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Monday 8 January 2024
Ponzi Scheme Cost Investors in Missouri, Elsewhere Millions, Indictment SaysRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A former Texas-based investment adviser has been indicted in St. Louis and accused of running a Ponzi scheme that cost investors tens of millions of dollars.
Siddharth Jawahar, 36, was indicted by a grand jury in U.S. District Court in St. Louis Dec. 21, 2023, on three counts of wire fraud and one count of investment adviser fraud.
The indictment was sealed until Monday, when the FBI arrested Jawahar in Miami, Florida. He made an initial appearance later in the day in U.S. District Court in the Southern District of Florida. The government is seeking to have Jawahar held in jail until trial.
Jawahar ran a Texas-based investment company called Swiftarc Capital LLC. From July 2016 through roughly December 2023, Jawahar took in more than $35 million from Swiftarc investors, but spent about $10 million on investments in companies, the indictment says. Jawahar used the money from new investors to repay older investors and to fuel an extravagant lifestyle that included flights on private planes, stays at luxury hotels and expensive outings at lavish restaurants, the indictment says.
“The losses alleged in the indictment would make this one of the largest Ponzi-schemes in the history of the Eastern District of Missouri,” said U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, Jr., said, “At the Manhattan D.A.’s Office, we are laser-focused on combatting white collar crime, just like our federal partners. Our top-notch team followed the money and developed a significant investigation uncovering allegations of fraud that spread far beyond New York. We were pleased to assist the Eastern District of Missouri on this investigation which led to a major federal indictment.”
"Some fraudsters come up with sophisticated schemes that are hard to detect," said Special Agent in Charge Jay Greenberg of the FBI St. Louis Division. “We still encourage searching the person’s name and company on the internet for any red flags and trusting your gut."
Swiftarc had initially invested in a diverse array of securities, but in 2015, Jawahar began investing the majority of client funds in a single investment, Philip Morris Pakistan (PMP). Eventually, 99% of client funds were consolidated into the PMP investment, the indictment says. Jawahar did not inform investors of a dramatic decline of the value of PMP, instead falsely representing to investors that shares were trading at a much higher price, it says, and misleading investors about their profits.
The indictment accuses Jawahar of misleading someone in eastern Missouri into believing that a series of investments totaling $175,000 would go into specific companies. A New York investor was told the same about $350,000 and an Ohio investor heard the same about $250,000, the indictment says.
On June 7, 2022, the Texas State Securities Board revoked Swiftarc Capital’s authority to conduct investment activities and ordered Jawahar to “cease and desist from engaging in fraud.” The indictment says Jawahar did not notify investors about that cease-and-desist order before taking their money and continued to fraudulently solicit and receive investor funds, including $1 million from an investor weeks after the state board’s order.
The wire fraud charges are each punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or both. The investment adviser fraud charge is punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine, or both.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The FBI and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman is prosecuting the case.
Pearl River Man Pleads Guilty to Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A Neshoba County man pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual abuse of a minor on the Choctaw Indian Reservation.
According to court documents, in September of 2017, Scottie Amos, 26, committed a sexual act on a minor who was between the ages of 12 and 16 in the Tucker Community of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. Amos was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2022.
Amos is scheduled to be sentenced on April 11, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Amos has previously pleaded guilty to burglary and awaits sentencing in that case as well.
U.S. Attorney Todd Gee and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jessica Orench of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.
The Choctaw Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigations all investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin J. Payne and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian K. Burns prosecuted the case.
Orleans and Jefferson Parish Men Indicted for Violations of the Federal Controlled Substances and Gun Control ActsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – NAIROBI DAVIS, age 24, JACOB ESTEM, age 21, KENNELIUS BROWN, age 35, and DORNELIUS BROWN, age 33, all of New Orleans, and DEJON RICHARDSON, age 27, TYREESE QUINCY, age 24, and DARIUS QUINCY, age 26, all of Terrytown, Louisiana, were indicted on November 11, 2023, in a 12-count superseding indictment, announced United States Attorney Duane A. Evans. All were charged with Conspiracy to Distribute and Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl, Cocaine, and Marijuana, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846.
According to the superseding indictment, from late 2022 until May of 2023, DAVIS, ESTEM, KENNELIUS BROWN, DORNELIUS BROWN, RICHARDSON, TYREESE QUINCY, and DARIUS QUINCY distributed fentanyl throughout the New Orleans area and possessed marijuana, cocaine, and fentanyl. Throughout this investigation, loaded firearms were found nearby the controlled substances, indicative of the firearms’ use in furtherance of the drug trafficking crimes.
DAVIS was also charged with Distribution of Fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A), Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine and Marijuana, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and Using or Maintaining Drug Premises, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 856(a)(1).
ESTEM was also charged with Distribution of Fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), and Possession of a Firearm by a Felon, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g).
KENNELIUS BROWN was also charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A), Possession of a Firearm by a Felon, in violation 18 U.S.C. § 922(g).
RICHARDSON was also charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine and Marijuana Fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A) and Using or Maintaining Drug Premises, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 856(a)(1).
TYREESE QUINCY was also charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine and Marijuana Fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A).
DARIUS QUINCY was also charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine and Marijuana Fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1).
Those charged with Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl, Cocaine, and Marijuana, ( list names ) face a minimum of five years imprisonment up to forty years imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000 fine, and at least 4 years of supervised release.
Those charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Felon, DAVIS, ESTEM, and KENNELIUS BROWN, face up to fifteen years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release.
Those charged with Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Crime, DAVIS, KENNELIUS BROWN, RICHARDSON, and TYREESE QUINCY, face a minimum of five years imprisonment up to fifteen years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to five years of supervised release.
Those charged with Distribution of Fentanyl, DAVIS and ESTEM, face up to twenty years imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least 3 years of supervised release.
Those charged with Using or Maintaining Drug Premises, DAVIS and RICHARDSON, face up to twenty years imprisonment, up to a $500,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release.
RICHARDSON, TYREESE QUINCY, and DARIUS QUINCY, who were charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute face up to twenty years imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least 3 years supervised release.
KENNELIUS BROWN, who was also charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute, faces a minimum of five years imprisonment up to forty years imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000 fine, and at least 4 years of supervised release.
As to each count with which a defendant is charged, that defendant faces payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
United States Attorney Evans reiterated that the superseding indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendants must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
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 Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Rayburn of the Violent Crimes Unit.
Operation Smoke and Mirrors Update: Putnam County Man Sentenced and Detroit Woman Pleads Guilty in Methamphetamine Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Today, Scott Jeremy Savage, 46, of Nitro, was sentenced to four years and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and Dashounieque Lashay Wright, 27, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty to use of a communication facility to facilitate drug trafficking. Both admitted to their roles in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that operated in the Charleston area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between October 17, 2022, and March 9, 2023, Savage conspired with others to distribute quantities of fentanyl while living in Putnam County. Savage admitted to purchasing fentanyl from a co-defendant who lived in the Charleston area and to arranging transactions with this co-defendant by cell phone. Savage further admitted that the co-defendant often fronted him the fentanyl and he would pay the co-defendant back after he sold it.
On October 17, 2022, Savage sold approximately 2.23 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant at his residence. On October 18, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Savage’s residence and seized approximately 2.93 grams of fentanyl, 2.2 grans of methamphetamine, and a loaded Smith & Wesson Bodyguard .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol.
On January 27, 2023, Savage exchanged phone calls and text messages with the co-defendant to arrange the purchase of a one-quarter ounce of fentanyl. Savage admitted that he believed he would have an easier time mixing that quantity with cutting agents to increase its volume and maximize his profits. Savage further admitted that he agreed with the co-defendant that he owed $445 from prior fentanyl transactions.
During a phone call the next day, Savage told the co-defendant that customers had complained about the fentanyl he had purchased the day before and asked the co-defendant to provide stronger fentanyl. Savage admitted that the co-defendant agreed to provide him with 4 to five grams of fentanyl. On March 9, 2023, Savage sold approximately 1.3 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant at a Putnam County gas station.
Savage has a long criminal history that now includes 13 felony convictions. Savage’s prior felony convictions include attempt to operate a clandestine drug laboratory, exposure of children to methamphetamine manufacturing, possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, fleeing in a vehicle from a law enforcement officer in reckless indifference to the safety of others, fraud and related activity in connection with an access device, and breaking and entering.
Wright admitted that she spoke by cell phone on November 28, 2022, with a co-conspirator who directed her to deliver what turned out to be approximately 3 pounds of methamphetamine to a customer in Charleston. The co-conspirator gave Wright directions to the customer’s residence by phone. Wright admitted that she knew she was participating in a drug transaction and that the bag she gave the customer contained a controlled substance, but that she did not know the quantity of the substance or that it was methamphetamine.
Wright collected money from the customer before leaving the residence by vehicle. Law enforcement officers pulled over the vehicle following the transaction, and found an additional 6.1 pounds of methamphetamine during a search of the vehicle.
Wright is scheduled to be sentenced on April 25, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of four years in prison, one year of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
Savage and Wright are among 32 individuals indicted as a result of Operation Smoke and Mirrors, a major drug trafficking investigation that has yielded the largest methamphetamine seizure in West Virginia history. Law enforcement seized well over 400 pounds of methamphetamine as well as 40 pounds of cocaine, 3 pounds of fentanyl, 19 firearms and $935,000 in cash.
Savage and Wright are among 27 defendants who have pleaded guilty. Indictments against the other defendants are pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia National Guard Counter Drug program, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and the Raleigh County Sheriff's Office. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearings. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 2:23-cr-31 (Savage) and 2:23-cr-195 (Wright).
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Nigerian National Sentenced to 121 Months in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Launder Proceeds of Internet Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced today that a Nigerian national was sentenced to 121 months in federal prison for conspiring to launder money derived from internet fraud schemes. Lawal’s sentence included an order that he pay $1,460,875 in restitution to victims of the fraud schemes. U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika pronounced the sentence.
Olugbenga Lawal, 33, of Indianapolis, Indiana, was convicted by a federal jury of conspiring to commit money laundering on August 10, 2023. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Lawal worked directly with the Nigeria-based leader of an international criminal organization that defrauded individuals and businesses across the United States out of millions of dollars through sophisticated internet-based fraud schemes, including romance fraud and business email compromise schemes, and laundered the proceeds of those fraud schemes. The criminal organization frequently targeted elderly victims who believed they had fallen in love with people they had met on the internet.
Between January 2019 and June 2020, bank accounts used by Lawal and his co-conspirators to launder money on behalf of the criminal organization received millions of dollars traced directly to individuals and businesses defrauded over the internet by members of the criminal organization.
Lawal played a vital role in laundering money for the criminal organization by working to convert the fraud dollars entering his accounts into Nigerian currency accessible in Nigeria. He engaged in sophisticated import/export transactions involving the shipment of cars to Nigeria and currency exchange business transactions to facilitate the repatriation of the organization’s fraud proceeds back to Nigeria.
Three co-conspirators, Michael Hermann, Rita Assane, and Dwight Baines previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering and have yet to be sentenced.
U.S. Attorney Weiss commented, “Criminal organizations around the world continue to use the internet to defraud hardworking American citizens and businesses out of millions of dollars. Too often, those victims are elderly individuals who unknowingly give up their life savings to a fraudster. My office and our law enforcement partners are committed to investigating and prosecuting the criminal actors who perpetrate those frauds and individuals, like Mr. Lawal, who launder their money.”
“Lawal went to great lengths to further this sophisticated scheme to defraud vulnerable Americans and legitimate businesses,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock of the FBI'S Baltimore Field Office. “This sentence is more than just, given the unscrupulous tactics used. This case demonstrates the FBI’s resolve to hold fraudsters accountable.”
This case was investigated by FBI Baltimore Field Office’s Wilmington Resident Agency. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jesse S. Wenger and Meredith C. Ruggles of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware and Trial Attorneys Mary K. Daly and Michael Grady of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS), with assistance from MLARS Trial Attorneys Madeleine Case and Jasmin Salehi Fashami.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 22-cr-11.
