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Thursday 11 January 2024
Readout of Justice Department’s Interagency Convening on Advancing Equity in Artificial IntelligenceRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division convened a meeting yesterday with the heads of civil rights offices and senior officials from multiple federal agencies to discuss the critical intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and civil rights as directed by President Biden’s Executive Order on the Safe, Secure and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence.
In her opening remarks, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke detailed the division’s comprehensive approach to address the potential impact of AI on civil rights through enforcement, education and outreach, interagency coordination and policy. She highlighted the division’s joint statement with federal partners explaining AI’s potential impact on civil rights, fair competition, consumer protection and equal opportunity and our collective commitment to combating unlawful use of AI systems. She also noted the division’s guidance explaining how algorithms and AI can lead to disability discrimination in hiring and the important work of the division’s internal AI Civil Rights Working Group.
During the meeting, attendees discussed their efforts to safeguard civil rights through robust enforcement, policy initiatives and ongoing education and outreach. Agency representatives explored ways to leverage shared resources to address discrimination or other adverse situations that may arise through the use of AI and other advanced technologies. Participants also provided updates on their respective obligations under the executive order, which include developing and issuing policies, guidance and other resource documents on the application of existing federal civil rights and consumer protection laws to the use of AI in areas such as education, employment, healthcare, housing and credit. All participants highlighted the importance of educating the public about how AI and similar systems can violate federal protections and the need to develop holistic remedies to address those harms.
Attendees at the interagency convening included Chair Charlotte Burrows of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Director Rohit Chopra of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Director of Civil Rights Melanie Fontes Rainer of the Department of Health and Human Services and Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia of the Department of Homeland Security. Additional officials participated from the following agencies: the Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce, Department of Education, Department of Energy, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of the Interior, Department of Labor, Department of Transportation, Department of the Treasury, Federal Trade Commission and Social Security Administration.
All of the participants pledged to continue collaboration to protect the American public against any harms that might result from the increased use and reliance on AI, algorithms and other advanced technologies. The agencies also agreed to partner on external stakeholder engagement around their collective efforts to advance equity and civil rights in AI.
Randleman Man Convicted for Trafficking Fentanyl, Cocaine, Methamphetamine, and HeroinRead the Press Release
WINSTON-SALEM – A Randolph County man, who was convicted in May 2023 after a four-day jury trial, was sentenced yesterday on four drug trafficking charges, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC).
JOSEPH KENNETH NEWBOLD, age 65, was indicted in November 2022 on one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine hydrochloride, and one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin. According to court documents, NEWBOLD, of Randleman, was charged after a search warrant executed at his home revealed narcotics buried in multiple locations in the woods around his property. Investigators located 1505 grams of methamphetamine, 49 grams of fentanyl, 166 grams of cocaine hydrochloride, and 8 grams of heroin.
NEWBOLD was sentenced yesterday to a 168-month term of imprisonment by the Honorable Loretta C. Biggs, United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the MDNC. In addition to prison time, NEWBOLD will be subject to supervised release for 5 years following his release from prison.
This case arises from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Mary Ann Courtney and Assistant United States Attorney Craig M. Principe.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Passaic County Man Charged with Embezzling $2.9 Million from Elderly CoupleRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Passaic County, New Jersey, man was arrested today in connection with his role in embezzling approximately $2.9 million from an elderly couple, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Charles Gallo, 34, of Hawthorne, New Jersey is charged by complaint with one count of wire fraud. He appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge José R. Almonte and was released on $100,000 unsecured bond.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In 2018 an elderly New Jersey couple hired Gallo to work as a part-time personal assistant at their residence. Gallo’s duties included managing the victims’ monthly bills and banking and assisting them with email and other computer/technology-related issues. From March 2022 through March 2023, Gallo, used his position to engage in a fraudulent scheme to misappropriate approximately $2.9 million from the victims’ accounts. Gallo accomplished this fraud by routinely using the victims’ ATM card to withdraw large amounts of money, opening a line of credit, cashing checks made payable to himself drawn on the victims’ bank accounts, and using the victims’ credit cards to purchase computer equipment, gaming systems, collectible items from online retailers, and other unauthorized transactions.
The wire fraud charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Christopher A. Nielsen, Philadelphia Division; special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas Mahoney; and the Hawthorne Police Department, under the direction of Chief James Knepper, with the investigation leading to the charge. He also thanked the Ridgewood Police Department under the direction of Chief Forest R. Lyons for its assistance in the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shontae D. Gray of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
gallo.complaint.pdfPalm Coast Man Arrested for Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft ChargesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Noah Michael Urban (19, Palm Coast), a/k/a “Sosa,” a/k/a “Elijah,” a/k/a “King Bob,” a/k/a “Anthony Ramirez,” with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, eight counts of wire fraud, and five counts of aggravated identity theft. If convicted, Urban faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each wire fraud charge. He also faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 2 years’ imprisonment for the aggravated identity offenses which will run consecutive to any other prison sentence imposed. Urban was arrested on January 9, 2024.
According to the indictment, between August 2022 and March 2023, Urban committed wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, which resulted in at least $800,000 being stolen from at least five different victims.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case is a joint partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, the United States Attorney’s Office District of Oregon, and the United States Attorney’s Office Middle District of Florida. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro.
Orlando Man Charged with Possessing A Firearm as A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Malcolm Bellamy (33, Orlando) with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. If convicted, Bellamy faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Bellamy that the United States intends to forfeit the firearm and ammunition that are alleged to have been used during the commission of the offense.
According to the indictment, on April 21, 2023, Bellamy possessed a Forjas Taurus firearm. At the time of the alleged offense, Bellamy had prior felony convictions for robbery with a firearm and aggravated assault with a firearm. As a convicted felon, Bellamy is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Orlando Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Rachel S. Lyons.
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.
On #WearBlueDay, U.S. Attorney Hurwit Releases PSA to Raise Awareness for Human Trafficking Prevention MonthRead the Press Release
BOISE – Today, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit, released a public service announcement, available here, in recognition of National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. The PSA aims to raise awareness about the somber reality of human trafficking and highlight the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s commitment to putting an end to this serious crime that violates the most basic of human rights.
Human trafficking is the exploitation of human beings for profit. It can occur as a form of forced labor, domestic servitude, or sex trafficking of children and adults, and has no place in any society. “That’s why in January and throughout the year, my Office’s dedicated prosecutors, our victim advocates, and our entire staff work with our law enforcement partners to prevent human trafficking and bring offenders to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit.
“Unfortunately, human trafficking continues to be a serious, global problem that impacts the
United States and our communities, even here in Idaho,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “Together we can end human trafficking. Please take time to learn how to identify and respond to people who are at risk or who have experienced human trafficking.”
If you or someone you know has experienced human trafficking, help is available. The National Human Trafficking Hotline provides free, confidential help, 24/7. Call: 1-888-373-7888; Text: HELP to 233733 (BEFREE); or Chat: humantraffickinghotline.org/chat.
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Omaha Man Sentenced for Firearms Conspiracy and Illegal Possession of a Machine GunRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Majok Bethow, 24, of Omaha, Nebraska was sentenced on January 11, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for illegal possession of a machine gun and participation in a firearms conspiracy in the furtherance of drug trafficking. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Bethow to 24 months’ imprisonment on each charge to run concurrently. There is no parole in the federal system. After Bethow’s release from prison, he will begin a concurrent 3-year term of supervised release.
On March 26, 2022, Omaha Police Department officers initiated a traffic stop southeast of South 32nd and Q Streets after they observed a vehicle without license plates. After pulling over the vehicle, the rear driver's side passenger door opened, and an occupant fled on foot. Officers gave chase and the party, later identified as Bethow, was taken into custody. A search of his person located a Glock 19X, 9 mm handgun loaded with a 24 round extended magazine containing 18 live rounds. The firearm slide had a black metal auto sear installed on the back of it, a “Glock switch,” that allowed it to function as a machinegun.
Bethow was also charged in a firearms conspiracy after law enforcement learned that codefendant Rodolfo Falcon owned a drug stash house that was the central location for the distribution of narcotics. Falcon rented the house out to younger drug dealers who were also documented gang members: codefendants Kenneth Blair, Alexis Bernal-Lopez, Majok Bethow, and Keland Strong each rented the residence from Falcon for some portion of the conspiracy.
The Safe Streets Task Force of the Greater Omaha area conducted a search of the residence and recovered cocaine, marijuana, currency, drug paraphernalia, and three firearms. Falcon was observed posing with one such firearm in photos of himself that were recovered during the search. Flacon is a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
At the time of the search, Kenneth Blair was in the basement of the residence, where text messages amongst the group confirmed was the portion of the house that Blair regularly occupied. Two apparent narcotics customers were located with Blair in the basement at the time of the search. Drugs and cash were also recovered from the basement. Keland Strong used an upstairs room that contained numerous firearms. Falcon was found on the main level of the home where cash and cocaine were recovered along with identification documents.
Evidence of significant marijuana distributions, such as wrappers for large quantities of marijuana were also recovered. This, along with text messages between the group, revealed that the home was being used as a narcotics distribution hub and that Bethow, Bernal-Lopez, Strong, and Blair all worked together to sell drugs.
Kenneth Blair pled guilty to firearms conspiracy and was sentenced on December 21, 2023, to 21 months imprisonment.
Codefendants Rodolfo Falcon, Keland Strong and Bernal-Lopez have all pled guilty to the firearms conspiracy. Sentencing is scheduled for January 19, 2024, February 8, 2024, and February 16, 2024, respectively.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Omaha Police Department.
North Las Vegas Resident Sentenced to Prison for Selling over 200 Firearms Without A Federal Firearms LicenseRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A North Las Vegas man was sentenced Monday by United States District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey to 32 months in prison for illegally buying and selling over 200 firearms without a Federal Firearms License.
In January 2023, after the Government rested its case-in-chief at trial, Charles Martin Ellis (69) pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license and one count of the transfer or sale of a firearm to a non-resident.
According to court documents and admissions made in court, in February 2017, Ellis bought a Zastava 7.62mm caliber AK-47-style assault pistol and, in February 2017, he resold that firearm to an individual. In August 2017, a convicted felon used that firearm to kill a Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department Deputy and shot and wounded two California Highway Patrol Investigators who were investigating a stolen vehicle. An ATF investigation revealed guns sold by Ellis were used in other crimes in Nevada and California. In September 2017, Ellis bought a Century Arms International Rifle in Las Vegas and resold that firearm to an individual. Two years later, that firearm was used in a homicide in Guadalajara, Mexico.
In total, Ellis bought and quickly resold over 200 firearms without a Federal Firearms License. Some of the guns have been seized by law enforcement in California, Nevada, Oregon, and Mexico.
United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Cicolani for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the ATF. Assistant United States Attorneys Ed Veronda and Nadia Ahmed prosecuted the case.
Anyone with information about crimes that may be happening in your communities that involve firearms, explosives, arson, and violent crime can call ATF at 1-888-ATF-TIPS (1-888-283-8477), email [email protected] or submit information anonymously at www.reportit.com/.
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North Carolina Man Convicted of Federal Hate Crimes for Racially Motivated Attacks Against Black and Hispanic MenRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A jury today in Greensboro, North Carolina, convicted Marian Hudak, 52, for committing a hate crime against a Black man and a Hispanic man on separate occasions.
“It’s one thing to use racial slurs and harbor the KKK’s flag, but carrying out acts of violence fueled by naked racial animus and hatred violates the law and core principles of our democracy. The defendant was held accountable for his violent and unlawful attacks on Black and Hispanic members of his community,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will vigorously investigate and prosecute violence targeting people because of their race or national origin. All community members should be able to live in and move about their neighborhoods without fear of attack because of how they look or where they are from.”
“All people — regardless of the color of their skin or their nationality — are entitled to travel on public roads and enjoy their homes without fear of being threatened, harassed or intimidated,” said U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston for the Middle District of North Carolina. “We appreciate the law enforcement agencies who diligently sought justice in this case. The Concord community is safer and more peaceful as a result of today’s verdict.”
“Investigating civil rights violations is some of the most important work we do,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert M. DeWitt of the FBI Charlotte Field Office. “No one should be afraid to drive down the street, fill their car with gas or take their children to the bus stop because of someone’s intolerance and racial hatred. The FBI hopes this guilty verdict can give Mr. Hudak's victims some sense of peace."
