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Friday 12 January 2024
Texas Man Sentenced to Nearly 12 Years in Prison for Holding Smuggling Victims HostageRead the Press Release
EL PASO, Texas – A San Elizario man was sentenced in a federal court in El Paso to 140 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit hostage taking.
According to court documents, Luis Lorenzo Salas, 25, operated a stash house where a human smuggling victim from Mexico was being held. Salas created a video depicting himself masked and pointing a rifle at the victim. A screenshot of the video was sent to the victim’s family along with threatening messages demanding that they pay $10,000 or the victim’s ears and fingers would be removed. Homeland Security Investigation agents located and rescued the victim along with eight other noncitizens, all of whom were unharmed. Salas was arrested April 17, 2023. He pleaded guilty on Aug. 29, 2023, to one count of conspiracy to commit hostage taking.
“This defendant caused severe, lasting damage that will haunt his smuggling victims and their families for the rest of their lives,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “Thanks to our partners at HSI, the victims in this case are safe and we’ve taken another smuggler out of operation for the next decade.”
“Human smugglers who exploit people for their personal gain and further use threats and violence to collect a ransom will be held accountable as this sentence makes clear,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason T. Stevens for the HSI El Paso Division. “Human smuggling poses a threat to national security, and it ultimately places a vulnerable population in harm’s way.”
HSI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mathew Engelbaum prosecuted the case.
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Texas Company Pleads Guilty to Distributing Misbranded Dietary Supplements and Agrees to $4.5 Million ForfeitureRead the Press Release
Defyned Brands, an Austin, Texas, company also known as 5 Star Nutrition LLC, pleaded guilty today to a three-count information charging it with distributing misbranded dietary supplements.
Pursuant to the plea agreement, the company admitted that from September 2018 to July 2020, it delivered into interstate commerce misbranded dietary supplements, which are considered a type of food under the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FDCA). The company specifically admitted that shipments of products known as Epivar, Alpha Shredded and Laxobolic were misbranded. According to the plea agreement, the products contained ingredients mislabeled as dietary ingredients or not listed on the product label.
The products at issue were marketed as workout supplements and sold at 5 Star Nutrition retail locations. As part of the plea, the company agreed to forfeit $4.5 million and comply with the terms of a compliance program and certain compliance reporting requirements. Magistrate Judge Susan Hightower of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas presided over the plea.
“Consumers deserve to know what is in the dietary supplements they take,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to investigate dietary supplement manufacturers and distributors who sell products that do not comply with the law, including through criminal enforcement where appropriate.”
“For almost two years, the defendant in this case misinformed consumers with inaccurate labeling on dietary supplements,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “By requiring this company to forfeit its profits from this practice, we hope to reaffirm the public’s confidence in the safety of the products they purchase.”
“U.S. consumers rely on FDA oversight of foods to ensure that they are safe and wholesome. Companies that produce, sell or distribute misbranded dietary supplements put the public health at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Charles Grinstead of the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI) Kansas City Field Office. “We will continue to investigate violators of our laws and work to bring them to justice.”
FDA-OCI investigated the case.
Senior Litigation Counsel David Sullivan and Trial Attorney Manu J. Sebastian of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Harding for the Western District of Texas prosecuted the case.
Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.
Taylorville, Illinois, Woman Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Springfield, Illinois, woman, Mary Scott, 61, was sentenced on January 12, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Colleen Lawless to 60 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Scott will be required to serve four years of supervised release after her release from prison.
Scott was indicted in January 2020 and pleaded guilty in August 2023.
The statutory penalties for possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of actual methamphetamine are up to 40 years’ imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000 fine, and up to a life term of supervised release.
Scott is currently serving a 15-year sentence in the Illinois Department of Corrections in an unrelated case involving the distribution of methamphetamine. Judge Lawless ordered that Scott’s sentence in federal court is to be served consecutively to her state-court sentence.
This case was investigated by the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office, the United States Marshals Service, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Z. Weir represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Scott 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.
Two Arkansas Men Sentenced to a Combined 20 Years in Federal Prison for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
FAYETTEVILLE – Two northwest Arkansas men were sentenced to federal prison this week for child exploitation offenses. The Honorable Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearings, which was held in the U.S. District Court in Fayetteville.
On January 10, 2024, Earnest Dean Easley, age 72, of Gravette, Arkansas, was sentenced to 168 months without the possibility of parole after being convicted of transporting child pornography through the internet. According to court documents, on June 28, 2022, an FBI taskforce officer received information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children indicating that Easley had sent an email containing images of child sexual abuse material . Officers later served a search warrant at Easley’s residence and discovered additional child pornography, some of which appeared to have been self-produced. Easley later admitted that years prior, while living in Texas, he had taken lascivious photographs of a minor female relative while she was sleeping.
On January 11, 2024, Lyle Kenneth Smith, age 53, of Gentry, Arkansas, was sentenced to 74 months in federal prison without the possibility for parole after being convicted of receiving child pornography. In August of 2021, FBI taskforce officers were conducting a nationwide investigation into Freenet, an online peer-to-peer platform. During the investigation a task force officer discovered that Smith was actively searching for child pornography through Freenet. Officers executed a search warrant at Smith’s residence and discovered multiple devices containing child pornography and forensic evidence that Smith had downloaded illegal content from Freenet. Smith later admitted to having collected child pornography for years, using Freenet and other online sources.
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Benton County Sheriff’s Office, and Bentonville Police Department investigated the cases.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon Still prosecuted these cases on behalf of the United States.
These cases were prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Springfield, Illinois, Man Sentenced to 60 Months and One Day in Prison for Distributing Cocaine and Possessing A Firearm in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Springfield, Illinois, man, Semaron Lawson, 38, was sentenced on January 11, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Colleen Lawless to 60 months and one day in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking crime. Lawson was ordered to serve a three-year term of supervised release following his release from prison.
Lawson was indicted in October 2018 and pleaded guilty in August 2023.
The statutory penalties for possession with intent to distribute cocaine are up to 30 years’ imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and up to a life term of supervised release. The statutory penalties for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime are up to life in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to a five-year term of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Springfield Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Z. Weir represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Lawson 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.
Springfield Man Sentenced to Nearly 20 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking a Minor He Solicited over FacebookRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Springfield man was sentenced yesterday for sex trafficking a minor under 14 years old.
Carlos Casillas, 51, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 220 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. In July of 2023, Casillas was convicted by a federal jury of one count of sex trafficking of a minor.
“Let the message go out loud and clear — if you prey on vulnerable girls and traffic minors you will spend a long, long time behind bars. Casillas used this victim’s vulnerability and challenging circumstances to take advantage of her,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Preying on vulnerable young children will never be tolerated.”
“Casillas preyed upon a child who was vulnerable and disenfranchised. Like many traffickers, he took advantage of her situation and used the power he had over her to ensnare and exploit her. Today’s significant sentence takes him off the street and away from those he could harm,” said Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New England.
In September 2021, an investigation began into Casillas for sex trafficking activity involving a 13-year-old girl living in a group home in the custody of the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families. Evidence presented at trial established that Casillas solicited the minor victim using Facebook messenger, picked the minor victim up from her group home and eventually took her to a local motel under the guise of taking her to Boston. He initiated conversations about leaving the group home and exchanging money for services. Casillas knowingly used his age difference and superior resources to entice the victim.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy; HSI SAC Krol; Hampden County District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni; Hampden County Sheriff Nicholas Cocchi; and West Springfield Police Chief Ronald Campurciani made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Catherine G. Curley and Deepika Bains Shukla of the Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Sinaloa Cartel Associate Sentenced After Decades of Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
A Mexican national was sentenced today to 21 years and 10 months in prison and ordered to forfeit $280 million for his role in an international conspiracy to transport tens of thousands of kilograms of cocaine into the United States over the span of four decades.
In March 2023, Raul Flores-Hernandez, 71, pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to international cocaine trafficking conspiracy.
“For more than three decades, Raul Flores-Hernandez worked with the leaders of the world’s largest, most violent cartels, including El Chapo of the Sinaloa Cartel, to traffic deadly drugs into the United States,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department has held him accountable for his crimes, and he has been sentenced to more than 20 years in prison. Anyone who profits from the violence and devastation of the illegal drug trade at the expense of the American people should be prepared to face the full force of the Justice Department.”
“It may be impossible to quantify the destruction wrought by this defendant channeling vast quantities of cocaine across the globe,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath for the Southern District of California. “One thing is certain—the world is far safer with this sentence.”
According to court documents, Flores-Hernandez was the leader of a drug trafficking organization responsible for trafficking hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of cocaine from South America through Mexico and into the United States. For example, in 2003, Flores-Hernandez and his partners used oil tanks to smuggle more than two tons of cocaine into Mexico every week, at least half of which was imported into the United States. In 2007 and 2008, Flores-Hernandez sent tens of millions of dollars in U.S. currency to Colombia to purchase cocaine. During his time as a narcotrafficker Flores-Hernandez was closely aligned with the leaders of some of the most violent drug cartels, including Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman of the Sinaloa Cartel and Hector Beltran of the Beltran Leyva Organization.
“Raul Flores Hernandez spent decades working closely with El Chapo and others to transport hundreds of kilograms of cocaine from South America, through Mexico, into the United States, knowing it would devastate American communities,” said Administrator Anne Milgram of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “He will now spend decades in prison. I commend DEA’s Los Angeles Field Division and San Ysidro District Office and our law enforcement partners for their work bringing Flores Hernandez to justice.”
“Today’s sentencing is the result of the close cooperation and dedication of HSI’s domestic and international law enforcement partners,” said Executive Associate Director Katrina W. Berger of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “HSI is dedicated to working with our partners to investigate, disrupt, and dismantle those transnational criminal organizations that threaten national security and the safety of our communities.”
The DEA Los Angeles Field Division and San Ysidro Office, as well as HSI San Diego, investigated the case, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service’s Investigative Operations Division.
