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Thursday 25 January 2024
Beaumont man guilty of violent crime spree targeting Southeast Texas businessesRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Beaumont man has pleaded guilty to federal firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.
Daniel James Leatherwood, 21, pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence before U.S. Magistrate Judge Zack Hawthorn on Jan. 25, 2024.
According to court documents, in April and May of 2023, Leatherwood and another individual robbed several businesses in and around Beaumont at gunpoint. The robberies included two Game X Change stores, a Shell gas station, an Express Mart convenience store, and a Cindie’s lingerie store.
Leatherwood was indicted by a federal grand jury on Nov. 1, 2023. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison on the armed robbery charge and an additional seven years for brandishing a firearm during the commission of that crime. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was investigated by the FBI, Beaumont Police Department, Nederland Police Department, Liberty Police Department and prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tommy L. Coleman with the cooperation of the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office.
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Baltimore Man Sentenced for Possessing Fentanyl for Distribution in ChesapeakeRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Baltimore, Maryland man was sentenced today to ten years in prison for possessing fentanyl and para-fluorofentanyl, a synthetic fentanyl analog, which he intended to deliver to a co-conspirator in Chesapeake, Virginia.
According to court documents, on November 30, 2022, the Chesapeake Police Department executed a search warrant at the residence of Dorman Winston Mewborn, 36, of Chesapeake, and recovered various substances containing fentanyl, para-fluorofentanyl, heroin, and cocaine. Through further investigation, law enforcement determined that Clyde Desmond Ringgold, Jr., 37, of Baltimore, had been supplying Mewborn with narcotics since early 2022.
On December 21, 2022, law enforcement agents conducted surveillance on Ringgold after he arrived on a flight from Baltimore to Norfolk International Airport. Ringgold later drove to Mewborn’s residence, intending to collect on a prior drug debt owed by Mewborn to Ringgold, as well as to deliver two ounces of heroin to Mewborn for $4,000. Once Ringgold arrived outside Mewborn’s residence, officers arrested and searched Ringgold, who was found to possess approximately 40 grams of fentanyl and para-flurofentanyl, along with $2,000 and a cell phone containing multiple pictures of kilograms of controlled substances.
Ringgold previously was convicted in federal court in Baltimore for distribution of heroin, and he was sentenced to serve five years in prison in January 2014. As a result of Ringgold’s criminal record, he qualifies as a career offender under the federal sentencing guidelines.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Mark G. Solesky, Chief of Chesapeake Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda L. Wright Allen.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin M. Comstock prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-58.
Assistant Convicted at Trial of Amniotic Fluid ScamRead the Press Release
Following a five-day trial, a physician’s assistant who injected amniotic fluid into patients’ joints in a dubious attempt at pain management has been convicted of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and 12 counts of healthcare fraud, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
On Monday, after less than one hour of deliberation, a jury convicted Ray Anthony Shoulders, a 36-year-old physician’s assistant at a Fort Worth pain management clinic, on all counts. He will be sentenced at a later date.
“Not only did this defendant attempt to scam Medicare out of hundreds of thousands of dollars, he did something far worse by potentially endangering his patients’ health in recommending that they be injected with a drug that had not been approved for that purpose,” said U.S. Attorney Simonton. “In a very real way, he sought to profit off of his patients’ pain for his financial benefit, and I am proud of our federal law enforcement partners and our experienced prosecutors for bringing him to justice.”
“Medicare providers who are motivated by greed and financial gain place our most vulnerable citizens at risk,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeff Richards of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG and our law enforcement partners will tirelessly pursue practitioners whose primary purpose is to amass profit instead of provide Medicare-approved services and procedures.”
According to evidence presented at trial, Mr. Shoulders and his conspirators submitted $788,000 in fraudulent claims and received more than $614,000 in reimbursements from Medicare for injecting amniotic fluid – the liquid that surrounds a growing fetus during gestation – into patients’ connective tissue in an off-label attempt to relieve joint pain.Certain amniotic products have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for wound care, but not for pain management. (In fact, the FDA has issued repeated consumer alerts warning that biologics like amniotic fluid “have not been approved for the treatment of any orthopedic condition, such as osteoarthritis, tendonitis, disc disease, tennis elbow, back pain, hip pain, knee pain, neck pain, or shoulder pain,” nor for “chronic pain or fatigue.”) Because amniotic products have not been approved to treat pain, Medicare considers amniotic injections administered to treat pain medically unnecessary and does not reimburse for them. They do reimburse for some – but not all – amniotic injections administered to reduce inflammation of damaged tissue, as in a wound.
Mr. Shoulders primarily used “Cell Genuity,” an amniotic product for which Medicare would not reimburse, neither for wound care nor for pain. Initially, because the product was not covered by insurance, Mr. Shoulders asked patients to pay out of pocket more than $800 per injection. Due to the high cost and questionable efficacy, however, many patients refused.
In August 2020, Mr. Shoulders identified an amniotic product, known as “Fluid Flow,” that he believed he could convince Medicare to reimburse for in certain circumstances. He spoke with a sales rep about Fluid Flow reimbursement rates and billing requirements but did not purchase any Fluid Flow, which was significantly more expensive than Cell Genuity.
Instead, he continued to inject Cell Genuity into patients but billed the shots to Medicare under Fluid Flow’s unique code, Q4206. Because they were told insurance would cover the cost of the injections by Shoulders and other conspirators, patients readily consented to the procedure.
The pain clinic profited approximately $1,200 per cc of Cell Genuity they injected. (Had the clinic used Fluid Flow, they would have made only around $400 per cc.) From August to October 2020, the clinic submitted more than 100 bills for Fluid Flow to Medicare and received around $400,000 in reimbursements. Mr. Shoulders then received a cut of those reimbursements totaling over $200,000.
In November 2020, in an attempt to avoid detection, Mr. Shoulders suddenly halted the scheme after he became concerned that a sudden increase in the volume of billings might attract the attention of investigators. With no repercussions over the ensuing 10 months, Mr. Shoulders re-engaged in the scheme in October 2021 and continued through December 2021.
Mr. Shoulders now faces up to 240 years in federal prison – 20 years per count.
The Department of Health & Human Services’ Office of Inspector General (HHS - OIG) conducted the investigation with the help of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys P.J. Meitl and Nancy Larson prosecuted the case.
Armed Felon Who Fled Police at High Speed Sentenced to More Than 4 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who fled a traffic stop after arming himself with a firearm as the officer approached was sentenced January 17, 2024, to more than 4 years in federal prison.
Michael McCullum, age 33, from Chicago, Illinois, received the prison term after a guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.
Evidence in the case revealed McCullum was stopped for speeding in the predawn hours of April 30, 2023. As the Officer approached the vehicle, he observed McCullum grasping a handgun with his right hand, looking over his left shoulder for the approaching officer, as if preparing to engage the officer. The officer took control of the situation, drew his sidearm, and ordered McCullum and his passenger to keep their hands up. McCullum initially complied, but then dropped his hands and fled the traffic stop in his car at a high rate of speed. McCullum’s vehicle was later discovered thanks to a report of a reckless driver. Officers found McCullum and his car, freed the passenger, who had been trapped when McCullum sped away from the traffic stop, and later found the firearm McCullum had hidden nearby.
McCullum has a history of interactions with law enforcement that started as early as 15 years old. He has a felony conviction for armed robbery/armed with dangerous weapon.
McCullum was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to 51 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Judge Strand commented the situation the defendant created was “chilling” and but for the well-trained officers disciplined actions and approach the situation could have been tragic.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
McCullum is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by Sioux City, Iowa Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-4030.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Arizona Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JOANNA MANZANO, age 34, a resident of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced on January 24, 2024 by United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo to three years’ probation and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841 (b)(1)(C), and 846, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court documents, on March 16, 2020, a drug supplier contacted a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) undercover agent to arrange the delivery of methamphetamine to the New Orleans area. On March 19, 2020, the supplier informed the agent that a driver, later identified as MANZANO, was travelling from Phoenix, Arizona to New Orleans with the methamphetamine and needed money for expenses. The supplier also informed the agent that the methamphetamine was in liquid form and that another individual would arrive in New Orleans later to convert the liquid methamphetamine into a solid .
After MANZANO and her accomplice arrived in Louisiana, law enforcement officers identified MANZANO’S vehicle and maintained surveillance on them until they arrived in Metairie. On March 20, 2020, Louisiana State Troopers stopped MANZANO. After obtaining consent to search the vehicle, troopers discovered approximately 4, 576 grams of liquid methamphetamine in the gas tank of the vehicle.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Louisiana State Police. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney André Jones of the Narcotics Unit.
Arizona Man Charged with Assault in Indian CountryRead 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Olan Jumbo appeared in federal court on an indictment charging him with involuntary manslaughter and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Jumbo, 30, of Fort Defiance, Arizona, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain on conditions of release in the third-party custody of a halfway house pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled.
According to the indictment, on Nov. 26, 2022, Jumbo killed Jane Doe by unlawfully operating a motor vehicle with wanton and reckless disregard for life and assaulted John Doe with a motor vehicle, causing serious bodily injury.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Jumbo faces up to 10 years in prison.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meg Tomlinson is prosecuting the case.
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Antrim Man Pleads Guilty to Faking a Disability to Fraudulently Obtain $660,000 in Veterans BenefitsRead the Press Release
CONCORD – An Antrim man pleaded guilty today in federal court to faking a disability to get $662,871.77 in veteran’s benefits of which he was not entitled, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Christopher Stultz, 49, pleaded guilty to one count of making false statements. U.S. District Court Judge Joseph N. Laplante scheduled sentencing for May 6, 2024. Stultz was charged on September 13, 2023.
Beginning in January 2003, Stultz falsely represented to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that he was no longer able to use his feet. This caused the VA to rate him as 100% disabled, increasing his monthly VA benefits. In addition, because the VA believed Stultz was unable to use his feet, he was also awarded funding through the VA’s Automobile Adaptive Equipment program to purchase special cars and vehicle adaptations designed to help mobility-impaired veterans.
However, Stultz did not need a wheelchair or other ambulatory device to move around. He was surveilled on multiple occasions and recorded walking normally. For example, on October 28, 2021, Stultz went to the VA Medical Center in Jamaica Plain in Boston. He used a wheelchair while inside the VA facility. After leaving the VA, he stood up, lifted the wheelchair into his car, and drove off to a shopping mall. There, Stultz walked normally through multiple stores. Similarly, on October 3, 2022, Stultz went to the VA Medical Center in Manchester. Again, he used a wheelchair while inside the VA facility. After leaving the VA facility, Stultz drove to the Mall of New Hampshire and was recorded walking normally through multiple stores. In addition, multiple witnesses reported that they had never known Stultz to use a wheelchair or other ambulatory devices as far back as the early 2000s.
In total, from January 2003 through December 2022, Stultz received $662,871.77 in VA benefits he was not entitled to.
The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 5 years in prison and 3 years of supervised release. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The Department of Veterans Affairs’ Office of the Inspector General led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen is prosecuting the case.
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Aloha Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Distributing Sexually Explicit Images and Videos of ChildrenRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—An Aloha, Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison Wednesday for possessing and distributing thousands of photos and videos depicting child sexual abuse.
