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14 February 2024
Plymouth Man Pleads Guilty to Submitting Multiple Fraudulent Claims for Pandemic ReliefRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Plymouth, Mass. man pleaded guilty today to his involvement in a COVID-19 relief fund fraud scheme.
Ferris Brooks, 41, pleaded guilty to theft of government property. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for May 21, 2024. Brooks was charged in October 2023.
From April to December 2020, Brooks submitted multiple applications for government benefits, both in his own name and in the names of friends and family, that contained false information. Specifically, Brooks submitted an application for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan with the U.S. Small Business Administration in the name of a fake business. Brooks also submitted applications for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and filed tax returns for Economic Impact Payments in the names of friends and family that contained false employment information. Brooks directed payments on the various fraudulent claims to bank accounts that he had opened in his own name and then shared a portion of the proceeds with his friends and family. The various fraudulent claims paid out more than $150,000 in pandemic relief funds.
The charge of theft of government property provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to 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; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston; and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Markham of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Philipsburg Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine ChargeRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Philipsburg, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating the federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
David Klanish, 53, pleaded guilty to Count Two of the Superseding Indictment before United States Senior District Judge Kim R. Gibson.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from in and around January 2020 to in and around March 2020, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Klanish conspired with others to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. Klanish was intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of methamphetamine that he distributed to others.
Judge Gibson scheduled sentencing for June 24, 2024. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $10 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Klanish. Additional agencies participating in this investigation included the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, Erie County District Attorney’s Office, Millcreek Police Department, Erie Bureau of Police, and other local law enforcement agencies.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Out of state man imprisoned for organizing meth shipment via local POERead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 39-year-old resident of Belton, South Carolina, has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction for trafficking meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Jeffery Wills pleaded guilty June 20, 2023.
Senior U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez has now ordered Wills to serve 135 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that detailed how Wills served as a key player in handling narcotics imported from Mexico for distribution along the East Coast. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that drug trafficking throughout the United States impacts the safety and security of communities along the U.S. border.
At the time of his plea, Wills admitted he facilitated a shipment of meth into the United States through the Hidalgo port of entry.
On July 31, 2021, co-conspirators Jasmine Dorsey, 28, and Iyana Carter, 25, both of Newnan, Georgia, attempted to enter the United States with 35 baggies of meth totaling 17 kilograms concealed in the fuel tank of their vehicle. They admitted to smuggling narcotics and identified Wills as the individual who assisted and contributed to the drug trafficking ring by coordinating cash transfers and providing cell phones.
Dorsey and Carter were ordered to deliver the meth to Wills for further distribution.
Law enforcement later arrested Wills at his residence in South Carolina. At that time, he was in possession of significant quantities of marijuana, heroin, crack cocaine, cocaine, meth and dimethyltryptamine – a hallucinogenic drug – as well as 11 firearms.
He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Dorsey and Carter also pleaded guilty and were ordered to serve 64 and 78 months in federal prison, respectively, to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release for both.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Theodore Parran III and Daniel Chung prosecuted the case.
Okmulgee Resident Sentenced for Unlawful Possession of A Machine GunRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Keaton Dwayne Tripp, age 21, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 41 months imprisonment for unlawfully possessing a machine gun.
The charges arose from investigations by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Muskogee Police Department.
On May 11, 2023, Tripp entered a guilty plea in federal district court to one count of Possession of a Machine Gun. According to investigators, on March 23, 2023, law enforcement responding to a reported home invasion apprehended Tripp and found him in possession of a pistol illegally modified for fully automatic firing.
“Converting firearms to fully automatic is an alarming trend which poses a tremendous threat to our communities,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “Identifying and prosecuting persons unlawfully converting and/or knowingly possessing these illegal, extremely dangerous weapons is a focus of the Department of Justice.”
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearings. Tripp will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Satter represented the United States.
Newcomb Man Pleads Guilty to Assault Upon a Federal Officer and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead 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’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Kenneth Lee Begay pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of assault upon a federal officer inflicting bodily injury and one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Begay, 59, of Newcomb, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain on conditions of release pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
On June 4, 2023, after Begay interrupted a Chapter House meeting with verbal threats, two Navajo Nation Police Department officers went to his home. As the officers tried to arrest Begay, he unlawfully resisted. Begay struck both officers. One of the officers, Jane Doe, received various injuries, to include cuts, abrasions, and a shoulder injury that persists to the present day.
At sentencing, Begay faces up to 20 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary C. Jones is prosecuting the case.
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New York Man Admits Role in Theft from Retired Woman’s Bank AccountRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced that MAVANI COLEMAN, 44, of Brooklyn, New York, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today in Hartford federal court to one count of bank fraud.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2018, Gregory Ivy, of New Haven, began working for a retired woman (“the victim”), doing odd jobs for her. In October 2018, Ivy began to steal checks from the victim’s checkbook while in her home. He then wrote checks payable to himself, forged the victim’s signature on the checks, and deposited the checks into his personal credit union account. Ivy subsequently gave stolen blank checks on which he had forged the victim’s signature to Coleman, and Coleman filled in the name of the payee and the amount to be paid. Ivy and Coleman initially agreed that they would arrange to deposit the checks into other persons’ bank accounts, and Ivy would receive half of the proceeds. Coleman, who worked with others to cash or deposit the stolen checks, would kick back to Ivy amounts typically ranging from $500 to $800. At times, Ivy did not receive his agreed-upon share of the proceeds.
Coleman also used the routing number and account number of the victim’s bank account to arrange electronic funds transfers (EFTs) from the victim’s account to make payments for himself, his business, his family members, and other friends and acquaintances.
Coleman worked with other individuals, including Lamont Bethea, to cash or deposit stolen checks on which Ivy had forged the victim’s signature, and Bethea also used the routing and account number to arrange EFTs from the victim’s account to make payments for himself and others. Bethea also provided the routing and bank account numbers to other individuals so they could arrange similar EFTs for themselves and others from the victim’s account.
Coleman, Ivy, Bethea and other participants attempted to obtain a total of $624,818.28 from the victim’s bank account. Because the victim’s bank account became overdrawn, some attempted check deposits or EFTs were reversed, resulting in a loss to the victim of $479,569.08. Coleman personally stole $33,869 from the victim during his involvement in the scheme, and family members and associates of Coleman were responsible for the theft of $248,423.09 from the account.