Evidence at trial proved that, on Oct. 13, 2022, Hudak encountered a Black man, identified as J.S., while driving in Concord, North Carolina, and shouted racial slurs at him. After telling J.S. to “come here, boy,” Hudak swerved into J.S.’s lane, got out of his vehicle and punched J.S.’s driver’s side window multiple times. When J.S. fled, Hudak chased him to his home where he continued shouting racial slurs and threatened to shoot and kill him.
Evidence at trial also proved that on Nov. 27, 2021, Hudak attacked his Hispanic neighbor, J.D., outside J.D.’s home because of his nationality. Hudak shouted racially charged insults at J.D. before attacking him. Hudak punched and tackled J.D., causing J.D. to suffer bodily injury. Additional trial witnesses testified about Hudak’s frequent anti-Hispanic comments, both before and after the attack on J.D., and about other instances where Hudak shouted slurs at, gave the middle finger to and drove aggressively near other minority motorists in the Concord area. Other evidence included a KKK flag, a racist publication and Nazi memorabilia found in Hudak’s residence.
On June 26, 2023, Hudak was charged with willfully injuring, intimidating or interfering with J.S. because of J.S.’s race and color and because J.S. was using a public facility. Hudak was charged with willfully injuring, intimidating or interfering with J.D. because of J.D.’s race and national origin and because J.D. was occupying a dwelling.
A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for May 1. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Charlotte Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashley Waid and JoAnna McFadden for the Middle District of North Carolina and Trial Attorney Daniel Grunert of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
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North Carolina Man Convicted of Federal Hate Crimes for Racially Motivated Attacks Against Black and Hispanic MenRead the Press Release
A jury today in Greensboro, North Carolina, convicted Marian Hudak, 52, for committing a hate crime against a Black man and a Hispanic man on separate occasions.
“It’s one thing to use racial slurs and harbor the KKK’s flag, but carrying out acts of violence fueled by naked racial animus and hatred violates the law and core principles of our democracy. The defendant was held accountable for his violent and unlawful attacks on Black and Hispanic members of his community,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will vigorously investigate and prosecute violence targeting people because of their race or national origin. All community members should be able to live in and move about their neighborhoods without fear of attack because of how they look or where they are from.”
“All people — regardless of the color of their skin or their nationality — are entitled to travel on public roads and enjoy their homes without fear of being threatened, harassed or intimidated,” said U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston for the Middle District of North Carolina. “We appreciate the law enforcement agencies who diligently sought justice in this case. The Concord community is safer and more peaceful as a result of today’s verdict.”
“Investigating civil rights violations is some of the most important work we do,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert M. DeWitt of the FBI Charlotte Field Office. “No one should be afraid to drive down the street, fill their car with gas or take their children to the bus stop because of someone’s intolerance and racial hatred. The FBI hopes this guilty verdict can give Mr. Hudak's victims some sense of peace."
Evidence at trial proved that, on Oct. 13, 2022, Hudak encountered a Black man, identified as J.S., while driving in Concord, North Carolina, and shouted racial slurs at him. After telling J.S. to “come here, boy,” Hudak swerved into J.S.’s lane, got out of his vehicle and punched J.S.’s driver’s side window multiple times. When J.S. fled, Hudak chased him to his home where he continued shouting racial slurs and threatened to shoot and kill him.
Evidence at trial also proved that on Nov. 27, 2021, Hudak attacked his Hispanic neighbor, J.D., outside J.D.’s home because of his nationality. Hudak shouted racially charged insults at J.D. before attacking him. Hudak punched and tackled J.D., causing J.D. to suffer bodily injury. Additional trial witnesses testified about Hudak’s frequent anti-Hispanic comments, both before and after the attack on J.D., and about other instances where Hudak shouted slurs at, gave the middle finger to and drove aggressively near other minority motorists in the Concord area. Other evidence included a KKK flag, a racist publication and Nazi memorabilia found in Hudak’s residence.
On June 26, 2023, Hudak was charged with willfully injuring, intimidating or interfering with J.S. because of J.S.’s race and color and because J.S. was using a public facility. Hudak was charged with willfully injuring, intimidating or interfering with J.D. because of J.D.’s race and national origin and because J.D. was occupying a dwelling.
A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for May 1. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Charlotte Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashley Waid and JoAnna McFadden for the Middle District of North Carolina and Trial Attorney Daniel Grunert of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
Niskayuna Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Aaron Griesche, age 40, of Niskayuna, New York, pled guilty today to possessing child pornography, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Griesche admitted that on July 11, 2021, he possessed child pornography on a USB flash memory stick found in his residence. Griesche admitted that he had purchased the memory stick from an online retailer and transferred videos of child pornography from the Internet to the device.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 10, 2024. Griesche faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. The judge may also order Griesche to pay restitution to the victims of his offense and forfeit the device used in the offense. Griesche will also have to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
The FBI and the New York State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin C. Segovia is prosecuting this case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
New York Man Indicted for Stealing COVID-19 Unemployment BenefitsRead the Press Release
NEWARK N.J. – A New York man was indicted today for conspiring to illegally obtain over $444,000 in COVID-19 unemployment benefits, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Jose Tavares, 35, of Bronx New York, is charged by indictment with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Tavares’ alleged conspirators, Yanira Abreu, 42, of Keasby, New Jersey, and Christopher Valerio, 33, of Perth Amboy, New Jersey, have each previously pleaded guilty in the same scheme.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From July 2020 through February 2021, Tavares, Valerio, Abreu and others submitted false and fraudulent applications for unemployment insurance benefits to the New York Department of Labor (NYDOL) through fictitious online profiles that they created using personally identifiable information, including names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers, of other individuals without their consent. Once the NYDOL processed and approved the fraudulent applications, Tavares and his conspirators obtained debit cards with illegally obtained funds totaling $444,738, which they used for personal gain.
The wire fraud charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain to the defendant or gross loss to the victim, whichever is greatest.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso; special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone, and postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen, Philadelphia Division, with the investigation leading to today’s indictment.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Fatime Meka Cano of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
The District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The charge and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
tavares.indictment.pdfNew Orleans Woman Sentenced for Making False Oath in Bankruptcy MatterRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JEANNINE DUKES (“DUKES”), age 41, of New Orleans, was sentenced on January 10, 2024 for making a false oath in a bankruptcy matter, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 152(2), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to the bill of information, on November 19, 2021, DUKES knowingly and fraudulently made a false oath or account in or in relation to any case under Title 11 in a bankruptcy case. Specifically, DUKES failed to disclose that she had applied for a COVID-19 PPP Loan on May 18, 2021, and received approximately $20,527.00 in PPP funds on June 8, 2021.
United States District Judge Sarah S. Vance sentenced DUKES to one year of probation, fifty hours of community service, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of the Inspector General and the Office of the U.S. Trustee, Region 5, in investigating this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Chief of Financial Crimes Unit.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Violations of the Federal Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – ALFRED CLAY, age 59, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on January 10, 2024 after previously pleading guilty to both conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine hydrochloride, and possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine hydrochloride, all in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 846. CLAY was sentenced to 240 months imprisonment, five years of supervised release, and a $200 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to court documents, CLAY and other co-conspirators were responsible for distributing multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, and heroin, within the Eastern District of Louisiana.
During the investigation, law enforcement, led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, seized over forty (40) kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride, six (6) kilograms of fentanyl, four and a half (4.5) kilograms of heroin, and nearly $700,000.00 in U.S. Currency and other seized property.
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.
This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration – New Orleans Field Division Office and was assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Border Patrol, the Gretna Major Crimes Task Force, the Kenner Police Department, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, the St. John’s Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the New Orleans Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.
New Jersey Man Sentenced for Aiding and Abetting Theft of Federal Grant FundsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Aleksey Krylov, 42, of South Orange, New Jersey, was sentenced today to three years of federal probation, including six months on home detention, and ordered to pay $94,197.93 in restitution for aiding and abetting theft from programs receiving federal funds. Krylov admitted to diverting $94,197.93 in federal abandoned mine land (AML) remediation sub-grant funds to a West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) employee who had secretly helped Krylov obtain an AML grant award.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from in or about April 2017 until in or about August 7, 2019, Krylov enlisted Jerry D. Elkins to assist Krylov and one of Krylov’s companies with their application for a WVDEP AML pilot program sub-grant. Elkins was initially a regional planner and later an inspector for the WVDEP during the time period, and had become acquainted with Krylov prior to joining the WVDEP.
The DEP receives grant funding from the United States Department of the Interior Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) for, among other purposes, accelerating the remediation of eligible sites for economic revitalization and community development purposes under the Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization (AMLER) program. Since 2016, West Virginia has received $181 million in AMLER block grant funds. Numerous private entities apply to receive AML sub-grants, and the process for selecting projects to receive sub-grant awards is competitive.
Krylov and his company proposed to construct and operate an aquaponics facility that would produce commercial quantities of vegetables and fruits at a project site near Madison. Krylov agreed to pay Elkins a portion of the federal grant dollars in exchange for Elkins’ help. To assist Krylov and his company, Elkins disclosed internal WVDEP deliberations to Krylov, boosted Krylov’s project internally at WVDEP, submitted a report that was required to obtain the grant award, obtained public support for the project, provided his opinion and suggestions for improving the sub-grant application, recruited local individuals to work with Krylov, collected water samples, and continuously monitored the application’s status.
Krylov admitted to paying Elkins for his services with checks and electronic fund transfers drawn from federal sub-grant disbursements totaling $94,197.93. Krylov further admitted that Elkins had no right to receive these funds and that he aided and abetted Elkins’ actions in fraudulently obtaining the $94,197.93. Krylov also admitted that he paid Elkins through a shell entity, Wanaque River Holdings LLC (“Wanaque”), that Elkins set up solely to receive and obscure payments from Krylov. Elkins was paid by Krylov through Wanaque for fictitious invoices that Elkins created using an online bill pay platform, Bill.com.
Elkins, 54, of Danville, pleaded guilty to theft from programs receiving federal funds and was sentenced on November 30, 2023, to three years of federal probation, including 10 months on home detention, and ordered to pay $94,197.93 in restitution.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of the Interior Office of Inspector General-Office of Investigations and the West Virginia Commission on Special Investigations.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Holly Wilson and Kathleen Robeson prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-99.
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Nashville Man Sentenced to Nearly 14 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Fentanyl, Methamphetamine, and HeroinRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Antonio Daniels, 43, of Nashville, Tennessee, was sentenced today to 165 months, or nearly 14 years, in federal prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, announced United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis. In July 2023, Daniels pled guilty to a four-count Indictment charging him with distributing, and possessing with the intent to distribute, fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin.
On four separate occasions between November 2020 and January 2021, law enforcement officers, using a confidential informant, made controlled purchases of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin from Daniels near his residence on Lenore Street in Nashville. In total across the four sales, Daniels distributed approximately 61.3 grams of fentanyl, 394.5 grams of methamphetamine, and 7.2 grams of heroin to the confidential informant.
“Fentanyl and other illicit drugs sold by this defendant are wreaking havoc in our communities and leaving carnage in their wake,” said United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis. “Today’s sentence will remove this defendant from the streets for over a decade and is the latest illustration of my office’s commitment to holding fentanyl dealers accountable.”
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and the Crossville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicholas J. Goldin and Ahmed A. Safeeullah prosecuted the case.
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Monticello Man Sentenced to 51 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Jeffrey Sredl, 45 years old, of Monticello, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to possessing unregistered firearms, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Sredl was sentenced to 51 months in prison followed by 1 year of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, Sredl manufactured multiple destructive devices that functioned as firearms, one of which accidentally discharged and injured a person. During the execution of a search warrant at Sredl’s home, law enforcement recovered a pipe bomb and five other firearms.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the assistance of the Cass County Sheriff’s Department and the White County Sheriff’s Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jerome W. McKeever.
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.
Missouri Man Who Tried to Sell ‘Spy Videos’ of Teens Sentenced to 17 ½ Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig on Thursday sentenced a man from Lincoln County, Missouri caught trying to make and sell “spy videos” of teenage girls to 17 and one-half years in prison.
