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Wednesday 24 January 2024
Man Who Shared Child Pornography, Fled St. Louis Sentenced to 188 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS –A man who possessed and shared child pornography and then fled from St. Louis while on house arrest was sentenced Wednesday to 15 years and eight months in prison.
U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark on Tuesday also ordered Daniel Bert, 38, to be placed on supervised release for life after he gets out of prison.
Bert, of St. Louis, Missouri, possessed child sexual abuse material on multiple electronic devices, including laptops, phones and hard drives. After receiving two tips about Bert, the FBI discovered he was discussing his sexual interest in young children on Kik Messenger. An undercover FBI special agent began communicating with Bert on another app, Wickr. Bert sent a picture of his genitals to the agent, told the agent that he had a hard drive full of child pornography and asked the agent to join him in an online video chat during which Bert played videos containing child pornography.
After his indictment, Bert removed his GPS monitoring device while on house arrest and fled St. Louis. He was arrested in Florida on May 11.
Bert pleaded guilty in August to a felony charge of transportation of child pornography.
The case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's 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.
Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Years of Stalking and Threatening Indiana CoupleRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Patrick Kearney, 41, of Glenview, Illinois, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to two counts of stalking, one count of transmitting threats via interstate commerce, and two counts of making harassing telephone calls.
According to court documents, beginning in September of 2019, and continuing through October 4, 2022, Patrick Kearney engaged in a targeted campaign of stalking, intimidation, and harassment directed towards Victims 1 and 2.
Kearney met Victim 1 in the early 2000s, when they both attended the same university. Kearney pursued a relationship with Victim 1 by trying to walk with her after class, meeting her at her dorm, calling the dorm phone, and leaving mail at her dorm mailbox. Victim 1 did not reciprocate interest in a relationship with Kearney. Victim 1 graduated from college, married her husband, Victim 2, and had not seen Kearney since.
In September of 2019, Kearney began sending Victim 1 anonymous handwritten letters to her home in Indiana, mostly stating that Victim 1 should have died in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The letters typically included pictures or drawings of the World Trade Center burning. Kearney sent approximately 23 handwritten letters to Victim 1 between September of 2019 and September of 2022, all including similar abusive language and most referencing September 11, 2001.
In addition to sending letters, Kearney also began repeatedly calling Victim 1’s cell phone at all hours, leaving threatening voicemails and using different phone numbers to avoid being blocked.
On February 22, 2022, Kearney mailed a package from Arizona to Victim 1’s home. The package contained Raid roach bait and a handwritten note stating, “Here is some poison for you and give the rest to your idiot boyfriend!”
On May 16, 2022, Kearney mailed Victims 1 and 2 a package from Arizona that contained Combat cockroach poison. The package included a note stating that the couple should eat the poison.
On July 11, 2022, at approximately 5:04 am, Kearney called Victim 2 and left a voicemail threatening that “you and her (Victim 1) should be shot in the f****** head.”
As the victims were planning their wedding in 2022, they created a website that included wedding registry information. Kearney began leaving voicemails for Victims 1 and 2 impersonating customer service representatives from Crate & Barrel and Target and threatened to show up at the wedding and ruin it.
Between October of 2019 and September of 2022, Kearney placed approximately 357 phone calls to Victim 1’s cell phone and left over 120 voicemails. Between May of 2022 and August of 2022, Kearney placed approximately 47 phone calls to Victim 2’s cell phone and left at least 35 voicemails.
“This serious federal prison sentence is an appropriate consequence for the defendant’s years’ long campaign of cruel threats and harassment. He chose to terrorize an innocent couple and rob them of safety and peace—driven by his toxic mix of entitlement and resentment,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “As we near the end of Stalking Awareness Month, we must raise awareness that stalking crimes can manifest in many forms as our digital world evolves. Even without physical violence, the threat of escalation and fear of the unknown can be deeply traumatizing for victims. These actions are simply unacceptable, and federal law enforcement agencies will work together to identify the perpetrators and hold them accountable.”
“United States Postal Inspectors work diligently to keep U.S. Postal Service customers, and all Americans, safe from criminals who use the U.S. Mail system to further their illegal actions,” said Rodney M. Hopkins, Inspector in Charge for the Detroit Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service. “I commend the collective efforts of the United States Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Indiana and Postal Inspectors in Illinois, Arizona, and Indiana in bringing this individual to justice. His victims can rest assured that the constant threat of harassment and stalking has come to an end.”
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. Judge Pratt also ordered that Kearney be supervised for three years following his release from federal prison and pay a $500 fine.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Kelsey L. Massa, who prosecuted this case.
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Man Sentenced for Strangling Former PartnerRead the Press Release
A Bartlesville man was sentenced yesterday for Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Suffocating in Indian County, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Terence C. Kern sentenced Andrew John Brown, 50, to 27 months imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release. According to court documents, Brown began arguing with the victim. He admitted and plead guilty to placing the victim in a “chokehold” and strangled her with his hands.
Brown was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The FBI and Osage Nation Tribal Police investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Bailey prosecuted the case.
Man Sentenced for Involuntary Manslaughter and Leaving the Scene of an AccidentRead the Press Release
A Sperry man was sentenced yesterday for Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country and Leaving the Scene of an Accident Resulting in Death, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Judge Terence C. Kern sentenced Roger Allen Stevens, 32, a member of Cherokee Nation, to 30 months imprisonment, followed by one year of supervised release.
According to the guilty plea, on October 28, 2018, Stevens failed to yield to the right of way to Timothy Hayhurst, while he was riding a motorcycle. This resulted in the death of Mr. Hayhurst. After the accident, Stevens did not contact 911 or stay at the scene of the accident.
Stevens was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The FBI and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric O. Johnston prosecuted the case.
Louisiana Bounty Hunter Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Missouri KidnappingRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Ronnie L. White on Wednesday sentenced a bounty hunter from Louisiana to 10 years in prison for removing a woman from a St. Peters, Missouri home and taking her across state lines against her will.
Wayne D. Lozier Jr., 45, of the New Orleans area, was convicted by a jury in September in U.S. District Court in St. Louis of kidnapping and conspiracy to commit kidnapping.
“This sentence should reinforce that those who work in the fugitive recovery industry must comply with state and local laws and regulations and treat those they take into custody with decency,” said U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming. “They work in a dangerous industry, but that is not a license to go rogue.”
"Wayne Lozier claimed he was just doing his job as a bounty hunter, but a jury convicted him of kidnapping. The evidence presented in trial proved he flagrantly ignored police warnings that he was violating the law and police commands to release his victim," said Special Agent in Charge Jay Greenberg of the FBI St. Louis Division. "We commend St. Peters Police for its thorough investigation and collaboration with us in pursuing federal prosecution.”
Testimony and evidence presented at trial showed that Lozier first called and impersonated a deputy with the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office to trick the victim, who had an arrest warrant there for two misdemeanor offenses, into revealing her address. Lozier and his partner, Jody L. Sullivan, then drove to where the victim was staying in St. Peters, Missouri.
They had been hired by a Louisiana bail bond company to locate and apprehend the victim. They were not licensed by Missouri’s Department of Commerce and Insurance to operate as surety recovery agents within Missouri. They also did not notify local law enforcement before entering the home.
On May 9, 2019, Lozier told the homeowner he didn’t need her permission to enter the house, according to evidence and testimony, including video from Lozier’s body camera. Lozier went into the basement and handcuffed the victim, who was barefoot and clad only in pajamas. He and Sullivan then took her away in their SUV without her consent, the trial showed.
The homeowner contacted police. St. Peters Police Officer Jeffrey Atkins told Lozier on the phone that he was breaking the law and needed to return the victim, but Lozier refused to do so.
The victim, concerned for her safety after learning that Lozier and Sullivan were not police officers, tried to get help from clerks working at a gas station in Sullivan, Missouri. Inside the store, Lozier shocked the victim multiple times with a Taser and pulled her hair. He and Sullivan then dragged the victim out of the store by the chain that connected her handcuffs and leg shackles. That incident was partially captured in a bystander’s cell phone video. When police arrived, Lozier told them that he was a surety recovery agent and was licensed by the state of Louisiana. The officers were unaware that Lozier and Sullivan had unlawfully taken the victim from the St. Peters residence earlier that day.
Once back in the SUV, Lozier repeatedly threatened the victim, both physically and by telling her that he would arrange for her to be charged with a felony offense. He told her that she would never see her children again and that she was his property, testimony and evidence at trial showed.
Worried about the legality of his actions, Lozier did not take the victim to Louisiana, where her misdemeanor charges were pending. He instead dropped her at a detention facility in Mississippi. She remained there for about a week before she was released.
After Lozier’s indictment and arrest, he violated his pre-trial release conditions by both possessing a firearm and continuing to apprehend fugitives in Louisiana. He also violated his travel restrictions by leaving the Eastern District of Louisiana.
Sullivan, 56, of the New Orleans area, pleaded guilty Sept. 18, 2023, to the conspiracy and kidnapping charges and admitted unlawfully seizing the woman and transporting her across state lines. She was sentenced December 20 to five years of probation.
The FBI and the St. Peters Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Martin and Donald Boyce prosecuted the case.Lincoln County Man Admits Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A Lincoln County, Missouri man on Wednesday admitted producing images of the sexual abuse of two victims who were preschool age or younger.
Christopher C. Parker, 32, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to two counts of production of child pornography and one count of distributing child pornography.
The investigation into Parker began on March 21, 2023, when the FBI’s St. Louis office received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about Parker’s uploading of child pornography via his Quora account. They obtained a court-approved search warrant and served it the next day, finding electronic devices with image and video files containing child sexual abuse material and an image that Parker produced and sent via Wickr. Parker also admitted sexually abusing two toddler and preschool-aged children and recording that abuse.
Parker is scheduled to be sentenced on May 1. The U.S. Attorney’s office will recommend a sentence of 27 years in prison.
