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Thursday 18 January 2024
Bluejacket Man who Represented Himself at Trial was Found GuiltyRead the Press Release
A federal jury today convicted a Bluejacket man who voluntarily waived his right to counsel and represented himself at trial. Lance Douglas Roark, 43, of Bluejacket and a member of the Delaware Tribe of Indians, was convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor Under 12 Years of Age in Indian Country and Assault with Intent to Commit Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor Under 12 years of Age in Indian Country.
“Lance Roark manipulated a child in June of 2023 to fulfill his own criminal sexual desires,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “That child showed tremendous strength and courage in trial as she faced her predator. Lance Roark has now been held accountable for his criminal actions.”
According to court documents and testimony presented at trial, on June 9, 2023, Roark engaged in abusive sexual contact and intentionally assaulted a minor child who was eleven. When the child victim took the witness stand, prosecutors asked her questions about the sexual abuse and assault. The victim testified that Roark described biblical stories and how they could be “free in who they had sex with.” Roark asked her if she felt uncomfortable. Even after she told him that she was uncomfortable, Roark continued grooming the child. Roark showed her pornography and even convinced the child that if he abused her, they would win the lottery. He also asked the child not to tell anyone. As the child continued to describe the sexual contact and assault, Roark had a hard time making eye contact with the victim as she testified. While prosecutors presented drawings the child made describing Roark’s genitalia, he still would not make eye contact. When Roark cross-examined the child, he would not say “sexual abuse” or “sexual assault.”
On June 8, 2023, Roark approached a separate minor who is 17 years old. The witness described to prosecutors how Roark approached her after she saw him touching himself. She testified that Roark apologized for staring at her chest. Roark attempted to persuade her to have sex with him. She was able to decline his advances and separate herself from him.
Roark will remain in custody until he is sentenced at a later date. He faces up to life imprisonment. The FBI and Craig County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chantelle Dial and Alicia N. Hockenbury prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Binghamton Felon and Escapee Sentenced to 48 Months for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
UTICA, NEW YORK –Charles Harrison, 35, of Binghamton, New York, was sentenced today to serve 48 months in federal prison following his trial and conviction for possessing a firearm as a prohibited person (convicted felon).
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and United States Marshal for the Northern District of New York David L. McNulty made the announcement.
The trial evidence demonstrated that, following his 2012 conviction in the Northern District of New York for Conspiracy to Possess and Distribute controlled substances, Harrison was serving the final portion of his sentence at a halfway house in Connecticut. Harrison absconded from the halfway house, resulting in a warrant being issued for his arrest. On March 29, 2022, the United States Marshals Service New York/New Jersey Fugitive Task Force found Harrison hiding under a mattress in an apartment in Binghamton, New York. The U.S. Marshals also located a loaded handgun in the bedroom next to where Harrison was hiding. Forensic and testimonial evidence presented at trial linked Harrison to the handgun that was in the apartment, and the jury voted to convict him of possessing the firearm as a prohibited person by reason of his prior felony conviction.
United States District Judge David N. Hurd also sentenced Harrison to serve 3 years of supervised release to begin after his prison sentence.
This case was investigated by the United States Marshalls Service with assistance from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the New York State Police, the Broome County Sheriff’s Office, and the City of Binghamton Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica N. Carbone and Thomas R. Sutcliffe.
Benicia Man Indicted for a Second Federal Felon-In-Possession CaseRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a single count indictment today against Jeremiah Malik Jefferson, 26, of Benicia, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, during a November 2023 search of his residence, Jefferson was found to be in possession of a firearm that was loaded with a high-capacity magazine and had previously been reported stolen. Jefferson is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to multiple prior felony convictions, including for burglary and a previous conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Probation Office, the Benicia Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Baton Rouge Man Sentenced to 33 Months in Federal Prison for Possessing Contraband in PrisonRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced Dervelle T. Barnes, age 37, a resident of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 33 months in federal prison following his conviction for possessing contraband in prison. The Court further sentenced Barnes to serve three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, Barnes was arrested on May 18, 2022, pursuant to a federal arrest warrant at the Russell B. Long Federal Building and United States Courthouse. No contraband was found during initial searches of his person, and he was transported to the West Baton Rouge Detention Center (“WBRDC”). The following morning, however, two WBRDC deputies entered Barnes’s dorm-style cellblock due to a smoke odor. A deputy walked by Barnes, who was asleep, and observed a clear plastic bag containing white pills near Barnes’ stomach. During a search, deputies seized the bag and pills. The pills were submitted to the Louisiana State Police Crime Laboratory for testing, and lab personnel determined that the pills contained oxycodone and acetaminophen. In connection with his plea, Barnes admitted that he knowingly possessed oxycodone while in prison.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshal’s Service and West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alan A. Stevens, who also serves as Senior Litigation Counsel.
Assaults, robbery send Browning woman to prison for almost five yearsRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Browning woman who admitted to stabbing a man, biting a federal correctional officer and robbing a local store in three separate incidents on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation was sentenced today to four years and eight months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Jada Mulon Wells, 21, pleaded guilty in August 2023 to assault resulting in serious bodily injury, assault on a federal officer and robbery.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
In court documents, the government alleged the three separate crimes involved different victims and occurred over a few months in late 2022 and early 2023.
In the first assault, the government alleged that on Nov. 5, 2022, Wells, who had been drinking alcohol, went to a family member’s home in Browning and assaulted the victim, identified as John Doe, over a bottle of alcohol. Wells struck John Doe, kicked him in the head while he was on the ground and stabbed him four times. John Doe was transported to a local hospital then flown to Benefis hospital in Great Falls where he underwent life-saving surgery.
In the second assault, the government alleged that after Wells’ arrest on Nov. 6, 2022, she was incarcerated at the Browning Jail, a federal correctional facility operated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. While being processed into the jail, Wells bit the hand of Jane Doe, a federal correctional officer, as she was being escorted to a holding cell. The bite broke the skin of Jane Doe’s hand.
In the robbery, the government alleged that on Jan. 13, 2023, Wells went with another person to a quilting store in Browning to try to sell a buffalo skull. The cashier, identified as Jane Doe 2, declined to buy the buffalo skull. Wells became agitated and ultimately grabbed a pair scissors. Holding them at waist high, Wells demanded that Jane Doe 2 open the till. Jane Doe 2 complied, and Wells took almost $300 from the till and stuffed it into her jacket.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kalah A. Paisley prosecuted the case. The FBI, Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services, BIA and Cut Bank Police Department conducted the investigation.
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Armed Career Offender Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On Jan. 12, Ernell Shaw, 47, of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida was sentenced to 300 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Roy K. Altman, following his conviction at trial for unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition as an Armed Career Criminal. Upon his release from custody, Shaw was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release.
On March 8, 2022, detectives from the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) Crime Suppression Team and Violence Intervention Proactive Enforcement Response (V.I.P.E.R.) Unit observed the defendant driving a vehicle in Lauderhill, Florida. The vehicle was stopped because of numerous traffic violations and Shaw, once ordered out of the vehicle, was found in possession of a previously stolen and loaded Sig Sauer .380 caliber firearm, a loaded spare magazine, and narcotics.
According to the court record, Shaw has an extensive criminal history including twenty-eight prior arrests, and nine criminal convictions including three prior armed robbery with a firearm convictions, an aggravated battery with a firearm conviction, and multiple other violent crime convictions.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Christopher A. Robinson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, and BSO Sheriff Gregory Tony, announced the sentences imposed.
ATF Fort Lauderdale Field Office and BSO investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc Anton prosecuted it. Assistant U.S. Attorney Darren Grove is handling asset forfeiture.
This case stems from Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In 2017, PSN was reinvigorated as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement, and the community, to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
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 on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 23-CR-60021-Altman.
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Arapahoe, Wyoming couple arraigned on charges of aggravated child abuse and assault resulting in serious bodily injuryRead the Press Release
Truman Sitting Eagle, age 36, and Kandace Sitting Eagle, age 33, of Arapahoe, Wyoming, were arraigned on Jan. 16. They are both charged with aggravated child abuse and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Their trial has been set for Mar. 18 before U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson in Cheyenne.
Both defendants were detained at the request of the government and remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. If convicted on all counts, they each face no less than 10 years up to life imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to five years of supervised release. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This crime is being investigated by the FBI and the case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook
An indictment merely contains allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Case No. 24-CR-03
Another Defendant Pleads Guilty to Multiple Charges in Fatal Tractor Trailer Smuggling CaseRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A Mexican national pleaded guilty in a federal court in San Antonio to four counts related to his involvement in the smuggling of at least 66 migrants in June 2022, which resulted in the deaths of 47 adults and six children.
According to court documents, Riley Covarrubias-Ponce aka Rrili aka Rilay, 31, was a member of the human smuggling organization responsible for the failed smuggling attempt that illegally brought adults and children from Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico into the U.S. In the days leading up to June 27, 2022, Covarrubias-Ponce coordinated with other members of the organization regarding the migrants who were being smuggled to Laredo for further transport to San Antonio. Additionally, he traveled from Houston to accompany the loaded tractor trailer as it transported the migrants north on Interstate Highway 35, ultimately ending up at the unloading location on Quintana Road in San Antonio, where it was discovered that many of the smuggled migrants had died.
Covarrubias-Ponce pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens resulting in death; one count of conspiracy to transport aliens resulting in serious bodily injury and placing lives in jeopardy; one count of transportation of illegal aliens resulting in death; and one count of transportation of illegal aliens resulting in serious bodily injury and placing lives in jeopardy. He faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Another defendant in the case, Christian Martinez, 29, pleaded guilty to the same charges in September 2023. Other co-defendants whose cases are still pending include Homero Zamorano Jr., 47, who served as the driver of the tractor trailer; Felipe Orduna-Torres aka Cholo aka Chuequito/Chuekito aka Negro, 29; Luis Alberto Rivera-Leal aka Cowboy, 38; and Armando Gonzales-Ortega aka El Don aka Don Gon, 54. Relatedly, Juan Francisco D’Luna Bilbao pleaded guilty to the same charges as Martinez and Covarrubias-Ponce in addition to a firearms charge in June 2023.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee for the HSI San Antonio Division made the announcement.