James Dean Kukan, 39, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in August to two counts of attempted production of child pornography. He admitted producing “spy videos” of two teenage girls in the bathroom using a hidden camera between October 2021 and February 2022. He also admitted trying to sell those videos online via Kik, Snapchat, Telegram and WhatsApp.
On Feb. 14, 2022, Kukan entered a Kik group and began communicating with an undercover FBI agent. He offered to sell videos of the teens for between $60 and $100, his plea says.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Mexican National Sentenced for Federal Immigration and Controlled Substances ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that FERMIN DANIEL PUENTE-MONTOYA, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced on January 9, 2024 by U.S. District Judge Wendy B Vitter to 57 months incarceration, after previously pleading guilty to violating the Federal Controlled Substances Act and illegal reentry of a removed alien. Judge Vitter also ordered deportation for PUENTE-MONTOYA following imprisonment, and a 1-year term of supervised probation should he ever illegally reenter the country.
According to the indictment, in March of 2023, PUENTE-MONTOYA conspired with others to pick up and transport a bag he knew contained over 9 kilograms of pure methamphetamine from Dallas, Texas to Kenner, Louisiana. PUENTE-MONTOYA participated in this narcotics conspiracy after previously being deported from the United States.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at http://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
United States Attorney Evans praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Agency and the Kenner Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit.
Maryland Man Sentenced for Issuing Death Threats to LGBTQI+ Advocacy GroupRead the Press Release
A Maryland man was sentenced today to two years in prison, along with three years of supervised release, for making death threats and other calls for violence against a group that advocates for LGBTQI+ people.
According to the evidence presented by the government at today’s sentencing hearing, Adam Michael Nettina, 34, of West Friendship, also sent threatening messages to Maryland and Virginia state delegates due to their support of transgender people.
“This defendant targeted and threatened members of the LGBTQI+ community and their allies, instilling fear and promoting violence toward a heavily targeted community,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This sentence underscores the Justice Department’s commitment to combating threats against public officials and protected communities. We will work tirelessly to expunge the growing threat posed by bias-motivated acts of violence directed at the LGBTQI+ community and their allies.”
“You have the right to your own opinions, but you don’t have the right to threaten the lives of those who disagree with you. As this case demonstrates, free speech does not include violent threats against others,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland. “We’ll continue prosecuting these threats to the fullest extent of the law.”
“Threats of violence made against people and organizations to instill fear will not be tolerated,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “The FBI will continue to work diligently to ensure the civil rights of all Americans are protected.”
According to court documents, on the evening of March 28, 2023, the victim organization received a threatening voicemail from a phone number, which investigators identified as belonging to Nettina. The message referenced the March 27, 2023, mass shooting at a school in Nashville, Tennessee, involving multiple shooting fatalities, where police identified the perpetrator as a transgender woman. During the call, numerous threats were made including, “…we’ll cut your throats. We’ll put a bullet in your head…You’re going to kill us? We’re going to kill you 10 times more in full.”
Nettina admitted that he left this voicemail for the purpose of issuing a threat and with the knowledge that the voicemail would be viewed as a threat. Further, Nettina intentionally selected the advocacy organization as a target of his message because of the actual and perceived gender, gender identity and sexual orientation of the people who work at and are assisted by the organization.
As detailed in his plea agreement, on March 31, 2022, a Maryland State Delegate posted a message of support on social media in honor of Trans Day of Visibility. Nettina responded on social media later that same day, which stated, among other things, that he had “begun the formal process of getting you excommunicated…” from the Catholic Church. On Nov. 8, 2022, the delegate was reelected. Nettina sent the delegate another message on social media, stating: “…Baby killing terrorist. Enjoy hell…You’re going sooner than you think.”
Finally, as outlined in the court documents, on Oct. 13, 2022, an online news story was published about an interview a Virginia State Delegate gave in which she advocated for the prevention of abuse towards transgender children. Two days later, on Oct. 15, 2022, Nettina sent an email to the delegate’s press email account, stating: “The delegate is a terrorist. You are a terrorist. You deserve to be shot and hung in the streets. You want to come after people? Let’s go b**ch.” Nettina also sent a similar message to another email address of the delegate two minutes later. Nettina intentionally selected the delegate and her campaign staff as the recipient of his email because of the actual and perceived gender, gender identity and sexual orientation of the people and constituents for whom the delegate had expressed support.
The FBI Baltimore Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow for the District of Maryland and Trial Attorney Tara Allison of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case.
For more information about the department’s work to combat and prevent hate crimes, visit www.justice.gov/hatecrimes.
Maryland and Arizona Residents Plead Guilty to Federal Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Devier Tamon Washington, age 24, of Arizona, and Gabriel Donte Cunningham, age 28, of Maryland, each entered guilty pleas to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl.
The Indictment alleged that on March 29, 2022, Washington and Cunningham knowingly possessed 400 grams of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, intending to distribute it.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Roland Police Department.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted both defendants’ pleas. Washington and Cunningham were remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending the completion of presentence investigation reports.
Assistant United States Attorney Erin Cornell represented the United States.
Man who Provided a Ride Share to Engage in Sexual Activity with a Minor is SentencedRead the Press Release
A Tulsa man was sentenced today coercion and enticement of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Miles Alan Parsons, 39, a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, to 120 months imprisonment, followed by lifetime supervision by the U.S. Probation Office. Upon release, Parsons will also be required to register as a sex offender.According to court documents, in Sept. 2022, Parsons responded to a post on social media with a person whom he believed to be a 14-year-old female. Over several days, Parsons engaged in sexual conversation, sent nude videos and photos of himself, and requested the underage female to do the same. He then requested the underage female to come to his house. The underage female agreed to meet Parsons down the street from his home. Hoping to engage in sexual intercourse, Parsons admitted to ordering a ride share to pick up the underage female. When the ride shared arrived, Parsons was arrested.
Parsons will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The Homeland Security Investigations and Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney George Jiang 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.
Man Who Carried Out Machete Attack on NYPD Officers in Times Square on NYE 2022 Pleads Guilty to Terrorism ChargesRead the Press Release
Trevor Bickford Traveled to the Times Square New Year’s Eve Celebration in 2022 for the Purpose of Killing U.S. Officials in the Name of Radical Islamic Jihad and Used a Machete-Style Knife to Attack Three NYPD Officers Working in Coordination with Federal Authorities to Protect the New Year’s Eve Event
Trevor Bickford, 20, of Wells, Maine, today pleaded guilty to multiple counts of attempting to kill officers and employees of the U.S. government and persons assisting them based on his jihadist attack using a machete-style knife against three New York City Police Department (NYPD) officers in Times Square on New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31, 2022.
“Last New Year’s Eve, Trevor Bickford attacked courageous NYPD officers protecting those celebrating in Times Square as part of his effort, as he later told law enforcement, to commit jihad in New York City,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Today’s guilty plea should serve as a warning: terrorists who target and attack law enforcement and endanger the American people will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
“The defendant in this case, motivated by violent extremist views, traveled to New York City for the sole purpose of committing acts of violence and attacked three police officers causing serious injuries,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “Police officers bravely protect the American people and attacks against them cannot be tolerated. The FBI will work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable all those who engage in acts of terrorism.”
“As he admitted in court today, Trevor Bickford attempted to murder three NYPD officers while they were on duty protecting the thousands of civilians who flocked to Times Square just over a year ago to celebrate the New Year with friends and family,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York. “Bickford targeted the iconic yearly celebration to carry out brazen acts of violence and hatred in the name of jihad. Bickford, as with countless others who have carried out acts of terrorism in support of misguided ideologies, is now going to spend lengthy time exactly where he deserves – in federal prison.”
According to court documents, in December 2022, Bickford, a U.S. citizen and resident of Maine, traveled from Maine to New York City to, in his own words, wage jihad and kill as many of his targets as possible. After considering his options, researching his target location, and settling on his plan of attack, he packed a large machete-like blade and went to one of the most densely populated areas in the United States at one of the most densely populated times possible: Times Square on New Year’s Eve. Bickford then chose to ambush three NYPD officers, declared “Allahu Akbar,” an Arabic phrase meaning “God is great” that other radical Islamic extremists have similarly proclaimed while carrying out terrorist attacks, and attacked them with his blade, seriously injuring all three officers. One of the officers managed to shoot Bickford in the shoulder, halting his violent rampage. Bickford later declared that he carried out his attack to wage jihad and admitted that his goal was to kill as many military-aged men who worked for the U.S. government as he could before himself becoming a martyr. The machete-style knife with a blade over a foot long that Bickford used to carry out his jihadist attack is shown below:
Bickford spent months consuming materials espousing radical Islamic ideology — including materials promoting the Taliban and reflecting the teachings of Sheikh Abu Muhammad Al-Maqdisi, a prominent radical Islamic cleric who was a spiritual mentor of al Qaeda — and contemplating ways to wage jihad. As he immersed himself deeper into this propaganda, Bickford devoted himself to violent Islamic extremism and pursuit of the jihad that he would eventually unleash in the heart of New York City. In the months leading up to his attack, Bickford focused on traveling overseas to support the Taliban in Afghanistan or elsewhere. He planned to ally himself with the Taliban to fight against governments that, in his view, oppress Muslims, and to wage jihad against officials of governments that he believes are anti-Muslim, including the U.S. Government. Ultimately, Bickford decided that he would not travel overseas and instead turned his attention to an attack in the United States. After months of radicalization, this decision resulted in Bickford perpetrating his attack in Times Square on New Year’s Eve just over a year ago. Near the scene of the attack, law enforcement recovered a book from Bickford’s backpack with the following passage highlighted: “Fight in the Name of Allah and in the Cause of Allah. Fight against those who do not believe in Allah. Wage a holy war.”
Bickford pleaded guilty to three counts of attempted murder of officers and employees of the U.S. government and persons assisting them, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and three counts of assault of officers and employees of the U.S. government and persons assisting them, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The charges carry an aggregate potential sentence of 120 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew J.C. Hellman, Sarah L. Kushner, and Kaylan E. Lasky for the Southern District of New York and Trial Attorney D. Andrew Sigler of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
Man Who Carried Out Machete Attack on NYPD Officers in Times Square on NYE 2022 Pleads Guilty to Terrorism ChargesRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Merrick B. Garland, the Attorney General of the United States, Christopher A. Wray, the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and James Smith, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the FBI, announced today that TREVOR BICKFORD pled guilty to multiple counts of attempting to kill officers and employees of the U.S. Government and persons assisting them based on his jihadist attack using a machete-style knife against three New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) officers in Times Square on New Year’s Eve, December 31, 2022. BICKFORD pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “A year and one day ago today, this Office charged Trevor Bickford with attempting to murder three NYPD officers while they were on duty protecting the thousands of civilians who flocked to Times Square just over a year ago to celebrate the New Year with friends and family. Bickford targeted the iconic yearly celebration to carry out brazen acts of violence and hatred in the name of jihad. Bickford, as with countless others who have carried out acts of terrorism in support of misguided ideologies, is now going to spend lengthy time exactly where he deserves – in federal prison.”
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said: “Last New Year’s Eve, Trevor Bickford attacked courageous NYPD officers protecting those celebrating in Times Square as part of his effort, as he later told law enforcement, to commit jihad in New York City. Today’s guilty plea should serve as a warning: terrorists who target and attack law enforcement and endanger the American people will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Smith said: “Trevor Bickford deliberately plotted to bring terror to the streets of New York by targeting law enforcement officers purely carrying out their oath to protect and serve. His plea today is a stark reminder of the threat terrorists, and those they inspire, pose to our country. In this case, as in all others, the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force, along with our partners, remain unyielding in fulfilling our mission to protect the American people.”