The FBI and the St. Charles County Cyber Crime Task Force investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson 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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's 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.
Level 3 Sex Offender Sentenced to 22 Years in Prison for Soliciting Minors on Social MediaRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced today for coercing a minor he found on TikTok to send him child sexual abuse material.
Hector Acevedo, 33, of Jamaica Plain, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Patti B. Saris to 22 years in prison and five years of supervised release. In October 2023, Acevedo pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography by a recidivist.
Acevedo, a Level 3 registered sex offender, was previously convicted in Suffolk County Superior Court on multiple child and sexual exploitation offenses including trafficking of a person for sexual servitude, extortion by threat of injury, posing or exhibiting a child in state of nudity or sexual conduct, dissemination of matter harmful to minors, dissemination of child pornography and purchase or possession of child pornography. On Feb. 13, 2018, Acevedo was sentenced to five-to-seven years in state prison and three years of probation.
Just months after his release from prison, while on state probation, Acevedo contacted a 13-year-old girl via TikTok, claiming to be a 17-year-old boy, and asked for her phone number. He then began texting the victim, asking her to send nude pictures of herself to him, and eventually coerced the victim to engage in sexual conduct over video chat. Acevedo also asked for her address, although she did not give it to him. He later solicited other children online on other platforms, pretending to be a pre-teen or teenage girl, and asked them to provide him with nude pictures.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Arlington and Revere Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna J. Nuzum of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by 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.
Law Enforcement Arrests Four on Indictment Alleging San Fernando Valley Crew Trafficked Cocaine, Methamphetamine and FentanylRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Four alleged members of a San Fernando Valley-based drug trafficking crew were arrested today on a 15-count federal grand jury indictment charging them with running an operation that sold cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl.
The following four defendants were arrested this morning are scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles:
- Giselle Buraye, 23, a.k.a. “Giselle Haidy Dykhouse,” “Bandida,” “bandida.loka,” of Van Nuys;
- Efren Meraz, Jr., 35, a.k.a. “Jr.,” “Junior,” of Sylmar;
- Max Roman-Betancourt, 41, of Sunland; and
- Esteban Armas, 36, of Panorama City.
Of the remaining three defendants, Oscar Alejandro Melendez, 50, a.k.a. “Ozzy,” “Oz,” of Van Nuys, and Robert Carlton Lavilette, 68, of Ventura, are expected to be arraigned in the coming days. Sarkis Kyurkchian, 40, a.k.a. “Z,” aka “Sam,” of North Hollywood, is a fugitive and being sought by law enforcement.
All seven defendants have been charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances. Buraye is also charged with possession and intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession and intent to distribute fentanyl, and distribution of fentanyl.
As part of this investigation, law enforcement seized 19 kilograms (42 pounds) of methamphetamine, 58 kilograms (128 pounds) of cocaine, 3 kilograms (6.6 pounds) of fentanyl powder, and two firearms. Law enforcement estimates that the value of the drugs seized exceeds $1 million. Throughout this case, more than $150,000 in U.S. currency has been seized.
During search warrants executed today at five locations in the San Fernando Valley, law enforcement seized more than 14 firearms, 2 pounds of methamphetamine, $153,000 in U.S. currency and various narcotics.
“Powerfully addictive drugs such as fentanyl and methamphetamine devastate families and communities,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “With these charges we have dismantled a drug trafficking organization that put profits over people’s lives. We will continue to do everything in our power to make sure every resident has an opportunity to live in safety.”
“Reducing violent crime in our community and throughout our country is the priority of ATF,” said ATF Los Angeles Field Division Special Agent in Charge Christopher Bombardiere. “This case illustrates the importance of genuine relationships between law enforcement agencies to keep our communities safe. Stopping the illegal and highly dangerous flow of narcotics by this ring will make the Valley safer tonight.”
“The culmination of this investigation is an example of the strong partnerships built between federal and local law enforcement agencies focused on combatting drug and gun trafficking,” said DEA Ventura Resident Office, Resident Agent in Charge Ryan Olson. “Members of this criminal organization were involved in the distribution of fentanyl and other dangerous drugs that are poisoning our communities. DEA is committed to making our communities safer by removing violent offenders and dangerous drugs from the streets. We will continue to push forward and utilize all necessary resources to dismantle the largest criminal organizations negatively impacting our communities.”
According to the indictment returned on Tuesday, Buraye, Melendez, and Meraz spearheaded the operation by obtaining the fentanyl pills, methamphetamine, and cocaine. The trio, along with Kyurkchian, allegedly provided the drugs to Lavilette and Bentancourt, who then sold the drugs in the streets. Armas allegedly stored the narcotics and Buraye and Melendez allegedly sold the drugs to customers.
On April 14, 2021, Buraye and Mendez allegedly sold approximately 1,000 fentanyl pills, and were charged with aiding and abetting, and distribution of fentanyl.
In March 2022, Buraye allegedly sold more than 700 fentanyl pills.
A search warrant executed in May 2022 at Armas’s residence resulted in the seizure of 2,504 grams (approximately 5.5 pounds) of fentanyl powder, 57 kilograms (approximately 125 pounds) of cocaine, 10.92 kilograms (approximately 24 pounds) of methamphetamine and $152,602 in drug proceeds, according to court documents.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted of all charges, each defendant would face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; and the Los Angeles Police Department are investigating this matter. The Los Angeles Interagency Metropolitan Police Apprehension Crime Task Force (L.A. IMPACT), IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office assisted in this investigation.
This case is the result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, ATF, DEA, and IRS. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, firearms trafficking, and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. OCDETF uses an intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Assistant United States Attorney MiRi Song of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section is prosecuting this case.
Las Vegas Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Distributing Thousands of Fentanyl PillsRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas resident was sentenced Tuesday by United States District Judge Gloria M. Navarro to 10 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release for distributing large quantities of fentanyl pills in Las Vegas.
According to court documents, Alphaeus Johnson (38) conspired with others to distribute fentanyl in Las Vegas. On March 21, 2022, he sold approximately 500 fentanyl pills in exchange for money. Then, in April on two separate occasions, he sold a combined total of approximately 4,000 fentanyl pills in exchange for money. Between April 29, 2022 and May 2, 2022, Johnson traveled to Arizona to be resupplied with fentanyl pills and on May 2, 2022, was stopped by Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department detectives while he was traveling to Las Vegas from Arizona. During the traffic stop, law enforcement discovered approximately 10,000 fentanyl pills in Johnson’s possession.
In October 2023, Johnson pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.
United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kevin Adams for the DEA Las Vegas District Office made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the DEA and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Melanee Smith prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles criminal organizations using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
If you are aware of controlled substance violations in your community — which may include the growing, manufacture, distribution or trafficking of controlled substances — please submit your anonymous tip through the DEA Tip Line at https://www.dea.gov/submit-tip.
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Las Cruces Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for Armed RobberyRead 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 Myles Delando Luciano was sentenced to 46 months in prison. Luciano, 27, of Las Cruces, pleaded guilty to one count of interference with commerce by threats or violence on May 1, 2023.
In his plea agreement, Luciano admitted that on July 27, 2022, he and Joshua Lopez wrongfully obtained property from Lowe's Home Improvement by taking the property without paying for it using the threat of force, violence, and fear. Luciano admitted that the items of property they stole had moved in interstate commerce and that, as a result, interstate commerce was further delayed, obstructed, and impacted by our actions because the store was forced to expend time and resources for law enforcement to investigate the robbery.
Upon his release from prison, Luciano will be subject to 3 years of supervised release.
Joshua Lopez, 26, of Las Cruces, pleaded guilty to three counts of interference with commerce by threats or violence on Aug. 8, 2023. Lopez remains in custody pending sentencing, which is currently not scheduled.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Las cruces Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Y. Armijo and Ry Ellison are prosecuting the case.
View the Plea Agreement# # #
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January Is National Human Trafficking Prevention MonthRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. To commemorate this month, United States Attorney Jason R. Coody renews his Office’s commitment to prosecuting human traffickers, protecting victims, empowering survivors, and preventing the proliferation of these abhorrent crimes.
In recognition of Human Trafficking Prevention Month, the U.S. Attorney’s Office reaffirms that vindicating the rights of human trafficking victims and other vulnerable persons ranks among its highest priorities.
“Human trafficking is an abomination,” said United States Attorney Jason R. Coody. “With no regard for human dignity, traffickers inflict indescribable physical harm to their victims and often leave emotional scars that cannot be healed. With our law enforcement partners, our office remains committed to aggressively prosecuting those who must be held accountable for their despicable crimes.”
Anyone who has information about a potential human trafficking situation or a person who may be experiencing human trafficking should contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733.
To enhance awareness and educate the community about human trafficking, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has released a Public Service Announcement on how to identify potential trafficking situations and where to report suspected human trafficking activity.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Investigators dismantle fentanyl drug trafficking network in Eastern Panhandle - 82 people chargedRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Eighty-two people have been indicted by a federal grand jury for a drug trafficking operation that distributed fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine in the Eastern Panhandle.
The United States Attorney’s Office announced today that an indictment was unsealed, charging individuals from Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia with drug trafficking. According to court documents, Gary Bernard Brown, Jr., also known as “Gee,” age 38, of Baltimore, Maryland, supplied others with large quantities of fentanyl capsules and powder for redistribution in Berkeley and Jefferson Counties. The investigation yielded 10 kilograms of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, firearms, and hundreds of thousands of dollars in assets.
“In a coordinated effort across three states, the FBI and our partners worked seamlessly to degrade the capabilities of a criminal enterprise that endangered the lives of our children and neighbors by pedaling illegal narcotics into our communities,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Mike Shanahan of the FBI-Pittsburgh Division. “Today, their illicit activities came to an end.”
