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Thursday 18 January 2024
U.S. Attorney’s Office Observes National Human Trafficking Awareness MonthRead the Press Release
“Whether it’s forced labor, domestic servitude, or sex trafficking, human trafficking is the exploitation of human beings for profit, and it has no place in today’s society,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas Vassallo. “We remain dedicated to investigating and prosecuting traffickers within the borders of Wyoming.”
The Justice Department’s National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking sets forth a comprehensive, multi-year strategy to enhance Department-wide efforts to combat all forms of human trafficking. Actions in 2023 to implement this National Strategy and to advance all aspects of the Department’s broad-based anti-trafficking mission include:
- Designation by the Attorney General of a National Human Trafficking Coordinator and a National Child Exploitation Coordinator to coordinate Department-wide and interagency implementation of strategies for countering human trafficking and child exploitation threats, respectively.
- Establishment of a Human Trafficking Working Group of U.S. Attorneys through the Attorney General's Advisory Committee of U.S. Attorneys and its Civil Rights Subcommittee.
- Formation of a specialized Human Trafficking Program Management Team within the FBI’s Crimes Against Children and Human Trafficking Unit to develop and disseminate expertise and training on victim-centered, trauma-informed anti-trafficking strategies to FBI Field Offices nationwide and enhance coordination of human trafficking investigations, prosecutions, and victim services.
- Implementation of the revised Attorney General Guidelines for Victim and Witness Assistance, including delivery of survivor-informed training to all relevant Department personnel on enhanced protections for vulnerable victims and specialized issues impacting human trafficking victims.
- Training of all Department Immigration Judges on detecting human trafficking victims and indicators in immigration-related proceedings through the Executive Office for Immigration Review.
- Expanded efforts to combat forced child labor, including:
- Leadership of the interagency Forced Labor Initiative Steering Group in conducting strategic assessments of forced child labor threats and guiding criminal forced labor investigations and prosecutions in relevant jurisdictions;
- Participation in the interagency Child Labor Exploitation Task Force and issuance of guidance to all Office for Victims of Crime grantees, in collaboration with the Department of Labor, on identifying, assisting, and referring victims of forced child labor and child labor exploitation; and
- Introduction of resolutions on combating forced child labor to the United Nations Convention on Transnational Organized Crime Working Group on Trafficking in Persons
- Sustained efforts to combat child sex trafficking, including through:
- Release of the Department’s 2023 National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction;
- Operations conducted by the FBI and federal, state, local, and Tribal partners over a two-week period that identified and located 59 missing children and 59 victims of potential federal or state sex trafficking, sexual exploitation, or related offenses, as well as 126 suspects and 141 potential adult victims of such offenses; and
- Issuance of an Office on Violence Against Women Training and Technical Assistance grant to implement the Building Capacity to Serve Youth Survivors of Sex Trafficking Project; youth sex trafficking grantees and service providers; deliver youth-centered, survivor-informed expertise; and enhance outreach to traditionally underserved youth populations.
- Enhanced responses to human trafficking affecting Tribal communities through training, technical assistance, and coordination among Tribal, territorial, federal, state, local, and non-governmental partners, including through the Tribal Consultation on Violence Against American Indian and Alaska Native Women; Not Invisible Act Commission; National Indian Country Training Initiative; and Strengthening Sovereign Responses to Sex Trafficking in Indian Country and Alaska program.
- Issuance of over $95 million in grant funding through the Department’s Office for Victims of Crime, as the largest federal funder of services for human trafficking victims and survivors, including grant funding for direct services and legal services and training and technical assistance to enhance grantees’ capacity to provide services to labor trafficking victims.
- National Institute of Justice-funded research and evaluation studies to inform evidence-based best practices involving multidisciplinary task forces, victim services, and responses to emerging forced labor and forced criminality threats.
- Continued collaboration among U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section to secure convictions, substantial sentences, and significant restitution awards in a wide range of human trafficking prosecutions nationwide.
Anyone who has information about a potential human trafficking situation or a person who may be experiencing human trafficking should contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733.
Information on the Justice Department’s work to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects More Than $3.4 Million in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2023Read the Press Release
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill. - The Southern District of Illinois collected $3,414,959.96 in criminal and civil actions in fiscal year 2023, U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe announced Thursday. Of this amount, $1,951,689.87 was collected in criminal actions and $1,463,270.09 was collected in civil actions.
Additionally, Southern District of Illinois employees worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $4,148,633.35 in jointly pursued cases. Of this amount, $9,266.10 was collected in criminal actions and $4,139,367.25 was collected in civil actions.
“Throughout the last fiscal year, federal prosecutors and financial litigation staff worked tirelessly to collect millions of dollars in restitution from individuals charged with fraud and other crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “These funds help support victims regain a sense of normalcy and offer assistance to law enforcement officers with their efforts to apprehend criminals.”
In the largest civil settlement for FY 23, the Southern District of Illinois finalized a deal to recover $745,000 to resolve allegations about a migraine headache treatment device from Jet Medical Inc. Jet agreed to pay $200,000 to settle criminal allegations, and Jet and two related companies agreed to pay another $545,000 in a civil settlement.
U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s office in southern Illinois, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $4,904,603 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2023. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects $11.5 Million in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2023Read the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore announced today that the Western District of Missouri collected $5,814,684 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2023. Of this amount, $4,453,163 was collected in criminal actions and $1,361,521 was collected in civil actions.
Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s office in the Western District of Missouri, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $5,678,378 in asset forfeiture actions in Fiscal Year 2023. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
“In 2023, the attorneys and support staff in our Monetary Penalties Unit worked diligently to collect nearly $11.5 million on behalf of taxpayers and victims of crime,” Moore said.
“Our job doesn’t end when a defendant is sentenced or a civil case is settled,” Moore added. “I’m proud to say that over the past year, victims of fraud, sex trafficking, and other crimes have received much needed restitution for what they lost at the hands of criminal defendants. Our team seized assets and collected money judgments from criminals who attempted to profit from their illegal activities. And those who owed a debt to the United States were held accountable to pay what they owed.”
Additionally, the Western District of Missouri worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $5,298,876 in cases pursued jointly by these offices. Of this amount, $37,515 was collected in criminal actions and $5,261,361 was collected in civil actions.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
U.S. Attorney's Office Collects $3,517,919.40 in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2023Read the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—U.S. Attorney Jonathan D. Ross announced today that the Eastern District of Arkansas collected $3,517,919.40 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2023. Of this amount, $3,417,560.11 was collected in criminal actions and $100,359.29 was collected in civil actions.
Additionally, the Eastern District of Arkansas worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $278,701.75 in cases pursued jointly by these offices. Of this amount, $6,690.49 was collected in criminal actions and $272,011.26 was collected in civil actions.
“On behalf of victims and taxpayers in the Eastern District of Arkansas, our Office’s Financial Litigation Program and Asset Forfeiture Unit aggressively work to ensure civil and criminal financial obligations are met,” Ross said. “The hard work put in these programs often goes unnoticed. I am extremely proud of their dedication and commitment to ensure victims justly receive compensation and assessed fines are paid.”
Following are two cases that represent the work the Eastern District of Arkansas does to recover money.
United States v. Marcus O. Millsap, Case No. 4:17-CR-00293-045 BSM (E.D. AR).
On May 26, 2023, Marcus Millsap was sentenced to life in prison and ordered to immediately pay $200,300 ($200k fine and $300 in assessments). Millsap failed to pay, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office was able to garnish the full $200,300 Judgment amount from a bank account belonging to Millsap. On August 30, 2023, the Court entered an Order directing the bank to pay the full $200,300 to the Clerk of Court.
Millsap, associated with the white supremacist gang New Aryan Empire, was a violent drug trafficker in Pope County and indicted in September 2019. After a jury trial, Millsap was found guilty of conspiracy to violate racketeering laws, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, and conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
United States v. Everett Martindale, Case No. 4:19-CR-00688 DPM (E.D. AR)
On June 30, 2023, Everett Martindale was sentenced to one year and a day in federal prison and ordered to pay $246,375.00 in restitution. Martindale paid a total of $197,375 towards his restitution shortly after sentencing. The Department of Justice’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS) credited $51,000 that Martindale had already paid on a forfeiture money judgment towards the restitution judgment amount.
Martindale and six other defendants were involved in a scheme to defraud the U.S. Department of Agriculture out of more than $11.5 million that was intended to benefit farmers who had been discriminated against. Martindale worked as an attorney and legal representative for most of the claimants recruited by other defendants.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Arkansas, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $226,132 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2023. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
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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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@EDARNEWS
Two sentenced for robbing multiple commercial businesses at gunpointRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Two men have been ordered to prison for robbery and brandishing a firearm during crime sprees in two separate, unrelated, but similar cases, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Angel Servellon, 30, El Salvador, pleaded guilty Aug. 10, 2023, while DaVonte Williams, 29, Houston, entered his plea Aug. 29, 2023.
U.S. District Judge Alfred Bennett has now ordered Servellon to serve 24 months for the three robberies as well as an additional 168 months for the firearm charges which must be served consecutively. The total 233-month-term will be followed by three years of supervised release. In imposing the sentence, the court noted the fact Servellon would be removed from the United States.
In a separate, but similar case sentenced Jan. 17, U.S. District Judge Gray Miller imposed a 151-term of imprisonment for Williams for two robberies. He also received an additional 84 months for the firearm charge which must be served consecutively for a total of 235 months. The total 235-month sentence will also be followed by three years of supervised release.
“Although these men went on different crime sprees, targeting a drug store, convenience store and gas station, and while both were sentenced by different judges, the result was essentially the same - almost 20 years in prison,” said Hamdani. “As the son of an immigrant who donned a convenience store uniform every night at the conclusion of his morning shift as a taxi driver, I am hopeful that sentences like these will deter future gun toting would-be criminals and keep safe the clerks who work, often by the hour and late into night, serving our communities in stores large and small.”
On Feb. 16, 2020, Servellon walked into a Village Food Store located on Chimney Rock. He went behind the counter, pointed a firearm at a cashier and ordered her to open the register and give him the money. The clerk, fearing for her life, complied, and Servellon soon fled.