Jason Reuben, 42, was sentenced to 80 months in federal prison and 10 years’ supervised release. Reuben must also pay $8,000 in special assessments and $14,000 in restitution, and, upon his release from prison, will be required to register as a sex offender.
According to court documents, in June 2022, law enforcement officers in New Albany, Ohio gained access to a private chat group used to share sexually explicit images and videos of children on Kik Messenger, an instant messaging mobile application. Investigators observed one member of the group, later determined to be Reuben, post several illicit media files. Investigators soon discovered that six separate Cyber Tipline reports from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children tracked back to an internet protocol (IP) address associated with Reuben’s Aloha residence.
On July 26, 2022, investigators executed a federal search warrant on Reuben’s residence and seized multiple digital devices containing more than 48,000 images and videos of child sexual abuse, including many depicting the abuse of young children and toddlers. Reuben admitted to possessing the illicit material and accessing the Kik messaging service.
On September 21, 2022, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a five-count indictment charging Reuben with distributing and possessing child pornography. On October 19, 2023, he pleaded guilty to distributing child pornography.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with assistance from the New Albany Police Department. It was prosecuted by Charlotte Kelley and Gary Sussman, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.
Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to contact HSI at (866) 347-2423 or submit a tip online at report.cybertip.org.
Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. It is important to remember child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document the victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, they re-victimize and re-traumatize the child victims each time their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at www.missingkids.org.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Alabama Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute 991 Grams of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Gulfport, MS – A Grand Bay, Alabama man pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 991 grams of methamphetamine.
Charles Oliver Trahan, III, 51, pled guilty in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to court documents, in early 2023, law enforcement officers received intelligence that an individual named Linda Mizell was selling methamphetamine in Jackson County, Mississippi. Further investigation revealed that Mizell was working with another individual to sell methamphetamine. Law enforcement identified and corroborated trips where Charles Trahan traveled from Alabama to Mizell’s residence. On August 22, 2023, officers observed Trahan leaving Mizell’s residence and initiated a traffic stop which led to the recovery of 991 grams of methamphetamine. Trahan was placed under arrest and analysis of his cell phone revealed that he had frequent contact with Mizell since July 2023 and multiple digital cash payments were sent from Trahan to Mizell.
Trahan is scheduled to be sentenced on April 23, 2024. He faces up to twenty years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Linda Mizell pled guilty on January 17, 2024, and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 2, 2024. She also faces up to twenty years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Acting Special Agent in Charge Steve Hofer of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose is prosecuting the case.
Agreement with Greater Providence YMCA Resolves Allegations of Disability DiscriminationRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI –The United States has reached an agreement with the Greater Providence YMCA (“YMCA”) to resolve allegations that the organization violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) by denying a child the opportunity to participate in its Camp Fuller summer program because of his disability, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
The settlement resolves a complaint filed by the parent of a child with cystic fibrosis, alleging that the YMCA refused to make a reasonable modification of its medication administration policy so that her child could attend Camp Fuller.
The United States’ investigation determined that the parent had enrolled her child at Camp Fuller, administered by YMCA, in the summer of 2022. At that time, the parent informed YMCA that her son needed to take pancreatic enzyme supplements before every meal, as treatment for his cystic fibrosis, and requested that he be permitted to self-administer the enzyme supplements. The staff at YMCA allowed the accommodation and the child attended Camp Fuller.
In the summer of 2023, the parent re-enrolled her child at Camp Fuller, and made the same accommodation request. However, unlike the summer of 2022, the YMCA did not allow the child to self-administer his medication, purportedly on the basis of a medication administration policy that it refused to modify. As a result, the child, as well as his brother, were unable to attend Camp Fuller.
Under the terms of the settlement agreement, YMCA will take certain remedial measures, including:
- Training its staff on the requirements ADA;
- Evaluating accommodation requests for children applying to attend the camp on a case-by-case basis, and making reasonable modifications to permit children with disabilities to attend;
- Adopting a non-discrimination policy;
- Paying $10,000 in compensation to the complainant and allowing her son to attend Camp Fuller for all summers in which he is eligible; and,
- Report to the United States Attorney’s Office on its compliance annually for two years.
This is the third settlement agreement that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has entered into with a camp regarding violations of the ADA. Under the ADA, summer camps, whether private or run by municipalities, must afford reasonable modifications to ensure that children with disabilities can participate fully in camp programs and activities. Camps must evaluate each child on an individual basis and train their staff in the requirements of the ADA. When a parent and a child’s physician determine that it is appropriate for a child to self-administer medication or for a trained layperson to assist a child with care, a camp or childcare program must provide this as a reasonable modification under the ADA, unless doing so would fundamentally alter the program.
The United States’ case was handled by AUSA Amy Romero.
For more information on the ADA, visit www.ada.gov or call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 or 800-514-0383 (TDD). Any member of the public who wishes to file a complaint alleging that a place of public accommodation or public entity in Rhode Island is not accessible to persons with disabilities may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (401) 709-5010.
Attachment:
doj_ymca_ada_settlement_agreement.pdf###
Wednesday 24 January 2024
Zohannon Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Assaulting a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ga. – A Columbus resident and member of the Zohannon criminal street gang pleaded guilty to forcibly assaulting a federal agent as law enforcement attempted to take him into custody.
Christopher Upshaw aka “Trouble,” 25, pleaded guilty to one count of forcible assault on a federal officer with a deadly weapon before U.S. District Judge Clay Land on Jan. 23. Upshaw faces a maximum of 20 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Upshaw is not eligible for parole.
“Chris Upshaw violently assaulted and injured an FBI Special Agent and an FBI Task Force Officer who were simply doing their duty,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “We will not tolerate such attacks against members of law enforcement, and Upshaw will now face justice.”
“This case shows the risk law enforcement officers face on a daily basis” said FBI Atlanta’s Columbus Resident Agency Supervisory Senior Resident Agent Rich Bilson. “Upshaw violently assaulted both our Task Force Officer and a Special Agent. The FBI stands ready to investigate any crimes against officers. More than anything, we are thankful that the injuries were not more severe, and that this incident did not result in a loss of life.”
“This was another bad choice made by Christopher Upshaw while engaged in criminal wrongdoing. His intent to do harm towards law enforcement officers will be met with serious consequences,” said Muscogee County Sheriff Greg Countryman. “I hope others will understand the penalties that come from this type of behavior.”
According to court documents and the plea agreement, authorities identified a suspicious package from Northern California that was addressed to Upshaw’s residence on Buxton Drive in Columbus; it was set for delivery on Aug. 4, 2023. Upshaw was wanted on outstanding warrants at the time. FBI, DEA, Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office and Coweta County Sheriff’s Office members conducted physical surveillance at Buxton Drive on Aug. 4. The suspicious parcel was delivered at 3:30 p.m. and left on the front porch. The defendant drove up in his Dodge Charger approximately 30 minutes later to retrieve the package, which he put inside his vehicle and then entered the driver’s side.
At this time, multiple unmarked law enforcement vehicles with at least one flashing its emergency lights approached Upshaw. Law enforcement officers and federal agents—all of whom were wearing agency issued body armor equipped with law enforcement insignia—exited their vehicles and advanced towards Upshaw’s car in an attempt to arrest him. Upshaw began forcibly operating his vehicle in an effort to evade arrest. FBI Special Agent (SA) M.M. attempted to open the passenger side door. Rather than complying with law enforcement’s demands to stop, Upshaw accelerated instead. Simultaneously, as a result of the vehicle’s acceleration, FBI SA M.M. was unable to release the passenger door handle and was forcibly pulled into a nearby stationary vehicle. Upshaw also struck and damaged three occupied law enforcement vehicles. In addition, an FBI Task Force Officer (TFO) on scene was struck by Upshaw’s vehicle.
Upshaw sped away at a high rate of speed through the residential area and escaped but was captured several days later. During his flight from law enforcement, he discarded the suspicious package which was recovered by agents and contained approximately 17 pounds of marijuana divided into 14 bags. Upshaw has prior felony convictions for drug possession in Muscogee County, Georgia, Superior Court. Upshaw is a confirmed member of Zohannon, a hybrid criminal street gang based in Columbus with active conflicts among other gangs in the community. Upshaw is charged with attempted murder in Phenix City, Alabama, and is wanted for resisting arrest in Miami, Florida. These charges in Alabama and Florida are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case was investigated by FBI, DEA, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office and the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Williams is prosecuting the case.
Westchester County Jail Correction Officer and Co-Conspirator Charged with Robbery and Witness IntimidationRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; James Smith, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”); Joseph Spano, the Commissioner of the Westchester County Department of Correction (“WCDOC”); and Jose A Gomerez, Police Commissioner of the City of Newburgh, announced that RECALDO FRAY, a correction officer at Westchester County Jail in Vahala, New York, was charged on Monday, January 15 with committing an armed robbery in Newburgh, New York, and later returning to Newburgh to intimidate the robbery victim. FRAY was arrested and presented on Tuesday, January 16 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew E. Krause. During his presentment, FRAY made an application for bail, which the court denied, and he has been detained. Additionally, a Mount Vernon man, KAHEEM PALMER, was charged on Monday, January 22 with committing the armed robbery along with FRAY. PALMER was arrested and presented yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy. PALMER made an application for bail, which the court denied, and he was detained.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Recaldo Fray, a correction officer at Westchester County Jail, and Kaheem Palmer are alleged to have committed a gunpoint robbery of two individuals, restraining them and stealing their cash and marijuana. Fray allegedly betrayed his sworn duty to uphold the law, and he will now experience the justice system not as a partner, but as an accused violent offender. Both men will be held accountable for their alleged violent and brazen behavior.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Smith said: “As a correction officer, Recaldo Fray swore an oath to uphold the law, not break it. Fray violated this oath when along with Kaheem Palmer, they allegedly committed an armed robbery. Frey compounded his problems by later attempting to intimidate his victim. Frey and Palmer now face significant time inside a jail cell. The FBI’s Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force will continue to put violent offenders – no matter their profession – behind bars.”
WCDOC Commissioner Joseph Spano said: “It’s both disgraceful and upsetting when one of our correction officers betrays their oath to serve and protect as sworn peace officers. Moreover, the alleged actions of this individual tarnishes the reputation of all honest and dedicated correction officers. I commend all of the involved law enforcement agencies for their dedication to uncovering this unlawful behavior and our Major Case Squad for providing assistance. Mr. Fray’s employment with the Westchester Department of Correction has been terminated.”
As alleged in the Complaints against FRAY and PALMER:[1]
On or about December 4, 2023, FRAY and PALMER forced entry into a residence in Newburgh, New York, restrained the two victims inside, and stole, at gunpoint, various items of value, including a large quantity of marijuana and approximately $4,500 in cash. FRAY then returned to the same residence on or about December 16, 2023, and attempted to threaten and intimidate a victim.