HSI is investigating the case with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and has received tremendous support from Customs and Border Protection; Border Patrol; Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations; the San Antonio Police Department; the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office; the San Antonio Fire Department; the Marshall Police Department; and the Palestine Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric Fuchs, Sarah Spears and Amanda Brown are prosecuting the case.
These charges resulted in coordination with Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas is part of the JTFA, which was established by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in June 2021 to marshal the investigative and prosecutorial resources of the Department of Justice, in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), to enhance U.S. enforcement efforts against the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. The Task Force focuses on disrupting and dismantling smuggling and trafficking networks that abuse, exploit, or endanger migrants, pose national security threats, and are involved in organized crime. JTFA consists of federal prosecutors and attorneys from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the Southwest Border (District of Arizona, Southern District of California, Southern District of Texas, and Western District of Texas), from the Criminal Division and the Civil Rights Division, along with law enforcement agents and analysts from DHS’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol, the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
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American Airlines Flight Attendant Arrested for Filming Minors in Aircraft LavatoryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An American Airlines flight attendant has been arrested for allegedly surreptitiously recording or attempting to record a minor female passenger using a lavatory aboard an aircraft he was working in September 2023. The defendant is also alleged to have possessed recordings of four additional minor female passengers using lavatories aboard the aircraft he had worked previously.
Estes Carter Thompson III, 36, of Charlotte, N.C., was charged with one count of attempted sexual exploitation of children and one count of possession of child pornography depicting a prepubescent minor. Thompson was arrested today in Lynchburg, Va. and will remain in custody pending his initial appearance in the Western District of Virginia. He will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.
“The deeply disturbing conduct alleged here is something no parent or child should ever have to worry about when they travel. Mr. Thompson allegedly used his position to prey on and surreptitiously record innocent children, including unaccompanied minors, while in a vulnerable state aboard flights he was working,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Everyone – especially children – should feel safe and secure as airline passengers, and parents should feel comfortable traveling with their children. Protecting children is a paramount priority for this office and we will aggressively investigate and hold accountable people who victimize children.”
“Today, the FBI arrested Estes Carter Thompson III after he repeatedly targeted unsuspecting children to sexually exploit them for his own gratification. What Mr. Thompson is accused of doing is disgraceful, and we believe, calculated, given that this alleged conduct occurred on at least five flights,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “This case should make it crystal clear that the FBI takes crimes aboard aircraft and the sexual exploitation of children seriously. If you’ve been the victim of a crime aboard an aircraft or have witnessed one take place, we ask you to report it to both your flight crew and the FBI.”
According to the charging documents, on Sept. 2, 2023, while working as a flight attendant onboard an American Airlines flight from Charlotte, N.C. to Boston, Mass., Thompson video-recorded or attempted to surreptitiously video-record a 14-year-old female passenger as she used the aircraft lavatory. Specifically, approximately midway through the flight, the minor victim got up to use the main cabin lavatory nearest to where she was seated. When the minor victim arrived at the lavatory it was occupied. After the minor victim had been waiting a short time, Thompson allegedly approached her, told her that the first-class lavatory was unoccupied and escorted her toward first class. Before the minor victim entered the lavatory, Thompson allegedly told her that he needed to wash his hands and that the lavatory’s toilet seat was broken and briefly entered the lavatory. It is alleged that, after Thompson exited the lavatory, the minor victim entered and observed red stickers on the underside of the toilet seat lid, which was in the open position, that stated, “INOPERATIVE CATERING EQUIPMENT” and “REMOVE FROM SERVICE,” and “SEAT BROKEN” was hand-written in black ink on one of the stickers. It is alleged that, beneath the red stickers, Thompson had concealed his iPhone to record a video. The minor victim used her phone to take a picture of the red stickers and the concealed iPhone she found in the lavatory before exiting, at which time Thompson allegedly re-entered it immediately.
According to court documents, when the minor victim returned to her seat, she informed her parents of what she saw and showed them the picture. The victim’s parents reported the matter to other flight attendants onboard who notified the Captain, who in turn notified law enforcement on the ground. It is alleged that the victim’s father confronted Thompson who, shortly thereafter, locked himself in the lavatory with his iPhone for three to five minutes prior to the flight’s descent.
Upon the flight’s arrival at Boston’s Logan Airport, law enforcement observed that Thompson’s iPhone may have been restored to factory settings. It is alleged that a subsequent search of Thompson’s suitcase was found to contain 11 “INOPERATIVE CATERING EQUIPMENT” stickers, like those observed by the minor victim on the back of the toilet seat. A search of Thompson’s iCloud account allegedly revealed four additional instances between January and August 2023 in which Thompson recorded a minor using the lavatory on an aircraft. The minor victims allegedly depicted in the surreptitious recordings were seven, nine, 11 and 14 years old at the time. Additionally, over 50 images of a nine-year-old unaccompanied minor were allegedly found in Thompson’s iCloud. The images included photos taken while the minor victim was seated in her seat pre-flight and close-ups of her face while sleeping.
All minor victims involved in this matter have been identified and their families contacted by law enforcement.
It is further alleged that hundreds of images of AI-generated child pornography were also found stored on Thompson’s iCloud account.
The charge of attempted sexual exploitation of children provides for a sentence of at least 15 years and up to 30 years in prison. The charge of possession of child pornography depicting a prepubescent minor provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 20 years in prison. Both charges also provide for at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000 and restitution. 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 U.S. Attorney Levy, FBI SAC Cohen and John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna J. Nuzum of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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.
Wednesday 17 January 2024
‘La Dank DMV’ Crew Member Sentenced to 74 Months for Role in Sophisticated Marijuana Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Christopher Akinduro, 30, of Washington D.C, was sentenced today to 74 months in prison for his role in a sophisticated and broad conspiracy that was responsible for bringing hundreds of pounds of marijuana from California to the metropolitan area.
The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division.
Akinduro, a member of the “LA Dank DMV Crew”, pleaded guilty on October 3, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana. In addition to the prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ordered Akinduro to serve 4 years of supervised release.
Seven LA Dank co-defendants have all pleaded guilty to various drug trafficking and/or firearms counts. The co-defendants include Abubakr Banire, Kavon Duncan, Joe Blyther, Isaac Akinduro, Avery Bost, Omar Butler, and Randall Lance, entered their pleas in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Lance was sentenced Oct. 10, 2023, to a 63 month prison term for conspiracy to distribute over 100 kilos of marijuana. The others are awaiting sentencing on similar counts.
According to the government’s evidence, between May of 2021 and December of 2021, crew members operated a sophisticated conspiracy to traffic large amounts of high-grade marijuana from California to the DMV area for distribution to customers. As part of their distribution scheme, members of the crew relied heavily on mass marketing through three dedicated LA Dank websites, as well as social media platforms like Instagram where individual crew members advertised LA Dank branded clothing and LA Dank branded marijuana that could be bought directly online. Although the websites themselves appeared professional, LA Dank was not a licensed company to operate in the District of Columbia.
Akindkuro and his fellow crew members also used short-term rental properties to set up stash houses or points of sale that were used to conduct drug distribution operations before moving on to different locations.
Law enforcement executed its first residential search warrant on June 15, 2021, at the 1900 block of Whistling Duck Drive, Upper Marlboro, MD, after law enforcement observed multiple LA Dank crew members and purchasers traveling to and from the premises. Akinduro arrived at the location as while the search was in process. An FBI search of Akinduro’s vehicle revealed a loaded pistol in the center console, a suitcase in the trunk that was consistent with those found within the Whistling Duck house, and seven pounds of marijuana.
Even after the seizure of his vehicle, Akinduro continued to participate in the conspiracy and to possess additional firearms.
Akinduro and his LA Dank co-conspirators operated numerous stash houses in the D.C. area. Two of these locations, used by Akinduro himself, were separate long-term rentals in a hotel on the 300 block of N Street, Northeast. On December 21, 2021, the FBI executed search warrants on both units. In the first, the FBI recovered a Glock 19 9mm caliber pistol with a machine gun conversion device installed, an AR-style pistol, an AR firearm magazine loaded with 25 5.56 caliber rounds, 68 grams of marijuana, a digital scale, and a laptop labeled “LA Dank Exotics.” In the second, the FBI recovered a Glock 26 9mm caliber pistol with a machine gun conversion device installed, a second Glock 26 9 mm caliber pistol, a 9 mm caliber ammunition box, 40 pounds of marijuana, a scale, a money counter, and approximately $18,000.00 in cash. Akinduro and defendant Duncan occupied the second unit at the time of the execution of the search warrant. Akinduro discussed a “switch on the glizzy” in an Instagram post, suggesting that he was aware of the fully automatic capabilities of firearms with machine gun conversion devices installed.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, in partnership with the Metropolitan Police Department, Prince George’s County Police Department, and Anne Arundel County Police Department.
The case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Justin F. Song and Meredith E. Mayer-Dempsey of the Federal Major Crimes Section and Thomas Strong of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Yukon Resident Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse of A MinorRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Tristan Ray Renzelman, age 22, of Yukon, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country.
The Indictment alleged that Renzelman sexually abused a 12-year-old child in 2021. The crime occurred in McIntosh County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee Creek Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Muscogee Creek Nation Lighthorse Tribal Police.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Renzelman was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending the sentencing hearing.
Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole Paladino and Jessica Bove represented the United States.
York County Man Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison for Possession of A Firearm in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Hakim Jamison, age 37, of York, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on January 16, 2023, to 60 months in prison by United States District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner for possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Jamison previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Jamison purchased a .45 caliber Glock semi-automatic pistol and a box of Winchester .45 caliber ammunition from Stoneybrook Shooting Supply for two codefendants, who were using those firearms in furtherance of their own drug trafficking activities.