Less than two weeks later, he jumped the counter at an Exxon gas station on Fondren, pointed a gun at the cashier and demanded all the money from the register. His crime spree continued to March 3, 2020, when went to another Exxon, again pulled out a firearm and demanded cash from the cashier. After he fled with the money, law enforcement witnessed him pull into an apartment complex, exit the vehicle and attempt to run. However, authorities quickly caught him and found a firearm magazine in his pocket. An additional search of the area led to the discovery of a semi-automatic handgun Servellon had thrown in the bushes of the apartment complex. It matched the firearm brandished during the robberies.
In a separate case, Williams commenced his string of robberies Jan. 12, 2022, at an Exxon gas station located on the Eastex freeway which continued the same night at a CVS located on Tidwell. During his robberies, Williams would enter the commercial businesses and brandish a firearm at the employees, demanding money from the registers.
Law enforcement had been searching for a specific vehicle after the Exxon robbery and saw a similar one leaving the CVS at a high rate of speed. They attempted to stop it, but the driver, later identified as Williams, accelerated and failed obey traffic laws.
The investigation led to Williams’ car and vehicle. At the time of his arrest, authorities recovered a firearm that matched the one used during both robberies. Williams also matched the person seen on the surveillance video, including having a distinct limp.
Both men will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Crime Gun Strike Force and the Houston Police Department handled both investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill Stotts prosecuted the cases.
Two Men Sentenced on Federal Narcotics and Money Laundering ViolationsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – On January 17, 2024, two individuals were sentenced to lengthy terms of imprisonment by United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand on their convictions for violating federal narcotics and money laundering laws related to a nine-month Title III wiretap investigation into drug trafficking in and around the counties of Jefferson, Clearfield, and Allegheny, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
George Charlan, 36, a former resident of Grants Pass, Oregon, was sentenced to 15 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release, and Derek Hillebrand, 27, a former resident of Troutville, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 18 years of imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release.
According to information presented to the court, Charlan and Hillebrand were key members of a cross-country narcotics distribution conspiracy. Charlan orchestrated a shipment of over 280 pounds of methamphetamine and over 100 kilograms of marijuana from California and Nevada to individuals in Jefferson County, Clearfield County, and Allegheny County. Of that amount, Hillebrand received and distributed at least 220 pounds of methamphetamine and 100 kilograms of marijuana to his customers, who subsequently distributed the narcotics to their customers throughout the Western District of Pennsylvania. Charlan then directed Hillebrand to mail large amounts of United States currency (representing drug proceeds that were used to purchase additional narcotics) from the Western District of Pennsylvania to California, and one of his co-conspirators to transport the remaining drug profits to Charlan. In total, Hillebrand mailed over one million dollars in United States currency to California during the course of the conspiracy.
Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan D. Lusty prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Services, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Allegheny County Police, and Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Charlan and Hillebrand, with additional assistance from the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, and the Clarion Borough Police Department. 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.
Two Defendants Plead Guilty to Roles in Conspiracy Targeting Credit UnionRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Davon Parson, age 20, of Albany, and Dnauticah Taylor-Sterman, age 21, of Albany, have pled guilty to conspiring to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.
In separate pleas before United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci, Parson and Taylor-Sterman each admitted that between February and October 2022, they were members of a conspiracy to defraud SEFCU by, among other things, applying for loans using stolen identities of real people and withdrawing the loaned money in cash. Both Parson and Taylor-Sterman admitted that they applied for loans in other people’s names using fake New York driver’s licenses with their photographs but bearing the names and dates of birth of other people. Taylor-Sterman pled guilty today and Parson pled guilty on January 10, 2024.
Parson and Taylor-Sterman were previously charged by an indictment, along with Evan Cutler and Allahson Allah, formerly known as Gwyn Cancer. According to the indictment and statements made by prosecutors in court, the conspirators obtained customer account information from Caeshara Cannon, age 33, of Albany, a former Member Service Manager at SEFCU, and used that information to create counterfeit checks, which were presented for negotiation at SEFCU branches in the Northern District of New York. The conspirators also obtained personal identifying information of real people, which they used to fraudulently obtain loans from SEFCU, and then withdrew the proceeds in cash.
The charges to which Parson and Taylor-Sterman pled guilty carry a minimum term of 2 years in prison and a maximum term of 32 years, a fine of up to $1.25 million, and a supervised release term of up to 5 years. Parson will be sentenced on May 10, 2024 and Taylor-Sterman will be sentenced on May 17, 2024.
Cannon pled guilty on September 14, 2023 to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. She is scheduled for sentencing on July 12, 2024.
The following charges remain pending against the following individuals:
- Allah, age 53, of Albany, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft.
- Cutler, age 24, of Queensbury, New York, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and four counts of aggravated identity theft.
As to these defendants, the charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
HSI is investigating the case, with assistance from the Bethlehem Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Clark is prosecuting this case.
Three convicted in alien smuggling plot for Mexican cartelRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – Three individuals have pleaded guilty to their roles in a human smuggling conspiracy involving the Cartel del Noreste (CDN), announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Laredo residents Bernardo Aniceto Garza, 26, and Francisco Suarez, 19; and Mexican citizen Luis Daniel Segura Guzman, 25, each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport undocumented aliens.
“The cartels are increasing the use of social media as part of their illegal business model,” said Hamdani. “Applications, such as Facebook, allow these organizations to advertise human smuggling services to large audiences along the U.S. border. In this case, the Facebook ads helped facilitate the transportation of women and children by smugglers armed with dangerous weapons.”
On Aug. 23, 2023, authorities discovered a Facebook post that appeared to be advertising transportation services for undocumented aliens via sleeper cabs of tractor trailers. An undercover investigation revealed Segura coordinated the transportation of three undocumented aliens for approximately $8,000. Law enforcement learned Segura arranged for a black Ford Raptor to make the pickup in Laredo that afternoon.
Authorities spotted a black Ford Raptor arrive at the meet location. Garza was driving. Undercover law enforcement then contacted Segura to cancel the previously arranged pickup. Garza left and travelled to a nearby parking lot to pick up three other individuals. He then transported them to a truck yard and loaded the aliens into a parked tractor. Authorities stopped Garza’s vehicle minutes after he left the truck yard and located a firearm inside the Ford Raptor.
Law enforcement approached the tractor and located two women and a 15-year-old minor inside the vehicle. All three were citizens of Mexico and El Salvador and illegally present in the United States.
On Sept. 16, 2023, authorities encountered Segura in Laredo and identified him as a citizen of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. Segura admitted the CDN had recruited him in Mexico to smuggle aliens and that he worked with Suarez to do so. Law enforcement located a cell phone in Segura’s possession that was still logged into the Facebook account used to advertise and coordinate the smuggling event.
On Sept. 19, 2023, authorities apprehended Suarez in a separate smuggling attempt during which he was acting as a scout. Suarez admitted he worked for Garza and provided him with the three migrants he was caught transporting Aug. 23, 2023.
U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana will set sentencing at later date. At that time, each faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Suarez and Guzman will remain in custody pending that hearing, while Garza was permitted to remain on bond.
Laredo Police Department, Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations and the Texas Department of Public Safety. 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 on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Day is prosecuting the case.
The case is supported through Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). Attorney General Merrick B. Garland created JTFA in June 2021 in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to strengthen the Justice Department’s overall efforts to combat the rise in prolific and dangerous smuggling emanating from Central America and impacting our border communities. JTFA is comprised of detailees from southwest border U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, including the Southern and Western Districts of Texas, District of New Mexico, District of Arizona and Southern District of California. Numerous components of the Criminal Division are part of JTFA and provide dedicated support for the program which the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section leads. The Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training; Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section; Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section; Office of Enforcement Operations; Office of International Affairs and Violent Crime and Racketeering Section also provide support. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in over 265 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers and significant facilitators of human smuggling; more than 200 convictions; significant jail sentences imposed; and substantial asset forfeiture.
Third Aryan Brotherhood Prison Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Murder in Aid of RacketeeringRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jason Corbett, 51, of Butte County, pleaded guilty Wednesday to murder in aid of racketeering as part of a long-running investigation into California Aryan Brotherhood prison gang, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between 2011 and 2016, Aryan Brotherhood (AB) members and associates engaged in racketeering activity, committing multiple acts involving murder, conspiracies to murder, and drug trafficking crimes. The charges allege that AB members oversaw a significant heroin and methamphetamine trafficking operation from their California prison cells using smuggled cellphones to direct drug trafficking activities, order murders, and oversee other criminal activities inside and outside of the prisons.
According to the plea agreement, on July 28, 2018, Corbett murdered an inmate at High Desert Prison as part of an AB-related killing. Corbett admitted that he committed the murder because the victim falsely claimed to be an AB member and had run up a significant drug debt at his previous prison – both violations of the AB’s expected codes of conduct. Corbett willfully, deliberately, and with premeditation, murdered the victim in order to maintain his status within the gang.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Vallejo Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office, and the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Hitt, Ross Pearson, and David Spencer are prosecuting the case.
U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller is scheduled to sentence Corbett on April 8, 2024. Corbett faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison.
Three remaining defendants, Ronald Yandell, Billy Sylvester, and Danny Troxell are scheduled for trial in February 2024. The charges against them are only allegations; they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program. 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.
Texas Resident Sentenced for Cares Act FraudRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – BRIA PETERS, age 28, a resident of Houston, Texas, was sentenced to 5 five years probation on January 17, 2024 by U.S. District Court Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle after previously pleading guilty to making false statements related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
On March 27, 2020, The CARES Act established several new temporary programs and provided for the expansion of others to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Among these programs, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) authorized forgivable loans backed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to small businesses to retain workers and maintain payroll, make mortgage interest payments, lease payments, and utility payments. The PPP allows the interest and principal on the PPP loan to be forgiven if the business spends the loan proceeds on these expense items within a designated period of time after receiving the proceeds and uses at least a certain percentage of the PPP loan proceeds on payroll expenses.
According to the court documents, PETERS made false statements to an approved lender on or about May 27, 2021, for the purpose of fraudulently obtaining a PPP loan. Consequently, PETERS later received a PPP loan totaling approximately $29,166.00. PETERS stated in her PPP application that in 2020, she owned a clothing business impacted by the pandemic when, in truth, she had no such business.
In addition to 5 years probation, PETERS was ordered to pay $55,141 in restitution and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee .
For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Amtrak Office of Inspector General – Criminal Investigations, in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera of the Financial Crimes Unit was in charge of the prosecution.
Taylor County woman sentenced to 12 years for federal drug chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Kayla Marie Cline, age 32, of Flemington, West Virginia, was sentenced to 148 months for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Cline was operating a methamphetamine distribution operation from a home in Taylor County. Cline worked with others to travel to and from the Morgantown area to meet her supplier or to conduct drug sales. Investigators connected more than three pounds of methamphetamine to Cline.
The case was investigated by the Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Flower prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
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Taunton Woman Who Bribed RMV Road Test Examiner for Driver's Licenses Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Taunton woman was sentenced yesterday for bribing a road test examiner at the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) in Brockton to issue driver’s licenses to individuals who did not take road tests.
Neta Centio, 56, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to 15 months in prison, one year of supervised release, a fine of $10,000 and forfeiture of $19,305. On Aug. 21, 2023, Centio pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services mail fraud.
Centio paid a road test examiner at the Brockton RMV service center to misrepresent to the RMV that certain driver’s license applicants had passed their road test when, in fact, they had not even showed up for the test. As a result of the fraud, the RMV mailed driver’s licenses to unqualified applicants. Centio used CashApp to pay the road examiner in exchange for fraudulent passing scores on road tests, ultimately paying over 40 individual bribes to her co-conspirator. After Centio’s fraud was discovered, she told the road test examiner, “Don’t say nothing about the CashApp. . . . Break the phone.”
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Christopher A. Scharf, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine Wichers and Adam Deitch of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit prosecuted the case.
Tarrant County man indicted for trafficking fentanyl through the mailRead the Press Release
PLANO, Texas – A Fort Worth man has been indicted for federal drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today.
Jimmie Jalen Humphries, 28, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in November 2023, charging him with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Humphries made his initial appearance on January17, 2024 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kimberly C. Priest Johnson. Humphries is set for a detention hearing before Judge Johnson on January 22.
According to the indictment and information presented in court, in April 2023, Humphries mailed approximately 5,000 fentanyl pills from Frisco, Texas to the Washington, DC area. Investigators from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration later identified Humphries as the source of the fentanyl. Humphries was on supervised release for federal firearms violations out of Michigan at the time of the alleged offense. During his arrest, a search warrant was executed on Humphries’ residence, resulting in the seizure of fentanyl pills, large sums of U.S. currency, ammunition, and extended high-capacity pistol magazines.
If convicted, Humphries faces from 10 years to life in federal prison.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lesley Brooks.
A grand jury indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Tallahassee Man Sentenced to Forty Years in Federal Prison for Six Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Keshawn Jarmarlin Robinson, 22, of Tallahassee, Florida, was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for six counts of Hobbs Act Robbery, six counts of brandishing a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The sentence was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“The investigation and prosecution of violent crime – in this case a series of armed robberies by a repeat offender – is central to our mission to protect the public,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “This sentence illustrates our shared resolve to keep our communities safe and the significant consequences associated with such federal crimes of violence.”
Over the span of seven days in November 2022, Robinson committed six separate armed robberies of Tallahassee businesses. The first, on November 15, 2022, was a Subway Restaurant. The second, on November 19th, was a Tobacco Outlet store. The third, on November 20th, of a Dollar General store, and the final three robberies were committed on November 22nd, at an Advanced Auto Parts store, a Firehouse Subs restaurant, and a Lemon Pepper restaurant. During each of the robberies, Robinson brandished a firearm. As a previously convicted felon, Robinson is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
"When crimes are committed in Tallahassee, our detectives work diligently and tirelessly to bring justice to the victim and their families," said Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell. “The collaboration between law enforcement agencies and the successful prosecution reflects our commitment to ensuring the safety and security of our community. We hope this sentence serves as a strong deterrent, emphasizing that crime will not go unpunished."
In addition to the six-armed robberies charged federally, evidence was also presented to show that in August 2022 in Tallahassee, Florida, Robinson committed an armed carjacking weeks after being released from the Florida Department of Corrections after serving a prison term for robbery and grand theft of motor vehicle, and months before the charged November armed robbery spree. Additionally, evidence showed that since age 12, Robinson has been a member of the Gangster Disciples national criminal street gang; during investigation of the November 2022 armed robbery spree, a distinct six-point star gang tattoo aided investigators in identifying and arresting Robinson.
“The vast majority of the Panhandle’s gun crime is fueled by a small number of people,” said ATF Tampa Field Division’s Special Agent in Charge Kirk Howard. “And thanks to solid policework and the community’s support, one of Tallahassee’s most prolific offenders will be locked up for a long time.”
Robinson’s imprisonment will be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Tallahassee Police Department and the United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Eric K. Mountin prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
As part of its PSN strategy, the United States Attorney’s Office is encouraging everyone to lock their car doors, particularly at night. Burglaries from unlocked automobiles are a significant source of guns for criminals in the Northern District of Florida. Please do your part and protect yourself by locking your car doors.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Sugar Land resident sent to prison for Bitstamp cryptocurrency fraud schemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 37-year-old man has been sentenced for aggravated identity theft in connection with a scheme to fraudulently obtain and launder more than $500,000, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Xiaofei Chen pleaded guilty Oct. 12, 2023.
U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett has now ordered Chen to serve 24 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by one year of supervised release. At the hearing, Chen apologized for his criminal conduct and told the court he regretted his actions.
“The emergence of cryptocurrency has revolutionized finance, but has also provided a new playground for identity theft and financial fraud,” said Hamdani. “Whether the stolen money is counted in dollars or bitcoins, the Southern District’s prosecutors will aggressively prosecute identity thieves and fraudsters and not rest until the offenders are behind bars.”
Chen had obtained the name, driver’s license and banking account of a known victim. Chen then arranged a fraudulent wire of $520,000 from that person’s checking account and opened a Bitstamp cryptocurrency exchange account using the victim’s information without consent.
Bitstamp is an online currency exchange where individuals can covert monies into Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency. It is based in Luxembourg and headquartered in London, United Kingdom.
Chen used the Bitstamp and other cryptocurrency accounts to convert the proceeds into Bitcoin. He then laundered the Bitcoin through numerous transactions.
He was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christian Latham and Belinda Beek prosecuted the case.
Stamford Man Charged with Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New England, and Stamford Police Chief Timothy Shaw announced that RICK MARRO, 42, most recently residing in Stamford, was arrested today on a federal criminal complaint charging him with child exploitation offenses.
Marro appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti in Bridgeport and was ordered detained.
As alleged in court documents, law enforcement began investigating Marro in August 2023 after a 16-year-old male victim reported that he had been sexually exploited by Marro. The victim reported that he met Marro on a dating application, and they then began communicating on Snapchat in April 2023. The victim indicated that they met in person at Marro’s house on multiple occasions, and two of the encounters were sexual in nature. The victim reported that Marro gave him “poppers,” that Marro was “into” asphyxiation, and, on one occasion, Marro strangled him and he passed out “for a minute or two.” A law enforcement review of the victim’s Snapchat account showed that Marro sent him videos that Marro had recorded of them engaged in sexual activity. He also sent the victim a video depicting Marro choking him.
It is further alleged that law enforcement subsequently seized and searched Marro’s cell phone. During the examination of Marro’s phone, law enforcement located the same videos that he recorded and sent the victim showing them engaged in sexual activity. Investigators also located text messages that Marro had sent to another individual in which Marro stated that he “choked [the victim] all the way to unconscious today by accident.”
The complaint charges Marro with production of child pornography, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years; receipt and distribution of child pornography, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; and possession of child pornography, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Stamford Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
St. Louis County Man Who Absconded from Federal Supervision Sentenced to 51 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Thursday sentenced a fentanyl dealer who absconded from federal supervision after his guilty plea to 51 months in prison.
Theodise D. Perkins, 23, of Florissant, Missouri, pleaded guilty on May 18, 2022, to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. He admitted being caught with a stolen .45-caliber pistol, 19.77 grams of fentanyl in capsules and baggies and $1,004 during a traffic stop in St. Louis on March 4, 2020. The driver of the vehicle in which Perkins was riding led police on an extended car chase and Perkins attempted to flee on foot before being taken into custody, throwing away a loaded gun in the process.
Following his guilty plea, Perkins allowed to remain out on bond. He repaid this trust by absconding from pre-trial supervision and failing to show up for his sentencing hearing. He was arrested June 27, 2023 and has been held in jail since that time. The recommended sentencing guidelines for Perkins were 21 months higher than they would have been had he not fled supervision.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the St. Louis County Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Missouri Department of Public Safety investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Bluestone prosecuted the case.
St. Charles Sex Offender Admits Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A registered sex offender from St. Charles, Missouri on Thursday admitted possessing child pornography and contacting a child via Snapchat.
Ronald L. Thurber, 73, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to possession of child pornography as a prior offender. He admitted searching for child sexual abuse material online and possessing that material in a Google account. He also had hundreds of pictures and videos on his laptop computer and cell phone. Investigators have identified the child victims in 190 of those files.
Thurber also admitted masturbating while corresponding with a 10-year-old in Washington state via Snapchat.
Thurber was required to register as a sex offender after being convicted in a 1979 rape and sodomy case in St. Louis County Circuit Court. He was sentenced to eight years in prison.
The investigation began after the material in his Google account triggered multiple tips to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Thurber is scheduled to be sentenced April 3. The charge is punishable by between 10 and 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both prison and a fine.
The FBI and the St. Charles County Cyber Crime Task Force investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For information about keeping kids safe online, please visit the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s NetSmartz program.
South Georgia Waste Collection Site Closed, Company Sentenced for Improperly Storing Hazardous ChemicalsRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A New Jersey-based hazardous waste collection and disposal corporation with locations in Valdosta, Georgia, and Lumberton, North Carolina, was sentenced in federal court for violating federal law in its handling of dangerous chemicals.
Care Environmental Corporation, through its authorized representative Francis J. McKenna, Jr., was sentenced to five years of probation, a $50,000 fine and $135,0000 restitution for remediation and cleanup by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Hugh Lawson on Jan. 17, after it previously pleaded guilty to one count of knowingly storing carbon disulfide, a hazardous material, without a permit on Aug. 14, 2023.
