U.S. District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal imposed the sentence on Jan. 24.
About the United States Attorney’s Office
The United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. The Office is involved in several programs designed to make our communities safer. They include:
Environmental Justice
The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.
Project Safe Childhood
Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is a nationwide commitment to reducing gun and gang crime in America by networking existing local programs that target gun crime and providing these programs with additional tools necessary to be successful.
Victim Witness Assistance
The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to making sure that victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect.To report a federal crime, go to: https://www.justice.gov/actioncenter/report-crime#trafficking
Thursday 25 January 2024
Youngstown Man Sentenced to More than 14 years for Leading a Drug Conspiracy in Youngstown AreaRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – Terrance May, 48, of Youngstown, Ohio, was sentenced today to 175 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Benita Y. Pearson today after earlier pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute drugs and distributing drugs. May was ordered to serve 15 years of supervised release following imprisonment and pay a $2,400 special assessment.
According to court documents and court records, May led a drug conspiracy in the Youngstown area that distributed fentanyl, cocaine, cocaine base, and heroin from February 2020 until January of 2022. Investigators used a wiretap to intercept drug communications from May and other co-conspirators that led to search warrants being executed that resulted in seizures of illegal drugs.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Youngstown, the Youngstown Police Department, the Boardman Police Department, the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office, and the Campbell Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason M. Katz.
Winona Man Indicted on Child Exploitation Charges After Targeting More Than 60 Young Girls in Online Sextortion SchemeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Winona man has been charged in an online sextortion scheme that victimized more than 60 minor girls across the country and abroad, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
“Online predators are using social media apps to befriend, coerce, and ultimately extort children and teens,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger. “Thousands of minor victims have been the target of this horrific exploitation. It’s imperative that we as a community engage with our kids about sextortion schemes so we can prevent them in the first place.”
According to court documents, between April 2022 and June 2023, Valentin Silva Quintana, 30, used social media apps, including Snapchat and Instagram, to threaten, sexually manipulate, and exploit more than 60 young girls primarily between 9 and 12 years old in Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, New Zealand and elsewhere. Quintana, who knew that most of the girls were between 9 and 12 years of age, used fake identities and lied about his age in communications with the girls, posing as a minor girl himself. He used images and videos of youthful appearing girls to make his communications with other victims more believable.
According to court documents, Quintana used a wide range of tactics to coerce his victims, sometimes by convincing young girls that he was their friend or romantic partner, or by offering them money. But most frequently, he convinced young girls to send him a sexual photo or video or covertly recorded them engaging in sexually explicit conduct and then threatened to send the first image to their friends and family unless the girls produced ever more graphic sexual images and videos for him. He continued this type of sextortion even as his victims wept and begged him to stop.
“The sexual exploitation of Minnesota’s children is horrific and tragic but never more so than when the offenses also include the physical assault of the young victims,” BCA Superintendent Drew Evans said. “Our Minnesota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force will continue to partner with local law enforcement to root out those who commit these acts and help bring them to justice.”
“Today’s indictment sends a crucial message to all predators – we will not allow any crimes against our most vulnerable population to go unpunished,” said Jamie Holt, special agent in charge for HSI St. Paul. “HSI is dedicated to protecting our children against sexual predators who seek to take advantage of their innocence by working with our federal, state and local partners to bring people like Quintana to justice.”
The indictment charges Quintana with thirteen counts of production of child pornography, one count of distribution of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography. Quintana made his initial appearance today in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Cowan Wright. Quintana was ordered to remain in custody pending further court proceedings.
To date, more than 60 minor girls have been identified, although law enforcement believes there may be additional victims. Anyone who believes they may have information about this matter is encouraged to contact Homeland Security Investigations through the toll-free tip line at 1-866-347-2423.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Winona County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael McBride is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Wichita man indicted for firing gun during robberyRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a man for allegedly discharging a firearm while robbing a business.
According to court documents, Clemente Garcia Jr, 35, of Wichita was indicted on one count of interference with commerce by threats or violence, one count of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Garcia is accused of firing a high caliber rifle while robbing a restaurant on South Seneca Street in Wichita, Kansas, in November 2022.
