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Monday 22 January 2024
Operation Smoke and Mirrors Update: Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Les Van Bumpus, 35, of Charleston, was sentenced today to eight years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. Bumpus admitted to his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that operated in the Charleston area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between December 2022 and March 22, 2023, Bumpus was living in Dunbar and conspired with others to distribute what he believed was heroin but now knows was fentanyl. Bumpus admitted to purchasing fentanyl from a co-defendant who often fronted the fentanyl to him and allowed Bumpus to pay him back after he sold it.
On March 22, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Bumpus’ Dunbar residence and found approximately 89 grams of fentanyl and a loaded Smith & Wesson .40-caliber pistol. Bumpus admitted to making at least $500 in profit per week from distributing fentanyl.
Bumpus has a long criminal history that includes three prior felony convictions for offenses including distribution of 5 grams or more of cocaine base in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on April 15, 2010, and being a person prohibited from possessing firearms in Kanawha County Circuit Court on January 27, 2020.
Bumpus is among 32 individuals indicted as a result of Operation Smoke and Mirrors, a major drug trafficking investigation that has yielded the largest methamphetamine seizure in West Virginia history. Law enforcement seized well over 400 pounds of methamphetamine as well as 40 pounds of cocaine, 3 pounds of fentanyl, 19 firearms and $935,000 in cash.
Bumpus is among 27 defendants who have pleaded guilty. Indictments against the other defendants are pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia National Guard Counter Drug program, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and the Raleigh County Sheriff's Office. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-31.
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Okmulgee Resident Sentenced for Eluding Peace OfficerRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Clinton Randall Primeaux, age 29, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 20 months in prison for endangering others while eluding a police officer.
The charges arose from investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Henryetta Police Department.
On January 19, 2024, Primeaux pleaded guilty to eluding a peace officer in a manner as to endanger any other person in Indian country. According to investigators, on October 20, 2021, Primeaux led officers on a high-speed chase through Henryetta and onto Interstate 40. Primeaux’s vehicle eventually came to a stop in Clearview, Oklahoma. The crime occurred in Okmulgee and Okfuskee Counties, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Charles B. Goodwin, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearings in Oklahoma City.
Ohio Man Found Guilty of Felony and Misdemeanor Charges Related to the Breach of the U.S. CapitolRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – An Ohio man was found guilty in the District of Columbia today of felony and misdemeanor charges for his actions in inciting the mob with a bullhorn during the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol breach. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.
William Dunfee, 58, of Frazeysburg, Ohio, was found guilty of two felony charges of obstruction of an official proceeding or aiding and abetting and civil disorder. Dunfee was also convicted of a misdemeanor charge of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds. Dunfee was convicted following a bench trial before U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 24, 2024.
According to court documents, Dunfee, a pastor of the New Beginnings Ministry Warsaw, in Warsaw, Ohio, posted a video to social media on Dec. 27, 2020, via the Ministry’s Facebook page, telling his congregation that “The Government, the tyrants, the socialists, the Marxists, the progressives, the RINOs, they fear you. And they should. Our problem is we haven’t given them reason to fear us.” Later he stated, “As I said earlier in another previous sermon is this, they used to tell us, you know what, you settle your differences at the ballot. How did that work out for us? It’s not over.” He added, “January 4th through 6th … Are you ready?”
On Jan. 6, 2021, Dunfee illegally entered the Capitol grounds and, using a bull horn, he repeatedly exhorted the crowd. In a video filmed at the Capitol, Dunfee tells the mob: “This election has been stolen right out from underneath of our noses and it is time for the American people to rise up. Rise up. Rise up. Today is the day in which it is that these elected officials realize that we are no longer playing games. That we are not sheeple that are just going to be corralled according to their whims and their wills.” Later in the video, Dunfee stated, “We will stand up for our country. We are standing up for our freedoms. We are standing up for our president. And today is the day these elected officials, these senators and these congressmen, understand that we are not going to allow this to continue any longer.”
At 1:35 p.m., Dunfee announced: “Mister police officers, we want you to understand something. We want you to understand something. We want Donald Trump and if Donald Trump is not coming, we are taking our house. We are taking our house.”
Minutes later, at 1:44 p.m., Dunfee pushed a metal barricade against officers with the U.S. Capitol Police, who were attempting to hold the line. He pushed against the barricade a second time at approximately 1:58 p.m. He moved to the front of a crowd of rioters at the East Front entrance to the Capitol. Dunfee walked away from the East Front doors as others moved into the building, but he remained in the area. As rioters exited the building, one stated, “We did it. We shut ‘em all down. We did our job.” Dunfee responded, “Hallelujah,” and later told the crowd, “Mission accomplished.”
Surveillance cameras captured Dunfee’s actions that day. Three images showed Dunfee physically resisting U.S. Capitol Police by pushing against a metal barricade and entering the restricted areas of the U.S. Capitol grounds.
This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Cincinnati Field Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the U.S. Capitol Police, and the Metropolitan Police Department.
In the 36 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,265 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 440 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
North Charleston Man Sentenced to over 16 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Ice and MethRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. —Maurice “Black” Adams, 29, of North Charleston, was sentenced to more than 16 and a half years in federal prison for distributing ice, methamphetamines, cocaine, and fentanyl.
Evidence presented to the court showed that Adams was one of 15 defendants indicted for distributing significant amounts of drugs imported from Mexico. The conspirators used various methods to have the controlled substances delivered to the United States, including various mail services. The packages would be mailed from Arizona and other western states to addresses in South Carolina. Adams took delivery of at least 1.8 kilograms of methamphetamines, one kilogram of cocaine, almost one kilogram of fentanyl, and more than two kilograms of ice during his participation in the conspiracy.
United States District Judge David C. Norton sentenced Adams to 198 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office, the North Charleston Police Department, and the Charleston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Kittrell is prosecuting the case.
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Nineteen-Time Convicted Felon Charged with Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Luis Rosado (28, Winter Park) with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. If convicted, Rosado faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Rosado that the United States intends to forfeit a Taurus pistol, a Radical Firearms rifle, a Silver Eagle shotgun, and Sellier & Bellot and Norma ammunition, which is alleged to be involved in the offense.
According to the indictment, on August 20, 2023, Rosado possessed a pistol, a rifle, a shotgun, and various ammunition. At the time of the alleged offense, Rosado had 19 prior felony convictions. As such, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Orlando Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Sartoian.
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.
Nine Individuals Sentenced for Passing Counterfeit Bonds and Related Offenses in Alabama’s Wiregrass AreaRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – Today, Acting United States Attorney Jonathan S. Ross announced the sentences of eight individuals convicted of creating and passing dozens of counterfeit bonds. The counterfeit bonds purported to have a total value exceeding $1,000,000. He also announced the related sentencing of one defendant convicted of illegally possessing a firearm. Details of the cases are as follows.
According to court records, in 2021, 38-year-old Zachary Lee Hale, a resident of Daleville, Alabama, began making fake United States Treasury Bond Certificates and redeeming them at credit unions and banks in the Wiregrass area. Once he figured out that his scheme was successful, Hale recruited at least six others to join him and pass additional counterfeit bonds. Court documents indicate that Hale and his co-conspirators were responsible for at least $1,093,911.00 in loss to various financial institutions. Hale pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States and bank fraud in October of 2023. On January 17, 2024, a federal judge sentenced Hale to 92 months of imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
Also sentenced on January 17, 2024, were five others who redeemed Hale’s fake bonds or recruited others to do so:
- Stephanie Jean Abercrombie, 42, from Daleville, Alabama, was sentenced to 42 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States and bank fraud.
- David Michael Penuel, 45, a resident of Kinston, Alabama, received a sentence of 18 months, followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to bank fraud.
- Joni Marie Andrews, 43, also from Kinston, was sentenced to 12 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States.
- Marsha Renee Skeen, 52, another resident of Daleville, received a sentence of one year of probation following a guilty plea to misprision of a felony.
- Timothy Bryant Baxter, 45, a Troy, Alabama resident, was sentenced to six months of home confinement as a condition of two years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States and bank fraud.
Previously, on November 8, 2023, Joseph Fletcher Lee, Jr., 48, originally from Marianna, Florida, received a sentence of 36 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States and bank fraud. Lee was also involved in Hale’s scheme.
After all defendants were sentenced in Hale’s scheme, the judge ordered each one to pay restitution for the amount of loss they caused.
Two additional unrelated prosecutions resulted from this investigation. On November 13, 2023, a judge sentenced 38-year-old John Robert Whyte, a resident of Munford, Alabama, to 18 months in prison for manufacturing counterfeit obligations and for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Dustin Andrew Riley, 32, from Skipperville, Alabama, received a sentence of 21 months in prison on August 17, 2023, for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
“Manufacturing and redeeming counterfeit bonds is not a victimless crime,” stated Acting United States Attorney Ross. “Financial institutions and the American taxpayer pay the price of these selfish schemes. I am thankful to every agency involved in these investigations.”
