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6 March 2024
Brooklyn Woman Sentenced to 33 Months in Prison for Multifaceted COVID-19 Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that TATIANA DANIEL was sentenced today to 33 months in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. DANIEL participated in a scheme to commit COVID-19 pandemic fraud by defrauding New York City’s COVID-19 Hotel Room Isolation Program; committing unemployment insurance (“UI”) benefits fraud; selling fabricated COVID-19 test results, both positive and negative; and obtaining fraudulent COVID-19 loans from both the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) program. DANIEL’s sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Tatiana Daniel repeatedly exploited resources offered to help people and businesses in crisis. Her misconduct included selling fabricated COVID-19 test results, which likely put members of the public at risk of contracting the deadly virus from one of her customers. Daniel’s sentence reaffirms that those who illegally exploit disaster relief programs and endanger the public should expect to go to prison.”
According to the allegations contained in the Superseding Information, court filings, and statements made during court proceedings:
From June 2020 through September 2021, DANIEL conspired to commit COVID-19 pandemic fraud through a variety of different means.
First, DANIEL defrauded the COVID-19 Hotel Room Isolation Program (the “Program”). In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, New York City created the Program. Funded by New York City and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Program provided free hotel rooms for qualifying individuals throughout New York City. The Program was ultimately open to healthcare workers who needed to isolate because of exposure to COVID-19; patients who had tested positive for COVID-19; individuals who believed, based on their symptoms, that they were infected with COVID-19; and individuals who lived with someone who had COVID-19. As stated on the City’s website describing the Program, such individuals “may qualify to self-isolate in a hotel, free of charge, for up to 14 days if you do not have a safe place to self-isolate.” Those who wished to book a hotel room through the Program could either call a phone number or use an online hotel booking platform.
DANIEL defrauded the Program in at least two respects. First, she secured free Program hotel rooms for herself by falsely claiming to be a healthcare worker — specifically, a respiratory therapist. Second, she sold at least approximately 144 nights’ worth of fraudulently obtained hotel rooms to customers who were ineligible for the Program. In connection with this scheme, DANIEL used Facebook to advertise the sale of Program hotel rooms, to communicate directly with potential purchasers of Program hotel rooms, and to communicate with a co-defendant who worked at a call center that handled phone calls and certain reservations for the Program for several months in 2020.
Second, DANIEL conspired to fraudulently obtain more than approximately $97,000 in expanded COVID-19 UI benefits for both herself and others. She did so by making misrepresentations about herself and by stealing the identities of more than 10 individuals and collecting unemployment benefits issued for the benefit of those individuals, including an incarcerated individual. In addition, DANIEL filed unsuccessful UI benefits applications in other states.
Third, DANIEL operated a fraudulent document mill, through which DANIEL sold, among other things, “COVID Results,” “COVID-19 Hardship Letters,” “Doctors Notes,” and more (e.g., pay stubs, W2s, work verification letters). As part of her fraudulent document mill, DANIEL sold fabricated COVID-19 test results, both positive and negative. These fabricated test results included the names of purported medical personnel.
Fourth, DANIEL submitted fraudulent applications for COVID-19 loans through both the PPP and EIDL programs, resulting in the disbursement of thousands of dollars in pandemic loan funding to DANIEL and a co-conspirator.
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In addition to her prison sentence, DANIEL, 29, of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to forfeit $109,655 and to pay restitution of $401,206.
DANIEL’s three co-defendants were previously sentenced by Judge Kaplan, and their sentences are as follows: Chanette Lewis was sentenced principally to three years in prison, three years of supervised release, restitution of $360,330, and forfeiture of $289,536; Tatiana Benjamin was sentenced principally to one year and one day in prison, three years of supervised release, restitution of $294,624, and forfeiture of $51,088; and Heaven West was sentenced principally to time served, three years of supervised release, restitution of $59,644, and forfeiture of $23,684.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding efforts of agents, investigators, and analysts from the New York City Department of Investigation, the New York Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General (“DOL-OIG”), and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. Mr. Williams also thanked the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Intelligence Analysts for their support and assistance in this investigation. He also expressed gratitude to the New York City Police Department, the New York State Department of Labor, and the DOL-OIG Atlanta Regional Office for their assistance.
This matter is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Neff is in charge of the prosecution.
Broken Arrow Resident Sentenced for Child Sexual Exploitation MaterialsRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jason Cory Bycroft, age 41, of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, was sentenced for the production and possession of child sexual exploitation materials. Jason Bycroft was sentenced to 292 months in prison for two counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Child/Use of a Child to Produce a Visual Depiction and 240 months for two counts of Possession of Certain Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor. The sentences on each count were ordered to run concurrently.
The charges arose from investigations by the Broken Arrow Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On April 19, 2022, Jason Bycroft pleaded guilty to the offenses. According to investigators, in July 2015 and in September 2017, Bycroft created videos of the exposed genitalia of children under the age of ten at a public swimming area. One of the depictions was created with the assistance of Heather Bycroft, the defendant’s wife and co-defendant. Heather Bycroft was found guilty by a federal jury on April 26, 2022, of Sexual Exploitation of a Child/Use of a Child to Produce a Visual Depiction and Possession of Certain Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, and is awaiting a formal sentencing hearing.
“The sentencing handed down today effectively ends Mr. Bycroft’s ability to exploit and endanger children for many years to come,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. “The FBI’s commitment to combatting this threat will never waver, and we will continue working with our partners in law enforcement to send the message that crimes against children will not be tolerated.”
“The heinousness of this crime cannot be overstated. The defendant engaged in brazen predatory behavior,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “This office stands committed to prosecuting those who engage in child sexual exploitation and betray the public trust.”
The Honorable Timothy D. DeGiusti, U.S. Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearings in Oklahoma City. Bycroft was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Morgan Muzljakovich represented the United States.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Berkeley County Man Sentenced for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Russell Dane Crown, age 54, of Falling Waters, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 108 months in federal prison for a drug trafficking charge.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Crown was selling methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine base from his home in Berkeley County. Investigators found fentanyl capsules, cocaine base, crystal methamphetamine, three firearms, and cash in his house.
Crown will be required to report for supervised release for three years following his prison sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Kane prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
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Arizona Woman Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Involuntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Leticia Ashley was sentenced to 30 months in prison. Ashley, 38, of St. Michaels, Arizona and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter on Oct. 2, 2023.
A federal grand jury indicted Ashley on Feb. 23, 2023. According to publicly available court documents, on July 29, 2022, Ashley consumed a half-pint of Fireball liquor before she got into the driver’s seat of her truck with her four young children as passengers and started to drive. Ashley was speeding when she lost control of the vehicle, causing it to leave the roadway and roll over several times. The crash was reported to law enforcement by a motorist who came upon the scene shortly afterward and narrowly missed encountering the speeding truck.
Ashley’s unrestrained five-year-old daughter died as a result of the vehicle crash and her other children were injured. Ashley was airlifted was University of New Mexico Hospital with a severely broken arm and spinal injury.
Upon her release from prison, Ashley will be subject to three years of supervised release.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Crownpoint Police. Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly Bell is prosecuting the case.
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Antlers Resident Sentenced for Child NeglectRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Shawn Erin Hudson, age 44, of Antlers, Oklahoma, was sentenced to time served and three years of supervised release for child neglect.
The charges arose from investigations by the Pushmataha County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On October 14, 2022, Hudson pleaded guilty to one count of an Information of Child Neglect. According to investigators, between December of 2017 and February of 2019, Hudson willfully and maliciously failed and omitted to provide adequate medical care, supervision, appropriate caretakers, and special care made necessary by the physical and mental condition of a child under the age of eighteen.
The crime occurred in Pushmataha County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Keith Starrett, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearings in Muskogee.
Assistant United States Attorney Edith Singer represented the United States.
Additional Contractors Indicted for Rigging Bids and Defrauding the U.S. Military in South KoreaRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in the Western District of Texas returned a superseding indictment today charging a third South Korean national and a South Korean company for their roles in a bid-rigging conspiracy and a scheme to defraud the United States in connection with operation and maintenance work for U.S. military installations in South Korea.
According to the superseding indictment filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, Hye Yeon “Rachel” Jo was the CEO of DESCA Co. Ltd. (DESCA), a company that performed subcontract work on U.S. military installations in South Korea. Beginning at least as early as November 2018, Jo and DESCA, along with others, conspired to rig bids and fix prices for subcontract work, and defrauded the U.S. Department of Defense to obtain millions of dollars in repair and maintenance subcontract work at U.S military installations in South Korea. Hyuk Jin Kwon and Hyun Ki Shin, who conspired with Jo and DESCA, were previously indicted on similar charges on March 16, 2022.
“These alleged crimes targeted United States military installations overseas, where we make significant investments to protect our strategic interests,” said Director Daniel Glad of the Justice Department’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF). “The Antitrust Division and our PCSF partners around the globe will continue to investigate and pursue charges for illegal conduct that targets U.S. military spending, wherever it occurs.”
“Fair and open competition is crucial to protecting the interests of the American taxpayer,” said Special Agent in Charge Stanley A. Newell of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s (DCIS) Transnational Operations Field Office. “The dedicated professionals of DCIS, along with our partners from the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID), FBI and PCSF, remain vigilant in our efforts to bring to justice those who threaten the integrity of our military procurement system.”
“This adjudication was made possible by combining the investigative forces of Army CID’s Far East Fraud Resident Agency and the Republic of South Korea. These international partnerships are invaluable and help protect the integrity of the contracting and bidding process of the U.S. military,” said Special Agent in Charge Keith K. Kelly of the Army CID’s Fraud Field Office. “The Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division is committed to identifying and holding accountable all those who would attempt to defraud the U.S. government and the American people.”
“Today’s indictment continues the results of the FBI’s investigation into a South Korean company for conspiring to defraud the United States,” said Assistant Director Michael Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The defendants orchestrated a scheme to rig bids and fix prices to obtain millions of dollars in contract work on military bases. As this case demonstrates, the FBI is committed to taking meaningful action to maintain a fair and free marketplace both at home, and abroad.”
The eight-count indictment charges Jo, DESCA, Kwon and Shin with one count of conspiracy to restrain trade (violating the Sherman Act), one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and six counts of wire fraud. This indictment is the second in an investigation into bid rigging and price fixing for operation and maintenance work for U.S. military installations in South Korea. A South Korean company was previously sentenced for participating in the conspiracy and fraud scheme on Sept. 12, 2023.
The defendants face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $1 million fine for individuals and a maximum penalty of a $100 million fine for corporations for the violation of the Sherman Act. They also face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for violating the wire fraud statute. The maximum fines may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by victims if either amount is greater than the statutory maximum. Upon a conviction, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal II Section, Army CID, FBI and DCIS investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Daniel E. Lipton and Daniel P. Chung of the Antitrust Division are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew B. Devlin for the Western District of Texas.