After a large-scale arrest operation in the region, 11 of the 82 defendants are still at-large. Investigators are searching for:
- Charles Delroy Singletary, age 43, of Baltimore, Maryland
- Jeffrey Lee Pullen, age 52, of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
- Benjamin Paul Knotts, age 48, of Charles Town, West Virginia
- Haile Madalynn Speaks, age 21, of Charles Town, West Virginia
- James Sanford, age 39, of Martinsburg, West Virginia
- John Ernest LeCluse, age 39, of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
- Shelby Elizabeth Thompson, age 29, of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
- April Dawn Wentzell, age 36, of Ranson, West Virginia
- Daniel Lee Corbin, Jr., age 35, of Martinsburg, West Virginia
- Kendall Axavier Baker, age 31, of Winchester Virginia
- David Lewis Pennington, Jr., age 20, of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
If you have any information, call 1-877-926-8332 or go to https://www.usmarshals.gov.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
This case was a collaborative investigative effort that includes the Federal Bureau of Investigation (Pittsburgh Field Division, Baltimore Field Division, and Richmond Field Division); the Drug Enforcement Administration; the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations; the United States Postal Inspection Service; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the United States Marshals Service; the Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the West Virginia State Police; the West Virginia Air National Guard; the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office; the Berkeley County Sheriff's Office; Ranson Police Department; Martinsburg Police Department; Charles Town Police Department; the Berkeley County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office; Stafford County Sheriff's Office (Virginia); Frederick County Sheriff's Office (Maryland); Frederick County Sheriff's Office (Virginia); Winchester Police Department; and the Clarke County Sheriff's Office (Virginia).
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
List of defendants: www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/us-v-gary-brown-jr-et-al-defendant-list
View the indictment here:
U.S. v. Brown et al indictmentIndian National Sentenced to 57 Months for Defrauding Scam VictimsRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Rishi Budhadev, age 38, was sentenced yesterday to 57 months of imprisonment for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Budhadev is a citizen of India and has resided in Fredericksburg and Richmond, Virginia during visits to the United States.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Budhadev was found to be responsible at sentencing for over half a million dollars in fraudulent money transfers made to him between October and December 2015. Fraud victims transferred these funds to him through MoneyGram and Western Union wire transfers and through cash deposits to bank accounts that Budhadev opened and controlled.
The government’s investigation determined that Budhadev, working with other unnamed co-conspirators, defrauded victims using common advance-fee mass marketing scams. The government found that Budhadev received nearly 500 MoneyGram money transfers worth over $500,000, including about 300 transfers that he picked up from seven different Walmart stores around the Richmond area. Budhadev also received around 20 Western Union money transfers and over $40,000 in deposits to his bank accounts. The government’s investigation also determined that around 50 people who sent funds to Budhadev subsequently identified themselves to MoneyGram and Western Union as victims of various scams, including investment scams, romance scams, person-in-need scams, internet purchase scams, IRS tax scams, and loan scams. At sentencing, dozens more individuals who sent funds to Budhadev identified themselves as fraud victims.
At the time of his guilty plea, Budhadev admitted to receiving a series of fraudulent MoneyGram money transfers from several individuals he did not know in October 2015. He also admitted to receiving a fraudulent deposit for $9,000 in his checking account from a person he did not know. He admitted to receiving each of these transfers at the request of a coconspirator located in India. In each of these transactions, Budhadev admitted believing that the funds being transmitted to him had very likely been obtained through fraud. He admitted consciously using deliberate efforts to avoid confirming the fraudulent nature of these transactions, despite his concerns that they were fraudulent.
Budhadev admitted to using the proceeds of the fraudulent MoneyGram money transfers to purchase iPhones, which he delivered to the same coconspirator located in India in February 2016. He also admitted to personally withdrawing the $9,000 in cash from his bank account the same day that it was deposited and later delivering the cash to the same coconspirator in India around February 2016.
Budhadev maintained that he was responsible only for the fraudulent activity that he admitted to during his guilty plea. At sentencing, U.S. District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson determined that the evidence showed Budhadev to be responsible for the entire amount of fraudulent activity alleged by the United States, in the amount of $584,276.84.
In addition to the sentence of 57 months, Budhadev was also ordered to pay $62,672.29 in restitution to fraud victims and to serve a period of supervised release of three years following his imprisonment. Budhadev faces potential deportation following his term of imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ravi Romel Sharma prosecuted the case.
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Independence Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Meth Trafficking, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and for illegally possessing eight firearms.
Nicholas G. Gutierrez, 43, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips on Tuesday, Jan. 23, to 15 years in federal prison without parole.
On Aug. 29, 2023, Gutierrez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, and one count of being a felon in possession of firearms.
The U.S. Postal Service interdicted a package destined for Gutierrez’s residence on April 14, 2023. Investigators opened the package and found three bundles of methamphetamine that weighed a total of approximately four kilograms. Investigators made a controlled delivery of the empty box to Gutierrez’s residence.
Agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration executed a search warrant at Gutierrez’s residence on April 19, 2023. Agents found a bag that contained more than a kilogram of methamphetamine on top of a dresser in the master bedroom. A Glock 19 pistol, which had been reported stolen, and additional illegal narcotics were found on the bed in the master bedroom, including several clear plastic bags that contained a total of approximately 440.67 grams of methamphetamine.
Agents forced open a black safe that was in the master bedroom and found an Iver Johnson revolver, a Glock 29, a Glock 17, a Rock Island 1911, a Canik SPX Rival 9mm, a Remington .22-caliber rifle, and a Remington .270-caliber rifle.
Agents also found 9.6 grams of heroin and 46.95 grams of fentanyl at Gutierrez’s residence.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Gutierrez has prior felony convictions for being a drug user in possession of a firearm and for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregg R. Coonrod. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Independence Man Indicted for Illegal Firearm Following Police ChaseRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Mo., man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for illegally possessing a firearm after fleeing from police officers in a stolen pick-up truck.
Duke A. Yates, 35, was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Tuesday, Jan. 23. The federal indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Yates on Dec. 26, 2023.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, Yates was driving a stolen 2007 Ford F350 pick-up truck that had been used in the armed robberies of a Quik Trip and a Walgreen’s, both in Independence, within 10 minutes of each other at about 2:30 a.m. on Dec. 25, 2023. A police officer spotted the vehicle traveling north on E. Pitcher Road near Blue Ridge Cutoff in Independence.
Yates immediately initiated a pursuit that reached speeds over 100 miles per hour. During the pursuit, the affidavit says, the truck failed to stop for posted stop signs and drove over medians. The truck slid onto 23rd Street facing eastbound in the westbound lanes, causing another motorist to drive onto the shoulder to avoid a collision. Yates drove into oncoming traffic and veered at a marked police vehicle that was attempting to deploy stop sticks.
Yates failed to negotiate a turn at 24911 E. Truman Road and went offroad, colliding with a power pole and breaking it at the base. Yates fled on foot, the affidavit says, and resisted arrest while being taken into custody.
Officers searched the stolen truck and found a Glock 9mm semi-automatic handgun on the driver’s floorboard.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Yates has two prior felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance and prior felony convictions for robbery, tampering with a motor vehicle, theft, resisting arrest, property damage, and distributing drugs.
The charge contained in this indictment is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Gibson. It was investigated by the Independence, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Illegal Possession of Firearms Sends Converse Man to PrisonRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Joseph Chad Castillo, 36, of Converse, Louisiana, was sentenced today announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. United States District Judge Donald E. Walter sentenced Castillo to 30 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of firearms.
Information introduced in court revealed that on December 26, 2022, a deputy with the Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office attempted to serve an arrest warrant at a residence in Converse. While the deputy was at the residence, a vehicle drove down the driveway and stopped and the rear seat passenger, later determined to be Castillo, fled into the woods. After a brief pursuit, law enforcement officers stopped and searched the vehicle and found a Remington Model 1100 shotgun and a Remington Model 7600 rifle, as well as Castillo’s cell phone in the backseat. The rifle had an obliterated serial number and Castillo had previously stolen it from a private residence.
Castillo has two prior felony convictions, one for attempted possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in 2018 in Sabine Parish, Louisiana, and another for possession of Schedule II CDS in Desoto Parish in 2017. He knew of his felony convictions and that he was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Castillo pleaded guilty to the charge on August 16, 2023.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Seth D. Reeg.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
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Houston trio arraigned on bank theft chargesRead the Press Release
Christopher Parish, age 41, London B. Beaudoin, age 19, and Leo Smith, age 20, from Houston, Texas, were arraigned on Jan. 18. The defendants are charged with bank theft. Their trial has been set for Mar. 11 before U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson in Cheyenne.
All three defendants were detained at the request of the government and remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This crime is being investigated by the FBI and the case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Forwood.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Case No. 24-CR-06
Houston Woman Sentenced to 30 Months After Pleading Guilty to Conspiring to Traffic 13-Year-Old Female into the New Orleans Area to Perform Commercial Sex ActsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that CHELSE GEE, age 20, from Houston, Texas, was sentenced on January 23, 2024 by United States District Judge Darrel James Papillion to 30 months imprisonment after previously pleading guilty to a one-count bill of information charging her with conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a child under the age of 14, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371 and 1591(a). The charges stem from GEE’S role in recruiting and bringing a thirteen-year-old female from Houston to New Orleans in June 2021 for the purpose of her engaging in commercial sex acts. Upon her release GEE will be placed on supervised release for 3 years, and she must pay a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to court documents, GEE met her co-conspirator, Randi Lewis (a/k/a “Teddy,” a/k/a “Teddy P.”), when she was about sixteen years old. Lewis recruited GEE to engage in commercial sex acts under his direction, and she complied. Lewis also instituted a series of rules GEE was to follow, including how to behave, what to wear, with whom she was allowed to interact (i.e., look at and speak to), and how much she was expected to earn from engaging in daily commercial sex acts. Lewis routinely tracked GEE’S location using a location sharing cellular phone application. Lewis also regularly engaged in sexual acts with GEE and used violence and threats of violence against her.