The Wichita Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Chad Gibson, 50, of Wichita was indicted on one count of theft of government property. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case.
Antonio Knight, 25, of Wichita is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Wichita Police Department, and Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Deb Barnett and Ola Odeyemi are prosecuting the case.
Jason Moody, 50, of Coffeyville is charged with two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster is prosecuting the case.
Eric Saldana, 37, of Haysville was indicted on three counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. The Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Deb Barnett is prosecuting the case.
Clifton Weatherspoon, 31, of Wichita was indicted on two counts of possession of fentanyl with intention to distribute, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Wichita Police Department, and Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Deb Barnett and Ola Odeyemi are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###White Supremacist Group Member Convicted of Federal Hate Crime for Defacing Michigan Synagogue with Neo-Nazi SymbolsRead the Press Release
A federal jury today convicted a Michigan man for conspiring with others and defacing Temple Jacob, a Jewish synagogue in Hancock with swastikas and symbols associated with The Base, a multi-state, white supremacist group.
Nathan Weeden, 23, of Houghton, was convicted of one count of conspiring to injure, oppress, threaten or intimidate any person in the exercise of their rights and one count of intentionally defacing, damaging or destroying religious property because of the race or ethnic characteristics of individuals associated with that property. Weeden’s co-conspirators, Richard Tobin, of New Jersey, and Yousef Barasneh, of Wisconsin, both previously pleaded guilty to federal crimes related to the incident. Barasneh testified in the trial against Weeden.
“This defendant shamelessly desecrated Temple Jacob when he emblazoned swastikas — a symbol of extermination — on their Temple walls,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Such conduct is unacceptable and criminal under any circumstances but doing so in furtherance of a self-described ‘Operation Kristallnacht’ conspiracy is beyond disgraceful. Antisemitism has no place in our society, and the Justice Department will aggressively prosecute white supremacists who seek to threaten and intimidate others from exercising their federally and constitutionally protected rights.”
“Today’s swift conviction sends a strong message that hate will not be tolerated in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten for the Western District of Michigan. “No one should be the target of hate because of their race, ethnicity, religion or any other status. When hateful words become hateful acts, my office will use every tool we have to protect the public and secure justice.”
“People of all faiths deserve to feel safe in their communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to hold those accountable whose hate-filled aggression violates the civil rights of others. For law enforcement to safeguard against hate and violence, we request the public’s assistance in reporting suspicious or threatening behavior by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submitting a tip online at tips.fbi.gov/home.”
“Hate and intimidation have no place in Michigan or our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge James Deir of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Detroit Field Office. “The behavior in this conviction is most certainly disturbing, ignorant and intolerable. ATF is laser-focused on ensuring public safety by holding people accountable for their hate-inspired deplorable actions. Houses of worship need to remain safe places where people can go for spiritual redemption and growth. Any attack on a house of worship or a group of people is an attack on our very way of life in this great state.”
In September 2019, Weeden, Tobin and Barasneh, all members of The Base, used an encrypted messaging platform to discuss vandalizing property associated with African Americans and Jewish Americans. Weeden and his co-conspirators dubbed their plan, “Operation Kristallnacht,” which in German means “Night of Broken Glass.” This term referenced events that took place on Nov. 9 and 10, 1938, in which Nazis murdered Jews and burned and destroyed their homes, synagogues, schools and places of business. Weeden carried out this plan on Sept. 21, 2019, when he spray-painted swastikas and symbols associated with The Base on the outside walls of Temple Jacob.
A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. A federal district court judge will determine any sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI investigated the case with assistance from ATF and the Hancock Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nils Kessler for the Western District of Michigan and Trial Attorney Eric Peffley of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
Westbank Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun and Drug ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – BRANDON JOHNSON, a/k/a, Brandon Smith, age 32, a resident of Jefferson Parish, pled guilty on January 18, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier to Counts 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7 of the indictment pending against him. Count 1 charged JOHNSON with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c). Count 2 charged him with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, in violation of Title 18 USC § 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). Count 3 charged him with possession with the intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine and cocaine, in violation of Title 21 USC § 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C). Count 5 charged him with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, in violation of Title 18 USC § 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). Count 6 charged him with the illegal possession of a machinegun, in violation of Title 18 USC § 922(o). Count 7 charged him with possession with the intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and marijuana, in violation of Title 21 USC § 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and (D). The sentencing will be held on April 25, 2024.