“Care Environmental Corporation put Valdosta residents and the South Georgia ecosystem at risk when it failed to properly dispose of hazardous waste and then compounded that failure after state and federal authorities highlighted its wrongdoings and offered a plan to correct its actions,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Working with our federal, state, and local partners, our office will hold corporations accountable for criminal actions which hurt the environment and put people at risk.”
“Improperly handling and storing hazardous waste not only violates environmental regulations but places surrounding communities at risk of an accidental release, explosion or worse,” said Special Agent in Charge Charles Carfagno of EPA-CIDs Regional Office in Atlanta, GA. “I hope this sentencing reminds all those that mishandle hazardous waste that EPA and its partners will work to hold wrongdoers accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
“This case demonstrates how local, state, and federal agencies work together to uphold and enforce laws designed to protect human health and the environment. The Georgia Environmental Protection Division appreciates and would like to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of the staff who collectively held Care Environmental Corporation accountable for its actions and developed plans to remediate this facility. Such blatant violations of our environmental laws pose serious risk to the surrounding community and to the natural resources of the State of Georgia and must be redressed,” said Sara Lips, Director of Communications and Community Engagement, Georgia DNR Environmental Protection Division.
According to court documents, Care—a hazardous waste disposal corporation headquartered in Hackettstown, New Jersey—leased a warehouse in Valdosta from 2004 to 2019, where they collected and stored pesticides, poisons, chemicals and other wastes collected from homes and generators throughout the eastern United States. McKenna is the sole officer, director, owner and operator of Care.
In Dec. 2018, Care ceased receiving materials at the facility pursuant to a voluntary closure and a 12-month plan entered into with the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (GAEPD) that called for Care to properly dispose of all of the hazardous materials stored at the facility. In connection with that plan, CARE underwent regular inspections of the facility by GAEPD and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and made regular reports to GAEPD and EPA that reflected the amount of the stored hazardous waste that had been shipped for disposal and the amount remaining. During that time, Care continued to store the waste, including hazardous waste materials.
An inspection of the Valdosta facility in Oct. 2019 found approximately 2,100 55-gallon drums, 200 large totes, and two storage tanks containing waste substances in the warehouse. GAEPD and EPA Emergency Response Coordinator inspectors observed improperly stored hazardous materials inside the warehouse and office areas of the building that presented a threat to human health and the environment, and serious fire and explosion hazards. The integrity of a number of the drums and totes were compromised, resulting in leaking and potential spillage. Inspectors found a large jug containing carbon disulfide, a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) listed hazardous waste. The knowing storage of the carbon disulfide in the amount found at the warehouse was in violation of the provisions of RCRA. Inspectors also found quantities of various other chemicals, including red and yellow phosphorus, carbon tetrachloride, hydrogen sulfide, cyanide, mercuric cyanide and elemental mercury. The warehouse was shut down in Dec. 2019.
The condition of the warehouse resulted in remediation efforts by the EPA, which included containment and cleanup. CARE operated another warehouse facility in Lumberton, North Carolina, that also required remediation and cleanup. The cost of remediation and cleanup was $43,625.28 for Valdosta and $90,590.70 for Lumberton, North Carolina, for a total of $134,215.98.
The case was investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division (EPA CID) and the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (GAEPD).
Criminal Chief Leah McEwen prosecuted the case for the Government.
Six Indicted for Interstate Theft Scheme Along East CoastRead the Press Release
A five-count indictment was unsealed earlier today variously charging six defendants with interstate transportation of stolen property, interstate transportation of stolen motor vehicle and conspiracy counts, in connection with a 20-month scheme to steal rental cars from Hertz Global Holdings (Hertz) and other car companies, and merchandise from the retail stores Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (Lowe’s) and The Home Depot, Inc. (Home Depot). Defendants Christopher World, Lovell Ambrister and Hassen Lewis were arrested this morning, during which a gun with an extended magazine was found, and will be arraigned later today at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn before United States Magistrate Judge Marcia M. Henry. Defendants Trent Dance and Von Vincent are detained on other charges in Valhalla, New York and Auburn, New York, respectively, and they will be arrested and arraigned at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn at a later date. Defendant William Harvin is still at large.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) announced the charges.
“As alleged, the instruction manual for these defendants was simple: commit crimes at every stage, and repeat. They stole over $300,000 in cars to drive to stores, which they robbed of over $500,000 in merchandise – and replayed this scheme at least 130 times across the East Coast,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Let this serve as a warning: retail theft has real consequences.”
Mr. Peace thanked the New York State Police; the Connecticut Department of Public Safety; the New York City Police Department; the Freeport Police Department, Freeport, New York; the South Burlington Police Department, South Burlington, Vermont; the Vestal Police Department, Vestal, New York; and the Wappingers Falls Police Department, Wappingers Falls, New York, for their assistance with the investigation.
"These six defendants allegedly attempted to benefit by stealing from home improvement stores up and down the East Coast. Today they have found out what the FBI has proven repeatedly—crime doesn’t pay. The arrests serve as a warning to anyone who believes they can pull off and profit from robberies– the FBI will ensure your crime spree is brought to an end," stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Smith.
As alleged in the government’s court filings, from about April 2022 to December 2023, the defendants stole rental cars from Hertz and others along the East Coast, drove those cars from New York to various branch stores of Lowe’s and Home Depot along the East Coast, and stole home improvement merchandise, often Lutron lighting products, for resale in New York. As a result of the scheme, the defendants together stole at least $516,000 in merchandise from 71 Lowe’s branches and 59 Home Depot branches in 13 states, spanning from South Carolina to Maine. At least 21 of the stores were located in the Eastern District of New York. Each of the defendants personally participated in dozens of the thefts, and many of the defendants face arrest warrants for their thefts in multiple states, including Pennsylvania, Virginia and South Carolina. The defendants also stole at least $320,000 in rental cars in four states, including New York.
The charges in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The defendants face a maximum of 10 years’ imprisonment for each of the interstate transportation counts and a maximum of 5 years’ imprisonment for the conspiracy count.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorney Victor Zapana is in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Eileen Rosado.
The Defendants:
CHRISTOPHER WORLD (also known as “Birdo”)
Age: 22
Brooklyn, New YorkLOVELL AMBRISTER (also known as “Stali”)
Age: 22
Bronx, New YorkTRENT DANCE (also known as “Tre Savv”)
Age: 21
Brooklyn, New YorkWILLIAM HARVIN (also known as “Pook”)
Age: 24
Brooklyn, New YorkHASSEN LEWIS (also known as “Fan Boy”)
Age: 22
Brooklyn, New YorkVON VINCENT
Age: 22
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-7 (AMD)
Six Defendants Arrested and Indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute Multiple Kilograms of CocaineRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Six defendants were arrested on January 17, 2024, in connection with a conspiracy to distribute cocaine sent through the U.S. Postal Service to New Hampshire. The defendants were indicted on December 20, 2023, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Three defendants appeared in federal court in Concord for an initial appearance on January 17, 2024. The remaining defendants will appear in federal court for initial appearances on a later date.
The following defendants were indicted in connection with these charges:
- Lewistone Baez Miranda, 48, of Manchester, NH. Baez Miranda is in custody.
- Joshua Baez Core, 25, of Bayamon, Puerto Rico. Baez Core is in custody.
- Euris Rosario Rodriguez, 38, of Manchester, NH. Rosario Rodriguez is in custody.
- Siul Mary Rosa Cruz, 28, of Manchester, NH. Rosa Cruz is in custody.
- David Orme, 51, of Manchester, NH. Orme is in custody.
- Sasha Ramirez Muniz, 42, of Manchester, NH. Ramirez Muniz is in custody.
According to the charging document and statements made in court, each of the defendants was involved in a drug trafficking organization that shipped large amounts of cocaine from Puerto Rico to Manchester, New Hampshire, using the United States Postal Service. Members of the organization would pick up the packages of cocaine in Manchester and provide them to Lewistone Baez Miranda and others for distribution. The largest mail parcel shipped by the drug trafficking organization recovered by the United States Postal Inspection Service contained 4 kilograms of cocaine.
The charging statute for the drug offense provides a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a term of supervised release of at least three years, 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 United States Postal Inspection Service led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Manchester Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Gingrande is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Sioux Falls Man Charged with Preparation of False Tax Returns and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a federal grand jury has indicted a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man for 23 counts of Aiding and Assisting in the Preparation and Presentation of a False and Fraudulent Return and 23 counts of Wire Fraud.
Amon Eustache Aboua, age 54, was indicted in January of 2024. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on January 16, 2024, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 20 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and up to $4,600 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that Aboua is the owner of African Communities United, d/b/a ACU Tax Services. Between February 2, 2018, and April 2, 2019, Aboua prepared false U.S. Individual Income Tax Returns and submitted them to the IRS for several taxpayers. Those returns were false in that the returns represented that the taxpayers were entitled to claim deductions when, in fact, they were not. Aboua submitted those tax returns electronically and caused fraudulently-inflated refunds, which unjustly enriched Aboua.
The charges are merely accusations and Aboua is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the IRS. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann M. Hoffman is prosecuting the case.
Aboua was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Santa Ana Man Sentenced to 15.5 Years in Prison for Attempted Online Enticement of a Minor for Sexual PurposesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Marcos Lucero, 32, of Santa Ana, was sentenced today to 15 years and six months in prison for attempted online enticement of a minor for sexual purposes, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Lucero asked an 11-year-old girl for explicit pictures, and she sent them to him via a social media application. Lucero continued communicating with her when, unbeknownst to Lucero, an undercover law enforcement agent took over the minor victim’s account. Lucero suggested meeting up for sex, and on Sept. 15, 2021, he traveled from Santa Ana to Fresno to have sex with the 11-year-old.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger Yang prosecuted the case.
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 those who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Rosebud Man Sentenced for Abusive Sexual ContactRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Rosebud, South Dakota, man convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact. The sentencing took place on January 16, 2024.
Kyle Black Bull, age 34, was sentenced to three years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Black Bull was indicted by a federal grand jury in June of 2022. He pleaded guilty on September 28, 2023.