Anyone with information about this investigation or other procurement fraud schemes should notify the Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF) at www.justice.gov/atr/webform/pcsf-citizen-complaint. The Justice Department created the PCSF in November 2019. It is a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant and program funding at all levels of government – federal, state and local. For more information, visit www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Activity in the U.S. Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Drug Trafficking
Miguel Angel Guerrero-Castaneda, age 27, of Mexico, was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. The sentencing judge also recommended that the Bureau of Customs Enforcement begin removal proceedings so that the defendant is deported upon his release from prison. According to court documents, beginning in December 2022, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigators learned that several individuals were distributing large amounts of fentanyl in Laramie County, Wyoming. The investigation revealed that these individuals were acquiring fentanyl from sources in northern Colorado, including Guerrero-Castaneda. When Guerrero-Castaneda was arrested in Thornton, Colorado, on Jun. 6, 2023, he was found with approximately 9,000 fentanyl pills. The investigation also revealed that Guerrero-Castaneda was responsible for the distribution of approximately another 25,000 fentanyl pills in Wyoming from December 2022 through June 2023. Guerrero-Castaneda pled guilty to the charges on Dec. 18, 2023. This crime was investigated by the DEA and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Forwood.
Bobby James Hainsworth, age 41, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced to 57 months’ imprisonment for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Senior U.S. District Court Nancy D. Freudenthal imposed the sentence on Mar. 5. According to court documents, on May 9, 2023, a Laramie County Sheriff’s deputy conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in which Hainsworth was a passenger. The deputy located a Coca-Cola can containing fentanyl that belonged to the defendant. On Dec. 13, 2023, Hainsworth pled guilty to the charges. The crime was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Forwood.
Bradley Aaron Lieurance, age 24, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison for distribution of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin. Chief U.S. District Court Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Mar. 5. According to court documents, in May 2021, the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation conducted several controlled purchases as part of an investigation into a larger drug operation within Natrona, Laramie, Albany, Campbell and Fremont Counties. While undercover, agents were led directly to Lieurance by a supplier and were told he was the source. Agents conducted three different controlled purchases from Lieurance, including 95 grams of methamphetamine and smaller quantities of heroin and fentanyl. Lieurance pled guilty to the charges on Nov. 22, 2023. This crime was investigated by the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation.
Domestic Violence
Vincent Acosta, age 46, of Moran, Wyoming, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison for sexual abuse. Senior U.S. District Court Nancy D. Freudenthal imposed the sentence on Mar. 4. According to court documents, Acosta and the victim were seasonal employees working for a business operating in Grand Teton National Park. Park Rangers were called to the employee housing for the business for a report of a sexual assault. Acosta pled guilty to sexually assaulting the victim on Nov. 16, 2023. The crime was investigated by the National Park Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Elmore.
Illegal Re-entry of a Previously Deported Alien
Jose De La Cruz Guerra Torres, age 42, of Mexico City, Mexico, was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment for illegal re-entry into the United States of a previously deported alien. According to court documents, on Dec. 28, 2023, the defendant was convicted for manufacturing or delivery of controlled substances in Park County, Wyoming. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) verified that Guerra Torres had previously been deported and was in the United States illegally. This case was investigated by ICE and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Mar. 4.
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
Aberdeen Man Sentenced to 8 Years for Felony Death by Motor Vehicle in DWI Crash on Fort LibertyRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – An Aberdeen man was sentenced to 96 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release following a fatal DWI crash in January of 2023. Joel Newton Brewer, age 34, pled guilty to felony death by motor vehicle on November 30, 2023.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, on January 3, 2023, United States Army Military Police responded to emergency calls regarding a traffic collision at Fort Bragg Military Reservation (now Fort Liberty). Officers arrived to find two vehicles involved in the crash. One vehicle contained Brewer and the other contained an infant passenger with serious injuries. The driver of the vehicle with the infant had been ejected upon impact.
The investigation revealed that Brewer was driving 89 miles per hour in a 55 miles per hour zone as he drove left of the center line and struck the front of the victim’s vehicle. The victim then lost control of her vehicle and it veered toward the right shoulder of the road. When the victim’s vehicle came to a stop, the victim was ejected from the vehicle and partially decapitated. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The infant suffered life-threatening injuries but survived. Brewer’s alcohol concentration was 0.15. In North Carolina, it is illegal to drive a vehicle while noticeably impaired or with an alcohol concentration of 0.08 or higher.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after the sentencing was concluded. U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III presided over the sentencing. The Office of Provost Marshal and Army Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sebastian Kielmanovich and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Brickey prosecuted the case.
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. 5:23-CR-00146-D-RN.
5 March 2024
Waterbury Gang Member Admits Role in 2018 Drive-By Shooting that Killed Innocent Bystander, Paralyzed SecondRead the Press Release
D’ANDRE BURRUS, also known as “Dopeman,” 30, of Waterbury, pleaded guilty yesterday in Bridgeport federal court to a racketeering offense stemming from his participation in the 960 gang, a violent Waterbury street gang.
Today’s announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Maureen T. Platt, State’s Attorney for the Waterbury Judicial District; Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; and Waterbury Police Chief Fernando C. Spagnolo.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in an effort to address drug trafficking and related violence in Waterbury, the FBI, ATF, and Waterbury Police have been investigating multiple Waterbury-based groups, including the 960 gang. On September 14, 2021, a federal grand jury in Hartford returned a 36-count indictment charging Burrus and 15 other alleged 960 gang members with racketeering, narcotics trafficking, firearm possession, murder, attempted murder and assault, and obstruction of justice offenses.
In pleading guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy, Burrus admitted that he trafficked heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine in furtherance of the 960 enterprise. He also admitted that he conspired to murder members of a rival gang on October 11, 2018, which resulted in the death of an innocent bystander, 30-year-old Fransua Guzman, and the paralysis of a second victim. Burrus was in one of two cars 960 members used when the victims were shot.
Burrus is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley on June 7, at which time he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
Burrus has been detained since his arrest on February 19, 2019.
This investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, ATF, and Waterbury Police Department, with the assistance of the Watertown Police Department, New Milford Police Department and Connecticut Department of Correction. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Geoffrey M. Stone, John T. Pierpont, Jr. and Natasha M. Freismuth, and Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Don E. Therkildesen, Jr. and Deputy Assistant State’s Attorney Alexandra Arroyo of the Waterbury State’s Attorney’s Office, who have been cross-designated as Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys in this matter.
This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.
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.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Washington, D.C. Man Sentenced to 50 Years in Federal Prison for Use of a Firearm in Connection with a Murder and a Robbery, and for a Drug Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow today sentenced Madani Ilara Tejan, a/k/a “Malik,” “Mylik,” and “Dani,” age 31, of Washington, D.C., to 50 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for using a firearm in connection with murder and robbery, and for a fentanyl distribution conspiracy. Tejan was convicted of those charges on February 17, 2023, after a nine-day trial.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock of the FBI Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Division; Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department; Director Corenne Labbé of the Prince George’s County Department of Corrections; and Director Thomas N. Faust of the D.C. Department of Corrections.
According to the evidence presented at this nine-day trial, on October 3, 2018, Tejan met with a drug customer, to whom Tejan had arranged to sell drugs. During the meeting, Tejan shot and killed the drug customer (Victim 1), then stole the Victim 1’s car, wallet, and other personal items. On October 20, 2018, a search warrant was executed at a residence in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, associated with Tejan and law enforcement recovered Victim 1’s wallet, two bags of marijuana and a prepaid cellular phone. Investigation revealed that the prepaid phone had been in contact with the Victim 1’s phone several times on October 3, 2018 and was used interchangeably with Tejan’s registered phone to communicate with Victim 1 in the hours before his murder. Additionally, 1,013 fentanyl pills were seized from Tejan while he was residing in a government-run residential facility. Tejan’s social media accounts and phone messages revealed that he distributed fentanyl marketed as oxycodone as well as other prescription drugs and marijuana to multiple individuals, including Victim 1.
At a hearing held on February 27, 2024, the Court found that Tejan was also involved with the murder of Victim 2, which occurred on October 15, 2018. According to court documents and information provided at motions hearings, Victim 2 drove Tejan to his meeting with Victim 1 and was a witness to Victim 1’s murder. Witnesses reported that on October 15, 2018, the day of Victim 2’s murder, Tejan spent the day with Victim 2. Later that day, Tejan left with Victim 2 to sell marijuana in Washington, D.C., where Victim 2 was found shot to death. A ride sharing application showed that Tejan was picked up just minutes after Victim 2’s murder one block from where Victim 2 was found dead.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron and Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri commended the FBI and the Baltimore Cross-Border Task Force, the DEA, the Prince George’s County Police Department, the Metropolitan Police Department, the Prince George’s County Department of Corrections, and the D.C. Department of Corrections, for their work in the investigation and thanked the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia for their assistance in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes and Trial Attorney Gerald A. A. Collins of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Virginia Man Indicted in D.C. on Charges of Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Andrey Chun Sarmiento, 24, of Hallwood, Virginia, is charged by indictment, unsealed today, with distribution of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott, of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Special agents with the FBI arrested Sarmiento in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on Friday, March 1.
According to the indictment, on February 13, 2024, Chun Sarmiento distributed numerous video files depicting adult males engaging in sexually explicit conduct with minors via an encrypted instant messaging application.
On February 13, 2024, a member of the MPD-FBI Child Exploitation Task Force was monitoring an online application in an undercover capacity. Law enforcement has come to learn that the application is used by some individuals who have a sexual interest in children. The undercover agent encountered Chun Sarmiento, who sent a message believing he was communicating with a pedophile. Chun Sarmiento expressed his sexual interest in children and sent the undercover agent a link to an online folder containing hundreds of videos, many of which depict adult males sexually abusing prepubescent boys. At the time of the offense, Chun Sarmiento was enrolled in law school in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
On February 29, 2024, a federal grand jury in the District of Columbia returned an indictment charging Chun Sarmiento with one count of distribution of child pornography. The case is assigned to the Honorable Loren L. AliKhan of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
On Friday, March 1, the FBI arrested Chun Sarmiento in Pennsylvania and executed a search warrant at his residence there. Chun Sarmiento will remain in custody pending a detention hearing to be held in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
Distribution of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment and a statutory maximum of 20 years’ imprisonment. The statutory sentences for federal offenses are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes. Any sentence will be determined by the Court based on the advisory Sentencing Guideline and other statutory factors.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office’s Harrisburg Resident Agency and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul V. Courtney of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Virginia Beach man pleads guilty to federal firearms conspiracyRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Virginia Beach man pleaded guilty yesterday to possessing and transferring machineguns and to conspiring to illegally sell firearms, including machineguns, handguns, and rifles.
According to court documents, beginning in April 2023, law enforcement began investigating Eric Floyd, 22, who was engaged in selling firearms and Machinegun Conversion Devices, commonly referred to as “Glock switches,” which are used to convert semiautomatic firearms into machineguns. From May to December of 2023, Floyd and his co-conspirators arranged the sale of approximately nineteen handguns, two rifles, and thirty-five Glock switches – many of which they manufactured – to an individual who, unbeknownst to Floyd, was an undercover federal law enforcement agent. At one transaction, Floyd told the individual that some of the firearms were “dirty,” that is, involved in criminal activity, because he and his associates were involved in criminal activity and that his selling the dirty firearms to others who were taking them far away helped distance the original perpetrators and firearms from their criminal activity. He also told the individual that he had reinvested the proceeds of the purchases into buying more firearms for the business. He also said, with respect to the individual’s trip, “that’s a trip and it’s a hell of a risk that you doing this s--- for like coming across them state lines, that’s straight fed time.”