Together, Lewis and GEE met the victim, who was thirteen years old, in the Houston, Texas area not later than June 21, 2021. GEE recruited the victim to perform commercial sex acts under Lewis’ s direction and introduced the victim to Lewis. Lewis and GEE gave the victim instruction and guidance on the successful performance of commercial sex activities, including ways to behave, what to wear, how to identify and avoid law enforcement, and how to best solicit commercial sex customers. The victim agreed, and Lewis arranged for he, GEE, and the victim to travel to New Orleans on a Greyhound bus for the purpose of his co-conspirator and the victim to engage in commercial sex acts. Between June 22, 2021, and June 24, 2021, GEE and the victim performed multiple commercial sex acts in the New Orleans area. Lewis required the victim to turn over to him most if not all, of the money she earned from commercial sex acts.
Acting at Lewis’s direction, GEE and the victim solicited commercial sex “dates” in several ways. First, they walked along streets soliciting customers. Additionally, Lewis created and caused to be created, an online classified advertisement service, commonly used to market sexual services in exchange for money. Through this online advertising service, Lewis received telephone calls, text messages, and messages via social media applications inquiring about, scheduling, and arranging prostitution dates with his co-conspirator and the victim. Lewis arranged for sexually explicit pictures of the victim to be used in the advertisements. GEE and Lewis also gave the victim illicit and mood-altering drugs, including marijuana, to numb her senses, control her behavior, and/or to encourage her to engage in commercial sex acts. Law enforcement authorities recovered the victim from a hotel in Terrytown, Louisiana, on June 24, 2021.
Lewis was charged for his role in trafficking the victim in November 2022, and he was sentenced in September 2023 to 360 months in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg , Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, was in charge of the prosecution.
Henderson Man Pleads Guilty to Causing Two Overdose Deaths and Faces a Minimum of 20 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Owensboro, KY – Today, a Henderson, Kentucky man pleaded guilty to two counts of distributing fentanyl resulting in death.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Chief Sean L. McKinney of the Henderson Police Department, and Sheriff David Crafton of the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.
According to court documents, Elijah Lovell, 20, pleaded guilty to two counts of distributing fentanyl resulting in death. Between December 27, 2021, and January 31, 2022, Lovell distributed fentanyl that resulted in the death of another person, “J.H.” Additionally, on or about May 5, 2022, Lovell distributed fentanyl that resulted in the death of another person, “C.G.”
Lovell is scheduled to be sentenced on April 17, 2024. He faces a minimum sentence of 20 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The Henderson Police Department and Henderson County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Dahl is prosecuting the case.
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Hardin felon sentenced to three years in prison for illegal possession of firearmRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Hardin felon who illegally possessed firearms and used them to kill eagles and sell their parts for profit was sentenced today to three years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Harvey Alvin Hugs, 60, pleaded guilty in September 2023 to felon in possession of firearms.
Hugs’ sentence is to run concurrently to a three-year prison sentence he received in U.S. District Court in South Dakota for conviction of violating the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act because his crimes there were deemed as relevant conduct to his firearms offense.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Hugs was prohibited from possessing firearms because he was convicted in 2002 of felony involuntary manslaughter in U.S. District Court in Montana and was sentenced in 2014 for two separate state felony convictions in Big Horn County. Hugs illegally possessed firearms and used them to kill eagles and sell their parts for profit. Hugs engaged in this conduct for more than a year and sold multiple eagle parts to the same informant. When law enforcement executed a search warrant of Hugs’ property in March 2021, officers recovered ammunition in his home; a loaded rifle, spent shells, ammunition and eagle parts in his white Chevrolet Silverado; and another rifle, two boxes of ammunition, spent shells and eagle feathers in his red Chevrolet Silverado. The investigation recovered body parts from 21 different eagles.
Hugs was charged and convicted in a jury trial in U.S. District Court in South Dakota on three counts of violating the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act for the sale and shipment of eagle parts to the informant. Hugs was sentenced to one year in prison on each count, to run consecutively, and ordered to pay $70,000 restitution. Hugs has appealed the restitution.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Karla E. Painter prosecuted the case. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives 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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Halifax County Man Sentenced to More than Eight Years on Federal Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Halifax County man was sentenced to 100 months in prison for trafficking methamphetamine. On October 16, 2023, Taj’ma De’yong Ussery, also known as “Pop Off,” was convicted by a federal jury.
“Drug traffickers are pushing dangerous and illegal drugs in vulnerable communities, driving up rates of addiction and overdose,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “We are partnering with law enforcement to stop this cycle by investigating and prosecuting those supplying the narcotics. This conviction is a result of our strong partnership with local law enforcement, who are working tirelessly to keep their communities safe.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Ussery, age 26, distributed five grams or more of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance on December 21, 2022. The sale was a hand-to-hand transaction with a confidential informant. Ussery was identified as a regular dealer of fentanyl and methamphetamine in the community who worked within a network of others to distribute drugs throughout Halifax County. This indictment resulted as part of a larger effort to combat drug and gang-related violence in Halifax County North Carolina and was the result of coordination between the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the United States Attorney’s Office.
“I want to thank our dedicated drug agents along with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their hard work on this case,” said Halifax County Sheriff Tyree Davis. “A sentence like this sends a strong message to those in our community who would engage in dealing dangerous drugs. We will hold you accountable and seek justice.”
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. Halifax County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Agency investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashley Foxx and Phil Aubart 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.4:23-cr-00034-BO-RJ-1.
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Gun Possession and High-Speed Chase Results in Decade Long Prison SentenceRead the Press Release
A man who had domestic abuse convictions and was found on three occasions with different firearms in Cedar Rapids was sentenced January 23, 2024, to ten years in federal prison.
Colby Lakeith Shannon, Jr., age 26, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 10, 2023, guilty plea to three counts of possession a firearm by a person with a prior domestic abuse conviction.
In a plea agreement, Shannon admitted that, on July 15, 2022, he was at a gathering where firearms were discharged. When Cedar Rapids police officers responded, they recovered a stolen .45 caliber handgun from a vehicle that was linked to Shannon by DNA testing. This firearm had previously been reported stolen. The next day, July 16, 2022, Shannon fled from the police in a high-speed chase through a Cedar Rapids residential neighborhood. When officers found Shannon’s abandoned vehicle, they found a firearm with an obliterated serial number and marijuana. On October 30, 2022, Cedar Rapids police officers responded to an alarm at a business in downtown Cedar Rapids. They found Shannon passed out in a running vehicle behind the business. When they removed him from the vehicle, they found another stolen firearm in the vehicle.
Shannon was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Shannon was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Shannon is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Reinert and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Safe Streets Task Force. The task force is composed of representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cedar Rapids Police Department’s Police Community Action Team.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-00012.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Guatemalan Man Sentenced for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Guatemalan man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
Marcelino De Leon Yoc, a/k/a “Eric Pineda Hernandez,” 32, was sentenced by U. S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to time served (approximately five months) and one year of supervised release. In October 2023, Yoc pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien.
According to the charging documents, De Leon Yoc was removed from the United States on May 12, 2018. De Leon Yoc unlawfully reentered the United States sometime after his May 2018 removal. On Aug. 24, 2023, De Leon Yoc was arrested by immigration authorities in Lynn, Mass.
According to court filings, De Leon Yoc is also facing charges in Suffolk County Superior Court for aggravated rape of a child, indecent assault and battery on a person over 14 and trafficking of a person for sexual servitude.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Reynolds III of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Georgia Woman Sentenced for COVID-19 Era Paycheck Protection Program Loan FraudRead the Press Release
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA – Today, Acting United States Attorney Jonathan S. Ross announced the sentencing of a LaGrange, Georgia woman following her conviction on bank fraud charges related to loans she received through the Paycheck Protection Program. On January 18, 2024, a federal judge sentenced 53-year-old Pamela Denise Williams to 33 months in prison. The judge also ordered that Williams serve five years of supervised release following her prison term. Federal inmates are not eligible for parole.
According to her plea agreement and other court records, on May 26, 2021, Williams applied for a Paycheck Protection Program loan from a credit union located in Chambers County, Alabama. When she did so, she put false information on the application making herself eligible to receive a larger loan amount. The Paycheck Protection Program was authorized by the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In her plea agreement, Williams specifically admitted that she “knowingly and fraudulently” overstated her business’s income. Additionally, in her application Williams falsely represented that the loan proceeds would be used for approved purposes, such as payroll. However, Williams admitted to diverting the funds for unallowed purposes. In addition to her prison sentence, the judge also ordered Williams to forfeit $121,000 and pay a $15,000 fine. The total intended loss amount from Williams’ fraud exceeded $1,500,000. A hearing will be set in the coming months to determine the amount of restitution owed by Williams based on actual losses to the financial institutions.
On May 17, 2021, the United States Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus and https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus/combatingfraud.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The United States Secret Service investigated this case, which Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric M. Counts, Joel Feil, and Michelle R. Turner prosecuted.
Fort Myers Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing Loaded FirearmRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Jonnetric Devonte Ivey (30, Fort Myers) today pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. Ivey faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, on March 22, 2023, Ivey was stopped by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office for a traffic stop. Ivey made a throwing motion prior to complying with the deputy’s demands. In the same area of the throwing motion, deputies located a loaded Taurus pistol. DNA evidence later linked Ivey to the loaded pistol. At the time, Ivey was a convicted felon and is therefore prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. Ivey agreed to forfeit the loaded pistol as a part of the plea agreement.
This case was investigated by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and 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.
Former Professional Basketball Player Accused of Pandemic Loan FraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A former professional basketball player has been arrested in Missouri after an indictment accused him of fraudulently obtaining pandemic relief funds.
Lorenzo Gordon, 40, of Chesterfield, Missouri, was indicted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis January 17 on three counts of wire fraud and one count of theft of government money. He pleaded not guilty to the charges Wednesday.