Coleman was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on April 6, 2023. At sentencing, which is not scheduled, he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years. He is released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing.
Ivy and Bethea previously pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of Bank of America. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Sheldon.
The Justice Department has established a National Elder Fraud Hotline to provide services to seniors who may be victims of financial fraud. The Hotline is staffed by experienced case managers who can provide personalized support to callers. Case managers assist callers with reporting the suspected fraud to relevant agencies and by providing resources and referrals to other appropriate services as needed. When applicable, case managers will complete a complaint form with the Federal Bureau of Investigation Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) for Internet-facilitated crimes and submit a consumer complaint to the Federal Trade Commission on behalf of the caller. The Hotline’s toll free number is 833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311). For more information, please visit https://ovc.ojp.gov/program/stop-elder-fraud/providing-help-restoring-hope.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Heroin ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on February 8, 2024, JUAN CARLOS MOSQUERA-AMARI, age 52, of New Orleans, was sentenced, after previously pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than one kilogram of heroin, by United States District Judge Barry W. Ashe.
According to court documents, between July 19, 2017 and June 29, 2018, MOSQUERA-AMARI, and others, conspired to traffic heroin from Houston to New Orleans and discussed their transactions on intercepted phone calls. Twelve other co-defendants were indicted and convicted of related drug trafficking crimes in this matter.
Judge Ashe sentenced MOSQUERA-AMARI to 90 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release and payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Maria Carboni of the Financial Crimes Unit was in charge of the prosecution.
New Bedford Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New Bedford man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to his role in a Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) operating in Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Jose Santiago, 46, pleaded guilty on Feb. 12, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for May 7, 2024. Santiago was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2022.
Between approximately April 2022 and approximately June 2022, Santiago purchased fentanyl from the DTO that he then redistributed to others. Intercepted calls captured Santiago discussing purchasing fentanyl from the DTO.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. 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; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; New Bedford Police Chief Paul Oliveira; and Fairhaven Police Chief Michael J. Myers made the announcement today. Special assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Homeland Security Investigations; Bristol County Sherriff’s Office; and Fall River, Taunton, Attleboro, Scituate, Yarmouth, Providence (R.I.) and West Warwick (R.I.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
N.C. Woman Sentenced for Theft of Government Funds and Making a False Statement in a Passport ApplicationRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Gayle Smith Gay, 75, of Huntersville, N.C., was sentenced to five years of probation with 240 days of home confinement after pleading guilty theft of government funds and making a false statement in an application for a passport.
Evidence presented to the court showed that Gayle Smith Gay and her husband, Ivan Buxton Gay, Jr., engaged in a multi-decade scheme where they collected Social Security benefits under fraudulent identities from 2006 to 2023. Ms. Gay adopted the identity of her deceased sister, who died as an infant after living for only a few hours in February 1944. Mr. Gay adopted the identity of Alvin Vincent Lee, who also died as a child in 1941. Using the name Catherine Faye Smith, Ms. Gay changed the birth certificate of her sister in 1977 to read “Catherine Faye Smith” rather than “baby girl Smith” and applied for a Social Security number in that name in 1992. Using the name Catherine Smith Lee, Ms. Gay applied for a U.S. Passport in 2010 and renewed that passport in 2020. Ms. Gay began receiving Title II retirement benefits under the false identity, Catherine Smith Lee, in 2006 and subsequently began receiving supplemental security income benefits in 2009. Mr. and Ms. Gay continued to collect benefits from the Social Security Administration until April 2023 when their scheme was discovered by law enforcement.
United States District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie sentenced Gayle Smith Gay to a five-year term of court-ordered supervision to include 240 days of home detention. As a condition of probation, Ms. Gay must pay $132,962.00 in restitution to the Social Security Administration. Ivan Buxton Gay, Jr. pled guilty to the same charges in the Western District of North Carolina and is awaiting sentencing.
This case was investigated by the Social Security Administration and the Department of State. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Matthews prosecuted the case.
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Mother and son tax preparers sentenced to prison for tax fraudRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: The owners of a McDuffie County, Ga., tax preparation service have been sentenced to prison for filing dozens of fraudulent tax returns to obtain hundreds of thousands of dollars in excess IRS refunds for clients.
Annie Bailey, 67, of Thomson, was sentenced to 21 months in prison and her son Tremarcus Bailey, 43, also of Thomson, Ga., was to 30 months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Defraud the United States, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randal Hall also ordered the Baileys to pay restitution of $683,046 and to each serve three years of supervised release upon completion of their prison terms.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“The Baileys’ business was a breeding ground for fraudulent activity, illegally enhancing their customers’ income tax refunds at the expense of the U.S. Treasury,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “Thanks to the investigative work of our law enforcement partners, the Baileys are being held accountable for their criminal behavior.”
As described in court documents and testimony, including the Baileys’ guilty pleas, Annie Bailey owned Bailey’s Tax Service in Thomson, Ga., and her son Tremarcus was an employee. The company prepared income tax returns on behalf of customers since 2000. The business came to the attention of Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation in 2017, and a subsequent investigation determined the Baileys used fraudulent and fabricated information when filing tax returns for individual customers in order to illegally inflate the amount of refunds the clients would receive.
The investigation determined that from 2014 to 2018, the fraudulent returns prepared by the Baileys resulted in $683,046 in criminal tax losses to the IRS.
“The sentencings of the Baileys should serve as a notice to dishonest tax preparers that their fraud will eventually be uncovered,” said Demetrius Hardeman, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Atlanta Field Office of IRS-Criminal Investigation. “We will continue to investigate and prosecute tax preparers who willfully include false items on tax returns, and this is a reminder to taxpayers to review their return with the preparer for accuracy.”
The case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, and prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorney Henry W. Syms Jr.
Monroe County Man Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison After Concealing Father’s Death, Disposing of His Remains to Steal Social Security and Pension BenefitsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Timothy Gritman, 56, of Brodheadsville, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Cynthia Rufe to 60 months’ incarceration and three years of supervised release for a fraud scheme in which he concealed his father’s death to steal Social Security Administration ("SSA") retirement benefits and New York State pension benefits totaling approximately $204,985. Gritman was also ordered to pay restitution of $83,188 to the SSA and $110,897 to the New York State and Local Retirement System. He had pleaded guilty to fourteen counts of wire fraud and one count of Social Security fraud on February 13, 2023.