Floyd pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to engage in the firearms business without a license and to illegally possess and transfer a machinegun and one count of illegally possessing and transferring a machinegun. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 11. Floyd faces a maximum penalty of fifteen years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Miller accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Podlesni is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:23-cr-75.
Violent Career Offender Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Distribution of Methamphetamine ActualRead the Press Release
JONESBORO—Brandon Loss Farmer, a violent and multi-convicted felon, will spend the next 20 years in federal prison for distribution of methamphetamine actual. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down today by United States District Judge D.P. Marshall, Jr.
On October 30, 2023, Farmer, 41, of Wynne, Arkansas, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine actual. Judge Marshall also sentenced Farmer to five years’ supervised released and a $100.00 special assessment. Farmer, who has multiple prior convictions for domestic violence, aggravated assault and battery, drug possession and distribution, and theft, was indicted on April 7, 2021, on one count of knowingly and intentionally distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine actual. The maximum penalty Farmer faced was 10 years to life imprisonment, a fine of $10,000,000, and not less than five years’ supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
On November 19, 2020, an individual contacted Farmer by telephone to inquire about purchasing methamphetamine. Farmer advised the individual that he was not home but would return later in the day and could take care of the individual. A controlled purchase of approximately 130.6 grams of methamphetamine actual was made by the individual from Farmer.
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Wynne Police Department.
# # #
Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
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Utah Businessman Indicted for Allegedly Failing to Remove 3,330 Tons of Asbestos-Containing Debris After Hotel DemolitionRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City, Utah, returned an indictment February 14, 2024, charging a businessman and part owner of a company that owned Broadway Hotel, with Clean Air Act Violations. The owner failed to properly dispose of 3,330 tons of asbestos-containing debris, which cost the Environmental Protection Agency $1.1 million to remove following emergency action.
According to court documents, Daniel J. Brett, 68, of Murray, Utah, was a businessman and part-owner of the Broadway Hotel, a 21,000 square foot structure located on North Broadway Avenue in Tooele, Utah. The hotel was in a residential and mixed-use neighborhood with three primary schools within a half mile. Brett and his co-owner/managing partner intended to include the hotel in a redevelopment project, known as the Broadway Heritage Village. However, in July 2020, the Broadway Hotel experienced a fire, and its demolition was ordered by the owners because the hotel was deemed structurally unsound. Brett and his partner began coordinating the hotel’s demolition, ignoring the fact the hotel contained asbestos in numerous locations, including in its thermal system/boiler insulation, wall plaster, rolled vinyl flooring and roofing materials. The presence of asbestos in the Broadway Hotel was known since 2011, when an Environmental Site Assessment was performed by a third party.
The owners hired an excavation company, which was not trained or certified to work with regulated asbestos-containing material, to demolish the hotel. Additionally, this was the company’s first major demolition. In December 2020, two individuals at the excavation company performed the demolition without self-contained breathing apparatus and protective suits and other protective equipment (PPE). Brett agreed, as owner, to dispose of the debris after demolition. However, Brett left the Broadway Hotel debris pile at the site, uncovered for fifteen months. Despite knowing the demolition pile contained asbestos-containing material, Brett did not keep the demolition pile continually wet, as required by the Clean Air Act.
In February 2022, contractors with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) initiated an emergency removal action at the site of the Broadway Hotel debris pile. The work was completed in March 2022. The emergency removal action ultimately required the clean-up and proper disposal of 3,330 tons of asbestos containing debris, which cost the EPA, approximately $1.1 million.
EPABrett is charged with three counts of Clean Air Act violations. His initial court appearance on the indictment is scheduled for March 14, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is investigating the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Ruth Hackford-Peer of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is 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.U.S. Attorney’s Office Prosecuted 85 Firearm Offenders, while Seizing and Forfeiting 163 Illegal Firearms in 2023Read the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that in 2023, the office she leads prosecuted 85 illegal firearm offenders, resulting in the seizure and forfeiture of 163 illegally owned, possessed, used, or obtained firearms. Firearms that are 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.
“The 85 firearm offenders my office prosecuted in 2023 had access to illegal firearms and many demonstrated an inclination for violence. These prosecutions are a stark reminder of the nexus of firearms and violent crimes,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “Our collaborative law enforcement partnerships at the federal, state, local and tribal level have a significant impact in removing illegal firearms off our streets, reducing violent crime and making our communities safer.”
Since the start of 2023, the 85 defendants were charged with various federal firearm offenses, which included, among other crimes, Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, Assault with a Deadly Weapon on a Federal Law Enforcement Officer, Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Person Convicted of Domestic Violence, First-Degree Murder, and Attempted Murder of a Federal Officer.
The majority of these firearm and violent crime cases were prosecuted under the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program. PSN is a federal, state, and local law enforcement collaboration to identify, investigate, and prosecute individuals responsible for violent crimes in our neighborhoods. The U.S. Attorney’s Office partners with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement to specifically identify the criminals responsible for violent crime in the Eastern District of Washington.
“The FBI works alongside our law enforcement partners to keep our communities and neighborhoods safe.” said Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office. “The FBI’s goal is to build cases which disrupt and dismantle the capabilities of criminal enterprises, putting the worst offenders behind bars to keep communities safer. The impact of firearms violations highlighted from 2023 represent a step forward in achieving that aim. These results would not be possible with the strong partnerships within the public safety community.”
“The nexus between drug trafficking and firearms illustrates the danger of violence at the hands of members of drug trafficking organizations,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “DEA worked diligently with the United States Attorney’s Office and with our Federal, state, local, and tribal partners to keep our communities safe from drug-fueled violence, as these seizures prove.”
“ATF supports our 2nd Amendment rights to bear arms,” said ATF Seattle Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais. “But when people commit crimes with firearms, or possess illegal firearms, ATF is at the forefront of ensuring these people are investigated and referred for prosecution, making our communities safer and protecting the rights of law-abiding citizens.”
Enforcing federal firearm prohibitions is also a crucial part of combating domestic violence. Domestic violence abusers with access to a gun are five times more likely to kill their partners. In addition to their lethality, firearms are used by abusers to inflict fear, intimidation, and coercive control. Law enforcement responding to active domestic violence scenes are at increased risk when firearms are present. Under federal law, people with domestic violence misdemeanor and felony convictions and those subject to domestic violence protective orders are prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms.
In October 2022, U.S. Attorney Waldref announced her office’s Safe Homes, Safe Community Initiative to prevent domestic violence homicides and prevent abusers who have previously been convicted of domestic violence offenses from having access to firearms. Partnering with the Yakima Police Department, Yakima County Prosecutor’s Office, Spokane Police Department, and Spokane County Prosecutor’s Office, and domestic violence prevention advocates, the U.S. Attorney’s Office focuses enforcement on individuals identified as repeat domestic violence abusers in possession of firearms.
“Everyone deserves to live in a safe home free of domestic violence,” said U.S. Attorney Waldref. “Federal prosecutors witness the devastating impacts of domestic violence on the lives of victims and their families, who may endure long-term trauma and are at increased risk for returning to abusive relationships. Our Safe Homes, Safe Community initiative focuses on victim safety, law enforcement safety and community safety. Here in the Eastern District of Washington, my Office is committed to use all the tools at our disposal—including leveraging our partnerships with local law enforcement and local prosecutors—to ensure victims have a viable path to safety and justice.”
Major firearms-related cases filed or pending in the Eastern District of Washington in 2023 include:
21 Year-Old Moxee Gang Member Sentenced to 12 Years In Federal Prison for Possessing Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime
Alexis Sanchez-Gomez was gang member who trafficked drugs and possessed firearms. He was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison.
30 Year-Old Yakama Man Sentenced to 10 Years Imprisonment for Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence
James Skahan-Lowe was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Skahan-Lowe pointed a rifle at the victim, then beat him with it.
Richland Man With Extensive Criminal History Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison After Shooting A Person and Conspiring To Distribute Fentanyl-Laced Pills in Tri-Cities
Jonathan Scott Ard was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison on fentanyl and gun charges. Ard has long criminal record which includes a significant history of crimes of violence.
Othello Woman Sentenced to 46 Months in Federal Prison for Firearm Offense
Alondra Yanez was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for being a Felon in Possession of Firearms. Yanez helped traffic 11 stolen firearms. One of the stolen firearms sold by Yanez was used during the homicide of a four-year-old child in Othello, Washington in February of 2021.
Yakima Man Sentenced to 48 Months in Federal Prison for Firearm Offense
James Duane Deckard was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison for being an Unlawful User of Controlled Substances and Person Convicted of Domestic Violence in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Deckard was involved in a domestic dispute where he pointed a firearm at his intimate partner.
31 Year-Old Yakima Man Sentenced to 7 Years Imprisonment for Being a Felon in Possession of Firearms Stolen From Fish and Wildlife Building
Alexander Scott Stevens was sentenced to seven years in prison for being a Felon in Possession of Firearms. Stevens was linked to the theft of 18 firearms and a suppressor from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Othello Man Sentenced to 168 Months in Federal Prison for Firearm Offenses Related to the Homicide of a Four-Year-Old Child
Felipe Tapia-Perez was sentenced to 168 months in federal prison to being an Unlawful Alien in Possession of a Firearm and Possession of a Stolen Firearm. In February of 2021 Tapia-Perez bought a stolen firearm. A short time later he was involved in a domestic dispute with his partner. During the argument, Tapia-Perez was holding the stolen firearm. The pistol discharged, and the bullet struck his four-year-old child in the head. The child later passed away at the hospital.
Repeat Domestic Abuser Sentenced to 51 Months in Federal Prison for Firearm Offense
Frederick Terrell was sentenced to 51 months in prison for being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Terrell texted his intimate partner three videos that showed him shooting a pistol. Terrell was prohibited from possessing firearms due to multiple prior felony convictions. Terrell also has at least seven prior convictions arising from domestic violence assaults.
Long-Time Sureno Gang Member Sentenced to More Than 20 Years in Federal Prison for Shooting an Undercover Law Enforcement Officer
Randy Coy James Holmes, age 25, of Spokane, Washington, was sentenced today to more than 20 years in federal prison for Assault with a Deadly Weapon on a Federal Law Enforcement Officer.
Holmes shot the undercover ATF during the purchase of a firearm.
Spokane Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Firearms Offenses
Merced Zamora was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 Grams of Actual Methamphetamine, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, as well as for Use, Carry, and Possession of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Offense.
Zamora was driving on a suspended license. Spokane County Sheriff’s Deputies recovered two firearms, ammunition, and a half pound of methamphetamine following a search of his vehicle. Zamora was found guilty by a jury of his peers after a multi-day jury trial in Spokane, Washington.
Domestic Abuser Sentenced to 4 Years in Federal Prison for Firearm Offense
Michael Ross was sentenced to 4 years in prison for being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
At the time he was detained, Ross had three convictions for crimes that qualify for federal felonies, including, one count Second Degree Assault (Domestic Violence), First Degree Burglary, and seven counts of Possession of a Stolen Firearm.