The indictment alleges that Gordon fraudulently applied for loans from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program, which were intended to help businesses and their employees during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The indictment says Gordon applied for an EIDL loan for Logo Fitness LLC on June 19, 2020, falsely claiming the company had gross revenues of $96,475 in the 12 months prior to the COVID pandemic. He received a $9,000 advance and a loan of $39,200, the indictment says. On June 22, 2020, Gordon applied for an EIDL loan for Elite 50 Basketball Training LLC, falsely claiming gross revenues of $234,656 in the 12 months prior to the pandemic, the indictment says, and resulting in a $10,000 advance and a $107,300 loan. Both companies were only formed in 2020, the indictment says.
The indictment also says that Gordon applied for a PPP loan on April 16, 2021, falsely stating he was sole proprietor of Lorenzo Gordon, janitorial services. Gordon received a $20,832 loan.
Each wire fraud charge is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. The theft charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and the same fine.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The Internal Revenue Service and the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Klocke is prosecuting the case.
Former Physician is Sentenced to 30 Months after Conviction for Diverting Prescription OpioidsRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A former San Antonio doctor was sentenced in federal court yesterday to 30 months in prison for conspiring with others to dispense controlled substances without a legitimate medical purpose.
According to court documents, Paul Silva, 48, admitted that he unlawfully and fraudulently issued more than 500 prescriptions for more than 40,000 dosage units of controlled substances, primarily opioids, in the names of living and deceased family members, former patients and others, after his medical license expired and then was suspended. Co-conspirators picked up the prescription medications and distributed them to unknown individuals and not to legitimate patients of the doctor.
Silva’s co-defendants Denton Thomas, 38, and Nicholas Klumpp, 32, both of San Antonio, pleaded guilty earlier. Thomas pleaded guilty to one count of dispensing and possession with intent to dispense a controlled substance without lawful medical purpose and aiding and abetting. He is scheduled for sentencing in April 2024. Klumpp pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to dispense and to possess with intent to dispense and distribute controlled substances without lawful medical purpose and one count of dispensing and possession with intent to dispense a controlled substance without lawful medical purpose and aiding and abetting. On September 25, 2023, Klumpp was sentenced to 27 months on both counts to run concurrently.
“The nonmedical use of opioids and opioid addiction has become a nationwide epidemic. Overdose deaths in this country have eclipsed automobile deaths as the leading cause of death. By dispensing opioids and other controlled substances that were meant for legitimate medical treatment and working to have them distributed on the streets for profit, Silva has contributed to this epidemic and endangered many lives,” said. United States Attorney Jaime Esparza. “My office will continue to work closely with the Drug Enforcement Administration and other law enforcement agencies to attempt to slow this epidemic by going after physicians and others who divert prescription drugs from their legitimate medical purpose to the streets.”
“Despite losing his medical privileges in the State of Texas, Silva continued to prescribe hundreds of highly addictive prescription pills to himself and fictitious patients, further fueling the opioid problem facing our country," said DEA Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the Houston Division. “Our collaborative efforts will continue to hold those who hurt our communities by defrauding the system accountable.”
DEA investigated the case.
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Former Pharmaceutical Executive Pleads Guilty to Falsifying Financial DocumentationRead the Press Release
DETROIT - A Northville man pleaded guilty today to providing a financial institution with false documentation in connection with a bank loan, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Field Division
Theodore Toloff, 65, entered his guilty plea today before United States District Judge David M. Lawson.
According to court records, Toloff served as the Chief Financial Officer of the Frank W. Kerr Company (“Kerr”), a now-defunct pharmaceutical wholesaler that had been based in Novi, Michigan. Kerr had a revolving credit agreement with two large financial institutions under which the company borrowed funds up to $60 million pursuant to a calculation dependent on the company’s eligible accounts receivable and inventory. Toloff admitted that he submitted false documentation to the financial institutions that included $18 million in ineligible accounts receivable and that Kerr borrowed additional funds after this false documentation was submitted.
“Today’s guilty plea reflects my office’s continued commitment to ensuring that our banking and lending systems are not distorted through false financial information,” stated United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
“The defendant admitted to providing false documents to a financial institution, undermining the law and integrity of our financial systems, said Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of the FBI in Michigan. "The FBI works tirelessly with our partner law enforcement and regulatory agencies to investigate those who commit financial crimes. We urge the public to submit tips on alleged crimes such as those detailed in this case to 1-800-CALLFBI (1-800-225-5324) or online at www.tips.fbi.gov."
Toloff faces a statutory maximum penalty of 30 years imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew J. Yahkind. The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of investigation.
Former Munhall Resident Indicted on Narcotics and Firearm ViolationsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – On January 23, 2024, a former resident of Munhall, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal narcotics and firearm laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
The three-count Indictment named Benjamin Sabo, 35, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on October 4, 2023, Sabo possessed with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl. Additionally, Sabo possessed a firearm and ammunition in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime as a convicted felon. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than five years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $8 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Katherine C. Jordan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the City of Pittsburgh Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Former Monroeville Resident Indicted on Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act ViolationRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A former resident of Monroeville, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on January 23, 2024, on a charge of violating the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
The one-count Indictment named John I. Park, 67, who formerly resided and practiced medicine in the Western District of Pennsylvania and currently resides in San Gabriel, California, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, from an unknown date until July 10, 2019, Park—who was a licensed and practicing physician in the Western District of Pennsylvania at that time—sold and administered nerve block injections to patients at his medical practice in Scottdale, Pennsylvania, which he had mixed and placed into syringes under unsanitary conditions at his Monroeville residence.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to one year in prison, a fine of not more than $100,000, 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 Robert S. Cessar is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, and U.S. Food and Drug Administration conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Former Employee of Medical Device Manufacturer Sentenced for Forging Two FDA Letters that Led to Illegal Sale of Medical DevicesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that a federal judge sentenced a Philadelphia-area man to prison yesterday for his role in distributing medical devices without U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance.
Peter Stoll III, 35, pleaded guilty last year to one felony count of violating the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) by causing the introduction of misbranded and adulterated medical devices into interstate commerce. U.S. District Judge Joseph F. Leeson sentenced Stoll to 12 months in prison and one year of supervised release.
According to court documents, Stoll was a regulatory affairs specialist at a medical device manufacturer located in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and was responsible for making submissions to the FDA that were required before the company could sell its medical devices. In pleading guilty, Stoll admitted that in 2017, he created two false letters that purported to show that FDA had granted clearance to sell two different medical devices. As a result, the company illegally sold tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of medical devices throughout the United States.
According to court documents, Stoll was responsible for shepherding two of the company’s devices through the FDA’s 510(k) clearance process: the ELAN-4 Air Drill, a high-speed surgical drill used for bone cutting, sawing and drilling, and the JS Series SterilContainer S2, a reusable sterilization container for medical instruments. Stoll admitted that he never submitted any 510(k) documents to FDA regarding either device. Instead, Stoll created a fraudulent letter using FDA letterhead and bearing the forged digital signature of an FDA official that falsely stated that FDA had cleared the ELAN-4 Air to be marketed. Stoll later created another, similarly fraudulent letter on FDA letterhead for the SterilContainer JS Series medical device.
“Individuals who subvert the FDA clearance process for medical devices put patients’ lives at risk,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department will work with its law enforcement partners to prosecute individuals who falsify documents and violate the law.”
“The FDA’s checks and balances exist for one reason: to protect the public,” said U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “One of the medical devices illegally sold in this case is meant to be used in invasive surgeries; the other, to sterilize instruments, preventing infection or contamination. Evading the prescribed FDA clearance process can literally be a matter of life and death, which is why we take these cases so seriously and work to hold perpetrators responsible for their actions.”
“The FDA must be notified and given the opportunity to clear certain medical devices before they are distributed into interstate commerce,” said Assistant Commissioner for Criminal Investigations Justin D. Green of the FDA. “A medical device distributed without FDA clearance can put patients at risk. Our office will aggressively pursue those who place patients at risk by failing to follow the law. The FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations (OCI) protects the American public by rigorously investigating allegations involving FDA-regulated products and violations of the FDCA. In this case, OCI worked with the Justice Department to ensure a just resolution, and we applaud the exceptional work done by the team.”
FDA’s OCI investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Max Goldman and Assistant Director Ross S. Goldstein of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney and Health Care and Government Fraud Chief Mary Mary Beth Leahy for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.
Fentanyl dealer operating in Medina and Rochester going to prison for 10 yearsRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Ebony Shine, 37, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Marangola, who handled the case, stated that Shine was arrested on November 15, 2022, after investigators executed federal search warrants at her residence on Post Avenue in Rochester and several other locations. During the search of Shine’s residence, approximately $4,506.00 in U.S. currency, drug paraphernalia, three firearms, and over 100 rounds of ammunition, were recovered. On 12 occasions between October 2021, and November 15, 2022, at locations in Medina and Rochester, Shine sold over 440 grams of fentanyl, 119 grams of cocaine, and a 9mm pistol to an individual working with law enforcement. Shine supervised the distribution of quantities of fentanyl by her sons and co-conspirators, Emmanual Taylor, and Nasir Shine. Taylor and Nasir Shine were previously convicted and are awaiting sentencing.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force, under the direction of the Orleans County District Attorney’s Office and District Attorney Joseph Cardone, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino, the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division, the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Christopher Bourke, the Medina Police Department, under the direction of Chief Todd Draper, the Niagara County Drug Task Force, under the direction of Sheriff Michael Filicetti, and the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith.
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Federal Jury Convicts San Felipe Man of Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that on Jan. 23, 2024, a federal jury returned two guilty verdicts against Kyle Aguilar, 41, of San Felipe and an enrolled member of the San Felipe Pueblo, after four hours of deliberation. The jury convicted Aguilar of two counts of abusive sexual contact. Judge James O. Browning presided.