“The U.S. Secret Service has a long tradition of investigating those who aim to exploit our financial systems and target innocent victims,” stated Resident Agent in Charge Robert T. Haralson with the United States Secret Service’s Montgomery Resident Office. “We are thankful for the hard work and dedication of our state, local, and federal law enforcement partners, as we worked together to bring these offenders to justice. With support from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, we will continue to investigate, arrest, and support prosecution of criminals who choose to commit fraud in Alabama and across the nation.”
The United States Secret Service investigated these cases, along with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Dale County Sheriff’s Office, the Enterprise Police Department, the Daleville Police Department, and the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office. United States Attorney Megan A. Kirkpatrick prosecuted the cases.
Nigerian Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Wire Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Nigerian national, and Dallas, Texas resident, was sentenced on Thursday, January 18, 2024, to 87 months in federal prison for wire fraud charges.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at the sentencing hearing, Emmanuel Azubuike Ogbeide, 28, was a member of a fraudulent business email compromise (BEC) scheme with his father, Kingsley Ogbeide, and his girlfriend, Vemuna Katjaimo, in the Southern District of Iowa. BEC scams are initiated by tricking employees of legitimate businesses to change their bank information via email. Large sums of money are subsequently wired to illegitimate bank accounts controlled by fraudsters.
Ogbeide knowingly falsified bank accounts with co-defendants, Kingsley Ogbeide and Vemuna Katjaimo, and directly defrauded various businesses in the Southern District of Iowa and elsewhere. Following the fraudulent money wires from the businesses, Ogbeide actively participated in moving large sums of money between fraudulent accounts to avoid detection.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Ogbeide will be required to serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Ogbeide, joint and severable with the other co-defendants, was also ordered to pay $1,587,127.87 in restitution to the business victims.
Co-defendants, Kingsley Ogbeide and Vemuna Katjaimo, were sentenced on September 20, 2023, to 121 months’ imprisonment with three years of supervised release and time served, respectively. https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdia/pr/ugandan-man-sentenced-121-months-federal-prison-money-laundering-charge.
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.
New prosecutor joins U.S. Attorney’s Office in ClarksburgRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA — The U.S. Attorney’s Office has added a new prosecutor to its Clarksburg location.
United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced that Will Rhee has joined his office and will handle a diverse criminal caseload, to include violent crime and white-collar cases. Rhee was a professor at the West Virginia University College of Law for the past 15 years and prior to that, served as a Trial Attorney with the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. Rhee is a decorated veteran of the U.S. Army, having received numerous awards to include the Army Commendation Medal.
“I am thrilled to add Will Rhee to our team,” said U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld. “His deep knowledge of the law, his prior experience with the Department of Justice, and his commitment to public service make him the perfect fit to assist with the busy criminal docket in Clarksburg and elsewhere.”
Rhee earned his undergraduate degrees from Yale and his law degree from Northwestern.
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New Orleans Women Sentenced for Involvement in Gang CaseRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JASMINE GRIFFIN and BYRONEISHA BUTLER, were sentenced on January 18, 2024 by U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo for their involvement in a gang case.
GRIFFIN previously pled guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1343 and 371, and Misprision of a Felony, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 4.
BYRONEISHA BUTLER also previously pled guilty to Misprision of a Felony.
U.S. District Judge Milazzo sentenced GRIFFIN to two years’ probation for each charge, to run concurrently, and a $200.00 mandatory special assessment fee.
Judge Milazzo sentenced BUTLER to two years’ probation, a $500.00 fine, and a mandatory $200.00 special assessment fee.
According to public documents, in 2019, the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated a group responsible for committing violent crimes and illegal drug trafficking, primarily in New Orleans East and the Ninth Ward. GRIFFIN and BUTLER, and eight others, were involved in conspiracies to possess firearms, traffic drugs and commit armed robberies of drug dealers.
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.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New Orleans Police Department, and the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Maurice Landrieu of the Narcotics Unit and Elizabeth Privitera, Chief of the Violent Crime Unit.
New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty for Possessing Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on January 18, 2024, LARYAN REED, age 20, of Orleans Parish, pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). REED’s sentencing is set for April 18, 2024.
As a consequence, REED faces up to 15 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
According to court records, on February 17, 2023, the Friday before Mardi Gras, officers observed REED walking on Bourbon Street with an object shaped like a firearm in his waistband. When officers attempted to stop REED, he physically resisted but was eventually, detained, and found in possession of a firearm.
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.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, as well as the New Orleans Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Inga Petrovich of the Violent Crime Unit .
Nevada Woman Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Jamie Lyn Music, 41, of Las Vegas, Nevada, was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute a quantity of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 24, 2021, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle in which Music and Raymond Jaquette Howard were passengers on Interstate 64 near Huntington, West Virginia. Officers searched the vehicle and found approximately 399.6 grams of fentanyl in a backpack. Music admitted that she possessed and intended to sell the fentanyl.
Howard, 35, of Las Vegas, Nevada, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl on October 11, 2022. Howard admitted that he intended to sell the fentanyl found in the backpack or direct others to sell the fentanyl on his behalf. Howard also admitted to selling approximately 1.01 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant at a Huntington motel on September 22, 2021. On November 16, 2021, law enforcement officers searched Howard’s motel room and found approximately 4.6 pounds of fentanyl and a loaded Glock 43x pistol hidden in the ceiling. Howard admitted that he intended to sell the fentanyl.
Howard was sentenced on January 17, 2023, to 14 years and eight months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release
United States Attorney Will Thompson made today’s announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West, and the West Virginia State Police.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS), an enforcement surge that has sought to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-102.
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Moss Point Man Sentenced to over 16 Years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute 14 Grams of FentanylRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Moss Point man was sentenced to a total of 195 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute 14 grams of fentanyl.
Richard Terrell Magee, 39, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to court documents, on July 28, 2022, agents conducted a controlled purchase of 14 grams of fentanyl from Magee in Jackson County, Mississippi. Magee was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 21, 2023. He pled guilty on October 19, 2023, to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, fentanyl is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin. The DEA reports that two milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal, and one kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people. More facts on fentanyl can be found at https://www.dea.gov/resources/facts-about-fentanyl and https://www.dea.gov/resources/facts-about-fentanyl.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.
Moss Point Man Sentenced to over 21 Years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Moss Point man was sentenced to 262 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute over 112 grams of methamphetamine.
Ronald Charles Glaude, Jr. AKA “Bug”, 34, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to court documents, on February 22, 2019, law enforcement agents utilized a confidential informant to purchase a clear plastic bag containing a total package weight of approximately 112.5 grams of methamphetamine for $1600.00 from Glaude at a residence in Moss Point, Mississippi.
Glaude was indicted by a federal grand jury and he pled guilty on October 26, 2023, to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Acting Special Agent in Charge Rebekah Day of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor- led, intelligence driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pascagoula Police Department, and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.
Monroe County Man Sentenced to Eight Years’ Imprisonment for Attempting to Entice A MinorRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on January 19, 2024, Matthew Robinson, age 31, formerly of East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 96 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani for attempting to entice a minor online.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Robinson pleaded guilty to attempting to entice an individual under the age of 18 to engage in sexual intercourse, between July 16, 2022 and August 2, 2022. During that time period, Robinson exchanged sexually explicit conversations and photographs with a person that he believed to be 13 years of age. Robinson has been in custody since his arrest on August 2, 2022.
The case was investigated by agents from Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo.
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.
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Michigan Medical Provider Convicted of Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a Michigan businessman today of aggravated identity theft for placing the name and address of another man with the same name in legal documents to avoid a settlement payment of more than $6 million.
According to documents and evidence presented at trial, Hassan Kamal Fayad, of Dearborn, operated three medical practices and a transportation business. To fund business operations, Fayad sold outstanding medical and transportation invoices to a Texas-based investment firm. After Fayad failed to make appropriate payments to the Texas firm pursuant to their contracts, the Texas firm sued him in civil court for damages. Throughout the civil proceedings, Fayad caused the name and address of another Michigan resident who shared Fayad’s first and last name, but lived at a different address, to be placed on multiple legal documents, including on a settlement document which obligated Fayad to pay the Texas firm more than $6.3 million. Fayad’s use of the other Michigan resident’s name and address caused the garnishment of all funds from the other Michigan resident’s bank account.
A date for sentencing has not been set. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
The FBI investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Mark McDonald and Christopher P. O’Donnell of the Justice Department’s Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
Michigan Man Sentenced to 280 Months for Armed Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. — A Detroit man, D’Angelo S. Yarbrough, 31, was sentenced to 280 months in federal prison on Monday, by U.S. District Judge Karen K. Caldwell, for possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to Yarbrough’s plea agreement, on September 22, 2022, Yarbrough was arrested by law enforcement for an outstanding arrest warrant at the Bluegrass Airport. During a search of Yarbrough’s vehicle, law enforcement located approximately 60 grams of pressed fentanyl pills, along with narcotics trafficking equipment including a blender, a press, and a large quantity of cutting agents. In addition to these items, officers also located a loaded firearm, which was determined to be machinegun.
Yarbrough pleaded guilty to the charges in August 2023.