According to the Complaint, the Indictment containing the charges to which BICKFORD pled guilty, and other documents and information in the public record:
In December 2022, BICKFORD, a U.S. citizen and resident of Maine, traveled from Maine to New York City to, in his own words, wage jihad and kill as many of his targets as possible. After considering his options, researching his target location, and settling on his plan of attack, he packed a large machete-like blade and went to one of the most densely populated areas in the U.S. at one of the most densely populated times possible: Times Square on New Year’s Eve. BICKFORD then chose to ambush three NYPD officers, declared “Allahu Akbar,” an Arabic phrase meaning “God is great” that other radical Islamic extremists have similarly proclaimed while carrying out terrorist attacks, and attacked them with his blade, seriously injuring all three officers. One of the officers managed to shoot BICKFORD in the shoulder, halting his violent rampage. BICKFORD later declared that he carried out his attack to wage jihad and admitted that his goal was to kill as many military-aged men who worked for the U.S. Government as he could before himself becoming a martyr. The machete-style knife with a blade over a foot long that BICKFORD used to carry out his jihadist attack is shown below:
BICKFORD spent months before the attack consuming materials espousing radical Islamic ideology — including materials promoting the Taliban and reflecting the teachings of Sheikh Abu Muhammad Al-Maqdisi, a prominent radical Islamic cleric who was a spiritual mentor of al Qaeda — and contemplating ways to wage jihad. As he immersed himself deeper into this propaganda, BICKFORD devoted himself to violent Islamic extremism and pursuit of the jihad that he would eventually unleash in the heart of New York City. In the months leading up to his attack, BICKFORD focused on traveling overseas to support the Taliban in Afghanistan or elsewhere. He planned to ally himself with the Taliban to fight against governments that, in his view, oppress Muslims, and to wage jihad against officials of governments that he believes are anti-Muslim, including the U.S. Government. Ultimately, BICKFORD decided that he would not travel overseas and instead turned his attention to an attack here in the U.S. After months of radicalization, this decision resulted in BICKFORD perpetrating his attack in Times Square on New Year’s Eve just over a year ago. Near the scene of the attack, law enforcement recovered a book from BICKFORD’s backpack with the following passage highlighted: “Fight in the Name of Allah and in the Cause of Allah. Fight against those who do not believe in Allah. Wage a holy war.”
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BICKFORD, 20, of Wells, Maine, pled guilty to three counts of attempted murder of officers and employees of the U.S. Government and persons assisting them, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and three counts of assault of officers and employees of the U.S. Government and persons assisting them, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The charges carry an aggregate potential sentence of 120 years in prison. BICKFORD is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Castel on April 11, 2024.
The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding efforts of the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force (“JTTF”), which consists of investigators and analysts from the FBI, the NYPD, and over 50 other federal, state, and local agencies, and thanked the FBI’s Maine JTTF and the Counterterrorism Section of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division for their assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew J.C. Hellman, Sarah L. Kushner, and Kaylan E. Lasky are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney D. Andrew Sigler of the Counterterrorism Section.
Major Supplier and Two Others Involved in the Carrollton / Flower Mound Juvenile Overdose Case SentencedRead the Press Release
Three defendants were sentenced today to a combined 35 years in federal prison for their roles in the drug conspiracy that claimed the lives of three teenagers in north Texas, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Jason Xavier Villanueva, 23, Robert Alexander Gaitan, 20, and Rafael Soliz, Jr., 23, were indicted in a superseding indictment in March 2023. In June 2023, Mr. Villanueva and Mr. Soliz pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl to a person under 21 years of age. In July 2023, Mr. Gaitan pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Today, U.S. District Judge Ed Kinkeade sentenced Mr. Villanueva to 15 years in federal prison; Mr. Gaitan to 5 years in federal prison; and Mr. Soliz to 15 years in federal prison.
“Precious children in our north Texas community died—and more overdosed and almost died—as a direct result of these defendants’ actions, and I am proud of my dedicated prosecutors for working tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to bring these men to justice,” announced U.S. Attorney Simonton. “We will not stop until every dealer or trafficker knows that we will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law if you distribute the deadly drug of fentanyl.”
“I was at today’s sentencing and heard statements from both the defendant’s and the victim’s family and friends. Nobody won today. This is what drug trafficking and abuse does. Lives have been destroyed and tragically some we will never get back,” said DEA Dallas Special Agent in Charge, Eduardo A. Chávez. “The men and women of the DEA Dallas will continue to relentlessly pursue those who distribute illicit fentanyl, while equally supporting and standing firm with those family members and friends affected by the grip of illicit substance abuse.”
“Justice was served today in these cases,” announced Carrollton Police Department Chief Roberto Arredondo. “This national crisis is a priority for us; we will not rest until we have rid our great community of this poison, and those responsible for preying upon our citizens are behind bars. The Carrollton Police Department appreciates the hard work of our school resource officers in the Carrollton-Farmers Branch Independent School District and the Lewisville Independent School District. CPD also thanks our partners in law enforcement including the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Office for their tireless work against this national problem.”
In court documents, Mr. Villanueva admitted he distributed more than 200,000 fentanyl pills to north Texas customers over the course of five or six months, at a rate of about 40,000 pills per month. He sold the pills – round blue tablets marked M-30 – to a network of juvenile and adult dealers, including Mr. Gaitan and Mr. Soliz, who went on to sell to friends, classmates, and other customers in Carrollton. He often advertised on Instagram and following the arrest of one of his codefendants in February 2023 posted, “Only thing that’s gonna stop us is feds.” Villanueva was identified during the investigation as being one of the primary sources of counterfeit M30 pills.
At today’s hearing, prosecutors discussed the overdose of several children ages 13 – 17 years of age, including two middle school and one high school student who died after taking the fentanyl pills. The defendants knew the ages of the students they were selling to and knew the pills they were selling contained fentanyl.
Ten individuals have been charged in the drug conspiracy and are tied to at least 12 juvenile overdoses – three of them fatal – in Carrollton and Flower Mound.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Office and the Carrollton Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of School Resource Officers from the Carrollton – Farmer’s Branch Independent School District and the Lewisville Independent School District. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rick Calvert and Phelesa Guy are prosecuting the case.
Leaders of International Drug Trafficking and Firearms Smuggling Organization Sentenced to 21 and 20 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that FRANCISCO JAVIER MECINA BARRERA, a/k/a “Angel,” was sentenced to 21 years in prison for MECINA’s leadership of a large-scale firearms trafficking and methamphetamine distribution and importation operation he called the “Cartel de Houston” — Spanish for “Houston Cartel” — or “CDH.” The organization smuggled substantial quantities of firearms to Mexico to trade them for hundreds of kilograms of methamphetamine, which they then distributed throughout the United States, while using firearms of their own to protect their organization and threaten others. In June 2023, MECINA pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero, who imposed today’s sentence. On December 1, 2023, Judge Marrero sentenced co-defendant ADALID CABRERA HUATO, a/k/a “China,” who was the CDH’s second-in-command, to 20 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “These defendants sought nothing less than the establishment of a heavily armed drug cartel based in the United States, importing massive quantities of deadly drugs while exporting weapons to some of the most violent criminal organizations in the world. They believed Satan was watching over them because they knew what they were doing was evil — plain and simple. These crimes cause immense harm to communities on both sides of the border, all across the United States, and right here in New York City. Our Office continues its unwavering commitment to dismantling all organizations that look to line their pockets through drugs, guns, and violence.”
According to court filings and statements made in court proceedings:
From at least in or about March 2020 to at least in or about April 2021, MECINA was the leader of an international narcotics importation and distribution organization that imported hundreds of kilograms of crystal and liquid methamphetamine from Mexico into Texas and further distributed it throughout the United States, including to New York. MECINA called his group the Cartel de Houston, or “CDH,” because it was based in Houston and had ties to Mexico-based drug trafficking cartels.
CDH was also an international supplier of firearms. At MECINA’s direction, members of CDH smuggled numerous firearms into Mexico and delivered them to Mexico-based drug traffickers, often in exchange for methamphetamine that they then smuggled back into the United States for distribution, hidden in the gas tank of a car that MECINA provided to his couriers. A photograph of some of these firearms as they were packaged by members of CDH to be smuggled into Mexico is included below:
MECINA and other members of CDH also used firearms to threaten and intimidate a narcotics customer of CDH who owed MECINA money for drugs, intimidating him with an assault-style rifle with a 50-round drum magazine. When MECINA was arrested, that rifle and loaded drum magazine were found in his apartment, as shown in the below photographs:
After establishing CDH, MECINA appointed co-defendant Cabrera as his right-hand man in Houston, and MECINA recruited others, including co-defendants GIOVANNI DE LA MORA and JAIME SANTILLANO, to acquire and transport numerous guns from the United States into Mexico, trade them for substantial quantities of methamphetamine, and transport the drugs into the United States, where they would distribute them throughout the country, including to the Bronx, New York. MECINA provided his co-conspirators with vehicles and instructed them on how to hide the guns and drugs in the fuel tank to avoid detection.
MECINA also utilized a Mexico-based religious figure known as “Lucifer” to bless the CDH’s members and drugs as they were crossing the border. To exert control over his criminal organization, MECINA created a CDH Initiation Agreement that he sent to those working for him, marked it with a purportedly Satanic symbol, and detailed the “Rite of Initiation for New Applications to Enter the Fraternity of CDH,” as depicted below:
MECINA also created a logo for his criminal organization that he shared with co-conspirators, which had the same Satanic icon at the top:
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MECINA, 32, of Michoacán, Mexico, and Houston, Texas, pled guilty to (i) conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine; (ii) conspiracy to illegally import methamphetamine into the United States; and (iii) use, carrying, and possession of a firearm in connection with, and in furtherance of, the narcotics conspiracy and the narcotics importation conspiracy, which was brandished.
CABRERA, 26, of Houston, Texas, pled guilty to narcotics conspiracy.
As part of the same case, DE LA MORA and SANTILLANO, both of Houston, Texas, previously pled guilty to narcotics conspiracy. DE LA MORA and SANTILLANO were sentenced by Judge Marrero to 90 months and 86 months in prison, respectively. In addition to the prison terms, Judge Marrero sentenced DE LA MORA and SANTILLANO each to four years of supervised release.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) and the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations New York City Border Enforcement Security Task Force, which is comprised of local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, including the New York City Police Department. Mr. Williams also thanked the Department of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Houston Police Department, and the DEA Houston Division for their invaluable assistance in this investigation.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (“OCDETF”) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael R. Herman, Mitzi S. Steiner, and Jane Y. Chong, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Jacqueline Hauck, are in charge of the prosecution.
Leader of Fitchburg Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The leader of a Fitchburg-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) was sentenced today in federal court in Worcester for fentanyl, heroin, crack and cocaine trafficking conspiracy.
Pedro Baez, 54, of Fitchburg, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to 10 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. In February 2021, Baez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 280 grams or more of cocaine base (commonly known as crack cocaine) and 500 grams or more of cocaine and one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 100 grams or more of heroin and cocaine.
Following a fatal fentanyl overdose in September 2018, law enforcement began an investigation into a DTO operating in the Fitchburg area led by Pedro Baez and his son Anthony Baez. Beginning in July 2019, electronic communications revealed that the Baez DTO distributed a fentanyl and heroin mixture, cocaine and crack cocaine on a regular basis to individuals in the Fitchburg area, who then redistributed the drugs to others.
Over the course of the investigation, over 1.8 kilograms of a heroin and fentanyl mixture, over 3.6 kilograms of cocaine and over 50 grams of crack cocaine, as well as a stolen, loaded handgun, drug manufacturing equipment and over $376,000 in cash were seized.
Pedro Baez was charged along with 17 others in July 2020. All 18 defendants were convicted, either by guilty plea or at trial. Pedro Baez is the 18th and final defendant to be sentenced in the case. In December 2020, Anthony Baez was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to 13 years in prison and five years of supervised release.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. The Fitchburg Police Department, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Lunenburg Police Department also provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alathea E. Porter and Sarah Hoefle of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.Lake Charles Man with Prior Felony Conviction Found with Nine Firearms at his Residence Sentenced to Time in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Jordan C. Soileau, 33, of Lake Charles, Louisiana, has been sentenced by United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. to 110 months (9 years, 2 months) in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon, and possession of an unregistered firearm silencer.
According to information presented in court, on April 9, 2022, officers with the Lake Charles Police Department responded to Soileau’s residence following a complaint that he had attacked a female victim and beat her to the point where she lost consciousness. The violent attack had been caught on video, and the officers were able to identify Soileau as the abuser. The video showed Soileau punch the female victim and render her unconscious. He also threw the female onto the ground, at which point he kicked and struck her again and smashed her cell phone. Through the ensuing investigation, the officers also learned that the victim resided with Soileau. The evidence also indicated that Soileau had brought the victim back to their shared residence after the attack.