In the evening hours of April 16, 2022, the victim was at a residence in Parmelee, South Dakota, with the defendant and two other males. The victim and the defendant had both been consuming alcohol during the evening. As the night progressed, the victim fell asleep on the couch. In the early morning hours of April 17, the victim awoke to the defendant engaging in intercourse with her. The victim was not capable of consenting, due to being asleep, and the defendant was aware that the victim was incapable of consenting.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Abby Roesler prosecuted the case.
Black Bull was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rockwood Resident Pleads Guilty to Tax ChargesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Rockwood, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of tax evasion and filing a false income tax return, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Jason R. Svonavec, 44, pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Svonavec evaded tax liability in 2017 by illegally expensing the construction of his home in Somerset, Pennsylvania, through entities he operates called Heritage Coal and Natural Resources LLC and Banshee Crane. In 2018, he filed a tax return reporting false tax deductions for Heritage Coal and Natural Resources LLC.
Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing for June 26, 2024, in Johnstown, PA. The law provides for a maximum sentence of eight years in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Gregory C. Melucci is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Internal Revenue Service conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Svonavec.
Repeat Sex Trafficker Indicted for Trafficking Four Women Using Violence and ThreatsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Stoughton man, previously convicted of multiple counts of sex trafficking, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston today for allegedly sex trafficking multiple adult women.
Marvin Pompilus, 39, has been indicted on three counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion; one count of attempted sex trafficking by force, fraud, coercion; and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. Pompilus was previously arrested and charged in November 2023. He has remained in federal custody since and will appear in federal court in Boston next week.
According to the charging documents, from on or about 2021 through 2022, Pompilus selected women who had a history of substance use disorder and provided them with controlled substances to intensify their drug dependence and gain their compliance. It is alleged that Pompilus then used a combination physical violence, sexual violence, threats of violence, verbal abuse and withholding of controlled substance from drug dependent victims to coerce and/or force them to engage in commercial sex acts. He then allegedly collected all of the proceeds.
According to court documents, in February 2018, Pompilus was convicted in Suffolk Superior Court of multiple counts of trafficking a person for sexual servitude and deriving support for prostitution. He was sentenced to six years in state prison and was released in October 2021.
Almost immediately following his release from state custody, it is alleged that Pompilus started recruiting women, including the four women charged in this indictment, to engage in commercial sex on his behalf.
If you or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking, please contact [email protected].
The charge of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. 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.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Boston and Randolph Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Riley, Chief of the Human Trafficking & Civil Rights Unit, Assistant U.S. Attorney James E. Arnold of the Criminal Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Tokash of the Justice Department’s Human Trafficking Protection Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Previously Convicted Felon Sentenced to 27 Years in Prison for Committing Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On Jan. 11, Rodney Leroy Brown, 36, of Pompano Beach, Florida was sentenced by U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore to 324 months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, after having been convicted by a trial jury of Hobbs Act robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
On March 18, 2023, at approximately 8:30 a.m., Brown – who had previously been convicted of multiple felony offenses, including burglary, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and grand theft – entered a convenience store located in Pompano Beach. Brown selected a soda bottle from the beverage cooler inside the store before surreptitiously walking around the counter to the register area. He then confronted the store clerk, who was behind the counter, and the clerk’s 5-year-old son. Brown brandished two firearms at both the clerk and child, threatening to kill them if they did not give him the money from the registers. In fear, the clerk complied. Brown grabbed money from the registers and then stole the clerk’s purse before fleeing the store.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Christopher A. Robinson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, announced the sentence.
ATF Miami Field Division investigated the case with assistance from the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ajay J. Alexander and Catherine Koontz prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 23-cr-60101.
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Owner of Physical Therapy Clinic Convicted by Federal Jury of Health Care Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former owner of several physical therapy clinics in Greater Boston has been convicted by a federal jury of health care fraud charges.
Chang Goo Yoon, 61, a South Korean national residing in Queens, N.Y., was convicted yesterday following a seven-day jury trial on two counts of health care fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for May 8, 2024. Yoon was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in February 2021 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2021.
“This was about stealing and greed, pure and simple. Mr. Yoon exploited our healthcare system, and billed for fictitious treatments on dates that he was traveling abroad or holed up in a casino,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “This conduct was as brazen as it was illegal. Health care fraud is not a victimless crime. We all pay higher costs because of these types of fraudulent scams. Our office will continue to relentlessly pursue fraudsters and hold them accountable.”
“Chang Goo Yoon orchestrated a brazen scheme, abusing his position of trust as a health care provider to collect hundreds of thousands of dollars in payments for work he did not do. We thank the jury for its swift and prudent verdict,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “This conviction sends an unambiguous message that anyone who cheats our health care system will not get away with it.”
“This is exactly why the Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts was created over thirty years ago to combat insurance fraud and specifically this type of insurance fraud that increase the cost of insurance premiums for consumers in the state of Massachusetts. This case was borne out of a collaborative effort by our investigative partners. The perseverance and hard work done by all involved in this case is a demonstration that insurance fraud will not be tolerated in Massachusetts,” said Anthony DiPaolo, Chief of Investigations of the Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts.
“Mr. Yoon repeatedly lied and billed for services he never provided. Actions which were fueled by nothing more than his greed,” said Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “We are pleased with the jury’s guilty verdict in this matter and thank them for their service. It is our hope that this case serves as a warning to others who may use the U.S. Mail to further their criminal activities.”
Yoon was the owner and operator of several physical therapy clinics in Allston, Waltham and Brookline between 2014 and 2018. Yoon billed patients for non-existent physical therapy appointments, including approximately $150,000 in claims billed on dates when Yoon was traveling in South Korea, Los Angeles and Toronto. Yoon also billed $50,000 in claims on dates when he was gambling at casinos including the Golden Nugget in Atlantic City, N.J., MGM Springfield in Massachusetts and Twin River Casino in Lincoln, R.I. Additionally, Yoon submitted approximately $30,000 in physical therapy claims for himself after three automobile accidents. Most of those claims falsely listed one of Yoon’s employees as the servicing physical therapist. The remaining claims listed Yoon as both the patient and the servicing physical therapist.
The charge of health care fraud provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy, FBI SAC Cohen, IFB Chief DiPaolo and USPIS INC Larco-Ward made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elysa Q. Wan and Patrick M. Callahan of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
Operator of Online Pornography Marketplace “the Ho Zone” Charged with Advertisement, Receipt, and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James Smith, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the arrest of KYLE WHITE. WHITE is charged with advertisement, receipt, and distribution of child pornography. WHITE was presented this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Colin H. Lindsay of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Kyle White’s alleged conduct is abhorrent and depraved. As alleged, from behind a computer screen in the comfort of his own home, White ran a lucrative and illegal online pornography marketplace called ‘The Ho Zone,’ where he sold access to child pornography and illegally obtained adult pornography to thousands of people. White’s alleged callous disregard for his victims is striking — White profited at the expense of innocent children, whose sexual abuse and trauma White broadcasted to the world in high definition. Let these charges against White serve as a warning to anyone who seeks to capitalize on the sexual exploitation of children: this Office will work relentlessly to hold you accountable for your crimes.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Smith said: “Kyle White’s actions – allegedly running an online marketplace selling access to child pornography – are unconscionable. Thankfully, he now faces a lengthy punishment for his crimes. The FBI remains vigilant in our efforts to protect children. Removing predators who seek to exchange and profit from sexually explicit material of minors will remain a top priority.”
According to the allegations in the Complaint:[1]
WHITE ran an online pornography marketplace known as “The Ho Zone” on the messaging application Telegram. WHITE categorized the pornography he advertised and sold on “The Ho Zone” into dozens of groups and channels with thousands of members and subscribers, such as “Other Teen (18+) Leaks,” “THZ Black Market,” “MOST POPULAR GIRLS LISTS,” “Tiktoker Private Leaks,” “ATHLEAKS,” and more. Within each of these groups and channels, WHITE further categorized the pornography by the name of the woman or minor girl featured in the sexually explicit content. Each group and channel on “The Ho Zone” featured a variety of free content as a preview of what users could get if they were to pay WHITE for full access. Such access cost between $15 and $75 depending on the pornography purchased. Once a user paid WHITE for the content of a specific woman or minor girl available on “The Ho Zone,” the user gained permanent access to numerous sexually explicit photographs and videos of that woman or minor girl that WHITE had compiled, enhanced, and edited.
WHITE advertised and sold child pornography on “The Ho Zone,” which depicted minor victims as young as 11 years old, as well as minor victims engaging in sexually explicit conduct with their minor victim siblings.
WHITE also sold illegally obtained adult pornography on “The Ho Zone,” including pornography that had been hacked from women’s cellphones and pornography that was the product of blackmail. The victims featured in such pornography included women with large social media followings and female athletes, among others.
WHITE knew that running “The Ho Zone” was illegal but he continued to sell child pornography and illegally obtained adult pornography on the marketplace because it was lucrative. For example, WHITE claimed in a message to another Telegram user that he “made over 300k in the first year” of operating “The Ho Zone.”[2] In a chat with another Telegram user, WHITE stated that he “[p]rob made over $10k off the girls” in the “THZ Black Market” channel. WHITE also stated that he did not want to stop selling child pornography because “[i]t’s just easier said than done givin up $1,000’s.”
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WHITE, 24, of Louisville, Kentucky, is charged with advertisement of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. WHITE is also charged with receipt and distribution of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The mandatory minimum and maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI’s Criminal Guardian Squad.
This case is being supervised by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chelsea L. Scism is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
[2] Communications referenced herein are described in substance and in part.
Oglala Man found Guilty of Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet and Commercial Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted Gordon Weston, age 57, of Oglala, South Dakota, of Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet and Commercial Sex Trafficking following a two-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on January 10, 2024.
The charges carry a maximum penalty of life in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, up to life on supervised release, and a $300 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Weston was indicted by a federal grand jury in September of 2021.
Weston was employed as the Activities Coordinator at the Emergency Youth Shelter in Pine Ridge, South Dakota, from 2009 to 2021. Weston commonly requested juvenile females who stayed at the shelter to be “friends” with him on Facebook after they had left the shelter. Weston contacted at least one juvenile female and offered her money and transportation in exchange for sexual encounters with him.