Acting Assistant Deputy Chief Melanie L. Alsworth and Trial Attorneys Kirk Handrich and Jonathan Hornok of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Martin for the Southern District of California represented the United States during Flores-Hernandez’s sentencing.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with Mexican authorities to secure the arrest and extradition of Flores-Hernandez.
Shreveport Woman Pleads Guilty to Defrauding MedicaidRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Chassidy Bell, 34, of Shreveport, Louisiana, has pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting healthcare fraud. Bell pleaded guilty before United States Magistrate Judge Mark L. Hornsby on January 10, 2024.
Bell was employed as a Mental Health Specialist at Community Health Care Solutions, LLC (Community Health) which was a licensed mental health rehabilitation provider in Caddo Parish, that alleged to provide Crisis Intervention Services. These types of services are provided to those who may experience a psychiatric crisis and are designed to interrupt a crisis experience. Crisis Intervention Services are required to be provided face to face and are authorized up to 66 hours per crisis episode and cannot exceed 14 days. According to information presented in court, from 2017 to 2020, individuals associated with Community Health devised a scheme to defraud Medicaid for services that were not rendered.
In June 2019, while an employee of Community Health, Bell began creating false progress notes for an individual who resided in the Shreveport area. The detailed notes indicated very specific behaviors on the part of the individual and that Bell modeled crisis scenarios and provided feedback to him. In truth and reality, this individual did not exist but rather his identity had been assigned to an undercover Medicaid card for a fictitious individual that law enforcement had provided to an associate of Community Health in exchange for payment. Bell created the fictitious notes stating she was providing Crisis Intervention Services for this individual and Community Health billed Medicaid for the services that she had not rendered to him.
In addition, Bell created false progress notes for other individuals purporting to provide Crisis Intervention Services and inflated her hours of service to maximize billing. In reality, Bell did not provide any services to the individuals she created progress notes for, or either provided non-Crisis Intervention Services and documented them incorrectly as Crisis Intervention Services. In total, Bell’s false progress notes and fictitious notes supporting the filing of fraudulent claims led to payments by Medicaid of $63,441.32 to Community Health.
Bell faces a sentence of not more than 25 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Her sentencing date has been set for April 24, 2024.
The case was investigated by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services–Office of Inspector General and the Louisiana Medicaid Fraud Control Unit-Office of Attorney General and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Seth D. Reeg.
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Sebastian man sentenced to 160 months in prison for distribution of methamphetamineRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On Jan. 10, a man was sentenced to 160 months in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, for distribution of methamphetamine, after pleading guilty on Oct. 16, 2023.
In March 2023, Jamiey Tonino Parker, 45, of Sebastian, Florida, distributed a total of 47.4 grams of methamphetamine on two separate occasions. Thereafter, pursuant to a search warrant of Parker’s residence, law enforcement officers found a variety of illegal drugs including cocaine, methamphetamine, Methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) and fentanyl.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division, and Sheriff Eric Flowers of the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office (IRCSO), announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Jose E. Martinez.
DEA Miami Field Division, Port St. Lucie Resident Office, and IRCSO investigated the case with assistance from the Sebastian Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hudock prosecuted it.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 23-cr-14032.
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Puerto Rico Legislator and Husband Convicted for Theft, Bribery, and Kickback SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A federal jury convicted a Puerto Rico legislator and her husband today for engaging in a years-long theft, bribery, and kickback conspiracy scheme to fraudulently inflate the salary of a legislative assistant in exchange for a portion of the assistant’s inflated salary.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from early 2017 until July 2020, María Milagros Charbonier-Laureano, aka Tata, a member of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives, along with her husband, Orlando Montes-Rivera, and her assistant, Frances Acevedo-Ceballos, executed a scheme to defraud the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico by engaging in a theft, bribery, and kickback scheme. Over the course of the scheme, Charbonier-Laureano inflated Acevedo-Ceballos’s salary from $800 on a bi-weekly, after-tax basis to nearly $2,900. Out of every inflated paycheck, it was agreed that Acevedo-Ceballos would keep a portion, and kick back between $1,000 and $1,500 to Charbonier-Laureano and Montes-Rivera.
After learning of the investigation into illegal activities in her office and of a warrant that had been obtained for one of her phones, Charbonier-Laureano proceeded to delete certain data on the phone. In particular, Charbonier-Laureano deleted nearly the entire call log, nearly all WhatsApp messages, and nearly all iMessages associated with the phone.
The jury convicted Charbonier-Laureano and Montes-Rivera of one count of conspiracy; two counts of theft, bribery, and kickbacks concerning programs receiving federal funds; six counts of honest services wire fraud; and two counts of money laundering. The jury also convicted Charbonier-Laureano of obstruction of justice for destroying data on her cell phone.
Charbonier-Laureano and Montes-Rivera are scheduled to be sentenced on April 10 and face a maximum penalty of five years in prison on the conspiracy count; a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each federal funds theft, bribery, and kickbacks count; a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each honest services wire fraud count; and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each money laundering count. Charbonier-Laureano also faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the obstruction of justice count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acevedo-Ceballos pleaded guilty on Nov. 7 to federal funds bribery and is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 5, 2024.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Jonathan E. Jacobson and Kathryn E. Fifield of the Criminal Divion’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney María L. Montañez Concepción for the District of Puerto Rico are prosecuting the case.
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Puerto Rico Legislator and Husband Convicted for Theft, Bribery, and Kickback SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a Puerto Rico legislator and her husband today for engaging in a years-long theft, bribery, and kickback conspiracy scheme to fraudulently inflate the salary of a legislative assistant in exchange for a portion of the assistant’s inflated salary.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from early 2017 until July 2020, María Milagros Charbonier-Laureano, also known as Tata, a member of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives, along with her husband, Orlando Montes-Rivera, and her assistant, Frances Acevedo-Ceballos, executed a scheme to defraud the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico by engaging in a theft, bribery, and kickback scheme. Over the course of the scheme, Charbonier-Laureano inflated Acevedo-Ceballos’s salary from $800 on a bi-weekly, after-tax basis to nearly $2,900. Out of every inflated paycheck, it was agreed that Acevedo-Ceballos would keep a portion, and kick back between $1,000 and $1,500 to Charbonier-Laureano and Montes-Rivera.
After learning of the investigation into illegal activities in her office and of a warrant that had been obtained for one of her phones, Charbonier-Laureano proceeded to delete certain data on the phone. In particular, Charbonier-Laureano deleted nearly the entire call log, nearly all WhatsApp messages, and nearly all iMessages associated with the phone.
The jury convicted Charbonier-Laureano and Montes-Rivera of one count of conspiracy; two counts of theft, bribery, and kickbacks concerning programs receiving federal funds; six counts of honest services wire fraud; and two counts of money laundering. The jury also convicted Charbonier-Laureano of obstruction of justice for destroying data on her cell phone.
Charbonier-Laureano and Montes-Rivera are scheduled to be sentenced on April 10 and face a maximum penalty of five years in prison on the conspiracy count; a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each federal funds theft, bribery, and kickbacks count; a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each honest services wire fraud count; and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each money laundering count. Charbonier-Laureano also faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the obstruction of justice count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acevedo-Ceballos pleaded guilty on Nov. 7 to federal funds bribery and is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 5, 2024.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Jonathan E. Jacobson and Kathryn E. Fifield of the Criminal Divion’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney María L. Montañez Concepción for the District of Puerto Rico are prosecuting the case.
Prolific Drug Trafficker Sentenced to Almost 22 Years in Prison and Ordered to Forfeit $280 millionRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO –Narcotrafficker Raul Flores Hernandez was sentenced in federal court today to 262 months in prison for moving hundreds of millions of dollars worth of cocaine into the United States over more than three decades. He was also ordered to forfeit $280 million in drug proceeds.
According to court documents, Flores Hernandez was a leader of a prolific drug trafficking organization that worked closely with Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman of the Sinaloa Cartel and Hector Beltran of the Beltran Leyva Organization. He utilized his connections with suppliers in South America and corrupt government employees to transport hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of cocaine into Mexico for importation into the United States.
“It may be impossible to quantify the destruction wrought by this defendant channeling vast quantities of cocaine across the globe,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “One thing is certain - the world is far safer with this sentence.”“DEA and our partners will continue to hold drug traffickers, like Mr. Flores, responsible for their actions,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Shelly Howe. We are steadfast in our commitment to reduce addiction, prosecute criminals, and make our communities safer.”
“Today’s sentencing is the culmination of years of relentless work by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and its partners targeting the Sinaloa Cartel,” said HSI San Diego Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz. “This investigation highlights HSI’s dedication to go after cartel members importing dangerous drugs into our communities. This substantial sentence not only holds Mr. Hernandez accountable but also sends a resounding message that transnational criminal organizations are being continuously investigated and their leaders will be brought to justice.”
During more than three decades as a narcotrafficker, Flores was closely aligned with the leaders of some of the most violent drug cartels, including. In addition to leveraging his relationships with cartel bosses, Flores benefited from corrupt government employees who facilitated Flores’s drug trafficking activities in exchange for bribes.
This prosecution was a joint effort between the Southern District of California and the Department of Justice Criminal Division Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Section.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Martin for the Southern District of California, Acting Assistant Deputy Chief Melanie L. Alsworth and Trial Attorneys Kirk Handrich and Jonathan Hornok of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section prosecuted the case.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 17-CR-51 (BAH) (District of D.C.)
Raul Flores Hernandez Age: 74 MexicoSUMMARY OF CHARGES
International Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine, 21 U.S.C. §§ 959, 960, 963
Maximum penalty: Life in PrisonAGENCY
Homeland Security Investigations
Drug Enforcement Administration
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.Pharmacist Sentenced for Illegally Dispensing Promethazine Cough Syrup and Earning Millions in ProfitsRead the Press Release
DETROIT - Livonia pharmacy owner Zaman Alshafey was sentenced to three years in federal prison by United States District Court Judge Jonathan J.C. Grey following his guilty plea to wire fraud and money laundering. He was also ordered to forfeit approximately $9 million dollars as the gross proceeds of his unlawful conduct, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Ronne Malham, of the Food and Drug Administration.