The officers went to Soileau’s residence to further investigate the abuse, secure the victim, and ensure her safety. When they arrived, they encountered Soileau. While detaining him, the officers observed several firearms in plain view. Using this information, the officers obtained a search warrant for Soileau’s property, including his home and vehicles. The subsequent search of the residence and his vehicle resulted in the seizure of nine firearms, which included an Anderson Manufacturing, Model AM-15 semi-automatic rifle that had been outfitted with what appeared to be a silencer device and an auto-sear conversion device, allowing it to operate as a machinegun. Ammunition in various calibers and large capacity magazines were also seized. The investigation also uncovered evidence that Soileau had recently discharged one of the firearms in the home.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted further analysis of the firearms. The ATF’s investigation confirmed that the AM-15 operated as a machinegun and that the silencer and conversion device had not been registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. At the time of the incident, Soileau had a previous felony conviction for simple burglary in Calcasieu Parish and knew he was prohibited from possessing any firearm or ammunition. As a result of the evidence against Soileau, Judge Cain was able to depart upward from the pre-calculated sentencing guideline range.
The case was investigated by ATF and Lake Charles Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Danny Siefker.
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Lafourche Parish Man Sentenced for Violations of Federal Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DILLON TOUPS, age 34, a resident of Larose, Louisiana, was sentenced on January 9, 2024 by United States District Judge Wendy B. Vitter to 140 months imprisonment, 5 years of supervised release, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee after previously pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute fifty (50) grams or more of methamphetamine and a quantity of fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 841(b)(1)(C), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court documents, on December 18, 2021, Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s deputies conducted a traffic stop of TOUPS on Highway 1 in Raceland, Louisiana. After smelling marijuana in the vehicle, deputies searched the vehicle and found a bag containing 1,317 grams of methamphetamine on the back seat. After being advised of his rights, TOUPS told the deputies he stored additional drugs at his residence. Deputies searched his residence in Larose, Louisiana and located 411 grams of methamphetamine and .91 grams of fentanyl.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney André Jones of the Narcotics Unit.
Kyle Man Found Guilty of Illegal Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted Evan Brown Bull, age 38, of Kyle, South Dakota, of Possession of Ammunition by a Prohibited Person following a two-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on January 10, 2024.
The charge carries a maximum penalty of ten years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Brown Bull was indicted by a federal grand jury in July of 2022.
Evidence at trial established that in March of 2022, in Rapid City, Brown Bull, a previously convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition, was found in possession of 11 rounds of Black Hills Ammunition brand, .380 AUTO caliber ammunition, 49 rounds of Blazer brand, 9x19mm Luger ammunition, and 49 rounds of PMC brand, .38 Special caliber ammunition, which were found after Brown Bull came into contact with law enforcement during a traffic stop.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date has not been set. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Koreatown Lawyer Charged with Money Laundering, Tax Evasion and Obstructing Probe of $2.1 Million Payment from Swiss Oil CompanyRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A federal grand jury has indicted a Koreatown lawyer with multiple felonies arising from an alleged $2.1 million bribe, which he received while serving as an officer of Nigeria’s state-owned oil company in connection with negotiating favorable drilling rights for a subsidiary of a Chinese state-owned oil company, the Justice Department announced today.
Paulinus Iheanacho Okoronkwo, 67, of Valencia, who practices immigration and personal injury law out of an office in Koreatown, was charged in a five-count indictment returned on Wednesday.
Okoronkwo is charged with three counts of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity, one count of tax evasion, and one count of obstruction of justice.
He is expected to be arraigned in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles in the coming weeks.
According to the indictment, Okoronkwo, who is a dual citizen of the United States and Nigeria, was a foreign official who served as the general manager of the upstream division of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corp. (NNPC), a state-owned company through which Nigeria’s government developed that nation’s fossil fuel and natural gas reserves, including through partnerships with foreign oil companies. In this role, Okoronkwo owed a fiduciary duty to the NNPC and the Nigerian people and was a public official.
In October 2015, Addax Petroleum, a Switzerland-based subsidiary of Sinopec, a Chinese state-owned petroleum, gas, and petrochemical conglomerate, wired a payment of $2,105,263 to an Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Account (IOLTA) in the name of Okoronkwo’s Los Angeles law firm, purportedly for his work as a consultant who negotiated and completed a settlement agreement with the NNPC with respect to Addax’s drilling rights in Nigeria. According to the indictment, Addax calculated that it stood to lose billions of dollars if its favorable drilling rights were not secured.
The engagement letter that Addax signed that month with Okoronkwo’s law office – with a fake address in Lagos, Nigeria – allegedly was a ruse intended to conceal the fact that its payment to Okoronkwo was a bribe in exchange for his influence in securing more favorable financial terms relating to its crude oil drilling in Nigeria.
According to the indictment, to conceal the illegal bribery scheme, Addax falsely characterized the $2.1 million payment as a payment for legal services, lied to an auditor about the payment, and fired an executive who questioned the payment’s propriety. To create the false impression that the bribe payment constituted client funds, Okoronkwo allegedly received the payment in his law firm’s IOLTA.
In November 2017, Okoronkwo allegedly used $983,200 of the illegally obtained funds to purchase a house in Valencia.
In addition to money laundering, Okoronkwo is charged with tax evasion for allegedly omitting the $2.1 million bribe payment from his 2015 federal income tax return. He is also charged with obstruction of justice for allegedly lying to investigators when interviewed in June 2022.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted of all charges, Okoronkwo would face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for each money laundering count, 10 years in federal prison for the obstruction of justice count, and five years in federal prison for the tax evasion count.
The FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation are investigating this case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided assistance.
Assistant United States Attorney Alexander B. Schwab of the Corporate and Securities Fraud Strike Force is prosecuting this case.
Kanawha County Woman Sentenced to Prison for Federal Fraud CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Kathy Darlene Strickmaker, 64, of Dry Branch, was sentenced today to one year and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $698,883.32 in restitution for bank fraud.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Strickmaker was the administrative assistant for a Charleston business from 2006 to 2018. Strickmaker’s duties as administrative assistant included paying bills on behalf of the business, which maintained multiple accounts at a bank in Charleston, and managing the business’s payroll and accounts payable.
From on or about January 15, 2015, through on or about November 21, 2018, Strickmaker devised a scheme to obtain money under the control of the business’s bank, defrauding the business and its bank to enrich herself and her son. Strickmaker admitted that she wrote at least 80 unauthorized checks drawn from the business’s bank accounts and forged her employer’s signature on them. Strickmaker further admitted that she made the unauthorized checks payable to herself, her son, and three of her son’s associates in amounts of between approximately $800 to $3,300. Once the unauthorized checks were cashed, the son would take the money. The victim’s loss amount totaled $698,883.32.
“The defendant’s scheme endured for years and was executed frequently, resulting in a staggering loss for the victim business,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “I commend the West Virginia State Police-Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI) and the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office (WVSAO) for their the investigative work, and Assistant United States Attorney Holly Wilson for prosecuting the case.”
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-57.
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Justice Department Observes National Human Trafficking Prevention MonthRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Justice Department today commemorates National Human Trafficking Prevention Month and renews its commitment to prosecuting human traffickers, protecting victims, empowering survivors, and preventing the proliferation of these abhorrent crimes.
In recognition of Human Trafficking Prevention Month, the Justice Department reaffirms that vindicating the rights of human trafficking victims and other vulnerable persons ranks among its highest priorities. The Department remains resolute in its commitment to bringing the full force of the Department to the fight against human trafficking.
“The Department launched our National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking to bring the full force of the Department to the fight against human trafficking,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Since then, we’ve taken sustained steps forward to make our anti-trafficking efforts stronger than ever. We have brought human traffickers to justice, dismantled trafficking enterprises, and empowered survivors to rebuild their lives. I am proud of the progress the Department has made. But there is still much more work left to do.”
“Human trafficking is a vicious crime, one where the traffickers reap the profits and the victims bear the scars,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “While we recognize Human Trafficking Prevention Month as an annual reminder of the importance of this fight, the women and men of the Justice Department are working 365 days a year to dismantle trafficking organizations, bring traffickers to justice, and empower survivors.”
“Human trafficking deprives exceptionally vulnerable people of their rights to freedom, dignity, and equal protection of the law. Too often, human trafficking crimes go undetected because victims are afraid to come forward, so they remain in the shadows, fearful of defying their traffickers’ demands,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Division remains relentless in our pursuit of justice for victims and survivors of these intolerable offenses. We must continue to build trust in vulnerable communities so those who are endangered, exploited, compelled, or coerced can safely come forward and share their personal testimonies. We will continue to honor and empower survivors and amplify their voices as we work to detect hidden trafficking crimes, hold human traffickers accountable, vindicate the rights of vulnerable victims, and secure justice for survivors.”
The Justice Department’s National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking sets forth a comprehensive, multi-year strategy to enhance Department-wide efforts to combat all forms of human trafficking. Actions in 2023 to implement this National Strategy and to advance all aspects of the Department’s broad-based anti-trafficking mission include:
- Designation by the Attorney General of a National Human Trafficking Coordinator and a National Child Exploitation Coordinator to coordinate Department-wide and interagency implementation of strategies for countering human trafficking and child exploitation threats, respectively.
- Establishment of a Human Trafficking Working Group of U.S. Attorneys through the Attorney General's Advisory Committee of U.S. Attorneys and its Civil Rights Subcommittee.
- Formation of a specialized Human Trafficking Program Management Team within the FBI’s Crimes Against Children and Human Trafficking Unit to develop and disseminate expertise and training on victim-centered, trauma-informed anti-trafficking strategies to FBI Field Offices nationwide and enhance coordination of human trafficking investigations, prosecutions, and victim services.
- Implementation of the revised Attorney General Guidelines for Victim and Witness Assistance, including delivery of survivor-informed training to all relevant Department personnel on enhanced protections for vulnerable victims and specialized issues impacting human trafficking victims.
- Training of all Department Immigration Judges on detecting human trafficking victims and indicators in immigration-related proceedings through the Executive Office for Immigration Review.
- Expanded efforts to combat forced child labor, including:
- Leadership of the interagency Forced Labor Initiative Steering Group in conducting strategic assessments of forced child labor threats and guiding criminal forced labor investigations and prosecutions in relevant jurisdictions;
- Participation in the interagency Child Labor Exploitation Task Force and issuance of guidance to all Office for Victims of Crime grantees, in collaboration with the Department of Labor, on identifying, assisting, and referring victims of forced child labor and child labor exploitation; and
- Introduction of resolutions on combating forced child labor to the United Nations Convention on Transnational Organized Crime Working Group on Trafficking in Persons
- Sustained efforts to combat child sex trafficking, including through:
- Release of the Department’s 2023 National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction;
- Operations conducted by the FBI and federal, state, local, and Tribal partners over a two-week period that identified and located 59 missing children and 59 victims of potential federal or state sex trafficking, sexual exploitation, or related offenses, as well as 126 suspects and 141 potential adult victims of such offenses; and
- Issuance of an Office on Violence Against Women Training and Technical Assistance grant to implement the Building Capacity to Serve Youth Survivors of Sex Trafficking Project; youth sex trafficking grantees and service providers; deliver youth-centered, survivor-informed expertise; and enhance outreach to traditionally underserved youth populations including BIPOC, LGBTQI+, migrant youth, and youth with disabilities.
- Enhanced responses to human trafficking impacting Tribal communities through training, technical assistance, and coordination among Tribal, territorial, federal, state, local, and non-governmental partners, including through the Tribal Consultation on Violence Against American Indian and Alaska Native Women; Not Invisible Act Commission; National Indian Country Training Initiative; and Strengthening Sovereign Responses to Sex Trafficking in Indian Country and Alaska program.
- Issuance of over $95 million in grant funding through the Department’s Office for Victims of Crime, as the largest federal funder of services for human trafficking victims and survivors, including grant funding for direct services and legal services and training and technical assistance to enhance grantees’ capacity to provide services to labor trafficking victims.
- National Institute of Justice-funded research and evaluation studies to inform evidence-based best practices involving multidisciplinary task forces, victim services, and responses to emerging forced labor and forced criminality threats.