Gritman’s father, Ralph, was 79 years old and in poor health when he was last seen alive by relatives at Gritman’s Pennsylvania residence in 2016. In the summer of 2017, Gritman relocated to Wyoming with his father. According to Medicare records, the father’s health benefits were used in September 2017 for an emergency visit to a Wyoming hospital, and then never utilized again.
Investigators believe Ralph Gritman died in or about October 2017, with Timothy Gritman concealing the death from family members and disposing of Ralph’s body in an unknown manner. As Ralph Gritman was never reported deceased, his SSA and pension benefits continued to be paid into a joint account with the defendant from approximately October 2017 to October 2022.
In that time, the defendant made many false statements to government officials to conceal his fraud and enable him to continue stealing government funds, even physically posing as his father numerous times, using makeup to look older.
To date, the defendant refuses to divulge the whereabouts of his father’s remains, which, despite numerous searches, have not been found.
“Timothy Gritman chose dollars and cents over a dignified death for his dad,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “He had been living off of his father Ralph’s retirement benefits for years, even before his father’s passing — and after it, went to significant lengths to keep that money coming in. With today’s sentence, he’s finally being made to answer for his criminal greed.”
“For several years, Mr. Gritman intentionally concealed his father’s passing in a ploy to collect his pension and social security payments,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “Today’s sentencing is a reminder that the FBI, alongside our partners, will continue our work to hold those to account who engage in these fraud schemes.”
“Timothy Gritman schemed to obtain the Social Security retirement benefits intended for his deceased father. His behavior is unacceptable, and this sentence holds him accountable for his criminal actions,” said Gail S. Ennis, Inspector General for the Social Security Administration. “I thank our law enforcement partners and the New York State Comptroller’s Office for their efforts in investigating, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Curran for prosecuting this case.”
“For over five years, Timothy Gritman orchestrated a sometimes elaborate scheme to steal his deceased father’s Social Security benefits,” said Christopher Nielsen, Postal Inspector in Charge of the Philadelphia Division of the Postal Inspection Service. “In doing so, he concealed from the government and his extended family that his father had passed away. Even at sentencing, Mr. Gritman refused to close the door for his family and investigators and identify the whereabouts of his father’s body. This man not only harmed the Social Security system, but he also brought pain upon his extended family. We are pleased to have assisted the United States Attorney’s Office, the Social Security Office of Inspector General, and the FBI in this investigation, and through our collective efforts, bring some closure to the Gritman family, and to protect the Social Security system.”
“Timothy Gritman shamelessly hid his own father’s death, going so far as to attempt to disguise himself as him in order to collect his pension and Social Security payments for more than four years,” said New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. “Thanks to the work of my investigative team and our partners in law enforcement, he has been held accountable. My office will continue to bring anyone who seeks to defraud the pension system to justice.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Social Security Administration - Office of the Inspector General, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the New York State Office of the Comptroller and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Megan Curran.
Missoula felon sentenced to five years in prison for illegally possessing firearmsRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Missoula man with two prior federal felony convictions was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, after he admitted to illegally possessing firearms, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Luke Aldon Hayes, 41, pleaded guilty in October 2023 to felon in possession of a firearm.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Hayes had two prior federal felony convictions for firearms-related offenses and was prohibited from possessing guns. On Aug. 9, 2023, while at work in Bonner, Hayes accidently shot himself in the foot and immediately drove to his residence. Law enforcement responded to Hayes’ residence and eventually searched his mother’s car because she was seen moving a black, plastic case from the house to the vehicle. Officers seized the black case, which contained seven handguns. None of the guns had serial numbers and one of them, a .40-caliber pistol, was accompanied by a high-capacity magazine capable of holding 22 rounds of ammunition. In addition, law enforcement recovered additional guns, ammunition and accessories from Hayes in October 2023. In total, law enforcement recovered 14 firearms.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Racicot prosecuted the case. The FBI conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Middlesex County Man Charged with Sexual Exploitation, Online Enticement, and Child PornographyRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Middlesex County, New Jersey, man was arrested today for allegedly inducing a minor to send him sexually explicit pictures and videos and engaging in sexually explicit conduct over an online chat platform, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Jeremy Greenwald, 45, of South Amboy, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count of sexual exploitation of a child, one count of online enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual conduct, and one count of receipt of child pornography. Greenwald appeared this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Rukhsanah L. Singh in Trenton federal court and was detained.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From May 2022 through February 2023, Greenwald used an online chat application to communicate with a minor victim located outside of New Jersey. At Greenwald’s request, the minor victim created and sent Greenwald over the online platform images and videos of the victim engaging in sexually explicit conduct. He directed the victim to perform certain sexual activities, even using items Greenwald had purchased and sent the victim to use during the videos, including sex toys and costumes. Greenwald also paid the victim to produce and send to Greenwald the images and videos of the victim engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
The sexual exploitation charge is punishable by a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The charge of online enticement carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of life in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The charge of receipt of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited the Newark Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task force, under the direction of FBI Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy, with the investigation leading to today’s arrest.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Agnew of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
greenwald.complaint.pdfMiddlesex County Man Charged with Possession, Receipt, and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Middlesex County, New Jersey man was charged with possessing, receiving, and distributing images of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Francisco Villafane, 37, of Perth Amboy, New Jersey, was charged by complaint with one count of possession, one count of receiving, and one count of distributing child pornography. Villafane was arrested on Feb. 12, 2024, made his initial appearance on Feb. 13, 2024, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jessica S. Allen in Newark federal court, and was detained.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In 2020, Villafane communicated with a minor victim over text message. They lost contact but they communicated again in late 2023. Villafane exchanged sexually explicit content with the victim and solicited explicit material from victim, including videos of the victim engaging in sexual acts at Villafane’s request.
The charge of possession of child pornography carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The charges of receipt and distribution of child pornography each carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited the Newark Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task force, under the direction of FBI Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, and the Perth Amboy Police Department under the direction of Chief of Police Larry Cattano, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel H. Rosenblum of the General Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
villafane.complaint.pdfMiddle Georgia Felon Sentenced to Prison for Mailing Guns to ChicagoRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. –A Middle Georgia resident with a felony criminal history was sentenced to federal prison for mailing packages containing handguns to different addresses in the East Side of Chicago.
Khalif Lee aka “Killa,” 29, of Barnesville, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 65 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by Chief U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on Feb. 7. Lee previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and one count of illegally mailing a firearm. Lee is not eligible for parole.