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FRAY, 31, of Mount Vernon, New York, is charged with one count of Hobbs Act robbery, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of use, carrying, and possession of a firearm, which was brandished, in furtherance of a crime of violence, which carries a minimum sentence of seven years in prison to run consecutive to any other sentence imposed and a maximum sentence of life in prison; and one count of tampering with a witness or victim, and attempting to do the same, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
PALMER, 31, of Mount Vernon, New York, is charged with one count of Hobbs Act robbery, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of use, carrying, and possession of a firearm, which was brandished, in furtherance of a crime of violence, which carries a minimum sentence of seven years in prison to run consecutive to any other sentence imposed and a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI’s Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force and the City of Newburgh Police Department. Mr. Williams also thanked the Westchester County Department of Correction and its major case squad for their assistance in the investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Margaret N. Vasu and Jennifer N. Ong are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaints and the description of the Complaints set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
United States Files False Claims Act Complaint Against Department of Energy Prime Contractor Alleging Millions of Dollars in Fraudulent OverchargingRead the Press Release
Richland, Washington – Vanessa R. Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that the United States filed a Complaint in federal district court against Hanford Mission Integration Solutions, LLC (HMIS), alleging fraudulent labor overcharging at the Department of Energy (DOE) Hanford Nuclear Site.
DOE’s Hanford Nuclear Site, a 580-square-mile in southeast Washington, was established in 1943 as part of the Manhattan Project, and was used to produce plutonium for nuclear weapons, including those used in the Trinity Test and the “Fat Man” bomb detonated over Nagasaki during the final days of World War II. Since the late 1980s, DOE has been engaged in an extensive environmental cleanup and decommissioning operation, involving remediation and treatment of large quantities of radioactive and hazardous waste.
HMIS is owned by three large government contracting companies: Leidos Integrated Technology, headquartered in Reston, Virginia; Centerra Group, LLC, headquartered in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida; and Parsons Government Services, headquartered in Centreville, Virginia. Since January 2021, HMIS has held the multi-billion-dollar Hanford Mission Essential Services Contract. Part of the HMIS contract requires it to provide fire protection and fire systems management services for the Hanford Site, in order to protect the public, the environment, and Hanford Site workers from fire hazards as well as from potential radiological or other hazards that could arise from natural or human-created fire activity.
The HMIS contract is a cost-type contract, meaning that HMIS is reimbursed for its reasonable, allowable, and allocable costs of performing work on the contract, and can earn profit, or fee, based on achieving various performance incentives. Costs include labor costs, such as the cost associated with labor hours performed by fire protection and fire systems management personnel employed by HMIS at the Hanford Site, who perform critical tasks such as testing and maintaining sprinklers, pipes, and electronic fire systems.
The Complaint alleges that, between January 2021 and October 2023, HMIS engaged in a systemic and fraudulent overcharging of DOE for fire protection work at Hanford. Specifically, the Complaint alleges that HMIS fire protection personnel regularly experienced extensive and unreasonable idle time on a daily or near-daily basis, due to HMIS’ failure to schedule and carry out work for them to perform. The Complaint further alleges that, during this extensive idle time, HMIS fire protection personnel took naps, watched movies and television, and engaged in other personal activity not related to performing work. The Complaint alleges that HMIS supervisors and management were fully aware of this extensive and unreasonable idle time for its personnel, but, rather than take steps to address it, they encouraged and directed HMIS fire protection personnel to falsely and fraudulently charge this idle time to work codes associated with HMIS’ contract, passing on the costs associated with this extensive and unreasonable idle time to DOE by fraudulently and falsely representing that work had been performed.
For example, the Complaint alleges that when a fire systems manager was asked via email how to charge a day in which a worker had no work to perform for the entire 10-hour day, the manager responded, via email: “[i]f they DID NOT have a job assignment for the day – that means you are on standby and would use the 600318.” According to the Complaint, 600318 was the cost code associated with training. The Complaint alleges, as an example, that a fire protection worker who did not have any work to perform for an entire 10-hour day, and spent a portion of that day watching the film “There’s Something About Mary” at his desk, then charged the entire 10-hour day to the 600318 training code, which HMIS management approved and submitted to DOE for reimbursement.
The Complaint also alleges that notwithstanding the extensive and unreasonable idle time during the regular, 10-hour Monday through Thursday Hanford workday, HMIS nonetheless scheduled substantial overtime for fire protection workers on Friday and weekends, and that these unnecessary overtime shifts themselves involved extensive and unreasonable idle time, causing DOE to be fraudulently billed for such shifts at premium pay rates.
The Complaint alleges that this systemic and pervasive practice of falsely and fraudulently billing DOE for extensive and unreasonable downtime was not only known to HMIS management, but encouraged by them. For example, the Complaint alleges that in July 2022, Michael Winkel, HMIS’s Director of Fire Systems Maintenance, instructed a pipefitter via email to use CACN 600320, a cost code associated with performing “preventative maintenance” on the fire system, for “downtime the remainder of the day.”
According to the Complaint, HMIS’s systemic and pervasive overcharging and fraudulent billing resulted in millions of dollars in overcharges to DOE, and jeopardized the critical fire protection systems at Hanford because this extensive and unreasonable idle time occurred when there was, in fact, important fire protection work that could and should have been performed to safeguard the public, workers, and the environment from fire dangers, including during dangerous wildfire seasons.
“Fire safety at Hanford is critical to the health of the public, workers, and the environment,” said United States Attorney Waldref. “It is inexcusable to think that a well-paid contractor entrusted with this critical task to protect our community would fraudulently bill DOE for idle time spent watching movies and literally sleeping on the job, all while putting the public at risk when critical work went uncompleted. We will continue to work hand-in-glove with our law enforcement partners to end fraud and corruption at Hanford and support environmental remediation.”
This case was originally brought by Bradley Keever, a sprinkler fitter in the fire protection group at HMIS. Under the False Claims Act, whistleblowers may file an action under seal in federal court. The United States investigates the allegations and determines whether to intervene in the action. Under the False Claims Act, the United States may recover up to three times the damages caused by the Defendant, plus additional penalties for each false claim or statement. If the United States obtains a recovery, the whistleblower is generally able to share in a portion of the recovery. Over the past decade, False Claims Act recoveries in the Eastern District of Washington have exceeded $400 million.
The complaint can be found here.
Assistant United States Attorneys Frieda Zimmerman, Molly Smith, and Dan Fruchter are prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States. The investigation was conducted by the Department of Energy, Office of Inspector General.
The claims articulated in the Complaint are allegations only; at this time there has been no determination of liability.
Case No. 4:21-cv-05156-SAB
U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Missouri Collects More than $21 Million in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2023Read the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming announced today that the Eastern District of Missouri collected $21,046,154 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2023. Of this amount, $18,383,768 was collected in criminal actions and $2,662,385 was collected in civil actions.
Additionally, the Eastern District of Missouri worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $10,675 in criminal cases pursued jointly by these offices.
“Our Financial Litigation Unit works tirelessly to identify and recover assets so we can attempt to make victims whole,” said U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming.
Among the money collected in criminal cases last year was millions of dollars fraudulently obtained by two Jefferson County chiropractors and their co-defendants in a long-running Social Security disability fraud conspiracy. At the direction of the chiropractor, the co-defendants falsely claimed they were unable to work and underwent medically unnecessary tests to support fraudulent applications for disability benefits. After sentencing, the Financial Litigation Unit initiated various collection actions by issuing subpoenas, recording liens against the defendants’ property and garnishing the defendants’ wages, bank accounts, investment accounts, retirement and pension accounts, Social Security checks, tax refunds, and other assets. More than $3.5 million has been recovered so far, including $95,684 from Hobbs, $205,214 from Hobbs’ wife and fellow chiropractor Vivian Carbone Hobbs and amounts ranging from $70,603 to $478,336 from individual patients.
Among the civil settlements was one finalized in February with Great Circle, a nonprofit behavioral health provider that admitted making false statements when billing for services that were not actually provided to foster youth. They agreed to pay $1,866,000.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s office in the Eastern District of Missouri, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $9,337,250 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2023. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects $5,214,677 in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2023Read the Press Release
HAMMOND- U.S. Attorney Clifford D. Johnson announced today that the Northern District of Indiana collected $5,214,677.59 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2023. Of this amount, $2,898,640.06 was collected in criminal actions and $2,316,037.53 was collected in civil actions.
Additionally, Northern District of Indiana worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $43,741,638.66 in cases pursued jointly by these offices. As part of this figure, the Northern District of Indiana recovered $31,251,810.00 from its’ settlement with BP Products North America, Inc.
“When most people think about the work of a United States Attorney’s office, they mainly think about the number of criminals prosecuted and the sentences imposed. While prosecuting criminal conduct is important, that action alone does not completely advance public safety,” said United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office promotes public safety by vigorously collecting monetary awards imposed by U.S. federal District Courts in civil and criminal judgments to compensate persons injured by criminals and civil violators. I am so very proud of my Office’s continued collection efforts.”
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s office in Northern District of Indiana working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $2,171,602.00 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.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects $3.89 Million in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2023Read the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson announced today that the Northern District of Oklahoma (NDOK) collected $3,891,104.49 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2023. Of this amount, $2,516,899.27 was collected in criminal actions and $1,374,205.22 was collected in civil actions.
Additionally, the NDOK worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $14,977,950.60 in cases pursued jointly by these offices. Of this amount, $1,266.60 was collected in criminal actions and $14,976,684.00 was collected in civil actions.
“The Financial Litigation Program/ The Asset Recovery Unit at the U.S. Attorney’s Office ensures that court ordered restitution is paid to victims, fines are collected, and civil financial obligations are met. In fiscal year 2023, this team of federal prosecutors, investigators, and professional legal staff diligently worked to collect almost $4 million on behalf of taxpayers and victims of crime,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
For example, in June 2023, the Asset Recovery Unit recovered over $225,000 in court ordered fines, restitution and a money judgment from Scott Wayne Jarman. Jarman plead guilty and was sentenced for two False Statements to the United States Small Business Administration for COVID fraud.
In July 2023, the Financial Litigation Program recovered $60,000 from Raymond Dudley. Dudley was sentenced for Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor Under 12 in Indian Country and Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country. Dudley’s monetary penalties were court ordered and received for the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act (JVTA) Assessment. The funds also go towards victim services including the Domestic Trafficking Victims Fund administered by the Attorney General.
In October 2023, the Financial Litigation Program recovered almost $60,000 in restitution to the Social Security Administration (SSA) upon the conviction of Kelly Dawson for Theft of Government Property. Dawson plead guilty in Jun. 2023 for collecting SSA funds on behalf of his children whom he placed in a group home.
In November 2023, the Asset Recovery Unit recovered $134,325.69 on behalf of the victim in Matthew William Cook’s embezzlement; as well as $134,325.69 in payment of a forfeiture money judgment. Cook plead guilty in Aug. 2022 for wire fraud after creating a scheme to defraud his employer.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s office in NDOK, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $407,741.00 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2023. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
U.S. Attorney Charges Bedford Hills Man with Sexual Exploitation of A Minor and Attempted EnticementRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today the unsealing of a Complaint charging JAMES COLLINS, JR., with enticing a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity and with sexual exploitation of a minor. COLLINS was arrested this morning and will be presented later this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy in White Plains federal court.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “This case underlines the urgent need for law enforcement to continue its efforts to protect children from those who prey on them. As today’s arrest shows, we will use every tool available to law enforcement to investigate and prosecute those alleged to have sexually exploited children.”
As alleged in the Complaint:[1]
On or about November 7, 2023, COLLINS attempted to persuade an individual acting in an undercover capacity and posing as a 15-year-old boy to meet the defendant in Westchester County, New York, for the purpose of engaging in sexual activities.