Codefendants Shiloh Idris Johnson and Kadie Jean Swartz are scheduled for trial on April 1, 2024.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Haugsby prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress enacted, and the President signed in June 2022. The Act is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms.
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Yonkers Man Sentenced to 12 Months for Unemployment Insurance FraudRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Errol Murray, age 22, of Yonkers, New York was sentenced today to 12 months in prison for engaging in a fraudulent scheme to obtain nearly $70,000 in unemployment insurance benefits, including benefits funded by the federal government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge, Northeast Region, United States Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (USDOL-OIG); Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the Boston Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); and New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang.
As part of his previously entered guilty plea, Murray admitted that he provided Jamie Johnson with his personally identifiable information (PII) and the PII of another person, which Johnson used to file false claims online with the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL). Murray further admitted that as a result of the two fraudulent applications submitted by Johnson, the NYSDOL paid out $69,954 in unemployment insurance benefits.
Johnson previously pled guilty to fraudulently obtaining $701,441 in unemployment insurance benefits as part of the scheme. Murray’s co-defendants, Taliek Lanier, age 23, of Albany, and Thomas Brace, a/k/a “Justice,” age 62, of Altoona, Pennsylvania, previously pled guilty to charges stemming from their roles in the scheme with Johnson. Lanier was sentenced to 12 months in prison to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release, while Brace was sentenced to time served and 3 years of supervised release.
Senior United States District Judge Lawrence E. Kahn also imposed a 3-year term of supervised release, to begin after Murray is released from prison, and ordered him to pay $69,954 in restitution to the State of New York.
This case was investigated by HSI, USDOL-OIG, USPIS, and the New York State Inspector General’s Office, with assistance from the NYSDOL Office of Special Investigations, the Capital Region Crime Analysis Center, and the Albany County Department of Social Services. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua R. Rosenthal and Joseph S. Hartunian prosecuted the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
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.
Winthrop Man Sentenced to Prison for Tax and Mail Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former owner and operator of APC, a transportation and delivery company based in Chelsea, was sentenced yesterday for his involvement in a mail fraud scheme.
Anthony Catalano, 52, formerly of Boxford, now living in Winthrop, was sentenced by Chief United States District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to six months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release and restitution in the amount of $541,000 to The Travelers Insurance Company (Travelers). Catalano was also ordered to cooperate with the Internal Revenue Service regarding personal and corporate taxes due and owing. Catalano pleaded guilty in October 2023 to two counts of failing to collect, report and pay over employment taxes and one count of mail fraud in connection with cash wages he paid to company employees.From 2017 to 2020, Catalano cashed more than $8 million in APC checks from customers and failed to report the company income to the IRS. Catalano pleaded guilty to using the bulk of the cash funds to pay employees “under-the-table” cash wages which APC was also required to report to the IRS. As a result, neither the company nor the employees paid employment or income taxes on the cash wages, resulting in a tax loss of more than $1 million to the IRS. Catalano also pleaded guilty to mail fraud for failing to disclose the cash wages to Travelers when it provided workers’ compensation coverage for APC employees. As a result, Catalano defrauded the insurance carrier out of more than $500,000 in insurance premiums.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Harry Chavis, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Boston made the announcement today. Assistance was provided by the Massachusetts Insurance Fraud Bureau. Assistant U.S. Attorney Victor A. Wild of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Willingboro Township Deputy Mayor and Associate Charged with Mortgage Fraud Scheme in Connection with Fraudulent Short SaleRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – The deputy mayor of Willingboro Township, New Jersey, and one of his business associates were charged with conducting a scheme to discharge the deputy mayor’s mortgage obligation on his property through a fraudulent short sale, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Nathaniel Anderson, 56, a town councilman and the deputy mayor of Willingboro in Burlington County, New Jersey, and his business associate Chrisone D. Anderson, 56, of Sicklerville, New Jersey, are charged by complaint with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution, one count of bank fraud, and two counts of making false statements on a loan application. Additionally, Chrisone D. Anderson is charged with two counts of making false statements to a federal agent. Nathaniel Anderson and Chrisone D. Anderson made their initial appearances today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Tonianne J. Bongiovanni in Trenton federal court and were released on $50,000 each unsecured bond.
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
From March 2015 through June 2017, Nathaniel Anderson and Chrisone D. Anderson conspired and agreed with one another to orchestrate a fraudulent short sale of a property in Willingboro from Nathaniel Anderson to Chrisone D. Anderson.
As part of the conspiracy to defraud a government sponsored enterprise to discharge a mortgage obligation on Nathaniel Anderson’s property in Willingboro and to induce a mortgage lending business to issue a new mortgage on the property, Chrisone D. Anderson executed – and Nathaniel D. Anderson aided and abetted the execution of – mortgage documents containing materially false representations. These included that the short sale was an arm’s length transaction, that Chrisone D. Anderson did not have a prior business relationship with Nathaniel Anderson, that Nathaniel Anderson would not continue to occupy the property as his residence following the short sale, and that Chrisone D. Anderson would occupy the property as her primary residence.
As a result of the fraudulent short sale, the government sponsored enterprise discharged Nathaniel Anderson’s mortgage obligation and suffered a loss of over $120,000, and the victim lender issued a new mortgage on the property. During a May 2022 interview, Chrisone D. Anderson made false statements to an agent of the FBI concerning the short sale.
The charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution, bank fraud, and making false statements on a loan application are each punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison and a maximum fine of up to $1 million. The charges of making false statements to a federal agent are each punishable by a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a maximum fine of up to $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, Newark Division, Trenton Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; and special agents of the Northeast Region of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Robert Manchak, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander E. Ramey of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton, working in conjunction with the Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
anderson.complaint.pdfWichita man pleads guilty to COVID-19 relief fraudRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man pleaded guilty to using fraudulent means to obtain COVID-19 disaster relief money.
According to court documents, Jack Crowder, 34, of Wichita pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government property.
Crowder admits submitting an application and supporting documents containing false and misleading information to secure COVID-19 disaster relief payments totaling approximately $23,000. The United States Department of Labor, through the State of Kansas Department of Labor, dispersed the funds to Crowder in September 2022.Crowder is scheduled to be sentenced on April 3, 2024, and faces a mandatory maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
IRS-Criminal Investigation, Kansas Department of Labor, and the Wichita Police Department are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Deb Barnett and Ola Odeyemi are prosecuting the case.
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Warren County Man Indicted for Defrauding Investors, Failing to File Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Michael E. Conner, age 55, of Warrensburg, New York, was arraigned today on an indictment charging him with perpetrating a scheme to defraud investors.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Thomas Fattorusso, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Conner held himself out to be an inventor of household products and to hold patents on his inventions, such as a knife with a heated blade and a rotatable refrigerator shelf. Starting in about 2008, Conner convinced other people to invest in his patents and loan him money that would help him market and sell his patents.
The indictment alleges that Conner fraudulently sought and obtained loans from investors, who believed they were loaning money to Conner for business purposes, including to complete the sale of his patents, and to pay attorney’s fees and accountant’s fees associated with anticipated patent sales. But Conner had no intention of using the loaned funds for business purposes, and instead used the money for personal expenses and to fund his lifestyle. Since 2008, Conner has received, from investors, approximately $4 million in connection with this fraudulent scheme; he has also never sold a patent or earned revenue from any of his inventions.
The indictment also alleges that Conner failed to file personal income tax returns, despite knowing he had an obligation to do so, during tax years 2017 through 2021. Conner, who moved from Virginia to New York in 2017, has not filed a personal income tax return since 2008.
The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Conner appeared today in Albany before United States Magistrate Judge Christian F. Hummel, and was ordered released pending a bail hearing scheduled for January 19, 2024.
Conner is charged with 23 counts of wire fraud and 5 counts of failing to file a tax return. On the wire fraud charges, Conner faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of up to 3 years. On the tax charges, which are misdemeanors, Conner faces up to 1 year in jail and a fine of up to $100,000. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
IRS-CI is investigating this case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett is prosecuting this case.
Vermont Man Sentenced to 70 Months for Traveling to Lake George for Sexual Contact with MinorRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Scott Westervelt, age 46, of Bennington, Vermont, was sentenced today to 70 months in prison for traveling from Vermont to Lake George in 2022 to engage in sexual conduct with a 12-year-old. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
As part of his prior guilty plea, Westervelt admitted that between January and June 2022, he exchanged sexually explicit messages online with someone posing as a man who was sexually abusing a 12-year-old boy. Over the course of those exchanges, Westervelt expressed his desire to engage in illicit sexual conduct with the 12-year-old, and ultimately Westervelt arranged to meet the man and the boy in Lake George for that purpose. On June 14, 2022, Westervelt left his residence in Bennington and drove to a prearranged meet-up location in Lake George, where he was arrested.
Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes also sentenced Westervelt to serve 10 years of supervised release to begin after Westervelt is released from prison. He was also ordered to forfeit the phone he used to commit the crime. Westervelt will also be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
The FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force investigated the case. The FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force includes members of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Colonie Police Department and New York State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Clark prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Unforgiven Gang Member Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Conspiracy, Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge Henry L. Adams has sentenced Geoffrey Scott Carter (44, Jacksonville) to 15 years in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Carter to forfeit 10 firearms and assorted ammunition. Carter had pleaded guilty on March 28, 2023.
According to court documents, on August 5, 2022, in St. Johns County, a police officer observed an SUV commit a traffic offense and the officer executed a traffic stop. The only occupants of the SUV were its driver and Carter. A police canine alerted when walked around the SUV, indicating the recent presence of illegal drugs in the vehicle. When an officer searched the SUV, he found two loaded pistols (one of which had been previously reported stolen), approximately 36 grams of crystal methamphetamine, 21 grams of cocaine, 3 grams of MDMA (also known as ecstasy), 3 grams of marijuana, a digital scale, syringes, and baggies. The driver denied knowing that there were illegal drugs in the vehicle but confirmed that Carter was a drug dealer. When searched, Carter had brass knuckles in his pocket and was wearing an empty firearm holster. When an officer located the holster, Carter stated that it was for holding his cigarettes. Carter was arrested for various state offenses, but soon was released on bond.