Under federal law, Yarbrough must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence; and upon his release, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Michael E. Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI, ATF, and Lexington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paco Villalobos prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Eastern District of Kentucky, U.S. Attorney Shier coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
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Mexican National Sentenced to 30 Years for Conspiring to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Elias Hernandez-Valencia, 48, Mexican national residing in Madera, was sentenced Monday, Jan. 22, 2024, to 30 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between May 22, 2018, and August 8, 2018, Hernandez-Valencia and others were part of a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. As part of this conspiracy, Hernandez-Valencia directed deliveries of methamphetamine to others within the drug trafficking organization (DTO) and remitting the proceeds from the drug sales to the head of the DTO, a person known as “Tio” (or “Uncle”). Hernandez-Valencia also supervised a methamphetamine conversion laboratory in his home, converting liquid methamphetamine to crystal methamphetamine, generating product for the DTO to sell. Agents executed a search warrant at Hernandez-Valencia’s residence on August 8, 2018, and seized approximately 1 kilogram of cocaine, 1 kilogram of heroin, and over 8 kilograms of methamphetamine (including roughly half a gallon of liquid methamphetamine). In Hernandez-Valencia’s bedroom closet, where agents found the heroin, they also found seven assault rifles and a handgun. This is Hernandez-Valencia’s second federal felony drug trafficking conviction in the Eastern District of California; he was previously convicted and sentenced for conspiracy to distribute heroin in 2006.
Hernandez-Valencia is one of several defendants to plead guilty and be sentenced in this case, including Jose Pantoja-Estrada, Luis Rios-Garcia, Georgina Carrillo-Ayala, Roberto Mercado‑Rangel, Kelley Hughes, Bart Hughes, and Jerry Foster. Filiberto Madrigal has pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Madera County Narcotics Enforcement Team (MADNET), and the Fresno High Impact Investigation Team (HIIT). Assistant U.S. Attorney James R. Conolly is prosecuting the case.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
Member of South Los Angeles Street Gang Sentenced to More Than 15 Years in Prison in Case Involving Fentanyl and Firearm SalesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A member of the South Los Angeles-based Florencia 13 street gang who admitted to distributing kilograms of methamphetamine and cocaine and to selling of dozens of firearms and 16 machine gun conversion kits, was sentenced today to 188 months in federal prison for distributing thousands of fentanyl pills, which weighed a total of nearly two pounds.
Jose Luis Alonso, 28, a.k.a. “AK-47,” of Huntington Park, was sentenced today by United States District Judge David O. Carter. Alonso has been in federal custody since October 2022.
Alonso, the lead defendant in this case, pleaded guilty in August 2023 to one count of distribution of fentanyl.
In his plea agreement, Alonso admitted to distributing approximately 8,944 fentanyl pills, 855 grams of fentanyl powder, and further admitted to 2.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, and four kilograms of cocaine.
He also admitted to selling 36 firearms and 16 machine gun conversion kits from May 2022 to October 2022 without a license and to illegally possessing firearms as a felon.
Alonso’s prior felony convictions include a 2016 conviction in Los Angeles Superior Court for robbery, as well as a 2020 conviction in Kern County Superior Court for prison assault with force likely to cause great bodily injury. Alonso’s criminal conduct in this case occurred while he was on probation for his conviction for prison assault.
Each of Alonso’s co-defendants has pleaded guilty to conspiring with Alonso to engage in the business of selling firearms without a license. Jasmine Pereira, 26, of Los Angeles, was sentenced today to 24 months in federal prison. Kevin Alonso, 27, also of Los Angeles, is due to be sentenced on February 26, and Berenice Segura, 23, of Huntington Park, is scheduled for sentencing on April 8.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Los Angeles Police Department investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Declan T. Conroy of the General Crimes Section prosecuted this case.
Member for the Elite Assassin Millas Gang Sentenced to 45 Years in Prison for Firearms Offenses Involving Murder and Assault In-Aid-Of RacketeeringRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Tyshawn Corbett, also known as “Reck,” was sentenced by United States District Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto to 45 years in prison. In September 2022, the defendant pleaded guilty to three firearm offenses involving murder or assault in-aid-of racketeering, each of which carried a mandatory consecutive term of 10 years.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and Edward A. Caban, Commissioner, New York City Police Department, announced the sentence.
“For years, Corbett inflicted violence on rivals and terrorized the East New York community with impunity, but with today’s sentence, he has been punished for his repeated, flagrant disrespect for the law,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “My Office is deeply committed to combating gang violence and will continue to work tirelessly with federal and local law enforcement to dismantle these groups.”
“Everyone who was subjected to the intimidation and brutality perpetrated by Mr. Corbett can breathe easier today with news of this meaningful prison sentence,” stated NYPD Commissioner Edward A. Caban. “The NYPD, in close partnership with our colleagues at the FBI and the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District, will continue to focus its resources on the relatively small number of criminals responsible for driving the violence in New York City. Neither we nor the people we serve will ever stand for our neighborhoods to be overrun by illegal drugs, guns, and associated gang violence, and I commend the investigators and prosecutors involved in this case for their steadfast commitment to our public safety mission.”
According to court filings and transcripts, Corbett was a long-time member of the East New York-based Elite Assassin Millas (E.A.M.), a set of the Bloods street gang that operated primarily in East New York. The gang made money through fraud and drug dealing, particularly sales of crack cocaine and marijuana. The gang’s members murdered or attempted to murder its rivals to maintain its power. E.A.M. even referred to its East New York-based chapter as “Gun Town” for the level of violence its members and associates committed and perpetuated.
Within the gang, Corbett developed a reputation as a “shooter” for being willing to shoot and kill other people. In this case, Corbett pleaded guilty to committing three shootings. In April 2015, Corbett shot and killed Michael Tenorio. Then, between 2016 and 2018, Corbett engaged in extensive efforts to stalk and kill another individual (John Doe #1). Corbett attempted to shoot and kill John Doe #1 in March 2016 but John Doe #1 survived the shooting. When that murder attempt failed, Corbett and other members of E.A.M. stalked John Doe #1 to try to kill him again. On June 28, 2018, Corbett located John Doe #1 and fired at him repeatedly at close range, striking him approximately six times. John Doe #1 survived the shooting but was left paralyzed. Evidence presented during the trial of a co-defendant showed that Corbett participated in at least four additional shootings over the years.
The government’s case has led to the convictions of six members and associates of E.A.M. in addition to Corbett, including E.A.M.’s leader, Quandel Smothers, who was convicted at trial and is scheduled to be sentenced in March 2024.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan Siegel, Genny Ngai and Matthew Galeotti are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
TYSHAWN CORBETT (also known as “Reck”)
Age: 32
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-213 (KAM)
Manchester Woman Pleads Guilty for Her Role in a Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl and CocaineRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Manchester woman pleaded guilty today in federal court for her role in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. Katie Girgus, age 30, is the second of the 22 defendants in this conspiracy to plead guilty, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
The defendant pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, namely, fentanyl and cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge Samantha Elliott scheduled sentencing for April 30, 2024. The defendant was indicted on April 26, 2023.
According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, the defendant sold a total of approximately 50 grams of fentanyl and 3.5 grams of crack cocaine between June and November of 2022. Customers would call a phone number for a “dispatch” line used to purchase narcotics and would speak to a dispatcher who would put the defendant in touch with the customer to complete the drug sale. The defendant would then arrange to meet with the customer, primarily in Manchester, to sell them drugs. She would often meet the customer at an agreed-upon address, pick the customer up in her car, and complete the drug transaction inside the car.
The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, at least three (3) years of supervised release, and a maximum fine of $1,000,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Manchester Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron Gingrande and Jarad Hodes are prosecuting the case.
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.
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Man Who Plundered Investors’ Money in $8.1 Million Ponzi Scheme Sentenced to 90 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – January 22, 2024
SAN DIEGO – Richard Lee Ramirez was sentenced in federal court today to seven-and-a-half years in prison for running a Ponzi scheme that resulted in millions of dollars in losses to investors.
Between 2018 and 2022, Ramirez and his company, JMJ Capital Group (JMJ), obtained more than $8.1 million from dozens of investors and caused more than $5.4 million in losses through his scheme and misrepresentations.
Ramirez was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2022 and pleaded guilty to securities fraud and money laundering charges in August 2023. In addition to Ramirez’s prison sentence, the court ordered forfeiture of $8,188,928 and restitution to 34 victims totaling $5,440,192.50.
The defendant solicited investments by lying to investors. Ramirez made several different misrepresentations, telling various investors, for instance: JMJ purchased and resold personal protective equipment (PPE); factored accounts receivable; sold furniture to major home improvement retailers; and contracted with a cruise line to rebuild and refurbish ships’ air conditioning units. JMJ did no such business.
Ramirez promised investors high short-term and medium-term returns on their money—between 10 and 30 percent—but they never received those returns. Ramirez also falsely told investors they could withdraw their money at any time, and sent them fake funding agreements and falsified account statements to carry out the scheme.
Rather than using investors’ money as promised, Ramirez used it to pay for his own personal expenses and to make Ponzi-style payments to other investors. He spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on travel, lodging, clothing, jewelry, and entertainment, and he spent over a half million dollars of investor funds on luxury cars including a Rolls Royce and Cadillac Escalade. Ramirez also used the money to take luxury vacations, to charter private jets and yachts, and to make an escrow payment on a property in San Diego County.