From at least on or about September 16, 2023, up to and including at least on or about November 7, 2023, COLLINS, who used the Snapchat username “jimc20237221,” persuaded a 17-year-old minor in Illinois to engage in sexually explicit activity and send COLLINS videos and photos of such activity.
COLLINS was previously arrested and charged in Westchester County with Criminal Sexual Act in the Third Degree in connection with his November 7, 2023, conduct. He was on bail at the time of today’s arrest.
Anyone who may have encountered COLLINS or whose child may have had any communications with COLLINS is asked to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324).
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COLLINS, 67, of Bedford Hills, New York, is charged with one count of attempting to entice a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. He is also charged with one count of sexual exploitation of a minor, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Westchester District Attorney’s Office, the New Castle Police Department, and the Oswego Police Department in Oswego, Illinois in connection with this investigation.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcia S. Cohen is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Two persons sentenced for intimidation after assault and attempted theft from Fort Belknap Indian Reservation storeRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A man and a woman who admitted to intimidation charges after they attempted to steal from a store on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation were sentenced today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Dustin Alan Robbins, 38, and Nicole Lynn Hicks, 37, both transients, pleaded guilty to intimidation in August 2023.
Robbins was sentenced to one year in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release.
Hicks was sentenced to time served of 262 days, to be followed by two years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
In court documents, the government alleged that on Nov. 1, 2021, Hicks and Robbins, who are non-Indian, entered the Red Paint Creek Trading Post in Lodge Pole, on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation. At the time, both had been excluded from the reservation by the Fort Belknap community for an incident that occurred near Hays in September 2021. Hicks took a 30-pack of beer without paying and left the store. A store employee, who is an Indian person, followed Hicks outside. Hicks put the beer on the ground as she was going through a fence. The store employee went to retrieve the beer and picked it up.
The government further alleged that Robbins assaulted the employee and threatened to burn down the store. After learning of the theft, the store manager, also an Indian person, went outside and saw Robbins assaulting the employee. The store manager yelled that she had called the police and picked up a large rock to defend the employee. Robbins stopped the assault and ran away with Hicks. As they were leaving, Hicks kept screaming and Robbins yelled threats, including that he was with the mafia and was going to burn down the store. Tribal police located Robbins and Hicks at a home on the reservation, despite their prior exclusion, and removed them from the reservation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda L. Myers prosecuted the case. The FBI and Fort Belknap Law Enforcement conducted the investigation.
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Two Men Convicted in Federal Court of Kidnapping an FBI Employee at GunpointRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a federal jury has convicted Juan Francisco Alvarez-Sorto, age 25, of El Salvador, and Deyvin Morales, age 29, of Guatemala, of the following offenses: Kidnapping; Carjacking; Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person; and Unlawful Reentry after Deportation. The jury returned its verdict on each count following a 6-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on January 23, 2024.
According to evidence presented at trial, on May 5, 2022, Alvarez, Morales, and Lopez traveled from Greeley, Colorado, into southwestern South Dakota for the purpose of trafficking and distributing controlled substances, including methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin. During their trip, the defendants encountered law enforcement and engaged in a high-speed chase. The defendants eluded law enforcement at that time and hid in a remote area near Red Shirt, South Dakota.
Alvarez, Morales, and Lopez then decided to carjack the next vehicle to come along the area at which the defendants stopped on BIA Highway 41. At approximately 2:00am on May 6, 2022, a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Victim Specialist left an unrelated crime scene investigation near Oglala, South Dakota, and began traveling back towards his duty station in Rapid City. The FBI employee was driving his assigned FBI vehicle.
As the employee was heading North on BIA 41 near the Badlands overlook on Cuny Table, he passed a vehicle that was parked in the approach near the overlook. As he passed the parked vehicle, the parked vehicle’s lights turned on and the vehicle pulled out behind the employee. The employee, believing he was being pulled over by law enforcement, pulled his vehicle to the side of the road. After the employee pulled his vehicle over, he next realized there was a male at his window pointing a rifle at him and ordering him to get out of the vehicle. The employee realized that the male, identified as Alvarez, was not a law enforcement officer and also that the vehicle had blocked his own vehicle, preventing him from driving away.
Morales and Alvarez ordered the FBI employee out of the vehicle at gun point. The employee was ordered to get on the ground behind his vehicle while Alvarez was holding the rifle at the back of his head. The employee was ordered to keep his head down while on the ground. The group then robbed him of his wallet, money, credit cards, car keys, watch, and personal and work mobile phones.
The FBI employee was then ordered to get up and placed in the middle-rear seat of his government-issued vehicle, as the passenger side seat was blocked with items. While holding the rifle, Alvarez was seated in the front passenger seat of the employee’s vehicle and Morales, while armed with two handguns in his waistband, was seated in the rear driver’s side seat next to the employee. Lopez got into the driver’s seat of the employee’s vehicle. At this point, the defendants took control of the vehicle and took the employee hostage. As the group traveled North on BIA 41, they told the employee to cooperate and he would be safe, but if he did not, the group would come after his family and that they knew where he lived.
The group traveled to Hermosa, South Dakota, stopping at a gas station at the intersection of State Highway 40 and Highway 79. Once the group arrived at the gas station, Lopez went inside to purchase gas. As she got out of the vehicle to go inside the gas station, Alvarez locked the doors to the employee’s vehicle, and the doors remained locked while Lopez was out of the vehicle. Lopez then came back to the vehicle holding a gas can and zip ties. She entered the vehicle and conducted a U-turn and then went to a gas pump. The FBI employee noticed that after Lopez came back to the vehicle, Alvarez, who was brandishing the firearm, had the zip ties in his possession and was getting them out. As Lopez got out to pump gas, the doors to the vehicle were momentarily unlocked. Seizing the opportunity, the employee opened the rear driver’s side door, fought his way out of the vehicle, slipping out of his jacket to escape Morales' attempts to detain him, and sprinted inside the front doors of the gas station to escape.
The three defendants then fled from the gas station and drove to Rapid City, where they abandoned the FBI vehicle and switched to another vehicle. Alvarez and Morales were able to make it back to Greeley, Colorado, where they were ultimately arrested for their roles in the kidnapping and carjacking. During a search of the residence where Alvarez and Morales were arrested, law enforcement located firearms, including the rifle used during the kidnapping and carjacking, and controlled substances.
“Every day, men and women in the Department of Justice respond to incidents of violent crime in South Dakota,” said U.S. Attorney Alison Ramsdell. “This dedication to improving community safety often comes with great personal sacrifice, and as this case unfortunately demonstrates, on occasion, an extreme risk to personal safety. We are grateful to our partners at the FBI for their dogged commitment to this difficult work, and we hope these convictions send a clear message about the lengths the U.S. Attorney’s Office is willing to go to vindicate the rights of victims, no matter who they are.”
“The FBI will not tolerate violence and threats to harm its personnel,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “Thank you to our law enforcement partners and the USAO-SD for their hard work and unwavering dedication. This verdict stands as a testament to our commitment to ensuring the safety and security of every member of the FBI. Justice will be relentlessly pursued against those who seek to harm or intimidate any of our workforce.”
This case was investigated by the FBI, Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the South Dakota DCI, the South Dakota Highway Patrol, the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, the Rapid City Police Department, and the Greeley, Colorado, Police Department, and the Custer and Pennington County Sheriff’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeremy R. Jehangiri and Paige Petersen prosecuted the case.
Alvarez, Morales, and co-defendant Karla Alejandra Lopez-Gutierrez were indicted by a federal grand jury in August of 2022 and Alvarez and Morales were indicted again in December of 2023.
The charge of kidnapping carries any term of years up to life in custody and/or a $250,000 fine and 5 years of supervised release. The charge of carjacking carries 15 years of custody and/or a $250,000 fine and 3 years of supervised release. The use, carry, and brandish a firearm charge carries a mandatory minimum of 7 years and up to life in custody and/or a $250,000 fine and 5 years of supervised release. The unlawful possession of a firearm by a prohibited person charge carries 10 years of custody and/or a $250,000 fine and 3 years of supervised release. The unlawful reentry after deportation charge carries 2 years of custody and/or a $250,000 fine and one year of supervised release. A $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund applies to each count, totaling $500.
A sentencing date has not yet been set. The defendants were remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
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Two Landover Hills Brothers Indicted for an Alleged Lottery Scheme that Defrauded Victims of More Than $3.5 MillionRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has returned a superseding indictment charging brothers Dwayne and Wayne Henry, age 32 and 34, respectively, both of Landover Hills, Maryland, for conspiracy to commit mail fraud, in connection with a lottery scheme where victims believe that they have won a lottery or sweepstakes and are required to send payment in advance for taxes and other fees before they are entitled to receive their winnings.
The superseding indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department; and Special Agent in Charge Colleen Lawlor of the Social Security Administration - Office of Inspector General, Philadelphia Field Division.
According to the superseding indictment, from October 2020 until December 2023, the defendants and their co-conspirators contacted the victims by mail and over the phone and convinced them that they had won millions of dollars in a lottery or sweepstakes but were required to send payment in advance for taxes and other fees before they could receive their winnings. The defendants and other conspirators caused the victims to send payments for the purported taxes and other fees through wire transfer, by gift card, by sending cash and by other payment methods.
As detailed in the superseding indictment, the defendants sent lottery solicitations, as well as packages and suitcases that purportedly contained the victims’ winnings to victims throughout the United States, using a false address and fictitious name when mailing the items. The defendants allegedly tracked the packages sent to and from the victims and Wayne received numerous packages that contained victim funds addressed to “Anthony Henry.” The superseding indictment further alleges that Wayne opened two bank accounts to receive money from the scheme, including in cash deposits and peer-to-peer transfers and that Dwayne and Wayne Henry sent numerous payments to each other using a digital payment network. The majority of the ATM cash withdrawals from one of the bank accounts also allegedly occurred outside the United States.
For example, the superseding indictment alleges that the conspirators sent packages and caused packages to be sent that contained checks made payable to victim J.S. in the amount of $150 million, cell phones, and typewritten notes, including a note requesting that J.S. contact the writer at a telephone number ending in 9391 “to get in touch . . . about paying you the 150 million dollars.”
The superseding indictment further alleges that in early 2023, Wayne, Dwayne, and other conspirators caused victim J.P. to believe that J.P. had won $5.5 million in the lottery. As detailed in the superseding indictment, J.P. received a metal briefcase purportedly containing partial payment of the lottery winnings and was told that he/she would receive a code to unlock the briefcase after J.P. sent the required taxes and fees. J.P. was also allegedly told that if J.P. opened the briefcase without receiving the code, the money would be destroyed by an exploding ink pack inside the briefcase.
According to the indictment, as a result of the scheme, the victims sent more than $3.5 million to the defendants and other conspirators based on false pretenses, representations, and promises involving false lottery or sweepstakes winnings.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the mail fraud conspiracy. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. An initial appearance has not yet been scheduled.