Felon Found with Almost a Dozen Firearms, Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison
Zachary Wade Bennett was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison for Felon in Possession of a Firearm. During a search of home, deputies found 10 guns, including three AR-15 rifles, boxes of ammo, drug paraphernalia, ledgers detailing his drug distribution operations, heroin and hallucinogenic mushrooms.
More information about Project Safe Neighborhoods can be found here.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Concludes Investigation into Fatal ShootingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced today that there is insufficient evidence to pursue federal criminal civil rights or District of Columbia charges against two officers from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) for their role in an October 19, 2023, fatal shooting involving a 33-year old District resident that occurred in the 2800 block of Naylor Road, S.E., Washington, D.C.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the MPD Internal Affairs Division conducted a comprehensive review of the incident, which included a review of law enforcement and civilian accounts, crime-camera footage, BWC footage, physical evidence, recorded radio communications, forensic reports, the autopsy report, and reports from MPD.
According to the evidence, at about 5:00 p.m. MPD officers were summoned to the 2800 block of Gainesville Street, S.E., for a report of a man with a gun made by a 911 caller. The officers observed a man matching the description given by the 911 caller and attempted to make contact with the individual. The individual ran from the police and a foot chased ensued. As the individual entered the backyard of a house in the 2800 block of Naylor Road, he turned and fired a handgun at the police. The officers, including MPD Officer Dallas Bennett, responded. Officer Bennett returned fire and another officer was struck during the exchange. As this was occurring, MPD Officer Jonathan Hasstedt approached the scene by running towards the front of the house. The individual emerged from the side area of the same house and pointed a gun at Officer Hasstedt, who then drew his weapon and shot the individual. The individual collapsed after running a few more feet. The police immediately initiated life-savings measures. However, the individual was declared dead at the scene. Officer Bennett was taken to the hospital and is expected to survive his wounds.
After a careful, thorough, and independent review of the evidence, federal prosecutors have found insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the MPD Officers Bennett and Hasstedt, both involved in the incident, are criminally liable for the death of the decedent.
Use-of-force investigations generally
The U.S. Attorney’s Office reviews all police-involved fatalities to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to conclude that any officers violated either federal criminal civil rights laws or District of Columbia law.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to investigating allegations of excessive force by law enforcement officers and will continue to devote the resources necessary to ensure that all allegations of serious civil rights violations are investigated fully and completely. The Metropolitan Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division investigates all police-involved fatalities in the District of Columbia.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects $6,638,788.11 from Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2023Read the Press Release
HONOLULU – U.S. Attorney Clare E. Connors announced today that the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii collected $6,638,788.11 from criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2023. Of this amount, $6,360,465.69 was collected in criminal actions and $278,322.42 was collected in civil actions.
The Hawaii U.S. Attorney’s Office also worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $425,476.84 in civil cases pursued jointly by these offices.
“The imposition of financial penalties and restitution obligations are critical to achieving justice for violations of our criminal and civil laws,” said U.S. Attorney Clare E. Connors. “Obtaining money in satisfaction of a criminal sentence or civil judgment is particularly important and remains one of our foremost objectives.”
In 2023, the District of Hawaii recovered over $3.2 million through a bankruptcy proceeding involving George Lindell, who in May 2015, was convicted after a 27-day trial of operating an extensive Ponzi scheme in which 166 individuals were induced to invest over $26 million dollars. During 2023, the United States also recovered over $109,000 through the sentence imposed on Garrett Okubo, a physical therapist convicted in 2019 of submitting false claims to obtain payment for physical therapy services to TRICARE, Medicare, Medicaid, and HMSA.
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. as well as 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 Hawaii, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $1,000,765 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.
Two Men Charged with Murdering Witnesses and Burying Their Remains to Thwart Investigation of Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – March 5, 2024
SAN DIEGO – A superseding indictment was partially unsealed in the Southern District of California today charging Benjamin Madrigal-Birrueta, an alleged drug trafficker, with murdering two people to prevent them from testifying in drug trafficking prosecutions that were pending in federal court in San Diego.
The victims were identified as Cesar Armando Murillo, 44, and Maira Sofia Hernandez, 33, residents of Yakima, Washington. Court filings indicate Hernandez was six-months pregnant when she was killed, and the superseding indictment includes a separate count charging Madrigal-Birrueta with the death of her in utero child.
“These executions were an assault on our justice system, designed to silence witnesses and instill fear,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “The obligation to protect witnesses is paramount and the United States will fully prosecute intimidation and violence designed to interfere with the justice system.”
“The cartels and drug trafficking organizations have reached beyond our borders, bringing their criminality to every city and small town in our interior,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest. “The murder of witnesses is an afront to our rule of law but HSI, along with our law enforcement partners, have the resources to uncover these horrible crimes and the dedication to dismantle the organizations harming our population, wherever they may be located.”
“HSI continues to tirelessly investigate criminal organizations who traffic dangerous drugs across our border and into the interior of the United States. In this pursuit we will ensure that anyone who is responsible for causing harm to a witness in one of our investigations is held accountable for these actions,” said HSI San Diego SAC Chad Plantz. “Fear or harm caused to those who report a crime or testify diminishes the public’s trust in the criminal justice system and erodes the foundation of the rule of law. HSI and its partners are committed to ensuring that anyone who tampers with witnesses or breaks the laws in place to protect them are brought to justice.”
The superseding indictment also charges Ricardo Orizaba with being an accessory after the fact to murder. Court filings indicate both victims were buried in a remote high-desert location near Yakima and that these charges follow a year-long search culminating in the discovery of their remains in September 2023. Hernandez is survived by her three minor children and Murillo is survived by two minor children.
The superseding indictment alleges Defendant Madrigal-Birrueta was a leader in a criminal enterprise that committed a series of felony violations of federal drug laws. According to court filings, the investigation originated with the seizure of drugs from vehicles using San Diego area ports of entry between August and October of 2021. The organization used late model stolen vehicles to smuggle drugs. The superseding indictment alleges that Madrigal-Birrueta is responsible for the importation of those drugs.
According to court filings, by August of 2022, the investigation led agents to a group of individuals operating out of Yakima. Special Agents with Homeland Security Investigations interviewed Murillo and Hernandez, and within days of those interviews, Murillo and Hernandez were murdered and their bodies were buried in the high desert. Court filings describe how these charges follow an exhaustive, year-long investigation that employed geophysicists, ground penetrating radar, aircraft, laser imaging, chemical testing of the soil, numerous cadaver dogs, and other law enforcement techniques to search for the victims’ remains. HSI Special Agents successfully recovered the remains on September 13, 2023, aided by a Washington State Police Crime Scene Investigations team.
Special Agents with Homeland Security Investigations working with Washington State Police to exhume remains on September 13, 2023.
Court filings further indicate that, based on autopsy reports, both victims died of multiple gunshot wounds to the head.
During the investigation agents seized methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl, multiple firearms — including a machine gun — and body armor from Madrigal-Birrueta’s drug trafficking organization. In addition to the homicides, the superseding indictment charges Madrigal-Birrueta with possessing a machine gun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Federal courts in California and Washington state have ordered that Madrigal-Birrueta and Orizaba be detained pending trial, and both are in custody.
Weapons seized during the investigation on September 8, 2022.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen H. Wong and Alicia P. Williams.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 23cr1684-RBM
Benjamin Madrigal-Birrueta Age: 22 Yakima, WA
Ricardo Orizaba Age: 21 Yakima, WA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Count 1:
Continuing Criminal Enterprise – Title 21, United States Code, Sections 848(a) and (b)(2)
Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum twenty years and up to life in prison, $2 million fine
Count 2:
Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances – Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841 and 846
Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum ten years and up to life in prison, $2 million fine
Count 3:
Conspiracy to Import Controlled Substances – Title 21, United States Code, Sections 952, 960 and 963
Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum ten years and up to life in prison, $2 million fine
Count 4:
Murder of Cesar Armando Murillo in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Conspiracy – Title 21, United States Code, Section 848(e)
Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum sentence of twenty years and up to life, or death
Count 5:
Murder of Maira Sophia Hernandez in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Conspiracy – Title 21, United States Code, Section 848(e)
Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum twenty years and up to life, or death
Count 6:
Conspiracy to Commit Witness Tampering: First Degree Murder – Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1512(a)(1)(A), (c), (2)(A), (3)(A), (c), (k), and 1111
Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum term of life in prison or death, $250,000 fine
Count 7:
Witness Tampering: First Degree Murder of Cesar Armando Murillo – Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1512(a)(1)(A), (c), (3)(A), (c), (3)(A), and 1111
Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum term of life in prison or death, $250,000 fine
Count 8:
Witness Tampering: First Degree Murder of Maira Sophia Hernandez – Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1512(a)(1)(A), (c), (3)(A), (c), (3)(A), and 1111
Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum life in prison or death, $250,000 fine
Count 9:
Causing the Death of a Child in Utero – Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1841 and 1111.
Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum life in prison or death, $250,000 fine
Count 10:
Witness Tampering: Threat of Force – Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1512(a)(2)(A), (C), (3)(A), and 1111
Maximum penalty: Up to twenty years in prison, $250,000 fine
Count 11:
Accessory After the Fact to Murder – Title 18 United States Code, Sections 3 and 1512(a)(1)(A) and Title 21, United States Code, Section 848(e), $250,000 fine
Count 12:
Possession, Brandishing, and Discharge of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime and a Crime of Violence – Title 18, United States Code, Sections 924(c)(1)(A)(iii) and 2, $250,000 fine
Count 13:
Possession and Brandishing of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime and a Crime of Violence – Title 18, United States Code, Sections 924(c)(1)(A)(iii) and 2, $250,000 fine
Count 14:
Possession, Brandishing, and Discharge of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime and a Crime of Violence – Title 18, United States Code, Sections 924(c)(1)(A)(iii) and 2, $250,000 fine
Count 15:
Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime – Title 18, United States Code, Sections 924(c)(1)(A)(iii) and 2, $250,000 fine
Count 16:
Possession of a Machine Gun in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime – Title 18, United States Code, Sections 924(c)(1)(A)(i), (B)(ii), and 2 and Title 26, United States Code, Section 5845(b), $250,000 fine
Count 17:
Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering – Title 18, United States Code, Section 1956(a)(1)(A)(i) and (h), $250,000 fine
AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations
Drug Enforcement Administration
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
Washington State Police
California Highway Patrol
Yakima Police Department
Tulare County Sheriff’s Office
Visalia Police Department
Fresno Sheriff’s Office
Fresno Police Department
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Two Eastern Panhandle Residents Sentenced for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Two Eastern Panhandle residents were sentenced today for drug trafficking.
Kimberely Sue Smith, age 54, of Falling Waters, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute crystal methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine base. According to court documents and statements made in court, Smith, also known as “Tina-Marie Smith” and “Deniej Smith,” was selling methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine base in Berkeley County. A search of her home uncovered fentanyl capsules, cocaine base, crystal methamphetamine, and cash. Smith will be required to report for supervised release for three years following her prison sentence.