New York Men Sentenced for Mortgage Fraud Scheme Involving Hartford Apartment BuildingsRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that two New York men were sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford for engaging in a wide-ranging mortgage fraud scheme involving 24 mortgage loans on numerous multifamily housing properties in Hartford totaling nearly $50 million. JACOB DEUTSCH, 58, of Brooklyn, was sentenced to 62 months of imprisonment and four years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $10,000 fine, and ARON DEUTSCH, 63, of Monsey, was sentenced to five years of probation and ordered to pay a $1 million fine.
According to court documents and statements in court proceedings, Jacob Deutsch and Aron Deutsch work at B H Property Management, LLC (“BHPM”), a property management company that manages numerous multifamily housing properties in Hartford. From September 2016 through May 2021, Jacob Deutsch, who ran the day-to-day operations BHPM, and Aron Deutsch engaged in a scheme to defraud several financial institutions, government-sponsored enterprises Federal Home Loan Mortgage Company (“Freddie Mac”) and the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”), and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) by providing them with false information overstating the value of multifamily housing properties managed by BHPM in connection with loans secured by those properties.
As part of the scheme, Jacob Deutsch provided false rent rolls and falsified leases to the victim financial institutions and their appraisers, which either overstated the number of renters by listing fictitious renters or others not actually living there, or falsely inflated the amount of rent paid by occupants. Jacob Deutsch deceived inspectors into believing that unoccupied apartments were occupied by staging the apartments with furniture and by requiring BHPM employees to falsely tell inspectors they lived there and to lie to inspectors if asked whether there were vacancies. For instance, a rent roll and income and expense summary submitted by Jacob Deutsch to CBRE Capital Markets, Inc. (“CBRE”) in June 2018 falsely represented that 16 Evergreen Avenue was 100 percent occupied when, in fact, not a single tenant resided there at the time. Later, Jacob Deutsch e-mailed CBRE pictures of money orders and checks purporting to reflect rent payments from fake tenants on the falsified rent rolls for 16 Evergreen Avenue to show proof of payment of rent when, in fact, the money orders and checks had been purchased by Aron Deutsch or BHPM employees at Aron Deutsch’s direction.
Jacob Deutsch also provided the victim financial institutions with false and inflated income statements and financials for the properties, doctored bank statements, doctored or false documents overstating the purchase price of various multifamily housing properties, and doctored checks and invoices showing false or overstated capital improvements made to those properties. The false information provided by Jacob Deutsch induced the victim financial institutions to issue loans that they otherwise would not have issued on the requested terms, or for amounts larger than they would have authorized had they been provided with truthful information. In addition, the false information induced Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae to purchase the resulting loans from the victim financial institutions, and induced HUD to issue a mortgage insurance commitment to a victim financial institution.
Jacob and Aron Deutsch were arrested on May 19, 2021.
After his arrest and while released on bond, Jacob Deutsch victimized another lender to secure an $11 million loan.
Jacob and Aron Deutsch pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud affecting a financial institution on July 12, 2022, and June 1, 2022, respectively.
Jacob Deutsch is required to report to prison on March 8.
Jacob Deutsch’s criminal history includes a wire fraud conviction in the Eastern District of New York stemming from an insurance fraud scheme. In October 2003, he was sentenced to three months of imprisonment for that offense.
This investigation was conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s Office of Inspector General, and HUD’s Office of Inspector General for Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heather Cherry and Sarah Gruber.
New York Man Sentenced for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New York man was sentenced on Jan. 5, 2024 in federal court in Springfield for drug trafficking charges involving fentanyl.
Chanty Reynoso Vasquez, 28, of Bronx, N.Y., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to two years in prison. In July 2023, Reynoso Vasquez pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to court documents, Reynoso Vasquez brought over 30,000 bags of fentanyl laced heroin from the Bronx to Springfield on March 30, 2022.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration in New England; and Springfield Police Commissioner Cheryl Clapprood made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd E. Newhouse of the Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case.
National City Man Sentenced for Transporting Teens for ProstitutionRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – January 5, 2024
SAN DIEGO – Kenneth Tenorio of National City was sentenced in federal court today to 106 months in prison for transporting two female teens from San Diego to Phoenix, Arizona and El Paso, Texas, for the purpose of prostitution.
U.S. District Court Judge Cathy Bencivengo admonished the defendant for his treatment of victims, saying: “You just took advantage of their vulnerabilities to put money in your pocket.” She noted the maximum sentence of 120 months was appropriate but gave Tenorio credit for the time he spent in custody in Texas on local charges prior to the federal proceedings.
According to court records, Tenorio’s conduct spanned multiple states and involved multiple victims, including juveniles. The defendant exploited women and minors who had been removed from their homes and placed in the foster care system as part of his overall scheme to profit from their commercial sex work.
Tenorio pleaded guilty on August 8, 2023, admitting that he transported two of his victims from California to Arizona and Texas for the purpose of offering them for commercial sex for his own financial gain. The defendant used his Megapersonals account – a dating website that is frequently used to solicit prostitution – to post commercial sex advertisements featuring the two victims wearing lingerie. The defendant expected his victims to provide him with a portion of the proceeds they earned from engaging in commercial sex acts in these various locations.
According to his plea agreement, beginning in September 2020, the defendant also trafficked a 15-year-old minor identified as JF1. The defendant knew JF1 was a minor and nonetheless sent text messages to JF1 for the purpose of recruiting and enticing her to engage in prostitution.
The plea agreement reflects that in October 2020, JF1 stayed with the defendant at his residence in National City, California, and he used a false California identification to post online commercial sex advertisements featuring her. He also instructed her on how to engage in prostitution on “the blade” – a slang term that refers to an area of town where prostitutes/sex workers solicit sex-buyers – and informed her that he would provide protection for a fee. The defendant admitted that JF1 worked “the blade” for him a number of times in October 2020, and each time, he drove her there and picked her up, collecting a portion of the illicit proceeds she earned.
“Sex trafficking is a deplorable crime that impacts victims for a lifetime,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “This sentence brings justice to the victims and the community is safer with this defendant off the streets. People being exploited are often overlooked and isolated. If you suspect someone is in an unsafe situation or they are being controlled by a “pimp,” romantic partner, manager or employer, or anyone who monitors their movements, their spending and/or their communications, please report it to law enforcement. If we know about it, we can offer help.”
“This lengthy sentence serves as an appropriate punishment for the defendant’s role in exploiting multiple victims for the sole purpose of financial gain, including preying upon a minor,” said Chad Plantz, special agent in charge for HSI San Diego. “Now behind bars, this man cannot participate in the lowest form of humanity – placing our most vulnerable population in harm’s way. HSI and our partnered agencies are committed to aggressively targeting those who continually victimize people for profit.”
“Predators like Mr. Tenorio take advantage of vulnerable people and underage victims. They alternate locations, thinking law enforcement won’t catch on. But that’s not true, and the results of this case as well as this substantial sentence should be a warning to other criminals,” said Chula Vista Police Chief Roxana Kennedy. “I’m proud of our detectives for playing a key role in the initiation and follow up of this investigation. The Chula Vista Police Department remains dedicated to working with all of our law enforcement partners and community organizations to combat sex trafficking and hold those who participate in these unconscionable acts accountable.”
January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, a time to raise awareness and educate the public about how to identify and prevent this crime. Indicators that someone is being trafficked include frequent running away; sudden separation or isolation from friends and loved ones; changes in behavior, appearance, and attire; new friend groups; unexplained new or multiple cell phones; and secrecy with phones and social media.
If you believe you may know someone who is in trouble, held in a forced work situation, or being exploited, please contact Homeland Security Investigations at 1-866-347-2423, the FBI, your local police department, the sheriff, or the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
“We can all do our part to protect the most vulnerable among us,” McGrath said. “Working together, we can find more of the people in need, offer them support, and deliver justice to those who would trade freedom for profit.”
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill S. Streja.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 22cr2746-CAB
Kenneth Tenorio 54 National City, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Transportation for Purposes of Prostitution – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 2421
Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison and $250,000 fine
AGENCIES
The investigation was led by Homeland Security Investigations, the Chula Vista Police Department, and the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force, a regional, multi-agency effort led by the California Department of Justice dedicated to supporting survivors and holding traffickers accountable. The task force is comprised of numerous federal, state, and local agencies, as well as the Southwest Border High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program. The investigation was also supported by the San Diego District Attorney’s Office.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org.
Michigan Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Larry Williams Jr., 52, of Pontiac, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 9, 2023, Williams sold approximately 1 gram of methamphetamine and a quantity of heroin to a confidential informant at a Washington Avenue location in Huntington. Williams admitted to the transaction and further admitted to selling quantities of methamphetamine and heroin to a confidential informant on January 31, 2023, and March 16, 2023, in Huntington.
On March 21, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Williams’ Adams Avenue residence in Huntington and found approximately 134 grams of methamphetamine, 15 grams of heroin, 6 grams of fentanyl, and 18 grams of cocaine base, also known as “crack.” Officers also found digital scales, a drug press and approximately $292 in the residence during the search. Williams admitted to possessing and intending to distribute the controlled substances.
Williams is scheduled to be sentenced on April 22, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-87.
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Mexican National Sentenced for Bakersfield-Based Methamphetamine RingRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Alberto Gomez-Santiago, 38, a Mexican national residing in Arvin, was sentenced today to four years and nine months in prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in March 2021, Gomez delivered 26 pounds of methamphetamine to co-defendants Jorge Calderon-Campos, 42, a Mexican national residing in Bakersfield, and Mark Garcia, 23, of Bakersfield. Law enforcement officers later seized the drug from Garcia’s vehicle during a traffic stop. This transaction was one of many transactions involving Calderon-Campos, who was the target of a wiretap investigation that resulted in the seizure of more than 86 pounds of methamphetamine and 1 kilogram of heroin. The wiretap investigation also uncovered an illegal cockfighting enterprise involving Calderon-Campos, who is charged in a second indictment with violations of the Animal Welfare Act. An associate, Horacio Ortega-Martinez, 36, a Mexican national residing in Bakersfield, previously entered a guilty plea to the unlawful possession of gamecocks for an animal fighting venture and was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
Francisco Javier Torres Mora, aka Johnathan Benjamin Torres Luna, 30, a Mexican national residing in Bakersfield, previously entered a guilty plea to possessing with intent to distribute 60 pounds of methamphetamine and is scheduled for sentencing on Jan. 29, 2024. Charges remain pending again Calderon-Campos, Garcia, Jose Beltran-Chaidez, 68, a Mexican national residing in Bakersfield, and two other co-defendants. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was the product of an investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG), the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Secret Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Kern County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, the California Highway Patrol, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Kern County Sheriff's Office, the Kern County Probation Department, and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
Mason County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – James Franklin Will III, 42, of Point Pleasant, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 15, 2023, law enforcement officers encountered Will while responding to reports of a suspicious person at a Point Pleasant residence. The residents told officers that Will had entered their home with two firearms. Officers recovered a loaded Sig Sauer AR-15 .223-caliber rifle and a Smith & Wesson .22-caliber revolver at the residence. Will admitted to possessing the firearms.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Will knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for attempt to commit a felony on December 7, 2015, and conspiracy on November 13, 2017, both in Mason County Circuit Court, and for unlawful possession of a deadly weapon by a felon in Wood County Circuit Court on April 16, 2021.
Will is scheduled to be sentenced on April 29, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Point Pleasant Police Department and the Mason County Sheriff’s Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-148.
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Man Charged with Federal Drug OffenseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Jeremy Isaac Lopez appeared in federal court on a criminal complaint charging him with possession with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. Lopez, 28, will remain in temporary custody pending a detention hearing.