“We have zero tolerance for gun traffickers and will pursue justice in their cases in the Middle District of Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “I want to thank the United States Postal Inspection Service and ATF for their ongoing efforts to intercept firearms before they get into the hands of dangerous individuals and criminal organizations plaguing our communities.”
“Among ATF’s top priorities is ensuring that firearms traffickers are aggressively investigated and swiftly brought to justice. This is an excellent example of such an investigation that was worked cooperatively by multiple partner agencies with outstanding results,” said ATF Atlanta Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka.
“This sentence sends a clear message that anyone who decides to maliciously utilize the mail system will be held accountable,” said Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division. “Postal Inspectors worked jointly with our law enforcement partners to prevent illegal firearms from getting into the hands of individuals that pose a threat to the public.”
According to court documents, United States Postal Service (USPS) workers found a suspicious package addressed to a location in the East Side of Chicago at an Atlanta processing and distribution center on Dec. 23, 2022. The package contained four handguns: a Berretta 9mm pistol, a Springfield XD-9 sub-compact 9mm pistol, a Glock 9mm pistol and a Hi-Point .40 caliber pistol. An investigation found that Lee lived at the sender’s address. A nonlicensee (an individual or organization not licensed by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to buy or sell firearms) may not transfer a firearm to a non-licensed resident of another state. In addition, handguns are not mailable, but a common or contract carrier must be used to ship a handgun.
On Dec. 28, 2022, Lee attempted to mail another package to a different address in the East Side of Chicago. A federal search warrant was issued, and inspectors found the package contained four firearms: a Taurus 9mm pistol, a Glock 9mm pistol, a Sig Sauer 9mm pistol and a Glock .357 caliber pistol. Lee contacted USPS on Jan. 5, 2023, to inquire about the missing parcel and said that it contained his mother’s personal belongings. A forensic examination of both packages contained Lee’s fingerprints. Lee has a prior felony drug conviction in Gwinnett County, Georgia, Superior Court. It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm.
This case is prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime by bringing together a broad spectrum of stakeholders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. 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 United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and ATF.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica Daniels prosecuted the case for the Government.
Michigan Woman Arrested for Role in Fraud Scheme Involving Theft of over $800,000 in Luxury and Designer Apparel and AccessoriesRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today the unsealing of a Complaint charging BRANDALENE HORN with mail fraud, wire fraud, and the interstate transportation of stolen property in connection with a scheme to defraud victim clothing rental companies by opening hundreds of accounts to rent women’s apparel and accessories, stealing those rented items, and selling them on an e-commerce marketplace. HORN was arrested this morning in Freeland, Michigan, and she will be presented later today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Stafford in the Eastern District of Michigan.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Brandalene Horn perpetrated a lucrative scheme in which she defrauded at least three victim companies, stole hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of luxury and designer items, and then sold those stolen items online. Thanks to the work of the prosecutors and investigators of my Office, Horn now faces criminal federal charges for her alleged deceptive behavior and fraudulent activity.”
As alleged in the Complaint filed in Manhattan federal court:[1]
From at least April 2022 through at least February 2024, HORN engaged in a fraud scheme that involved opening hundreds of accounts with at least three victim companies that offer subscription-based clothing rental services. Those services enable customers to access and rent from the companies’ inventory of apparel and accessories, including luxury and designer items. After receiving rental items, including pieces worth thousands of dollars, HORN kept, instead of returned, the items from the victim companies and sold them on an e-commerce marketplace. HORN’s listings for the stolen items on the e-commerce marketplace often used the victim companies’ proprietary photographs and item descriptions that substantially matched the descriptions used by the victim companies.
An image of HORN’s listing for a stolen designer dress on an e-commerce marketplace is below:
An image of a listing by one of the victim companies for this same designer dress is below:
Although the victim companies attempted to charge HORN for the items she stole, HORN avoided those charges by disputing them with her credit union or canceling the credit and debit cards she had provided to the victim companies. HORN’s fraudulent activity caused the victim companies to flag or close her accounts, but HORN opened new accounts so she could continue stealing and selling luxury and designer goods.
During this period, HORN stole over 1,000 items, valued at over $823,000, from the victim companies and sold over $750,000 worth of stolen items.
* * *
HORN, 42, of Freeland, Michigan, is charged with one count of mail fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and one count of interstate transportation of stolen property, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the exceptional investigative work of the Special Agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. Mr. Williams also thanked the New York State Police and the Michigan State Police for their assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Connie L. Dang and Katherine Cheng are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Michigan Man Convicted of Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Shauntay Wade, 43 years old, of Niles, Michigan, was found guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon following a three-day jury trial presided over by United States District Court Senior Judge Jon E. DeGuilio, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Wade is scheduled for sentencing on June 13, 2024. Any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the District Court Judge after consideration of federal statutes and the United States Sentencing Guidelines.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the assistance of the Mishawaka Police Department and the Indiana State Police Laboratory. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Hannah T Jones and Katelan McKenzie Doyle.
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.
Metro Attacker Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison for Assault at L’Enfant Plaza Metro StationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Neal Pitt, 36, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 24 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release by D.C. Superior Court Judge Erik Christian following Pitt’s conviction at trial for assault with significant bodily injury.
Pitt was convicted for an attack that took place on the L’Enfant Plaza Metro Station platform on March 9, 2021. The verdict was returned on October 30, 2023, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
According to the government’s evidence, on March 9, 2021, at approximately 7:45 a.m., Daniel Olsen was traveling on his way to work. Without provocation, Pitt followed Mr. Olsen on the Branch Avenue bound platform, grabbed him by the throat, and slammed him to the ground. Mr. Olsen landed on his right shoulder, resulting in a broken humerus that required surgery and months of physical therapy to repair. Pitt fled the scene but was identified based on CCTV footage, SmarTrip records, and his own statements that placed him at the scene of the crime.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Metro Transit Police Department Chief Michael Anzallo commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metro Transit Police Department. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kraig Ahalt and Shaniqua Butler, who investigated and prosecuted the case, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caroline Coates Huether, Travis Wolf, Bonnie Lindemann, Sandra Braschi, and Benjamin Bleiberg, who initially investigated the case.
Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Second Degree Murder While Armed for 2022 Memorial Day MurderRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON- James Jackson, 30, of Silver Spring, MD, pleaded guilty, on February 14, 2024, to second degree murder while armed for the fatal shooting of Christian Monje, 29, of Fairfax, VA, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Superior Court Judge Robert Okun scheduled a sentencing hearing for May 31, 2024. Jackson faces a sentencing range of 19 to 23 years in prison.
According to the government’s evidence, on May 30, 2022, at approximately 4:30 a.m., officers of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Second District responded to the 1700 block of Rhode Island Ave, NW, in response to the sounds of gunshots. Officers located Mr. Monje on the steps of St. Matthew’s Cathedral, suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. He was transported to the hospital and died from his injuries a few weeks later.
Detectives recovered surveillance footage from nearby cameras which showed an individual approaching Mr. Monje while he sat on the steps of the church. Cameras also captured the individual fleeing down a nearby alley and ducking behind a dumpster. Detectives searched the area around the dumpster and located a 9mm Polymer80 “ghost gun” that was later determined to be the murder weapon.
The case remained unsolved for months until law enforcement received notice of a CODIS link between a DNA profile obtained from the magazine of the murder weapon and Jackson’s reference DNA profile. CODIS, or the Combined DNA Index System, is a web of federal, state, and local indexes that allows laboratories to exchange DNA profiles electronically, linking crimes to each other and known offenders. With this valuable investigative lead, and other evidence obtained in the case, detectives confirmed the defendant’s identity as the murderer.
The case was investigated by the Homicide Branch of the Metropolitan Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Miles Janssen.
Lewis County Man Sentenced in an 11-Member Drug Trafficking Scheme in Western TennesseeRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – A federal judge has sentenced a Lewis County man to more than 22 years in federal prison for his role in an organized drug trafficking scheme. William Rainey, 46, of Hohenwald, TN was the last of 11 people in western Tennessee to be sentenced in the case. United States District Court Judge S. Thomas Anderson also ordered Rainey to serve 10 years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz for the Western District of Tennessee announced the sentence today.
“Methamphetamine is destroying people, families, and communities throughout West Tennessee,” said United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz. “Our district will not be a haven for traffickers or for those who help them profit from pain by bringing meth and other drugs into our neighborhoods. I commend the work of our law enforcement partners in shutting down this operation and bringing these defendants to justice.”
According to information presented in court, in June of 2019 investigators learned of a drug trafficking organization operating in West Tennessee. Investigators determined Rainey was responsible for trafficking approximately 90 pounds of high purity methamphetamine, making regular trips to his supplier in Kansas until his arrest in November 2019. Rainey and 10 people who obtained and redistributed methamphetamine from him were indicted in January 2020. Agents seized over 4 kg of methamphetamine and 29 firearms from Rainey and other defendants, some of whom were convicted felons, as part of the investigation.
On September 21, 2021, Rainey pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine. On January 30, Judge Anderson sentenced Rainey to 275 months in federal prison followed by 10 years of supervised release.
Additionally, each of the following co-conspirators pled guilty and were sentenced by Judge Anderson and Senior United States District Court Judge J. Daniel Breen as follows:
- Randal Tinin a/k/a "Roho", 49, Linden, TN: 168 months and 5 years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
- Blake Barnett a/k/a "Duck", 34, Parsons, TN: 170 months and 5 years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine.
- Tenesha Davies, 46, Scotts Hill, TN: 114 months and 5 years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine.
- Christopher Fisher, 43, Readyville, TN: 120 months and 5 years of supervised release for aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine.
- Savannah Hasher, 31, Darden, TN: 51 months and 5 years supervised release for aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine.
- Trista Middleton, 39, Decaturville, TN: 60 months and 4 years supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of actual methamphetamine.
- Hayley Brodie, 28, Jackson, TN: 60 months and 5 years supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine.
- Shannon Kelley, 44, Scotts Hill, TN: 75 months and 4 years supervised release for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
- Timothy Stanfill, 35, Huron, TN: 42 months and 4 years supervised release for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine, being a drug user in possession of firearms, and unlawful possession of a firearm silencer.
- Jamie Hickman, 52, Huntingdon, TN: 156 months and 5 years supervised release for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine.
- Jason Moody, 39, Lexington, TN: 160 months and 5 years supervised release for possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of actual methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
This investigation was conducted as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
This case was investigated by the FBI Safe Streets Task Force; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Tennessee Bureau of Investigation; 24th Judicial District Drug Task Force; Decatur County Sheriff’s Department; Lexington Police Department; and Selmer Police Department.
United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Gregory D. Allen and Hillary L. Parham, who prosecuted this case, as well as law enforcement partners who investigated the case.
Leader, final defendant in Augusta-area drug trafficking conspiracy sentenced to nearly 13 years in federal prisonRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: The last of 10 defendants in an Augusta-area drug trafficking conspiracy has been sentenced to more than a decade in federal prison.
Justin Wayne Fields, 40, of Swainsboro, Ga., was sentenced to 168 months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute, and to Distribute, Methamphetamine and Heroin, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randal Hall also fined Fields $2,500 and ordered him to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Justin Fields and his network conspired with a Georgia state prison inmate to facilitate methamphetamine and heroin shipments from Atlanta to Richmond and Emanuel Counties,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “The investigation and prosecution of this operation and a related conspiracy sent more than a dozen defendants to federal prison, removing their malign influence from our communities.”
As described in court documents and testimony, the investigations that led to the indictments of 10 defendants in USA v. Fields et. al in October 2022 and seven defendants in USA v. Wheatley et. al in April 2022, together dubbed Operation Wheat Fields, identified a conspiracy to transport and distribute large amounts of methamphetamine and heroin in the areas of Richmond and Emanuel counties.
The multi-agency investigation, led by the Swainsboro Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, identified a pipeline of illegal drugs from Mexico routed through Atlanta and into the greater Augusta area, facilitated by defendants that included those housed in Georgia prisons who used contraband devices to communicate via text message and Facebook. The investigation led to multiple searches of residences, vehicles, and hotel rooms that led to the seizure of illegal drugs and firearms.
Fields’ nine co-defendants, along with the seven defendants in the related indictment, all pled guilty to federal charges. Of the 17 defendants, 16 have been sentenced to terms of up to 240 months in federal prison for their roles in the conspiracies. They include:
- Jayson Dwayne Wheatley, 42, of Augusta, sentenced to 240 months in prison. Wheatley was identified as the leader in the parallel conspiracy indicted in USA v. Wheatley et. al.