This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan Poppen and Jeffrey C. Clapper prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date has not been set. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
New York resident indicted for abusive sexual contactRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 29-year-old New York man was arraigned today in U.S. District Court in Seattle for illegally touching a 14-year-old boy seated next to him on a flight from Fresno to Seattle, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Ram N. Gazab pleaded “not guilty” today to Abusive Sexual Contact. Trial is scheduled in front of U.S. District Judge Tana Lin on March 11, 2024.
According to records filed in the case, on December 26, 2023, the victim was in a window seat near the back of the plane. The middle seat in the row was empty. Approximately 20 minutes before landing, Gazab seated himself in the empty seat next to the victim. Gazab allegedly placed his hand on victim’s thigh. The victim moved his body away from Gazab and told him to stop. Gazab told the victim he had been sleeping. After the plane landed, the victim tried to leave the row, and Gazab allegedly touched the victim’s buttocks.
The victim reported the conduct to the flight crew and law enforcement responded to the plane. Gazab was taken into custody and has remained detained ever since.
The grand jury returned the indictment on January 10, 2024. Abusive Sexual Contact is punishable by up to two years in prison.
The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the FBI.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Celia A. Lee.
New York Man Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Prison for Trafficking Firearms and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New York was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston to trafficking drugs and firearms.
Jason Lebberes, 31, of Tuckahoe, N.Y., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to 121 months in prison and five years of supervised release. In October 2023, Lebberes pleaded guilty to one count of distributing more than 50 grams of methamphetamine; one count of transferring a firearm to an out-of-state resident; and one count of transferring a machinegun.
“This defendant’s possession or sale of multiple machineguns including Glock switches and other machinegun conversion devices put deadly automatic weapons onto our streets, endangering countless people across Massachusetts. This stiff sentence sends the unmistakable message that if you traffic in deadly illegal firearms, you will be tracked down and held accountable,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy.
“Drugs and guns are a deadly combination,” said Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Office. “As methamphetamine seizures rise, DEA stands committed to keeping this highly addictive drug off the streets. Let this sentencing serve as warning to those who distribute poisons like methamphetamine, that DEA will aggressively pursue and hold you accountable. This investigation demonstrates the strength of collaborative law enforcement efforts in Massachusetts and our strong partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
“Jason Lebberes’ sentence of 121 months should serve as a warning to those who intend to misuse the U.S. Mail for their criminal activity,” said Inspector in Charge Ketty Larco-Ward, Boston Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and our law enforcement partners are committed to protecting the communities we serve from those who would jeopardize the public by trafficking in guns and drugs which only serve to fuel the violence on our streets.
“The outcome of this investigation and significant sentence is a testament to the successful collaboration between our federal and local law enforcement agencies,” said James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division. “The assembly of a ghost gun and “Glock Switch” into fully functioning, automatic weapon posed a serious threat to our communities. ATF has a firm stance and wants to make it clear that we will not tolerate firearms and narcotics trafficking which is fueling violent crime.”
Lebberes sold more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, a privately manufactured firearm, commonly known as a “ghost gun” and a Glock switch. A Glock switch is a device that converts firearms into automatic weapons. The investigation revealed that Lebberes had sold numerous Glock switches to other customers in the past.
During a search of Lebberes’ residence, numerous handguns, assault rifles and ammunition were recovered, several of which were privately manufactured. A video of Lebberes discharging a handgun out of his car window was also recovered during the investigation.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy, DEA SAC Boyle, USPIS INC Larco-Ward and ATF SAC Ferguson made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the New York State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan Panich of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
New York Man Sentenced to Federal Prison and Pays $850,000 in Civil Fines and Restitution for Durable Medical Equipment SchemeRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE, S.C. — Jeffrey Brooks, 40, of Clarence Center, New York, was sentenced to more than seven years in federal prison after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. In addition to Brooks’ criminal conviction, last year, Brooks paid $850,000 in a civil settlement to resolve allegations that he provided kickbacks and caused false claims to be submitted in violation of the federal False Claims Act.
Evidence presented to the court showed that beginning in or around May 2019, Brooks operated at least eight durable medical equipment (DME) companies, which were located in Fort Pierce, Florida. Through these DME companies, Brooks was charged with conspiring to submit or cause to be submitted false and fraudulent claims to Medicare and CHAMPVA for braces that were not medically necessary, eligible for reimbursement, and/or obtained through the payment of kickbacks and bribes. Specifically, evidence presented showed that Brooks and his co-conspirators purchased Medicare beneficiaries’ personally identifying information (“PII”) and purported personal health information (“PHI”) from third party call centers in order to generate doctors’ orders for braces. The doctor’s orders were generated by paying illegal kickbacks and bribes to telemedicine companies to obtain a medical practitioner’s signature on the doctor’s orders, regardless of medical necessity.
During the conspiracy, Brooks also was the beneficial owner of a call center located in Greenville, South Carolina, that purchased personal identifiable information of Medicare patients. Brooks and his co-conspirators, including purported telemedicine companies, then generated signed doctors’ orders, which were used to submit false and fraudulent claims to Medicare and cause false and fraudulent claims to be submitted to CHAMPVA.
The evidence presented to the court showed that the DME companies controlled by Brooks caused Medicare to be billed over $29 million in false and fraudulent claims.
“As we put an end to Brooks’ fraudulent scheme, he faces both accountability and justice,” said Adair F. Boroughs, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina. “We will continue to seek out those defrauding federal healthcare programs.”
"By facilitating kickbacks, this defendant knowingly enabled theft from Medicare, putting personal profit before legitimate patient care and ultimately costing taxpayers millions of dollars," said Tamala E. Miles, Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). "HHS-OIG is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those alleged of defrauding federal health care programs are held accountable.”
“The penalties in this case underscore the importance of maintaining the integrity of healthcare systems,” said Steve Jensen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Columbia Field Office. “We are committed to safeguarding the interests of healthcare beneficiaries and ensuring accountability for those who exploit healthcare programs.”
“Today, this defendant was held accountable for his role in a long-term fraud scheme in which he enriched himself at the expense our nation’s veterans and that behavior will not be tolerated,” said Special Agent in Charge Kim. R. Lampkins of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Mid-Atlantic Field Office. “We thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their efforts in this joint investigation.”
The civil settlement resolves a lawsuit originally brought by Ashley Westover and Jessica Tollison, under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. As part of the civil resolution, Westover and Tollison received approximately $144,500 of the settlement amount.
The criminal resolution of this case was the result of a coordinated effort by the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Fraud Section and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina, with assistance from the HHS-OIG, Special Agent Ryan Schubert, FBI, and VA-OIG. The civil resolution of this case was the result of efforts by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina, with assistance from the HHS-OIG, FBI, and VA-OIG.
United States District Judge Herlong sentenced Brooks to 90 months of imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. The Court also ordered that Brooks pay $15,221,227.60 in restitution – $15,198,432.00. to Medicare and $22,795.58 to CHAMPVA.
The criminal case was handled by Trial Attorney Catherine Wagner of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Bower for the District of South Carolina. Assistant United States Attorney Beth Warren handled the civil case for the District of South Carolina.
The lawsuit resolved by the civil settlement is captioned United States ex rel. Westover, et al., Civ. No. 6:21-cv-00417-TMC (D.S.C., filed February 9, 2021).
The government’s pursuit of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to HHS at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
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New York Man Pleads Guilty to Human SmugglingRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Brooklyn, New York man pleaded guilty on January 17, 2024 in federal court in connection with smuggling unauthorized immigrants, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Abraham Hernandez, 27, pleaded guilty to three counts of bringing in and harboring certain aliens. U.S. District Court Judge Samantha Elliott scheduled sentencing for April 19, 2024. Hernandez was indicted on July 5, 2023.
According to the charging documents, on or about June 13, 2023, Abraham was stopped in Pittsburg, New Hampshire while transporting in a Honda SUV nine unauthorized immigrants who were in the United States in violation of law.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to 3 years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. 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.
United States Border Patrol led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Ward is prosecuting the case.
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New Orleans Man Sentenced for Conspiring to Steal Mail and Possessing Stolen Mail from Lakeview and Metairie Post OfficesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that DERRICK LEWIS, age 23, of New Orleans, was sentenced on January 16, 2024 by U.S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey, to 9 months in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and a $200 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Steal United States Mail and Possession of Stolen Mail.
According to court records, on January 30, 2022, LEWIS conspired with others to steal mail from both the Lakeview Post Office in New Orleans, La. as well as United States Postal Service (USPS) mailboxes located in Metairie, La. LEWIS acted as the driver and another defendant used a stolen USPS key to steal mail from the two locations. After a police chase, LEWIS and the co-defendant were found in possession of approximately 30 pieces of stolen mail.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Postal Inspection Service - Office of the Inspector General, and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon Maestri of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Multiple defendants prosecuted on federal firearms, drug chargesRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: Newly returned indictments in the Southern District of Georgia include felony charges for illegal firearms possession and drug distribution, while additional defendants have been sentenced to federal prison or await further proceedings after pleading guilty to federal gun charges.
The cases are prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods in collaboration with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the FBI, to reduce violent crime with measures that include targeting convicted felons who illegally possess guns.
“As a new year begins, we renew our determination to remove guns from the hands of those who are prohibited from possessing them,” said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “Felons and firearms don’t mix, and it’s vital to public safety that we keep them separated.”
In the past five years, more than 800 defendants have been prosecuted in the Southern District of Georgia for firearms offenses – most often for possessing a firearm after conviction for a previous felony. That charge carries a statutory penalty of up to 15 years in prison, and there is no parole in the federal system.
Those indicted during the December and January terms of the U.S. District Court Grand Jury include:
- Eric Massey, 29, and Unique Haynes, 26, both of Jacksonville, Fla., charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine, Cocaine and Fentanyl. Haynes also is charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Cocaine, and Fentanyl; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. The arrests in the case occurred in Augusta as a result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Georgia State Patrol.
- Lynwood Forrest Burke, 60, of Dearing, Ga., charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
All indicted defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defendants recently adjudicated on federal firearms charges include:
- William Beau Devore, 21, of Martinez, Ga., was sentenced to 102 months in prison and fined $2,000 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Columbia County sheriff’s deputies arrested Devore in January 2022 after a burglary determined that he was illegally in possession of five guns.
- Zion Howard, 23, of Augusta, was sentenced to 80 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County sheriff’s deputies found Howard in possession of a pistol while investigating a reported shooting.