Alshafey used his pharmacy license and Medpro Pharmacy in Livonia to order more than $2.5 million dollars of pint-sized bottles of promethazine cough syrup from various wholesale distributors who operate outside the State of Michigan. Alshafey then sold the promethazine cough syrup to drug dealers without a valid prescription from a licensed practitioner and he failed to disclose this to the wholesalers. Alshafey paid the wholesalers via wire transfers from funds derived from the unlawful dispensing of the promethazine.
Promethazine is restricted to be dispensed by prescription only per the bottle’s label.
Promethazine cough syrup can have tranquilizing and euphoric effects when consumed at higher-than-recommended dose, especially when mixed with alcohol or other drugs such as fentanyl. Promethazine cough syrup has been referred on the illegal street market as “Green Drink” or “Purple Drink.”
“A pharmacist violates the public’s trust by unlawfully dispensing any drug, including promethazine cough syrup,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “We will continue to prosecute licensed professionals who wantonly engage in conduct that significant harms are community.”
“Providing misbranded prescription drugs puts all consumers’ health at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Ronne Malham, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Chicago Field Office. “We will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who jeopardize the public’s health.”
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Regina R. McCullough. Assistant United States Attorney Gjon Juncaj, of the Money Laundering & Asset Recovery Unit handled related forfeiture matters and the investigation was conducted by the Food and Drug Administration.
Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Ohio man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Thiago da Silva Pinheiro, 42, of Cincinnati, Ohio, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for April 30, 2024. Pinheiro was initially arrested and charged by criminal complaint in September 2022 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2022.
On Sept. 20, 2022, Pinheiro flew from Ontario, Canada to Boston with an ultimate destination of Brazil. During screening at Logan Airport, customs officers observed apparent CSAM on Pinheiro’s tablet. On Pinheiro’s tablet, there were approximately 100 images and 2000 video files depicting child pornography, with children as young as 2 years old and including the depiction of penetration, bondage, and posing of children. On Pinheiro’s phone, there were approximately 35 images and 10 videos depicting child pornography including children from 8 to 16 years old.
The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meghan C. Cleary and Jessica L. Soto of the Office’s Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by 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.
New Bedford Store Owner Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Selling Fake Government Identification DocumentsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The owner of International Guatemala Musical and Fashion Accessories in New Bedford was sentenced yesterday for producing and selling fraudulent government identification documents.
Tomas Xirum, 48, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Patti B. Saris to 18 months in federal prison. In August 2023, he pleaded guilty to three counts of unlawful transfer of document or authentication feature and three counts of unlawful production of document or authentication feature.
On three separate occasions – May 10, 2021, June 23, 2021 and Aug. 11, 2022 – Xirum sold fraudulent Permanent Resident Cards (commonly referred to as “green cards”) and Social Security cards to undercover agents from his store.
After pleading guilty, Xirum continued to produce and sell fraudulent government identifications, thus revoking his pretrial release.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and New Bedford Police Chief Paul Oliveira made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Navy Sailor Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Entice and Meet A 13-Year-Old Child to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Michael Buck Brockway (40, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to using the internet and his cellphone to attempt to entice a 13-year-old child to engage in sexual activity. Brockway faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in prison as well as a potential lifetime term of supervised release. Brockway was arrested on July 28, 2023, and is being detained pending his sentencing hearing, which has not yet been scheduled.
According to court documents, on July 17, 2023, an agent with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), using the personae of a 13-year-old child (UC), began an undercover investigation designed to identify individuals who were seeking to meet children online for sexual activity. The UC, as the “child,” began an online conversation on a particular social media application (app) with user “Telly_Rider,” who was later identified as Brockway. Over the next 10 days, Brockway and the “child” engaged in numerous sexually explicit conversations using several social media apps and text messaging. During these online conversations, Brockway confirmed that the child was only 13 years old, inquired about the child’s sexual experience, and asked if the child wanted to meet him in person for sex. On July 27, 2023, Brockway asked the child if “she” was alone for the next few days, and he confirmed that the child was living at a particular apartment complex in Jacksonville. Brockway sent the child explicit videos of himself using a sex toy, including one video that he produced and sent while onboard a U.S. Navy ship that was docked at Naval Station Mayport.
On July 28, 2023, Brockway drove to the apartment complex where the child purportedly lived, then over to a nearby restaurant where the child had agreed to meet him. When Brockway entered the restaurant to meet the child, he was arrested by detectives from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO). During a search incident to his arrest, Brockway’s cellphone and three condoms were recovered from his front pockets. A search of Brockway’s car revealed a container of personal lubricant, an unopened bottle of vodka, and a sex toy. A search of Brockway’s cellphone revealed at least 200 photos and 400 videos depicting children being sexually abused.
This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Missouri Man Sentenced to 123 Months for Attempted Online Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Bonne Terre, Mo., man, Michael Ray Landness, 35, was sentenced on Friday, to 123 months in federal prison, by Chief U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves, for attempted online enticement of a minor to engage in sexual conduct.
Landsness is a trucker who lives in Missouri, but routinely travels through Kentucky as part of his employment. In his plea agreement, Landsness admitted to chatting with undercover law enforcement agents posing as a minor on two different occasions. In May 2022, Landsness connected with an undercover law enforcement agent posing as a 14-year-old girl. Landsness engaged in chats with the purported minor via the internet and text, during which he discussed engaging in various sexual acts with the minor. Although the Defendant talked about meeting the purported 14-year-old for sexual purposes, he failed to show up at the arranged meet and then stopped all communications with the purported minor.
On July 17, 2023, law enforcement located an ad placed by Landsness in which he was looking for young women to have sex with him in his truck during his travels as a truck driver. Law enforcement responded, this time posing as a 15-year-old minor girl. Landsness again engaged in sexual chats with the purported minor. During these chats, Landsness attempted to entice the purported minor to engage sexual activity with him. The Defendant also scheduled a time to meet with the purported minor at a truck stop in Woodford County for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity. On July 27, 2023, law enforcement found Landsness at the planned meeting location and he was taken into custody.
Under federal law, Landsness must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for life.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Rana Saoud, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Phillip J. Burnett, Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police (KSP); and Chief Dustin Bowman, Frankfort Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by HSI, KSP, and Frankfort Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Michigan Man Charged with Assaulting A Flight Attendant on Orlando-Bound FlightRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest and filing of a criminal complaint charging James Warren Finnister (47, Detroit, MI) with interfering with flight crew members and assaulting a flight attendant on an aircraft in the United States. If convicted, Finnister faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.
According to court documents, Finnister interfered with crew members and flight attendants during a January 9, 2024, flight from Louisville to Orlando International Airport. Finnister allegedly sexually harassed flight attendants, assaulted a crew member, and requested entry into the aircraft cockpit while the plane was in flight, in addition to other disruptive behavior.
A criminal complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the United States Marshals Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Nate.
Download Criminal ComplaintMexican smugglers caught importing $1M in meth sent to prisonRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – Two men have been sentenced to federal prison for importing over 900 pounds of meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
A federal jury convicted Noe De Jesus Martinez-Montelongo, 36, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, and Fidel Rodriguez-Saldana, 35, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, Aug. 23, 2023 following a three-day trial.
U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana has now imposed a 235-month term of imprisonment for Martinez-Montelongo and Rodriguez-Saldana received 235 months in prison as well. Both must also serve five years of supervised release following their terms of imprisonment. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the large amount of liquid narcotics that they were attempting to bring into the United States.
On Nov. 28, 2022, Martinez-Montelongo and Rodriguez-Saldana attempted to enter the United States at the Columbia Solidarity port of entry in Laredo, driving a tractor-trailer without a load. Authorities referred them to secondary inspection where a K-9 alerted to the tractor.
Law enforcement conducted a scope and discovered a secret compartment in each diesel tank of the tractor. They were then able to extract some of the liquid which tested positive for meth.
Authorities ultimately seized a total of 413 kilograms (910 pounds) of liquid meth which filled 22 buckets. The estimated wholesale value is approximately $1 million.
At trial, Martinez-Montelongo and Rodriguez-Saldana claimed no knowledge of the liquid. They said they were simply supposed to pick up a legitimate load in Laredo. The jury did not believe their defense and found them guilty as charged.
Both have been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Makens and Brandon Bowling prosecuted the case.
Mescalero Woman Sentenced to 41 Months in Prison for AssaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Lucinda Ann Yuzos was sentenced to 41 months in prison. Yuzos, 49, of Mescalero, and an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, pled guilty in federal court on Apr. 25, 2023, to assault of an intimate partner resulting is substantial bodily injury.
According to court records, on the evening of May 31, 2022, Yuzos assaulted the victim, John Doe. When responding officers arrived, they found John Doe sitting on the front steps of the residence with blood dripping down his forehead from underneath a hat. When John Doe removed the hat, officers observed a large gash—approximately 6 inches long—on the victim’s forehead with exposed bone. Officer’s immediately contacted Mescalero Fire Rescue (MFR), and after they evaluated the victim, it was determined that the injuries were so severe the victim needed immediate transportation via medevac to University Medical Center in El Paso, Texas.
The victim spent four days in the hospital. His right orbital floor was fractured, he had a large blowout type fracture of his right orbital wall including displaced bone fragments in his sinuses requiring surgery. Since the initial surgeries, the victim has traveled to the Eye Institute of New Mexico in Albuquerque for eight additional surgeries, and he is still being treated for the injuries inflicted by Yuzos.
In her plea agreement, Yuzos admitted to hitting John Doe with a blunt object. During the sentencing hearing, Yuzos admitted that the object was a 2x4.