Based on his guilty plea, JOHNSON will face the following sentences as to each count:
As to Count 1, JOHNSON will face a mandatory minimum sentence of not less than 5 years up to a maximum of life in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000. Any jail sentence imposed in connection with Count 1 must be consecutive to any other count. He will also face up to five years of supervised release.
As to Count 2, JOHNSON will face up to 10 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000.00 fine, and up to three years of supervised release.
As to Count 3, JOHNSON faces up to 20 years in prison, up to a $1,000,000.00 fine, and a term of supervised release of not less than three years up to life.
As to Count 5, JOHNSON faces up to 10 years in prison, up to a $250,000.00 fine, and up to three years of supervised release.
As to Count 6, JOHNSON will face up to 10 years in prison, up to a $250,000.00 fine, and up to three years of supervised release.
As to Count 7, JOHNSON faces up to 20 years in prison, up to a $1,000,000.00 fine, and a term of supervised release of not less than three years up to life.
Additionally, as to each charged count, JOHNSON faces payment of a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
On February 21, 2021, Jefferson Parish Deputies stopped JOHNSON in his vehicle for a traffic violation and saw marijuana in his car. Deputies then searched JOHNSON and found additional drugs. They then searched his car, found MDMA pills and a gun and arrested him. A subsequent jail search of JOHNSON uncovered approximately 90 pieces of crack cocaine (approximately 12 grams) in his possession.
While JOHNSON was out on bond after his arrest, Jefferson Parish narcotics detectives saw JOHNSON conducting hand to hand drug transactions and arrested him. A post-arrest search of JOHNSON, plus two vehicles in his possession and his two cell phones, revealed methamphetamine, fentanyl, marijuana, a gun with a Glock switch as well as photos of Glock Switches, drugs, money, and guns.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Maurice E. Landrieu, Jr of the Narcotics Unit.
Waterloo Man Sentenced to 70 Months in Federal Prison for Being a Prohibited Person in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
A prohibited person who possessed a firearm was sentenced on January 24, 2024, to 70 months in federal prison.
Ezekiel Menteer, age 24, of Waterloo, received the sentence after an August 9, 2023, guilty plea to one count of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. At the plea hearing, Menteer admitted that, in January 2022, he possessed a Kimber pistol after having been convicted of a felony and while being an unlawful drug user. Evidence presented at the sentencing hearing showed that defendant used the pistol to fire eight shots outside a Waterloo bar.
Menteer was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Menteer was sentenced to 70 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Waterloo Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is CR 23-2009.
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Uzbek National and United States Citizen Charged with Long-Running Immigration and Passport-Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of a superseding indictment charging U.S. citizen Abduvosit Razikov (44, Orlando) and Uzbek national Dilrabo Obidova (35, Orlando) with conspiring for more than 16 years to make false statements to federal agencies, illegally obtain immigration benefits, make false statements in U.S. passport applications, and illegally obtain U.S. passports. The superseding indictment also charges Razikov and Obidova with several counts of passport fraud, and it charges Obidova with making false statements to federal agencies and attempting to illegally procure naturalization or U.S. citizenship. If convicted, Obidova and Razikov each face a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison for conspiracy and up to ten years in federal prison for passport fraud. Obidova also faces five years in federal prison for false statements to a federal agency and up to ten years in federal prison for attempting to illegally procure naturalization or U.S. citizenship.
According to the superseding indictment, Razikov, originally a national of Uzbekistan, gained immigration status and eventually obtained U.S. citizenship through a fraudulent marriage to a U.S. citizen. Razikov and Obidova separately conspired for Obidova to gain immigration benefits in the United States through her own fraudulent marriage to a different U.S. citizen. In the meantime, Razikov and Obidova secretly married each other and concealed their relationship from immigration authorities, including by listing Obidova’s sham husband as the father on Razikov and Obidova’s children’s birth certificates. Their efforts to hide their respective fraudulent marriages led to both Razikov and Obidova making several false statements in applications for U.S. passports for Razikov and their children.