A superseding indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by superseding indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
Reporting from consumers about fraud and fraud attempts is critical to law enforcements efforts to investigate and prosecute schemes targeting older adults. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Department of Justice Hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying next steps, including identifying appropriate reporting agencies, providing information to callers to assist them in reporting or connecting them with agencies, and providing resources and referrals on a case-by-case basis. The hotline is staffed from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. English, Spanish, and other languages are available. More information about the Department’s elder justice efforts can be found on the Department’s Elder Justice website, www.elderjustice.gov. Victims are encouraged to file a complaint online with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at this website or by calling 1-800-225-5324.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, HSI, the Prince Georges County Police Department, and the Social Security Administration - Office of Inspector General for their work in the investigation and thanked the Maryland State Police, the Baltimore County Police Department, and the Anne Arundel County Police Department for their assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Evelyn Lombardo Cusson and Christine Goo, who are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help seniors, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/elder-justice-initiative.
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Two Jal Police Department Officers and One Former Jal Police Department Officer Charged with Deprivation of RightsRead 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Corey Patrick Saffell, Ceasar Enrique Mendoza, and Robert Edward Embly, aka Eddie, made initial appearances in federal court on an indictment charging them with two counts each of the deprivation of rights. Saffell, 34, of Jal, Mendoza, 28, and Embly, 43, both of Hobbs, will remain in custody pending detention hearings, which have been scheduled for Jan. 29, 2024.
According to the indictment, between July 30 and July 31, 2021, Saffell, Mendoza, and Embly were employed as police officers with the Jal Police Department in Lea County when they allegedly violated John Doe’s constitutional rights to be free from unreasonable seizure by a law enforcement officer, including the right to be free from an unlawful arrest and the right to be free from unreasonable use of force by a law enforcement officer. The officers conduct resulted in bodily injury to John Doe and included the use of a dangerous weapon.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, all three men face up to 10 years in prison.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Hobbs Police Department, Carlsbad Police Department, Lea County Sheriff’s Office, Jal Police Department, and New Mexico State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matilda McCarthy Villalobos is prosecuting the case.
View the Indictment# # #
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Two Essex County Men Charged with Seven Gas Station Gunpoint RobberiesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Two Essex County, New Jersey, men are charged with seven gunpoint robberies of gas stations located in different parts of New Jersey in September 2023, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Ahmad Singletary, 24, and Joseph Young, 26, both of Newark, are charged by complaint with one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery; one count of conspiracy to use and carry a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; seven counts of Hobbs Act robbery, and two counts count of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Singletary is also charged with one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. Singletary and Young each made their initial appearance on Jan. 16, 2024, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael A. Hammer in Newark federal court and were detained.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On three occasions on Sept. 5, 2023, and four occasions on Sept. 12, 2023, Singletary and Young robbed gas stations in Middlesex, Union, and Essex counties. The defendants targeted gas stations on or near highways, used a firearm, committed the robberies in the early morning, and performed the robberies in approximately four minutes or less. During the course of four of the robberies, Singletary threatened, assaulted, and struck victims in the head with a firearm, causing physical injuries.
The Hobbs Act robbery and conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery counts each carry a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison. The conspiracy to use and carry a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence count carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison. The using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence counts each carry a maximum potential penalty of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison, which must run consecutively to any other term of imprisonment imposed. Each count also carries a fine of up to $250,000 fine, or twice the gain or loss from the offenses, whichever is greatest. Singletary is subject to a maximum potential penalty of 15 years in prison for the charge of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller; the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan; the Union County Prosecutors Office, under the direction of Prosecutor William A. Daniel; the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Director Fritz G. Fragé; the Township of Union Police Department, under the direction of Director Chris Donnelly; the Woodbridge Police Department, under the direction of Director Robert Hubner; and the West Orange Police Department, under the direction of Chief James Abbott, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariel Douek of the General Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
singletaryyoung.complaint.pdfTwo Defendants Arrested During 2023 Joint Enforcement Operation in Carlsbad Plead Guilty to Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Towanda R. Thorne-James, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration El Paso Division, announced today that Brian Kain Purdy and Sabino Alfonso Maldonado, two of the 12 defendants arrested during a joint enforcement operation last year in Carlsbad, both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to smuggle goods from the United States and conspiracy to smuggle goods from the United States. Purdy, 42, of Carlsbad, will remain on conditions of release pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. Maldonado, 32, of Carlsbad, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
In their plea agreements, Purdy and Maldonado admitted that on March 8, 2023, they picked up six firearms in Carlsbad at the direction of a co-conspirator and, together with another individual, wrapped them in towels and loaded them into a Jeep, hiding them underneath other items in the Jeep. Purdy and Maldonado then turned the Jeep over to another individual, who had traveled to Carlsbad from Mexico in order to pick up the firearms and transport them back to Mexico. As the individual from Mexico began to drive back to Mexico with the firearms, he was stopped by law enforcement officer, and the firearms were seized. The seized firearms are all controlled on the Commerce Control List, and neither Purdy nor Maldonado had obtained a license and written authorization to export the firearms. Purdy and Maldonado admitted that they knew that the attempted exportation of the firearms was in violation of the law.
At sentencing, Purdy and Maldonado both face up to 10 years in prison, followed by three years of mandatory supervised release.
The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Pecos Valley Drug Task Force led the investigation, with enforcement assistance from the United States Marshal Service, Carlsbad Police Department, Eddy County Sheriff’ Department, Roswell Police Department, Chaves County Drug Task Force, DEA Airwing and Customs and Border Patrol. The New Mexico Air National Guard’s Air Unit, Artesia Police Department and Customs and Border Patrol’s Air Unit provided support during the operation on August 1, 2023.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Renee L. Camacho and Devon Aragon-Martinez are prosecuting the case. This investigation was conducted as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
View Purdy's Plea Agreement View Maldonado's Plea Agreement###
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Two California Residents Sentenced for Roles in Wide-Ranging Fraud and Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - Two residents of Santa Ana, California, have been sentenced in federal court on their convictions of money laundering conspiracy, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan imposed the sentences on Thien Phuc Tran, 34, and Ton Huynh Bui, 30. Tran received a sentence of 87 months of imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $4,247,987 in restitution, while Bui was sentenced to four months’ incarceration followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $194,278 in restitution.
According to information presented to the court, Tran and Bui were part of a wide-ranging criminal conspiracy which had two overall elements: a fraud scheme to deprive victims of money, and then a second scheme to launder the fraudulently obtained funds, with Tran and Bui involved in the latter scheme. Vulnerable victims across the United States, often elderly, were convinced through nefarious means, including computer pop-up messages followed by telephone calls from co-conspirators operating out of call centers in India, to send their money to bank accounts created with stolen Personally Identifiable Information (PII). Typically, a pop-up message would appear on their computer screen, falsely purporting to be from a reputable technology company, urging the user to call a number. When the victim called the number, the victim was told that his or her identity had been compromised and would be convinced to send their money to a particular bank account opened by Tran and Bui with stolen PII.
Conspirators also converted stolen victim funds to cryptocurrency, and moved money through multiple accounts, including accounts affiliated with the defendants, in an attempt to conceal their fraudulent activities. One victim in the Western District of Pennsylvania was caused to liquidate retirement accounts totaling $1,288,073. Tran was found to be responsible for the laundering of $4,247,973 in fraud proceeds, while Bui was responsible for a lesser amount of $194,278.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Ranjan stated that the crimes committed by the defendants went well beyond typical financial crimes and will seriously affect victims for a very long time.
Assistant United States Attorneys Robert S. Cessar and Stephen R. Kaufman prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Secret Service for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Tran and Bui.
Tuscaloosa Man Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison on Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – A Tuscaloosa man was sentenced on a drug charge, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson.
U.S. District Court Judge L. Scott Coogler sentenced Jimmy Lee Spencer, 37, to 48 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana. Spencer was convicted of this charge in August 2023.
According to evidence presented at trial, Spencer had large amounts of cocaine and marijuana inside his home in Tuscaloosa. He also had multiple firearms, digital scales, a money counter, a vacuum sealer, and packaging material that he used to package and sell narcotics in the community.
The ATF investigated the case along with the West Alabama Narcotics Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittany T. Byrd and M. Blake Milner prosecuted the case.
Thirteen Indicted on Drug Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of an indictment charging thirteen individuals in a drug conspiracy and related charges. According to the indictment, the defendants conspired with one another to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine within the Middle District of Florida. See chart below for details.
Defendant
Charges
Maximum Penalty
Daniel Carrillo
(35, Weeki Wachee)
1 Count - Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of cocaine
3 Counts -Distribution of cocaine
Life in prison
(Mandatory Minimum of 10 years)
Yoned Onil Santana Vazquez
(18, Hudson)
1 Count - Conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine
1 Count - Distribution of cocaine
40 years
(Mandatory Minimum of
5 years)
Georgelys Natal Vazquez
(27, Hudson)
1 Count - Conspiracy to distribute cocaine
1 Count - Distribution of cocaine
20 years
Lucy Carrillo Gonzalez
(60, Port Richey)
1 Count - Conspiracy to distribute cocaine
1 Count - Distribution of cocaine
20 years
Jacqueline Navarro
(53, Port Richey)
1 County - Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of cocaine
5 Counts - Distribution of cocaine
1 Count - Possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine
Life in prison
(Mandatory Minimum of 10 years)
Betsy Luz Trinidad
(32, Weeki Wachee)
1 Count - Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of cocaine
4 Counts - Distribution of cocaine
Life in Prison
(Mandatory Minimum of 10 years)
Rolando Alvarez Canete
(40, Holiday)
1 Count - Conspiracy to distribute cocaine
1 Count - Distribution of cocaine
20 years in prison
Kevin Valdez
(33, Port Richey)
1 Count - Conspiracy to distribute cocaine
20 years in prison
Victor Hernandez Jr
(24, Port Richey)
1 Count - Conspiracy to distribute cocaine
20 years in prison
John Patrick Barrett, (57, Port Richey)
1 Count - Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine
1 Count - Possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine
Life in prison
(Mandatory Minimum of 10 years)
Jennifer Hanna
(51, Hudson)
1 Count - Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine
1 Count - Possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine
2 Counts - Distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine
Life in prison
(Mandatory Minimum of 10 years)
Johan Eloy Del Valle Carrillo
(41, Puerto Rico)
1 Count - Conspiracy to distribute cocaine
1 Count - Attempted distribution of cocaine
20 years in prison
James Perry Oneal
(29, Clearwater)
1 Count – Conspiracy to distribute cocaine
1 Count – Possession with intent to distribute of cocaine
20 years in prison
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Samantha Beckman and Jeffrey Chang.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Third Co-Conspirator Sentenced in International Fraud Scheme Targeting Elderly VictimsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – On January 23, 2024, a resident of Reseda, California, was sentenced in federal court to 46 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $117,525 in restitution on his conviction of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan imposed the sentence on Roberto Gutierrez, 51. Two co-defendants, Roderick Feurtado and Tarek Bouanane, both of Las Vegas, Nevada, were sentenced by Judge Ranjan on Friday, January 19, for their roles in the case, with Feurtado receiving a sentence of ten years and Bouanane a sentence of 46 months, each followed by three years of supervised release, along with restitution totaling $258,520 to 16 victims. Additional information regarding those sentencing hearings and the larger investigation and prosecution of the alleged masterminds of the fraud scheme can be found here.