- Isaac Wilford Stewart, 24, of Augusta, was sentenced to 37 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Waynesboro police officers found a pistol in Stewart’s wrecked vehicle after he fled from an attempted traffic stop in October 2022.
- Joquan K. Clark, 25, of Waynesboro, Ga., was sentenced to 30 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Waynesboro police officers responding to a domestic dispute arrested Clark after finding a pistol in his pocket.
- Marquese Shavel Palmer, 30, of Collins, Ga., was sentenced to 46 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Palmer was indicted along with 31 other defendants as part of an alleged drug trafficking conspiracy in multiple Georgia counties. Investigators who searched Palmer’s residence found drugs, firearms, ammunition, and Gangster Disciples documents and paraphernalia.
- Jovonn Courtney Stokes, 26, of Springfield, Ga., was sentenced to 85 months in prison and ordered to pay restitution after pleading guilty to three counts of Interference with Commerce by Robbery, and one count of Use of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence. Stokes brandished a handgun while robbing two Chatham County convenience stores and an Effingham County convenience store in November and December 2022.
- Tyrone Dion Lyons Sr., 39, of Augusta, was sentenced to 50 months in prison and fined $1,000 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County deputies and U.S. Marshals found a pistol in Lyons’ vehicle while serving a warrant for his arrest on Gwinnett County, Ga., charges.
- Tori Davis, 33, of Savannah, was sentenced to 90 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, and Possession of Oxycodone and Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute. Garden City police found drugs and a loaded handgun in his vehicle during a traffic stop.
- Michael Floyd, 31, of Garden City, Ga., was sentenced to 77 months in prison and fined $5,000 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. A special-duty Savannah police officer found Floyd carrying a pistol in his waistband while inside Savannah’s Oglethorpe Mall.
- Calvin Polite, 36, of Savannah, was sentenced to 37 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police officers found a pistol in Polite’s possession while investigating a report of shots fired in a Savannah neighborhood.
- David Wayne Cleland, 34, of Ridgeland, S.C., was sentenced to 33 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Garden City police officers investigating a suspicious vehicle in a motel parking lot found Cleland asleep in the car with a handgun in his lap.
- Robert Sanders, 66, of Hephzibah, Ga., was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison and fined $1,000 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Fort Eisenhower military police questioned Sanders after finding him fishing in an unauthorized area at the installation and discovered a pistol in his vehicle.
- Steve Shontell Heath, 46, of Hephzibah, Ga., was sentenced to 46 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. A Burke County sheriff’s deputy found a pistol in Heath’s vehicle during a traffic stop.
- DeShawn Tisdale, 24, of Savannah, was sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police officers found a pistol in Tisdale’s vehicle while investigating a trespassing call at a Savannah residence.
- Tommy Cowart, 60, of Statesboro, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Bulloch County deputies arrested Cowart after finding a rifle in his car during a traffic stop.
- Dennis Mitchell, 51, of Brunswick, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Brunswick police officers found Mitchell in possession of a gun during a July 2022 traffic stop in which he was a passenger in the vehicle.
- Jamell Williams, 44, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police officers investigating reports of shots fired near a motel determined Williams was in possession of a rifle.
- Karron L. Shuman, 36, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police found a pistol in Shuman’s vehicle during a November 2022 traffic stop.
- Hunter W. Taylor, 26, of Hephzibah, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County deputies investigating reports of gunfire in May 2022 charged Taylor after determining he possessed a rifle.
- Jacques B. Pope, 32, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police officers investigating gunshots in November 2022 determined Pope had been in possession of a pistol.
- Zachary Smith, 26, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police officers investigating a February 2022 reported robbery took Smith into custody when he was shot after pointing a pistol in the direction of a police officer.
The cases are being prosecuted for the United States by the Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Under federal law, it is illegal for an individual to possess a firearm if he or she falls into one of nine prohibited categories including being a felon; illegal alien; or unlawful user of a controlled substance. Further, it is unlawful to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense or violent crime. It is also illegal to purchase – or even to attempt to purchase – firearms if the buyer is a prohibited person or illegally purchasing a firearm on behalf of others. Lying on ATF Form 4473, which is used to lawfully purchase a firearm, also is a federal offense.
For more information from the ATF on the lawful purchasing of firearms, please see: https://www.atf.gov/qa-category/atfw-form-4473
03-24
Mother, Son, Sentenced for Selling Fentanyl in St. Louis AreaRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A mother and her son have been sentenced to prison for their involvement in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy in the St. Louis area.
On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Ronnie L. White sentenced Frederick Mopkins, 32, to 10 years in prison. Mopkins pleaded guilty in October to four felonies: a fentanyl conspiracy charge, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, being a felon in possession of a firearm and attempting to destroy evidence.
Last week, Judge White sentenced Vera Mopkins, 46, to 33 months in prison. She pleaded guilty to a fentanyl conspiracy charge.
Both admitted involvement in fentanyl trafficking beginning in 2020. The FBI and the St. Louis County Police Department began investigating in February of that year and made a series of fentanyl purchases from Frederick Mopkins and others at an extended stay hotel in Hazelwood. A search of four hotel rooms on Oct. 2, 2020, found meth, pill presses, digital scales and empty pill capsules. Some of the rooms were registered in Vera Mopkins’ name. A search of a St. Louis home associated with Frederick Mopkins that same day caught him with two pistols, fentanyl, $3,000 cash, multiple cell phones that had been used to arrange drug sales and a 60-round drum magazine for a firearm.
At least one of the drug sales was coordinated by Vera Mopkins. Frederick Mopkins coordinated others. Vera Mopkins also helped prepare and package fentanyl at least once. The drug sales continued at locations in St. Louis after the hotel search.
The St. Louis County Police Department, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski prosecuted the case.
Moss Point Woman Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Gulfport, MS – A Moss Point woman pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Linda Renee Mizell, 41, pled guilty in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in early 2023, law enforcement officers received intelligence that Mizell was selling methamphetamine at her residence in Jackson County, Mississippi. A search warrant executed at the residence recovered a digital scale and methamphetamine paraphernalia. Linda Mizell was interviewed and admitted to her involvement in the conspiracy.
Mizell pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. She is scheduled to be sentenced on April 2, 2024, and faces up to twenty years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi, and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose is prosecuting the case.
Missoula felon sentenced to prison for illegal possession of firearmsRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Missoula man with felony convictions was sentenced today to two years and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing firearms, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Heath Lynn Schmoeckel, 42, pleaded guilty in September 2023 to two counts of prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided.
In court documents, the government alleged that in January 2022, law enforcement responded to a single vehicle crash and located Schmoeckel in a ditch near Interstate 90. Officers located a bandana containing a pistol nearby. Schmoeckel told officers he took the pistol from the crash and tried to dispose of it. The government further alleged that in August 2022, Montana probation officers responded to Schmoeckel’s workplace, examined his vehicle and saw an AR-15 rifle on the passenger seat. Schmoeckel had the keys to the vehicle in his possession. In both instances, Schmoeckel was on supervision for prior felony offenses. Schmoeckel was prohibited from possessing firearms because of two state convictions for felony drug crimes.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian C. Lowney prosecuted the case. The Montana Highway Patrol, Missoula County Sheriff’s Office, Missoula Police Department and Montana Probation and Parole conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Mishawaka Man Sentenced to 78 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – William McClean, 52 years old, of Mishawaka, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to receipt of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
McClean was sentenced to 78 months in prison, 7 years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $3000.
According to documents in the case, in 2022, McClean received a visual depiction of child sexual abuse material.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the St. Joseph County Cyber Crimes Unit and the Mishawaka Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John M. Maciejczyk.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Milton Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine and FentanylRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Milton man was sentenced yesterday for drug trafficking charges.
Brandy Soto-Lara, 26, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to five years in prison and four years of supervised release. In October 2023, Lara pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
During a search of Soto-Lara’s apartment in November 2018, over 400 grams of cocaine and over 40 grams of fentanyl was seized. Additionally, $6,000, a loaded firearm with an obliterated serial number, firearm parts and ammunition were also recovered from Soto-Lara’s apartment.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip C. Cheng and Lucy Sun of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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.
Mexican National Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison for Harmful Marijuana Cultivation Operation in the Shasta-Trinity National ForestRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jaime Alejandro Sanchez Robles, 34, of Mexico, was sentenced today to three years and one month in prison for conspiracy to manufacture 1,708 marijuana plants and depredation of public land in the Jims Creek area of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
Sanchez Robles was also ordered to pay $68,812 in restitution to the Forest Service for the damage caused by his marijuana cultivation activities.
According to court documents, on Oct. 20, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search of a marijuana growing operation in Jims Creek, a remote area of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest located in Trinity County. Sanchez Robles was found at the site, and agents observed that water was actively being diverted from a nearby stream and found the remnants of more than 1,200 pounds of soluble fertilizer, 20 gallons of liquid fertilizer, more than 50 pounds of rodenticide, and at least one dead animal. Law enforcement officers eradicated 1,708 marijuana plants and arrested Sanchez Robles.
This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Forest Service with assistance from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Trinity County Sheriff’s Office. Integral Ecology Research Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the research and conservation of wildlife and their ecosystems, analyzed and documented the environmental damage. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alstyn Bennett prosecuted the case.
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Trafficking ChargeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Carlos Arturo Quintana pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute 100 kilograms and more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of marijuana, intending and knowing that said controlled substance would be unlawfully imported into the United States. Quintana, 41, of Namiquipa, Chihuahua, Mexico, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
A federal grand jury issued a third superseding indictment against Quintana and 10 co-conspirators on July 23, 2015. According to court records, in March of 2011, a confidential informant (“CI”) and another individual ordered 600 kilograms of marijuana from Elmy Hermosillo Trujillo. Trujillo was known to be the person who arranged all bulk purchases of marijuana for the Juarez Cartel, which is responsible for disseminating multi-ton loads of cocaine, marijuana, and other illicit drugs throughout the United States each year. Juarez Cartel is one of the oldest and most powerful criminal organizations in Mexico. Since its beginnings, the cartel has focused on drug trafficking, but has expanded into other criminal activities such as human trafficking, arms trafficking, kidnapping, extortion, and large-scale commercial gasoline theft from the Mexican government.