According to the criminal complaint, on April 19, 2023, officers from the Pueblo of Pojoaque Tribal Police Department attempted to detain Lopez at the Cities of Gold Casino in Santa Fe on a arrest warrant for failure to comply with his conditions of release related to a pending state armed robbery charge. Officers observed Lopez inside the casino and followed him outside to his car where he got in the driver’s seat of a car. When officers commanded Lopez to exit the vehicle, Lopez put the vehicle in drive and accelerated forward, smashing into a parked vehicle. Officers contained and disabled the vehicle. Lopez was then removed from the vehicle and placed under arrest.
A search incident to the arrest located approximately 12 grams of suspected methamphetamines, on Lopez’s person as well as an additional 7 grams of suspected Heroin and 53 grams of suspected Fentanyl in the vehicle.
A criminal complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of the most serious allegation, Lopez faces 20 years in prison.
The Santa Fe Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Pueblo of Pojoaque Tribal Police Department and Espanola Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert James Booth II is prosecuting the case.
View the Criminal Complaint# # #
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Malden Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Fentanyl and Using and Trafficking Stolen Identities and Credit CardsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Malden man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to distributing fentanyl and using stolen identities to conduct transactions and obtain credit cards.
Derick Coulanges, a/k/a/ “Casa,” 28, pleaded guilty on Jan 5, 2024 to distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl; possession of five or more identification documents with intent to use them unlawfully; and use of and trafficking in unauthorized access devices with intent to defraud to obtain property valued over $1,000. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for April 12, 2024. Coulanges was charged by criminal complaint in July 2023.
In January and February 2023, Coulanges was recorded selling a cooperating witness 50 grams of fentanyl in Coulanges’ Mercedes Benz. In the recordings, Coulanges also offered to procure counterfeit driver’s licenses for the cooperating witness that contained stolen personal identifying information (PII). Coulanges would go on to explain the manner in which a counterfeit driver’s license bearing stolen PII could be utilized to open bank accounts and obtain credit cards to purchase items.
In March 2023, during a search of Coulanges’ Malden apartment which he had obtained using a drug customer’s stolen identity, approximately 28 grams of methamphetamine was located. A search of Coulanges’ Mercedes Benz revealed six driver’s licenses bearing stolen PII and one counterfeit license that bore Coulanges’ photograph but contained stolen PII of an individual from Ohio. A subsequent investigation revealed that the individuals associated with the driver’s licenses had been the victims of identity theft and had bank accounts and credit cards opened in their name. The counterfeit driver’s license bearing Coulanges’ photograph had been used to open bank accounts, apply for loans and obtain credit cards. Surveillance footage was located depicting Coulanges opening the accounts and then utilizing the fraudulently obtained credit cards to conduct transactions at various retailers, including at two jewelry stores where he purchased approximately $12,000 in jewelry.
The charge of distribution and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of possession of five or more identification documents with intent to use them unlawfully provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of use of unauthorized access devices to fraudulently obtain more than $1,000 provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
Larue County Couple Sentenced to over Two Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Sell Hydrocodone and Oxycodone Stolen from PharmacyRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A Larue County, Kentucky, couple was sentenced to 2 years and 9 months in federal prison today for conspiring to steal hydrocodone and oxycodone from a pharmacy to sell.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. of the Kentucky State Police, and Acting Inspector General David T. Lovely of the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services Office of Inspector General made the announcement.
According to court records, Ashley Ramsey-Wilmoth, 41, and Stephen Troy Wilmoth, 46, were both sentenced to 2 years and 9 months in prison, followed by a 3-year term of supervised release, fined $2500.00 and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $18,728.59 for one count of conspiracy to commit theft of medical products and one count of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute controlled substances. Ashley Ramsey-Wilmoth, an employee of Century Medicines, a retail pharmacy in the supply chain for oxycodone and hydrocodone, took unopened bottles of oxycodone and hydrocodone from Century Medicines prior to the oxycodone and hydrocodone being made available for retail purchase by a consumer. She then provided the oxycodone and hydrocodone to her husband, Stephen Troy Wilmoth, to sell and distribute.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the DEA, the Kentucky State Police, and the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services Office of Inspector General. This case was part of the Department of Justice’s 2023 National Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action announced in June 2023.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Ansari prosecuted the case.
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Laredo dealer set to appear for fentanyl-related deathRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment against a 31-year-old resident of Laredo for distributing fentanyl which caused the death of another person, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Kevin Ramirez is set to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christopher dos Santos at 9:30 a.m. Authorities took him into custody Jan. 5.
The two-count indictment, returned Dec. 27, 2023, alleges Ramirez distributed fentanyl, a schedule II controlled substance, to another individual May 13, 2023. That person subsequently died after using the drug, according to the charges.
Ramirez is also charged with one count of possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl.
If convicted of the distribution resulting in death charge, Ramirez faces a minimum of 20 years and up life in federal prison. The other count carries a possible sentence of up to 20 years. He may also be ordered to pay a possible $1 million maximum fine.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Laredo Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, Customs and Border Protection, Border Patrol and Webb County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Bajew is prosecuting the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF is the largest anti-crime task force in the country. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
More information on the dangers of fentanyl can be found on the DEA’s website. #OnePillCanKill
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Justice Department and the Department of the Navy Warn CLJA Claimants Against Fraudulent SchemesRead the Press Release
Today the Justice Department and the Department of the Navy (Navy) issued the following fraud alert to inform individuals filing a claim or lawsuit under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act (CLJA) of 2022 about fraudulent attempts to obtain personal information or monetary payments from potential claimants.
Due to growing concerns over reports that unscrupulous people and companies are seeking or sought to obtain personal information from CLJA claimants or otherwise defraud them, the Justice Department and Navy advise claimants and their attorneys to be cautious of potentially fraudulent activity through telephone calls or email solicitations.
Claimants who receive calls or emails from individuals attempting to collect money or personal information in connection with their CLJA claim should contact their attorneys to report this activity. Claimants who are not represented by counsel that receive such calls or emails should immediately report this activity to the Navy’s Camp Lejeune Claims Unit (CLCU), which has issued the following guidance:
- The Justice Department and the Navy will never request money or payment from you.
- If an attorney is representing you, direct all inquiries to your attorney for verification.
- Authorized emails from the Navy will be sent from [email protected], and you may forward any email message you receive to that address to verify authenticity.
- If you receive a phone call claiming to be from the CLCU or offering assistance with your claim, and you are uncertain, ask for the person’s name and position, then call the CLCU at (757) 241-6020 to verify.
- If you are represented by an attorney, the Justice Department and Navy will not contact you directly and will only contact you through your attorney.
The CLJA is a provision of the Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act of 2022, signed into law by President Biden on Aug. 10, 2022. It allows individuals, including veterans, to file a claim with the Navy to recover for injuries caused by exposure to contaminated water at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, for at least 30 days between Aug. 1, 1953, and Dec. 31, 1987.
Settlements under the CLJA are made pursuant to the Federal Torts Claim Act, 28 U.S. Code 2672 and 28 U.S. Code 2677. Attorneys’ fees for administrative claims cannot exceed 20%, and attorneys’ fees for cases in litigation cannot exceed 25%.
The Justice Department and Navy are committed to reviewing every claim submitted and resolving every claim as fairly and efficiently as possible. The Justice Department and Navy have jointly developed an Elective Option that will expedite the review and resolution of claims filed under the CLJA.
For more information regarding CLJA claims, please visit the Navy’s official CLJA website at www.navy.mil/clja or contact the CLCU at [email protected] or (757) 241-6020.
Justice Department Secures Agreement from Property Management Company and Landlord for Violating Servicemembers’ RightsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has secured a settlement with McGowan Realty LLC, doing business as RedSail Property Management (RedSail), a property management company operating throughout Hampton Roads, Virginia, to resolve allegations that the company and one of its landlords violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) by imposing early lease termination charges and additional rent on a servicemember.
In the complaint filed today, the United States alleged that the company had a policy of refusing to honor servicemembers’ lease terminations when servicemembers received permanent change of station (PCS) orders to a new duty station that was fewer than 35 miles (radius) from the dwelling unit.
“This case should put all housing providers on notice that if a servicemember meets the requirements of the federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, they are entitled to all its benefits, regardless of what any state law may provide,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to protecting the rights of our servicemembers and their families to ensure they do not face any unlawful treatment by housing companies or any other entities.”
“Our servicemembers sacrifice greatly, moving and deploying often in support of our nation’s defense,” said U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Such moves should never create financial hardship for our servicemembers.”
The SCRA allows servicemembers to terminate a residential lease early if they receive permanent change of station orders or enter military service during the term of the lease. If the tenant terminates a lease pursuant to the SCRA, the landlord may not impose any early termination fee or rent beyond the effective termination date. The SCRA places no mileage restrictions on servicemembers’ residential lease termination rights. State statutes cannot deprive servicemembers of the full scope of their rights under federal law.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office launched the investigation after a Navy legal assistance attorney reported that RedSail and a landlord had refused to honor a U.S. Navy Petty Officer First Class’ (Petty Officer) SCRA residential lease termination and were assessing early lease termination charges and additional rent against him. RedSail allegedly erroneously insisted that the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (VRLTA) placed a 35-mile (radius) limitation on a servicemember’s SCRA residential lease termination rights. The complaint alleges that the Petty Officer paid $3,408.55 in early termination charges and additional rent to RedSail, which placed a considerable financial burden on him.
Under the proposed consent order, RedSail will pay $10,225.65 to the Petty Officer referenced in the United States’ complaint and a civil penalty. The consent order also requires that RedSail provide SCRA training to its employees and develop new policies and procedures consistent with the SCRA. RedSail and the landlord have also agreed to refrain from imposing or attempting to impose the state law’s 35-mile (radius) limitation on servicemembers who lawfully terminate a lease under the SCRA, imposing or seeking to collect any early termination charges from servicemembers or their dependents who lawfully terminate a lease pursuant to the SCRA, and denying SCRA lease terminations from servicemembers who qualify for lease termination under the SCRA. The proposed consent order is subject to approval by the court.
This case was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section.
Servicemembers and their dependents who believe their SCRA rights have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations may be found at legalassistance.law.af.mil/. The department’s enforcement of the SCRA is conducted by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section and U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the country. Since 2011, the department has obtained over $481 million in monetary relief for 147,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. Additional information on the Justice Department’s enforcement of the SCRA and other laws protecting servicemembers is available at www.servicemembers.gov.
The civil claims settled by this Servicemembers Civil Relief Act agreement are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.
View the complaint here.
View the consent order here.
Justice Department Files Statement of Interest in Lawsuit Concerning Treatment for Gender Dysphoria in Correctional SettingsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today filed a statement of interest in a lawsuit brought in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia challenging the denial of treatment sought for gender dysphoria in a correctional setting. The statement explains that gender dysphoria falls within the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)’s definition of “disability” and affirms that correctional institutions cannot deny medically appropriate care for people with gender dysphoria, no matter their particular circumstances, consistent with the Eighth Amendment.
“People with gender dysphoria should be able to seek the full protections of the Americans with Disabilities Act, just like other people with disabilities,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We are committed to ensuring constitutional conditions inside our jails and prisons so that those detained inside these facilities, including people with gender dysphoria can live safely and receive needed medical care. The U.S. Constitution requires that people incarcerated in jails and prisons receive necessary medical care, treatment and services to address serious medical conditions.”
Doe, an incarcerated transgender woman, alleges that the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) has violated her rights under the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act and the U.S. Constitution by denying necessary medical care to treat her gender dysphoria. Gender dysphoria is a serious medical condition that arises when a person experiences significant distress or impairment because of an incongruence between their gender identity and assigned sex. Left untreated, individuals with gender dysphoria can experience significant adverse mental health outcomes. Doe alleges that the GDC has denied her adequate medical treatment for her gender dysphoria, including gender-affirming surgery that has been recommended by four clinicians and consistent hormone therapy. Because of the inadequate care and exacerbation of her gender dysphoria, Doe has engaged in repeated self-harm, including attempts at suicide and self-castration. Doe seeks a preliminary injunction that would grant her access to medically necessary treatment for her gender dysphoria.