- Continued collaboration among U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity and Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Sections to secure convictions, substantial sentences, and significant restitution awards in a wide range of human trafficking prosecutions nationwide.
Anyone who has information about a potential human trafficking situation or a person who may be experiencing human trafficking should contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733.
Information on the Justice Department’s work to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
human_trafficking_prevention_month_recent_accomplishments.pdfJustice Department Files Civil Rights Lawsuit Against Oklahoma Landlord for Sexually Harassing TenantsRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – The Justice Department filed a lawsuit today against Shevis “Don” Petties of Moore, Oklahoma, for sexually harassing female tenants in violation of the Fair Housing Act (FHA). Petties has owned, operated or managed residential rental properties in Oklahoma City, Forest Park, and Moore, Oklahoma, since at least 2016.
“These women lived in fear every day that their landlord would enter their bedroom unannounced, film them in the bathroom, make lewd comments about their bodies and appearance and grope them,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to enforcing federal civil rights laws to ensure landlords are held accountable for unlawful and predatory behavior.”
“Tenants have the right under federal fair housing laws to be free from unwanted sexual harassment and intimidation by their landlord in order to obtain or maintain housing,” said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma. “Today’s civil complaint represents a significant step in the Justice Department’s efforts to pursue justice and compensation for vulnerable female victims who have been subjected to civil rights violations.”
The lawsuit alleges that Petties subjected female tenants to unwelcome sexual contact and comments about their physical appearances; physically assaulted tenants; entered tenants’ bedrooms without consent; photographed and filmed female tenants in their bedrooms and bathrooms without their knowledge and permission and demanded that female tenants engage in sexual acts with him under threat of losing their housing. The lawsuit also names the current owners of the rental properties, TMH Group Inc, The Monarch House LLC, also known as Monarch House LLC, and Exceptional Service Company LLC as defendants.
The lawsuit seeks money damages to compensate women harmed by the alleged harassment, a fine for the United States, and a court order prohibiting future acts of discrimination and harassment.
The FHA prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability and familial status. It also prohibits sexual harassment, a form of sex discrimination. Individuals who believe that they may have been victims of sexual harassment at rental properties owned or operated by Petties, or who have other information that may be relevant to this case, may contact the Justice Department by calling its Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative at 1-844-380-6178, or by calling the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 405-553-8700.
The Justice Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative is led by the Civil Rights Division, in coordination with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country. The initiative seeks to address and raise awareness about sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance works, loan officers and other people who have control over housing. Since launching the initiative in October 2017, the department has filed 38 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing and recovered nearly $11 million for victims of such harassment. The Civil Rights Division is committed to protecting people from sexual misconduct.
More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt. Individuals may report discrimination in housing that violates the Fair Housing Act by calling the Justice Department at 1-833-591-0291, or submitting a report online.
Justice Department Files Civil Rights Lawsuit Against Oklahoma Landlord for Sexually Harassing TenantsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department filed a lawsuit today against Shevis “Don” Petties of Moore, Oklahoma, for sexually harassing female tenants in violation of the Fair Housing Act (FHA). Petties has owned, operated or managed residential rental properties in Oklahoma City, Forest Park, and Moore, Oklahoma, since at least 2016.
“These women lived in fear every day that their landlord would enter their bedroom unannounced, film them in the bathroom, make lewd comments about their bodies and appearance and grope them,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to enforcing federal civil rights laws to ensure landlords are held accountable for unlawful and predatory behavior.”
“Tenants have the right under federal fair housing laws to be free from unwanted sexual harassment and intimidation by their landlord in order to obtain or maintain housing,” said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma. “Today’s civil complaint represents a significant step in the Justice Department’s efforts to pursue justice and compensation for vulnerable female victims who have been subjected to civil rights violations.”
The lawsuit alleges that Petties subjected female tenants to unwelcome sexual contact and comments about their physical appearances; physically assaulted tenants; entered tenants’ bedrooms without consent; photographed and filmed female tenants in their bedrooms and bathrooms without their knowledge and permission and demanded that female tenants engage in sexual acts with him under threat of losing their housing. The lawsuit also names the current owners of the rental properties, TMH Group Inc, The Monarch House LLC, also known as Monarch House LLC, and Exceptional Service Company LLC as defendants.
The lawsuit seeks money damages to compensate women harmed by the alleged harassment, a fine for the United States and a court order prohibiting future acts of discrimination and harassment.
The FHA prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability and familial status. It also prohibits sexual harassment, a form of sex discrimination. Individuals who believe that they may have been victims of sexual harassment at rental properties owned or operated by Petties, or who have other information that may be relevant to this case, may contact the Justice Department by calling its Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative at 1-844-380-6178, or by calling the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 405-553-8700.
The Justice Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative is led by the Civil Rights Division, in coordination with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country. The initiative seeks to address and raise awareness about sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance works, loan officers and other people who have control over housing. Since launching the initiative in October 2017, the department has filed 38 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing and recovered nearly $11 million for victims of such harassment. The Civil Rights Division is committed to protecting people from sexual misconduct.
More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt. Individuals may report discrimination in housing that violates the Fair Housing Act by calling the Justice Department at 1-833-591-0291, or submitting a report online.
View the complaint here.
Jury Convicts Springfield Man of Drug Trafficking, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man has been convicted in federal court of his role in a conspiracy to distribute valeryl fentanyl, which is an analogue of fentanyl, and illegally possessing several firearms.
Darrell L. Smith, 34, was found guilty at trial of one count of conspiracy to distribute a fentanyl analogue known as valeryl fentanyl, one count of possessing a fentanyl analogue with the intent to distribute, and one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
Co-defendant Eugene C. Saunders, 50, of Springfield, pleaded guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy and was sentenced on Aug. 1, 2023, to three years in federal prison without parole.
In August 2019, law enforcement learned that Smith and Saunders were selling “heroin” (later determined to be valeryl fentanyl) together in Springfield and that Saunders stored his “heroin” at Smith’s residence. Smith and Saunders often packaged “heroin” together at Smith’s residence.
On Aug. 15, 2019, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Smith’s residence. Officers seized a large plastic bag that contained valeryl fentanyl and 30 individually packaged sandwich bags of valeryl fentanyl.
In plain view on a table in the living room near the bags of valeryl fentanyl, officers found a loaded magazine for a 9mm pistol. Officers found body armor and seven loaded firearms – including a Smith & Wesson .22-caliber semi-automatic pistol, a Glock 9mm semi-automatic pistol, a Taurus 9mm semi-automatic pistol, a North American Arms .22-caliber revolver, a Mossberg 20-gauge pump shotgun, a Smith & Wesson .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol, and a Winchester 12-gauge shotgun – in an upstairs bedroom. Three of these firearms were located in plain view on a dresser and two shotguns were leaned up against a wall. An eighth firearm was found in a secondary bedroom, where Smith had been located when the warrant was executed. This firearm, a Smith & Wesson 9mm semi-automatic pistol, was located underneath a couch cushion on a child’s bed.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Springfield deliberated for less than four hours on Wednesday, Jan. 10, before returning guilty verdicts to U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool, ending a trial that began Monday, Jan. 8.
Under federal statutes, Smith is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica R. Eatmon and John D. Hatcher. It was investigated by the Springfield, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Indiana Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Victimizing 96-Year-Old Rhode Islander Through an Online Romance ScamRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – An Indiana woman who perpetrated an online romance scam that defrauded a 96-year-old Rhode Island widower out of nearly $80,000 has been sentenced to three years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Brittany Rakia Shawnai Lasley, 34, of Anderson, IN, previously admitted to a federal judge that she created a social media account containing fake profile information on the dating site “Plenty of Fish.” When contacted by the Rhode Island widower, she promptly began a campaign to persuade the victim to provide her with money, credit cards, gift cards, and his personal identifying information. She led the victim to believe that providing her with these items would facilitate meetings between the two and foster a romantic relationship. During the scheme, Lasley fraudulently obtained access to the victim’s checking account and credit cards and made numerous unauthorized purchases.
During Wednesday’s sentencing hearing, a federal prosecutor quoted from a victim impact statement submitted to the court by the 96-year-old victim, who wrote that he “ was in shock and disbelief. It took me a few days to comprehend what had happened. I was embarrassed, horrified, and distressed about my financial situation, fearing that I could lose the house I had lived in since 1970.
“This defendant preyed on a vulnerable, elderly Rhode Islander, dangling the promise of love and companionship in an attempt to help herself to her victim’s hard-earned savings,” remarked U.S. Attorney Cunha. “With this sentence, it is Ms. Lasley who will deservedly pay the price for her appalling conduct. I commend the exceptional work of this team of law enforcement professionals- state, federal, and local, for bringing this defendant to justice.”
“There is no worse predator than one who preys on the vulnerable. In this case, Ms. Lasley targeted lonely seniors to satisfy her own greed. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is proud to stand with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to protect the vulnerable members of our community and to bring to justice those who would victimize them.” Inspector in Charge Ketty D. Larco-Ward, United States Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division.
Lasley pleaded guilty on September 6, 2023, to a charge of wire fraud. She was sentenced on Wednesday by U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith to 36 months of incarceration to be followed by three years of federal supervised release, the first six months to be served in a residential reentry facility.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Paul F. Daly, Jr., and Peter I Roklan.
The matter was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service.
United States Attorney Cunha thanks the Coventry, RI, Police Department; Anderson, IN, Police Department; Indiana State Police; United States Marshals Service; and the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General for their assistance in the investigation of this matter.
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Human Trafficking Awareness MonthRead the Press Release
HAMMOND – Every year since 2010, the President of the United States has proclaimed January “National Human Trafficking Prevention Month” and reaffirmed the United States Government’s commitment to combatting human trafficking in all its forms.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana joins in this commitment and will continue to prioritize combatting forced labor, domestic servitude, and sex trafficking of children and adults throughout the District.
“A crucial and necessary step in combatting Human Trafficking is recognizing potential trafficking situations and taking the further step of reporting these activities to law enforcement,” said United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. “My office is committed to working with its state and local partners both in law enforcement and through non-governmental organizations, advocacy groups, trauma-informed service providers and community leaders to support victims, prevent trafficking where possible, and prosecute those who are engaging in human trafficking. We are most effective in addressing these situations when the community joins with us to recognize and report ‘red flags’ that may indicate a trafficking situation. We encourage the public to join us in rooting out these crimes, not only during this month of recognition, but each and every day.”
Below are a few questions that can help identify whether a potential sex trafficking or labor trafficking situation is occurring.
- Has the victim been forced or coerced into performing commercial sex acts?
- Is the victim under the age of 18 and engaged in commercial sex?
- Is the victim free to contact friends or family without being coached or monitored?
- Is someone severely limiting the victim’s freedom of movement?
- Has the victim or their family been threatened with harm if they attempt to leave?
- Has the victim been harmed, deprived of food, water, sleep, medical care, or other life necessities?
- Is the victim in possession of their own travel/identification documents?
- Are the victim’s wages being unlawfully garnished to pay off a debt or fee?
- Is the victim allowed to socialize or attend religious services?
- Has the victim been threatened with deportation or criminal charges?
If a situation arises where the answer to one or more of the above questions is “Yes”, the U.S. Attorney’s Office asks that you to join in the effort to combat human trafficking and report the information.
If you are a victim of human trafficking, suspect you know one, or have seen a situation you think may involve trafficking please contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI, the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text HELP or INFO to BeFree (233733), or your local law enforcement. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please call 911. If you believe a child is involved in a trafficking situation, submit a tip through the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s Call Center at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678).
Information on the Department of Justice’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
Howard County Man Sentenced to Two Years in Federal Prison for Threatening an LGBTQI+ Advocacy GroupRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III today sentenced Adam Michael Nettina, age 34, of West Friendship, Maryland, to two years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for using the telephone to make death threats and other calls for violence against a group that advocates for LGBTQI+ people. According to the evidence presented by the government at today’s sentencing hearing, Nettina also sent threatening messages to Maryland and Virginia state delegates due to their support of transgender people.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; and Acting Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
“You have the right to your own opinions, but you don’t have the right to threaten the lives of those who disagree with you. As this case demonstrates, free speech does not include violent threats against others,” said United States Attorney for the District of Maryland, Erek L. Barron. “We’ll continue prosecuting these threats to the fullest extent of the law.”