On or about March 19, 2011, the CI and the other individual, as well as other coconspirators, met with Quintana in Gomez Farias, Chihuahua, Mexico. Quintana arrived wearing a police uniform, driving a marked police vehicle, and was accompanied by other uniformed officers. Quintana and the other officers delivered the 600 kilograms of marijuana in a dump truck. The CI and the other individual then placed a GPS tracking device with the marijuana.
On or about March 26, 2011, according to data being transmitted from the GPS tracker, the marijuana was located at a drug storage house in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Mexican law enforcement authorities searched the house at that location. A shootout occurred at that location which left one subject dead and resulted in the arrest of three co-conspirators and the escape of others. The marijuana, as well as several firearms, radios, and cell phones were seized at that time.
Quintana was identified as the Police Chief of Namiquipa, as well as the Plaza Boss of the Juarez Cartel, and extradited to the United States in August of 2022.
In his plea agreement, Quintana admitted that from Feb. 2011 to March 2011, he was involved in a conspiracy with others to distribute 600 kilograms of marijuana in the Republic of Mexico and knew the marijuana would be unlawfully imported into the United States. At sentencing, Quintana faces not less than five years nor more than 40 years in prison.
Raul Corella-Hernandez, Marco Antonio Guzman-Zuniga, Elmy Hermosillo Trujillo, Jorge Olivas Nevarez, Jorge Adrian Ortega-Gallegos, and Guadalupe A Prieto remain fugitives.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Las Cruces-Doña Ana County Metro Narcotics Agency. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Quintana from Mexico. Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Y. Armijo and Randy M. Castellano are prosecuting the case.
View the Third Superseding Indictment View the Plea Agreement# # #
24-23
Mescalero Man Pleads Guilty to AssaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Garrick Richard Shendo-Herrera pled guilty in federal court to assault with intent to commit another felony. Shendo-Herrera, 36, of Mescalero, and an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
In his plea agreement, Shendo-Herrera admitted that on May 16, 2023, he assaulted Jane Doe in a car parked in the driveway of his residence.
At sentencing, Shendo-Herrera faces 10 years in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau Investigation investigated this case with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Eliot Neal is prosecuting the case.
View the Information View the Plea Agreement# # #
24-22
Members and Associates of Grape Street Crips Gang Admit Roles in Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Newark man admitted his role in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute narcotics, including fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine; and possessing with intent to distribute various narcotics, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Ali Carney, 45, of Newark, pleaded guilty on Jan. 17, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton in Newark federal court to a superseding information charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine; and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to documents filed in this and other cases and statements made in court:
From April 2021 through October 2022, Carney and others – members and associates of the Grape Street Crips gang – participated in a drug trafficking organization that controlled the drug trade in and around the Oscar Miles Village housing complex in Newark. Carney admitted his role in the conspiracy and that he sold controlled substances on a near daily basis during the conspiracy.
The narcotics conspiracy and distribution counts to which Carney pleaded guilty each carry a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Sentencing for Carney is scheduled for May 22, 2024.
All 11 of Carney’s co-defendants – Thomas Barney, Najuwan Blake-Williams, Altray Brown, Najee Carney, Tyrone Cradle, Jaquan McAllister, Ikaim McSwain, Latif Terry, Shaquan Ward, Taji Williams, and Zaid Williams – previously pleaded guilty in connection with their respective roles in the conspiracy.
A year-long investigation revealed that the drug trafficking organization distributed over a kilogram of fentanyl-laced heroin and over 280 grams of crack cocaine. Law enforcement also seized multiple firearms, which were used in furtherance of the narcotics trade, from the members of the conspiracy.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz; investigators of the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan; investigators from the U.S. Marshal Service, under the direction of Marshal Juan Mattos Jr.; investigators of the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Armando B. Fontoura; and the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Director of Public Safety Fritz G. Fragé, with the investigation leading to the guilty pleas.
The investigation was conducted as part of the Newark Violent Crime Initiative (“VCI”). The Newark VCI was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety for the purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Newark. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the DEA New Jersey Division, the U.S. Marshals, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, Union County Jail, New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, New Jersey Department of Corrections, the East Orange Police Department, and the Irvington Police Department.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samantha C. Fasanello and Olta Bejleri of the Criminal Division in Newark.
carney.sinformation.pdfMankato Felon Charged with Illegal Firearm Possession After Shooting at Police Officers During a Home InvasionRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Mankato man has been charged with illegal possession of a firearm after firing at police officers during a violent home invasion, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
“These charges allege a night of terrifying home invasions and violent assaults,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger. “I commend the law enforcement officers who put their lives on the line to apprehend this defendant.”
According to court documents, on January 14, 2024, a woman called 911 to report that a man had broken into her apartment in south Minneapolis. The woman and her two children fled the apartment after the man, identified as Kamau Evans, 31, shattered a window and entered the woman’s bedroom. Evans then went to a second residence in north Minneapolis and broke into the home by shattering a sliding glass door. Once inside, Evans assaulted two of the residents with a firearm and brandished the firearm at a minor who was hiding inside a closet. Evans then held all three residents in the home against their will.
According to court documents, officers of the Minneapolis Police Department arrived at the residence and were able to pull one of the victims out of the house to safety. Officers entered the home behind a ballistic shield and as they were walking upstairs, Evans appeared in the stairwell and fired a shot at them. Evans then leaped out of a bathroom window and tried to escape through the backyard but was apprehended and arrested. Officers recovered an SCCY model CPX-1 9mm semiautomatic pistol on the side of the garage where Evans was apprehended.
Because Evans has prior felony convictions, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
The complaint charges Evans with one count of possession of a firearm as a felon. Evans made his initial appearance yesterday in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Cowan Wright.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Minneapolis Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Calhoun-Lopez and Kristian Weir are prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Joseph S. Martin, 23, formerly of Hebron, Nebraska, was sentenced on January 18, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for distribution of child pornography after having previously been convicted of possession child pornography. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Martin to 20 years’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Martin’s release from prison, he will begin a 30-year term of supervised release. Judge Buescher ordered Martin to pay $24,000 in restitution.
On November 9, 2021, Homeland Security Investigations in Omaha received several cyber tips from the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) and Nebraska State Patrol (NSP). One such cyber tip included information forwarded by Facebook to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that related to child exploitation material distributed by a Facebook user on July 12, 2021. Facebook identified the IP address and account that uploaded the suspected child pornography image. Facebook confirmed the Facebook account username belonged to Joseph Martin. Additional investigative work determined the IP address and associated phone number belonged to Martin.
Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Martin’s Facebook account which contained several images of child pornography. When interviewed, Martin admitted to law enforcement that approximately 500 images of child pornography would be located on various cyber sites associated with him.
Martin was previously convicted on August 23, 2019 and March 19, 2021, of possession of child pornography, both in the Douglas County District Court, Douglas County, Nebraska.
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 United States Attorney’s 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.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Nebraska State Patrol.
Lynn Man Sentenced for Bank Fraud and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lynn man was sentenced today in connection with a scheme to impersonate bank customers and fraudulently withdraw money from their bank accounts.
Antonio Niati, 33, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to time served (one day) and three years of supervised release. Niati was also ordered to pay restitution of approximately $360,000. In May 2019, Niati pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of aiding and abetting aggravated identity theft.
In 2017, Niati recruited a bank teller working at a Santander Bank branch in Dorchester to assist in conducting fraudulent transactions in victims’ bank accounts. On three occasions in April 2017, another co-conspirator conducted transactions in two Santander Bank customers’ accounts using fraudulent driver’s licenses, all with the assistance of Niati, and the recruited teller. Niati and his co-conspirators fraudulently withdrew over $640,000 from the customers’ accounts.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leslie Wright, Christopher J. Markham and Neil J. Gallagher of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Leon County Sex Offender Found Guilty of New Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Andrew John Ewing, 39, of Tallahassee, Florida, was found guilty by a federal jury for possessing images and videos of child pornography. The guilty verdict returned on Wednesday afternoon, at the conclusion of a two-day trial, was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
Between October 21, 2022, and November 3, 2022, a Tallahassee Police Department detective on the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force conducted a proactive investigation into the peer-to-peer file-sharing network called BitTorrent to identify users who possessed child pornography material which was available for sharing. Ewing’s computer was identified as a user who had multiple child pornography image and video files available for download. Upon further investigation, it was determined that Ewing resided in Leon County but outside of the city limits, so the case was referred to the Leon County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) for further investigation. LCSO deputies—who were also Task Force Officers with Homeland Security Investigations—obtained a search warrant for Ewing’s residence and electronic devices and executed it in early 2023. LCSO’s digital forensic specialist conducted a forensic examination of Ewing’s devices and discovered that several of them contained child pornography depicting children as young as 6 years of age engaged in sexually explicit conduct or who were lewdly exhibiting their genitals. Additionally, investigators discovered evidence of Ewing’s Internet search history which showed that he was specifically seeking child pornography. The jury also heard evidence that in 2014, Ewing was investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for using BitTorrent to possess and share child pornography depicting children under 13 years of age, and that Ewing was convicted of ten counts of possession of child pornography in Leon County in 2016.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 11, 2024, at 1:00 p.m., at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before United States District Judge Robert L. Hinkle. Based on his prior child sex offense conviction, Ewing faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years in federal prison, with a maximum of 20 years imprisonment, followed by a term of 5 years to life of supervised release.
This conviction was the result of an investigation conducted by the Tallahassee Police Department, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it 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.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Langlade County Sex Offender Sentenced to 15 years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on January 18, 2024, Anthony J. Michalek (age: 38) of Langlade County, Wisconsin, was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment for receiving obscene visual depictions of the sexual abuse of children, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1466A, and for doing so while being required to register as a sex offender.
At Michalek’s sentencing hearing, Senior United States District Judge William C. Griesbach noted the horrific nature of the defendant’s actions and the effect that his actions have on child victims. Senior Judge Griesbach also stressed the danger Michalek presents to the community given his status as a repeat offender, having been convicted in 2007 of sexual assault in Dane County, Wisconsin. Following his release from prison, Michalek will spend 20 years on supervised release and will continue to be required to register as a sex offender under state and federal law.
This case was investigated by the Langlade County Sheriff’s Office and the Green Bay and Wausau Offices of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006, by the U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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