Following Carter’s release, a confidential source, acting at the direction of law enforcement, purchased controlled substances from Carter four times at Carter’s home in Jacksonville. During these transactions, Carter sold the confidential source approximately 645 grams of methamphetamine, 3 grams of fentanyl, and a Colt revolver. Having previously been convicted of 11 felony offenses, Carter is prohibited by law from possessing firearms, including the Colt revolver.
On November 2, 2022, law enforcement agents and officers executed a federal search warrant at Carter’s home. During the search, they located seven loaded handguns, two body armor vests, ammunition, a scale, baggies containing methamphetamine and marijuana, a Nazi flag, and a vest with markings associated with the “Unforgiven,” a white-supremacist prison gang.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, the St. Augustine Beach Police Department, and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Coolican.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Seeks to Identify Potential Victims of Internet Fraud Scheme with Links to NigeriaRead the Press Release
The scheme operated for years in West Michigan and throughout the United States
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that the office is seeking to identify victims of a nationwide internet fraud scheme that operated for several years and defrauded victims of more than $2 million dollars. A grand jury recently returned an indictment charging four individuals with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud related to the fraud scheme. Those individuals are: Fatai Okunola, 37, of Kalamazoo, Michigan; Oluwaseyi Adeola, 33, and Ijeoma Adeola, 35, of Dallas, Texas; and Cory McDougal, 32, of Romeoville, Illinois. Oluwaseyi Adeola and Okunola also face charges related to their naturalization or attempt to naturalize as United States’ citizens.
According to allegations in the indictment, the defendants conspired with individuals primarily in Nigeria to defraud individuals in the United States, many that were elderly or particularly vulnerable, through a variety of fraud schemes using interstate wire transmissions or the mail system. The conspirators in Nigeria created false online personas to develop relationships with their victims over the internet, through social media, by text messages or by telephone. These relationships centered around romantic interests, offers to buy or sell goods or services, apartment rentals, or offers to make loans or provide grant funding, among other schemes. The conspirators sent pictures or provided other information to the victims to make their schemes appear genuine. When the conspirators used telephone calls, they utilized voice-over-internet-protocol numbers to make it appear as if the calls were originating within the United States near the victims. After developing the relationships, the conspirators asked for money for a variety of reasons related to the scheme.
Once the victim agreed, the conspirators directed the victims to send the money to the defendants, who opened numerous bank accounts in the Western District of Michigan and other places to receive the victims’ money. On some occasions, the defendants received the victims’ money in post office boxes maintained under alias names or through payments made payable to “shell” businesses that the defendants created to receive fraud proceeds. The victims sent the money to the defendants through the mail, bank-to-bank transfers, or through peer-to-peer money transfer services like Zelle or PayPal. After the defendants received the money in their accounts, they transferred the money to each other, to the conspirators overseas, and to their own accounts in Nigeria. According to the indictment, defendants received more than $2 million dollars in their accounts from the scheme between 2017 and 2022.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the investigative agencies are working to identify other individuals, nationwide, who may have been victimized by the same fraud conspiracy. The defendants utilized the following Post Office Boxes, emails, business names, and false personas to carry out the scheme:
Post Office Boxes
P.O. Box 19216, Kalamazoo, Michigan 49019
P.O. Box 2115, Kalamazoo, Michigan 49003
Businesses
Shyon’s Auto
Fatjas Import & Export
Lola Adeola Jeweleries
Choices Auto
CJ’s Shoe Rejuvination
Email Addresses
False Personas of Alleged Fraudsters
Robert Johnson
John Stevenson
Gaurav Dewan
Akarsh Sahil
Koti Constance Malia
Timothy Jacob
Amanda Lynn Contreas
Tushar Khade
Brandon Johnson
Gaurav Gupta
Gaurav Santosh
James Mason
Luciano Rossi
If you believe you are a victim in this case, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdmi/victim-and-witness-assistance-program/vw-large-cases/okunola or contact Breane Warner, Victim Assistance Specialist, at (616) 808-2064.
Federal law enforcement provides a number of tips on how to protect yourself from similar internet or email scams, including:
- Be cautious of unsolicited phone calls, e-mails, and mailings.
- Never give or send any sensitive information (including your date of birth, account numbers, or passwords), credit or debit card numbers, or money to unverified people or businesses.
- Resist the pressure to act quickly. Scammers create a false sense of urgency to lure people to immediate action.
- If you recognize a scam attempt, immediately end all communication with the perpetrator.
This case is being investigated by the Grand Rapids offices of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ron Stella is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
The charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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U.S. Attorneys Thompson and Ihlenfeld to Co-Host Joint Human Trafficking TrainingRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson of the Southern District of West Virginia and United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld of the Northern District of West Virginia will jointly host a human trafficking training event on Thursday, January 18, 2024, from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at locations in Charleston and Wheeling as well as virtually.
The joint training event, Human Trafficking: Facts, Fiction, and Federal Law, will also feature participation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Pittsburgh Division, the West Virginia Fusion Center, the West Virginia Foundation for Rape Information and Services (FRIS), the West Virginia Child Advocacy Network and Angie Conn, a human trafficking survivor, victim advocate and founder of SheWhoDares Consulting LLC.
WHO: United States Attorneys Will Thompson and William Ihlenfeld
WHAT: Human Trafficking: Facts, Fiction, and Federal Law
WHEN: Thursday, January 18, 2024, from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
WHERE:
Basilica of the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, 1114 Virginia Street East, Charleston
St. Michael Catholic Church Angelus Center, 1225 National Road, Wheeling
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
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U.S. Attorney's Office Observes National Human Trafficking Prevention MonthRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. To commemorate this month, United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg renews his Office’s commitment to prosecuting human traffickers, protecting victims, empowering survivors, and preventing the proliferation of these abhorrent crimes.
In recognition of Human Trafficking Prevention Month, the U.S. Attorney’s Office reaffirms that vindicating the rights of human trafficking victims and other vulnerable persons ranks among its highest priorities.
“Human trafficking is a crime of exploitation,” said U.S. Attorney Handberg. “Whether it’s forced labor, domestic servitude, or sex trafficking of children and adults, human trafficking is the exploitation of human beings for profit and has no place in any society. That’s why in January and throughout the year, my Office’s dedicated prosecutors, victim witness coordinators, and support personnel work with our law enforcement partners to combat human trafficking and bring offenders to justice.”
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 Office’s work to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/humantrafficking.
To enhance awareness and educate the community about human trafficking, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has released a Public Service Announcement on how to identify potential trafficking situations and where to report suspected human trafficking activity.
Two-Time Convicted Felon Found Guilty of Unlawfully Possessing a Sawed-Off ShotgunRead the Press Release
A twice convicted felon who unlawfully possessed a sawed-off shotgun was convicted by a jury today, after a two-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Larry Jones, age 62, from Waterloo, Iowa, was convicted of one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of possessing a shortened shotgun. The verdict was returned this afternoon following about one hour of jury deliberations.
The evidence at trial showed that on September 7, 2022, Jones was involved in a dispute with another individual. During the dispute, Jones went into his house and emerged with a sawed-off shotgun. The other individual took a video on his cellphone of Jones with the firearm.
Officers from the Waterloo Police Department were eventually dispatched to the scene and learned of the gun. They eventually found the firearm behind Jones’ property after he told an officer that he wrapped the shotgun in a tarp and threw it behind his house. The weapon had a barrel length of approximately 13 inches. Any weapon with a barrel length of 18 inches is illegal to possess unless it is registered with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. Jones had also previously been convicted of felony burglary twice.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Jones was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the verdict was returned and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Jones faces a possible maximum sentence of 25 years’ imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, and six years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole Nagin and Anthony Morfitt and was investigated by a Federal Task Force composed of the Waterloo Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms assisted by the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office and Cedar Falls Police Department.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and 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.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-2015.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Two Russian Nationals Charged in Separate Indictments with Fraud and Other Offenses Related to Hacking CampaignsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Two indictments were unsealed in the District of New Jersey today charging two Russian nationals – Aleksey Timofeyevich Stroganov and Tim Stigal – with fraud and related offenses in connection with a series of computer intrusions, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
According to the indictments:
Stroganov
From at least May 2007 through July 2017, Stroganov – aka “Aleksei Stroganov,” “flint,” “flint24,” “Gursky Oleg,” “Oleg Gurskiy,” and “Строганов Алексей Тимофеевич” – was part of a criminal conspiracy to hack into the computer networks of individuals and companies and steal, among other things, debit and credit card numbers and personal identifying information associated with the cardholders.
Stroganov and his conspirators harvested data associated with hundreds of millions credit card and banking accounts. To profit from the scheme, Stroganov oversaw a network of resellers and vendors, who Stroganov provided with access to databases containing personal identifying information and payment card data for hundreds of thousands of accounts. The vendors then sold that data over the dark net through cybercrime forums and dark net websites. The scheme resulted in losses to financial institutions exceeding $35 million.
Stroganov is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution, three counts of wire fraud, three counts of bank fraud, and three counts of aggravated identity theft. The substantive and conspiracy charges of wire fraud are punishable by a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, or twice the gross amount of gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. The charges of bank fraud are punishable by a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1 million. The aggravated identity theft charges carry a mandatory sentence of two years in prison, which must run consecutively to any other term of imprisonment imposed by the court.
Stigal
From April 2014 to March 2016, Stigal, aka “Key” and “Тим Стигал,” was part of four separate conspiracies to traffic in stolen payment card information belonging to the customers of at least three different corporate victims located throughout the United States. In relation to one of the conspiracies, and in an attempt to extort one of the corporate victims, Stigal additionally transmitted a threat to impair the confidentiality of stolen personal data belonging to customers of the corporate victim if a ransom was not paid to Stigal.