A federal grand jury issued a superseding indictment against Aguilar on Oct. 4, 2023. According to evidence presented at trial and other publicly available court records, between Aug. 13, 2016, and Feb. 13, 2017, when Aguilar was drunk, he touched Jane Doe’s genitalia and breasts over her clothing. Jane Doe locked herself in a room to watch a movie. Aguilar unlocked the door and came into the room. He started to massage Jane Doe's back, before he touched her breasts and genitals over the clothes. Jane Doe stated she froze when this happened as it had never happened before. She then claimed she heard her sister calling for her and left the room. Jane Doe was between the ages of 12 and 16 when this happened. The incidents came to light during a visit to the doctor in February of 2017, when Jane Doe told her doctor that Aguilar had inappropriately touched her on more than one occasion when he was drunk.
Aguilar will remain on conditions of release pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. At sentencing, Aguilar faces up to four years in prison.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicholas J. Marshall and Mia Ulibarri-Rubin are prosecuting the case.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Louisville Man for Carjacking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, returned an indictment on November 7, 2023, charging a local man with carjacking, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Nashville, Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office, and Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Octavius Long, 46, was charged with carjacking, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, all of which occurred on May 8, 2023. Long was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses.
On February 16, 2016, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Long was convicted of possession of a controlled substance, second offense.
On May 22, 2014, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Long was convicted of trafficking in a controlled substance in the first degree, less than 4 grams of cocaine, and possession of a controlled substance in the first degree, cocaine.
On August 29, 2003, in Grant Circuit Court, Long was convicted of assault in the third degree, corrections officer.
On November 2, 2000, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Long was convicted of possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, and possession of a controlled substance, cocaine.
On June 16, 1999, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Long was convicted of escape in the second degree.
On January 24, 2024, Long made an initial court appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. He remains in federal custody pending trial. If convicted, he faces a minimum sentence of 7 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the LMPD, HSI, and the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua R. Porter is prosecuting this case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Farrell Resident Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Farrell, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to drug trafficking and firearm violations, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Dimetrius Morris, 39, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Robert J. Colville.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that, on February 20, 2020, Morris possessed with the intent to distribute cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine, as well as a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on that date.
Judge Colville scheduled sentencing for May 22, 2024. For the drug trafficking charge, the law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 20 years in prison, a fine of not more than $1,000,000, or both. For the firearms offense, the maximum penalty is not less than five years in prison and up to life, a fine of not more than $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Sharon Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Farrell Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation leading to the prosecution of Morris. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
FBI’s ‘Most Wanted Fugitive’ Sentenced for Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm.
Cory T. Brown, 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 10 years in federal prison without parole, the statutory maximum penalty.
On March 30, 2023, Brown was convicted at trial of one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Evidence introduced during the trial indicated that Brown was in possession of a Glock 10mm semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine on Oct. 14, 2021. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Brown has prior felony convictions for carrying a concealed weapon and resisting a lawful stop.
Brown, who was on the FBI’s Most Wanted Fugitive List, was at the residence of co-defendant Myron A. McMillian, 32, of Independence, Mo., on Oct. 14, 2021. Brown had been indicted in a drug-trafficking conspiracy and was a fugitive for two years. (He was later acquitted of the conspiracy charge at trial.)
FBI agents were conducting surveillance of the apartment complex, and several tactical teams approached the apartment building that evening. Before officers could announce their presence, McMillian and two other people ran from the rear door of the apartment. Brown, wearing a red balaclava pulled over his face with only his eyes visible, was arrested near the back door of the apartment. Brown had $11,072 in cash in his pocket and identity documents with his photo but another person’s name. Officers later searched the silver 2021 Mercedes they had seen Brown driving and found a black Louis Vuitton backpack that contained $5,000 in cash.
Officers executed a search warrant at McMillian’s apartment, where they found eight firearms, approximately 3.5 kilograms of marijuana, and $3,188 in cash.
On the kitchen counter, officers found a Smith & Wesson .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol, a Glock 10mm semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine, a Smith & Wesson .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol, and marijuana. Officers also found an Anderson Arms AM-15 .556-caliber firearm and a Romarm Cugir Draco 7.62x39mm pistol in the kitchen area. DNA evidence indicated the Glock pistol had been in Brown’s possession.
In McMillian’s bedroom, officers found a backpack that contained marijuana and approximately $800 in cash. Officers also found a duffel bag that contained approximately 2.5 kilograms of marijuana. Under the mattress of the bed, they found a Smith and Wesson .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol. On the dresser, investigators found marijuana and approximately $1,580 in cash. In a dresser drawer, they found marijuana and approximately $800 in cash.
Officers found a New Frontier Armory .223-caliber rifle in the main living room area, on the floor near the fireplace, an FNH 5.7mm semi-automatic pistol on the arm of the couch, and a Glock .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol on a shelf.
McMillian pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing marijuana with the intent to distribute and was sentenced on Sept. 8, 2023, to 14 months in federal prison without parole.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashleigh A. Ragner and Robert M. Smith. It was investigated by the FBI, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, and the Independence, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Essex County Tax Preparer Admits $4.4 Million Conspiracy to Defraud IRSRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, tax preparer admitted that he conspired to obtain over $4.4 million by defrauding the IRS, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Omar Khater, 33, of Fairfield, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti in Newark federal court on Jan. 23, 2024, to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to defraud the IRS. Khater’s conspirator, Walid Khater, 38, of Arizona, is charged by complaint and his case remains pending.
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger“This defendant has admitted his role in an elaborate scheme that used stolen personal identifying information and fabricated tax returns to bilk the IRS of millions of dollars. Working with our law enforcement partners, we will root out these illegal and dangerous schemes, and those who perpetrate them can expect the same result as Omar Khater.”
“With this year’s filing just around the corner, today’s plea is a stark reminder as to how valuable your personally identifiable information is to criminals and how important it is to safeguard the information,” Tammy Tomlins, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Newark Field Office, said. “Along with our law enforcement partners, we will vigorously pursue individuals who steal other people’s identities to enrich themselves through the filing of fraudulent tax returns.”
“Khater is now admitting he worked with others to falsely file returns based on stolen identities and pocketed the refunds,” FBI – Newark Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy said. “We trust tax preparers with a tremendous amount of vital information about our lives, and when they use it to break the law it's unsettling to say the least. Khater fleeced the IRS out of millions of dollars, but he's the one now paying for his fraud.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Omar and Walid Khater were relatives who worked together and with others to steal victims’ identities, which they used to file false tax returns and fraudulently receive tax refunds from the IRS. They electronically submitted tax documents to the IRS falsely claiming that the individual taxpayers listed on those documents had earned certain income or won thousands – and in some cases millions – of dollars in gambling and lottery winnings. The false filings also claimed tax withholdings on the purported income or gambling winnings that entitled the tax filer to refund payments from the IRS. The Khaters and others typically submitted these fraudulent tax filings using the names and personal identifying information of victims without the victims’ knowledge or permission. The fraudulent filings caused the IRS to pay lucrative tax refunds, which the Khaters and others directed to various bank accounts that they controlled. This scheme caused the U.S. Treasury to issue tax refunds $4.49 million, which the Khaters and others diverted to bank accounts they controlled in New Jersey and elsewhere.
The count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud is punishable by a maximum of 20 years in prison and the count of conspiracy to defraud the IRS is punishable by a maximum of five years in prison is punishable by a maximum of five years in prison. Both counts are also punishable by a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross loss or gain caused by the offense, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for June 12, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins in Newark; and special agents of FBI-Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy, with the investigation leading to today’s plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Fatime Meka Cano of the Economic Crimes Unit and Katherine M. Romano of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations against Walid Khater are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
khater.information.pdfDrug Traffickers Sentenced to Combined 21 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Three defendants have been sentenced to a combined 21 years in federal prison for their roles in a drug trafficking conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Brian Daniel Ramirez, 45, Rodney Leon Dunn, 63, and Robby Layne Dunn, 62, were indicted for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance in August of 2023. In October of 2023, Mr. Ramirez, Mr. Rodney Dunn, and Mr. Robby Dunn plead guilty to one count each of Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
On January 18, 2024, U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman sentenced Mr. Ramirez to 14 years in federal prison; Mr. Rodney Dunn to 4.5 years in federal prison, and Mr. Robby Dunn to 2.5 years in federal prison.
According to court documents, the investigation began in June of 2023 when Hood County Sheriff’s Office Street Crimes Unit (HSCO SCU) began investigating the methamphetamine trafficking activities of the Brian Ramirez Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO).
HCSO SCU deployed numerous investigative techniques and identified a suspected drug stash location in Granbury, Texas operated by Mr. Ramirez. The investigation resulted in the seizure of approximately 1 kilogram of crystal methamphetamine, approximately 3 ounces of cocaine, and the arrests of Mr. Ramirez, Mr. Robby Dunn, and Mr. Rodney Dunn for their roles in the Ramirez DTO.
The DEA Fort Worth with the assistance of the Hood County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn Smith prosecuted the case.
District Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Distributing Fentanyl That Killed Two PeopleRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Sheldon Marbley, 44, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 20 years in prison on five felony counts for running a drug trafficking operation in the Southwest section of the District that caused the deaths of two people and caused serious bodily injury to another two people.
In his plea agreement, Marbley acknowledged to the Court that he caused at least 13 opioid overdoses, two of which resulted in deaths, in January 2022, near the area of First and O Streets near Nationals Park in Southwest Washington D.C.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Jarod A. Forget of the Washington Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
“Fentanyl trafficking kills,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “This defendant sold a dangerous poison that caused the deaths of two victims and the near-fatal overdoses of more than 10 others. He then knowingly continued to sell this poison to others. This 20-year sentence not only sends a message to other drug peddlers, it puts a full stop to this trafficker’s career.”