“The protections of the U.S. Constitution and the Americans with Disabilities Act do not stop at the doorsteps of our jails and prisons,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan for the Northern District of Georgia. “Our office remains committed to ensuring that all people with disabilities, including those with gender dysphoria, continue to receive access to such medically necessary treatments, even while they are in custody.”
The department’s statement of interest clarifies that gender dysphoria can be a covered disability under the ADA and does not fall within the ADA’s exclusion of gender identity disorders. The department’s statement also explains that prison officials violate the Eighth Amendment when they categorically refuse to provide medically necessary gender-affirming surgery to incarcerated individuals with gender dysphoria, no matter a person’s particular circumstances.
The Justice Department plays a central role in advancing the ADA’s goals of equal opportunity, full participation, independent living and economic self-sufficiency for people with disabilities. For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 (TTY 1-833-610-1264) or visit www.ada.gov.
Additional information about the Civil Rights Division’s work regarding correctional facilities is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt/rights-persons-confined-jails-and-prisons.
For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division’s work to uphold and protect the civil and constitutional rights of LGBTQI+ individuals is available online at www.justice.gov/crt/lgbtqi-working-group. Complaints about discriminatory practices may be reported to the Civil Rights Division through its internet reporting portal at civilrights.justice.gov.
doe_v_gdc_statement_of_interest_2024.01.08.pdfJamaica Plain Man Sentenced for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Jamaica Plain man was sentenced on Jan. 5, 2024 in federal court in Boston for a May 2022 robbery of a TD Bank in Cambridge.
Jalonni Shabazz, a/k/a “Jalonni Tucker,” 42, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 63 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In August 2023, Shabazz pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery.
On May 2, 2022, at approximately 12:49 p.m., a suspect wearing a royal blue baseball hat, gray short-sleeved T-shirt, a camouflage pattern garment around his neck and medical mask entered the TD Bank on Massachusetts Ave. in Cambridge. The suspect handed the teller a note that read, “All of the Money - No Dye packs - or alarms,” and then told the teller, “This is a robbery honey.” The teller complied with the suspect’s demands and gave cash to the suspect. The man then fled on foot after taking $2,200 cash from the teller.
During a search of the area surrounding the bank, a royal blue baseball hat, consistent with that worn by the suspect in the robbery, was located. DNA obtained from the hat belonged to Shabazz. In addition, analysis of the bank’s surveillance footage and the defendant’s Facebook account identified Shabazz’s features – including his tattoo, hair and an article of clothing – to be consistent with that of the robbery suspect.
At the time of the robbery, Shabazz was on supervised release following a 2017 federal conviction for two bank robberies for which he was sentenced to 54 months in prison.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Massachusetts State Police Interim Colonel John E. Mawn, Jr.; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; and MBTA Transit Police Chief Kenneth Green made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Inmate Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine Distribution Conspiracy Inside Stillwater PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – An inmate has pleaded guilty to conspiring with a corrections officer to distribute methamphetamine inside the Stillwater prison, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, Axel Rene Kramer, 36, an inmate who is currently serving a 288-month sentence for second degree murder, conspired with Faith Rose Gratz, 26, a former Minnesota Correctional Facility (MCF)-Stillwater corrections officer, to distribute methamphetamine within MCF – Stillwater, Minnesota’s largest high security prison facility. As part of the conspiracy, Kramer obtained wholesale quantities of prepackaged methamphetamine from sources of supply outside the prison. After Kramer and another co-conspirator inmate worked with the drug suppliers to arrange meet up times and locations, Gratz would pick up the drug packages. Gratz used her position as a prison guard to smuggle the drugs into the secure facility and then provide the drugs to Kramer while she was on duty guarding him. Gratz did this on approximately six different occasions. Gratz also smuggled into the prison multiple cell phones that she provided to Kramer. Kramer used the cell phones to communicate with people inside and outside the prison and to facilitate his drug distribution network from within the prison.
According to court documents, Kramer and Gratz exchanged hundreds of text messages with each other. The messages included communications about the drug distribution conspiracy as well as discussions about their romantic relationship. Gratz also warned Kramer about upcoming searches of inmates’ cells.
Kramer pleaded guilty on January 5, 2024, in U.S. District Court before Judge Eric C. Tostrud to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Bayport Police Department, and the Minnesota Department of Corrections.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Jacobs and Matthew D. Evans are prosecuting the case.
Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Frank W. Basenback, 36, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 8, 2023, Basenback agreed to sell heroin to a confidential informant. Basenback admitted that he sold approximately 56 grams of fentanyl to the confidential informant on the 3300 block of Harvey Road in Huntington in exchange for $1,000.
Basenback further admitted to selling a total of approximately 243 grams of fentanyl to confidential informants at the same location for a total of $4,000 during separate occasions on August 23, 2023, and September 4, 2023.
On September 14, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant a Basenback’s Haynie Road residence. Officers found approximately $42,892 in the residence and approximately 2 kilograms of fentanyl in a truck parked outside. Officers also found $711 on Basenback’s person. Basenback admitted that he possessed and intended to distribute the seized fentanyl, and further admitted that the seized cash and $14,608.69 in his bank account were drug proceeds from selling fentanyl.
Basenback is scheduled to be sentenced on April 22, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-155.
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Honduran Native Sentenced to Prison for Being an Illegal Alien in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On Jan. 4, Ivis Rodriguez-Ordonez, 23, of San Pedro, Honduras was sentenced, by U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon, to 24 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, following a conviction for unlawful possession of a firearm by an illegal alien.
Rodriguez- Ordonez will be subject to removal, after the completion of his sentence.
According to court documents, on July 30, 2023, U.S. Border Patrol agents conducted a traffic stop of Rodriguez-Ordonez and arrested him for being in the United States in violation of federal law. A subsequent search of Rodriguez-Ordonez’ residence revealed that he was in possession of a semi-automatic pistol and ammunition.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Chief Patrol Agent Samuel Briggs, U.S. Border Patrol, Miami Sector, made the announcement.
U.S. Border Patrol-West Palm Beach investigated this case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Hoover and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Diana Acosta.
You may find related court documents and information on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 23-CR-14036-AMC.
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Highlights from United Against Hate Community Event at St. Joseph’s Catholic ChurchRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee participated in a United Against Hate outreach event bringing DOJ officials and FBI partners to community members to elevate effective strategies to prevent, report, and respond to hate crimes and incidents.
United Against Hate is a nationwide Department of Justice initiative to inform communities about hate crimes and reporting hate-related incidents. The Department launched the initiative in 2022 with the goal of building trust, opening lines of communication, and strengthening coordination between relevant partners and the community to help combat a growing number of hate and bias-related incidents since 2021.
This recent event took place on January 7 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in partnership with CasaLuz, a nonprofit organization that provides advocacy and resources to Hispanic/Latinx domestic violence victims in the Memphis area. The program featured U.S. Attorney Kevin Ritz, Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Smith, Assistant U.S. Attorney Wendy Cornejo, and FBI Special Agent Jeremy Baker.
Below are photos from the event along with a video of U.S. Attorney Ritz’s opening remarks.
Remarks in Spanish
Remarks in English.The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to host presentations throughout the Western District of Tennessee to help communities understand what hate crimes are, how federal agencies respond to hate crimes, and what people can do to help victims. Community organizations or leaders that wish to partner with the United States Attorney’s office to explore holding such an event in their community should contact the District at 901-544-4231.
Anyone who feels they have been the victim of a hate crime or may have witnessed a hate crime should immediately report the crime to state or local police by dialing 9-1-1, then quickly report the incident to the FBI at tips.FBI.gov or by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). Next, please report the incident to the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division at civilrights.justice.gov or by contacting the Civil Rights Coordinator in the Civil Division at the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 901-544-4231.
Henderson Drug Trafficker Found with a Large Capacity Magazine Sentenced to 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. – A Henderson man was sentenced today to 120 months in prison for trafficking fentanyl and possession of firearms, including a firearm loaded with a large capacity magazine. On July 11, 2023, Tyrik Pettaway, 21, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a quantity of heroin and fentanyl and possession with the intent to distribute a quantity of heroin and fentanyl.
“The unwavering dedication and relentless efforts of the Henderson Police Department have been instrumental in upholding justice and ensuring the safety of our community,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Their exemplary commitment to teamwork among state and federal law enforcement is commendable and emboldens public trust in our justice system.”
“Our collaboration with the Eastern District of North Carolina US Attorney’s Office continues to benefit our community,” commented Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow. “The efforts of all involved are evident. I am hopeful this sentence gives pause to those in our community walking a similar path.”
According to court documents and other information presented in court, after receiving multiple reports that Pettaway and Neno King were dealing drugs, law enforcement conducted multiple controlled purchases of suspected heroin containing fentanyl from Pettaway and King in the Spring of 2022. In March 2022, agents executed a search warrant at a residence used by Pettaway in Henderson where they recovered a firearm with a large capacity magazine and approximately 1,100 dosage units of a substance containing fentanyl, rifle ammunition, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia.
Pettaway has prior felony convictions for possession of a stolen firearm (2020), possession with the intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver heroin (2020 and 2021), and breaking and entering to terrorize (2020). King pled guilty to drug trafficking and gun charges in March of this year and was sentenced to 180 months in prison in August.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Henderson Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the State Bureau of Investigation, and the Raleigh Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey L. Peaden prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-CR-00335-BO.
Hebron Man Sentenced to 3 Years for Being a Felon in Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Hebron man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for being a felon in possession of firearms.
U.S. District Judge George Z. Singal sentenced Dario Giambro, 75, to 36 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. He was also fined $250,000.
Giambro was found guilty by a federal jury on October 11, 2023, following a two-day trial. According to evidence presented during the trial, in January 2022, Maine State Police executed search warrants at Giambro’s residence in Hebron. Investigators seized, among other things, 856 firearms—including shotguns, pistols, revolvers, and rifles—and a large amount of ammunition from the residence. Giambro is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior federal conviction in the District of Maine for possessing an unregistered firearm, a felony offense.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives administratively forfeited the 856 firearms and ammunition found in Giambro’s home.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Maine State Police investigated this case, with assistance from the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office and Norway Police Department.
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Gardena Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Federal Prison for Armed Robbery Spree He Committed While on Parole for Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A convicted murderer was sentenced today to 324 months in federal prison for robbing and attempting to rob nearly a dozen Los Angeles County businesses – including a veterinarian’s office – at gunpoint during a five-day crime spree in late 2020 while on parole from state prison for armed robbery.
Justin Washington, 34, of Gardena, was sentenced by United States District Judge Percy Anderson, who also ordered him to pay $9,019 in restitution and a special assessment of $1,100.
Washington pleaded guilty in October 2023 to 10 counts of interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act) and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
In mid-September 2020, Washington was released from state prison from a 10-year term for armed robbery and possession of a deadly weapon. Less than two months after his release, Washington murdered a rival gang member.
Then, from November 30 to December 4, 2020, Washington robbed and attempted to rob 10 businesses in the South Bay and in South Los Angeles. His robbery spree began at the same Gardena grocery store, which he robbed on consecutive days on November 30 and December 1, 2020. From there, in Gardena, Washington robbed a 7-Eleven store, a donut shop and attempted to rob a veterinarian’s office. He then robbed a donut shop in Torrance, and, in South Los Angeles, a wireless phone store, a dry cleaner business, two additional donut shops and, finally, a Baskin-Robbins ice cream store.
During his armed robbery of a Torrance donut shop on December 2, 2020, Washington pointed a gun at and then struck a store employee in the head, causing bodily injury. Washington then forced the victim to move to the shop’s back office to facilitate Washington’s search for money, then bound the victim’s hands.
While robbing a donut shop at gunpoint in South Los Angeles one day later, Washington pistol whipped an employee, causing serious bodily injury to the victim, then attempted to fire his gun.