“Fraud and greed don’t pay unless you are in the market for a lengthy prison sentence. We hope this outcome provides some relief to the 34 victims, many of whom suffered devastating losses,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath.
“The lasting effects of financial crimes on unsuspecting victims can be devasting both personally and economically,” said FBI San Diego Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy. “The FBI and its law enforcement partners will continue to seek justice for individuals and businesses who are victimized by criminals who seek to defraud others for personal gain.”
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter Horn and Kevin Mokhtari.
DEFENDANT Case Number 22cr2264-BAS
Richard Lee Ramirez Age: 54 Encinitas, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Securities Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Sections 78j(b), 78ff, and Title 17, C.F.R., Section 240.10b-5
Money Laundering – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1957
Criminal Forfeiture – Title 18, U.S.C., Sections 981(a)(1)(C), 982(a)(1), 982(b), and Title 28, U.S.C., Section 2461(c)
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $5 million fine
AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Securities and Exchange Commission
Man Sentenced to 48 Months in Prison for Stolen Identities and Bank FraudRead the Press Release
Dennis Antonio Bonner, 66, was sentenced to 48-months in prison for a week-long crime spree in March 2023, where he accessed, or attempted to access, the bank accounts of two victims with accounts at First National Bank.
“Identity theft causes financial and emotional wreckage for victims,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Our economic crimes team is determined to stop these callous crooks and put them behind bars where they belong.”
Bonner, a resident of New York, travelled to First National Bank branches in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and North Carolina to withdraw money from the personal bank accounts of his victims. Bonner presented a fraudulent driver’s license in order to access the victim’s accounts. In total, he withdrew $38,500 from the victims’ bank accounts. He attempted to withdraw an additional $20,000 at a First National Bank Branch in Nags Head, North Carolina where he was ultimately stopped and arrested by local law enforcement.
Bonner previously pled guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft in September 2023. He admitted to working with unindicted third parties to get fraudulent identification cards made and gain access to the personal identifying information and bank account information of the two individuals with accounts at First National Bank.
Bonner has previously been convicted and sentenced for similar theft and impersonation crimes. Since 2011, he’s faced charges in more than seven separate states for financial crimes, including identity theft, forged instruments, impersonation, possession of counterfeit identity cards, credit card theft, larceny, and forgery.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Haughton prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-CR-00159.
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Lynn Man Who Was Arrested at Logan Airport Transporting Nearly $40,000 in Drug Proceeds SentencedRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lynn man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his role in a North Shore-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) that manufactured and distributed tens of thousands of counterfeit prescription pills containing narcotics.
Melvin Nieves, 25, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 27 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In October 2023, Nieves pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Nieves was among 23 individuals charged in October 2022 in connection with a wide-ranging conspiracy to traffic counterfeit prescription pills. The defendants were subsequently indicted along with two additional alleged co-conspirators in December 2022. According to court documents, the DTO distributed counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine, among other things, to various individuals in the Lynn area. Nieves is the second defendant to be sentenced in the case.
Nieves was responsible for the distribution of approximately 400 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing undisclosed amounts of fentanyl. At the time of Nieves’ arrest in October 2022, he had just checked a suitcase at Logan Airport that contained $30,000 in cash drug proceeds he was transporting to California to purchase additional controlled substances. Nieves also possessed an additional $8,054 in drug proceeds, as well as assorted jewelry and a Louis Vuitton bag – both of which were purchased from earlier drug sales.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; and John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Beverly, Everett, Peabody, Revere, Salem, Saugus and Swampscott Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys James E. Arnold and Evan D. Panich of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
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 details contained in the indictment are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Louisiana Man Arrested for Assaulting Law Enforcement and Other Charges During Jan. 6 Capitol BreachRead the Press Release
A Louisiana man has been arrested on felony and misdemeanor charges, including for assaulting law enforcement during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.
Edward Richmond Jr., 40, of Geismar, Louisiana, is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with felony offenses of civil disorder, entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon, and assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers. In addition to the felonies, Richmond is charged with several misdemeanor offenses, including disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds, and violent entry and disorderly conduct.
Richmond was arrested today in Baton Rouge and will make his initial appearance in the Middle District of Louisiana.
According to court documents, Richmond traveled to Washington, D.C., from Ohio with a group of approximately nine other individuals who planned to attend the rallies planned for the day. Richmond wore a black helmet, goggles, shoulder pads, an orange two-way radio, and a Louisiana State Flag patch on his chest during the attack.
Court documents say that video footage taken from the U.S. Capitol building closed-circuit television (“CCTV”) footage from Jan. 6, 2021, depicts Richmond in the area of the Lower West Terrace Tunnel that day. This area was the site of some of the most violent attacks against law enforcement officers on January 6th. In addition to the CCTV footage, Richmond is seen on body-worn camera footage using a baton to strike law enforcement officers in the Lower West Terrace Tunnel multiple times.
This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Louisiana.
This case is being investigated by the FBI's Washington Field Office, which identified Richmond as BOLO (Be on the Lookout) #182 on its seeking information photos. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI’s Baton Rouge Resident Agency of the New Orleans Field Office, U.S. Capitol Police, and the Metropolitan Police Department.
In the 36 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,265 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 440 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Local Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Selling Drugs to Portland High School StudentsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A local man was sentenced to federal prison today for selling drugs to Portland high school students.
Jonathan Ash Clark, 43, of Portland, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison and six months’ supervised release.
According to court documents, on September 28, 2022, officials at Cleveland High School in Portland contacted the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) to request assistance locating a missing student. School officials told police the student was last seen with Clark who they suspected was involved in distributing controlled substances to students. To quickly locate the student who was possibly at risk, the responding PPB officers requested assistance from PPB’s Narcotics and Organized Crime Unit (NOC) and the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Interdiction Task Force (HIT).
Later the same day, NOC and HIT investigators located Clark with a group of students and he was arrested without incident. A search of Clark’s person and belongings returned small quantities of cocaine and MDMA and a digital scale. In an interview after his arrest, Clark admitted to knowingly selling drugs to high school students he referred to as “kids.”
On September 29, 2022, Clark was charged by criminal complaint with distributing and possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances, distributing controlled substances to persons under 21, and using a person under 18 in drug operations. Later, on October 18, 2022, a federal grand jury in Portland indicted Clark on similar charges. On October 10, 2023, Clark pleaded guilty to one count of distributing a controlled substance to a person under 21.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and PPB. It was prosecuted by Scott M. Kerin, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Lexington Man Sentenced to 38 Years for Production and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. — A Lexington man, Mayank Patel, 58, was sentenced on Monday, by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell, to 38 years in federal prison, for production and distribution of child pornography.
According to his plea agreement, Patel admitted producing images and videos of himself sexually assaulting a minor victim and possessing those depictions on his electronic devices. Patel also admitted to being a part of at least 30 online communities that specifically existed to receive and distribute child sexual abuse material. Patel received, distributed, and possessed hardcore and violent child sexual abuse material that included serious bodily harm to infants as part of his participation in these various online communities.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Rana Saoud, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Phillip J. Burnett, Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police (KSP); and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department, jointly announced the sentencing.
Under federal law, Patel must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for life.
The investigation was conducted by HSI, KSP, and the Lexington Police Department. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Lead Defendant in Multimillion-Dollar Boiler Room Scam that Targeted Timeshare Owners Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A former Long Beach resident was sentenced today to 121 months in federal prison for leading a telemarketing scheme in which boiler room tactics were used to scam dozens of timeshare owners out of more than $5 million by giving them false promises of financial relief.
Michael McDonagh, 43, who currently resides in Cohasset, Massachusetts, was sentenced by United States District Judge David O. Carter, who also ordered him to pay $5,469,271 in restitution.
McDonagh pleaded guilty in May 2023 to one count of wire fraud.
This criminal case’s lead defendant, McDonagh founded and/or controlled several telemarketing companies – Irvine-based Global Transfer Inc., Costa Mesa-based Global Transfer SoCal Inc., Santa Ana-based Nationwide Transfer Inc., and Signal Hill-based Nationwide Exit Specialist Inc. – that purported to offer timeshare relief. Once one telemarketing company became inundated with consumer complaints, McDonagh would form a new telemarketing company to perpetuate the fraud.
From 2015 to May 2019, “openers” who worked for the McDonagh-controlled telemarketing companies contacted timeshare owners and offered to help them terminate their timeshare interest for a fixed fee. If the timeshare owner expressed interest in the telemarketing companies’ services, the call was transferred to a “closer” who convinced victims to sign contracts with the telemarketing companies to get them out of their timeshare for a “one-time fee.”
Within weeks of the victim paying the fee, the victims were contacted and told a series of lies to induce them to pay more money. For example, some victims were falsely told that they would obtain – for an additional fee – a large settlement payment based on purported litigation against the victim’s timeshare company.
McDonagh and his co-schemers also made false promises of securing – for an additional fee – a large “restitution” payment from the victim’s timeshare company because the timeshare company had purportedly rented out the victim’s timeshare property without the victim’s permission.
More than $5 million in actual losses were caused by McDonagh or his co-schemers whom he employed at his telemarketing companies.