“The DEA and the Metropolitan Police Department will continue to work side by side with the United States Attorney’s Office to hold criminals like Mr. Marbley accountable for pushing dangerous poisons like fentanyl throughout our area,” said SAC Forget of the DEA. “Today’s sentence sends a clear message to criminals who have no regard for human lives in our communities.”
According to evidence presented in court, Marbley sold narcotics to L.L., 69, and G.H., 72, both of whom subsequently died from consuming the fentanyl and cocaine that Marbley provided. Marbley also admitted that he distributed narcotics to another male and female, and that they suffered serious bodily injury as a result of consuming the fentanyl and cocaine that Marbley provided.
Marbley pleaded guilty in the District of Columbia on May 23, 2023, to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, two counts of unlawful distribution of fentanyl and cocaine resulting in serious bodily injury, and two counts of unlawful distribution of fentanyl and cocaine resulting in death.
As part of his plea agreement, Marbley acknowledged that on the morning of January 28, 2022, and in the days thereafter, Emergency Medical Service (EMS) and MPD officers responded to at least 13 fatal and non-fatal opioid overdoses located near the area of First and O Streets, SW. Marbley admitted that, on that morning, he had distributed fentanyl and cocaine from the driver’s seat of a Mazda sedan in Southwest. Closed-circuit video footage captured that morning depicts numerous individuals approaching the front driver’s side of the Mazda and appearing to engage in narcotics purchases.
Despite being aware of the mass overdose event on January 28, 2022, Marbley then went to stay at the residence of another drug user and customer, where he continued to sell narcotics until he was arrested on March 23, 2022.
In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Christopher R. Cooper ordered Marbley to serve three years of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the DEA Washington Division and the MPD. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah J. Rasalam and Assistant U.S. Attorney David T. Henek of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Andy Wang.
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District Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Sexually Abusing Four Middle-School Aged ChildrenRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Luis Quevedo, 20, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 12 years in prison term for sexually abusing four middle school aged girls over an eight month period, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves announced.
On August 21, 2023, the defendant pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to one count of first degree child sexual abuse and three counts of second degree child sexual abuse – one count related to each of the defendant’s four victims. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for an agreed-upon prison term of seven and half to 15 years in prison. The Honorable Maribeth Raffinan accepted the plea and sentenced the defendant to a 12-year prison term. The court also ordered the defendant to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life and to complete five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, between August 2022 and April 2023, the defendant engaged in a pattern of behavior wherein he contacted middle school aged girls—strangers to him—via social media with the intention of luring them to his house to engage in sexual intercourse. During that period of time, the defendant, who was 18 to 19 years old, had sexual intercourse with at least four such girls, each between 12 and 13 years of age.
The defendant was arrested on April 6, 2023, and has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Youth and Family Services Division and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocates Maria Garcia-Sanchez, Forensic Interviewer Tracy Owusu, Paralegal Specialist Brenda Williams, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Platt and Sarah Roessler, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services Issue Letter to State Medicaid Administrators Urging Coverage for Life-Saving Hepatitis C MedicationsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a joint letter to state Medicaid administrators urging them to ensure, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), that their Medicaid programs allow people who have both Hepatitis C (HCV) and substance use disorder (SUD) to access life-saving HCV medications called direct-acting antivirals (DAAs).
More than two million adults in the United States have HCV, which can result in a range of serious health conditions including liver disease, liver cancer and death. However, highly effective DAA medications cure HCV in more than 95% of cases.
“Medicaid recipients with substance use disorders are entitled to the same access as others to a cure for Hepatitis C,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This letter reminds state Medicaid administrators that they have an obligation to ensure their programs are in compliance with federal civil rights law. The Justice Department stands ready to enforce the ADA in order to eliminate unnecessary barriers that stand in the way of equal access to health care.”
The letter highlights a settlement agreement between the Justice Department and Alabama’s Medicaid Agency (Alabama Medicaid) to address a policy that denied Medicaid coverage for DAAs to patients who had consumed any alcohol or illicit drugs within the six months prior to starting treatment. Alabama Medicaid’s policy meant that people with HCV and SUD, who also had evidence of recent use of alcohol and/or illicit drugs, were denied potentially life-saving medication. Following the initiation of an investigation by the department, Alabama Medicaid withdrew this policy and entered into an agreement to secure Medicaid coverage for such patients going forward.
The letter explains that both the Justice Department and HHS enforce the ADA with respect to state Medicaid programs. The ADA requires that states, in administering their Medicaid programs, provide individuals with disabilities, including SUD, equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from a state’s Medicaid program. The letter urges all state Medicaid administrators to review their current and forthcoming policies and practices, including those on HCV treatment, to determine if any changes are necessary to comply with the ADA.
For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt. For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (TTY 833-610-1264) or visit www.ada.gov. ADA complaints may be filed online at www.civilrights.justice.gov/report.
Dark Web Vendor Sentenced to Eighteen Months in Prison for Distributing Methamphetamine-Pressed Adderall PillsRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Tony Tan was sentenced to serve 18 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in connection with his sale of counterfeit Adderall pills pressed with methamphetamine on the dark web, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey; Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), San Francisco Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Brian M. Clark; San Francisco Division Postal Inspector in Charge Rafael Nuñez; and IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Oakland Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Mosley. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. Richard Seeborg, Chief United States District Judge.
Tan, 28, of San Francisco, pleaded guilty to the charge in May 2023. According to his plea agreement, Tan admitted that he operated a dark web vendor site, Adderall123, through which he sold counterfeit Adderall pills that were laced with methamphetamine. Tan admitted the counterfeit Adderall pills were created and stamped in such a way as to mirror legitimate Adderall pills; specifically, they were orange, circular, and pressed with the letters “dp” and the number “30.” Tan sold the drugs to buyers located throughout the United States. Over the years, Tan operated Adderall123 on numerous dark web marketplaces, including Empire, ASAP, White House Market and Torrez. During this time, Tan executed thousands of sales of the counterfeit Adderall pills in various quantities.
Tan’s plea agreement contains additional details of his drug distribution operation. For example, the plea agreement describes how Tan distributed the counterfeit Adderall pills using the United States Postal Service by mailing the drugs in smell-proof bags contained within Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelopes. In addition, the plea agreement describes how Tan recruited others to assist with packaging and mailing the drugs. Further, Tan wrote fake sender names and addresses on the packages and paid postage in cash, all in hopes of thwarting law enforcement efforts to find the sender of the illicit packages. Also, Tan accepted payment for the counterfeit pills in cryptocurrency, which has privacy features that help users anonymize their transaction activity.
On November 12, 2021, federal agents seized two packages mailed by Tan that contained over 640 methamphetamine-pressed Adderall pills—approximately 11.35 grams of actual methamphetamine. On March 29, 2023, Tan was charged by Information with one count of possession with intent to distribute 5 grams and more of methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B)(viii). He pleaded guilty to the charge.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Seeborg ordered Tan to forfeit $17,744 in U.S. currency as well as the cryptocurrency (Ethereum, Bitcoin, and Litecoin) seized from his accounts. Judge Seeborg also ordered Tan to serve three years of supervised release, to begin after his prison term. Judge Seeborg ordered Tan to self-surrender on April 2, 2024, to begin serving his prison term.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristina Green is prosecuting the case, with assistance from Pat Mahoney. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the DEA, CI, and USPIS.
Danbury Man Charged with Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Danbury Police Chief Patrick Ridenhour today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment yesterday charging ENRIQUE PAULO PUCHA-JIMENEZ, 33, of Danbury, with child exploitation offenses.
As alleged in the indictment, on multiple occasions between February 2020 and August 2023, Pucha-Jimenez sexually abused a girl (“the victim”) who was between the approximate ages of nine and 12. He also used his cell phone to take photographs and videos of his sexual abuse of the victim.
On August 16, 2023, Danbury Police arrested Pucha-Jimenez on state sexual assault and risk of injury offenses. He has been detained since his arrest, and his state charges are pending.
The indictment charges Pucha-Jimenez with production of child pornography, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years, and with possession of child pornography, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Danbury Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Cummings with the assistance of the Office of the State’s Attorney for the Judicial District of Danbury.
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.
Cousins sentenced to federal prison for roles in Treutlen County drug trafficking operationRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: Two cousins have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in operating a crack cocaine distribution network in Treutlen County.
Kenyatte Harden, 39, of Soperton, Ga., was sentenced to 87 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, and Cody Harden, 35, of Soperton, Ga., was sentenced to 48 months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Crack Cocaine, Cocaine, and Marijuana, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge Dudley H. Bowen also fined Kenyatte Harden $2,500 and Cody Harden $1,500, and ordered each defendant to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of their prison terms.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“Local and federal law enforcement agencies identified and disrupted an organization that was distributing illegal drugs throughout the Soperton, Ga., area,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “Our office is committed to assist communities of all sizes in shutting down criminal enterprises and keeping their citizens safe.”
As described in court documents and testimony, investigators from the Treutlen County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration began targeting the Hardens’ drug trafficking operation in early 2021, culminating in the arrests and indictments of both men and their 14 co-conspirators in October 2022. These cases have now been fully adjudicated with the Hardens’ sentencings.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Treutlen County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Jeff Davis County Sheriff’s Office and other agencies, and prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys John P. Harper III and L. Alexander Hamner.
Corpus man on supervision for firearms charge imprisoned for drug stash found at homeRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 36-year-old man has been sentenced for possession with intent to distribute meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Phil Cuellar III aka Tex pleaded guilty Aug. 7, 2023.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now sentenced him to 168 months in federal prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Cuellar had been on supervised release for a previous felon in possession of a firearm charge at the time of his drug arrest. As such, the court ordered him to serve an additional 20 months in federal prison, 10 months to be served concurrently and 10 months to be served consecutively for a total 178-month-term of imprisonment.
During the hearing, the court heard additional evidence regarding Cuellar’s criminal history including Cuellar’s gang membership in Tango Blast, two prior felony drug possession convictions involving intent to deliver, evading arrest in a vehicle and felon in possession of a firearm.