In total, Washington stole $9,019 in cash and personal property during his five-day crime spree.
From December 2020 until July 2023, Washington was in state custody. He ultimately was convicted of first-degree murder and was sentenced to 75 years to life in prison. He has been in federal custody since July 2023. Twenty years of Washington’s 27-year federal prison sentence will run consecutive to his state prison sentence for murder.
“This defendant was a walking crime spree and fully deserving of a major federal prison sentence,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Removing violent criminals such as this defendant from our streets is some of the most important work my office handles and we will continue to vigorously prosecute individuals who endanger our community.”
“Mr. Washington's short-lived criminal rampage terrorized small businesses and undoubtedly left his victims with lasting trauma,” said Donald Alway, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office. “Federal law enforcement in league with our local partners will hold accountable violent predators who target hardworking business owners and employees, as well as the communities they serve.”
“Data shows the average ATF defendant has 7.8 prior arrests and 2.16 prior felony convictions,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Los Angeles Field Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Hoffman. “We target career criminals by collaborating with our law enforcement partners to remove these individuals from our communities. The violent crimes they commit will not be tolerated.”
The FBI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Torrance Police Department; the Gardena Police Department; the Los Angeles Police Department; and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Sara Vargas of the Violent and Organized Crime Section prosecuted this case.
Four sentenced for drug trafficking in Eastern PanhandleRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Four people have been sentenced for drug trafficking crimes in the Northern District of West Virginia.
- Gary Weldon, also known as “Fatboy,” age 36, of Baltimore, Maryland, was sentenced today to 100 months for two heroin charges.
- James Davis Graham, also known as “JD Graham,” age 41, of Augusta, West Virginia, was sentenced to 18 months for selling heroin and fentanyl.
- Jeanette L. Henkel, age 32, of Augusta, West Virginia, was sentenced to 41 months for charges of selling heroin and fentanyl.
- Jonathan Ross Blankenbaker, age 32, of Inwood, West Virginia, was sentenced to five years of probation for eutylone trafficking.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Weldon, Graham, and Henkel were working with others to transport heroin and fentanyl from Baltimore to Hampshire County, West Virginia. Court documents show that in addition to the sale of drugs, firearms were trafficked and traded for drugs. The investigation yielded several firearms, ammunition, and thousands of dollars in cash.
In a separate case, Blankenbaker sold eutylone in Berkeley County and elsewhere. According to court documents and statements made in court, investigators searched a motel room in Martinsburg that was being used to sell eutylone and methamphetamine and found both drugs and more than $12,500 in cash.
The Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, led the Weldon, Graham, and Henkel investigation. The Task Force consists of members from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the West Virginia State Police, the Mineral County Sheriff’s Office, the Hampshire County Sheriff’s Office, the Hardy County Sheriff’s Office, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, and the Keyser Police Department. The Hampshire County Prosecutor’s Office assisted.
The Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the Martinsburg Police Department investigated the Blankenbaker matter. The Task Force consists of the FBI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearm, and Explosives; the West Virginia State Police; the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office; the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office; the Ranson Police Department; and the Charles Town Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the cases on behalf of the government.
U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Former Iowa Businessman Sentenced to Federal Prison in Pandemic Benefits Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A former Iowa businessman who defrauded the federal and state governments out of over $150,000 in pandemic benefits, and who also possessed firearms and ammunition after multiple prior felony convictions, was sentenced today to five years in federal prison. Justin Eugene Dowie, age 41, from Cedar Rapids, received the prison term after pleading guilty on July 19, 2023, to one count of bank fraud, one count of money laundering, and one count of possessing ammunition as a felon.
Evidence at Dowie’s sentencing, and other hearings in the case, showed that, in 2020 and 2021, Dowie repeatedly submitted false applications to the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) in attempts to receive Paycheck Protection Program loans (“PPPs”) and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (“EIDLs”). During the pandemic, Congress authorized PPPs and EIDLs to assist businesses and individuals suffering financial impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dowie applied for approximately $1 million in PPPs and EIDLs from the SBA, and while many of his attempts were unsuccessful, he received over $100,000 from the SBA in his own name and using a stolen identity. During the same timeframe, Dowie also received over $50,000 in fraudulent unemployment insurance benefits from the State of Iowa, again using his own name and a stolen identity. Dowie also perpetrated other fraud schemes on individual victims, including stealing insurance benefits intended for a victim of the derecho—a severe windstorm that damaged numerous properties in the Cedar Rapids area in August 2020—and obtaining over $13,000 from a line of credit.
Dowie is a former businessman in the Cedar Rapids and Des Moines areas. He is also a convicted felon with sixteen prior criminal convictions, including five drunk driving convictions in state court. In late 2022 and early 2023, Dowie possessed firearms and ammunition even though he was prohibited from doing so
on account of his criminal record, which included felonies for drunk driving in 2008, conspiracy to commit a nonforcible felony in 2015, and attempted eluding in 2018. While Dowie illegally possessed the firearms and ammunition, he refused to leave another man’s home after the other man had temporarily allowed Dowie to stay in the home during a snowstorm and cold weather. The other man ultimately had to leave his own home when Dowie took it over illegally.
Dowie was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Dowie was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $190,539.65 in restitution to the victims of his crimes, including the federal and state governments. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Dowie is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General, assisted the investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file numbers are 23-CR-10 and 23-CR-55.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Former Bullitt County Master Commissioner Sentenced to 2 Years and 11 Months in Federal Prison for Defrauding VictimsRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – The former Bullitt County Master Commissioner was sentenced today to 2 years and 11 months for defrauding two trusts originally held by senior beneficiaries.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and FBI Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the Louisville Field Office made the announcement.
According to court records, John Anthony Schmidt, 67, an attorney and the Former Bullitt County Master Commissioner, was sentenced to 2 years and 11 months in prison, followed by a 3-year term of supervised release, with a special condition of 100 hours of community service, for one count of wire fraud and two counts of bank fraud. There is no parole in the federal system.
The charges in this case were in connection with Schmidt’s scheme to steal over $435,000 while he was serving as the court appointed trustee for two trusts, the beneficiaries of which relied on Schmidt to manage the trusts’ assets. As part of his scheme, Schmidt stole from the trusts to pay for his own personal expenditures, including to pay debts he incurred to individuals he had represented or purported to represent in the course of his legal practice and to replace missing funds from the Bullitt County Master Commissioner bank account.
Schmidt was also ordered to pay restitution to multiple victims in the case.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Public Corruption Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie M. Zimdahl prosecuted the case.
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Former Baton Rouge Motel Manager Pleads Guilty to Wire FraudRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Joshua Lamb, age 35, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson to wire fraud.
According to admissions made during his plea, in late 2022 and early 2023, Lamb was working as the general manager of Comfort Suites Medical District hotel in Baton Rouge. During that time, he operated a scheme to defraud the hotel by wiring at least $90,000 of unearned money to himself. Although Lamb initially claimed the wirings were authorized reimbursements, they were not. In the weeks before he was caught in March 2023, Lamb was routinely wiring himself thousands of dollars a week in unauthorized payments.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ben Wallace.
Former Army National Guard Recruiter sentenced to ten years in prison for sexual abuse of minorRead the Press Release
Tacoma – A former Air Force Special Agent was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to ten years in prison for enticement of a minor, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Joshua Carl Harrod, 44, of Spanaway, Washington, was charged in July 2021 and pleaded guilty in October 2023. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Benjamin Settle said the crimes were “sadistic” and “indescribably cruel.”
According to records filed in the case, between October 2017 and April 2018, Harrod sexually molested a young child left in his care. The conduct occurred in the location where he resided on Joint Base Lewis-McChord, an area of exclusive federal jurisdiction. Harrod separated from the Air Force in 2018 and prior to his arrest in this case, served as a recruiter for the Army National Guard in Lakewood, Washington.
Harrod also pleaded guilty to making a false statement to a government agency for his efforts to falsify phone records related to evidence in the case.
In addition to the ten-year prison term, Judge Settle ordered Harrod to be on lifetime supervised release. In handing down the sentence, Judge Settle said, “The consequences of many crimes before me do not have the impact that this one does…Victims of these crimes carry with them a life sentence.”
The case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI), Joint Base Lewis-McChord Military Police Investigations, the Lakewood Police Department, and the Washington State Patrol.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kristine Foerster and Elyne Vaught.
Foreign National Sentenced for Conspiring to Launder Proceeds of Internet Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
A Nigerian national was sentenced today to 10 years and one month in prison and ordered to pay over $1.46 million in restitution for conspiring to launder money derived from internet fraud schemes.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Olugbenga Lawal, 33, of Indianapolis, Indiana, worked directly with the Nigeria-based leader of an international criminal organization that defrauded individuals and businesses across the United States out of millions of dollars through sophisticated internet-based fraud schemes, including romance fraud and business email compromise schemes. The criminal organization frequently targeted elderly victims who believed they had fallen in love with people they had met on the internet. Lawal then laundered millions of dollars of proceeds from the fraud schemes.
Between January 2019 and June 2020, bank accounts used by Lawal and his co-conspirators to launder money on behalf of the criminal organization received millions of dollars traced directly to individuals and businesses defrauded over the internet by members of the criminal organization. Accounts Lawal controlled received over $3.6 million in deposits between January 2019 and May 2020. Those deposits were spread across seven different bank accounts Lawal opened in his own name or the name of his business entity, Luxe Logistics LLC. Ultimately, Lawal controlled bank accounts at no less than five different financial institutions in furtherance of his money laundering.
Additionally, Lawal played a role in laundering money for the criminal organization by converting the fraud dollars deposited in his accounts into Nigerian currency accessible in Nigeria. He engaged in import/export transactions involving the shipment of cars to Nigeria and currency exchange business transactions to facilitate the repatriation of the organization’s fraud proceeds back to Nigeria.
On Aug. 10, 2023, Lawal was convicted by a federal jury of conspiring to commit money laundering. Three co-conspirators, Michael Hermann, Rita Assane, and Dwight Baines, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney David C. Weiss for the District of Delaware, and Assistant Director Michael Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division made the announcement.
The FBI investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Mary K. Daly and Michael Grady of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jesse S. Wenger and Meredith Ruggles for District of Delaware prosecuted the case, with assistance from MLARS Trial Attorneys Madeleine Case and Jasmin Salehi Fashami.
Five Defendants Sentenced for Drug Trafficking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
Five individuals were sentenced today for drug trafficking and firearm offenses, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
Two fentanyl dealers sentenced for interstate drug trafficking
Juan Alejandro Comparan-Guzman, 28, of Kerman, was sentenced to 15 years in prison, and Rita Ann-Marie Louis, 32, of Carnation, Washington, was sentenced to four years in prison for trafficking fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin.
According to court documents, a nine-month investigation into a drug-trafficking organization operating in California and trafficking drugs to Colorado, Nebraska, Oregon, and Washington revealed that the two sentenced today, along with 11 others, were involved in trafficking methamphetamine, fentanyl-laced counterfeit OxyContin pills, and heroin. Approximately 7 pounds of cocaine, 2 pounds of heroin, 137 pounds of methamphetamine, and over 34,000 pills containing fentanyl were seized, as well as $142,000 in cash.
This case was the product of an investigation by the High Impact Investigation Team (HIIT), a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Initiative (HIDTA), composed of personnel from the FBI, the California DOJ, Homeland Security Investigations, the Fresno Police Department, the Sheriff’s Offices of Fresno, Tulare, and Kings Counties, Fresno County District Attorney’s Office, and the CHP.
Fresno man sentenced for illegally possessing a firearm in connection with selling fentanyl
Armando Chavez Jr., 22, of Fresno, was sentenced to five years in prison for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents, Chavez sold counterfeit oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl on Snapchat, a social media platform. After a nonfatal overdose was reported, federal law enforcement agents working in an undercover capacity contacted Chavez and ordered oxycodone pills from him. Chavez agreed to sell the pills and drove to a predetermined meeting location. Once he arrived, Chavez and his car were searched, and law enforcement found approximately 100 fentanyl pills. Agents then executed a federal search warrant at Chavez’s residence. Inside his bedroom, law enforcement found over 1,300 fentanyl pills packaged for distribution and a loaded handgun.