Charles Douglas Cobak, age 34, of Ridgeley, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 15 years and 8 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine hydrochloride. According to court documents and statements made in court, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service found a suspicious package and contacted the Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force. The package contained 2.3 pounds of methamphetamine and was meant for Cobak. Cobak will serve five years of supervised release when he is released from prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Kane prosecuted the Smith case on behalf of the government. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the Cobak case.
The Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office investigated the Smith case. The Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and the Mineral County Sheriff’s Office investigated the Cobak matter.
U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Two Defendants Arrested for Conspiring to Illegally Export Weapons to South SudanRead the Press Release
A federal criminal complaint was unsealed yesterday in the District of Arizona charging Abraham Chol Keech, 44, of Utah, and Peter Biar Ajak, 40, of Maryland, with conspiring to purchase and illegally export millions of dollars’ worth of fully automatic rifles, grenade launchers, Stinger missile systems, hand grenades, sniper rifles, ammunition, and other export-controlled items from the United States to South Sudan, in violation of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA) and the Export Control Reform Act (ECRA).
“As alleged, the defendants sought to unlawfully smuggle heavy weapons and ammunition from the United States into South Sudan – a country that is subject to a U.N. arms embargo due to the violence between armed groups, which has killed and displaced thousands,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Department of Justice will not tolerate the illicit export of weapons overseas, and we will hold accountable those who would violate our laws.”
“Sanctions and export controls help ensure that American weapons are not used internationally to destabilize other sovereign nations,” said U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino for the District of Arizona. “We thank our law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations, for continuing to use their legacy customs enforcement authority to protect the public.”
According to court documents, in July 2018, in response to the conflict between South Sudan’s Transitional Government of National Unity and opposition forces, the United Nations Security Council imposed an arms embargo on South Sudan. The Security Council has renewed the arms embargo every year since 2018, most recently in May 2023. Under U.S. law, specifically the AECA and ECRA, it is unlawful to export weapons and ammunition to South Sudan absent authorization in the form of a license from the U.S. Department of State or the Department of Commerce. It is the policy of the United States to deny licenses and approvals to export to South Sudan defense articles, such as automatic rifles, grenade launchers, and missile Stinger systems.
As alleged in court documents, between at least February 2023 and February 2024, Keech and Ajak sought to illegally purchase weapons and related export-controlled items from undercover law enforcement agents and smuggle those weapons and items from the United States to South Sudan through a third country. The defendants knew that South Sudan was subject to an arms embargo and that exporting weapons and ammunition from the United States to South Sudan without a license from the U.S. government was illegal and would violate U.S. law. For example, the defendants openly discussed the illegality of the transaction, expressed the need to be discreet, and agreed to pay a risk fee for the weapons because of the illegal nature of the arms sale. In addition, to facilitate the smuggling scheme, the defendants discussed disguising the weapons as humanitarian aid and paying bribes.
As part of the scheme, the defendants further sought to conceal from financial institutions and others the source and purpose of the funds used to purchase and smuggle the illicit arms. For example, the defendants agreed to an arms contract for nearly $4 million worth of weapons and related items and requested a “fake contract” in the same amount in “consulting services” and items, such as “communications equipment,” related to “human rights, humanitarian, and civil engagement inside South Sudan refugee camps.” The defendants then caused funds to be transferred through an intermediary company identified in the fake contract to complete the purchase.
If convicted, the defendants face up to 20 years in prison for conspiring to violate the AECA, up to 20 years in prison for conspiring to violate the ECRA, and up to 10 years in prison for smuggling goods from the United States.
The Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Defense’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division, and the Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement are investigating the case, with valuable assistance provided by the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona and the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Keech and Ajak complaintTucson Orthodontist and His Spouse Charged with Engaging in Scheme to Embezzle from Dental PracticeRead the Press Release
Tucson, Ariz. – A federal grand jury in Tucson returned a seven-count indictment last week against Dr. Andrew L. Kassman and his wife, Laurie Ann Kassman, of Tucson, for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Wire Fraud.
Dr. Kassman was the former owner of a Tucson orthodontics practice. After selling the practice, Dr. Kassman and his wife continued as employees for the new owner. Dr. Kassman worked as an orthodontist, and Dr. Kassman’s wife continued as the office manager. The indictment alleges that, after the sale, Dr. Kassman kept his business bank account open. The Kassmans then engaged in an embezzlement scheme in which they diverted funds that belonged to the practice without the new owner’s knowledge or consent. To conceal the scheme, Laurie Kassman manipulated financial records in the practice’s record keeping system. The Kassmans embezzled at least $73,000.
A conviction for either charge - Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud or Wire Fraud - carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The United States Secret Service and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-00789-TUC-RM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-025_Kassman# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Three Kanawha County Women Sentenced for Roles in Wire Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Three Kanawha County women were sentenced today for roles in a fraudulent scheme that used personal identification information stolen through the employment of two of the women with an office cleaning service.
Brittany King, 35, of East Bank, and Tabatha Deavers, 30, of Charleston, were each sentenced to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Amy Deavers, 51, of Glasgow, the mother of Tabatha Deavers, was sentenced to six months of incarceration, which she has already served, and three years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Amy Deavers and Tabatha Deavers were jointly ordered to pay $4,256.06 in restitution, with additional restitution amounts for Tabatha Deavers and King to be determined.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from approximately December 2020 through at least December 1, 2022, King and Tabatha Deavers unlawfully obtained the personal identification information of multiple individuals through their employment with a business that cleaned local office spaces. King and Tabatha Deavers rerouted the mail of their identity theft victims and opened lines of credit and bank accounts and obtained loans and credit cards in the names of their identity theft victims.
From approximately December 2020 through at least December 1, 2022, King and Tabatha Deavers stole money and property from individuals, companies, lenders, financial institutions and car dealerships with their scheme. King and Tabatha Deavers submitted a fraudulent change of address form to the United States Postal Service to reroute one victim’s mail to their Bridge Road apartment in Charleston on June 7, 2022. Tabatha Deavers attempted to purchase a vehicle from a Charleston area car dealership using the personal identification information of another victim on January 15, 2022. King fraudulently used another victim’s personal identification information to purchase a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu from a Charleston business on September 30, 2022.
King and Tabatha Deavers caused a loss of at least $260,239.19 to more than 10 victims as a result of their fraudulent schemes. Amy Deavers became involved in the wire fraud scheme after King and Tabatha Deavers were arrested and federally charged for their actions on December 5, 2022. King and Tabatha Deavers attempted to transfer $1,000 from one of the scheme’s fraudulent bank accounts to Amy Deavers on December 30, 2022. This account was opened to reroute the Department of Veterans Affairs disability benefits of one of the identity theft victims.
On January 30, 2023, Tabatha Deavers was incarcerated at the South Central Regional Jail when she spoke to Amy Deavers during a recorded jail phone call. Tabatha Deavers provided Amy Deavers with information during the call to access and transfer funds from the veteran victim’s fraudulent account.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Postal Inspection Service, the United States Secret Service, the United States Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentences. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew D. Isabell, Jonathan T. Storage and Kathleen Robeson prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-14.
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Three Additional Individuals Charged in Twin Cities Fentanyl Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Three additional individuals have been charged in a drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed fentanyl throughout the Twin Cities and surrounding areas, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, between August 2022 through December 2023, Phyu Win Jame, 27, Amaya Tiffany-Nicole Mims, 23, and Da’Shawn Natori Domena, 24, and their previously charged co-defendants Cornell Montez Chandler, Jr., Robiel Lee Williams, Quijuan Hosea Bankhead, Stardasha Christina Davenport-Mounger, Fo’Tre Devine White, and Shardai Rayshell Allen, conspired to distribute fentanyl in Minnesota. Several defendants traveled to Phoenix to obtain fentanyl pills from suppliers, hid the pills inside stuffed animals, and mailed them to addresses in and around the Twin Cities. Law enforcement in Dakota, Ramsey, and Washington counties became aware of the trafficking and initiated a joint investigation, which resulted in the seizure of six packages containing over 30,000 grams of fentanyl pills.
All defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. White was also charged with one count of possession of a firearm as a felon and one count of possession of a machinegun.Jame and Mims made their initial appearances in U.S. District Court before a magistrate judge. Domena was arrested in Indiana and will make his initial appearance before a magistrate judge in the District of Minnesota at a later date.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the Dakota County Drug Task Force, the Washington County Drug Task Force, and the Ramsey County Violent Crime Enforcement Team.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Campbell Warner is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Third Conspirator Pleads Guilty in Nearly $600,000 Charity Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Fuquay-Varina man pled guilty to devising and executing a scheme to defraud the Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan (“PCS”) by conspiring to fraudulently obtain matching charitable contributions for the Boys and Girls Succeed (“BAGS”) organization. Dwayne Moorer West, age 60, faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced later this year. Two of West’s co-conspirators pled guilty to the same charges on January 23, 2024, and are also facing up to 20 years behind bars.
“Many companies encourage their employees to support local charities by matching their employees’ charitable contributions. This defendant recruited PSC employees to make fake donations to his charity so he could fraudulently secure over a half-million dollars in matching funds from PSC. He then paid kickbacks to the employees,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “This defendant was driven by greed to take advantage of a charitable program meant to help those in need. He now faces federal prison.”
According to documents and information presented in court, Dwayne Moorer West owned BAGS, an organization that provided services to boys and girls in Wake County. Between 2010 and 2018, West conspired with Michael Lavern King, a PCS employee, and Martin Fareed Abdullah, a BAGS employee, to fraudulently obtain matched charitable contributions from PCS. To carry out this scheme, King and Abdullah solicited multiple PCS employees to aid and assist in the fraud. West obtained bank checks that fraudulently showed large charitable donations from each PCS employee to the BAGS foundation. The fraudulent checks were then used as donation receipts for submission to PCS as part of their matching charitable program. The PCS employees never made charitable donations to BAGS. Instead, they received a quarterly kickback from West, Abdullah, and King for the use of their employee information. In total, PCS matched nearly $600,000 in fraudulently obtained contributions to BAGS.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle accepted the plea. The United States Postal Inspection Service are investigating the case and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa K. Labresh is prosecuting the case.
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. 5:23-CR-00091-BO.
Texas Man Admits to Federal Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Nolan Eugene McCray, age 39, of Cedar Lane, Texas, has admitted to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, McCray was identified during an investigation into drug activity. A Wetzel County property where McCray had stayed was searched and officers found methamphetamine and $14,580 in cash. McCray was then taken into custody on outstanding warrants in Texas. While in jail, he made several phone calls to drug associates in the Northern Panhandle. Those conversations led officers to search another property, yielding more than 400 grams of methamphetamine and nearly one kilogram of heroin.
McCray faces up to 20 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Marshall County Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the Wetzel County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton Reid is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
Statement from U.S. Attorney’s Office on Passage of Secure DCRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia applauds the Council’s passage of the Secure DC legislative package. The provisions in this bill will provide crucial tools to police and to prosecutors as we collectively work together to hold those who commit crimes in our community accountable. And we are particularly grateful that the Council listened to our arguments related to DNA collection and developed a compromise position that allows for the earlier collection of DNA. This provision will both help solve violent crimes and prevent future crimes by removing these dangerous people from our community.