According to information presented to the court, the three were participants in a scheme to defraud elderly victims. Posing as attorneys, members of the conspiracy called numerous victims and falsely represented that one of the victim’s relatives, typically a grandchild, had been incarcerated and needed money for bail and legal fees. Gutierrez and others would then visit the victims at their homes, posing as a courier or bail bondsman to collect the fraudulently obtained money. At least $250,000 was obtained in the Western District of Pennsylvania and elsewhere through the conspiracy.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Ranjan emphasized the seriousness of the offense and the harm it caused the victims.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jeffrey R. Bengel and Michael R. Ball prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the United States Department of Homeland Security Investigations, Pennsylvania State Police, and Bethel Park Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of the three individuals.
Anyone with information about allegations of elder fraud can report it by calling the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 or 833–372–8311. More information about the Department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative at https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/#/assistant?orgcode=USDOJEFH or at 877-FTC-HELP.
Tampa Man Sentenced on Drug Conspiracy Charges Involving Nearly Five Kilograms of Methamphetamine and over 8,000 Fentanyl PillsRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber today sentenced Victor Yoel Perez Cremades (52, Tampa) to 15 years in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine and 400 grams or more of fentanyl and possession with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine and 400 grams or more of fentanyl. The court also ordered Cremades to forfeit $4,820, which are traceable to proceeds of the offense. A federal jury had found Cremades guilty on May 9, 2023.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, on September 8, 2021, the FBI served a search warrant on Cremades’ residence in Tampa. In Cremades’s bedroom, agents located a bag containing more than 800 grams of pills pressed to look like oxycodone tablets and over 3,000 grams of methamphetamine. The bag was in the same closet as Cremades’s passport, ID card, and Social Security card. An additional 145 grams of methamphetamine was located in the dining area.
On the same day, agents intercepted a suspicious package in the mail that was destined to a fictitious person at Cremades’s address. The package contained more than 1,700 grams of methamphetamine and over 1,200 fentanyl pills pressed to look like oxycodone tablets. During the search, agents located financial receipts showing Cremades had sent money to the same city the suspicious package was mailed from.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tampa Police Department as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Samantha Beckman and Brooke Padgett.
San Jose Resident Sentenced to Five Years’ Imprisonment for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE – Brian Risso was sentenced today to 60 months in prison for possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp. The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Beth L. Freeman, U.S. District Judge.
Risso, 63, of San Jose, pleaded guilty to the charge on June 8, 2023. According to his plea agreement, Risso admitted that in February 2022, he knowingly possessed visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(4)(B). At sentencing, the Court found that these depictions included prepubescent minors and minors engaged in sadistic or masochistic conduct. According to a court filing, Risso possessed 542 files containing child pornography, including 513 images and 29 videos.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Freeman ordered Risso to serve 60 months of supervised release, to begin after his prison term and to pay a fine of $25,000; and to pay a $5,100 special assessment. Judge Freeman scheduled a hearing to decide issues regarding restitution for April 9, 2024.
Assistant United States Attorney Neal C. Hong is prosecuting the case. This case is a result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Richmond Felon Sentenced for Possessing Machine Gun for SaleRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to two years in prison for possessing ammunition as a convicted felon and possessing a machine gun.
According to court documents, on February 1, 2023, detectives with the Richmond Police Department saw Dai’Quan Jarrvel Lane, 23, displaying a firearm in a live social media video feed. The detectives knew Lane was a convicted felon and, based on past encounters, believed him to be in the Whitcomb Court area. Officers arrived at Whitcomb Court within minutes of the live video ending and encountered Lane outside. When officers tried to stop Lane, he led them on a foot chase. During the chase, he tossed a firearm. That firearm turned out to be a privately made firearm with a machine-gun conversion device affixed to the back. It was loaded and outfitted with a 30-round extended magazine.
Lane admitted that not only did he possess the firearm, but that he had been on his way to sell it for $750 when officers located him.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jason S. Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Rick Edwards, Chief of Richmond Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon Schulz and Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia Norman prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-62.
Registered Sex Offender from Sandisfield Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child Pornography and Unregistered FirearmRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Sandisfield man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Springfield to possession of child pornography and possession of an unregistered firearm.
Brian Hohman, 60, pleaded guilty to one charge of possession of child pornography and one charge of receipt and possession of an unregistered firearm. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for May 2, 2024. Hohman remains in federal custody.
During a search of Hohman’s residence in September 2023, a sawed-off shotgun not registered to Hohman and a laptop containing child pornography were found. Hohman was subsequently arrested and detained on an unrelated matter. A subsequent investigation revealed that Hohman also possessed two cell phones and a SIM card containing child pornography.
Due to Hohman’s prior conviction, the charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of receipt and possession of an unregistered firearm provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Litchfield Judicial District State’s Attorney’s Office in Connecticut. Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine G. Curley of the Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Raleigh Eight Trey Gangster Crip Sentenced to 24 Years for Racketeering-related Violence and Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Raleigh man was sentenced to 288 months in prison for the distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and violent crimes in aid of racketeering (VICAR) for conspiring to kill a rival Eight Trey Gangster Crip (ETGC). On August 2, 2021, Dexter Maxwell pled guilty to charges related to this investigation. Maxwell was identified as the leader of ETGC throughout the North and South Carolina with direct ties to gang hierarchy in Los Angeles, California.
"We are dismantling violent gang and drug traffickers across North Carolina with our expansive network of law enforcement partners. Maxwell was a well-known gang leader in the Carolinas who directed violence around Raleigh, while trafficking narcotics that fueled addiction throughout the region,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “This operation brings an end to Maxwell’s racketeering enterprise and dismantles his network, with over 20 co-conspirators convicted, and their leader spending the next 24 years in federal prison.”
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Deandre Earp was tased and assaulted by a rival gang member on Quarry Street in Raleigh in July 2019. Earp then coordinated with Maxwell, Clinton Basco, and Rayquan Wiggins to retaliate by planning a murder of the rival gang member. Maxwell directed his underlings to commit the murder and, as the group were driving to kill the rival gang member, Raleigh Police Department personnel initiated a vehicle stop. Earp and Basco both had loaded firearms with them in the car and were taken into custody, thereby preventing the potential murder of a rival Crip gang member.
“Drug trafficking networks bring serious threats to a community, including gun violence,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims. “To address that threat, ATF partners with local, state and other federal agencies to tackle this problem from every direction. When we remove the individuals leading gangs and drug trafficking networks from our communities, we can have a major impact on the level of gun violence and violent crime.”
Maxwell was well-connected in the ETGC criminal world where he conspired with Troy Davis, a high-ranking ETGC member from Los Angeles to acquire large quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine to distribute throughout the Raleigh area. Once the illegal drugs arrived, Maxwell was responsible for overseeing the distribution operation and collecting drug proceeds to funnel back to California.
For approximately two decades, ETGC has operated in North Carolina, including in the North Carolina prison system. The ETGC is recognized as a national criminal street gang originating out of Los Angeles and has a reputation for a propensity for violence that includes several homicides, aggravated assaults, and robberies. Members and associates of ETGC have been involved in numerous violent crimes that have resulted in the loss of life, decrease in quality of life, and damage to societal norms in and around Raleigh. The ETGC members committed acts of violence to maintain membership and discipline, both within the gang and against non-gang members. Maxwell has a lengthy, violent criminal history which had resulted in his rise to leadership and connection with ETGC leadership in Los Angeles, California.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Notably, more than 20 individuals have been indicted because of this investigation, including Deandre Earp, who was sentenced in January 2022 to 40 years in prison; Troy Davis, who was sentenced in November 2022 to 35 years in prison; Chad Murray, who was sentenced in May 2023 to 17 years in prison, Clinton Basco, who was sentenced in April 2023 to 11 years in prison; and Rayquan Wiggins, who was sentenced in February 2023 to 8 years in prison.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Raleigh Police Department led the investigation with assistance from the Los Angeles Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Raleigh/Wake City-County Bureau of Identification and United States Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly L. Sandling prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:19-cr-00395-D-1.
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Prior Convicted Drug Trafficker Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Federal Prison on Methamphetamine OffenseRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Andrez Galarza Miranda (51, Mexico) to 10 years and 1 month in federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Galarza Miranda had pleaded guilty on September 29, 2023.
According to court documents, on May 6, 2022, Miranda made arrangements to sell 15 pounds of methamphetamine to a confidential informant outside a restaurant in Jacksonville. Upon arrival to the agreed upon location, a traffic stop was initiated and Miranda was found in possession of 15 pounds of methamphetamine. At the time, Miranda was on supervised release after having served 18 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute marijuana and more than 5 kilograms of cocaine, and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brenna Falzetta.
Pinehill Man Charged with Murder and Assault in Indian CountryRead 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Ellery Brent Yazzie appeared in federal court on a criminal complaint charging him with murder, assault with a dangerous weapon, assault resulting in serious bodily injury, and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Yazzie, 36, of Pinehill, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain in custody pending trial, which is currently not scheduled.
According to the criminal complaint, on the morning of Dec. 22, 2023, the Ramah Navajo Police Department received an emergency call from a witness who stated that Ellery Brent Yazzie shot his father, sister, and brother at a residence in Pinehill following a verbal argument. When officers arrived at the residence, they found the two males deceased and Yazzie alive with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. The witness had attempted to drive the third victim to the hospital but linked up with an ambulance enroute which transported the victim to Zuni Hospital. Physicians advised a special agent from the FBI that the victim sustained life-threatening injuries and would have died without timely medical care. The victims were all enrolled members of the Navajo Nation.
A criminal complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted on the current charges, Yazzie faces up to life in prison.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Ramah Navajo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caitlin L. Dillon and Jena Ritchey are prosecuting the case.
View the Criminal Complaint# # #
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Peshtigo Man Charged with Sexual Exploitation of MinorsRead the Press Release
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on January 23, 2024, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment alleging that Zachary A. Zastawniak (age: 23) of Peshtigo, Wisconsin, sexually exploited or attempted to sexually exploit two minors, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2251(a) and 2251(e).
According to the indictment, on or about July 7, 2023, and again on August 23, 2023, Zastawniak knowingly employed, used, persuaded, induced, and coerced two minors to “engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction … of [the victims] engaged in the lascivious exhibition of [the victims’] genitals.” Zastawniak faces a mandatory 15 years’ imprisonment and up to 30 years’ imprisonment if convicted of either count. He may also be fined up to $250,000 on each count.
This case was investigated by the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation, the North Fond du Lac Police Department, Oconto Falls Police Department, Oconto Police Department, Oconto County Sheriff’s Office, and the Kingsford, Michigan, Department of Public Safety. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006, by the U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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.projectsafechildhood.gov.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Owner of Vashon Island landscaping company convicted of human trafficking, labor trafficking, and money laundering feloniesRead the Press Release
Seattle –A 45-year-old Vashon Island, Washington resident was convicted in U.S. District Court in Seattle of 21 federal felonies related to human trafficking and forced labor, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Jesus Ruiz-Hernandez, aka Christo Jesus Escobar Solares, was found guilty following a 13-day jury trial. Jurors deliberated one and a half days before returning the guilty verdicts on multiple counts of forced labor, transporting and harboring people without status in the U.S., and money laundering. U.S. District Judge James L. Robart set sentencing for April 30, 2024 at 9:30am.