Upon her release from prison, Yuzos will be subject to 3 years of supervised release.
The FBI Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joni Autrey Stahl is prosecuting the case.
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McAlester Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Richard Allen Rollings, age 57, of McAlester, Oklahoma, entered guilty pleas to two counts of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, one count of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, and two counts of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
The Superseding Indictment alleged that on January 5, 2023, Rollings possessed over 50 grams of methamphetamine for distribution, along with two firearms. The Superseding Indictment also alleged that on a separate occasion, on June 27, 2023, Rollings again possessed over 50 grams of methamphetamine for distribution, along with four firearms. Prior to these instances, Rollings had already been convicted of a crime punishable by one year of prison and was prohibited from possessing firearms.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, and the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. 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. Rollings was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal.
Assistant United States Attorney Erin Cornell represented the United States.
Maple Grove Felon Indicted for $10 Million Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Maple Grove man has been indicted for defrauding investors and financial institutions out of more than $10 million, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, Aditya Raj Sharma, 50, was the founder, CEO, and president of Crosscode Inc., a cloud-based software development company headquartered first in Maple Grove and later in Foster City, California. From Crosscode’s founding in 2015 through at least May 2019, Sharma was the primary operator of the company, its controlling shareholder and, at times, its only employee and shareholder.
According to court documents, from 2017 through at least 2019, Sharma knowingly and intentionally devised and executed a scheme to defraud investors, financial institutions, and lending and finance companies. Sharma manipulated and falsely inflated Crosscode’s financial records to induce private investors and financial entities to extend capital to his company in order to avoid or delay financial hardship for Crosscode, which was mired in debt with virtually no incoming revenue or cash-on-hand.
According to court documents, as part of his multi-year scheme, Sharma fraudulently applied for hundreds of thousands in funding from multiple lenders and finance companies. In total, Sharma induced at least one financial institution to provide him with a $950,000 line of credit, and further induced at least 150 investors, including Minnesotans, to provide approximately $9.25 million to Crosscode.
The indictment charges Sharma with four counts of wire fraud and two counts of bank fraud. Sharma made his initial appearance yesterday in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Dulce J. Foster.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew S. Ebert is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Man Sentenced for Distribution and Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A Commerce man was sentenced today for Distribution and Receipt of Child Pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Andrew Shane Hartman, 49, to 108 months imprisonment, followed by 12 years of supervised release. Upon release, Hartman will also be required to register as a sex offender.
According to court documents, the FBI discovered Hartman distributing images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children in various chat rooms. After being arrested and appearing before the court, Hartman was released on supervised release. Hartman then violated conditions of his supervised release and was detained prior to sentencing. He will continue to remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Nassar and Joshua M. Carmel 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.
Local Internet café murders shooter, getaway drivers sentenced to 40 years & 30 years in prisonRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Two Columbus men involved in the murder of a husband and wife in a local Internet café were sentenced in U.S. District Court this week to decades in prison.
Chris A. King, 28, was sentenced yesterday to 480 months in prison. King shot and murdered both the husband and wife while they were working.
Justice B. Stringer, 29, was sentenced today to 360 months in prison. Stringer drove co-defendants to and from the robbery resulting in murder.
Five total defendants were indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2019 for crimes related to a string of robberies of Internet gaming businesses, including the robbery at Players Paradise on East Broad Street that resulted in murder on Jan. 20, 2019.
According to court documents, King and a co-defendant robbed Players Paradise at gunpoint and allegedly murdered security guard Joseph Arrington and then his wife, employee Karen Arrington. Stringer then drove the men away from the Internet café.
Defendants were also responsible for a prior café robbery at Players Paradise on Dec. 10, 2018, stealing $30,000 in cash. Stringer also admitted to his involvement in a Jan. 7, 2019, robbery of Planet Jackpot café on Alum Creek Drive.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant and Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), announced the sentences imposed by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson. Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin W. Kelley and Elizabeth A. Geraghty are representing the United States in this case.
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Lebanon Man Sentenced to 106 Months' Imprisonment for Cocaine-Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Warionex Martinez-Medina, age 35, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson to 106 months’ imprisonment for attempting to possess with intent to distribute approximately 2 kilograms of cocaine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of that offense.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Martinez-Medina previously admitted to accepting a package that he believed contained over 2 kilograms of cocaine. When law enforcement executed a search warrant at Martinez-Medina’s Lebanon residence, they found a loaded handgun, drug-packaging materials, and over $123,000.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carlo D. Marchioli prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
# # #Leaders of North Carolina Drug-Trafficking Organization, Bloods Gang Member, and Triggerman Sentenced to Life in Prison for Norfolk Murder-for-HireRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – Four Greensboro, North Carolina men were sentenced today to life in prison for their role in a murder-for-hire conspiracy that resulted in the death of 59-year-old Norfolk resident, Lillian Bond, on April 19, 2016.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Jaquate Simpson, 39, and Landis Jackson, 39, were the leaders of a long-running criminal enterprise responsible for distributing hundreds of kilograms of cocaine worth millions of dollars into central North Carolina and Virginia’s Hampton Roads region.
On April 13, 2016, a Norfolk-based drug dealer failed to pay over $81,000 for a multi-kilogram delivery of cocaine. Simpson and Jackson’s organization retaliated by hiring a Nine Trey gang member, Kalub Shipman, 36, to kill the next person to exit a house associated with where the Norfolk dealer had been known to frequent. Shipman initially traveled to Virginia within hours of being offered the murder-for-hire contract with a fellow gang member. They conducted surveillance on the residence and then returned to Greensboro. Shipman then recruited Nelson Evans, 33, to assist in the murder-for-hire, offering him a portion of the $10,000 Shipman would receive upon completion.
Shipman and Evans traveled to Virginia on April 18, 2016. The following morning, at approximately 11:30 a.m., Shipman and Evans entered the Ingleside neighborhood of Norfolk and shot Lillian Bond multiple times as she was taking out the trash on Trice Terrace. Ms. Bond had been an employee of the Children’s Hospital for King’s Daughters for approximately 20 years and was described as a pillar in her community.
After a three-week trial in early 2023, the jury found each defendant guilty of the following charges on March 20, 2023:
Name
Charges
Jaquate Simpson, a/k/a
“Quay,” “J,” “Stacks,” “Predator”Continuing criminal enterprise; murder while engaged in continuing criminal enterprise; narcotics conspiracy; murder while engaged in a drug-trafficking offense; distribution of cocaine; use of a firearm resulting in death; conspiracy to commit murder for hire; murder for hire
Landis Jackson, a/k/a “Juve,” “Juvie”
Continuing criminal enterprise; murder while engaged in continuing criminal enterprise; narcotics conspiracy; murder while engaged in a drug-trafficking offense; distribution of cocaine; use of a firearm resulting in death; conspiracy to commit murder for hire; murder for hire
Kalub Shipman, a/k/a “Kato,” “Baydo”
Murder while engaged in a drug-trafficking offense; use of a firearm resulting in death; conspiracy to commit murder for hire; murder for hire; felon in possession of a firearm
Nelson Evans
Use of a firearm resulting in death; conspiracy to commit murder for hire; murder for hire
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; and Mark Talbot, Chief of Norfolk Police, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney sentenced the defendants.
The case was investigated by the FBI Norfolk Field Office, Department of Homeland Security, DEA, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, and the Police Departments of Norfolk, Greensboro, Thomasville, Winston-Salem, and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, the Sheriff’s Departments of Guilford and Davidson County, and the U.S. Marshals Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joe DePadilla, John F. Butler, and Kristin G. Bird are prosecuting the case.
This case was investigated as part of four Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:20-cr-90.
Lawrence Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Use Stolen Identities to Fraudulently Purchase VehiclesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence man was sentenced today for his role in a scheme to use the stolen identities of United States citizens from Puerto Rico to fraudulently purchase vehicles and other merchandise and apply for and utilize bank accounts and credit cards.
Joshua Cruz, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to two years in prison and three years of supervised release. Cruz was also ordered to pay $75,346 in restitution to the victims. In September 2023, Cruz pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud and false representation of a Social Security number. Cruz and multiple co-defendants were charged by criminal complaint in September 2020 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2020. Cruz previously served two years in state custody for related conduct.
Between December 2018 and January 2019, the defendant visited Massachusetts car dealerships to purchase late-model vehicles and applied for 100% financing. In support of the applications, the defendant provided stolen biographical information of real United States citizens, fraudulent Puerto Rico driver’s licenses, and Social Security cards in those identities as proof of identification. Cruz was charged with using stolen identities to obtain car loans and purchase three cars worth over $170,000, collectively.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations, in New England; John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; and Brockton Police Chief Brenda Perez made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Lowell, Lawrence, Methuen, Haverhill, Woburn and Dartmouth Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elianna J. Nuzum and Adam W. Deitch of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), a specialized investigative group comprising personnel from various state, local, and federal agencies with expertise in detecting, deterring, and disrupting organizations and individuals involved in various types of document, identity and benefit fraud schemes.
Las Vegas Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Trafficking Large Quantities of Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Near Elementary SchoolRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas resident was sentenced Thursday by United States District Judge Richard F. Boulware II to 10 years in prison for selling fentanyl and methamphetamine from his home, which was located across the street from an elementary school.
According to court documents, Daniel Thorndal, 51, conspired with others to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and five grams or more of methamphetamine in Las Vegas. On April 15, 2022, Thorndal sold methamphetamine and fentanyl at his residence. On April 21, 2022, Thorndal sold fentanyl at the same residence again. On May 6, 2022, the FBI executed a search warrant on the residence and recovered approximately 422 grams of methamphetamine and approximately 127 grams of fentanyl. In addition to the drugs, law enforcement officials also recovered a .380 caliber pistol that was possessed in furtherance of the drug conspiracy.
Thorndal pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. In addition to imprisonment, he was sentenced to four years of supervised release.
United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jacob Operskalski prosecuted the case.