Stamford Man Sentenced to Prison for Theft of $800K from Trust AccountRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CURTIS SOLSVIG, 69, of Stamford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 18 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for stealing more than $800,000 from a family trust he administered.
According to court documents and statements made in court, a married couple (the “victims”) created a trust for the primary benefit of their two children. In 1996, Solsvig, a relative of the victims, began serving as trustee of the trust. Beginning in 2011 and continuing for approximately eight years, Solsvig stole approximately $816,000 from the trust and used the funds for a variety of personal expenses. By the time his scheme concluded, less than $20 remained in the trust account.
Judge Nagala ordered Solsvig to pay restitution of $816,205.09.
On December 6, 2023, Solsvig pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.
Solsvig, who is released on a $250,000 bond, is required to report to prison on April 19.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Conor M. Reardon.
Stamford Man Pleads Guilty to Producing Child Sex Abuse ImagesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that SERVIO BARROS-TERREROS, 57, of Stamford, pleaded guilty today in Bridgeport federal court to a child exploitation offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in December 2022, a minor female victim reported that, when she was nine and 10 years old, Barros-Terreros had sexually assaulted her multiple times. The victim reported that Barros-Terreros took sexually explicit pictures of her, and threatened to publish the pictures and show them to the victim’s mother if the victim told anyone. Barros-Terreros also instructed the victim to undress during video calls he initiated with the victim, during which he also engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
On January 12, 2023, Stamford Police arrested Barros-Terreros on state sexual assault and risk of injury offenses, and seized Barros-Terreros’ iPhone. Analysis of the iPhone revealed sexually explicit images of the minor victim, and images of Barros-Terreros engaging in sexually explicit conduct with the minor victim.
Barros-Terreros pleaded guilty to production of child pornography, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years. He is scheduled to be sentenced U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford on June 13.
Barros-Terreros has been detained since his arrest.
This matter has been investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Stamford Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Cummings with the assistance of the Office of the State’s Attorney for the Judicial District of Stamford-Norwalk.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
St. Charles County Man Sentenced for the Unlicensed Sales of FirearmsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Charles County, Missouri who illegally sold hundreds of guns was sentenced Monday to five years of probation and 200 hours of community service.
Harry Trueblood, 69, is also now a convicted felon and is barred from possessing, let alone selling, firearms.
Trueblood pleaded guilty in November to one count of being an unlicensed firearms dealer. He admitted selling firearms at not less than 15 gun shows from January of 2021 through May of 2023 despite never having been licensed to deal in firearms. He continued selling even after agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) warned him that he was committing a crime. Trueblood purposely avoided obtaining a Federal Firearms License (FFL), Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski said in court Monday.
“ATF is a leader in the nation’s fight to disrupt violent crime for safer communities,” said Bernard Hansen, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Kansas City Field Division. “Trueblood was linked to selling over 250 firearms without a Federal Firearms License and over 40 crime guns were traced back him. It is firearm traffickers like this defendant that fuel violence in our communities by putting deadly weapons in the hands of people who commit violent crimes in our communities. Our Crime Gun Intelligence Center was at the center of this investigation, utilizing intelligence to identify this defendant and disrupting the supply of illegally transferred firearms and making our neighborhoods safer.”
Guns sold illegally by Trueblood were recovered at the scene of a homicide, a suicide and other shootings and from felons and a juvenile, Szczucinski said. One person with mental health issues severe enough that he was turned away from two gun stores found Trueblood and bought a firearm from him, Szczucinski said in court.
The ATF began investigating Trueblood after multiple guns recovered in unrelated crimes were traced back to him as the original purchaser. Trueblood sold AR-15-type pistols and handguns to undercover ATF agents before the ATF on Feb. 1, 2023 sent him a cease and desist letter ordering him to stop dealing in firearms without a license. Trueblood continued to sell guns, his plea agreement says.
The ATF investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski is prosecuting the case.
Springfield Man Sentenced to 18 Years for Meth Trafficking, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for using his residence for trafficking methamphetamine and for illegally possessing firearms.
Anthony Brandon, 51, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark on Monday, March 4, to 18 years in federal prison without parole. Brandon was sentenced as a career offender due to his prior felony convictions.
On March 15, 2022, Brandon pleaded guilty to one count of controlling a drug-involved premises and one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
On May 23, 2019, Springfield police officers executed a search warrant at Brandon’s residence. Officers found a Taurus 9mm handgun and five individually packaged bags of methamphetamine that weighed a total of more than 75 grams under a couch cushion in the living room, an Eagle Arms AR10 .62-caliber rifle in a bedroom closet, an extended firearm magazine with 32 rounds of 9mm ammunition in a dresser drawer in a bedroom, and miscellaneous ammunition.
Brandon admitted he was storing drugs at his residence for his source of supply. He also told investigators that he was expecting to receive methamphetamine as payment for storing the drugs.
Brandon’s extensive criminal history includes violent crimes and assault, possessing and distributing illegal drugs, theft, stealing, burglary, and robbery.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cameron A. Beaver and Jessica R. Eatmon. It was investigated by the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Southern California Man Pleads Guilty to Fraud Charges Involving Scheme to Divert More Than $4.6 Million in San Francisco-Based InvestmentRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Joon Woo Kim pleaded guilty in federal court to charges related to his role in two related multi-million-dollar fraud schemes—the first, a scheme to mislead investors to contribute to a fund he formed in San Francisco, and the second, a scheme to obtain a multi-million dollar business loans and line of credit by lying to a bank—announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp.
In his plea agreement, Kim, 57, of Montebello, Calif., admitted that he engaged in the first fraud scheme from June 2015 through at least March 19, 2022. Kim created an investment fund called the M5 Doctors Fund and induced investors to contribute to the fund by making false statements and omissions about the kinds of investments Kim would make while managing the fund’s assets. For example, Kim admitted that he advertised that he would invest assets of the M5 Doctors Fund in securities of Tesla, Inc. and electric vehicle companies. Nevertheless, rather than invest the funds as he promised, Kim admitted that he transferred nearly all M5 Doctors Fund assets, including funds from the liquidation of investments and the return on those investments, to CKR Enterprise, Inc., a wholesale food distribution company owned by, among others, Kim and his wife and operated by Kim and his wife.
Kim further admitted in his plea agreement that he acted with the intent to deceive and cheat investors and that in furtherance of the scheme he caused the creation of the M5 Doctors Fund and a separate management entity called M5 Management and he induced investors to invest in the M5 Doctors Fund and maintain their investment funds in the M5 Doctors Fund based on false statements and omissions regarding the kinds of investments he would make.
Kim admitted that without telling his investors he transferred nearly all M5 Doctors Fund assets to his business, CKR, and thereby defrauded investors out of $4,690,000. Further, Kim misled investors into believing that the M5 Doctors fund was solvent and engaged in investment activities. For example, Kim sent investors misleading quarterly reports suggesting that their money was invested in securities such as Tesla when in fact Kim had transferred nearly all investor money to CKR.
Kim further admitted that he engaged in a second fraud scheme in which he defrauded Hanmi Bank by applying for two loans for CKR, a $1,300,000 line of credit and a $3,200,000 business loan, that contained materially false and fraudulent representations and promises. As a result of these fraudulent representations and promises, Kim obtained the proceeds of these loans.
A federal grand jury charged Kim on June 27, 2023, with eight counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343; two counts of bank fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1344; and one count of making a false statement to a bank, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1014. Under the plea agreement, Kim pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of making a false statement to a bank. If Kim complies with his plea agreement, the remaining counts will be dismissed at sentencing.
Kim was arrested on July 17, 2023, and subsequently released on a bond. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 24, 2024. The maximum statutory penalty for each of the wire fraud charges is 20 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000, plus restitution, if appropriate. The maximum statutory penalty for each of the bank fraud and making a false statement to a bank is 30 years in prison, and a fine of $1,000,000, plus restitution, if appropriate. The court also may order an additional term of supervised release to begin after a prison term as part of any sentence. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christiaan Highsmith is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Aarian Beti. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.
Semi-Pro Rugby player indicted for Ponzi scheme involving false representations about cryptocurrency mining investmentsRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 36-year-old Seattle semi-pro rugby player was arrested on an indictment charging him with nine counts of wire fraud. Shane Donovan Moore operated Quantum Donovan LLC – a Washington company Moore claimed was purchasing and operating cryptocurrency mining equipment. In fact, the indictment alleges the company never invested in such equipment and operated as a Ponzi scheme, with the investments from later investors being used to pay off earlier investors. Moore made his initial appearance on the indictment Monday morning.
“Cryptocurrency investors can fall victim to all the same fraud tactics as any investor. Mr. Moore used a ‘Ponzi scheme,’ – a fraud that has been around for decades - and uses new investor money to pay off older investors until the scheme collapses,” said U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. “So far investigators have identified 38 known victims but believe there could be many more. We urge any such investors to contact the FBI.”
“According to the indictment, between January 2021 and October 2022, Moore allegedly made fraudulent promises to obtain investor money. Moore claimed both verbally and in writing that the invested money would be used to purchase computers for a cryptocurrency mining operation. He told investors they would receive 1% of their investment daily based on the work of the mining machines. However, Moore never purchased the mining machines. He comingled the investor money with his personal accounts and used some of those funds to live a lavish lifestyle. Some of the funds were used to purchase cryptocurrency so that a portion of the funds could be sent to investors to lull them into believing the cryptocurrency mining operation existed.
An analysis of accounts controlled by Moore show he purchased more than $820,000 in cryptocurrency from crypto.com during the course of the scheme. Other records show Moore transferring more than $1 million in cryptocurrencies from his Coinbase account to other Coinbase accounts.
Moore recruited investors in Utah, Oregon, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Washington. Many of the investors are people he knew from his rugby activities.
Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
The charges contained in the indictment 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 FBI.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brian Wynne.
Santa Cruz County Drug Dealer Sentenced to Nineteen Years’ Imprisonment for A Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE – Paul Garcia was sentenced today to 235 months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to methamphetamine trafficking, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Jennifer L. Cicolani. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. Edward J. Davila, United States District Judge.
Garcia, 34, formerly of Santa Cruz County, was arrested in July 2019 after Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Deputies seized a stash of drugs in a Santa Cruz motel room Garcia was using. The stash included more than two pounds of heroin, 440 grams of methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl, and pills. Deputies also found a loaded, semi-automatic pistol in the motel room. Garcia was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 6, 2020, on one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A).
In February 2020, Garcia made his initial appearance in federal court and was released on a $100,000 bond. Garcia eventually violated the terms of his release, his bail was revoked, and Garcia was ordered to report to the Santa Rita Jail facility in June 2020. Garcia failed to report as ordered, and became a fugitive. Garcia’s bond was subsequently forfeited, and the Court entered forfeiture judgments against his sureties.
Garcia remained a fugitive until he was arrested on April 18, 2021. At that time, Sunnyvale police officers approached Garcia in the parking lot of a motel, and Garcia fled through the motel with officers in pursuit. During the chase, Garcia retrieved a pistol from his waistband and fired two shots at the officers before being taken into custody.