The other four defendants charged with along with McDonagh also have pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and await sentencing.
“[McDonagh] and those who operated in the scheme he orchestrated defrauded over 500 victims, robbing many of them of significant savings – and some of over $100,000,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “During the multi-year scheme, [McDonagh] exhibited callousness to the plight of his victims, including telling his co-schemers to take ‘no prisoners’ and have ‘[n]o remorse.’”
The United States Secret Service and the Huntington Beach Police Department investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Thomas F. Rybarczyk of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section and Ian V. Yanniello of the General Crimes Section prosecuted this case.
Kissimmee Man Sentenced for Smuggling Cocaine from the Dominican Republic to FloridaRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced Roman Batista (38, Kissimmee) to five years in federal prison for importing cocaine into the United States. Batista had pleaded guilty on September 25, 2023.
According to court documents, on July 10, 2023, Batista flew from the Dominican Republic to the Orlando International Airport. After securing his checked luggage from the baggage claim area, Batista was referred for a bag examination. Customs and Border Protection Officers conducted an examination of Batista’s luggage wherein 2,994 grams of cocaine was located hidden in a speaker.
“CBP is focused on attacking every link in the global illegal narcotic trafficking chain. The diligent work by our CBP Officers prevented these illicit drugs from ever finding their way on to the street of Orlando or beyond,” stated Miami/Tampa Director of Field Operations Carlos Martel. “One of CBP’s main mission is to relentlessly prevent the flow of illicit narcotics into our nation and our job is performed 24/7.”
“This sentencing is a testament to Homeland Security Investigations’ commitment to stop those who exploit our nations travel system to further their illicit narcotic distribution networks,” said HSI Orlando Assistant Special Agent in Charge David Pezzutti. “The outstanding law enforcement partnership we have with U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the Orlando International Airport has ensured this criminal will now face the consequences of his actions.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie A. McNeff.
Key figure in Operation Ghost Busted sentenced to nearly 30 years in prison in drug trafficking conspiracyRead the Press Release
BRUNSWICK, GA: A Glynn County, Ga., woman who was a large-scale meth trafficker and also worked with a corrupt guard to smuggle drugs into prison has been sentenced to nearly 30 years in federal prison.
Rachael P. Byrd, a/k/a “Byrd is the Word,” 26, of Waverly, Ga., was sentenced to 324 months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute, and to Distribute, 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood also ordered Byrd to serve five years of supervised release upon completion of her prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Rachael Byrd provided a pipeline from an Atlanta methamphetamine supplier to a corrupt prison guard, and to the conspiracy’s leader inside prison walls,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “She fueled meth addiction in communities throughout south Georgia, and this substantial sentence holds her accountable.”
Operation Ghost Busted, unsealed in January 2023 as USA v. Alvarez et al., charged 76 defendants with involvement in a drug trafficking conspiracy – linked to the white supremacist Ghost Face Gangsters – that distributed large amounts of high-grade methamphetamine, along with fentanyl, heroin, and alprazolam in the greater Glynn County area.
Byrd served as a leader in the drug trafficking organization, transporting and distributing multiple kilos of meth from an Atlanta-area supplier to other distributors and street-level dealers in south Georgia. She served as the outside link to her boyfriend, James D. NeSmith, 26, who was an inmate serving a life sentence for murder in Telfair State Prison, relaying his instructions to others in the conspiracy. Byrd also supplied meth to former prison guard Desiree M. Briley, 26, of McRae-Helena, Ga., who smuggled the drugs to NeSmith in prison.
NeSmith was sentenced to life in federal prison after pleading guilty, and Briley was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
For more than two years, investigators from the FBI Coastal Georgia Violent Gang Task Force, the Glynn County Police Department, the Brunswick Police Department, the Glynn County Sheriff's Office, and the Camden County Sheriff's Office collaborated with multiple federal, state and local agencies to identify a sprawling drug trafficking network operating in multiple south Georgia counties. The network operated inside and outside Georgia prisons, coordinated by members of the Ghost Face Gangsters working with affiliates of other criminal street gangs including the Aryan Brotherhood, Bloods, and Gangster Disciples. Before their indictment in Operation Ghost Busted, the defendants in the case had a combined total of more than 245 prior felony convictions.
Nearly 70 of the defendants have been sentenced or await sentencing after entering guilty pleas in U.S. District Court, while the remainder await further court proceedings and are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
“Byrd helped to lead a major drug trafficking organization that was responsible for plaguing the streets of our communities with drugs and crime, and she learned the fate for her corruptions,” said Will Clarke, Senior Supervisory Resident Agent of FBI Atlanta’s Brunswick Office. “This significant sentence is the result of the hard work and coordination of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners working to bring illegal drug trafficking to an end in Georgia.”
“The sentencing of Rachael Byrd is yet another strike against the powerful and violent drug trafficking organizations whose reach stretches across international borders and directly threatens our communities in the United States,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “ATF will continue to work together with our law enforcement partners on both sides of the border to pursue those who threaten our communities through the smuggling and distribution of illegal and dangerous drugs.”
“Illegal drugs are dangerous and threaten the safety of Georgia communities,” said Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey. “The GBI is committed to working with our local and federal partners to investigate the horrific crimes connected to criminal street gangs.”
Operation Ghost Busted was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.
Agencies involved in the investigation include the FBI Coastal Georgia Violent Gang Task Force; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Marshals Service; the Georgia Bureau of Investigation; the Georgia Department of Corrections; the Georgia Department of Community Supervision; the Glynn County Police Department; the Brunswick Police Department; the Glynn County Sheriff’s Office; and sheriff’s offices from Pierce, Camden, Wayne, Treutlen, McIntosh, Toombs, Telfair, Dodge, and Ware counties. The case is being prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer J. Kirkland and Criminal Division Deputy Chief E. Greg Gilluly Jr.
Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Isaiah Vaniah McDade, 46, of South Charleston, pleaded guilty today to distribution of a quantity of fentanyl and a quantity of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between August 10, 2022 and September 16, 2022, McDade sold approximately 5 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant over the course of five separate transactions. McDade admitted to those transactions and further admitted to selling the confidential informant a quantity of methamphetamine during the September 2, 2022 transaction and 3.46 grams of cocaine during the September 16, 2022 transaction.
From November 3, 2022 through December 2, 2022, McDade discussed the distribution of controlled substances during phone calls intercepted by law enforcement officers. McDade admitted that those intercepted discussions were of the distribution of 33.5 grams of heroin, 7 grams of methamphetamine and 30.8 grams of cocaine.
On August 17, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at McDade’s residence and seized $5,115.
McDade is scheduled to be sentenced on April 18, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT). MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-143.
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Justice Department Secures Agreement with Oklahoma State Agency to Ensure Oklahoma Mobile Apps Are Accessible to People with DisabilitiesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it secured a settlement agreement with Service Oklahoma, a state agency, to resolve its findings that the agency violated Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by maintaining a mobile application that is inaccessible to individuals with disabilities.
“When public entities make services available through mobile apps, they may not exclude people with disabilities by failing to make their technology accessible,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Through this agreement, Service Oklahoma will ensure their mobile apps comply with the ADA by removing barriers that prevent Oklahomans with disabilities from accessing public services. As more state and local governments turn to mobile apps for critical public services, the Justice Department will work to ensure that people with disabilities are guaranteed the ADA’s promise of equal access.”
The department investigated Service Oklahoma’s predecessor entity based on a complaint from a blind Oklahoma resident alleging that the Oklahoma Mobile ID Application is inaccessible to individuals with vision disabilities. In November 2023, the department issued a letter of findings concluding that the mobile app imposes critical accessibility barriers for people with vision disabilities. The department found that Service Oklahoma violates the ADA by denying people with disabilities equal access to the mobile app and by failing to ensure that communications with them are as effective as communications with others.
Under the agreement, Service Oklahoma will ensure that any mobile app that it creates, administers or maintains is accessible to individuals with disabilities and conforms to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), Version 2.1, Level AA, which are industry guidelines for making web content accessible. Service Oklahoma will take other corrective actions, including soliciting accessibility feedback and requests from the public, retaining an ADA coordinator, providing ADA training to employees and reporting to the department.
This settlement agreement is part of the Civil Rights Division’s Tech Equity Initiative to combat disability discrimination that occurs through technology such as websites and mobile apps. 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. For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt. If you believe you’ve been discriminated against, you may file a complaint online at www.civilrights.justice.gov/.
Iowa City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of Ammunition ChargesRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – An Iowa City man was sentenced on Thursday, January 18, 2024, to 120 months in federal prison for Felon in Possession of Ammunition.
According to public court documents and sworn testimony during sentencing, Sanchez Lavelle Watson, 43, was identified by law enforcement after officers were dispatched to an apartment complex in Iowa City in reference to a man waving a gun and threatening others. Officers located a vehicle that was known to have left the scene and initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle. Watson was identified as the driver prior to Watson fleeing from police in the vehicle. The vehicle eventually stopped, and Watson proceeded to flee on foot. Nearby the stopped vehicle, officers located a fanny pack containing a handgun with an extended magazine and marijuana. The fanny pack was known to be associated with Watson. As a convicted felon, Watson is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Watson will be required to serve three 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 Iowa City Police Department.