Stigal is charged with four counts of wire fraud conspiracy, 12 counts of wire fraud, one count of computer fraud extortion, three counts of access device fraud, and three counts of aggravated identity theft. The substantive and conspiracy charges of wire fraud are punishable by a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, or twice the gross amount of gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. The charge of computer fraud (extortion) is punishable by a maximum of 5 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. The access device fraud charges are punishable by a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. The aggravated identity theft charges carry a mandatory sentence of two years in prison, which must run consecutively to any other term of imprisonment imposed by the court.
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U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the U.S. Secret Service, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Aaron Hatley, with the investigation leading to the charges against Stroganov and Stigal. He also thanked special agents of IRS - Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins, with the investigation leading to the charges against Stigal.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony P. Torntore, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Cybercrime Unit in Newark, and Assistant Deputy Chiefs William A. Hall Jr. and Adrienne Rose of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS).
The charges and allegations contained in the indictments are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
stroganov.indictment.pdf stigal.indictment.pdfThird Defendant Pleads Guilty in Case Involving the Unlawful Possession, Manufacturing, and Trafficking of Unregistered Ghost Guns Sold as Part of “Hit Kits”Read the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of New Paris, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a one-count Information charging conspiracy to deal and manufacture firearms without a license, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. His plea follows earlier guilty pleas from his two co-defendants in the case to charges of possession, manufacturing, and trafficking of firearms, among other offenses.
Wayne Farabaugh, 55, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines. In December and October of 2023, respectively, co-defendants Craig Zahradnik, 52, of Altoona, and Harry Miller, 47, of Martinsburg, Pennsylvania, each pleaded guilty to seven counts before Judge Haines, with Zahradnik’s sentencing scheduled for April 10, 2024, and Miller’s for March 11, 2024.
In connection with their guilty pleas, Farabaugh, Zahradnik, and Miller admitted that, between May 2022 and April 2023, they were part of a conspiracy to engage in the business of manufacturing and dealing in firearms without a license. Specifically, Miller and Zahradnik were partners in an illicit business operation engaged in the manufacturing and trafficking of privately made firearms—so-called ghost guns—with Miller purchasing the components and maintaining many of the weapons at a storage unit that Zahradnik, a retired police detective, controlled. Beginning in July of 2022, Zahradnik provided $5,000 payments to Miller that Miller then deposited into his bank account, totaling $30,000. Miller used these funds to purchase the firearm components from outside Pennsylvania and repaid Zahradnik with the proceeds from the gun sales, including from the sale of what Miller marketed as “hit kits,” consisting of a 9-millimeter Polymer80 handgun with no serial number, a threaded barrel to attach a silencer, a silencer, subsonic ammunition, and latex gloves.
Farabaugh admitted that he assisted Miller and permitted him to use machinery at Farabaugh’s place of employment to drill the components for ghost guns. Miller also used this equipment to manufacture untraceable weapons and weapon components that were required to be registered with the government under the National Firearms Act, including silencers, machineguns, and short-barrel rifles. Zahradnik transported the “hit kits” and other firearms to and from Miller for scheduled buys. On other occasions, Miller and Zahradnik transported firearms together.
Zahradnik further admitted that, in March 2023, he transferred a firearm and ammunition to Miller, knowing that Miller intended to sell, dispose of, or transfer the firearm and ammunition in furtherance of a felony, and unlawfully transferred firearms that were not registered to him. As part of their guilty pleas, Zahradnik and Farabaugh both admitted that they knew Miller was a convicted felon and was therefore prohibited from possessing firearms.
During their plea hearings, Zahradnik and Miller further pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a machinegun, illegal trafficking in firearms, and unlawfully engaging in the business of manufacturing and dealing in firearms.
“This case illustrates the extraordinary danger associated with the unlawful manufacturing and trafficking of ghost guns,” U.S. Attorney Olshan said. “These defendants admitted selling so-called ‘hit kits’ to anyone looking for an untraceable firearm packaged together with a silencer and even latex gloves. The potential for lethal consequences is staggering. As always, we will continue to work side by side with our partners in federal, state, and local law enforcement to ensure that those who put profit over public safety are held accountable.”
“The unlawful sale of firearms is a primary focus of ATF,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “In this case, self-styled ‘hit kits’ pose a critical threat to the safety of our citizens. The result of this investigation is a testament to the longstanding collaboration with our local, state, and federal partners, including the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, the Altoona Police Department, and the United States Attorney’s Office. I would like to thank the dedicated work of the investigators and prosecutors for dismantling this illegal firearm distribution operation.”
Farabaugh is scheduled to be sentenced May 15, 2024, with the law providing for a maximum sentence of five years. Zahradnik and Miller each face a maximum total sentence of 70 years in prison, a total fine of $1.27 million, 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 Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation that led to the prosecutions. This case was prosecuted under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress enacted and the President signed in June 2022. The Act is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms.
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.
Texas man admits threatening to shoot neighboring guest while staying at Browning motel on Blackfeet Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Texas man accused of threatening to shoot a neighboring guest while both were staying at a motel in Browning, on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, admitted to a criminal charge today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Ronnie Wayne Bone, 57, of Bastrop, Texas, pleaded guilty to intimidation. Bone faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $50,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for May 29. Bone was released pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that on Aug. 19, 2022, Bone, a non-Indian, was staying at a motel in Browning while on a motorcycling tour with a friend. The victim, identified as John Doe, who is a member of the Blackfeet Indian Tribe, and his family also were staying at the motel. Late that night, an unknown man knocked on the door to Bone’s room and then walked away. Bone, who was intoxicated, came out of his room and immediately started verbally accosting John Doe, who was outside his own room several doors away from Bone’s. Doe, who had been cleaning out his car, tried to explain to Bone that he was not connected to the man who had knocked on Bone’s door. The government further alleged that Bone continued to yell at Doe, telling him that he was from Texas and in Texas they shoot people like him. Bone called Doe racial slurs and then retrieved a .40-caliber pistol. Bone pointed the gun at Doe and his wife, who came outside to see what was happening. Bone continued to spew vitriolic and racist comments while threating to shoot them.
In addition, the government alleged that when law enforcement arrived, officers recovered a pistol loaded with a .40-caliber hollow point bullet from Bone’s room. Bone claimed he was lying in his bed minding his own business when someone started beating on his door and being obnoxious. Bone told officers he grabbed his gun and was like, “hey what’s up dude?” He further claimed Doe used racist comments against him, that he felt threatened and that he did not point the weapon at anyone. Bone’s claims were disputed by several independent witnesses, who saw Bone’s intimidation of Doe and heard his racist comments while threatening Doe.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kalah A. Paisley is prosecuting the case. The Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services, Glacier County Sherriff’s Office, and FBI conducted the investigation.
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Texas Man Sentenced for Trafficking Cocaine in Central Virginia for Mexican Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Brownsville, Texas man was sentenced yesterday to 150 months in prison for participating in a conspiracy to possess and distribute nearly 40 kilograms of cocaine.
According to court documents, in and around April 2023, Carlos Alfonso Gonzalez, 31, agreed with a Mexico-based source of supply to transport a load of cocaine from Houston, Texas, to Richmond, Virginia. On or about April 29, 2023, Gonzalez picked up a load of cocaine in Houston and traveled in a commercial semi-tractor trailer truck to Virginia in order to distribute the cocaine to two traffickers connected to a Mexican drug trafficking organization (his co-conspirators). On May 1, 2023, Gonzalez arrived at a truck stop in Disputanta, Virginia to meet with two co-conspirators. At this meeting location, Gonzalez distributed to his co-conspirators three duffel bags containing 39.9 kilograms of cocaine.
After the co-conspirators departed the area with the cocaine, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on the co-conspirators’ vehicle and recovered 39.9 kilograms of cocaine. Following the cocaine seizure, law enforcement stopped Gonzalez and placed him under arrest. At the time of the offense, Gonzalez was on federal supervised release for a prior federal drug trafficking crime in the Southern District of Texas.
Gonzalez was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment for charges of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine and possession with the intent to distribute cocaine. Gonzalez was sentenced to an additional term of 30 months in prison for violating his federal supervised release stemming from his prior conviction.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jason Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; and Colonel Jeffrey S. Katz, Chesterfield County Chief of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erik S. Siebert and Shea Gibbons and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellen Hubbard prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-70.
Swinerton Builders Reaches Agreement to Address Clean Water Act Violations and Offset Environmental Harm at Solar Farm Construction Sites in Alabama, Idaho and IllinoisRead the Press Release
The Justice Department and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced that Swinerton Builders has agreed to pay a $2.3 million penalty – divided between the United States, Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) and State of Illinois – to resolve allegations that it violated the Clean Water Act and related state laws during the construction of solar farms in Alabama, Idaho and Illinois.
The company has also agreed to undertake mitigation actions to help restore the Portneuf River in Idaho and to purchase stream credits to improve the watershed surrounding the Alabama site. The states of Alabama and Illinois joined the United States in the settlement.
“This settlement holds Swinerton accountable for its widespread Clean Water Act violations and ensures that nearby communities in Alabama and Idaho will benefit from projects to restore waterways and enhance recreation,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “We’re grateful for the work and cooperation of our state partners in helping reach this agreement.”
“Illegal stormwater discharges from construction projects can contaminate municipal drinking water systems and harm aquatic life, which is why EPA, the Justice Department, and our state partners worked together to hold Swinerton Builders accountable for the company’s violations of the Clean Water Act,” said Assistant Administrator David M. Uhlmann of EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Solar farms are vital to slowing the effects of climate change, but companies building solar farms must comply with environmental protection requirements just as companies must do for any other construction project.”
“My office was pleased to work with the Justice Department to resolve the alleged water pollution violations,” said Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul. “Clean water is a critical resource and I will continue the work to protect Illinois water sources.”
“We are pleased with today’s announced settlement, which holds the builder to task for serious stormwater violations that harmed the watershed and its ecosystem,” said ADEM Director Lance LeFleur. “The settlement not only requires Swinerton to pay civil penalties to both the state and federal government, it also obligates the company to mitigate the environmental damage it caused by taking steps to protect water quality and preserve habitats through the purchase of stream credits. Those credits are an investment that will provide long-term benefits to the watershed.”