This case was the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the DEA, and the Fentanyl Overdose Response Team. The case was part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts.
Two sentenced for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine in EDCA and Oregon
Adrian Arredondo Alvarado, 34, of Orosi, was sentenced today to eight years and seven months in prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana. Ivan Vasquez, 35, of Oregon, was sentenced to five years and three months in prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Alvarado was the main target of a lengthy federal investigation into a drug trafficking ring. During the investigation, Alvarado was identified as a large-scale methamphetamine and marijuana distributor as well as a marijuana cultivator. Alvarado negotiated and then supplied over 5 kilograms of methamphetamine to Vasquez, who traveled from Oregon into the Eastern District of California to obtain that methamphetamine, which he intended to distribute to others in Oregon. Alvarado directed other co-defendants to go to Southern California to obtain the drugs and another to collect Vasquez’s drug payment. Alvarado was growing a substantial amount of marijuana. During a search of Alvarado’s residence, officers seized a stolen handgun, ammunition, and a half kilogram of marijuana. On the other properties that Alvarado used for marijuana cultivation, officers found over 400 marijuana plants, nine firearms, and several hundred kilograms of processed marijuana.
Co-defendant Alexis Melchor-Guzman, 30, of Orosi, was sentenced to five years in prison for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and co-defendant Adrian Lopez, 39, of Orange Cove, was sentenced to one year in prison for maintaining a drug-involved premises.
This case was the product of an investigation by the DEA with assistance from the Visalia Police Department and the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio prosecuted these cases.
Five Companies Agree to Pay $7.2 Million to Settle Allegations of Natural Resource Damages to Watershed Areas in Toledo, OhioRead the Press Release
Five companies – Ohio Refining Co., Chevron U.S.A. Inc., Energy Transfer (R&M) LLC, Pilkington North America Inc. and Chemtrade Logistics Inc. – today agreed to settlements totaling in excess of $7.2 million to resolve claims of natural resource damages at the Duck & Otter Creeks Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) site.
A complaint filed with the settlements alleges that the five companies are liable for historic industrial discharges of oil or hazardous substances – including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), arsenic and lead – at the Duck & Otter Creeks NRDA site near Toledo, Ohio. The site is just east of the Maumee River and encompasses the creeks, adjoining wetlands, floodplain areas and uplands. Duck and Otter Creeks flow into Maumee Bay in Lake Erie.
In the aquatic environment, oil spills directly cause PAH pollution, and PAHs and metals were identified in creek sediments at different locations throughout the site and in concentrations that could cause injury including to invertebrates, fish, birds and mammals.
“These settlements will enable restoration work that will significantly improve the environment in the area of the Maumee River and nearby Lake Erie,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Addressing the harm caused by releases of toxic contaminants will benefit local communities and restore important habitat.”
“The Maumee River watershed, including Duck and Otter Creeks, provides key habitats for migratory birds and fish, and supports hunting and fishing activities for local residents,” said Midwest Regional Director Will Meeks of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). “We are excited to work with our partners in the Maumee Area of Concern Advisory Committee and the City of Toledo on restoring this incredible resource. The proposed project will provide additional benefits to the local community and this important river and coastal area.”
“For decades, these companies released toxic industrial pollutants into Ohio waterways, damaging our local wildlife and ecosystem,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “Our office is proud to assist the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division and the Department of the Interior in taking this critical step to protect our residents’ health, preserve our environment and ensure compliance with CERCLA and other environmental laws.”
A draft Restoration Plan, also being made available today by the USFWS for a 30-day public review and comment period, recommends restoration work at the Delaware and Clark Island Complex within the Maumee River. This project will improve water quality in the Maumee River and includes restoring approximately 23 acres of alluvial islands and constructing shoreline enhancements to reduce further island erosion. The project also includes the creation and restoration of island, wetland and submerged habitat for aquatic and bird wildlife as well as vegetation, including plantings of native plants.
Attorneys from ENRD’s Environmental Enforcement Section are handling the case in conjunction with the Department of the Interior and USFWS.
The proposed consent decrees were lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. The settlements are subject to a 30-day comment period and final court approval. The consent decrees will be available for viewing on the Justice Department’s website at www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees.
Federal Drug Trafficking Complaint Follows Seizure of Thirteen Pounds of Fentanyl-Laced PillsRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – A joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department has resulted in the arrest of three individuals for conspiring to distribute over 13 pounds of fentanyl-mixed pills in Nashville, Tennessee, announced United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis.
The complaint charges Karl Chandler, Jr., 36, Jacquez McCoy, 26, and Branelle Brooks, 23, with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a mixture or substance containing fentanyl. Chandler is also charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
On January 4, 2024, agents intercepted a suspicious package that had been shipped to Nashville from Phoenix, Arizona. Upon searching the package, they discovered a substantial quantity of pills containing fentanyl. The pills, which bore the same color, shape, and imprints as legitimate oxycodone 30 milligram pills, were concealed in two vacuum-sealed bags hidden inside of air mattresses. In total, the package contained approximately 6.27 kilograms, or 13.8 pounds, of suspected fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills. Agents re-assembled the package without the narcotics and followed those who retrieved it upon delivery, resulting in the arrests of Chandler, McCoy and Brooks. Federal agents also recovered a firearm as part of the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily E. Petro is prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Father and Son Sentenced for Laundering Drug Trafficking Bitcoin Proceeds Intended for Federal ForfeitureRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Joseph Farace, age 72, of Sparks, Maryland today to 19 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, for a money laundering conspiracy. On January 5, 2023, Judge Griggsby sentenced his son, Ryan Farace, age 38, of Reisterstown, Maryland, a previously convicted felon, to 54 months in federal prison for the same charge.
The sentences were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office; Chief Robert McCullough of the Baltimore County Police Department; Chief Gregory Der of the Howard County Police Department; Anne Arundel County Police Chief Amal E. Awad; Carroll County Sheriff James DeWees; Washington County Sheriff Brian K. Albert; and Chief Teresa Walter of the Havre de Grace Police Department.
According to their guilty pleas and other court documents, in November 2018, Ryan Farace was convicted in U.S. District Court in Maryland for a scheme to manufacture and distribute alprazolam tablets (sold under the brand name “Xanax”) in exchange for Bitcoin through sales on darknet marketplaces. Cryptocurrency tracing techniques established that, in all, wallets associated with R. Farace, and/or his vendor name “XANAXMAN,” received over 9,138 Bitcoins from addresses associated with darknet marketplaces.
Prior to his sentencing for the 2018 crimes, R. Farace met with representatives of the United States Attorney’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration, for the purpose of helping the government gain access to R. Farace’s drug proceeds, particularly cryptocurrency and cash, which had not yet been seized. R. Farace repeatedly stated that he did not recall the location or means by which he could access any additional Bitcoins about which the government was not already aware. At R. Farace’s sentencing for the 2018 crimes, he argued that he had been cooperative with the government’s efforts to obtain his assets. Nonetheless, after R. Farace was sentenced, the government recovered additional drug proceeds in the form of Bitcoin. Specifically, in early 2020, law enforcement recovered over 24 Bitcoin.
As detailed in his guilty plea, despite R. Farace’s claims to the government that he could not access any other Bitcoin proceeds related to his 2018 drug trafficking conviction, from October 2019 to April 2021, while incarcerated for his 2018 crimes, R. Farace conspired with his father, J. Farace, and others to launder additional proceeds of crimes through a series of financial transactions. For example, in 2019, R. Farace sent approximately 71 Bitcoin from digital wallets he controlled to online exchanges and retailers. Financial records from one such retailer indicated that R. Farace used some of the drug proceeds to benefit his father, including sending $3,341.65 worth of gift cards. R. Farace used a contraband cell phone in prison to communicate with J. Farace about these purchases, using an encrypted email service.
In August 2020, while he was incarcerated, R. Farace asked J. Farace to transfer more than 2,874 Bitcoin to a third party, so that the funds could be moved into a foreign bank account. R. Farace provided J. Farace with the wallet address by typing it into the back cover of a prison library book and mailing it to J. Farace.
As detailed in their plea agreements, R. Farace (while incarcerated) and J. Farace used email and phone calls to discuss the transfer of bitcoin using coded language. In September 2020, J. Farace completed the transfer of over 2,874 Bitcoin to the third party, all of which were proceeds of R. Farace’s 2018 drug crimes. On February 10, 2021, federal agents seized all of the 2,874.90419597 Bitcoin that J. Farace had transferred, the market value of which was between $65 million and $150 million at the time of seizure. On May 11, 2021, the government seized 58.742155166 Bitcoin that was also proceeds of R. Farace’s drug trafficking. Both R. Farace and J. Farace must forfeit all of the Bitcoin seized during the investigation.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron and Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri commended the DEA, the IRS-CI, the Baltimore County, Howard County, and Anne Arundel County Police Departments, the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, the Washington County Narcotics Task Force, the Havre de Grace Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the United States Postal Inspection Service, Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services and the Federal Bureau of Prisons for their assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Coreen Mao and Trial Attorney Emily Cohen of the Justice Department’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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District of South Dakota Awarded $16.3 Million in Grant Funding from the U.S. Department of Justice in FY23Read the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that in FY23, the U.S. Department of Justice, through the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), awarded 33 grants totaling $16.3 million in funding to the State of South Dakota, various tribal and local governments, and other local entities to support public safety and community justice activities. Nationally, the Justice Department awarded more than $4.4 billion in similar grant funding.
Of the $16.3 million awarded in South Dakota, over $8 million was given to the State of South Dakota, including the Attorney General’s Office, Department of Corrections, and Department of Public Safety. Over $5.4 million was awarded to tribal governments, including the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe, Lower Brule Sioux Tribe, Oglala Sioux Tribe, Rosebud Sioux Tribe, and the Yankton Sioux Tribe in the form of grants from the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), and National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent (SMART) grants. Additional grants were awarded to city and county governments, South Dakota State University, and local organizations.
“The money awarded to the State of South Dakota, tribal and local governments, and community organizations has the capacity to fund truly impactful work in the area of public safety,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell. “We look forward to collaborating with these entities to grow the impact of their grant funding and improve the quality of life in communities throughout our state.”
The more than 3,700 OJP grants awarded in FY23 will support state, local, and community-based efforts and evidence-based interventions that reduce violence, crime, and recidivism while delivering treatment and services to those at-risk of justice system involvement. Funding will expand partnerships between criminal justice professionals and behavioral health experts, help people safely and successfully transition from confinement back to their communities, reach crime victims in underserved areas, steer young people away from justice system contact, improve the management of sex offenders, and support a wide range of research and statistical activities that will help justice system professionals meet community safety challenges.
Grants will support five major community safety and justice priorities:
- Awards totaling more than $1 billion will promote safety and strengthen trust, helping communities tackle the proliferation of gun violence in America and restore bonds of trust between community residents and the justice system. Grants will support innovative and evidence-based strategies designed to prevent and reduce violent crime, support the health and safety of law enforcement and public safety professionals, promote rehabilitation and reentry success, and address the rise in hate crimes across the country.
- More than $437 million in grant awards will accelerate justice system reforms designed to achieve equal justice and fair treatment for all. Grants will expand access to services among historically underserved and marginalized communities, reduce counterproductive involvement in the justice system, increase opportunities for diversion, and build pathways to treatment for people with substance use and mental health disorders.
- Over $192 million will improve the fairness and effectiveness of the juvenile justice system by supporting developmentally appropriate and culturally responsive interventions for youth. Funding will ensure that young people are served at home in their communities whenever possible, are equipped to transition to a healthy adulthood free of crime, and are protected from violence and abuse.