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, an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime, is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Houma Doctor Charged with Distributing Misbranded Injectable Contraceptives to PatientsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that MICHELLE ANDRE, age 48, a physician residing in Houma, La. was charged on January 9, 2024 with distribution of misbranded drugs, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 331.
According to court documents, from April 2018 through March 2023, ANDRE introduced misbranded drugs, including medroxyprogesterone, into interstate commerce. The medroxyprogesterone lacked adequate directions for use in its labeling.
If convicted, ANDRE faces up to one year in prison and up to one year of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Food and Drug Administration. Assistant United States Attorneys Rachal Cassagne of the Narcotics Unit and Paul Hubbell of the General Crimes Unit are in charge of the prosecution.
Helena man sentenced for defrauding Department of Veterans Affairs of healthcare benefitsRead the Press Release
HELENA — A Helena man who admitted to falsely claiming to have served in the U.S. Navy so he could receive healthcare benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs was sentenced today to three years of probation, with 180 days of home confinement, and ordered to pay $46,075 restitution, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Patrick John McKenna, 66, pleaded guilty in August 2023 to healthcare fraud.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that in August 2021, McKenna applied for healthcare benefits with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ Veterans Health Administration and indicated on his application that he had served with the U.S. Navy from 1981 to 1984. Based on his representation of military service, McKenna was approved for healthcare benefits and received VA-funded counseling services. McKenna then applied for additional benefits with the VA Veterans Benefits Administration based on claimed service-related disabilities. VBA representatives searched multiple record systems and were unable to find any record of McKenna’s service.
In an interview with agents from the VA Office of Inspector General, McKenna admitted that he did not serve in the U.S. Navy and that he had applied for healthcare benefits because of the high cost of private healthcare. Agents determined that McKenna’s scheme resulted in a loss of $39,200 to the VHA and $6,975 to the Helena Veteran Center, for a total loss of $46,075.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shannon L. Clarke and Timothy J. Racicot prosecuted the case. The VA Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation.
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Former West Virginia Official Pleads Guilty to Making False StatementRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Timothy Priddy, 49, of Buffalo, West Virginia, pleaded guilty today to making a false statement. Priddy admitted that he lied to federal investigators about the verification of invoices for COVID-19 testing that he certified while an official with the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (WVDHHR).
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 2, 2022, Priddy was director of WVDHHR’s Center for Threat Preparedness when he was interviewed by federal agents. Priddy had previously been deputy director, and his duties in that position had included reviewing and verifying the accuracy of certain invoices submitted to WVDHHR by vendors supplying COVID-19 testing and mitigation services prior to certifying the invoices for payment. The agents asked Priddy about invoices submitted by a particular vendor that had billed the State of West Virginia for tens of millions of dollars for COVID-19 testing and related services.
Priddy admitted that he knew the agents were investigating the vendor for suspected fraudulent billing, and that information relative to the invoices and subsequent payment was material to that investigation. One series of invoices of interest to the federal investigation related to a COVID-19 testing program for K-12 students, faculty and staff returning to school after the winter holiday break. Priddy certified the K-12 testing program invoices without making any effort to verify their accuracy. Priddy falsely told the agents that he certified the invoices only after two individuals working with the K-12 testing program verified the invoices involved. Priddy admitted that he knew that statement was false.
“After completely failing to verify invoices seeking tens of millions of public dollars, Mr. Priddy significantly affected an important investigation into that spending with his false statement,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson.
Priddy is scheduled to be sentenced on May 9, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and the West Virginia Legislature’s Commission on Special Investigations.
"No matter your job or status in the community, it is a federal crime to lie to the FBI," said acting Special Agent in Charge Mike Shanahan. "Priddy lied to the FBI during a critical moment in the investigation. This conviction should serve as a reminder that those who lie to federal agents will face serious criminal consequences for their actions."
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Joshua Hanks, Holly Wilson and Kathleen Robeson and former Assistant United States Attorney Philip Wright prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-162.
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Former MercyOne Nurse Sentenced for Conspiracy to Acquire Controlled Substances and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Douglas Kelley, 67, from Sioux City, Iowa, and former MercyOne nurse was sentenced on January 18, 2024, to over 10 years in prison for Possession of Child Pornography and Conspiracy to Acquire Controlled Substances by Fraud.
Kenneth Hurd, 32, from Harrisburg, South Dakota, was sentenced on January 3, 2024, to two years’ probation for Conspiracy to Acquire Controlled Substances by Fraud.
Brian Gene Raff, 44, from Orchard, Nebraska pled guilty in federal court on November 29, 2023, to Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. Raff remains free on bond pending sentencing.
Evidence at Hurd’s and Kelley’s sentencing hearing’s established that Kelley knowingly conspired with co-defendants to obtain and acquire fentanyl by means of misrepresentation, fraud, deception, and subterfuge. The trio used Kelley’s position as a nurse at MercyOne Hospital in Sioux City, Iowa, to obtain fentanyl and other controlled substances for personal use and to illegally distribute to others. Raff further admitted that he conspired with his co-defendants to distribute his minor child’s prescription ADHD medication, Vyvanse (amphetamine), a Schedule II Controlled Substance.
During the investigation, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Kelley’s cell phone and recovered six videos and 20 images of child pornography. These videos and images included material that depicted prepubescent minors or minors who had not attained 12 years of age. The materials also portrayed sadistic and masochistic conduct, as well as toddlers and bestiality. Kelley had previously been convicted of offenses relating to the possession of child pornography in Buena Vista County, Iowa in 1993.
“By using his position as a nurse, Kelley violated the public’s trust while stealing controlled substances for himself and others. He also possessed child pornography, allowing for the heartbreaking victimization of children and their sexual exploitation. The sentencing of Kelley in this matter sends a strong and powerful message that those who violate the law will be held accountable,” said Curt L. Muller, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “We will continue working with our State, Federal, and Tribal law enforcement partners as we investigate and seek justice against those who would victimize our programs and their beneficiaries.”
Kelley was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to 126 months’ imprisonment. He must pay $1,200 in fines and assessments and serve a 5-year term of supervised release upon release from custody. There is no parole in the federal system.
Hurd was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to two years’ probation. He was also ordered to obtain mental health and substance abuse evaluations and comply with any recommended treatment.
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.”
The case was investigated by the Iowa Division of Inspections & Appeals, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Sioux City Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-4022.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Former Marianna Borough Tax Collector Sentenced for Mail FraudRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Marianna Borough, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to two years of probation, including 90 days of home detention, on her conviction for mail fraud, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States District Judge W. Scott Hardy imposed the sentence on Erica Pinkney, 39. A hearing to determine the amount of restitution owed by Pinkney will be held in April.
According to information presented to the court, Pinkney previously served as the Secretary and Tax Collector for Marianna Borough. While employed in those roles, Pinkney used the Borough’s credit cards to pay for personal purchases. Then, to pay toward the balance of those credit cards, Pinkney used money that had been collected from Borough residents as payment for their tax, water, and garbage bills.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Hardy stated that Pinkney had committed a serious offense that had eroded public trust in the Borough.
Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey R. Bengel prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Pinkney.
Former Marfa Substitute Teacher Pleads Guilty to Producing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
ALPINE – Sonya Conchita Murillo, 32, who was a substitute teacher for the Marfa Independent School District, pleaded guilty last week to one count of production of child pornography.
According to court documents, during an investigation involving Murillo’s former boyfriend, Patricio Javier Serrano, 36, for possessing child sexual abuse materials, videos also were found of Murillo sexually abusing a minor.
Murillo pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography. A sentencing date has not been set. Murillo faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Murillo has been in federal custody since her arrest on June 7, 2023.
Serrano, who was charged in a separate indictment, was arrested on May 11, 2023, and has remained in federal custody since his arrest. Serrano, a former Marfa youth softball coach, pleaded guilty on October 27, 2023, to one count of transportation of child pornography, aiding and abetting and one count of possession of child pornography. He faces no less than five and up to 20 years in prison for the transportation charge, and up to 20 years in prison for the possession charge. Serrano’s sentencing date is set for February 27, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas; FBI Special Agent in Charge John S. Morales, El Paso Field Office; and HSI Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola, El Paso Division, made the announcement.
The FBI, HSI, Texas Department of Public Safety, and Marfa Police Department are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy Greenbaum and Kevin Cayton are 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 CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Former Chief Operating Officer of Illinois Hospital Pleads Guilty to Federal Fraud ChargeRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — The former Chief Operating Officer of an Illinois hospital pleaded guilty today to a federal fraud charge for illegally pocketing more than $620,000 in hospital funds.
ROBERT SPADONI was an attorney who worked as a Vice President and COO of the hospital. Spadoni admitted in a plea agreement that from 2013 to 2021, he orchestrated a scheme in which he approved the hospital’s payment of invoices to a vendor company that purportedly provided administrative support and compliance services. In reality, the vendor company – Medical Education Solutions, Inc. – had been established by Spadoni for the purpose of executing the scheme. Spadoni opened a bank account for the company in a relative's name and steered the hospital’s payments into it. Spadoni concealed the fraud scheme by paying $1,500 a month in cash to another hospital employee to actually provide the administrative and compliance services.