After obtaining lawful permanent resident status, Obidova attempted to become a naturalized U.S. citizen. According to the superseding indictment, in her application for naturalization, Obidova made numerous false statements, under penalty of perjury, relating to her background, marriages, and past attempts to illegally obtain immigration benefits and status.
A superseding indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Joint Terrorism Task Force with valuable assistance from the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kara M. Wick and Richard Varadan.
U.S. Attorney’s Office announces charges in Alaska organized drug crime ringRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The U.S Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska announced today that 53 people have been charged through nine indictments in connection with a large-scale organized crime ring operating within the state of Alaska.
U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska, Assistant Special Agent in Charge David Zahn of the Drug Enforcement Administration Anchorage District Office, Assistant Inspector In Charge Jarrod Resendez of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Seattle Division, Special Agent in Charge Antony Jung of the FBI Anchorage Field Office, and Capt. Cornelius Sims of the Alaska State Troopers made the announcement alongside Special Agent in Charge Adam Jobes of the IRS Criminal Investigation Seattle Field Office and Chief Michael Kerle of the Anchorage Police Department during a press conference at the James M. Fitzgerald U.S. Courthouse and Federal Building.
According to court documents, Heraclio Sanchez-Rodriguez, 57, ran a transnational organized crime and drug trafficking ring targeting Alaska. Throughout the entirety of the conspiracy, Sanchez-Rodriguez was an inmate in a California state prison. He allegedly used contraband cell phones to communicate with his suppliers in Mexico and their brokers, leaders in California and Oregon, and distributors of the drug trafficking enterprise in Alaska.
From February 2022 to July 2023, law enforcement intercepted roughly 36 kilograms of fentanyl, 27.3 kilograms of meth, 11.3 kilograms of heroin and 118 grams of cocaine connected to the enterprise, with the majority destined for various communities across the state. According to the indictments, the enterprise mainly used high-level suppliers to send drug packages through the U.S. Postal Service from Oregon and California to Alaska. Distributors located in Alaska would receive the packages and distribute the drugs to Alaskan communities as small as Goodnews Bay, Tyonek, Sand Point and Savoonga per Sanchez-Rodriguez’s instruction.
The indictments charge that Christina Quintana, 38, who was an inmate at Hiland Mountain Correctional Facility in Eagle River during the entirety of the conspiracy, was known as one of Sanchez-Rodriguez’s “wives,” which was a title reserved for high-ranking members of the enterprise. Her role in the conspiracy was allegedly to recruit soon to be released inmates from Hiland to be distributors for the enterprise. Upon release, the newly recruited members are alleged to have received packages of drugs to distribute the drugs across Alaska.
At the direction of Sanchez-Rodriguez and in furtherance of the conspiracy, Tamara Bren, 41, who was one of Sanchez-Rodriguez’s “wives,” and Kevin Peterson, 29, another member of the enterprise, allegedly killed Sunday Powers and Kami Clark near Trapper Creek in May 2023. Court documents allege Sanchez-Rodriguez, Bren and Peterson coordinated the kidnapping, where the victims were kidnapped through carjacking, murdered and buried in a shallow grave.
The grand jury also charged Edward Ginnis, 38, and Samantha Pearson, 37, of North Pole, with offenses related to their role in the conspiracy and with distributing fentanyl to Adam Sakkinen resulting in his death.
Over 25 defendants were also charged with money laundering conspiracy to promote drug trafficking and concealing the source of the funds. Court documents identified at least 76 separate money laundering transactions as part of the investigation, including some made internationally to Mexico.