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Kingsville resident gets 300 months for two child pornography convictionsRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 28-year-old man has been sentenced for sexual exploitation of a minor and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Adrian Vela pleaded guilty Feb. 2, 2023.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now sentenced Vela to 300 and 240 months for the possession and production of child pornography convictions, respectively. They will run concurrently for a total 300-month-term of imprisonment. At the hearing, the court also heard additional information including letters from victims and statements made in court from family members detailing the impact Vela’s conduct has had on them. In handing down the prison terms, the court noted this was a very troubling case, stating “the pain, anguish, damage to the victims does not end… it will always exist.” Vela was further ordered to pay $27,000 in restitution to the victims and will serve 25 years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Vela will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
Vela came to the attention of law enforcement after they discovered child pornography images and videos uploaded to the internet. The investigation led to Vela. Law enforcement then obtained a search warrant for his home, at which time Vela admitted he possessed and produced images and videos depicting child pornography.
Vela has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with assistance of the Corpus Christi Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children task force.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick Overman and John Marck prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.
Kalamazoo Man, Charged with Murder, Sentenced for Escaping Halfway HouseRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Carlos Watts, 38, of Kalamazoo, was sentenced to 14 months’ incarceration for escaping from a halfway house, where he was living in accordance with a court order for a previous federal drug conviction.
On January 10, 2024, Kalamazoo County Prosecuting Attorney Jeff Getting also charged Watts with the murder of Heather Kelley. Upon completion of his federal sentence, Watts will be transferred to state custody to face that charge.
“Carlos Watts poses a tremendous threat to our community,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “While finishing his sentence at a halfway house for drug trafficking and possessing a firearm, Mr. Watts cut his tether, fled the facility, and has since been charged with the murder of his former girlfriend. My office will continue working with our law enforcement partners to keep our communities safe and hold criminals accountable.”
In 2013, Watts was sentenced to 156 months in federal prison for distribution of cocaine, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Near the end of his term, Watts was transferred to the Kalamazoo Probation Enhancement Program (KPEP) halfway house.
At his federal sentencing today and in filings with the court, prosecutors argued that Watts fled KPEP because he was involved in the murder of Heather Kelley. Kelley left her home on December 10, 2022, to pick up Watts from a restaurant where he worked. She was never seen again. Police went to KPEP and questioned Watts about her disappearance on December 11, 2022.
In the early morning hours of December 12, 2022, Watts took a pair of scissors from a desk at KPEP and used them to cut off his ankle monitor.
KPEP notified law enforcement of Watts’ escape. Two days later, police learned that Watts was at a house in Battle Creek and attempted to arrest him. Watts barricaded himself in the house for several hours before eventually surrendering to police. He has remained in custody.
"The FBI remains committed to bringing justice for Heather Kelley and her family,” said Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of the FBI in Michigan. “We thank all the dedicated prosecutorial and law enforcement teams for their relentless support throughout this case. We continue to request the help of the public by reporting any tips that may bring resolution to this case to the Silent Observer at (616) 774-2345 or www.silentobserver.org, or to the FBI at 1-800-CALLFBI (1-800-225-5324) or www.tips.fbi.gov.”
This case was investigated by the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Department, Portage Police Department, Battle Creek Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Michigan State Police. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erin Lane.
As to the state murder charge filed on January 10, 2024, a criminal charge is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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KDY Crew Member Sentenced for Violent Crime Spree Spanning Three MonthsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Tyrell Jordan Stewart, 25, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 15 years in prison today for a string of armed carjackings and sprees of violent armed robberies that he committed with two co-defendants in the District and Suburban Maryland during in 2022.
The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist, of the Washington Field Office; Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police (MPD); ATF Special Agent in Charge Craig Kailimai of the Washington Division, DEA Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget, of the Washington Division, Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County, Md., Police Department, and Chief Marcus G. Jones, of the Montgomery County, Md., Police Department.
Stewart pleaded guilty on September 15, 2023, to conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce, also known as a Hobbs Act robbery; conspiracy to commit carjacking; and armed robbery.
According to the plea paperwork, Stewart admitted to personally participating in the armed robberies of six individuals, five businesses and/or their employees, and two armed carjackings. Stewart admitted to personally discharging his weapon during one of the commercial robberies.
In addition to the prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Beryl A. Howell ordered Stewart to serve five years of supervised release and to pay $2,746.00 in restitution.
“This defendant was a member of the Kennedy Street Crew, also known as KDY—a crew that has had numerous members who have been charged with crimes of violence and drug trafficking,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “The people engaging in these carjacking and armed robbery sprees are among the most dangerous people in our community. Anyone thinking this kind of conduct is not a big deal is wrong: violent sprees, end with sentences like this.”
Had the case gone to trial, the U.S. Attorney’s Office would have proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Stewart and his two charged co-defendants conspired to a string of robberies and carjackings of individuals and businesses in the Washington D.C. metro area. Specifically, Stewart and his two charged co-defendants committed five commercial robberies, two armed carjackings, and at least 12 armed robberies over the course of their conspiracy.
“It is our hope that the results of today’s announcement sends a clear message to others that are committing similar acts of violence such as robberies and armed car jackings in the District; that they too may face similar consequences for their actions,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Kailimai. “I am proud that our agents and partnering agencies worked tirelessly to bring justice to those responsible.”
According to the government’s evidence, Stewart and his co-defendants are members of the Kennedy Street Crew or KDY, a violent street gang that operates in the Kennedy Street neighborhood in Northwest Washington, D.C. KDY is among the largest crews in Washington, D.C. based on both territory and its vast membership.
The defendant and his co-conspirators’ violent spree occurred over the first three months of 2022. The conspirators typically planned their robberies the night before and executed early in the morning. In order to avoid detection from law enforcement, the defendants typically began a day’s robberies by stealing a vehicle to then utilize in their subsequent robberies. If the vehicle was occupied or if the owner was close by, the men would use firearms, force, and intimidation to carjack it. After the sprees, the men sold the vehicles for added profit. A hallmark of the defendants’ robberies were the use of force and/or violence against their victims.
On February 20, 2022, for instance, Stewart and his co-conspirators stole a Honda Ridgeline truck in Silver Spring, Md., shortly before 6 a.m. Less than an hour later, police received multiple reports of suspects in a black Ridgeline truck in attempting to break into other vehicles. That same morning, Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) officers responded to a convenience store on the 3500 block of University Boulevard West, in Kensington, Md. Victims reported that three armed men had entered the store and robbed the cashier of currency and a cell phone. One of the gunmen held a handgun to a customer’s right temple. As the robbery progressed, one of the gunmen fired a round into the store. One of the armed men grabbed the customer’s car keys from his left pants pocket, and all three suspects fled in the customer’s Lexus SUV.
That same morning, MCPD officers separately responded to an armed robbery of a mini market on the 4800 block of Boiling Brook Parkway, in Rockville, Md. This time, Stewart discharged his firearm to intimidate the cashier into complying with his demands. All three armed men fled the store in what appeared to be the same stolen Ridgeline used earlier. At 7:25 a.m., an MCPD officer spotted the stolen Ridgeline and stolen Lexus SUV and pursued the vehicles southbound on 16th Street towards the District at speeds topping 100 m.p.h. The MCPD officer ultimately lost sight of both vehicles. That same morning, Stewart and his co-conspirators committed an armed robbery of someone waiting at a bus stop in the 7700 block of Georgia Avenue NW, one block from the D.C./Maryland line. The defendant and his co-conspirator placed the victim in a chokehold while the other pistol-whipped the victim in the face. The two then stole the victim’s wallet.
The prosecution of Stewart, along with his two codefendants, are part of an ongoing coordinated law enforcement investigation into the Kennedy Street Crew, also known as “KDY.” The multi-year investigation reflects the efforts of nearly every federal law enforcement agency in the District of Columbia, along with the Metropolitan Police Department’s Violent Crime Suppression Division.
The investigation of this case had the sponsorship and support of the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF specializes in the investigation and prosecution of drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and related criminal enterprises.
The case is being investigated by the ATF’s Washington Field Division, the Metropolitan Police Department, the Montgomery County, Maryland Police Department and the Prince George’s County, Maryland Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Kinskey and Sitara Witanachchi of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Valuable assistance was also provided by former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Lynch.
Jury Finds District Man Guilty of First-Degree Murder in Killing of 17-Year-Old in the Brightwood Area of Northwest WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Mussay Rezene, 31, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty by a jury of first-degree murder while armed in a shooting that took place in an alley in Northwest Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Pamela Smith, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
The verdict was returned on January 11, 2024, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Robert D. Okun scheduled sentencing for March 22, 2024. Rezene faces a maximum sentence of sixty years in prison for the crimes.
According to the government’s evidence, on September 18, 2021, at approximately 9 p.m., the victim, Brayan Villatoro, was riding in a vehicle with a group of friends, heading to a family party. On the way, Mr. Villatoro, asked the driver of the minivan he was riding in, to make a stop so he could meet with someone at the 1300 block of Nicholson Street Northwest. Once they arrived at the location, Mr. Villatoro got out of the van and waited in front of an apartment building. The defendant arrived a short time later in a vehicle, which later proved to be stolen, and directed Mr. Villatoro to a nearby alley. Moments later shots rang out and Mr. Villatoro was hit with eight bullets. Rezene fled the area as did Mr. Villatoro’s friends in the minivan as Mr. Villatoro laid in the alley suffering from his gunshot wounds. Officers arrived and discovered him in the alley a short time after the shooting where he was declared dead.
Rezene was identified in surveillance video as wearing distinct shoes and clothing. These same shoes were later seen in a photograph of Rezene along with two other individuals, which was posted on social media after Mr. Villatoro’s murder. Cell site data also showed Rezene was present both at the scene of the murder and along the path of the vehicle that Rezene owned.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, along with agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives who assisted with evidence recovery and cell site data analysis and testimony.