As a result of the fraud scheme, Spadoni obtained approximately $622,500 in payments from the hospital, the plea agreement states. Spadoni admitted in the plea agreement that he used the money for his own benefit, including restaurant meals and hotel stays, as well as transferring $225,805 into his 401(k) account.
Spadoni, 59, of Darien, Ill., pleaded guilty to a mail fraud charge. The conviction is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly set sentencing for April 30, 2024.
The guilty plea was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Kwame Raoul, Illinois Attorney General. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chester Choi.
Spadoni plea agreementFormer CEO of Whittier Health Clinic Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Prison for Running Multimillion-Dollar Scheme to Defraud Medi-CalRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – The former president and CEO of a Whittier medical clinic was sentenced today to 124 months in federal prison for submitting fraudulent billings to a Medi-Cal health care program that provides family planning services to low-income Californians who lack health insurance.
Vincenzo Rubino, 59, of Valencia, was sentenced by United States District Judge Otis D. Wright II, who also ordered him to pay $3,815,478 in restitution and entered a money judgment of $2,308,028.
Rubino pleaded guilty in August 2023 to nine counts of health care fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft. Rubino pleaded guilty mid-trial when the prosecution had nearly finished presenting its case to the jury.
Rubino founded, owned and operated Santa Maria’s Children and Family Center, a Whittier-based medical clinic based registered as a non-profit public benefit corporation and enrolled as a Family Planning, Access, Care and Treatment (Family PACT) provider run through Medi-Cal.
From November 2014 to August 2017, the center submitted fraudulent claims totaling nearly $5 million to the Family PACT program for family planning services that were never provided, often using the information of patients who were recruited at off-site locations with offers of free diabetes testing.
To submit many of these claims, Rubino used the names of two medical providers who were not employed at Santa Maria’s. The patients did not see these providers – a physician’s assistant and an elderly doctor who was himself a patient in a skilled nursing facility during much of the scheme.
The Medi-Cal program paid more than $2.3 million dollars on the fraudulent claims, as well as an additional approximately $1.5 million to a pharmacy and laboratory for claims stemming from referrals from Santa Maria based on the same services that were never delivered.
“This defendant took advantage of health-care services intended for people in need,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Instead of allowing that money to go where it was intended, Rubino stole millions of dollars through sham claims to Medi-Cal for family planning services that either were unnecessary or unprovided. Today’s sentence highlights my office’s resolve to protect the most vulnerable in our community.”
“Vulnerable families across California trusted Santa Maria’s Children and Family Center to receive high quality care for their health,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta. “Yet, the defendant knowingly exploited patients and healthcare benefit programs for their personal gain. At the California Department of Justice, we remain committed to holding bad actors, like Vincenzo Rubino accountable for defrauding Californians and stealing from taxpayer-funded programs. I want to thank the U.S. Department of Justice for their partnership in this investigation.”
The United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the California Department of Justice investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Kristen A. Williams of the Major Frauds Section and David H. Chao of the General Crimes Section prosecuted this case. Assistant United States Attorney Tara B. Vavere of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section is handling the asset forfeiture portion of this case.
Former Bryant High School Teacher Pleads Guilty to Transportation of A Minor to Engage in Illegal Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced today that a former Bryant High School teacher has pleaded guilty to transporting a minor across state lines for the purpose of unlawful sexual activity. Heather Hare, 33, of Conway, entered this guilty plea earlier today before United States District Judge Lee P. Rudofsky.
Judge Rudofsky will sentence Hare at a later date. Transportation of a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity is punishable by not less than 10 years imprisonment and up to life imprisonment, and not less than five years of supervised release.
The investigation into Hare revealed that Hare taught Family Consumer Science classes at Bryant High School and met the minor victim on his first day of his senior year. Hare began one-on-one counseling sessions with the minor victim, eventually giving him her personal phone number and primarily communicating with him through Instagram and Snapchat.
Hare later told the minor victim that she had a dream of them having sex and gave him her home address in Conway. The minor victim and Hare had sex approximately 20 to 30 times throughout the 2021-2022 school term, including multiple times at her Conway residence, in her vehicle, and in her classroom and parking lots at Bryant High School.
Between April 21 and April 24, 2022, Hare was the sponsor and chaperone for a field trip to Washington, D.C., as part of an extracurricular activity related to the Family Consumer Science courses Hare taught. During the field trip, which included four students, of which the minor victim was the only male student, Hare and the minor victim engaged in the unlawful sexual activity to which she pleaded guilty.
“This former teacher took advantage of her position of trust and the vulnerability of a minor, using her role to entice and lure this minor into engaging in unlawful sexual activity,” Ross said. “Our office will continue to seek significant penalties against any educational professional who sexually abuse their students.”
Hare was indicted on August 1, 2023, and charged with one count of interstate/foreign travel for prostitution/sexual activity by coercion and one count of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. In exchange for her guilty plea, the remaining charge was dismissed.
The case was investigated by the FBI, Bryant Police Department, and Saline County Sheriff’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristin Bryant.
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Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
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Five Marylanders Facing Federal Charges for a Fraud Scheme Involving the Theft of Checks from the MailRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging five Marylanders with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and bank fraud and related charges in connection with a fraud scheme involving more than 600 stolen checks with a face value of over $5 million. The indictment was returned on December 7, 2023, and unsealed late on January 19, 2024. Charged in the indictment are:
Tianna Cosby, a/k/a “Mendoza,” age 23, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland;
Marche Sisco, age 26, of Suitland, Maryland;
Tommi Cosby, age 21, of District Heights, Maryland;
Biniah Carter, age 24, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland; and
Zion Oluwademilade Adeduwon, age 22, of Bowie, Maryland.Tianna Cosby and Biniah Carter were arrested on January 19, 2024, and are expected to have initial appearances today at 1:30 p.m. and 2:15 p.m., respectively, in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gina L. Simms. Law enforcement has not yet located Marche Sisco, Tommi Cosby, and Zion Oluwademilade Adeduwon.
The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division; Executive Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Krafels of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General – Mid Atlantic Field Office; and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
According to the 18-count indictment, Tianna Cosby and Sisco stole and caused the theft of personal and business checks belonging to victims that had been mailed through the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). Specifically, the indictment alleges that Sisco used her position as a USPS mail handler assistant at the Washington Network Distribution Center (NDC) to steal checks from the NDC, then communicated regarding the sale and distribution of over 600 stolen checks with Cosby. These checks had a face value of more than $5 million. In addition to stealing checks from the NDC, the indictment alleges that the conspiracy also obtained checks by stealing them from USPS collection boxes.
Further, the indictment alleges that Tianna Cosby, Tommi Cosby, Carter, and Adeduwon recruited “account mules” – individuals whose bank accounts are used to deposit illegally acquired checks and proceeds of the scheme. The conspirators then collected and shared account mule information, which included banking and identity information. The defendants allegedly also used and transferred the means of identification of at least five identity theft victims. As detailed in the indictment, the conspirators altered the stolen checks to reflect payment to account mules, deposited the fraudulent checks into the bank accounts belonging to the account mules, then engaged in financial transactions, including ATM withdrawals and account transfers, to obtain the proceeds.
If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit mail fraud and bank fraud and for each count of bank fraud; and a mandatory two years, consecutive to any other sentence imposed, for each count of aggravated identity theft. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, and the Prince George’s Police Department Strategic Investigations Division - Financial Crimes Unit for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bijon A. Mostoufi, Raganath Manthripragada, and Elizabeth Wright, who are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Federal Jury Convicts Arcadia Man of Conspiracy to Commit Numerous Armed Robberies, Home Invasions, Shootings, While Dressed as Police OfficerRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Darius Hudson (44, Arcadia) guilty of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, three separate Hobbs Act robberies, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. Because of the specific robberies that they each participated in, the defendants also face mandatory minimum sentences of imprisonment. Hudson faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 27 years, and up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the evidence introduced during the trial, between December 2020 and April 2021, a group of individuals conspired with each other to commit armed robberies throughout Pasco, Polk, Lee, and Hillsborough Counties, as well as Georgia and Arizona. While committing these offenses, the conspirators, including Hudson, impersonated law enforcement officers by wearing black clothing, gloves, and masks, often with law enforcement insignia, or vests with “Sheriff” affixed. They drove a black Dodge Durango equipped with lights, and often handcuffed their victims. During these robberies, victims and their family members were awoken in the middle of the night at home, beat, pistol whipped, threatened, and, on several occasions, shot.
This case was investigated by the FBI, with assistance from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Bartow Police Department, the Lakeland Police Department, the Dade City Police Department, the Cape Coral Police Department, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office, the Arcadia Police Department, and the Florida Highway Patrol. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes.
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.
Farmington Man Accused of Attempted CarjackingRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City, Utah, returned an indictment charging a Utah man for attempted carjacking of a vehicle in Salt Lake City.