Background
Swinerton is a California-based construction company that operates nationwide. Until 2021, its Swinerton Renewable Energy division was the country’s leading constructor of utility-scale solar farms.
Solar farm construction involves clearing and grading large sections of land, which can lead to significant erosion and major runoff of sediment into waterways if stormwater controls at the site are inadequate. Increased sediment in waterways can injure, suffocate or kill aquatic life, damage aquatic ecosystems and cause significant harm to drinking water treatment systems. To avoid these harms to the environment and public health, parties responsible for construction of solar farms must obtain construction stormwater permits under the Clean Water Act and comply with the terms of those permits. A complaint filed with the settlement alleges that during its construction of solar farms near American Falls, Idaho, Lafayette, Alabama, and Perry and White Counties, Illinois, Swinerton failed to use proper stormwater controls, did not conduct regular site inspections by qualified personnel and did not accurately report and address stormwater issues. At the Alabama and Idaho sites, Swinerton’s actions led to unauthorized discharges of large volumes of sediment-laden stormwater into nearby waterways. The United States previously settled cases against the owners of the four solar farm sites.
Settlement Details
To resolve the alleged Clean Water Act violations at these sites, Swinerton will pay a civil penalty of $1,614,600 to the United States, $540,500 to ADEM and $144,900 to the State of Illinois. In addition, Swinerton will fund substantial mitigation projects to redress the excess sediment discharges at the Idaho and Alabama sites. In Idaho, Swinerton will provide $600,000 in funding towards a restoration project on the Portneuf River in nearby Pocatello. The project will capture sediment, reconnect riparian and wetland habitat, and provide a host of other environmental and recreational benefits. In Alabama, Swinerton will purchase 14,020 stream credits in the surrounding watershed, which will help preserve the watershed to promote healthier water quality and aquatic habitats.
The Justice Department’s Environmental Enforcement Section lodged the consent decree with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. It is subject to a 30-day public comment period and final court approval. The consent decree can be viewed on the Justice Department’s website: www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees.
Stilwell Resident Pleads Guilty to Aggravated AssaultRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Tassia Ann-Lorene Sellers-Turner, age 31, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Assault with a Deadly Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country.
The Indictment alleged that on September 9, 2023, Sellers-Turner stabbed the victim multiple times with a knife, intending to do bodily harm. The victim sustained life-threatening injuries. The crime occurred in Adair County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Stilwell Police Department, the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Honorable Judge Jason A. Robertson, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Sellers-Turner will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.
Steuben County man going to prison for possession of child pornographyRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that John Buckley, 61, of Wayland, NY, who was convicted of possession of child pornography, was sentenced to serve 10 years in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who handled the case, stated that between August and December 2021, Buckley used his cellphone to take sexually explicit photos of a minor female. On August 30, 2022, the FBI executed a federal search warrant on the cellphone and recovered 31 images containing child pornography, including images of the minor female.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia. Additional assistance was provided by the FBI Chicago Field Office and the Joliet, Illinois Police Department.
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St. Petersburg Man Sentenced to More Than 17 Years for Possession of Controlled Substances with Intent to Distribute and Possession of A Firearm by A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday has sentenced Erik Barner (45, St. Petersburg) to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison for distribution and possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Barner had pleaded guilty on October 20, 2023.
According to court documents, on February 22, March 1, and March 10, 2023, Barner sold cocaine to a confidential informant working with the St. Petersburg Police Department. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for a residence out of which Barner was operating, and a vehicle. Officers recovered four firearms and various ammunition that had been dispersed throughout the home. In the vehicle, officers found 176 grams of cocaine. Three of the firearms recovered from the home were later determined to have been reported stolen. Two of the firearms had Barner’s DNA on them.
Barner has previous felony convictions for possession of cocaine, throwing a deadly missile at or into an occupied vehicle, possession of cocaine with intent to sell, and two trafficking in cocaine convictions. As a convicted felon he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. Petersburg Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney James Muench.
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.
St. Louis Man Caught on MetroLink with Gun Sentenced to 33 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Tuesday sentenced a convicted felon who was caught with a gun on a MetroLink train to 33 months in prison.
Lamont Walker, 30, of St. Louis, Missouri, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in August to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He admitted possessing an American Tactical Omni Hybrid AR-15 pistol on a MetroLink train on Feb. 27, 2023. Riders alerted Metro security, who contacted St. Louis police.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Walker is prosecuting the case.
St. Louis Man Admits Three Carjackings, Including One That Was FatalRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis, Missouri pleaded guilty Wednesday and admitted committing three carjackings in St. Louis in 2021, including one that resulted in the death of a 72-year-old man.
Carmain Milton, 50, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to two counts of carjacking and one count of carjacking resulting in death.
Milton admitted stealing a woman’s 1998 Toyota Camry on Sept. 21, 2021, in the 4500 block of Pershing Place. Milton had what appeared to be a gun and demanded that the victim start her car and give him her purse.
Early in the morning of Sept. 28, 2021, in a parking lot at the intersection of Chouteau Avenue and South Sarah Street, Milton approached two victims with what appeared to be a black semi-automatic handgun and said, “I will shoot you, don’t be a hero, give me your jewelry.” Milton stole debit/credit cards, rings, an iPhone and the keys to an Audi A6 belonging to one of the victims. He then stole the Audi.
Later that day, in the 300 block of North Boyle Avenue, Milton carjacked a man’s 2004 Honda Element and then ran the victim over with his own car. The victim died. Milton was arrested a few hours later with a pellet gun in his bag and a wallet belonging to one of the victims from the second carjacking.Portions of the carjackings were captured by surveillance cameras.
Milton is scheduled to be sentenced April 16. The carjacking charges are each punishable by up to 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. The carjacking resulting in death charge carries a maximum penalty of life in prison or the death sentence. Both sides in the case have agreed to recommend a sentence between 18 and 27 years in prison.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassandra Wiemken is prosecuting the case.
Spring Valley Man Sentenced to One Year and One Day in Prison for $1.6 Million COVID-19 Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that ELIZIER SCHER was sentenced to one year and one day in prison by U.S. District Judge Philip M. Halpern for his scheme to defraud the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”) of more than $1.6 million in COVID-19 relief funds. SCHER previously pled guilty before Judge Halpern to one count of wire fraud on February 1, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Elizier Scher schemed to steal taxpayer funds intended for small businesses in need of assistance during the pandemic. His intent to illegally profit from a national emergency that affected countless businesses and uprooted lives resulted in a sentencing reflecting the severity of his actions. Exploiting a crisis for personal gain will face the full force of the law.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court proceedings:
The SBA is a federal agency that administers assistance to American small businesses, including the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) program, which was intended to provide funding to help small business recover from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The maximum amount of an EIDL loan is determined by a formula based on the date the borrower began operating and the borrower’s gross revenue and cost of goods sold for the 12 months prior to January 31, 2020. The loans can only be used for working capital and other normal operating expenses.
Over an approximately four-hour period on or about July 13, 2020, SCHER submitted 12 applications for EIDL loans in a principal amount of $150,000 to the SBA online on behalf of 12 different corporations that he owned and controlled. SCHER made materially false statements in each application with respect to each applicant’s gross revenue and cost of goods sold for the 12-month period prior to January 31, 2020.
Between on or about July 20, 2020, and on or about August 11, 2020, 11 of the 12 applicants received a net total of $1,648,900 in loan proceeds from the SBA. SCHER used the proceeds to buy real estate and to pay credit card expenses instead of using it for working capital for the borrowers, as SCHER had agreed to do in the loan agreements he executed on behalf of the borrowers.
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In addition to the prison term, SCHER, 34, of Spring Valley, New York, was sentenced to two years of supervised release and ordered to pay $1,648,900 in forfeiture.
Mr. Williams praised the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney James McMahon is in charge of the prosecution.
South Georgia Resident Sentenced for Distributing Meth in Lanier CountyRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A Clinch County, Georgia, resident found guilty of distributing nearly a kilogram of methamphetamine in Lanier County, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 15 years in prison today for his crime.
Dennis Thompson, 34, of Homerville, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 180 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Hugh Lawson today after he was convicted by a federal jury on July 18, 2023, of one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Thompson is not eligible for parole.
“A lengthy investigation led by the Lanier County Sheriff’s Office landed a high-volume drug dealer behind bars and stopped a large amount of methamphetamine from hitting the streets,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Our office appreciates the steadfast commitment from local, state and federal authorities to uphold the law and make our communities safer for everyone.”
“Thompson endangered himself, law enforcement and other motorists during his irresponsible attempt to evade justice for methamphetamine distribution,” said Rich Bilson, Supervisory Senior Resident Agent of FBI Atlanta’s Valdosta office. “Hopefully this case sends a clear message that drug dealing in our communities will not be tolerated by the FBI and our partners.”
“We are appreciative of the cooperative efforts from all our partners to help bring this case to a close,” said Lanier County Sheriff Charles “Nick” Norton. “It is this kind of cooperation that makes our streets a safer place.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Thompson was under surveillance for distributing methamphetamine by Lanier County Sheriff’s Office investigators in Aug. 2020. A confidential informant told investigators that Thompson would be carrying a large amount of illegal drugs into Lanier County on Aug. 30, 2020, and he would be driving on Highway 221. Deputies attempted to pull Thompson over on Highway 221, but Thompson fled, leading deputies on a high-speed chase in excess of 100 miles per hour for several miles. The pursuit continued into Atkinson County, Georgia, where the vehicle finally came to a stop. A drug dog alerted to the odor of drugs inside Thompson’s car. Officers found 976 grams of methamphetamine inside a bag in the car. Thompson acquired the methamphetamine in Atlanta to distribute in the Lanier County community.
The case was investigated by FBI and the Lanier County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sonja Profit prosecuted the case for the Government.