The case is being prosecuted by the Assistant U.S. Attorney’s Dennis Clark and Colleen Kukowski.
Jury Finds District Man Guilty of First-Degree Child CrueltyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Anthony Johnson, 42, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty by a jury of first-degree cruelty to children and assault of significant bodily injury of a minor for charges that took place in northwest Washington, D.C., on April 5, 2022, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves.
The verdict was returned on January 12, 2024, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Erik Christian scheduled sentencing for March 14, 2024.
According to the government’s evidence, on the night of April 5, 2022, Johnson entered the home of the 12-year-old victim, who was at home with several of his minor siblings, his grandmom, and his uncle. Johnson knew the victim’s mother, and after entering the house, Johnson approached the minor victim and began physically fighting with him on the first floor of the home. When the minor victim tried to run away up a flight of stairs Johnson grabbed the victim’s leg, pulled him down the stairs, and punched him in the face, knocking three of the victim’s teeth out.
Two of the victim’s minor sisters were also at home at that time, and bore witness to Johnson’s attack on their older brother. One sister called 911, alerting the authorities who took the victim to the hospital.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case form the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Paralegal Specialist Garcia Clarke, Victim/Witness Specialist Lezlie Richardson, Appellate Assistant United States Attorney Bryan Han, Investigative Analyst Lucas Jetson, Forensic Interviewers Tracy Owusu and Tamara Carey, Interns Brittany Madrid, Natalie Norton, and Michael Santos, and Victim/Witness Coordinator Maenylie Watson.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys, LaVater Massie-Banks and Sarah Roessler, from the Domestic Violence Felonies Unit, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Jackson Man Pleads Guilty to Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man pled guilty in federal court to production of child pornography.
According to court documents, in April 2021, Delvan Jerrod Howard, 43, video recorded himself engaging in sexually explicit conduct with a minor.
Howard was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2022. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 24, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jessica Orench of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Mississippi Attorney General’s Cyber Crime Unit and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenda R. Haynes is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the 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.
Inmate Sentenced to 37 Months in Federal Prison for Threatening Federal JudgeRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Senior United States District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. has sentenced Jeziah Guagno (24, Boynton Beach) to 37 months in federal prison for mailing threatening communications to a federal judge. Guagno had pleaded guilty on October 10, 2023.
According to court documents, in May 2021, a federal judge in the Middle District of Florida received a threatening letter from M.S.—an inmate at the Santa Rosa Correctional Institution. The letter included violent threats to murder the judge and his wife. When interviewed, M.S. denied making the threats. Guagno, however, was also serving time in the same Florida prison as M.S. Subsequent DNA and fingerprint analysis by the FBI determined that Guagno’s DNA was on the envelope and his palmprint was on the letter. Known handwriting samples from Guagno also matched the handwritten threats in the letter. Further investigation revealed that the federal judge who had been threatened in the letter had previously dismissed a civil case filed by Guagno.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshals Service, and the Florida Department of Corrections. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tyrie K. Boyer and Belkis H. Crockett.
Husband and Wife Plead Guilty to Wire Fraud and Obstruction of Justice Relating to Defrauding an Elderly Victim Out of Her HomeRead the Press Release
BOISE – James Dougherty, 43, of Boise, pleaded guilty to wire fraud involving a scheme to defraud an elderly victim of money and real property. His wife, Jessica Dougherty, 42, also of Boise, pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to court records, in early 2015, James Dougherty and his wife, Jessica Dougherty, moved into a building on the victim’s 46-acre ranch in Boise to ostensibly provide the victim with assistance with her ranch and horses in exchange for free rent. Prior to 2015, the victim, a retired elementary schoolteacher, lived independently on her ranch and enjoyed a comfortable retirement.
In late 2015, the victim’s health deteriorated. During that time, James Dougherty gained control of the victim’s finances, including being named as the victim’s power-of-attorney for finances. A trust was executed, ostensibly signed by the victim, naming James and Jessica Dougherty as primary beneficiaries of the victim’s estate, including the ranch, and naming James Dougherty as successor trustee.
Shortly thereafter, in December 2015, the victim’s ranch was transferred from the victim to the newly formed trust benefitting the Doughertys. In March 2016, the victim was then declared incapacitated by two doctors, and James Dougherty was appointed sole trustee of the trust.
In 2015 and 2016, James Dougherty began to access, use, and transfer funds from the victim’s banking and financial accounts for his own personal use, benefit, and ownership. In fact, James Dougherty used the victim’s funds without her knowledge or consent to pay his and Jessica Dougherty’s creditors to rehabilitate their credit and qualify for a mortgage to ultimately transfer the victim’s ranch into the Doughertys’ personal names.
In July 2017, James and Jessica Dougherty entered into an agreement to purchase the ranch from the trust, executed by James Dougherty, as trustee. The victim was not involved in the transactions. James Dougherty as trustee sold the ranch to himself and Jessica Dougherty, signed as both the “Buyer” and as the “Seller” on the purchase and sale agreement, for less than the market value.
James Dougherty did not place the ranch for sale on the public market and the purchase price he paid simply represented the amount to clear the existing debt on the ranch. According to the Ada County Assessor, however, the value of the ranch at the time was approximately twice the amount of the purchase price.
The sale of the ranch to James and Jessica Dougherty was a breach of fiduciary duty under the trust and James Dougherty admitted he acted with the intent to defraud.
After James and Jessica were arrested in August 2022, and while in pretrial custody, Jessica Dougherty made a call from the Ada County jail and requested that an individual “flash” or “reset” a Dell laptop computer located at the ranch. Within hours, an individual followed Jessica Dougherty’s request and records relevant to the investigation involving the victim were permanently destroyed from the Dell laptop computer.
Jessica Dougherty admitted to knowingly causing the destruction of the records with the intent to obstruct the Department of Justice’s investigation.
James and Jessica Dougherty are scheduled to be sentenced on April 2, 2024, and they both face a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
“Defrauding an elderly victim out of her home is a reprehensible crime,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “We must treat elders with the decency and respect that they deserve, and our Office will continue to vigorously investigate and prosecute those who defraud elderly victims.”
“As a community, it is our responsibility to care for our elders. As a law enforcement community, it is our duty to hold individuals accountable who abuse their position of trust and steal from the elderly,” said IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) Special Agent in Charge, Todd Martin.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the work of the Ada County Sherriff’s Office, the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations Division, and the Office of Inspector General of Health and Human Services, which led to the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean Mazorol and Brittney Campbell are prosecuting the case.
Combatting elder abuse and financial fraud targeted at seniors is a key priority of the Department of Justice. The mission of the Department’s Elder Justice Initiative is to support and coordinate the Department’s enforcement and programmatic efforts to combat elder abuse, neglect and financial fraud and scams that target our nation’s seniors. To learn more visit https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice. The public is encouraged to report their victimization and suspected fraud schemes. To find the right reporting agency visit https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice/roadmap or call the victim connect hotline at 1-855-484-2846.
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Hudson County Man Charged with Possession and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Hudson County, New Jersey, man was charged with possessing and distributing images of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Brandon Tyler Mooney, 26, of Bayonne, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count of possession and one count of distribution of child pornography. Mooney was arrested on Jan. 11, 2024, made his initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge José R. Almonte in Newark federal court, and was detained.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From as early as June 2023, Mooney exchanged child pornography with another individual by way of a cloud-based instant messaging platform. On Dec. 19, 2023, Mooney sent multiple images and videos, including content that appears to involve sexual images of children under the age of 12, to an undercover law enforcement official. Law enforcement officials found in Mooney’s possession over 600 images that appear to depict child sexual abuse.
The charge of possession of child pornography carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The charge of distribution of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited the Newark Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task force, under the direction of FBI Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, the Bayonne Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Robert Geisler, and the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Esther Suarez, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Taj Moore of the General Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
mooney.complaint.pdfFormer U.S. Navy Doctor Sentenced for Perpetrating a $2 Million Insurance Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Dr. Michael Villarroel, who at the time of his crimes was a doctor in the U.S. Navy, was sentenced in federal court today to one year and one day in custody after admitting that he and others participated in a scheme to file false claims to obtain unearned benefits from an insurance program that compensates service members who suffer serious and debilitating injuries while on active duty. He was also ordered to pay $180,000 as criminal forfeiture. A restitution hearing is scheduled on April 2.
Villarroels’ sentence followed his guilty plea to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. According to his plea agreement, participants in the scheme obtained approximately $2 million in payments from fraudulent claims submitted to the insurance program - Traumatic Servicemembers Group Life Insurance Program, or TSGLI.
Villarroel admitted that from 2012 to at least December 2015, he conspired with other members of the Navy to obtain money from the United States by making claims for life insurance payments based on exaggerated or fake injuries and disabilities. Villarroel certified that he reviewed the records and determined the injuries were legitimate when in fact he knew they were fake or exaggerated. At times Villarroel falsely stated that he interviewed the claimant and provided others service members actual medical records to be used in fabricating claims. Villarroel knew the claims were false but he signed off on them to receive kickbacks once the fake injuries resulted in insurance payouts.
“As fraudulent schemes go, this one was egregious,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “Today the defendant found out there is a high price to be paid for pocketing money intended for injured and traumatized servicemembers.”
“Fraudulent activities compromise the integrity of government programs and services and divert compensation from deserving recipients,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebeccalynn Staples with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Western Field Office. “This sentence holds the defendant accountable for his dishonest actions, and the VA OIG will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to ensure schemes like this are uncovered, investigated, and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“Michael Villaroel’s blatant abuse of his position of trust within the United States military is unscrupulous and this sentencing proves that such actions will not be tolerated,” said FBI San Diego Acting Special Agent in Charge John Kim. “The FBI and its law enforcement partners remain committed to aggressively disrupt, and, ultimately, bring to justice anyone who defrauds the United States government.”