Records filed in the case and testimony at trial revealed that Ruiz-Hernandez lured victims from his hometown of Vista Hermosa, Michoacan, with the promise of a better life for their families. In exchange, Ruiz-Hernandez required victims to put up collateral, including the temporary relinquishment of parental rights and interest in family properties. Ruiz-Hernandez, using smugglers he hired, brought the undocumented victims to the U.S. and then forced them to work for his company, Brothers Landscaping, on Vashon Island. He then charged the victims exorbitant fees for rent, food, and other expenses, housed them both in his home and worker properties and held ever increasing debts over their heads.
In the spring of 2017, Ruiz-Hernandez used smugglers to bring an adult victim to the United States and then used force, threats of force, and physical violence to force the victim to work for him without pay. The jury found Ruiz-Hernandez committed aggravated sexual abuse against the victim. From 2018 until August 2021, Ruiz-Hernandez forced a second victim he had brought to the U.S. to work for him by threatening him with harm. The victim was also transported and harbored for financial gain. In all, Ruiz-Hernandez was convicted of exploiting the labor of seven people not legally in the U.S. As prosecutors said in closing arguments, “For years Ruiz-Hernandez ensured a steady pipeline of workers for his landscaping business… He used their undocumented status and inability to speak English to prey on them.”
Ruiz-Hernandez presented himself as an upstanding and hardworking businessman on Vashon Island. He conned many unsuspecting homeowners and businessowners into hiring his company, consisting of the victims and others, many who were thousands of miles from home, did not speak, read, or write the English language and were dependent on him. It was because of this ongoing work Ruiz-Hernandez was able to continue his exploitive scheme, fueling his lavish lifestyle that benefited himself and his family for years.
Ruiz-Hernandez was also convicted of six counts of money laundering. Testimony revealed that Ruiz-Hernandez and his brothers had deposited over $1.5 million in checks from customers to their bank account between 2017 and 2022. Much of those funds were payment for the work done by the victims and others the defendant illegally brought to the U.S., trafficked, harbored, and exploited. Ruiz-Hernandez took steps to keep his name off corporate documents, financial records, numerous transactions, and hundreds of thousands of dollars of international wires to Mexico. Ruiz-Hernandez and his co-conspirators used some of that laundered proceeds to purchase two pieces of property on the island. Some of the money laundering counts relate to Ruiz-Hernandez sending money, and directing employees to send money, to Mexico to pay fees to coyotes for transport of his victims across the border.
Following the trial on the human and labor trafficking counts, the jury determined that the properties on Vashon were purchased with laundered proceeds of his illegal scheme and ordered that the properties should be forfeited to the government.
Forced labor is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, and up to life imprisonment if the jury determines that the offense involved aggravated sexual abuse. Transporting an undocumented person for financial gain and harboring an undocumented person for financial gain are each punishable by up to ten years in prison. Bringing an undocumented person to the United States for financial gain is punishable by a mandatory minimum three years in prison and up to ten years in prison.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Task Force Officer Megan Bruneau Zentner. Detective Zentner is with the Seattle Police Department, assigned to the HSI Task Force. Detective Zentner’s position is federally funded by the Department of Justice’s Enhanced Collaborative Model with a focus on investigating labor trafficking of foreign-born victims.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kate Crisham, Jocelyn Cooney, and Jehiel Baer. Ms. Crisham is the Western District of Washington coordinator of efforts to stop human trafficking.
Orlando Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Federal Prison on Cocaine and Ecstasy ChargesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Eric Joen Brenes-Colon (34, Orlando) to 9 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and possession with the intent to distribute cocaine and MDMA (Ecstasy). Brenes-Colon had pleaded guilty on October 26, 2023.
According to court documents, Brenes-Colon was the source of supply of kilograms of cocaine for a drug-trafficking operation that operated in Central Florida and Tampa in 2020 and 2021. Brenes-Colon coordinated shipments of cocaine from Puerto Rico to Florida and delivered cocaine to Georgi Milenov Solakov (31, Tampa) up until March 2021, when Solakov was arrested. Some of the cocaine was sent from Puerto Rico to Solakov’s residence near downtown Tampa in parcels with Styrofoam coolers of cocaine inside. Solakov was convicted of federal drug trafficking and firearms offenses on September 17, 2021, and he is currently serving time in federal prison. Brenes-Colon also distributed MDMA tablets and marijuana, and several firearms, including a shotgun, a semi-automatic pistol, and an assault rifle, were seized in connection with the investigation.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew J. Del Mastro and E. Jackson Boggs Jr.
Opa-locka man convicted of online solicitation of two young girlsRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On Jan. 23, an Opa-locka man pleaded guilty in federal district court to two counts of online solicitation of a minor to commit a sexual act.
As part of his guilty plea, Malik Hosea Atkinson, 25, also known online as “@jpmon8,” “@Mall9488673”and “unknown_value#5861” admitted that in 2022 and 2023 he met two teenage girls online in a social networking application. Atkinson convinced the two young girls to meet him in person. To meet the first victim, he drove from Miami-Dade County to Palm Beach County to have sex with her multiple times in his white van. To meet the second victim, he drove to Broward County to have sex with her. Atkinson’s online account and phone revealed the sexual context of Atkinson’s communications with the two minor victims and confirmed that he had video recorded himself sexually exploiting them.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 16 at 3:00 p.m. before U.S. District Judge Robin L. Rosenberg in West Palm Beach. Atkinson faces up to life in prison, lifetime supervised release, and payment of restitution to his victims.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of FBI, Miami Field Office, announced the guilty plea.
FBI Miami, West Palm Beach Resident Agency investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Schiller is prosecuting it.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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.projectsafechildhood.gov or https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/project-safe-childhood.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 23-cr-80205.
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Norwalk Man Sentenced to Prison for Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JAKE SCOTT FLEWELLYN, 26, of Norwalk, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 24 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for accessing and possessing images and videos depicting child sex abuse.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in December 2021, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (“NCMEC”) received a report from the smartphone messenger application Kik about a Kik user who was distributing videos of child pornography through its service. Kik deactivated the user’s account. In early April 2022, while federal law enforcement was investigating this matter to determine the Kik user’s identity, Kik submitted to NCMEC another report of a user account that was being used to distribute videos of child pornography. The investigation revealed that Flewellyn created both Kik accounts and, between November 2021 and April 2022, used them to distribute approximately 107 images and videos depicting child sex abuse.
On July 31, 2023, Flewellyn pleaded guilty to accessing with intent to view child pornography.
Flewellyn, who is released on a $100,000 bond, is required to report to prison on March 15.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Norwalk Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert S. Dearington and Neeraj N. Patel.
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.
Northern Minnesota Felon Sentenced to More Than 24 Years in Prison for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – An Onamia man has been sentenced to 292 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for illegal possession of a firearm following a domestic assault, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on November 19, 2020, Leech Lake Tribal Police were dispatched to a residence following a report that Justin Lyle Cutbank, 37, had physically assaulted a woman, held her at gunpoint, threatened to kill her, and then fled the residence into the woods. Shortly after officers arrived at the residence and took the victim’s statement, a neighbor reported that Cutbank was in their garage and refused to leave. Officers from multiple agencies responded to the location and found Cutbank barricaded in the garage. Several hours of negotiations followed with Cutbank retreating into the attic of the garage and refusing to surrender. Ultimately, officers were able to apprehend Cutbank, who continued to actively resist arrest. The following day, officers searched the wooded area where Cutbank had fled and found a Marlin Model 100 .22 caliber rifle with no serial number, a knife, and the victim’s cell phone.
Because Cutbank has multiple prior felony convictions, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
On March 17, 2023, Cutbank was convicted by a federal jury on one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. He was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge Michael J. Davis.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Leech Lake Tribal Police Department, the Paul Bunyan Drug Task Force, and the Cass County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley M. Endicott and Ruth S. Shnider prosecuted the case.
New Hanover County Social Worker Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Defraud MedicaidRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Felicia Moore Jones, 52, pled guilty to conspiring to defraud North Carolina Medicaid (“Medicaid”) in a scheme that resulted in more than $400,000 in fraudulent billing. Jones faces up to 10 years in prison and a potential fine.
“Ms. Jones’ was a social worker who was supposed to help poor Medicaid recipients get healthcare. Instead, she stole and sold their identifying information in a scheme to bill taxpayers for care that was never provided,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “We are fortunate to live in a generous country, where we are proud to help the less advantaged through programs like Medicaid. But we will find and prosecute anyone who abuses that generosity for their own profit.”
According to the filed charge and information summarized in court, Jones was a social worker in New Hanover County who conspired with a licensed mental health counselor, Lakia Washington, to defraud Medicaid. Jones used her government employment to obtain personally identifying information (PII) of New Hanover County residents enrolled in Medicaid, including their Medicaid ID numbers. In exchange for an agreed-upon fee per beneficiary, Jones then provided the PII to Washington, knowing it would be used to generate fraudulent claims for services never rendered. Investigators have attributed over $400,000 of Washington’s fraudulent Medicaid billing to the beneficiary PII Jones provided to Washington. Late last year, Washington pled guilty and is awaiting sentencing. Based upon the investigation, no out-of-pocket costs were borne by the individuals whose identities were used as a part of the scheme.
“Government employees are supposed to be responsible stewards of our personal and health data, not steal it for their own profit,” said Attorney General Josh Stein. “I’m grateful to my Medicaid Investigations Division and our federal partners for their work to protect taxpayer resources and patient information.”
The Center for Medicaid Services, within the federal Department of Health and Human Services, is responsible for overseeing the Medicaid program in North Carolina, which has been administered by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services since 1978. Medicaid providers are assigned a National Provider Identifier, which they use to submit claims for reimbursement for services rendered to Medicaid beneficiaries.
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 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, is leading the investigation with the assistance North Carolina Medicaid Investigations Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Beraka 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-00377-BO.
Nevada Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Reno, Nevada man, was sentenced to 96 months in prison and five years of supervised release for the receipt and possession of child pornography, known as child sexual abuse material (CSAM). On August 30, 2023, Sean Paul Holt, 28, pled guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography. Holt will also have to register as a sex offender.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Holt was an active-duty member of the United States Army, who was stationed at Ft. Liberty (previously known as Ft. Bragg) at the time of the offense. In April 2020, Holt purchased CSAM from a Tor site dedicated to selling material depicting sadistic sexual abuse of young boys. Investigators traced the bitcoin transactions to accounts belonging to Holt and found evidence that Holt’s phone was one of several devices using the relevant IP address at the time of the transaction. Later, in Spring 2021, investigators received multiple Cybertips regarding suspected CSAM in a Tumblr account that was tied to an email address that investigators had previously identified as belonging to Holt.
On May 19, 2021, investigators executed a federal search warrant at Holt’s residence, and seized multiple electronic devices. A forensic examination revealed hundreds of CSAM files, including CSAM of prepubescent minors, on Holt’s phone. Investigators also found a Mega account used to store thousands of additional CSAM files. During the search warrant, Holt consented to a voluntary, non-custodial interview and made a number of admissions, including purchasing CSAM from a website, and accessing CSAM on and off for a number of years.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Department of Homeland Security, and the United States Army, Criminal Investigative Division investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan M. Stephany prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-CR-00007-D.