On December 18, 2023, Garcia pleaded guilty to the federal charge against him. In the plea agreement, Garcia admitted, among other things, that he possessed the methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin found in his Santa Cruz motel room in July 2019, with the intent to distribute them, and also that he possessed the semi-automatic pistol found in the motel room in connection with his drug dealing. Garcia also admitted he failed to report to the Santa Rita Jail facility as ordered, and that he willfully remained a fugitive until he was arrested in Sunnyvale.
“Disrupting drug trafficking in Santa Cruz County is a priority for our office,” said United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey. “Anyone who traffics drugs in Santa Cruz County, or anywhere else in the Northern District, particularly while armed, should know that federal criminal convictions come with serious prison time.”
“Removing violent offenders from our communities is a priority for ATF,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Cicolani. “Anyone who participates in trafficking will be held accountable. Throughout this case, ATF has worked side by side with our prosecutorial partners to fulfill one of our core duties to the public. That duty being to ensure the safety of our communities. Today’s sentencing ensured that our commitment to the public is being upheld.”
Judge Davila ordered that Garcia’s federal prison term be served concurrently with a 29-year prison term Garcia is currently serving. In addition to the prison term, Judge Davila also ordered Garcia to serve a five-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison.
Assistant United States Attorneys Michael G. Pitman and Daniel N. Kassabian are prosecuting the case, with the assistance of Sahib Kaur. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by ATF and the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office.
Repeat Federal Felon Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Role in Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Burnsville felon has been sentenced to 180 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, in September 2022, while John Paul Majerus II, 34, was still serving a prison sentence for a prior federal controlled substance crime, law enforcement began investigating a drug trafficking operation led by Bureau of Prisons inmates. While in custody, Majerus coordinated the sale of methamphetamine to an undercover officer with the Drug Enforcement Administration. Majerus continued his drug trafficking activity after he was released, and conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine from a “stash house” in Southeast Minneapolis belonging to codefendant Sara Evenson, 34. A search warrant was executed after additional controlled buys were conducted at Evenson’s apartment, and law enforcement found approximately 30 pounds of methamphetamine hidden in the wall, as well as drug paraphernalia and two firearms.
On November 8, 2023, Majerus pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. On February 20, 2024, Evenson pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. She will be sentenced at a later date. Majerus was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge David S. Doty.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the West Central Minnesota Drug and Violent Crime Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren O. Roso prosecuted the case.
Previously Convicted Felon Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Firearm and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston-area man was sentenced yesterday for illegally possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number while on supervised release from an earlier federal firearm charge.
Dane Mitchell, 32, of Boston and Revere, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to seven years in prison and three years of supervised release. In October 2023, Mitchell pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
In 2021, as part of an investigation into a violent Boston gang, Mitchell was identified as the owner of a Snapchat account who regularly posted images of himself in possession of firearms. Specifically, images showed Mitchell’s face with firearms and bullet holes in his vehicle after he had been shot at. Mitchell is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to a 2018 federal conviction in the District of Maine for unlawful transportation of firearms, for which he was sentenced to 27 months in prison and three years of supervised release.
During a search of Mitchell’s Revere residence in December 2021, a Taurus .380 caliber pistol with an obliterated serial number, ammunition, bags of cocaine, cocaine base, fentanyl, cutting agents, a digital scale, a blender and a press for packaging narcotics were seized.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Division; and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division made the announcement. Special assistance in the investigation was provided by the Boston, Quincy and Lynn Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Pohl of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
The operation was conducted is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.President of Queens-Based Construction Company Pleads Guilty to Fraud in Connection with Homeless Shelter Contracts Worth $12 MillionRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that LIAQUAT CHEEMA pled guilty today to conspiracy to commit wire fraud for his leadership of a scheme to defraud New York City (the “City”) in connection with public contracts to perform general contracting work at City homeless shelters.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Liaquat Cheema has admitted to leading a scheme to steal millions of dollars in public funds intended to pay for vital maintenance at homeless shelters in New York City. This Office has no tolerance for those who use public contracts intended to aid underserved members of our society to fraudulently enrich themselves. We will continue to aggressively detect and dismantle schemes such as this one.”
According to the Indictment to which CHEEMA pled guilty, the Complaint, the plea agreement, and statements made in court:
LIAQUAT CHEEMA was the President of AFL Construction Co. Inc. (“AFL”), located in Queens, New York. AFL entered into public contracts with the City worth approximately $12 million to perform general contracting work at homeless shelters located in the City, including in the Southern District of New York. Pursuant to the contracts, AFL was to perform, among other things, general maintenance, landscaping, roofing, and snow removal at shelter sites.
From at least in or about 2014 through at least in or about 2017, CHEEMA and others used the contracts to fraudulently enrich themselves and steal from the City. In furtherance of the scheme, CHEEMA and others, among other things, submitted fraudulent invoices and other documentation in support of requests for payment on the contracts, which falsely claimed that workers had performed work on certain projects and inflated amounts paid by the defendants for materials purportedly used on such projects. These fraudulent invoices and supporting documentation contained, without authorization, the identities of other persons, including the names, and in at least one case, the social security number, of purported workers who in fact had not worked on the projects specified in the requests for payment submitted by CHEEMA and others.
CHEEMA and others also obtained tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of Medicaid benefits by repeatedly submitting fraudulent certifications, which underreported their actual incomes and accordingly enabled them to obtain Medicaid benefits for which they were not eligible. In support of requests for Medicaid benefits, CHEEMA and others repeatedly submitted nearly identical employment letters, which, among other misrepresentations, contained the name and purported signature of a purported “Project Manager” who, in fact, was deceased. In connection with his guilty plea, CHEEMA agreed to pay back the money misappropriated from Medicaid.
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LIAQUAT CHEEMA, 64, of East Elmhurst, New York, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. As part of his plea agreement, CHEEMA agreed to pay restitution and forfeiture of $3,267,811.
The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the work of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General and the New York City Department of Investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy V. Capozzi is in charge of the prosecution.
Pittsburgh Resident Sentenced to Prison for Possession of Firearm by Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm after a prior felony conviction, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States District Judge W. Scott Hardy imposed the sentence on Isaiah Wise, 23. Judge Hardy also ordered Wise to serve three years of supervised release following his prison term.
Wise previously pleaded guilty in this case to possessing a firearm on December 4, 2021, after prior felony convictions for fentanyl trafficking, unlawful firearm possession, and endangering the welfare of children. Prior to sentencing, the Court was informed that Wise was on probation for those felony crimes on that date, when he participated in an unlawful scheme to purchase and possess a Glock 27 .40 caliber pistol, a high-capacity drum magazine, and ammunition. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, and Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Wise.
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 of Justice 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.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to Prison for Evading TSA Security at Philadelphia International AirportRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Hugh James, 52, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment, two years’ supervised release, a fine of $1,000, and a mandatory special assessment of $200 for attempting to board an international flight with undeclared currency that had not passed through airport security. United States District Judge Paul S. Diamond also ordered James to forfeit the sum of $62,000.
On October 9, 2020, James attempted to board a flight from Philadelphia International Airport to Montego Bay, Jamaica. When questioned by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers during boarding, James initially denied having cash in his carry-on luggage. However, a search of his luggage revealed $62,000 in undeclared cash, including $42,000 in $100 bills inside sealed toothpaste boxes. Subsequent investigation revealed that James, an employee with access to the secure area of the airport, arranged to have the cash smuggled around Transportation Security Administration screening. On November 16, 2023, James pleaded guilty to one count of evading airport security and one count of failure to declare currency.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Brown.
Peoria Man Pleads Guilty to Wide-Ranging Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Peoria, Illinois man, Chad D. Campen, 34, of the 6100 block of Pfeiffer Road, pleaded guilty on March 5, 2024, to one count of bank fraud, three counts of wire fraud, one count of money laundering, one count of bankruptcy fraud, and one count of false statements under oath. Sentencing for Campen has been scheduled for July 11, 2024, at the U.S. Courthouse in Peoria, Illinois.
In court before U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid, Campen admitted that he had orchestrated a long-term fraud scheme in which he lied about his business involvement and success and created false and fraudulent documents to deceive his victims. Campen obtained money from various financial institutions as well as goods, services, and funds from individuals and companies throughout central Illinois. At the hearing, the government stated that beginning as early as January 2013, Campen engaged in a scheme to defraud in which he made several false and fraudulent statements to banks and others. Specifically, Campen obtained funds by falsely claiming his success in multiple business ventures; representing to others the amount of land he was farming; claiming that he sold agricultural inputs; that he had substantial amounts of grain stored; representing that he had substantial assets and that he was a financial success.
Campen has been in the custody of U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest on January 25, 2022, and remains in custody pending sentencing.
Campen faces statutory penalties as follows: Bank Fraud up to 30 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine and 5 years’ supervised release; for Wire Fraud, up to twenty years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years’ supervised release for each count; for Illegal Monetary Transaction, up to 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine (or twice the amount of the criminally derived property), and 3 years supervised release, for Bankruptcy Fraud and False Statement Under Oath, up to 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years’ supervised release for each count.
The matter was referred to the United States Attorney’s Office by the United States Trustee for Region 10. The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas F. McMeyer is representing the government in the prosecution.
Pennsylvania Family Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Three members of a Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania, family pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents, Hadja Franklin, 55, Nabyunissa Bangoura (“Nayunissa”), 34, Tanziludin Bangurah (“Tanziludin”), 52, manufactured counterfeit oxycodone and Xanax in a laboratory in their residence in rural Pennsylvania, which they sold on the darkweb under the moniker “MonPham.” Tanziludin and Franklin are the married parents of Nabyunissa.
In fall 2021, law enforcement identified “MonPham” as a prolific narcotics distributor operating on several darknet markets. After making numerous controlled purchases from “MonPham” between October 27, 2021, and August 25, 2022, law enforcement traced cryptocurrency transactions to the defendants’ Internet Protocol (IP) address. Law enforcement then observed Bangurah mailing fentanyl packages to customers and later observed one of the defendants with an infant child entering the residence.
While executing a search warrant on August 31, 2022, law enforcement discovered the trio’s drug lab, pills, binding agents, drug ledgers, and numerous electronic devices that contained hundreds of text messages between Nabyunissa and Franklin detailing the day-to-day operation of the conspiracy. Based on the drug ledgers, law enforcement determined the conspirators sold approximately 3,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills and approximately 55,000 counterfeit Xanax pills. In most cases, the counterfeit oxycodone pills contained fentanyl, while the counterfeit Xanax contained benzodiazepines.
Franklin, Nabyunissa, and Tanziludin each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Each faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for June 5. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; David J. Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division; George Scavdis, Special Agent in Charge, Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, Metro Washington Field Office; and Ajay Lall, Acting Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga accepted the plea.
The Commonwealth’s Attorney for Powhatan County; USPIS – Philadelphia Division; Pennsylvania State Police; FBI Philadelphia Division – Scranton Resident Agency; and Pocono Mountain Regional Police Department assisted in the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip Alito and Gavin Tisdale are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-121.