- Joshua Brooks Woodward, 30, of Augusta, sentenced to 134 months in prison. Woodward, while an inmate in a Georgia state prison, used contraband cell phones to coordinate distribution from an Atlanta-area drug supplier to Fields and others in the conspiracy.
- Elizabeth Sarah Hagan, 39, of Augusta, sentenced to 120 month in prison. Hagan assisted Woodward with transporting money and buying drugs for which Woodward coordinated distribution.
“This sentence is a direct message to criminals that ATF will not allow egregious violations of our laws go unpunished,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “If you traffic guns and drugs, you will be targeted, and we will ensure that you are prosecuted and removed from our streets.”
“Those who distribute deadly drugs, such as methamphetamine and heroin, create serious risks to our communities,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration Atlanta Division. DEA will use any resource necessary to remove these dangerous drug traffickers from our communities.”
“This sentencing shows that the GBI and our partners will not tolerate the nefarious acts of those who seek to traffic drugs in Georgia,” said Chris Hosey, Director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. “These drugs poison our communities and destroy families. There is no place for illegal drugs in our state, and we will continue to work to remove them from our streets and keep our communities safe.“
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.
Operation Wheat Fields was investigated by the Swainsboro Police Department; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Georgia Bureau of Investigation; the Emanuel County Sheriff’s Office; the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office; the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; and the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office and is being prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia G. Rhodes.
Lakeland Man Sentenced to 28 Years for 13 Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington has sentenced Scott Carpenter, Jr. (46, Lakeland) to 28 years in federal prison for interference with commerce by robbery and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. The court also ordered Carpenter to forfeit three firearms and 122 rounds of ammunition, which are traceable to his offenses. Carpenter also must pay $22,220.52 in restitution to victims, which represents the proceeds of his offenses. Carpenter entered a guilty plea on November 14, 2023.
According to court documents, between August 2018 and August 2021, Carpenter committed at least 13 commercial armed robberies victimizing businesses in Lakeland, Auburndale, St. Petersburg, Tampa, Brandon, Zephyrhills, Gibsonton, and Temple Terrace. All but one of the robberies victimized Dollar Tree store employees and followed the same pattern. Carpenter dressed in all black and waited for the targeted Dollar Tree store to close for the night. Then, as the store employee carrying the day’s proceeds either walked to his/her car in the store parking lot, or after the store employee drove to a nearby bank and prepared to drop the proceeds into night deposit box, Carpenter jumped out, accosted the store employee, brandished a gun, threatened the store employee, and demanded that the employee surrender the money. Law enforcement officers subsequently searched Carpenter’s home and truck where they found guns and clothing that he had used during the robberies.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael M. Gordon.
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.
Kingston Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Straw Purchase FirearmsRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Oryin McLeod, age 23, of Kingston, New York, pled guilty today to conspiring with others to unlawfully obtain firearms from a licensed dealer by making false statements, also known as “straw purchasing” firearms.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), made the announcement.
McLeod admitted that he entered into an agreement with Rylan Peterson, a native of Kingston then serving in the Marine Corps at a base in North Carolina, for Peterson to acquire six semi-automatic handguns on behalf of McLeod and others. Peterson then obtained the guns from North Carolina resident Mitchell Locke, who purchased them from a licensed dealer in North Carolina, falsely representing at the time of the purchase that he was acquiring the firearms for himself. McLeod paid Peterson for the guns, which Peterson transported to New York from North Carolina. McLeod was subsequently arrested in unlawful possession of two of the handguns.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 26, 2024, before Senior United States District Judge Lawrence E. Kahn. McLeod faces up to 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Peterson and Locke are indicted on the same charge and pending trial. Peterson is also charged with two additional firearms crimes. The charges against these defendants are merely accusations, and they presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
ATF and the Kingston Police Department are investigating this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dustin C. Segovia and Emmet O’Hanlon are prosecuting the case.
Kagawaran ng Katarungan, Naglabas ng Update sa Plano ng Aksyong Pagkakapantay-pantayRead the Press Release
Ang Kagawaran ng Katarungan ay naghayag ngayong araw ng pagpapalabas ng 2023 Plano ng Aksyong Pagkakapantay-pantay (Plano), na bahagi ng mas malawak na pagsisikap ng Kagawaran na ipatupad ang Nakatataas na Kautusan ni Pangulong Biden sa Higit pang Pagsusulong ng Pagkakapantay-pantay at Pagsuporta sa Lahi para sa Kulang sa Serbisyong mga Pamayanan sa Pamamagitan ng Pederal na Pamahalaan. Ang update sa Plano ng Aksyong Pagkakapantay-pantay ng Kagawaran ng Katarungan ay tinapos noong Disyembre 2023 at tutulong sa pag-gabay sa mahusay na pamamaraan sa pagkakapantay-pantay sa Taon ng Pananalapi 2024 ng Kagawaran . Ang Plano ay nagpapaalala sa pangako ng Kagawaran sa pagtulong sa lahat ng mga tao - kabilang ang minamaliit at kulang sa serbisyo na mga pamayanan sa kasaysayan – sa pag-kamit sa mga programa ng Kagawaran at mapagkukunan, pagtimon sa mga kumplikadong legal at regulasyong hadlang upang maitaguyod ang kanilang mga karapatan, maunawaan ang lawak ng gawain ng Kagawaran, at makabuluhang pakikipag-ugnayan sa mga taga-gawa ng desisyon sa Kagawaran ng Katarungan.
Ang Kagawaran ng Katarungan ay nakatuon sa katiyakan na ang aming mga programa at serbisyo ay makakarating sa bawat pamayanan na nangangailangan ng mga ito,” ayon kay Pangunahing Abogado Merrick B. Garland. “Ang limang mga mabisang pamamaraan sa Planong ito ay naghahangad na isulong ang mas malawak na misyon ng Kagawaran na panindigan ang patakaran ng batas, panatilihing ligtas ang mga tao, at protektahan ang mga karapatang sibil sa pamamagitan ng pagkilos na alisin ang mga hadlang na pumipigil sa mga mahihinang komunidad/ pamayanan na makapag-kamit ng mga kritikal na mapagkukunan.