Six Members or Associates of Violent Street Gang Convicted of Federal Racketeering Offenses Including the Murder of Chicago RapperRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal jury in Chicago today convicted six members or associates of a violent street gang on racketeering offenses that included the murder of Carlton Weekly, a Chicago rapper also known as “FBG Duck.”
The jury found that the defendants – all members or associates of the O-Block street gang – participated in a criminal organization that engaged in violence to protect the gang’s perceived territories on the South Side of Chicago. The O-Block gang publicly claimed responsibility for their violence and used social media and music to increase their criminal enterprise. The jury found that the defendants conspired to murder Weekly in order to maintain and increase their positions in the gang. Weekly was fatally shot on Aug. 4, 2020, while shopping in Chicago.
Convicted of committing murder in aid of racketeering are Chicago residents CHARLES LIGGINS, 32, KENNETH ROBERSON, 30, TACARLOS OFFERD, 32, CHRISTOPHER THOMAS, 24, MARCUS SMART, 25, and RALPH TURPIN, 34.
The jury returned its verdicts after a three-month trial in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The convictions carry mandatory sentences of life in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Martha M. Pacold set sentencings for Aug. 6, 2024, for Liggins; Aug. 8, 2024, for Roberson; Aug. 13, 2024, for Smart; Aug. 15, 2024, for Turpin; Sept. 4, 2024, for Offerd; and Sept. 17, 2024, for Thomas.
The convictions were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. Substantial assistance in the investigation was provided by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Julien, Ann Marie Ursini, Caitlin Walgamuth, and Sean Hennessy.
“People have the right to go about their lives and walk the streets in safety – free from violence,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Pasqual. “The jury’s verdicts today hold the six defendants accountable for a brutal murder that took the life of Carlton Weekly. Working with our law enforcement partners, our office will continue to prioritize combatting the unacceptable level of gang violence in Chicago.”
“All too often, our residents are held hostage to violence and other dangerous activity on our city streets," said FBI SAC Wheeler. "These convictions show that there are very real consequences for murder in the city of Chicago today, tomorrow, and every day going forward.”
"The outcome of this case is a result of a shared commitment to public safety and longstanding partnerships at the federal, state, and local level," said CPD Supt. Snelling. "We will continue working side-by-side with our law enforcement partners to combat violence in every neighborhood because the safety of our communities and residents depends on it."
Seven-Time Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing A Firearm and Ammunition, Distribution of A Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Evan Ingram (42, Clearwater) has pleaded guilty to distribution and possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. For the distribution charge, Ingram faces up to 20 years in federal prison. For the possession of firearm charge, he faces a minimum mandatory of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, Ingram was previously convicted of seven felonies including possession of cocaine, sale or delivery of cocaine, robbery, aggravated assault, and sale of a counterfeit substance. On five dates in August and two dates in September 2022, Ingram distributed a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine. Court records also show that on four of those dates Ingram sold either a firearm or a firearm and ammunition.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Clearwater Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman.
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.
Schenectady Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Terence Wilson, age 40, of Schenectady, New York, was sentenced today to 360 months (30 years) in federal prison for his repeated sexual exploitation of a child. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
As part of his prior guilty plea, Wilson admitted that he sexually exploited a child from the time the child was approximately 8 years old until the child was approximately 15 years old and that he created approximately 50 videos depicting the abuse.
Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes, also sentenced Wilson to serve a life term of supervised release to begin after Wilson is released from prison. Wilson also will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
This case was investigated by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, including the New York State Police. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael D. Gadarian and Adrian LaRochelle prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Santa Clara Man Sentenced to 35 Years for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Jason T. Stevens, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations - El Paso, announced today that Michael Rivera was sentenced to 35 years in prison. A federal jury convicted Rivera, 33, of Santa Clara, on July 11, 2023, of one count of coercion and enticement of a minor and two counts of production of a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct after less than two hours of deliberation.
A federal grand jury indicted Rivera on Sept. 21, 2022. According to the evidence at trial and other publicly available court records, in 2020, Rivera befriended a minor identified as Jane Doe. Doe and Rivera became close. One day in March of 2021, when Doe was 12 years old, Rivera stopped at a convenience store and bought alcohol for both. He then drove to a secluded area of town and parked the car. Rivera then initiated sexual intercourse with Doe in the car. Afterward, Rivera told Doe that she could not tell anyone because he could get in trouble.
Following the incident, Rivera maintained contact with Doe by phone. Later that same year, Rivera began requesting that Doe send him naked photos and videos of herself via text message. Rivera received several items of child sexual abuse material from Doe.
At sentencing, the court found that Rivera gained Jane Doe’s family’s trust so that he could be alone with the victim, groomed her in preparation of commissioning a sexual act or sexual contact and was able to later entice her to produce child pornography.
Upon his release from prison, Rivera will be subject to 30 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated this case with the assistance of the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, the Las Cruces Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Marisa A. Ong, Eliot Neal and Matilda McCarthy Villalobos prosecuted the case.
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San Diego County Veterinary Clinic Pays $125,000 for Mishandling Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – January 17, 2024
SAN DIEGO – Best Veterinary Care, a veterinary clinic in Valley Center, has paid $125,000 to resolve alleged Controlled Substances Act violations for diversion of controlled substances and failure to properly keep records necessary to account for controlled substances.
The settlement arises from a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration investigation into suspected illegal activity at Best Veterinary Care d/b/a Valley Center Veterinary Clinic. Based on an inventory audit conducted by the DEA and other investigative activity, the Government concluded that Best Veterinary Care committed multiple violations of the Controlled Substances Act from 2020 through 2022. The alleged violations include failing to control the clinic’s inventory of controlled substances, failing to maintain a complete record of controlled substances, and failing to maintain effective controls to guard against theft and diversion of controlled substances. Best Veterinary Care’s failure to control inventory included unaccounted-for pills, including benzodiazepines alprazolam (e.g., Xanax) and diazepam and tramadol, an opioid.
In addition to paying $125,000 to resolve the government’s claims, Best Veterinary Care entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with the DEA requiring Best Veterinary Care to undertake additional measures to handle controlled substances properly and safely.
“Veterinarians have a responsibility to keep opioids and other dangerous drugs out of the wrong hands,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “Failure to do so is not only reckless but is illegal and contributes to the raging opioid epidemic in this country.”
“Veterinarians, like all registrants, must dispense controlled substances in a lawful manner and provide effective controls to prevent the diversion of controlled substances,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Shelly Howe. “DEA will continue to ensure registrants are upholding these policies and procedures.”
This settlement was the result of a coordinated effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
To report a tip directly to a DEA representative regarding medical personnel writing suspicious opioid prescriptions and pharmacies dispensing large amounts of opioids, call (571) 324-6499, or visit the DEA’s website (https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/) and click on “Report Illicit Pharmaceutical Activities.”
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dylan M. Aste.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Sallisaw Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Terry Joseph Dunnavent, age 38, of Sallisaw, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
The Indictment alleged that January 3, 2023, Dunnavent was found in possession of a 9mm semi-automatic pistol after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment exceeding one year.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Sallisaw Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable Judge Jason A. Robertson, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Dunnavent will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.
Rochester man pleads guilty to submitting false claims to the IRS resulting in a refund of hundreds of thousands of dollarsRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Eugene Jamar Thomas, 45, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford to submitting false claims to the Internal Revenue Service. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who is handling the case, stated that on his 2015 tax return, Thomas reported that he earned $819,934 of interest income in 2015 and that he had $818,834 of that income withheld and paid to the IRS as tax. Thomas falsely claimed that he was entitled to a refund of $495,655. After receiving the fraudulent refund, Thomas deposited the $482,017 check into two separate bank accounts. In September and October 2016, Thomas withdrew approximately $226,000 from these accounts. Subsequently, the IRS discovered the fraudulent filing and return, and immediately levied the bank accounts, recovering approximately $256,250. In actually, Thomas did not earn any interest income in 2015, did not have any interest income withheld, and was not entitled to any refund.
In addition, on his 2016 tax return, Thomas again falsely claimed that he had earned $4,731,845 of interest income and had $4,683,641 of that income withheld and paid to the IRS. The IRS flagged the 2016 tax return and did not pay a $2,683,945 anticipated refund to Thomas.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Thomas Fattorusso, Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Field Office.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 25, 2024, before Judge Wolford.
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Repeat Offender Admits Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Hudson County, New Jersey, man today admitted possessing images of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Christopher Carvajal, 30, of North Bergen, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of possession of child pornography.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In April 2023, Carvajal’s iPhone was seized at Newark International Airport. A search revealed that Carvajal’s iPhone contained more than 900 video files and more than 400 image files depicting sexual abuse of minors, including infants or toddlers. Carvajal’s iPhone also contained communications in which Carvajal discussed his desire for sexual encounters with young children. Carvajal was previously convicted in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Bergen County, of a child pornography offense.
Possession of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison for a defendant with a prior conviction of a child pornography offense, a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for XX.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Specht of the Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit in Newark.
carvajal_information.pdfRecovery of 1299 Grams of Fentanyl, 227 Grams of Methamphetamine, and Firearms Leads to 15+ Year Sentence for Wade ManRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Wade man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for possession of fentanyl and methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of controlled substances, and conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Daniel White, 57, to 188 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. White pleaded guilty on July 24, 2023.
According to court records, on November 30, 2022, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Maine Drug Enforcement Agency (MDEA) agents executed a search warrant at White’s home in Wade. Drug paraphernalia, three pistols and two rifles, and $12,586 in drug proceeds were found in the residence. Investigators recovered more than 1299 grams of fentanyl from White’s bedroom, near a loaded weapon. Just 2 milligrams of fentanyl is considered a potentially lethal dose. Investigators also recovered more than 227 grams of methamphetamine.
The investigation revealed that between January 1, 2021, and November 30, 2022, White conspired with others to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine, and 400 grams or more of fentanyl. During this time, White regularly obtained the drugs from his out-of-state source of supply and would distribute the drugs through a network of dealers in Aroostook County.
The DEA and MDEA investigated the case.