“This defendant targeted and threatened members of the LGBTQI+ community and their allies, instilling fear and promoting violence toward a heavily targeted community,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This sentence underscores the Justice Department’s commitment to combating threats against public officials and protected communities. We will work tirelessly to expunge the growing threat posed by bias-motivated acts of violence directed at the LGBTQI+ community and their allies.”
“Threats of violence made against people and organizations to instill fear will not be tolerated,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “The FBI will continue to work diligently to ensure the civil rights of all Americans are protected.”
According to court documents, on the evening of March 28, 2023, the victim organization received a threatening voicemail from a phone number, which investigators identified as belonging to Adam Michael Nettina. The message referenced the March 27, 2023, mass shooting at a school in Nashville, Tennessee, involving multiple shooting fatalities, where police identified the perpetrator as a transgender woman. During the call, numerous threats were made including, “ . . . We’ll cut your throats. We’ll put a bullet in your head . . . . You’re going to kill us? We’re going to kill you ten times more in full.”
Nettina admitted that he left this voicemail for the purpose of issuing a threat and with the knowledge that the voicemail would be viewed as a threat. Further, Nettina intentionally selected the advocacy organization as a target of his message because of the actual and perceived gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation of the people who work at and are assisted by the organization.
As detailed in his plea agreement, on March 31, 2022, a Maryland State Delegate posted a message of support on social media in honor of Trans Day of Visibility. Nettina responded on social media later that same day, which stated, among other things, that he had “begun the formal process of getting you excommunicated . . . ” from the Catholic Church. On November 8, 2022, the delegate was reelected. Nettina sent the delegate another message on social media, stating: “ . . . Baby killing terrroist. Enjoy hell You’re going sooner than you think.”
Finally, as outlined in the court documents, on October 13, 2022, an online news story was published about an interview a Virginia State Delegate gave in which she advocated for the prevention of abuse towards transgender children. Two days later, on October 15, 2022, Nettina used the internet to send an email to the delegate’s press email account, stating: “The delegate is a terrorist. You are a terrorist. You deserve to be shot and hung in the streets. You want to come after people? Let’s go b**ch.” Nettina also sent a similar message to another email address of the delegate two minutes later. Nettina intentionally selected the delegate and her campaign staff as the recipient of his email because of the actual and perceived gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation of the people and constituents for whom the delegate had expressed support.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke commended the FBI for its work in the investigation. Mr. Barron and Ms. Clarke thanked Assistant U.S. Paul E. Budlow and Trial Attorney Tara Allison of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, who prosecuted the federal case.
Earlier this year, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland (USAO-MD) launched the national Department of Justice initiative, United Against Hate. Together with our local partners, USAO-MD’s United Against Hate campaign will empower local residents and communities to combat unlawful acts of hate, stand against racism and discrimination and alter the course of growing intolerance.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Houstonian imprisoned for attempting to import enough fentanyl to kill 2 million peopleRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas - A 49-year-old Houston woman has been ordered to federal prison for conspiring to import fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
A federal jury deliberated for less than an hour before convicting Monica Mata Vasquez Aug. 25, 2023, following a two-day trial.
U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana has now ordered Vasquez to serve 136 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court emphasized the significance of this case noting that fentanyl is destroying our community and killing people across the country.
“It takes only a tiny amount of fentanyl to kill a loved one. Vasquez brought in 4.6 kilos of that dangerous drug from Mexico--enough to kill approximately 2 million people,” said Hamdani. “She routinely travelled to Monterrey, Mexico, to pick up narcotics and did it all for money. She prioritized her greed over the well-being of our community. Today’s sentence takes a callous drug transporter off the streets and away from the border and guarantees that Vasquez will no longer profit from the pervasive destruction of fentanyl.”
“Illicit fentanyl is one of the greatest dangers we’re facing as a country,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Antonio. “The conviction and sentencing of Vasquez highlights the strength of our law enforcement partnerships who spend countless hours combating a poison that is harmful to many communities and families. HSI is steadfast in its efforts to disrupt and dismantle transnational criminal organizations and combat the flow of illicit opioids into the United States.”
On March 10, 2023, Vasquez arrived at the Juarez-Lincoln Port of Entry in Laredo and attempted to enter the United States. She had a suspicious travel itinerary which caused authorities to refer her to secondary inspection. There, authorities noticed anomalies in the battery of her car. Law enforcement removed the battery and found four bundles of fentanyl hidden inside it.
The total weight of the fentanyl was 4.6 kilograms, an amount with the approximate strength to kill more than two million people.
The jury also saw text messages from Vasquez’s phone which showed she had been coordinating “trips” with co-conspirators to and from Monterrey, Mexico, into the United States as far back as July 2022. The evidence showed Vasquez had driven to such locations as Alabama and had conversations about the purchase and installation of car batteries.
Further testimony indicated these messages showed Vasquez was part of an agreement to import and traffic narcotics.
The defense attempted to convince the jury that Vasquez did not know the drugs were inside the car. The jury did not believe those claims and found her guilty of engaging in a conspiracy to import fentanyl.
Vasquez has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
HSI conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leslie Cortez and Brian Bajew prosecuted the case.
#OnePillCanKill
Honduran National Sentenced for Being and Illegal Alien in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –MELVIN DANIEL VARGAS-REYES, 21, was sentenced on January 10, 2024 for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(5)(A), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court documents, VARGAS-REYES admitted to possessing a Hi-Point, nine-millimeter pistol as an illegal alien. VARGAS-REYES was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Sarah S. Vance to (24) twenty-four months in federal prison. He was also ordered to pay a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Department of Homeland Security. Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Hibbing Felon Indicted for Drug Trafficking and Firearms ViolationsRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Hibbing man has been indicted for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine, and illegal possession of firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, in November 2022, Phillip Lamount Davis, 53, was found to be in possession of fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine. Law enforcement also discovered evidence of drug distribution and a firearm; a second firearm was found in Davis’s possession in June 2023.
Because Davis has multiple prior felony convictions in Illinois, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
The indictment charges Davis with one count of distribution of methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine, two counts of possessing a firearm as a felon, and possessing a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. He made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court yesterday before Magistrate Judge Leo I. Brisbois, and a detention hearing has been scheduled for January 16, 2024, in Duluth.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Lake Superior Violent Offenders Task Force, in coordination with the St. Louis County Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carla J. Baumel 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.
Hampshire County man sentenced to 9 years for methamphetamine traffickingRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Timmey Leo Lambert, Sr., age 59, of Augusta, West Virginia, was sentenced to 108 months in federal prison for drug trafficking.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Timmey Lambert, Sr., was selling methamphetamine in Hampshire County. Investigators searched Lambert’s home and found methamphetamine, 16 firearms, $4100 in counterfeit money, and a bulletproof vest.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Kane prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funding initiative, investigated.
U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Hammond Woman Sentenced for Theft of More than $44,000 in Social Security FundsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that MELISSA KING (“KING”), age 54, of Hammond, Louisiana was sentenced on January 9, 2024 by United States District Judge Greg G. Guidry after previously pleading guilty to Theft of Government Funds, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641. Judge Guidry sentenced KING to three (3) years of probation, payment of restitution in the amount of $44,696.00 to the Social Security Administration as well as payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to court records, beginning in or around December 2016, and continuing until in or around March 2020, KING collected approximately $44,696.00 in Social Security Administration funds to which she was not entitled.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Carboni of the Financial Crimes Unit.
Former Seattle resident convicted of bank fraud for false COVID-19 Paycheck Protection Program filingsRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 30-year-old New York City man was convicted today in U.S. District Court in Seattle of three counts of wire fraud and two counts of bank fraud related to his abuse of the COVID-19 Pandemic Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Donte Jamal McClellon was a resident of Seattle when he submitted falsified documents to obtain $500,948 in loan proceeds from three different financial institutions in May and June 2020. The jury deliberated about two hours following the three-day trial. U.S. District Judge Lauren King scheduled sentencing for April 10, 2024.
According to records filed in the case, McClellon used the names of three limited liability corporations he had once registered in the State of Washington to make his claims. Each of the entities, ‘Frostlake,’ ‘Cannonlake,’ and ‘Skylake’ LLC, had been inactive and showed no signs of business activity in any state or federal registries in the years leading up to the pandemic. Nevertheless, in May and June 2020, McClellon submitted Paycheck Protection program applications claiming the entities each had as many as 13 employees and, in one case, gross receipts of more than $1.6 million. McClellon forged multiple Internal Revenue Service forms to make it appear the three companies were operating real estate, wholesale, or retail businesses, with employees who would benefit from the Paycheck Protection Program loans. McClellon claimed the businesses operated out of his home address in Seattle. The investigation revealed there was no business activity at that address.
The loan funds were disbursed to bank accounts that McClellon had set up just days before he made the loan applications. The proceeds were then moved to a personal bank account controlled by McClellon. McClellon used the money to pay his rent on a Manhattan apartment, for travel and gym memberships, and some $20,000 on Uber rides among other personal, non-business expenses.
The case was investigated by The FBI Seattle Field Division with assistance from FBI New York and the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG).
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Watts Staniar, Jessica Murphy Manca, and Sok Tea Jiang.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Former San Francisco Resident Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Crimes Related to “Ichioka Ventures” Cryptocurrency Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – William Koo Ichioka was sentenced to serve four years in prison and ordered to pay a $5 million fine for committing multiple felonies in connection with an investment fraud scheme involving cryptocurrencies and other investment vehicles. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. Vince Chhabria, United States District Judge.
Ichioka, 30, formerly of San Francisco and New York, pleaded guilty to five charges—wire fraud, two counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false or fraudulent tax return, committing fraud in connection with the purchase and sale of securities, and engaging in commodities fraud—on July 12, 2023. According to his plea agreement, beginning in 2018, Ichioka operated a scheme in which he fraudulently raised tens of millions of dollars from over 100 persons and entities. Court documents describe how Ichioka held himself out as “self-made investor” with a “multimillion fortune” as he solicited investors by promising that their funds would be invested in various securities and/or commodities, including cryptocurrency, and cryptocurrency arbitrage, futures, and derivatives, and foreign exchange currency transactions. Ichioka began doing business under the name “Ichioka Ventures” in 2019 and represented to prospective investors that they would earn 10% returns every 30 business days, and that his investment and trading activities actually had been generating or had the ability to generate returns in excess of these amounts. Further, Ichioka created a website for Ichioka Ventures that allowed investors to create and login to accounts to invest, view balances and investments, and view transaction history.
Ichioka admitted that, rather than invest his victims’ money as he promised, he instead commingled investor money with his own funds and used investor money to make purchases of luxury items (including luxury vehicles, watches, and other jewelry) and to fund his own personal expenses. Such personal expenses included his personal residence, restaurants and bars, grocery stores, taxi and car share rides, retail stores, gym membership fees, and online purchases. Moreover, Ichioka admitted that he and Ichioka Ventures did not actually earn 10% returns every 30 business days for his investors throughout the time that he represented that it did. Rather, he and Ichioka Ventures sustained losses from portions of funds that he did invest. Court documents describe that by the end of 2019—unbeknownst to investors—Ichioka had privately acknowledged that the “[c]ompany hasn’t made any money since we started.”
“Ichioka lured his victims by falsely promising they would receive huge returns quickly on their investments,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Robbins. “During the years that he ran his cryptocurrency-based Ponzi scheme, Ichioka managed to defraud more than 100 investors of tens of millions of dollars. Today’s sentence illustrates that lengthy prison terms await all those who seek to swindle investors in this district.”
“Ichioka convinced unsuspecting investors to pour money into his bogus venture with false promises of legitimate profits. His deceitful financial scheme victimized more than 100 people, including his friends and family. I hope that today's sentence brings them some measure of justice,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Tripp. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to pursue criminals who choose to commit financial fraud and hold them accountable for their crimes.”
“Predatory financial schemes like Ichioka’s are not victimless, nor do they escape justice as evidenced by today’s sentencing,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Mosley of the Oakland Field Office. “IRS CI Oakland Field Office Special Agents and investigative staff in conjunction with our federal law enforcement partners follow the money, and as a result, deliver cases that lead to just outcomes.”