“Dr. Villarroel betrayed his oath to the Navy and has been held to account for his role in a scheme that diverted more than $2 million in critical resources away from wounded service members recovering from traumatic injuries,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross of the NCIS Economic Crimes Field Office. “NCIS and our partners are committed to rooting out corruption that threatens the safety and wellbeing of our service members and their families.”
The Traumatic Servicemembers Group Life Insurance (TSGLI) program was administered by Prudential for the Navy and funded by servicemembers and the Department of the Navy. TSGLI provided financial assistance to servicemembers recovering from traumatic injuries.
According to court records, Villarroel’s co-defendants were part of the Explosive Ordinance Disposal Expeditionary Support Unit One (“EOD ESU One”) based in Coronado, California.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter Ko and Mark Conover for the Southern District of California are prosecuting the case.
DEFENDANT 18CR1674-JLS
Michael Villarroel 51 Coronado, CaliforniaRELATED CASES
Kelene Meyer 18CR1674-JLS Jacksonville, FL
Christopher Toups 18CR1674-JLS White, GA
Paul Craig 18CR1674-JLS Austin, TX
Richard Cote 18CR1674-JLS Oceanside, CA
Earnest Thompson 18CR1674-JLS Murrieta, CA
Ronald Olmsted 20CR0659-JLS Mobile, AL
Anthony Coco 20CR0197-JLS San Diego, CA
Stephen Mulholland 20CR0052-JLS Panama City Beach, FLSUMMARY OF CHARGES
18 U.S.C. § 1349, Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison, $250,000 fine, forfeiture and restitution
Others:
18 U.S.C. § 1349, Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison, $250,000 fine, forfeiture and restitution
18 U.S.C. § 1343, Wire Fraud
Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison, $250,000 fine, forfeiture and restitution
18 U.S.C. § 287, Making a False Claim
Maximum Penalty: Five years in prison, $250,000 fineAGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Naval Criminal Investigative Service
Department of Veterans Affairs - Office of Inspector GeneralFormer Teacher’s Aide Pleads Guilty to Attempting Online Enticement of a Minor to Engage in Sexual ConductRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. — A Danville, Ky., woman, Ellen Phillips, formerly known as Ellen Shell, 38, pleaded guilty on Friday, before Chief U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves, to attempted online enticement of a minor to engage in sexual conduct.
Phillips, who at the time of her offenses was employed as a teacher’s aide, was conducting sexual relationships with numerous teenage boys in the Boyle and Garrard County areas. Phillips would communicate with the victims via Snapchat, Facebook, or text messaging and, in many instances, would meet the victims for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity. According to Phillips’ plea, she engaged in sexual activity with multiple minors at the same time.
In her plea agreement, Phillips specifically admitted that on December 20, 2022, she attempted to entice a 15-year-old minor to engage in sexual activity. In this conversation, Phillips messaged the victim using Facebook and repeatedly attempted to get the victim to sneak out of his house for sexual activity. When the victim said he could not leave, Phillips offered alcohol and oral sex to the minor and offered excuses the victim could tell his mother as to why he needed to leave his home.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Rana Saoud, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Phillip J. Burnett, Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police (KSP); Willie Skeens, Garrard County Sheriff; and Chief Tony Gray, Danville Police Department, jointly announced the guilty plea.
The investigation was conducted by the HSI, KSP, Garrard County Sheriff’s Office, and Danville Police Department. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth.
Phillips is scheduled to be sentenced on April 26. She faces a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison. However, any sentence will be imposed by the Court, after its consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal sentencing statutes.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Former Shreveport Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Charge of Wire FraudRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Former Shreveport Police Department officer Jeffrey L. Peters, 55, of Shreveport, pleaded guilty today to one count of wire fraud, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. United States Magistrate Judge Mark L. Hornsby presided over the guilty plea hearing which was held in United States District Court.
While employed as a Lieutenant with the Shreveport Police Department (SPD), as part of Peters’ duties, he was allowed to work overtime on the Community-Based Crime Reduction (CBCR) Program. The CBCR is a grant program administered by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) that pays officers at 1.5 times their normal hourly rate for overtime worked.
According to information presented in court, between January 2020 and January 2021, Peters and a fellow supervisor (Officer 1) devised a scheme to defraud the SPD by claiming overtime for hours they had not worked. Peters and Officer 1 would each fill out and sign a Report of Overtime which stated they worked a specific time and date on the CBCR grant. Peters, in his role as Officer 1’s supervisor, would certify that Officer 1 had actually worked the dates and times listed on the Report of Overtime. Peters would also create and submit an SPD activity report which would falsely state that he and Officer 1 were doing patrols in District 3, an area around SPD Headquarters. On these reports, Peters and Officer 1 were the only officers listed. When in truth and in fact, neither Peters nor Officer 1 were working overtime for SPD.
Peters submitted false Reports of Overtime and Activity Reports on over 50 dates falsely claiming he worked overtime that he had not. He was paid for hours he did not work in is bi-weekly paychecks which were deposited into his own personal account. Peters received a total of $13,084.74 in overtime that he was not entitled to receive.
Peters faces a sentence of not more than 20 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. His sentencing has been set for May 16, 2024.
The case was investigated by FBI, DOJ-Office of Inspector General, and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Seth D. Reeg.
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Former FCI Beckley Correctional Officer Pleads Guilty to Contraband CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Cody Adam Bays, 32, of Beaver, pleaded guilty today to providing contraband to an in inmate of a federal prison.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between November 7, 2022, and February 14, 2023, Bays was a correctional officer at Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Beckley when he provided contraband items to FCI Beckley inmates. Bays admitted that he provided various controlled substances including suboxone, marijuana, synthetic marijuana and a substance Bays believed to be fentanyl. Bays further admitted that he received approximately $5,000 for the suboxone, $4,000 for the fentanyl substance, $3,500 for the synthetic marijuana and $2,000 for the marijuana. Bays was paid in cash or through financial mobile applications.
Bays is scheduled to be sentenced on May 3, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Justice-Office of Inspector General (DOJ-OIG).
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-165.
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Five Defendants Plead Guilty to Illegally Hunting Protected Migratory BirdsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Three Virginia residents and one Maryland resident pleaded guilty this week to illegally hunting dozens of migratory wood ducks over a baited pond in Middleburg, after the owner of the property previously pleaded guilty to baiting the pond in violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
According to court documents, beginning in August 2022 and continuing through the end of November 2022, Clint Burlett, 41, placed significant amounts of corn into a nearly quarter-acre pond located on his farm property in Middleburg, with the intention of baiting and hunting wood ducks with friends and family. Beginning in September 2022, Burlett began messaging friends, all of whom were experienced hunters, including defendants Michael Scott, 36, of Purcellville, Eric Scott, 29, of Hillsboro, Christian Hoyt, 39, of Lovettsville, and taxidermist Timothy Young, 48, of Frederick, Maryland. Burlett told friends that he had seen approximately 90–100 ducks fall for the bait. Burlett also told friends it was his “favorite time of the year” and encouraged the hunters to get ready to “smash em” when it was “go time.” As part of these messages, Eric Scott expressed his hopes of beating the previous year’s pond record, which Burlett shared was 43 wood ducks killed.
In October 2022, at the start of early duck-hunting season, Burlett hosted two group hunts at the pond he had baited, inviting friends and family to hunt waterfowl together. On October 7, 2022, a group of hunters—which included Burlett and defendants Michael Scott, Eric Scott, Christian Hoyt, and Timothy Young—killed 26 wood ducks over bait. Two days later, that number had risen to 91 wood ducks killed. On October 10, 2022, another group of hunters—which included Burlett and defendants Michael Scott, Eric Scott, and Timothy Young—killed 16 wood ducks over bait.
As part of his guilty plea and sentencing, Burlett was ordered to pay a fine of $2,700 and is prohibited from hunting or being physically present at any hunts in North America for a period of 24 months, including attending, hosting, or supervising any hunts. The four additional defendants identified above are prohibited from hunting or being physically present at any hunts in North America for a period of 18 months, and they each were ordered to pay fines of either $500 or $1,000.
Raj Parekh, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Edward Grace, Assistant Director of Law Enforcement for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), made the announcement after the Court accepted the above-referenced guilty pleas and imposed sentences.
This investigation was worked jointly by special agents with the USFWS–Office of Law Enforcement and the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources–Conservation Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sehar Sabir prosecuted the cases. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gordon Kromberg and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Austin Lin provided valuable assistance with the investigation.
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 Nos. 1:23-mj-189, 245, 246, 247, and 258.
Federal Jury Convicts Texas Man of Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. - On January 11, 2024, a federal jury convicted Jose Humberto Gandara, 52, of Edinburg, Texas for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute a substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Acting Special Agent in Charge Steve Hofer of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in 2016, Jose Humberto Gandara was stopped in Gulfport, while driving a 2012 Volkswagen Jetta. The Jetta contained almost $150,000 hidden in a concealed compartment located under the center console. Gandara initially denied any knowledge of the money. Officers then showed Gandara a pair of shoes, which they located in the hidden compartment. The officers previously cut the shoes to see if they contained a tracker. Gandara asked the officers why they cut his shoes, and when they confronted him with the fact that the shoes came from the hidden compartment, Gandara admitted to moving the money for a percentage. Gandara denied being involved with narcotics, but photographs from his phone appeared to depict bricks of cocaine.
In January of 2015, Gandara bought a different 2012 Volkswagen Jetta that was subsequently stopped at the border of Mexico/Texas. While Gandara was not driving that Jetta, the driver was an individual that Gandara had previously identified as his employee. Border Patrol agents found approximately 12 kilograms of cocaine in a hidden compartment, which matched the hidden compartment in the vehicle Gandara was driving in Gulfport.
Officers were also able to determine that in September of 2015, Gandara was stopped in Alabama with nearly $360,000. The money was divided into multiple bundles, each of which were wrapped in green plastic wrap and stuffed inside the front seats of the car Gandara was driving. Gandara again denied knowledge of the money, but the money found in the seats matched a bundle of money Gandara claimed from his duffle bag.