Defendants in this case include (in alphabetical order):
- Alison Giacullo, 40
- Amber Young, 28
- Amy Garcia, 32
- Angela Jasper, 39
- Anna Petla, 24
- April Chythlook, 28
- Ashley Northrup, 35
- Catherine Phillips, 40
- Christina Quintana
- Cloe Sam, 26
- Colleen McDaniel, 68
- Della Northway, 28
- Desiree Green, 45
- Douglas Vanmeter, 32
- Edward Ginnis
- Elroy Bouchard, 58
- Erika Badillo, a.k.a “Erica Madrigal,” 42
- Erindira Pin, 44
- Frieda Gillespie, 50
- Gust Romie, 36
- Heraclio Sanchez-Rodriguez, a.k.a “Charlie,” “Marco” and “Danny Sanchez”
- James Schwarz, 41
- Josi Sterling, f.k.a “Josi Philbin,” 35
- Julia Brusell, 41
- Kaleea Fox, 24
- Karen Kasak, 51
- Karly Fuller, 30
- Kevin Peterson II
- Khamthene Thongdy, 45
- Krystyn Gosuk, 33
- Larry Marsden, 41
- Lois Frank, 64
- Mario Klanott, 37
- Michael Kohler, 35
- Michael Soto, 33
- Michelle Pungowiyi, 49
- Naomi Sanchez, 39
- Pasquale Giordano, 45
- Patricia Seal-Uttke, 30
- Pius Hanson, 40
- Richard Frye, 35
- Rochelle Wood, 38
- Samantha Pearson
- Sara Orr, 32
- Shanda Barlow, 34
- Shania Agli, 25
- Stormy Cleveland, f.k.a “Stormy Powell,” 37
- Tamara Bren
- Tamberlyn Solomon, 25
- Tiffani Couch, 30
- Twyla Gloko, 36
- Valerie Sanchez, 26
- Veronica Sanchez, 49
Most defendants made their initial court appearances over the past four months before U.S. Magistrate Judges of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska.
The Drug Enforcement Administration Seattle Division Office and Anchorage District Office, FBI Anchorage Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation Seattle Field Office, U.S. Postal Inspection Service Seattle Division and Anchorage Domicile, Homeland Security Investigations Anchorage, Alaska Office, Alaska State Troopers, Anchorage Police Department and Palmer Police Department, with significant law enforcement support from the U.S. Marshals Service, are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephan Collins, Christopher Schroeder, Karen Vandergaw and Alana Weber are prosecuting the case.
This investigation and prosecution are part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”), which 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.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
UPDATE: This press release has been changed to include the law enforcement agency Homeland Security Investigations Anchorage, Alaska Office.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects over $8.9M in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2023Read the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins announced today that the District of Utah collected $8,945,364.56 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2023. Of this amount, $6,624,427.09 was collected in criminal actions and $2,320,937.47 was collected in civil actions.
Additionally, the District of Utah worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $30,645,096.14 in cases pursued jointly by these offices. Of this amount, $10,100 was collected in criminal actions and $30,634,996.14 was collected in civil actions.
In September 2023, the District of Utah recovered $300,000 as part of a court ordered restitution from Crystal Huang who was convicted of a $5M securities fraud scheme. See full press release here.The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s office in the District of Utah, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $6,191,974 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2023. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects Nearly $3M for Taxpayers and Victims in 2023Read the Press Release
Memphis, TN – U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee collected $2,959,254.54 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2023. Of this amount, $2,846,173.69 was collected in criminal actions and $113,080.85 was collected in civil actions.
Additionally, Tennessee’s Western District worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $70,742.42 in cases pursued jointly by these offices. Of this amount, $28,492.42 was collected in criminal actions and $42,250 was collected in civil actions.
“Protection of taxpayer resources in the United States Treasury is a core value and critical mission for this office and the Department of Justice,” said U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz. “Equally important is the federal government’s responsibility to collect restitution for victims of crime so that offenders are held accountable, and victims can receive justice. I commend our Criminal Division, Civil Division, and Financial Litigation Unit for outstanding work in pursuing and collecting these funds on behalf of victims of crime and the United States.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Tennessee’s Western District, working with partner agencies and divisions, also collected $1,689,156 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2023. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
Several cases generated significant collection efforts in fiscal year 2023:
- For example, a $10 million international fraud conspiracy case generated significant collection efforts this past fiscal year. The case involved eleven people who used compromised email accounts to steal from businesses and conduct romance scams on the internet. In U.S. v. Babatunde Martins, the defendant owed restitution and agreed to pay $300,000 as part of the judgment. However, the funds were frozen in a bank in West Africa pending legal process. After working with the U.S. Department of Justice civil division of foreign litigation, our office secured $299,972 in criminal fines related to this case in fiscal year 2023. A related case, U.S. v. Marie Theresa Zamora and Allianz, generated $72,653 in June 2023.