Owner of Home Health Care Company Sentenced to Two Months in Prison for Tax OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Certified Nurse Assistant who owns and operates a home health care company has been sentenced for underreporting his income to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Patrick S. Kityo, 43, of Waltham, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to two months in prison and one year of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $306,603 in restitution to the IRS. In August 2023, Kityo pleaded guilty to one count of aiding the preparation of a false tax return.
Kityo owned and operated a home health care company named Every Step Home Care Inc. (Every Step). During the years 2016 and 2017, Every Step’s total gross receipts were at least $2 million. Kityo, however, failed to report all of Every Step’s gross receipts to his tax preparer. Instead, Kityo only reported those gross receipts that he deposited into Every Step’s business bank account and did not report those he received via checks written to Kityo personally. As a result, Kityo caused his tax preparer to underreport nearly $2 million in gross receipts and Kityo failed to pay at least $306,603 in personal income taxes.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney James R. Drabick of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Olean man pleads guilty to possession of child pornographyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Brian Graham, Jr., 34, of Olean, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer to possession of child pornography, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Franz M. Wright, who is handling the case, stated that in February 2021, Graham’s IP address was identified on a child pornography file sharing website. In June 2021, a search warrant was executed at Graham’s Olean residence, during which investigators seized various electronic devices. A forensic review recovered images and videos of child pornography on the devices. For instance, a USB hard drive contained at least 200 images and 300 videos of child pornography. Some of the child pornography included violence against children and the sexual abuse of an infant or toddler.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.
Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.
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Nine buckets of narcotics: trafficker admits to importing $340,000 of liquid meth in fuel tankRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 41-year-old resident of Monterrey, Mexico, has pleaded guilty to importing 300 pounds of meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
On Nov. 22, 2023, Allan Alberto Moreno Trevino approached the Laredo Colombia Solidarity International Bridge Port of Entry driving a white 2004 Ford F-250 pickup truck. Law enforcement subsequently referred him to secondary inspection where an x-ray revealed anomalies within the vehicle’s fuel tank.
While inspecting the vehicle, authorities noticed Moreno Trevino pacing and appearing nervous, eventually asking them if something had been found.
Authorities eventually discovered the fuel tank was filled with liquid meth mixed with gasoline. Law enforcement extracted nine buckets of the mixture with an approximate gross weight of 137.2 kilograms and an estimated street value of $340,000.
As part of his plea, Moreno Trevino stated he expected to be paid between $1,500 and $2,000 for transporting the drugs from Mexico.
He also admitted knowing the fuel tank contained a controlled substance which he was to deliver to others in San Antonio where the liquid meth would then be extracted.
U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña will set sentencing at a later date. At that time, Moreno Trevino faces up to life in prison and a possible $10 million maximum fine.
He has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Homero Ramirez is prosecuting the case.
Nigerian National Pleads Guilty to His Role in a Business Email Compromise SchemeRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Henry Onyedikachi Echefu, age 32, a Nigerian national residing in South Africa at the time of the criminal conduct, pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, related to a business email compromise (“BEC”) scheme. Echefu arrived in the United States on November 30, 2023, after being extradited from Canada.
The guilty plea was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; and Special Agent in Charge Matthew R. Stohler of the U.S. Secret Service - Washington Field Office.
According to his plea agreement, from February 2017 until at least July 2017, Echefu conspired with others to perpetrate a BEC scheme. Specifically, Echefu and his co-conspirators, including co-conspirators residing in Maryland, gained unauthorized access to email accounts associated with individuals and businesses targeted by the conspirators and sent false wiring instructions to the victims’ email accounts from “spoofed” emails, which are emails with forged sender addresses, to deceive the victims into sending money to bank accounts controlled by perpetrators of the scheme, called “drop accounts.”
Further, during the same time frame, Echefu and his co-conspirators conspired to commit money laundering by disbursing the fraudulently obtained funds in the drop accounts to other accounts by initiating account transfers, withdrawing cash, obtaining cashier’s checks and by writing checks to other individuals and entities, to hide the true ownership and the source of those assets. As detailed in the plea agreement, the intended loss for transactions in which Echefu was directly involved—which were some, but not all of the transactions involving Echefu and his co-conspirators—was approximately $304,414 and the actual loss resulting from these transactions was at least $199,929. Echefu had personal control over at least $22,187.35 of the funds obtained from victims.
According to the plea agreement, Echefu will be required to pay a money judgment in the amount of $22,187.35 and pay restitution in the full amount of the victims’ losses, which the parties agree is at least $199,929.
Echefu faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the wire fraud conspiracy and for the money laundering conspiracy. U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman has scheduled sentencing for May 23, 2024, at 2:00 p.m.
Co-defendant Kosi Goodness Simon-Ebo, age 30, also a Nigerian nation who resided in South Africa at the time of the criminal conduct, extradited from Canada on April 12, 2023, previously pleaded guilty to the same charges and was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison and was ordered to pay a money judgment of $45,925 and to pay restitution in the full amount of the victims’ losses, $1,072,306.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended HSI’s Mid-Atlantic El Dorado Task Force and the U.S. Secret Service for their work in the investigation. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Department of Justice Canada’s International Assistance Group also provided substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of both Echefu and Simon-Ebo. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes, who is prosecuting the federal 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/community-outreach.
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Newton County man sentenced to federal prison for trafficking methRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Bon Wier man has been sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison for trafficking drugs in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today.
Charles Edward Isaac, 44, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on March 4, 2024.
According to information presented in court, in March 2021, federal, state, and local law enforcement began an investigation into the distribution of methamphetamine in Newton County, Texas. During the investigation, law enforcement conducted controlled purchases of narcotics from Isaac and executed a search warrant at his residence. During the search, law enforcement recovered a firearm and additional narcotics. Isaac is responsible for distributing more than 100 grams of methamphetamine throughout East Texas.
This case was investigated by the FBI; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Lab; Texas Department of Public Safety; Newton County Sheriff’s Office; and Orange County Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Lee.
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New York Man Sentenced to 144 Months’ Imprisonment for Methamphetamine Trafficking in Susquehanna CountyRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Roy Niles, age 59, of Nineveh, New York, was sentenced on February 29, 2024, by U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, to 144 months’ imprisonment on the charge of conspiracy to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Niles previously pleaded guilty and admitted to conspiring with another individual to distribute between 1.5 kilograms and 5 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine in the Susquehanna County area in March 2020. The charge stems from an incident in March 2020, in which Niles arranged to purchase several pounds of crystal methamphetamine from another individual in Susquehanna County. After the methamphetamine was received by Niles, the Pennsylvania State Police moved in and attempted to arrest him. Niles fled from the police and led police on a high-speed chase from Pennsylvania into New York. Niles was later apprehended.
The charge against the defendant resulted from an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Pennsylvania State Police. The New York State Police also provided assistance during the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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New Franklin Couple Indicted for Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A New Franklin, Mo., couple has been indicted by a federal grand jury for attempted bank robbery and illegally possessing firearms.
Jacob Lowell Hessing, 25, and his wife, Tristen Nicole Hessing, 25, were charged in a three-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City, Mo., on Feb. 27,2024. That indictment was unsealed and made public today upon the Hessings arrests and initial court appearances. Jacob Hessing remains detained in federal custody pending a detention hearing on Wednesday, March 6. Tristen is released on bond.
The federal indictment alleges that Jacob Hessing attempted to rob Exchange Bank of Missouri in New Franklin on Sept. 9, 2023.
Jacob and Tristen Hessing are each charged with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The indictment alleges they were in possession of a Diamondback Arms rifle and a Rossi .38 special revolver on Oct. 30, 2023.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Jacob Hessing has two prior felony convictions for the distribution/manufacture of drugs and a prior felony conviction for possession of a controlled substance. Tristen Hessing has a prior felony conviction for possession of a controlled substance.
The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require the Hessings to forfeit to the government the Diamondback Arm rifle, the Rossi revolver, and assorted ammunition, including several magazines that contained dozens of rounds of ammunition.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa A. Pierce. It was investigated by the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Howard County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
Morgan County Man Sentenced for Firearms TraffickingRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Kenneth Carey Markley, age 45, of Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for a firearms conspiracy.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Markley worked with others to illegally purchase and sell firearms in West Virginia and Maryland. Markley, who’s prohibited from having firearms because of a prior breaking and entering felony charge in Berkeley County, paid another defendant to purchase firearms on his behalf. He would then sell those firearms to others. Six of those firearms have been recovered in criminal investigations in New York, Maryland, and Kentucky.
Markley is required to report for supervised release for three years with the U.S. Probation Office following his prison sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated.
U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
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Missouri Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
FAYETTEVILLE – A Noel, Missouri man was sentenced on Friday, March 1, to 180 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release on one count of Distribution of Methamphetamine. The Honorable Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.
According to court documents, in November 2022, detectives with the Benton County Drug Unit and special agents with Homeland Security Investigations received information that Lyle Russell White, age 46, was trafficking narcotics throughout the Northwest Arkansas area. Law enforcement subsequently conducted a controlled purchase of methamphetamine from White. In December 2022, investigators received information that White was in Bella Vista, Arkansas and was in possession of a large amount of methamphetamine. White was later observed traveling as a passenger in a vehicle heading towards Missouri by a Benton County Sheriff’s Office deputy who recognized White from a separate traffic stop the week before. During that first traffic stop, White had attempted to consume controlled substances and to conceal the bags in which the substances were contained when the vehicle in which he was traveling was pulled over. After recognizing White and witnessing a traffic infraction, the deputy conducted a traffic stop. In the vehicle, detectives discovered over 150 grams of actual methamphetamine. A criminal records check revealed that White has several prior convictions, including convictions for violations of controlled substance statutes, and that he was currently on release for another offense at the time he possessed the methamphetamine.
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
The Benton County Drug Unit and Homeland Security Investigations Fayetteville investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Eaton prosecuted the case.
Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov.
Mexican National Sentenced to 25 Years for Methamphetamine Trafficking, Illegal Possession of Firearms, and Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Mexican National, residing in Lexington, Renaldo Villa Gomez, 38, was sentenced on Monday, to 25 years in federal prison, by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell, for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute 50 grams of more of methamphetamine, unlawful re-entry into the United States after a prior deportation, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to his plea agreement, following surveillance, law enforcement conducted searches of a vehicle and multiple residences in in Fayette County affiliated with the conspiracy. In all, law enforcement seized 23.7 kilograms (52 pounds) of crystal methamphetamine, 1.7 kilos of cocaine, six semi-automatic firearms, ammunition, ammunition magazines, and more than $91,000 in drug proceeds.
Gomez admitted to the possession of the drugs, firearms, and cash proceeds. Gomez further admitted that he was born in Mexico and has been deported several times, including in April 2004, August 2009, October 2015, and August 2017. Gomez has also been convicted of two prior drug felony offenses and four prior illegal reentry convictions.
Under federal law, Gomez must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon competition his prison sentence, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years. He will also be processed for deportation.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Erek Davodowich, Acting Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; Michael E. Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; LaDeon Francis, Director, Department of Homeland Security, ICE-ERO (Enforcement and Removal Operations) Chicago Field Office; and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA, FBI, ICE- ERO, and the Lexington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger West is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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