Ichioka admitted that he repaid existing investors with new investor funds to further perpetuate the fraud. Further, Ichioka agreed that he owes non-family investors in “Ichioka Ventures” at least $21 million as a result of the scheme, and additionally owes his family members over $40 million.
Ichioka also admitted that he concealed and hid the scheme by doctoring financial documents to falsely overstate the value of assets (including bank, brokerage, and cryptocurrency exchange materials) and providing doctored documents to prospective investors, according to court filings describing Ichioka’s agreement to plead guilty. Ichioka also presented false statements of account to investors via the Ichioka Ventures website, failed to provide tax documentation to investors, and willfully failed to report income to the Internal Revenue Service in this scheme.
On June 22, 2023, Ichioka was charged in an Information with one count of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343; two counts of aiding or assisting in the preparation of a false or fraudulent tax return, in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 7206(2); one count of securities fraud, in violation of 15 U.S.C. §§ 78j(b), 78ff; 17 C.F.R. § 240.10b-5; and one count of commodities fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1348. Ichioka pleaded guilty to all five counts.
In addition to the prison term and fine, Judge Chhabria also ordered Ichioka to serve five years of supervised release to begin after his prison term. A hearing is scheduled for February 20, 2024, before Judge Chhabria to determine issues related to restitution.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Eric Cheng and Benjamin Kingsley with assistance from Megan Pagaduan. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and IRS-Criminal Investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the federal law enforcement agencies also thank the San Francisco Regional Office of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, both of whom conducted separate parallel investigations into the defendant’s conduct.
Former Nonprofit Leaders Sentenced in San Antonio for FraudRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A California man and his San Antonio co-conspirator were sentenced in a federal court in San Antonio for conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Hector Barreto, 62, of San Juan Capistrano, was sentenced to 20 months in prison and ordered to pay $944,693.51 in restitution and a $100,000 fine. Miguel Gutierrez, 49, was sentenced to 10 months in prison as a condition of five year probation. He was also ordered to pay a $100,000 fine and restitution of $1,194,439.51. A restraining order was entered against both defendants to ensure government oversight of their assets until the victims are made whole.
According to Court documents, Barreto, who served as the Small Business Administrator under President George W. Bush, and Gutierrez operated a charity called the Latino Coalition Foundation. Barreto controlled the charity's bank accounts and had operational control. Barreto and Gutierrez solicited donations into that charity to be used to establish an apprenticeship program to help low income youth get critical job training and skills. Instead of using the charitable funds for charity, Barreto and Gutierrez stole much of the funds for themselves through direct and indirect payments to themselves, using the charity's credit cards for personal expenses, and payments to friends and family members. To help hide the diversion of charitable funds, Barreto and Gutierrez falsified the IRS Form 990s for the charity to make it falsely appear they had not received payments from the charity when in reality, they had received hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Gutierrez pleaded guilty in July 2022 to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of filing a false tax return. Barreto pleaded guilty in April 2023 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United States.
“Our nations charity system is based upon trust,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “Donors trust that those who run the charities are using their money for charity and not to line their own pockets. The defendants today were sentenced for betraying that trust. Our office will vigorously prosecute anyone who steals charitable donations to feed their own greed.”
“Many Americans want to help their communities by supporting charities and causes that they care about. They trust that their support will be used to help those in need,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Doug Olson for the FBI San Antonio Division. “Hector Barreto and Miguel Gutierrez abused that trust, and this sentence reflects the seriousness of their crimes. We want to thank our partners in IRS Criminal Investigation for their continued work in protecting our nation’s citizens.”
“The tax-exempt status offered by the IRS helps citizens to know that an organization is operated to promote social welfare. Barreto and Gutierrez stole a significant portion of tax-exempt funds and eroded the trust citizens have in these organizations,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Rodrick Benton for IRS Criminal Investigation’s Houston Field Office. “CI special agents helped unravel this scheme and will continue working to protect the public’s interest by stopping these schemes cold.”
The FBI and CI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Blackwell and Bill Harris prosecuted the case.
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Former NOPD Sergeant Charged with Wire Fraud for Double Billing and Billing for Time Not WorkedRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that TODD F. MORRELL, age 56, a resident of New Orleans, was charged today with twelve (12) counts of wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343, for perpetrating a multi-year scheme to defraud the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) and the New Orleans Fair Grounds, an entity for which he was paid to provide off-duty police details.
According to the charging document, MORRELL was a NOPD Sergeant with NOPD’s Special Operations Division and served both on a Tactical Platoon and the Bomb Disposal Unit. He supplemented his NOPD income with security-oriented secondary employment (i.e., “police details”) while off-duty, including the New Orleans Fair Grounds Neighborhood Patrol (“Fair Grounds Patrol”). The Fair Grounds Patrol was created by city ordinance to supplement and enhance police service around the New Orleans Fair Grounds Racecourse, in New Orleans. The Fair Grounds Patrol consisted of two patrol cars operating 24 hours per day, 7 days a week, with one off-duty NOPD officer per car. MORRELL signed annual certifications attesting to his understanding of NOPD policies, including, secondary employment, and acknowledging that he would “actively monitor my hours.”
Notwithstanding these annual certifications, on numerous occasions between January 2017 and November 30, 2021, MORRELL submitted and certified timecards to NOPD and time sheets to the Fair Grounds Patrol falsely claiming to have been on duty (for NOPD) and on detail (for the Fair Grounds Patrol) when, in actuality, MORRELL was not present for duty. Often, MORRELL was engaged in recreational race car driving in Avondale, Louisiana, and Austin, Texas, while claiming to be on duty and on detail. Additionally, MORRELL frequently “double billed” NOPD and the Fair Grounds Patrol by submitting time sheets to both entities reflecting that he was working for both entities simultaneously.
Further, MORRELL regularly certified and submitted timecards to NOPD and time sheets to other entities, reflecting that he provided police details not only for a significant number of consecutive days but also, in effect, for the vast majority of days each year. For example, MORRELL certified and submitted timecards and time sheets reflecting that he worked every day between March 26, 2017, and July 23, 2017, except one. MORRELL claimed to have worked between thirteen (13) and twenty and one-half (20.5) hours per day for more than thirty (30) of those days. Similarly, MORRELL certified and submitted timecards and time sheets in 2020, reflecting that he worked approximately 356 days out of the 365-day calendar year. MORRELL also reported—and was paid for—working a massive number of hours annually, including more than 4,600 hours in 2020 alone.
In Fall 2021, including on or about November 16, 2021, local New Orleans media outlets published and broadcast reports concerning MORRELL’s employment with NOPD and the Fair Grounds Patrol. On November 17, 2021, MORRELL submitted payroll adjustment forms for several dates between December 2017 and April 2021 seeking to correct “clerical errors” that misstated the hours he had been on duty for NOPD, to NOPD. On about November 30, 2021, MORRELL resigned from NOPD.
“While an indictment is merely a charge, not a full presentation of evidence, today’s indictment emphasizes this office’s dedication to ensuring the integrity and honesty of public officials and holding responsible those who betray that sacred public duty,” announced U.S. Attorney Evans. “Official misconduct erodes trust in public institutions and deprives local governments of precious resources. When the public official is a member of law enforcement, who has sworn to protect and serve its citizens and maintain the highest standards of the community, such behavior is even more egregious, especially in communities whose police departments are already enduring critical staffing shortages.”
For each count, MORRELL faces up to twenty (20) years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, is in charge of the prosecution.
Former MPD Officer Found Guilty of Bribery in Scheme to Sell Personal Identifying Information of Traffic Crash VictimsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Vincent Forrest, 35, a former patrol officer with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), was found guilty today for his role in a bribery scheme in which he unlawfully provided information contained in non-public police documents in exchange for cash payments, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division.
Forrest, of Washington, D.C., and Raquel DePaula, 43, of Beltsville, Maryland, were indicted by a grand jury in June 2021.
A federal jury in U.S. District Court today found Forrest guilty of conspiracy, bribery, and making false statements. The Honorable Randolph D. Moss set sentencing for June 7, 2024.
According to the government’s evidence, beginning in April 2019, Forrest accessed confidential information from MPD Traffic Accident Reports, or “PD Form 10s.” Forrest, in violation of his official duties, used his official access to MPD’s law enforcement sensitive database to review and record victim contact information from Traffic Accident Reports. The reports contained the names and contact information of individuals involved in traffic accidents.
Forrest sent the victim contact information to DePaula using WhatsApp Messenger, an encrypted communications application. DePaula, who owned RD Legal Solutions, LLC, acted as a “runner,” using victim contact information to solicit for local attorneys in exchange for referral fees. DePaula reached out to the accident victims within days of their traffic accidents in violation of 22 D.C. Code Section 3225.14.
Forrest met up with DePaula at various locations in the District and Maryland to receive cash bribes from her. Forrest and DePaula concealed their bribery scheme by, among other methods, communicating by encrypted application, meeting in person, and exchanging bribes in cash.
DePaula pleaded guilty on October 6, 2021, in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to one count of bribery of a public official. She is scheduled to be sentenced on March 15, 2024. DePaula has admitted paying Forrest between approximately $600 and $1,300 per week in exchange for the victim contact information. The evidence at trial showed that over the course of the scheme, she paid Forrest over $15,000 and receiving contact information for 2,316 traffic crash victims.
DePaula and Forrest are the sixth and seventh defendants to be convicted in connection with the illegal sale of traffic crash reports by MPD officers. Previously, MPD Officer Walter Lee, MPD employees Kendra Coles and Aaron Willis, runners Marvin Parker and Michelle Cage pleaded guilty to related charges.
This investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and MPD’s Internal Affairs Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua S. Rothstein and Madhu Chugh of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
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Former Federal Bureau of Prisons Corrections Officer Pleads Guilty to Sexually Abusing Inmate in His CustodyRead the Press Release
A former Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP) Corrections Officer, Robert D. Smith, 38, pleaded guilty today in federal court to one count of sexual abuse of a ward.
“Today, Robert Smith pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a woman in his custody, in violation of the law and his sworn duty as a Federal Bureau of Prisons officer,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “This prosecution is the latest example of the Justice Department holding to account those who exploit their positions of authority within the Federal Bureau of Prisons and working to eliminate sexual assault from our prison systems.”
“When officials inside our jails and prisons carry out acts of sexual violence against vulnerable women in their custody, they will be held accountable,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “There is zero tolerance for corrections officers who misuse their authority to commit egregious sex crimes, and that rule applies equally to those who work at federal prisons. The Justice Department will continue to aggressively prosecute sexual predators in correctional settings, while standing up for the civil rights of the survivors of these heinous crimes.”
“As today’s guilty plea demonstrates, the Office of the Inspector General is committed to ensuring that Federal Bureau of Prisons employees who exploit their power and authority to sexually abuse inmates are brought to justice and held accountable for their heinous acts,” said Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz of the Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General (DOJ-OIG).
“Sexual abuse of prison inmates by federal corrections officers is intolerable,” said U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona for the Northern District of Alabama. “My office will continue to aggressively prosecute and bring to justice those who abuse their authority and prey on vulnerable people they are sworn to protect and keep safe.”
According to court documents, Smith worked as a corrections officer at the Federal Correctional Institution in Aliceville (FCI-Aliceville), Alabama. As part of his duties, Smith was to ensure the safety and security of inmates housed at FCI-Aliceville and to uphold the U.S. Constitution.
While acting in his capacity as an officer, in or around February 2019, Smith knowingly engaged in a sexual act with T.M., a female inmate in official detention, who was under Smith’s custodial, supervisory, or disciplinary authority. Smith also admitted to sexually abusing another inmate on a different occasion. Also while acting in his capacity as an officer, between on or about July 6, 2018, and Nov. 15, 2018, Smith knowingly engaged in a sexual act with R.R-L., a female inmate in official detention, who was under Smith’s custodial, supervisory, or disciplinary authority.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 29. Smith faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
DOJ-OIG investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Royster for the Northern District of Alabama and Trial Attorney Anna Gotfryd of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
FBOP is committed to rooting out misconduct within its ranks and working with law enforcement partners to prosecute violations of federal law. The numerous FBOP employees working diligently to ensure justice for the victims of misconduct are critical to the Department’s reform efforts.