According to court documents, Kay Elder, 36, of Farmington, Utah, allegedly approached a 57- year-old victim parked at Home Depot at 328 West 2100 South in Salt Lake City on January 3, 2024. Elder allegedly opened the driver’s door and began yelling at the victim to get out of the car and give him the keys. The victim exited the car and Elder attempted to strike and kick the victim but missed. Elder then grabbed the victim and threw him into a tree. The victim fell to the ground and remained there while Elder got into the victim’s car and attempted to drive away. However, the victim had the car key FOB, and the defendant couldn’t start the car. Witnesses observed the incident and called police. Officers quickly arrived at the scene and observed Elder running from the car into oncoming traffic. Officers attempted to stop Elder, but he continued to flee and ignored multiple commands to stop. Elder grabbed a metal sign from a nearby gas station and threw it at the pursuing officers. The officers then tased Elder and he was taken into custody.
Elder is charged with attempted carjacking. His initial court appearance on the indictment was Jan. 22, 2024, before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement.
An FBI Task Force Officer with the Salt Lake City Police Department is investigating the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Carlos Esqueda of the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Elizabeth City Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Trafficking Heroin and Fentanyl Causing an Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Tyrese Stokley, a/k/a “Ty,” age 39 of Elizabeth City, was sentenced to 240 months in prison for distributing heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine in the Elizabeth City area. The distribution of fentanyl resulted in an overdose death on February 29, 2020.
“Fentanyl overdoses are ravaging our communities and driving down American life expectancy. Drug dealers lacing fentanyl into their products should take note. The party is over, we are coming for you,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “The defendant’s actions, which directly resulted in the tragic overdose death, show a blatant disregard for human life. Individuals should be on notice that we will stop at nothing to bring those responsible for perpetuating this overdose crisis to justice.”
On March 1, 2020, the Currituck Sheriff’s Office began investigating the fentanyl overdose death of a young woman. Ultimately, the investigation revealed that Stokley was responsible for sourcing the drugs that were distributed to the young woman which caused her death on February 29, 2020, from fentanyl toxicity.
According to court documents and information presented in court, The Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Elizabeth City Police Department, the Dare County Sheriff’s Office, the Kill Devil Hills Police Department, Nags Head Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted controlled purchases of heroin and cocaine from Stokley. Stokely was responsible for distributing 59.99 grams of cocaine, .2 gram of fentanyl, and 45.3 grams of heroin.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by Judge James C. Dever III. The Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the Elizabeth City Police Department, the Dare County Sheriff’s Office, the Kill Devil Hills Police Department, Nags Head Police Department, Kitty Hawk Police Department, Southern Shores Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer C. Nucci prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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 number 2:21-CR-00016-D.
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Eleven Indicted on Federal Drug Trafficking, Money Laundering ChargesRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A federal grand jury returned a seven-count indictment charging eleven individuals in a conspiracy to distribute large quantities of fentanyl, meth and cocaine in southern Illinois and across the country.
The indictment charges: Rogelio Martinez-Becerra, also known as “Rodrigo” or “Chaparro” (Shorty), 35, of St. Louis; Jose Manuel Garcia-Ramirez, also known as “Panzon” (Potbellied), 34, of Bakersfield, California; Ricardo Lopez, also known as “Ricardito”, 35, of St. Louis; Gustavo Torres-Yerena, also known as “Ojos verdes” (Green eyes), 60, of San Bernadino, California; Oscar Daniel Barajas-Lopez, also known as “Danny”, 21, of O’Fallon, Missouri; Jaime Barajas, 40, of O’Fallon, Missouri; Dary Axel Amaya-Gomez, also known as “Colombiano”, 31, of Bridgeton, Missouri; Deangelo Barnes, also known as “Lentes” (Glasses), 37, of Florissant, Missouri; David Howard, also known as “Siete” (Seven), 52, of Florissant, Missouri; Carolina Lopez-Hinojosa, also known as “La Morena”, 39, of Granite City, Illinois; and Monica Chavez, 26, of O’Fallon, Missouri.
“Law enforcement agencies and the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work together to dismember organized crime rings responsible for distributing drugs and wreaking havoc in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe.
According to court documents, the drug conspiracy involved an organized effort to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl, five kilograms of cocaine and 50 grams of methamphetamine from at least August 2022 to December 2023 in Madison and St. Clair counties.
Martinez-Becerra, Barajas-Lopez and Chavez are also accused of distributing more than 50 grams of methamphetamine in Madison County in April 2023.
“Let me be clear: when it comes to protecting our communities against poly-drug trafficking organizations, there are no boundaries, no safe havens and no stones left unturned when you supply deadly drugs,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Joseph Dixon, head of Drug Enforcement Administration investigations in southern Illinois. “DEA and our law enforcement partners will stop at nothing and relentlessly pursue those responsible who distribute the powerfully addictive combination of fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine. With this action, we intend to serve warning to other drug dealers to stay out of our communities or be prosecuted for their actions.”
The indictment also charged Martinez-Becerra, Garcia-Ramirez, Barajas-Lopez, Amaya-Gomez, Barnes and Lopez-Hinojosa with international money laundering conspiracy for allegedly transferring funds from Illinois to Mexico to promote the drug trafficking enterprise.
“Money laundering fuels drug trafficking as it enables criminals to manipulate our financial systems and hide the immense amount of harm their activities cause,” said Special Agent in Charge Thomas F. Murdock, St. Louis Field Office.
In addition, Martinez-Becerra is facing three counts of international money laundering for allegedly wiring more than $7,000 from Collinsville, Illinois, to various locations in Mexico from May through July 2023. Hinojosa is also accused of conducting international money laundering by sending more than $2,000 from Collinsville, Illinois, to Sinaloa, Mexico, in July 2023.
Nine of the eleven indicted defendants have been arrested and are scheduled to stand trial at the federal courthouse in East St. Louis.
An indictment is merely a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
Agents with DEA and IRS Criminal Investigation contributed to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Quinley is prosecuting the case.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces 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.
Davenport Man Sentenced to 100 Years in Federal Prison for Production and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man was sentenced on January 16, 2024, to 100 years in federal prison for Producing, Distributing, and Possessing Child Pornography. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at trial, David Michael Woods, 51, sexually abused two children in his care, allowed other adult men to sexually abuse the children, produced recordings of the abuse and other sexual images of the children, and distributed the images he produced to others. Woods was convicted after a jury trial in September 2023.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Davenport Police Department.
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 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc. / For information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the resources tab.
Collinsville Man Convicted by Jury for Sexually Abusing Incapable VictimRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted Cody Paul Miller, 46, of Collinsville and a member of the Cherokee Nation, Friday for Sexual Abuse of an Incapable Victim in Indian Country.
“Cody Miller rationalized his actions knowing the victim was intoxicated. This is unacceptable and criminal,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “This office and our law enforcement partners will bring to account those who commit acts of sexual violence.”
According to court documents, the 18-year-old victim was staying the night at Miller’s house with two of her friends, whom were both under 18 years of age. The victim brought alcohol to Miller’s home and began consuming it with Miller. Miller told the police that the victim was intoxicated, but he engaged in several sexual acts with her, none of which the victim remembered. Later, the victim woke up to Miller sexually assaulting her. She repeatedly asked the defendant to stop, and he did not. After leaving Miller’s home, the victim went to a friend’s home where she disclosed what Miller did. After receiving encouragement from her friend, the victim contacted police.
When the defendant was questioned by police, he told officers that the victim “got drunk really fast that night” and even “fell off the bed” because she was so drunk. Miller told law enforcement that the intimacy was mutual and that he stopped when the victim asked him to stop.
Miller will remain in custody until he is sentenced at a later date. He faces up to life imprisonment. The FBI and Collinsville Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Valeria G. Luster and Matthew P. Cyran prosecuted the case.
Clinton Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Clinton man was sentenced on Thursday, January 11, 2024, to 210 months in federal prison for Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography.
According to public court documents presented at the time of the plea hearing, Andrew Robert William Comstock, 36, was identified by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as a member of a Kik chat group that was actively sharing child sexual abuse material. In November 2022, FBI agents interviewed Comstock, who admitted to receiving and viewing child sexual abuse material on Kik. Multiple items were seized from Comstock’s person and residence. Pursuant to a search warrant, a tablet was located at Comstock’s residence that contained numerous images of child sexual abuse material and multiple Kik messages regarding the trading of child sexual abuse material to other users.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Comstock is required to serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Comstock was also ordered to pay $18,000 in restitution.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the FBI.
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 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc. For information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the resources tab.
Charleston Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Weapon ViolationRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Dontrell Lamar Watson, 34, of Charleston, was sentenced to five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon.
Evidence presented to the court showed that on May 5, 2022, officers with the Charleston Police Department stopped Watson for a traffic violation. Watson was the driver and only occupant. During the encounter, officers smelled marijuana and told Watson they were going to search his vehicle. Watson then claimed there was a gun in the trunk. During the search, officers located a fully loaded 9mm pistol with a 15-round magazine under the driver seat where Watson was located. After his arrest, Watson convinced a family member to attempt to accept responsibility for the firearm. However, investigators quickly realized that individual was not being truthful. Watson has multiple felony convictions on his record prohibiting him from possessing a firearm. This was his third conviction for possessing a firearm as a felon.
United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel sentenced Watson to 60 months imprisonment, to be followed by three years of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Charleston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Lietzow is prosecuting the case.
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