- Another case involving several former federal employees who defrauded COVID-19 relief programs, yielded $68,817 for taxpayers and crime victims. In U.S. v. Tina Rochelle Hume, the defendant pled guilty to submitting fraudulent applications for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funds. Within two months of her guilty plea, our office filed a criminal restitution order and obtained a garnishment that resulted in a large, fast collection of taxpayer dollars.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Kentucky Collects over $17 Million in Fiscal Year 2023Read the Press Release
Louisville, KY- U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky announced today that the United States Attorney’s Office collected more than $17.17 million in Fiscal Year 2023, including $11,887,384.70 in civil actions, $3,786,402.45 in criminal cases, and $1,456,855 in asset forfeiture matters. The District also worked with other U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $39,419.63 in jointly-pursued criminal cases.
“Our pursuit of justice does not end when the court proceedings are over,” said U.S. Attorney Bennett. “Our Office is committed to collecting restitution for victims of crime and monies owed to federal, state, and local agencies. That commitment is evidenced by our tremendous recoveries in the last fiscal year. I commend the work of our collection teams and their dogged dedication to uncovering every possible dollar for crime victims and federal agencies.”
Notable criminal restitution recoveries within the Western District of Kentucky include $250,100 from the voluntary liquidation of real property in United States v. Mackie Shelton, Case No. 1:21-cr-16-2 and $204,817.69 in forfeited funds in United States v. Hatem Kaisi, Case No. 3:18-cr-215.
Significant civil recoveries include the collection of over $1,750,000 from providers who received kickbacks for ordering medically unnecessary lab tests and a final $6 million settlement payment in a False Claims Act settlement in United States, ex rel. v. Agendia, Inc., Case No. 5:15-cv-50.
The Office also recovered more than $2.6 million for federal agencies in bankruptcies and judicial foreclosures and worked to forfeit $1,270,163 to the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund, which will be used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the Department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the United States and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid directly to victims, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
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U.S. Attorney Will Thompson and Law Enforcement Officials to Hold Press Conference in Counterfeit Pill CaseRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson will hold a press conference with law enforcement officials on Thursday, January 25, 2024, at 4 p.m. in a case involving the creation of thousands of fake prescription pills containing fentanyl and other dangerous opioids.
WHAT: Press Conference
WHEN: Thursday, January 25, 2024, at 4 p.m.
WHERE: U.S. Attorney’s Office, Robert C. Byrd U.S. Courthouse, Charleston
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
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Two Sunland Park Men Charged with Hostage TakingRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Jason T. Stevens, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations - El Paso, announced today that a federal grand jury returned a second superseding indictment charging Saul Castorena and his brother Steven Castorena with conspiracy to take a hostage, two counts of hostage taking, conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens, and two counts of harboring an illegal alien. Saul is also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and possession of a firearm not registered with the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Saul, 41, and Steven, 40, both of Sunland Park, remain in custody pending trial, which is currently scheduled for Feb. 26, 2024.
According to the indictment, between Jan. 15 and Jan. 18, 2023, Saul and Steven detained and threatened to kill or injure two people who had entered and remained in the United States in violation of law unless a third party paid a ransom for their release. During this time, Saul, knowing that he had previously been convicted of conspiracy to transport aliens for financial gain and transporting aliens for financial gain, possessed a firearm and ammunition, specifically a shotgun with a barrel less than 18 inches, that was not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Saul and Steven both face up to life in prison.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated this case with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Randy Castellano and Devon Aragon Martinez are prosecuting the case.
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