- More than $1.7 billion will expand access to victim services by investing in programs that provide trauma-informed and culturally responsive services to victims. Funding will support thousands of local victim assistance programs across the country and victim compensation programs in every state and U.S. territory, while helping these programs build their capacity to reach those disproportionately affected by crime and victimization.
- Over $418 million in awards will advance science and innovation to strengthen the base of knowledge that policymakers and practitioners can use to design and deploy effective community safety strategies. Awards will support research and data collection on a wide range of public safety issues, help maintain timely and accurate criminal history records, and improve the capacity of crime labs and forensic analysts to solve crimes, absolve the innocent, and deliver justice to victims.
In addition, OJP awarded more than $611 million to continue its support of other previously funded programs and congressionally directed spending. More information about the awards can be found by visiting www.ojp.gov/funding/fy23awards.
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The Office of Justice Programs is the largest grantmaking component of the Department of Justice and houses the Department’s criminal and juvenile justice-related science, statistics, and programmatic agencies. OJP provides federal leadership, funding, training and technical assistance, research and statistics, and other critical resources to advance work that strengthens community safety, promotes civil rights and racial equity, increases access to justice, supports crime victims and individuals impacted by the justice system, and builds trust between law enforcement and communities.
District Sex Offender Pleads to Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Michael Humphrey, 41, a registered sex offender from Southeast Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to uploading to the internet graphic videos of himself sexually abusing a five-year-old girl.
The plea agreement was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves, Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Humphrey pleaded guilty to a charge of sexual exploitation of a child. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of at least 15 years of imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, and supervised release of at least five years. Humphrey previously was convicted on a charge relating to the sexual abuse of a child. On March 10, 2020, he was convicted of third-degree sex offense in the Circuit Court of Montgomery County, Maryland. Since May 2022, Humphrey has been registered as a sex offender in the District of Columbia as required by law.
According to the government’s evidence, in July 2023, Google LLC reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that two Google accounts, later identified as Humphrey’s, had uploaded material depicting child sexual abuse to Google servers. NCMEC turned that information over to the investigators from the FBI Washington Field Office and the MPD.
Investigators obtained a warrant authorizing the search of Humphrey’s Google accounts and discovered three videos that show Humphrey sexually abusing a five-year-old girl in Washington, D.C. during June 2023.
Humphrey was arrested on August 11, 2023, and has been held since. After he was taken into custody, investigators obtained Humphrey’s electronic devices and discovered thousands of images and hundreds of videos depicting the sexual abuse of children.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force is composed of FBI agents, detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rachel Forman and Amy Larson, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
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District Man Sentenced to 8 Months in Prison for Illegally Recording and Publishing Grand Jury ProceedingsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Alexander Hamilton, 29, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to eight months in prison for illegally recording and publishing secret grand jury proceedings while he served on the Grand Jury in the District of Columbia, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves.
In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Christopher Cooper ordered Hamilton to serve 12 months of probation following his release.
Hamilton pleaded guilty on August 29, 2023, to contempt and obstruction of justice under federal and District of Columbia law.
Hamilton, a former special police officer who worked as an armed guard at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, was sworn in as a grand juror in D.C. Superior Court on September 9, 2022. His grand jury service ended on October 13, 2022, after an MPD officer monitoring public Instagram accounts saw an account called “moefromthezzz,” posting video from the Grand Jury room.
Hamilton, whose account had nearly 10,400 followers, posted videos of at least 14 different grand jury investigations and at least 18 different witnesses within the Superior Court of the District of Columbia Grand Jury room. He indicated he knew what he was doing was illegal, boasting that his actions could land him in prison for three years.
When he was sworn in, Hamilton had been instructed to keep the proceedings secret from family, friends, or any other members of the public. Hamilton took an oath stating that he would keep the proceedings secret. However, as Hamilton raised one hand to take the oath, he filmed himself—using his cell phone in the other hand —and stated, “I’m about to lie.” Hamilton then sent that video to various people via text message. While the swearing in took place at Superior Court, the grand jury sits in a suite at the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Hamilton was both verbally instructed and given written materials explaining that cell phones were not permitted in the grand jury room.
Despite these warnings, Hamilton posted portions of grand jury testimony on Instagram Stories and broadcasted significant periods of testimony on Instagram Live. Hamilton often overlaid his Instagram stories with rat emojis and terms such as “hot” or “snitches.” He continuously showed contempt and disdain for any individual who would testify before a grand jury.
On multiple occasions, Hamilton filmed portions of testimony where the witness stated their name—revealing the identity of the witness to his followers.
At different times in the videos, he zoomed in on evidence that was presented on the screen. During the broadcast, Hamilton had a conversation with followers where he said the witness was the one who should be considered “guilty.”
On October 11, 2022, Hamilton sent messages stating, “They can lock you up for this . . . Having your phone back here.” On at least three occasions, Hamilton referenced receiving three years in prison for bringing his phone into the grand jury room and recording testimony.
The MPD discovered the Instagram videos. Personnel from the U.S. Attorney’s office recognized the individual as Hamilton. During a consensual interview with law enforcement, Hamilton admitted to recording grand jury proceedings and posting them to his Instagram account. Hamilton indicated that he filmed the proceedings using one of two phones that he owns. Hamilton also sent dozens of messages via text message and Instagram discussing his grand jury service.
Hamilton was arrested on November 17, 2022.
In announcing the sentencing, U.S. Attorney Graves commended the work of those who investigated the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Unit (CIIU).
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Gold. Valuable assistance was provided by former U.S. Attorney CIIU Special Agent Geoff Guska, U.S. Attorney CIIU Special Agent Sean Ricardi and CIIU Supervisory Special Agent Tina Lukens. Notable assistance was provided by Investigative Analyst Chris Fagioli and Special Agent Durand Odom of the CIIU.
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Concord Man Sentenced for Possessing Methamphetamine and FentanylRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Concord man was sentenced today in federal court for possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces.
Ethan Lea, 33, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Landya B. McCafferty to 72 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release. On April 14, 2022, Lea pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl.
“Law enforcement will hold those that poison our communities with dangerous narcotics accountable,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack said. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our local, state, and federal partners to reduce the supply of fentanyl and methamphetamine in New Hampshire by incarcerating prolific drug dealers.”
“Today’s sentence is a win for the FBI, our law enforcement partners, and the people of New Hampshire as we work together to remove dangerous drugs and criminals off the street,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division.
After a motor vehicle stop on June 13, 2021, law enforcement seized approximately 245 grams of methamphetamine and 71 grams of fentanyl from Lea’s car. On July 30, 2021, Lea was caught again with large quantities of drugs and evidence of drug dealing in his car, including 448 grams of methamphetamine, digital scales, and over $2,000 in cash. He later admitted to law enforcement that the drugs recovered from the car stops belonged to him, and that he intended to distribute them.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Manchester Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Gingrande prosecuted the case.
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Central Valley Corporate Insider Pleads Guilty to Stealing Nearly $5 Million in Livestock Feed IngredientsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Shawn Sawa, 47, formerly of Clovis, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit wire fraud for his role in stealing millions of dollars’ worth of canola from international food processors. Canola is commonly used to make livestock feed.
According to court documents, from 2015 through 2017, Sawa and Richard Best stole $4.8 million worth of canola from the food processors. They then sold the canola for a windfall. Sawa and Best carried out the scheme through Best’s now defunct train-to-truck transloading company, Richard Best Transfer Inc. (RBT). A transloading company transfers commodities from one mode of transportation to another mode. The victim food processors sent hundreds of thousands of tons of their canola to RBT for delivery to their customers. Sawa was the manager of a victim food processor’s branch office in Fresno and had a close relationship with Best.
Sawa and Best sold the stolen canola through an acquaintance in Texas who used to work in the livestock-feed industry. The acquaintance sold the stolen canola to farms and dairies and distributed the proceeds according to Best’s instructions. This included wire transfers to Sawa, RBT, and Best’s bank accounts. The account that Sawa used was opened in his spouse’s name to try to conceal the scheme.
Throughout the scheme, Sawa and Best caused RBT to email fraudulent inventory reports to the victim food processors representing that RBT had certain amounts of their canola in-stock when, in fact, RBT had significantly lesser amounts. Sawa and Best used the proceeds from the scheme to purchase luxury homes and multiple vehicles, take trips, hire private karate teachers, and cover RBT’s operating expenses, among other expenses.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Barton is prosecuting the case.
Sawa is scheduled to be sentenced on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston. Sawa faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Best was also charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud. The charges against him are pending and are only allegations. He is presumed innocent until and unless he is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
California Man Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Submitting False Sexual Assault Declarations to Court in $100 Million LawsuitRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that ROVIER CARRINGTON was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Valerie E. Caproni to four years in prison for submitting false declarations to the Court in connection with a civil lawsuit. CARRINGTON previously pled guilty to making a false declaration before a court.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Rovier Carrington submitted fake evidence and lied in an effort to win a $100 million sexual assault lawsuit. Carrington now faces prison time for his brazen attempt to manipulate the court system.”
According to the Indictment and statements made in court proceedings and filings:
CARRINGTON filed a civil lawsuit (the “Civil Case”) in which he accused Hollywood executives of sexually assaulting and defrauding him. CARRINGTON sought $100 million in damages in the Civil Case. To support his allegations, CARRINGTON submitted several falsified email chains that purported to show that he had been sexually assaulted and defrauded.
When confronted about those fake emails, CARRINGTON submitted a false affidavit to the Court in the Civil Case, swearing that the emails were real. To cover up his lie, CARRINGTON deleted two of the email accounts, returned the phone he had used to send the emails to Apple, and failed to appear for the Court’s questioning about the emails.
The Court in the Civil Case ultimately dismissed the Civil Case and imposed sanctions on CARRINGTON, ruling, “these emails were fabricated, and that was bad enough, but the deactivation of the accounts, the efforts undertaken to really foreclose what is necessary discovery in this case, and the stream of lies to me, necessitate the sanctions that I am imposing.”
After the Court in the Civil Case imposed those sanctions, CARRINGTON attempted to pursue his claims in another court, violated an injunction issued by the Court in the Civil Case, and accused the Court in the Civil Case of taking bribes.
Then, even after pleading guilty in this case, CARRINGTON filed a lawsuit seeking over $1 billion and making similar allegations.
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In addition to the prison term, CARRINGTON, 34, of Los Angeles, California, was sentenced to three years of supervised release.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Special Agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
The case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Mead and Thomas S. Burnett are in charge of the prosecution.
Boyd County Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ASHLAND, Ky. – An Ashland man, Jonathan Michael Whitt, 35, was sentenced on Monday, to 30 years in prison, by U.S. District Judge David Bunning, for production of child pornography.
According to his plea agreement, on May 8, 2022, law enforcement discovered sexually explicit photos of Whitt and a minor victim. Subsequent investigation revealed that Whitt and the minor had a sexual relationship, from 2011 to 2013, and that Whitt had taken sexually explicit images of the victim during that time. During a separate investigation, law enforcement also discovered that Whitt was trading child sexual abuse material with others, by joining online groups and sending and receiving links to hundreds of images and videos of child pornography.
Under federal law, Whitt must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 20 years.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Michael E. Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; Rana Saoud, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Phillip J. Burnett, Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police (KSP); and Chief Todd Kelley, Ashland Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by FBI, HSI, KSP, and Ashland Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Boston Man Sentenced for Witness IntimidationRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced on Jan. 5, 2024 for attempting to prevent a victim from testifying against him in a federal proceeding. Defendant was on federal supervised release for sex trafficking when he exposed himself to the victim.
Mark Pinnock, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 33 months followed by three years supervised release. In October 2023, Pinnock pleaded guilty to one count of witness intimidation.
In 2014, Pinnock was sentenced to eight years in prison for a sex trafficking offense. In July 2022, after his release from prison, Pinnock was working as an Amazon driver while under federal supervision. A victim reported to law enforcement that Pinnock exposed his penis to her while delivering a package to the condominium complex where the victim worked as a custodian. As a result, the U.S. Probation Office sought to revoke Pinnock’s term of supervised release and the Court scheduled a hearing to adjudicate Pinnock’s alleged offense.