Subsequent investigation revealed that the $150,000 seized from Gandara in Gulfport was payment for cocaine that was interdicted in Louisiana, while bound for Moss Point, Mississippi. The evidence and testimony at trial showed that Gandara was acting on behalf of a source of supply, located in Texas, who was importing cocaine directly from Mexico and sending it on to Moss Point, Mississippi.
Gandara is scheduled to be sentenced on April 17, 2024. He faces a maximum potential sentence of twenty years in prison.
The DEA, United States Border Patrol, Gulfport Police Department, Louisiana State Police, and Alabama’s 17th Judicial Task Force Team investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Buckner and Hunter McCreight prosecuted the case with support from Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gaines Cleveland and Lee Smith.
Federal Jury Convicts Idabel Resident of Child Abuse in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that that Kaira Leigh Wilson, age 34, of Idabel, Oklahoma, was found guilty by a federal jury of one count of Child Abuse in Indian Country.
The jury trial began with testimony on January 8, 2024, and concluded on January 11, 2024, with the guilty verdict.
During the trial, the United States presented evidence that Wilson shook and threw a six month old baby against a wall, resulting in serious injury to the child. The crime occurred in McCurtain County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation of Oklahoma, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The guilty verdicts were the result of investigations by the Idabel Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Honorable John C. Coughenour, Senior U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, sitting by appointment, presided over the trial in Muskogee and ordered the completion of a presentencing report. The sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. Wilson was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal until sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorneys Morgan Muzljakovich and Sarah McAmis represented the United States.
Fall River Man Indicted for Identity Theft OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Fall River man was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury in Boston for misuse of a Social Security number.
Arias Mejia, 43, was indicted for misuse of a Social Security number, aggravated identity theft, and making a false statement in an application for a United States passport.
Arias Mejia was previously charged by criminal complaint on Dec. 8, 2023 and has remained in federal custody since his arrest. Arias Mejia will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.
According to court documents, Arias Mejia, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, applied for a United States passport and a Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles Real ID using the name and other biographical information of a resident of Puerto Rico. Arias Mejia allegedly used the stolen identity when he was previously arrested, charged and convicted on a number state court cases.
The charge of misuse of a Social Security number provides for a sentence of up to five years of in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of making a false statement in an application for a United States passport provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory sentence of two years in prison to be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed, up to one year of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), a specialized investigative group comprising personnel from various state, local, and federal agencies with expertise in detecting, deterring, and disrupting organizations and individuals involved in various types of document, identity, and benefit fraud schemes.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by Homeland Security Investigations in Santo Domingo; Puerto Rico Department of Public Safety; U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service; Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General; U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
East Haven Restaurant Agrees to Permit Service Animals in ADA SettlementRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has reached a settlement agreement with Twin Pines Diner in East Haven to resolve allegations that the diner was not operating in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (“ADA”).
The settlement agreement resolves an ADA complaint filed by an individual with disabilities alleging that Twin Pines Diner required the removal of a service animal from the diner as a condition of service.
As a result of the settlement agreement, the restaurant is in the process of posting signage indicating “Service Animals Welcome”; implementing a “Service Animal Policy,” which includes the types of legally permissible inquiries store employees may make of a customer who enters the store with a service animal; and training employees regarding the policy.
Under federal law, private entities that own or operate places of “public accommodation,” including restaurants, are prohibited from discriminating on the basis of disability. The ADA authorizes the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate complaints and undertake periodic reviews of compliance of covered entities. The Justice Department is also authorized to commence a civil lawsuit in federal court in any case that involves a pattern or practice of discrimination or that raises issues of general public importance, and to seek injunctive relief, monetary damages, and civil penalties.
U.S. Attorney Avery noted that the owner of Twin Pines Diner has worked cooperatively with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to promptly address the ADA issues without litigation.
Any member of the public who wishes to file a complaint alleging that any place of public accommodation or public entity in Connecticut is not accessible to persons with disabilities may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 203-821-3700.
Additional information about the ADA can be found at www.ada.gov, or by calling the Justice Department’s toll-free information line at (800) 514-0301 and (800) 514-0383 (TTY). More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt.
This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. Brown, Jr. of the District of Connecticut in coordination with the Disability Rights Section of the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division.
Eagle River man arrested on child pornography, enticement chargesRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Eagle River man was arrested by the FBI Wednesday on criminal charges related to his alleged possession of child pornography and attempted coercion of a minor.
According to court documents, Michael Koetter, 28, possessed child pornography depicting minors as young as toddlers. He also allegedly attempted to induce, entice, or coerce a minor to engage in sexually explicit behavior by seeking out girls under 12 years old that “have rates,” which is a term often used in the commercial sex industry referring to the price to perform sex acts or purchase sexually explicit images.
Koetter is charged with possession of child pornography depicting minors who have not attained 12 years of age, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §2252A(a)(5)(b) and (b)(2), and attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §2422(b). If convicted, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum 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.
U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska and Special Agent in Charge Antony Jung of the FBI Anchorage Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Anchorage Field Office is investigating the case. If anyone has information concerning Koetter’s alleged actions or may have encountered someone in person or online while in Alaska or Indiana using the name Michael Koetter or the username “sskies420,” please contact the FBI Anchorage Field Office at (907) 276-4441 or anonymously at tips.fbi.gov.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Brickey is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the
Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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District Man Sentenced to 150 Months in Prison for a Series of Armed Robberies of Businesses in the Adams Morgan NeighborhoodRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Tarik Laghrib, 44, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today to 150 months in prison for multiple violent crime offenses he committed in the Adams Morgan neighborhood in January and February of 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Laghrib pleaded guilty on October 26, 2023, to armed robbery, two counts of unarmed robbery, assault, and theft, arising from a series of armed and unarmed robberies of small businesses in the Adams Morgan neighborhood. In addition to the prison term, Superior Court Judge Jason Park ordered Laghrib to serve 11 years of supervised release, and stay away from the Adams Morgan neighborhood.
According to court documents, MPD officers arrested Laghrib in the early hours of Feb. 19, 2023, hours after he assaulted and robbed a clerk at Metro Wine & Spirits in the 1700 block of Columbia Rd. Police tracked Laghrib to a nearby apartment building. Officers apprehended Laghrib when he later emerged with a bottle of stolen liquor. Police had been investigating several other burglaries and robberies in the community that had begun in January 2023. As a result of the investigation, police and prosecutors linked Laghrib to that crime spree. That crime spree ended when Laghrib was arrested and detained in this case.
As part of his plea agreement, Laghrib admitted in D.C. Superior Court to the armed robbery of the liquor store and also admitted to an assault and second-degree theft at the Chocolate House on 18th Street on Feb. 2, 2023. In addition, he admitted that he returned to the Chocolate House the next day and robbed its owner. Minutes later, Laghrib proceeded to the Cosmo Nail Bar where he committed another robbery.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended those who investigated the case including the MPD’s Third District Detectives Unit. They also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Wes Faulkner, Jr. and Joshua Hall, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Sentenced to 11 Years in July 2020 ShootingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Vincent James, 39, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 132 months of incarceration for shooting a man multiple times in the chest, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). He was sentenced by the Honorable Michael O’Keefe of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
James was found guilty of all charges by a jury following a three-day trial in Superior Court in October 2023. Specifically, the jury found James guilty of aggravated assault while armed and related firearms offenses. In addition to the prison term, the Honorable Michael O’Keefe ordered James to serve five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, in the early morning of July 30, 2020, James encountered the victim in the parking lot of Spar Liquors, located at 3916 South Capitol Street, SE. Without provocation or warning, James shot the victim multiple times in the torso. The victim was able to flee but collapsed at a nearby bus stop before being transported to Washington Hospital Center, where he was treated for multiple gunshot wounds. James was identified from surveillance footage at a nearby AutoZone where he made a purchase using his loyalty account earlier in the day.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of MPD’s Seventh District Detectives Unit who investigated the case. They also thanked Crystal Waddy, Debra McPherson (retired), Charlie Bruce, Tina Lukens, Hayley Kornbleuth, Carolyn Carter-Mckinley, Katina Adams-Washington, Maenylie Reed Watson, and Assistant United States Attorneys Ella Gladman, LaVater Massie-Banks, Carlos Valdivia of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, as well as the U.S. Marshals Service for their valuable assistance throughout the case. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant United States Attorneys Anna Forgie and Ron Chester, who prosecuted and tried the case.
Detroit Man Convicted; Faces 15 to Life for Fentanyl and Cocaine Trafficking, and Illegally Possessing AmmunitionRead the Press Release
DETROIT – Today, following a three-day trial before U.S. District Judge Judith E. Levy, a federal jury convicted Reginald Hitchcock on charges of fentanyl and cocaine trafficking, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Orville O. Greene, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration, Detroit Division.
Detroit resident Reginald Hitchcock, 46, was convicted of possessing more than 40 grams of fentanyl and more than 500 grams of cocaine with the intent to distribute them. He was also found guilty of possessing ammunition after being convicted of a felony. Evidence at trial showed that Hitchcock was selling drugs out of his house and car on Detroit’s west side. Agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration obtained and executed a search warrant on Hitchcock’s home and car. They found more than 290 grams of fentanyl, more than 1 kilogram of cocaine, and 11 rounds of ammunition inside a hidden compartment in the staircase. Hitchcock was arrested in his car with another 50 grams of fentanyl concealed in a secret compartment in the driver’s seat.
“Our office will vigorously pursue drug traffickers who push dangerous drugs like fentanyl and cocaine in our community.” stated United States Attorney Dawn Ison. “This verdict is a result of outstanding work by the Drug Enforcement Administration from the start of its investigation through its finish.”
Because of his prior criminal convictions, Hitchcock is facing a mandatory 15-year prison sentence, with a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by AUSAs Thomas Franzinger and Jeremiah Smith.