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Recidivist Drug Trafficker Sentenced to More Than 13 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A former Belmont man was sentenced today in federal court for trafficking methamphetamine in New Hampshire, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
David Sweeney, 47, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Paul J. Barbadoro to 160 months in federal prison and 5 years of supervised release. On July 5, 2022, Sweeney pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office working in conjunction with our federal and state law enforcement partners is committed to investigating and prosecuting recidivist drug traffickers, like the defendant, who pose an ongoing danger to our state by flooding our communities with thousands of doses of methamphetamine,” United States Attorney Jane E. Young said. “The significant sentence imposed today will protect our citizens from Sweeney’s unabated drug trafficking.”
“DEA stands committed to keeping highly addictive drugs like methamphetamine off the streets of New Hampshire,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. “Today’s sentence not only holds Mr. Sweeney accountable for his crimes but serves as a warning to those traffickers who are contributing to the drug crisis in America. This investigation demonstrates the strength of collaborative law enforcement efforts and our strong partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
“David Sweeney pushed massive amounts of methamphetamine onto New Hampshire’s streets, and today’s lengthy prison sentence officially puts him out of business,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “The FBI and our partners are committed to taking down and locking up prolific drug traffickers like Sweeney – people with no regard for the incredible damage they inflict on so many lives and communities.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, in January 2016, United States District Court Chief Judge Landya B. McCafferty sentenced Sweeney to 54 months imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release for possession with the intent to distribute heroin. Sweeney was released from federal custody in January 2018, and placed on three years of federal supervision in New Hampshire. On December 13, 2019, while under the term of his supervised release, Sweeney sold a quantity of methamphetamine to a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) confidential informant. As the investigation continued, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the FBI determined that Sweeney conspired with other individuals located in New Hampshire, the Caribbean and Mexico to import multiple kilograms of methamphetamine into New Hampshire for distribution.
This matter was investigated by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the United States Postal Inspection Service and the New Hampshire State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer C. Davis.
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 athttps://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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Putnam County Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Huntington Methamphetamine Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Denzil Roger Grant II, 50, of Hurricane, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine. Grant admitted to his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Huntington area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 27, 2023, Grant called co-defendant Derrell Cashawn Massey and asked to purchase fentanyl and methamphetamine. Grant admitted that after arranging the transaction, he traveled from Hurricane to Huntington where he met with Massey and bought methamphetamine.
Grant was returning to Hurricane from Huntington when law enforcement officers stopped his vehicle in Putnam County. Grant consented to a search of the vehicle, and a female passenger in his vehicle gave officers approximately 13.5 grams of methamphetamine. Grant admitted that he intended to distribute the seized methamphetamine and further admitted that the passenger had hidden the methamphetamine on her person at his request.
Grant is scheduled to be sentenced on May 6, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
Grant is among 27 individuals indicted in a 53-count indictment that charges the defendants with distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl transported from Detroit, Michigan, in Huntington and other locations within the Southern District of West Virginia. The indictment against Massey and the remaining defendants is pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Stephanie Taylor are prosecuting the case.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-180.
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Paso Robles Woman Charged with Drug-Related Crimes, Including Distributing Fentanyl that Resulted in Victim’s Death Last YearRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A San Luis Obispo County woman was arraigned today on a federal grand jury indictment alleging, among other crimes, that she knowingly distributed fentanyl, the use of which resulted in a victim’s fatal overdose in May 2023.
Jessica Leigh Alalia, 30, a.k.a. “Jessica Mitchell,” of Paso Robles, was arrested on Tuesday and was arraigned this afternoon at United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles on an eight-count indictment.
Also arraigned today in federal court was her boyfriend, Damian Naudh Lagunas-Garcia, 37, of Paso Robles, who was arrested on Sunday.
Alalia and Lagunas-Garcia pleaded not guilty to all charges and a March 12 trial was scheduled in this case. Both defendants are in federal custody and each of them has a detention hearing scheduled for January 22.
Alalia is charged with one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. Both defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, one count of knowingly maintaining a drug-involved premises, two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, two counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes.
According to an indictment returned on January 11, Alalia knowingly and intentionally distributed fentanyl on May 6, 2023, the use of which resulted in the death of the victim, identified in court documents as “R.S.”
The indictment further alleges that from January 2023 to August 2023, Alalia and Lagunas-Garcia conspired with each other to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. The defendants allegedly used their Paso Robles house to store, pack, and facilitate the distribution of narcotics. They coordinated with each other by using coded language in text messages – using the letter “F” for fentanyl, for example – to discuss their trafficking and sales of fentanyl and methamphetamine to drug customers, according to the indictment.
Alalia and Lagunas-Garcia allegedly also used a storage unit in Templeton to store, pack and distribute the narcotics, and possessed multiple firearms inside their home to protect their drug proceeds and narcotics.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted of all charges, Alalia and Lagunas-Garcia each would face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison. Alalia also would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. Lagunas-Garcia would face a mandatory minimum of 10 years in federal prison for the drug conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine counts.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Overdose Justice Task Force and the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office investigated this matter. The Overdose Justice Task Force is a project designed to investigate fatal fentanyl poisonings and identify the individuals who provided the fentanyl that directly caused the deaths. Under the Overdose Justice program for the DEA’s Los Angeles Field Division, DEA agents have established collaborative relationships with local law enforcement agencies across the seven counties that make up the Central District of California. Local authorities are almost always the first to respond to an overdose death, and DEA agents have provided training to dozens of local agencies to help them analyze evidence to determine if there are circumstances that might lead to a federal criminal prosecution.
Assistant United States Attorneys Daniel H. Weiner and Alexandra Michael, both of the General Crimes Section, are prosecuting this case.
Otsego County Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Charles Bodie, age 49, of Otsego County, New York, pled guilty yesterday to sexual exploitation of a child. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Buffalo Field Office, made the announcement.
Bodie admitted during his change of plea hearing yesterday that, from December 2021 through October 2022, he exchanged sexually explicit text messages with the victim, during which he persuaded and enticed her to produce and send him sexually explicit pictures of herself. Bodie admitted further to engaging in sexual intercourse with the same victim when the victim was approximately 13-15 years old.
The offense to which Bodie pled guilty carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years, with a maximum of 30 years imprisonment. If Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes accepts the parties’ agreed-upon disposition at sentencing on May 15, 2024, Bodie will receive an imprisonment term of between 210 to 262 months. Bodie’s sentence must also include a post-imprisonment term of supervised release of between five years and life, a fine of up to $250,000, restitution to the victim, and he will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statute the defendant violated, the United States Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
This case was investigated by HSI, the Otsego County Sherriff’s Office, and the Delaware County Sherriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Michael D. Gadarian is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and is designed to marshal federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
One Correctional Officer and Two Sergeants Charged with Civil Rights Violation and Conspiracy to Obstruct Justice in Connection with Assault of Pretrial DetaineeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Passaic County correctional officer and two sergeants were arrested today for allegedly violating a pretrial detainee’s civil rights and conspiracy to obstruct justice, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Sergeants Jose Gonzalez, 45, and Donald Vinales, 38, and Officer Lorenzo Bowden, 39, are charged by complaint with one count of deprivation of rights under color of law and one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice. Bowden is also charged with one count of making false statements. Gonzalez, Vinales and Bowden are scheduled to have their initial appearances this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael A. Hammer in Newark federal court.
According to the criminal complaint:
On Jan. 22, 2021, a pretrial detainee at the Passaic County Jail splashed a mixture containing urine onto a correctional officer. The following day Gonzalez, Vinales and Bowden transported the detainee through an area of the jail that does not have a video surveillance camera, which correctional officers and inmates at the jail have referred to as a “blind spot.” While in that “blind spot,” Gonzalez and Vinales assaulted the detainee, while he was handcuffed. They knocked him to the ground and struck him multiple times. Bowden did not intervene to stop the assault. One day after the assault, the detainee was taken to a local hospital, which documented injuries from the assault.
The defendants all were required to submit documentation regarding their use of force. None of them submitted any such reports.
In April 2022, after receiving federal grand jury subpoenas in connection with this investigation, Gonzalez, Vinales and Bowden, among others, met to discuss the federal investigation. During that meeting, the group agreed not to cooperate with the federal investigation and also agreed to say that nothing had happened to the detainee (referring to the assault). During an interview with federal investigators in October 2022, Bowden falsely stated that the detainee had not been assaulted and that there had not been any meeting or communication among those who participated in or witnessed the assault.
The count of deprivation of rights under color of law is punishable by a maximum of 10 years in prison. The count of count of conspiracy to obstruct justice is punishable by a maximum of 20 years in prison. The count of making false statements is punishable by a maximum of five years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; and the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office Division of Internal Affairs, under the direction of Sheriff Richard H. Berdnik, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Levin of the Criminal Division and the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Civil Rights Task Force in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
gonzalezetal.complaint.pdfOmaha Man Sentenced for Traveling to Have Sex with a Minor and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Christopher Carreras, 38, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on January 17, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for traveling with the intent to engage in sexual activity with a minor and possession of child pornography. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Carreras to 168 months’ imprisonment for each count. The sentences will run concurrently. There is no parole in the federal system. After Carreras’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. District Judge Buescher ordered Carreras to pay $3,000 in restitution.
Carreras began online chatting with the minor victim who was based in Texas. On February 26, 2022, Carreras traveled from Nebraska to Texas to meet up with the minor victim. After meeting face-to-face in a shopping mall, Carreras handed the minor victim his hotel room key. The minor victim used the key to enter his hotel room where the two engaged in sexual activity. Carreras traveled to meet up with the minor victim on other occasions in 2022. The minor victim ultimately reported what happened. The FBI obtained and executed a search warrant for Carreras’s residence in Nebraska on October 6, 2022, where electronic devices were seized.
Law enforcement review of the devices revealed records of online chat messages between Carreras, the minor victim, and at least one other apparent minor female. Through the chats, the minor victim communicated that they were about to turn 16 years old. Additionally, the review of the devices located known child pornography video files and images.
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 the Omaha FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.