One week before the hearing, Pinnock directed a co-conspirator to go to the condominium complex on his behalf at a time when he knew that the victim would be working. The co-conspirator falsely claimed that he worked for the state and told the victim not to go to Court while standing with his hand in his pocket in a threatening manner as if he had something in it. Pinnock also used an encrypted messaging application to send an anonymous message to the security officer at the complex to “let the cleaning lady know” she would be arrested by immigration officials if she were to go to court. Finally, Pinnock placed three separate phone calls to immigration officials in an attempt to have the victim detained for being unlawfully present in the United States. In the calls to immigration officials, Pinnock falsely claimed that he had heard the victim was gang-affiliated, among other things.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. The Brockton Police provided valuable assistance in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mackenzie A. Queenin of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Bogalusa Man Sentenced to 229 Months for Involvement in Mass Shooting and Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – VINCERT PETERS, age 33, a resident of Bogalusa, Louisiana, was sentenced on January 3, 2024 to a total of 229 months in prison for federal firearm and drug violations.
On September 13, 2023, VINCERT PETERS pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Sarah S. Vance to Counts 1, 3, 5, 8, and 9 of an indictment pending against him. Count 1charged him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, for his participation in a May 16, 2020 mass shooting in Bogalusa. He also pled guilty to drug distribution charges and another firearm charge stemming from an investigation by the Bogalusa Police Department and the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office. Specifically, in Counts 3, 5, and 8, he was charged with distribution of heroin and fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C). In Count 9, he was charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c).
According to court documents, on May 16, 2020, an “Unauthorized Assembly” during Phase I of the COVID-19 Pandemic Re-Opening occurred. This assembly consisted of several hundred people, attending a “Celebration of Life,” event to honor a recent murder victim. During the celebration, a shootout took place between two groups. In total, thirteen (13) people were shot and four (4) sustained serious injuries. Ten separate firearms were discharged during this shootout. VINCENT PETERS admitted possessing and firing a gun during this incident.
During a follow-up investigation, agents also learned that PETERS was selling illegal drugs and were able to make several controlled drug purchases from him. A subsequent search of PETERS’s residence uncovered additional drugs and a firearm.
As a result of his crimes, PETERS was sentenced to serve 120 months as to Count 1 (Felon in Possession of a Firearm); 169 months as to Counts 3, 5, and 8 (Distribution of Drugs); and 60 consecutive months as to Count 9 (possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime). He was also placed on supervised release for three years and ordered to pay a mandatory special assessment fee of $500.00.
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 federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Bogalusa Police Department, and the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Maurice E. Landrieu, Jr. of the Narcotics Unit.
Armed Drug Trafficker Receives 120 Month Sentence After a Traffic Stop in Wilmington Results in the Seizure of Fentanyl, Crack Cocaine, and a FirearmRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Lumberton man was sentenced today to 120 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm in the furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. On September 26, 2023, Elhodge Malik Kirby, age 48, pled guilty to the charges.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, on August 17, 2021, officers with the Wilmington Police Department and New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office Mobile Field Force conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in which Mr. Kirby was the front seat passenger. A narcotics K9 responded to the scene and detected the odor of narcotics coming from the vehicle and officers conducted a search. In a plastic bag on the front passenger’s floorboard, officers located approximately 24 grams of a heroin and fentanyl mixture, approximately 11 grams of crack cocaine, a digital scale with white powdery residue, and a Narcan box containing 157 empty and unused wax bindles used to package narcotics. Under the front passenger’s seat, officers located a .22 caliber pistol. Subsequent laboratory testing revealed the presence of Kirby’s DNA on the pistol.
The investigation revealed that Mr. Kirby came to Wilmington from Lumberton to distribute narcotics due to the high demand. The investigation also revealed that between July 2021 and August of 2021, Mr. Kirby was responsible for the possession and/or distribution of over 450 grams of crack cocaine, 24 grams of fentanyl, and possessing two firearms in connection with his drug trafficking activities.
Mr. Kirby has a substantial criminal history dating back to 1992. His prior convictions include, but are not limited to, Possession with Intent to Sell or Deliver Cocaine, Assault on a Government Official, Felony Breaking or Entering, Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
Michael F. Easley, Jr. U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The FBI’s Coastal Carolina Task Force, The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Mobile Field Force Task Force, New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, the Wilmington Police Department’s Gun Crime Task Force, and the Wilmington Police Department investigated the case and Special Assistant United States Attorney William Van Trigt prosecuted the case. Mr. Van Trigt is a prosecutor with the New Hanover County District Attorney’s Office. District Attorney Ben David has assigned him to the United States Attorney’s Office to prosecute federal violent crimes and other criminal matters. This has been made possible by a grant funded by New Hanover County.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:23-cr-00013BO-001.
Appleton Woman Charged with Producing & Distributing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on January 4, 2024, a federal criminal complaint was issued alleging that Charlotta A. Belgum (age: 38) of Appleton, Wisconsin, produced and distributed child sexual abuse material (“CSAM”) in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2251(b).
According to the criminal complaint, between approximately December 2021 and June 2022, Belgum produced CSAM of a minor child which she then shared with a male acquaintance in Texas via the internet. The complaint further alleges that Belgum frequently engaged in online conversations on a “fetish” website centered around the sexual abuse of children. Belgum faces a mandatory 15 years’ imprisonment and up to 30 years’ imprisonment if convicted of the production charge. She also could be fined up to $250,000.
This case was investigated by the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Appleton Police Department, with the assistance of the Department of Homeland Security, San Antonio Field Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.
A criminal complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove her guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006, by the U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Alden Man Who Illegally Possessed a Firearm Sentenced to 71 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Seth Peterson, 30, from Alden, Iowa, was sentenced on January 5, 2024, in federal court in Sioux City, to 71 months’ imprisonment. Peterson pled guilty on August 4, 2023, to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. Peterson was previously convicted of Aggravated Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, Aggravated Domestic Abuse Assault with the Intent or Display a Weapon, and Extortion.
At the hearings, evidence showed that an investigation into Peterson for vandalism led to search warrants for his social media, and ultimately his residence. At his residence, law enforcement found a loaded Taurus 9mm handgun with an obliterated serial number and drug paraphernalia. Peterson admitted to knowingly possessing the firearm, being a felon at the time he possessed the firearm, and being a user of methamphetamine and marijuana, all of which prohibit him from possessing a firearm.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Peterson was sentenced to 71 months’ imprisonment and must serve a term of supervised release of three years following the imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Peterson remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Franklin County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-3007. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
24 Defendants, including a Utah Business Owner, Accused of Running a Drug and Money Laundering Operation from Utah to Mexico and HondurasRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Today, a federal magistrate judge ordered the last of 23 individual defendants in a large scale drug trafficking and money laundering case detained. The total of defendants now in custody is 22 out of 23 individuals who were charged in a superseding indictment with 33 federal crimes, including laundering millions of dollars via wire transfers from Utah to Mexico and Honduras. A financial intuition is also charged in the indictment.
According to court documents, Georgina Espinoza-Grajeda, 40, of Eagle Mountain, Utah, who is the owner and operator of Multiservicios Lokos LLC, located in South Salt Lake City, Utah, along with her employee Jesid Dadiana De Sutter, 50, of Sandy, Utah, were at the center of a complex conspiracy to secretly and illegally wire millions of dollars in proceeds of narcotics trafficking to suppliers in Mexico and Honduras. Espinoza and De Sutter laundered the money by falsifying wire transfer information to avoid detection. Multiservicios Lokos LLC was allegedly the laundering hub for multiple drug trafficking organizations. Court documents allege that from at least January 2022 to November 2023, Espinoza-Grajeda and De Sutter operated their money remitting business and laundered millions of dollars in drug proceeds deposited by their co-defendants trafficking in fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine throughout the Wasatch Front. Through a collaborative law enforcement effort, agents and officers seized 62,000 fentanyl pills, 24.5 pounds of heroin, 8.5 pounds of cocaine, five firearms, and $237,000 in cash. Agents and officers estimate the criminal organization laundered more than $20 million since January 2022.
Espinoza-Grajeda and De Sutter are charged with conspiracy to launder money, conspiracy to structure transactions to evade reporting requirements, conspiracy to evade suspicious activity reporting and anti-money laundering requirements. Their initial court appearance on the indictment, along with many of their co-defendants, was in November 2023, where the court ordered all except one defendant to remain in custody pending trial. A superseding indictment was filed on Dec. 6, 2023.
Two more defendants, Henrry Arita Lozano and Frances Dalyana Power-Escobar were arrested in Washington and brought to Utah. Lozano appeared at his arraignment January 5, 2024, and Power-Escobar appeared at her arraignment January 8, 2024. Lozano and Power-Escobar were both ordered to remain in custody. A jury trial is scheduled for April 16, 2024.
United States Attorney Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah, and law enforcement partners made the announcement.
The case is being investigated jointly by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, FBI Special Operations Group (FBI- SOG), IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), United States Marshals Service, Adult Parole and Probation, Park City Police Department, Davis County Metro Narcotics Strike Force, Utah County Major Crimes Task Force, American Fork Police Department, Salt Lake City Police Department, Sandy Police Department, South Jordan Police Department, South Salt Lake Police Department, South Salt Lake Business License Department, West Jordan Police Department, West Valley Police Department, Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake, and the Utah State Bureau of Investigations (SBI).
Special Assistant United States Attorney Ryan N. Holtan, of the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
Remaining defendants named in the indictment: (Name, age, citizenship, last city of residence)
Guadalupe Aracely Vargas Ruelas 24, Mexico, West Valley City, UT Multiservicios Lokos LLC South Salt Lake City, UT Rodrigo Andres Droguett-Almendra 26, Chile, Orem, UT Erik Rojas-Moreno 18, Mexico, SLC, UT Fredis Omar Archaga-Ponce 41, Honduras, Sandy, UT Santos Reynerio Lemuz-Ortega 37, Honduras, Sandy, UT Ever Nohe Murillo-Raudales 34, Mexico, Cottonwood Heights, UT Jose Nixon Escoto-Ortez 44, Honduras, West Jordan, UT Vicente Ortez-Zuniga 42, Honduras, West Jordan, UT Wilmer Arnoldo Romero-Soto 45, Honduras, West Valley, UT Rigo Adolfo Melendez-Martinez 43, Honduras, West Valley, UT Cristian Antonio Valle-Acosta 22, Honduras, West Valley, UT Yahir Acosta-Melendez 20, Honduras, West Valley City, UT Isaac Antonio Arteaga-Acosta 39, Honduras, Midvale, UT Edilberto Melendez-Ponce 37, Honduras, SLC, UT Henry Arita-Lozano 34, Honduras, Midvale, UT Frances, Dalyana Power-Escobar 31, Honduras, Midvale, UT Kevin Ariel Ruiz-Aguilar 34, Honduras, Riverton, UT Milton Ivan Acosta Hernandez 37, Honduras, Sandy, UT Miguel Fierro 48, Mexico, West Jordan, UT Sandy Contreras Espinoza 32, Honduras, West Jordan, UT Cristian Escobar-Gomez 27, Mexico, West Valley, UT
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Friday 5 January 2024
Zuni Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Contact of a MinorRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Phillip Edward Lahi, Sr. pleaded guilty to abusive sexual contact in Indian Country. Lahi Sr., 72, of Zuni, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Zuni, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
According to his plea, sometime between Nov. 1, 2021, and December 1, 2021, Lahi Sr. engaged in abusive sexual contact with a minor while hugging her. The victim, identified as Jane Doe, who is also a member of Zuni Pueblo, was less than twelve years old at the time. By the terms of the plea agreement, Lahi faces up to 8 years in prison and must register as a sex offender.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Brittany DuChaussee is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s 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 http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
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