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NE Georgia Resident Sentenced in Prison-Directed Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A Commerce, Georgia, resident convicted for his role in a larger inmate-directed armed drug conspiracy operating in the Athens, Georgia, area was sentenced to serve 19 years in prison for his crimes today.
Brendan R. Gates, 37, of Commerce, Georgia, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge C. Ashley Royal to serve 228 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. This federal prison term will be served consecutively to any term of imprisonment imposed in a pending Gwinnett County, Georgia, Superior Court case. Gates was found guilty by a federal jury on Sept. 21, 2022, of one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Gates’ co-defendant at trial, Cindy Stamey, 51, of Danielsville, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison on Sept. 18, 2023, after she was found guilty by a federal jury of one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
“Armed criminal networks create chaos and sow destruction in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Law enforcement at every level is working together and tirelessly to dismantle these types of criminal networks in a collective effort to make our towns and cities safer.”
“Drug dealing breeds violence and traffickers who engage in this dangerous lifestyle often protect their drug stash with firearms,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “Consequently, these defendants will spend well-deserved time in prison. DEA and its law enforcement partners are committed to making communities safer by removing such criminals from the streets.”
The following co-defendants have been sentenced:
Adonias Sales Temaj aka “Alacran,” 28, of Norcross, Georgia, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on July 14, 2022, and was sentenced to 260 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release;
Malcody Dinges aka Cody aka “Yes, Sir Cody,” 43, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Dec. 16, 2021, and was sentenced to 240 months in prison (to run consecutive to any state-imposed sentence) to be followed by three years of supervised release;
Ervin Sales Temaj aka “Milton Aguilar,” 34, of Norcross, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on April 13, 2022, and was sentenced to 121 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release;
Carrie Kasper, 31, of Athens, pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on July 15, 2021, and was sentenced to 120 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release;
Christopher Wilson, 41, of Hull, Georgia, pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on April 13, 2022, and was sentenced to 55 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release;
Justin Maddox, 44, of Athens, pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on Aug. 3, 2021, and was sentenced to 30 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release; and
Katlyn Lackey, 21, of Commerce, pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on May 12, 2022, and was sentenced to 20 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.
The defendants are not eligible for parole.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, federal agents learned in 2018 that co-defendant Dinges was conducting drug deals using contraband cell phones while in custody at the Wheeler Correctional Facility. During the course of the investigation, agents learned that Dinges was communicating with Gates and other co-defendants located in the Athens area about distributing controlled substances; these individuals would travel to locations in Atlanta as directed by Dinges to receive methamphetamine and return to Athens to distribute the drugs. Dinges received a fee for brokering the deals. When federal agents executed a search warrant at Gates’ residence, they seized a handgun and methamphetamine.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The case was investigated by DEA, the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office, the Athens-Clarke Police Department, the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office and the Madison County Sheriff Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamara Jarrett is prosecuting the case.
Morrisdale Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine ChargeRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Morrisdale, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Shane Hoover, 32, pleaded guilty to Count Two of the Superseding Indictment before Senior United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that, from about November 2019 to June 2020, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Hoover conspired to distribute and possessed with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. Hoover was intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of methamphetamine that he distributed to others.
Judge Gibson scheduled sentencing for May 15, 2024. The law provides for a sentence of at least 10 years to life in prison, a fine of up to $10 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Hoover. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, Erie County District Attorney’s Office, Millcreek Police Department, Erie Bureau of Police, and other local law enforcement agencies.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Money Launderer Sentenced to 48 Months and Ordered to Pay over $1 Million in RestitutionRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Flavia Annang, 60, of Hagerstown, Maryland, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker to 48 months in prison and ordered to pay over $1 million in restitution to 19 victims. Annang pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering on March 9, 2023.
Between May 2018 and April 2022, Annang laundered money for scammers who lured victims into various online frauds. In some instances, the victims believed they were sending money to support an online romantic partner who falsely stated they needed to pay taxes and fees to release an inheritance or gold bars. The stories told to the victims by the scammers were fraudulent. The scammers directed the victims’ monies into accounts controlled by Annang and her co-conspirator. When Annang and her co-conspirator received the fraudulent monies, they kept a fee for themselves, and then transferred the funds to Ghana. Annang and her co-conspirator set up phony businesses and then opened business bank accounts to hide the transfer of the fraudulently obtained funds. The FBI traced over $4 million, sent by 106 victims, through Annang’s and her co-conspirator’s bank accounts. One Arizona victim lost nearly $5 million to the scams, sending over $1 million to Annang’s and her co-conspirator’s accounts and the remaining money to multiple other individuals. Annang’s co-conspirator pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering and was sentenced to 48 months in prison on January 3, 2024.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiative. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim, and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday-Friday. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Sue Feldmeier, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-00893-JCH-1
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-007_Annang# # #
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 Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Meth, fentanyl trafficking send Great Falls man to prison for 13 yearsRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Great Falls man who admitted to trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl after his drug distribution led to the near-death of a toddler who ingested a fentanyl pill was sentenced today to 13 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Shacotta Keenan St. Onge, 31, pleaded guilty in June 2023 to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
In court documents, the government alleged that the Russell Country Drug Task Force received information in the fall of 2022, that St. Onge was distributing drugs in the Great Falls area. Law Enforcement obtained meth and fentanyl pills from St. Onge in controlled buys and in February 2023, officers executed a search warrant on St. Onge’s residence and recovered fentanyl pills and meth. In April 2023, St. Onge sold fentanyl to the mother of a two-year-old girl. The pills were scattered about the mother’s residence, and the child ingested a pill, leading to her hospitalization and near death.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara J. Elliott prosecuted the case. Homeland Security Investigations, the Russell Country Drug Task Force, the Great Falls Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Meth Kingpin Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Drug Conspiracy and Stealing $2.1 Million from Pandemic Unemployment Insurance AgenciesRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A Detroit man was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison today for leading a drug organization that trafficked methamphetamine across the country, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today. United States District Judge David M. Lawson sentenced the leader of that organization for his role overseeing the drug conspiracy and in a separate $2.1 million pandemic unemployment insurance fraud conspiracy.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Orville O. Greene, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Irene Lindow, Special Agent-in-Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.
Robert Lampkin, 41, led a drug conspiracy that purchased over 9 kilograms of methamphetamine from a supplier in California that codefendants JoShawn Bennett, 37, Tiffany Stockman, 24 and Tammie Wade, 32, brought back to Michigan in airline luggage. Lampkin and codefendant Brenden Lockridge, 26, separately used stolen personal identifying information of other individuals to file fraudulent claims for pandemic unemployment assistance in multiple states. Lampkin’s and Lockridge’s sentences also require them to pay back the $2.1 million stolen from multiple states as restitution.
“We will use every resource available to combat those who spread the scourge of illegal drugs in our communities,” stated United States Attorney Dawn Ison. “We also won’t cease our efforts to hold accountable those who used a global pandemic to enrich themselves at the expense of taxpayers.”
“The men and women of the DEA and our law enforcement partners remain committed to targeting interstate methamphetamine traffickers contributing to the nation’s drug crisis. This sentence reflects our continued resolve to partner with all our law-enforcement counterparts to fight greed, violence, and drug addiction,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene.
"Robert Lampkin conspired with Brenden Lockridge to file fraudulent unemployment insurance (UI) claims in the names of identity theft victims, receiving benefits to which they were not entitled. They enriched themselves by defrauding a program that was intended to assist struggling American workers during an unprecedented global pandemic," stated Special Agent-in-Charge Irene Lindow, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. "We and our law enforcement partners are committed to identifying and prosecuting the criminals who took advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic by using stolen identities to fraudulently obtain pandemic UI benefits."
The case was investigated by agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration and Department of Labor Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Paul Kuebler prosecuted the case for the United States.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Member of Violent New Haven Gang Pleads Guilty to Racketeering ChargeRead the Press Release
JAEDYN RIVERA, also known as “Jae Honcho,” 23, of New Haven, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to a racketeering offense stemming from his role in a violent New Haven street gang.
Today’s announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; John P. Doyle, Jr., State’s Attorney for the New Haven Judicial District; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England; and New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in an effort to address violence in New Haven, including murders and attempted murders, the ATF, FBI, DEA and New Haven Police Department, working closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office, have been investigating an ongoing gang war between members and associates of the Exit 8 street gang and rival gangs in the Hill section and other areas of the city. The Exit 8 gang is named after the geographic area accessed by exiting Interstate 91 at Exit 8 in New Haven. Recently, younger members of Exit 8 are identifying themselves with the word “Honcho,” which is derived from the street name of an Exit 8 member who was murdered on Quinnipiac Avenue in February 2020.
The investigation revealed that Rivera and other members of the Exit 8 gang engaged in drug trafficking, used and shared firearms, and, since June 2018, have committed at least three murders and 16 attempted murders. Exit 8 members and associates also stole vehicles, at times from outside of the state, and used those stolen vehicles when committing acts of violence. Gang members also promoted, coordinated, facilitated, and celebrated their narcotics distribution and acts of violence through text messaging and the use of social media applications and websites including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube.
Rivera admitted today that he took part in four shootings of rival gang members in May 2021. Three individuals were injured during those shootings. On May 14, 2021, one victim was shot in the leg and torso, and on May 20, 2021, one victim was shot in the leg and another victim was shot in the back.
Rivera pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. A sentencing date is not scheduled.
Rivera has been detained since May 21, 2021.
This investigation is being conducted by ATF, the FBI, the DEA, the New Haven Police Department, and the New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police and the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tara E. Levens, Rahul Kale and Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis.
This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.
PSN is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities. Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it. 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.
Member of Navajo Nation Sentenced to 57 Months for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Indian CountryRead 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 today that Alvin White was sentenced to 57 months in prison. White, 54, of Little Water, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and entered into an agreement with the government on February 1, 2023. In his plea agreement, White also agreed to cooperate and provided testimony in the now-concluded trial against his co-defendant, Raydell Billy.
According to court documents, on the evening of April 11, 2022, White and his co-defendants, Raydell Billy and Raynorma Billy, burst into John Doe’s home and attacked him. At Raydell’s trial, White testified that he and Raydell Billy attacked John Doe with the intent to commit bodily harm. He testified that they both hit John Doe and that Raydell Billy discharged a firearm in John Doe’s direction. After Raydell Billy discharged the round and rapped the pistol across John Doe’s skull, the three assailants left, and in anger one of them riddled John Doe’s car with bullet holes.
Raynorma Billy pleaded guilty on February 28, 2023, to being a conspirator, admitting that she, Raydell Billy, and Alvin White discussed and agreed to assault John Doe. Raynorma was sentenced to time served, followed by three years of supervised release. Raydell was found guilty of assault with a dangerous weapon on March 8, 2023, and sentenced to 120 months in prison.
This case was investigated by the Farmington office of the Federal Bureau Investigation and by Navajo Nation Office of Criminal Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander F. Flores and Matthew J. McGinley.
View the Plea Agreement# # #
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Marco Island Felon Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Possession of A Loaded FirearmRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Nicholas Munson Troemner (41, Marco Island) today pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. Troemner faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, on February 16, 2023, in North Fort Myers, Troemner was in possession of a loaded Taurus pistol. At the time, Troemner had multiple prior felony firearm and drug-related convictions and was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. Troemner agreed to forfeit the pistol and ammunition as part of a plea agreement.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan.
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.