Para sa Taon ng Pananalapi ng 2024, ang Kagawaran ng Katarungan ay nangako na isusulong ang limang sumusunod na mga pamamaraan sa pagkakapantay-pantay:
- Ang pag-aalis ng mga balakid para makamit ang pag-gawad ng pondo at mga mapagkukunan para sa mga organisasyong pinangungunahan ng at siyang pangunahing nagsisilbi sa mga minamaliit at kulang sa serbisyong mga komunidad/ pamayanan na naharap na sa mga pang-lipunan at nakapaloob ng balakid sa pagkamit at pagtanggap ng mga mapagkukunang Pederal, gayundin sa mga pamayanang lubusang naapektohan ng krimen, karahasan, at pambibiktima.
- Ang pagsuporta sa mga programang pagwawasto at muling pagpasok na naglalayon na bawasan ang muling pagkakasala at mapabuti ang mga resulta para sa sangkot-hustisyang mga indibidwal (kabilang ang mga mula sa minamaliit at kulang sa serbisyong mga pamayanan sa kasaysayan at yung mga pamayanan na lubusang naapektohan ng krimen, karahasan, at pambibiktima), kasama na ang pagpapabuti ng saklaw ng pangangalagang pangkalusugan at pagpapatuloy ng mga suporta sa pangangalaga, pagbabawas ng mga balakid sa pagkuha ng pagkakakilanlan na bigay ng pamahalaan, pagtugon sa mga pasanin na nauugnay sa kawalan ng kakayahang magbayad ng mga multa at bayarin, at pagpapaunlad ng mga modelo ng pangangasiwa ng komunidad/pamayanan upang mabawasan ang insidente ng pagpapawalang bisa dahil sa mga teknikong paglabag.
- Ang pagsusulong ng nagpapabilang, magkakaiba, at dalubhasang manggagawa sa pagpapatupad ng batas upang palakasin ang tiwala ng madla at mapaunlad ang mga resulta ng kaligtasang pampubliko sa pamamagitan ng pag-aalis ng mga balakid sa sa pagkatawan sa loob ng mga ahensyang nagpapatupad ng batas ng Pederal, Estado, Panlipi, lokal, at maka-teritoryo para sa mga pamayanan na kulang sa pagkatawan.
- Ang pagpapaunlad sa pagtugon ng mga tagapag-patupad ng batas at mga tauhan ng hustisyang pangkrimen sa mga krimen na lubusang naka-apekto sa mga kababaihan, kabataang babae, mga indibidwal na nagpalit ng kasarian, at mga mga kasariang hindi umaayon sa inaasahang gawi (kabilang ang karahasang nakabatay sa kasarian at pangangalakal na sekswal) sa pamamagitan ng pagbibigay at/o pagsuporta: naka-tuon na pagsasanay kung paano imbestigahan at usigin ang mga krimeng ito; pagsasanay at mga mapagkukunan sa mga taong tinatayang dumanas ng matinding karanasan at mga pamamaraang nakakatugon ayon sa kultura, pangangalaga, at mga serbisyong nakalaan sa mga biktima; at mga mapagkukunan at suporta para sa pagbuo ng mga relasyong kasama at pagdaragdag ng ng paraan patungo sa serbisyo at tulong para sa minamaliit at kulang sa serbisyong mga pamayanan sa kasaysayan.
- Ang pagtitiyak na ang kulang sa serbisyong mga pamayanan (kabilang ang mga taong may limitadong kasanayan sa ingles at mga taong may kapansanan, at iba pa) ay may kamalayan at kakayahan na magkamit ng mga serbisyong legal upang pagtuuan ng pansin ang krimeng pang-kapaligiran, polusyon, pagbabago ng klima, at iba pang mga panganib pangkapaligiran at magkaroon ng tulong sa pagtimon ng legal at pinamamahalaang pananaw na kinakailangan para makakuha ng paraan para sa malinis na tubig, hangin, at iba pang likas na yaman.
Ang mga pamamaraang ito sa pagkakapantay-pantay ay naglalayong sumunod sa mga mandato na itinakda sa Utos ng Nakatataas 14091 at binuo batay sa limang mga priyoridad ng pagkakapantay-pantay na nakabalangkas sa 2022 Equity Action Plan ng Kagawaran ng Katarungan.
Habang ang kritikal na gawaing ito ay nagbabagong anyo, ang mga update ay ipo-post sa www. https://www.justice.gov/equity. Maaari kang matuto nang higit pa tungkol sa agenda ng pagkakapantay-pantay at mga kaugnay na pangunguna ng Administrasyong Biden-Harris sa www.whitehouse.gov/equity at suriin ang lahat ng iba pang mga Plano ng Aksyong Pagkakapantay-pantay ng Pederal sa www.performance.gov/equity.
- Ang pag-aalis ng mga balakid para makamit ang pag-gawad ng pondo at mga mapagkukunan para sa mga organisasyong pinangungunahan ng at siyang pangunahing nagsisilbi sa mga minamaliit at kulang sa serbisyong mga komunidad/ pamayanan na naharap na sa mga pang-lipunan at nakapaloob ng balakid sa pagkamit at pagtanggap ng mga mapagkukunang Pederal, gayundin sa mga pamayanang lubusang naapektohan ng krimen, karahasan, at pambibiktima.
Justice Department Sues to Shut Down Ohio Return PreparerRead the Press Release
The Justice Department filed a complaint today seeking to bar an Ohio tax return preparer from owning or operating a tax return preparation business and preparing tax returns for others.
The civil complaint against Emmanuel Antwi and his Cincinnati-based businesses – Manny Travel Agency & Business Services Inc. and Manny Financial, Insurance & Accounting Firm LLC – was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio.
The complaint alleges that Antwi knowingly took unreasonable or incorrect positions on returns he prepared that resulted in understatements of the taxes his customers owed and overstatements of the refunds to which they were entitled to receive. In particular, the complaint alleges that Antwi prepared returns that claimed deductions for purported business losses or employee business expenses that he knew were false. The complaint also alleges that Antwi prepared returns where he knowingly reported the wrong filing status.
The government further alleges that Antwi filed hundreds of tax returns each filing season since at least 2020, with at least 95% of the returns he prepares annually claiming a refund. According to the complaint, in addition to seeking an injunction against Antwi and his businesses, the government requested an order of disgorgement to prevent Antwi and his businesses from profiting from their violation of the internal revenue laws.