The investigation began after Cuellar attempted to sell narcotics after reaching out to someone on social media.
On May 24, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Cuellar’s residence. During the search, they found 389 grams of meth, over 27 grams of heroin, cocaine, marijuana, THC cartridges, almost $20,000 in cash and a loaded firearm that had been reported stolen.
Cuellar will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, FBI, Corpus Christi Police Department’s Gang Unit and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Barbara J. De Pena and Brittany Jensen prosecuted the case.
Corinna Counselor Ordered to Pay MaineCare $13,087.62 for Submitting Bogus Treatment RecordsRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Corinna woman was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Bangor today for false statements involving a health care benefit program.
U.S. District Judge John A Woodcock, Jr. ordered April McKinney, known professionally as April Taylor, 47, to pay $13,087.62 in restitution to the Maine Department of Health & Human Services (ME/DHHS). ME/DHHS administers the MaineCare program. McKinney was also sentenced to three years of probation and fined $2,500. She pleaded guilty on August 15, 2023.
According to court records, between April and December 2020, McKinney falsified appointment details and session notes in therapy service records. She used the falsified records to bill and receive funds from MaineCare. MaineCare is funded primarily by the federal government, which pays approximately two-thirds of all reimbursed claims. McKinney’s submission of falsified information led to the misuse of taxpayer dollars through reimbursements higher than warranted by any actual patient care given. She surrendered her counseling license on January 22, 2024, through a consent agreement.
The FBI investigated the case.
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Convicted Felon Charged with Possession of Ammunition in Connection with Broad Daylight Shooting in BrooklynRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, an indictment was unsealed charging Luis Rosario with being a felon in possession of ammunition relating to a December 3, 2023 shooting in the Red Hook section of Brooklyn. Rosario was arrested this morning and will be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Peggy Kuo.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Tommy Kalogiros, Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, New York Division (ATF); and Edward A. Caban, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD) announced the arrest and indictment.
“As alleged, Rosario is a convicted felon who shot and injured a man in broad daylight on a Brooklyn sidewalk without regard for the victim or passersby who were in the line of fire,” said United States Attorney Peace. “Today’s arrest and indictment demonstrates the important work that this Office and our law enforcement partners are doing to reduce gun violence in our communities.”
“With today’s indictment, the NYPD continues its tireless efforts to rid our communities of gun violence,” stated NYPD Commissioner Caban. “I thank all of our law enforcement partners for their dedication to this critical aspect of our public safety mission.”
“The callous disregard for life will not be tolerated under any circumstance. This indictment demonstrates the commitment of law enforcement and prosecutors working together at all levels. ATF NY is laser-focused on targeting the most significant drivers of violent crime in our communities. I commend the work of ATF NY’s Joint Firearms Task Force, NYPD’s Brooklyn South Violent Crime Squad, NYPD’s 76th Precinct, Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Secret Service And the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York . We are dedicated to protecting the public and holding trigger pullers accountable for their actions,” stated ATF Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge Kalogiros.
As alleged in the indictment and other court filings, on December 3, 2023, Rosario fired multiple shots from close range at three men standing on the sidewalk outside of a supermarket and restaurant located across the street from a housing development in Red Hook. Surveillance video footage shows Rosario pulling a gun from his jacket and opening fire while passersby were walking along the sidewalk. Rosario shot one man in the leg, causing him to collapse. As the wounded victim lay on the sidewalk, Rosario got into a car and drove it directly toward the victim, running over his foot.
Rosario has a prior felony conviction. On June 20, 2016, he was convicted in Bronx County Supreme Court of knowingly making or possessing dangerous contraband in prison in the first degree.
The charge in the indictment is an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Rosario faces up to 15 years in prison.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. As part of the program, U.S. Attorney’s Offices work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and their local communities to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York is currently partnering with the SCPD, the NYPD, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), ATF, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (DHS/HSI), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in its PSN mission.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew M. Roddin and James R. Simmons are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
LUIS ROSARIO
Age: 30
Cliffside Park, New JerseyE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-20 (RER)
Columbia Physician Indicted for False Statements to MedicareRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Columbia, Mo., physician has been indicted by a federal grand jury for making false statements relating to Medicare orders.
Jerry Joseph Bruggeman, M.D., 52, was charged in a 13-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Tuesday, Jan. 23.
The federal indictment alleges that Bruggeman, a licensed physician, provided false statements regarding Medicare beneficiaries who received medical devices (such as braces) or genetic testing. The federal indictment charges Bruggeman with 13 counts of making false statements relating to health care matters. The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require Bruggeman to forfeit to the government $29,440, which represents his proceeds from the alleged offenses.
According to the indictment, Bruggeman contracted with a telemedicine company in Boca Raton, Florida, which maintained an online portal that aggregated the personal information of Medicare beneficiaries who had been solicited by marketing companies. The company created medical assessments and orders for these beneficiaries, then hired medical professionals like Bruggeman to “review” and sign orders for cancer genetic testing, pharmacogenetic testing, and durable medical equipment.
The federal indictment alleges that Bruggeman approved orders for medical devices for eight Medicare beneficiaries in March and April 2019. Bruggeman stated that he ordered the devices in each case based on his evaluation of the patient’s condition and determined that the device was “medically necessary and appropriate.” Bruggeman electronically signed a physician verification for each of the devices, indicating “by my signature, I am prescribing the items listed above and certify that the above-prescribed item(s) is medically indicated and necessary and consistent with current accepted standards of medical practice and treatment of this patient’s physical condition.”
In fact, the indictment says, Bruggeman never evaluated or assessed the patient’s condition, never determined whether the device was medically necessary and appropriate for the patient, and never determined whether the listed device was consistent with current accepted standards of medical practice and treatment of the patient’s physical condition.
The federal indictment also alleges that Bruggeman approved orders for genetic testing for five Medicare beneficiaries between January and March 2019. Bruggeman asserted in each case that the test results were necessary to the patient’s medical management. He electronically signed an accompanying letter of medical necessity that stated he would “receive the test results in order to pursue care for the patient.” In fact, the indictment says, Bruggeman never treated the patients.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Kummerer. It was investigated by Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General.
Chicago Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Methamphetamine Distribution ChargeRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Chicago, Illinois, man was sentenced on Monday, January 22, 2024, to 120 months in federal prison for distribution of methamphetamine.
According to public court documents at the time of his plea hearing, Joshua Adam Townsen, 42, admitted to the October 2022 distribution of a bag that contained approximately 220 grams of methamphetamine to Gilbert Ellis. On October 10, 2023, Gilbert Ellis was sentenced to 240 months’ imprisonment on conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, distribution of heroin near a school, distribution of heroin, and distribution of methamphetamine. Additional information on this drug conspiracy can be found in a previously published press release: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdia/pr/eight-burlington-individuals-charged-federal-criminal-complaint-drug-charges
After completing his term of imprisonment, Townsen will be required to serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Southeast Iowa Narcotics Taskforce, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Burlington Police Department, the Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office, the West Burlington Police Department, the Henry County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa State Patrol, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Lee County Task Force, Muscatine Task Force, Quad City Metropolitan Enforcement Group, Johnson County Drug Task Force, Ottumwa Drug Task Force, and the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Team in Illinois.
Chicago Man Indicted for Possessing an Illegal MachinegunRead the Press Release
Earlier today, a federal grand jury in Brooklyn returned a two-count indictment charging Isaiah Dukes, also known as “Lil Zay Osama,” with possession of a machinegun and possession of an unregistered firearm. Dukes is presently in state custody in Illinois on unrelated charges and will be arraigned in federal court in Brooklyn at a later date.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Tommy Kalogiros, Special Agent-in-Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, New York Field Office (ATF), and Edward A. Caban, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the indictment.
“As alleged, Dukes brought a machinegun into our District, and then dangerously left it in the back of a rideshare,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This Office, together with our law enforcement partners, will continue to work diligently to protect our communities from such dangerous weapons.”
“Machineguns have been highly regulated in the United States since the 1930s and have been banned since 1986. Machineguns have no place on the streets of our communities. They are weapons intended to kill and injure with maximum effect, with the shooter often firing uncontrollably and indiscriminately. They pose a significant danger to both the public and law enforcement. Today’s indictment serves as an important reminder that machinegun conversion devices, such as switches, violate federal law, and that possession will not be tolerated. The men and women of ATF will continue to work with our partners to reduce the proliferation of these devices on our streets. Thanks to ATF NY’s Joint Firearms Task Force, ATF Chicago, NYPD & EDNY,” stated ATF Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge Kalogiros.
“Today’s indictment is a stark reminder that loaded, illegal firearms – sometimes modified to maximize their deadly potential, as alleged in this case – continue to be brought into and carried throughout New York City,” stated NYPD Commissioner Caban. “Let me be clear: This behavior will not be tolerated here, and the NYPD vows to keep our streets safe from guns and anyone who unlawfully possesses them. I commend and thank the rideshare driver who observed this weapon for doing what we always ask of all New Yorkers: He saw something and he said something, and he possibly saved lives in the process.”
As alleged in public filings, on September 29, 2022, Dukes carried a loaded Glock pistol affixed with a switch — a device that when attached to the back of a handgun like a Glock converts the firearm into a fully automatic weapon. Law enforcement subsequently determined that the firearm can automatically fire more than one round with a single function of the trigger, rendering it a machinegun. Dukes was arrested after leaving the firearm in a rideshare vehicle that brought him from a luxury hotel in Manhattan to a recording studio in Queens.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of all counts, the defendant faces a maximum of 20 years’ imprisonment.
Assistant United States Attorneys Gilbert M. Rein and Rebecca M. Schuman are in charge of the prosecution with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Rachel Friedman.
The Defendant:
ISAIAH DUKES
Age: 26
Calumet City, IllinoisE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-28 (NRM)