By repeatedly understating his customers’ tax liabilities, the complaint alleges that the United States has been harmed by Antwi’s conduct resulting in the significant loss in tax revenue of an estimated $1,098,186 in 2020 alone.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General David A. Hubbert of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
Taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers.
In the past decade, the Justice Department’s Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
Antwi Complaint Filed(22891389.1).pdfJustice Department Releases Update to Equity Action PlanRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today the release of its 2023 Equity Action Plan (Plan), which is part of the Department’s broader efforts to implement President Biden’s Executive Order on Further Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government. The update to the Justice Department’s Equity Action Plan was finalized in December 2023 and will help guide the Department’s equity strategies in Fiscal Year 2024. The Plan memorializes the Department’s commitment to aiding all people – including historically marginalized and underserved communities – in accessing the Department’s programs and resources, navigating complex legal and regulatory hurdles to vindicate their rights, understanding the breadth of the Department’s work, and meaningfully engaging with Justice Department decision-makers.
“The Justice Department is committed to ensuring that our programs and services reach every community that needs them,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The five strategies in this Plan seek to advance the Department’s broader mission to uphold the rule of law, keep people safe, and protect civil rights by working to remove the barriers that prevent vulnerable communities from accessing critical resources.”
For Fiscal Year 2024, the Justice Department has committed to advance the following five equity strategies:
- Removing barriers to access to grant funding and resources for organizations led by and that primarily serve historically marginalized and underserved communities that have faced societal and systemic barriers in accessing and receiving Federal resources, as well as to communities disproportionately impacted by crime, violence, and victimization.
- Supporting corrections and reentry programs that seek to reduce recidivism and improve outcomes for justice-involved individuals (including those from historically marginalized and underserved communities and those disproportionately impacted by crime, violence, and victimization) including by improving healthcare coverage and continuity of care supports, reducing barriers to obtaining government-issued identification, addressing burdens associated with inability to pay fines and fees, and improving community supervision models to decrease incidence of revocation for technical violations.
- Promoting an inclusive, diverse, and expert law enforcement workforce to strengthen public trust and improve public safety outcomes by removing barriers to representation within Federal, State, Tribal, local, and territorial law enforcement agencies for underrepresented communities.
- Improving the response of law enforcement and criminal justice personnel to crimes that disproportionately affect women, girls, transgender individuals, and gender non-conforming people (including gender-based violence and sex trafficking) by providing and/or supporting: targeted training on how to investigate and prosecute these crimes; training and resources on trauma-informed and culturally responsive approaches, care, and services available to victims; and resources and support for building relationships with and increasing access to services and assistance for historically marginalized and underserved communities.
- Ensuring that underserved communities (including people with limited English proficiency and people with disabilities, among others) are aware of and able to access legal services to address environmental crime, pollution, climate change, and other environmental hazards and have help navigating the legal and regulatory landscape necessary to secure access to clean water, air, and other natural resources.
These equity strategies seek to adhere to the mandates set forth in Executive Order 14091 and build upon the five equity priorities outlined in the Justice Department’s 2022 Equity Action Plan.
As this critical work evolves updates will be posted on www.justice.gov/equity. You can learn more about the Biden-Harris Administration’s equity agenda and related initiatives at www.whitehouse.gov/equity and review all other Federal Equity Action Plans at www.performance.gov/equity.
Justice Department Finds Nebraska School District Discriminates Against Deaf and Hard of Hearing StudentsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that Lincoln Public Schools (LPS) in Lincoln, Nebraska, violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by denying some deaf and hard of hearing students an equal opportunity to attend their neighborhood schools.
“Denying students with disabilities the right to attend their neighborhood school based on a blanket policy is discriminatory and runs afoul of our nation’s civil rights laws,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will defend children’s rights to equal educational opportunities in schools, including the right to attend school along with their siblings, friends and members of their community.”
Following a comprehensive investigation, the department found that, when LPS believes that a student needs American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation, LPS requires the student to attend a cluster school serving deaf and hard of hearing students. In applying this policy, LPS does not consider the individualized needs of deaf and hard of hearing students, denies them an equal opportunity to participate in neighborhood school and high school choice programs and fails to provide effective communication to some deaf and hard of hearing students.
LPS’s reliance on the cluster school requirement has harmed students who are deaf or hard of hearing. For example, one student spends up to 90 additional minutes commuting to the cluster school each day. Another student was placed into a cluster program her senior year in high school upon temporarily losing her hearing, even though she does not understand ASL.
LPS’s cluster school requirement also harms the impacted students’ parents who incur transportation costs taking their children to the distant cluster schools.
The department provided its findings and minimum remedial measures necessary in a letter to the school district and asks the school district to change its policies and procedures, designate an ADA coordinator, train staff and pay compensatory damages. View the letter of findings here. For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt. For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA information line at 800-514-0301 (voice) or (TTY 833-610-1264) or visit www.ada.gov. ADA complaints may be filed online at www.ada.gov/complaint.
Remote video URLJury Convicts Telemarketing Company Owner/CEO and Another Executive of Federal Fraud Charges for Health Insurance Policy SchemeRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – Following a two-week trial, members of a jury in southern Illinois returned guilty verdicts on multiple federal fraud charges against the owner/CEO and a former executive of a health insurance telemarketing company based in south Florida.
The jury convicted Steven Dorfman, 39, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and John A. Sand, 49, also of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, of one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, four counts of mail fraud and eight counts of wire fraud.
“The defendants used a south Florida business known as Simple Health to fraudulently sell relatively worthless policies to unsuspecting victims,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “Using a deceptive sales script, Dorfman and Sand caused Simple Health’s salespersons to deceive thousands of people, convincing them that the policies they were purchasing would function like major medical insurance. This brazen fraud had disastrous effects for many of the victims, leaving them with tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of medical bills that were not covered by the policies they purchased. I applaud the St. Louis Office of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Verseman and Peter Reed for their work to expose this illegitimate operation and secure justice for the victims.”
Dorfman was the owner and CEO of Simple Health, which was previously known as Health Benefits One. Sand served as the company’s vice president of sales.
According to court documents and evidence presented during the trial, Simple Health employees were trained to use deceptive sales tactics to scam people into purchasing limited indemnity insurance plans. These plans provide relatively low amounts of coverage for medical expenses. When the policies’ low caps were reached, the consumers were then responsible for paying 100% of their medical expenses above those caps.
“Simple Health’s sale of bogus policies created financial devastation for consumers who were already suffering physically from major medical issues,” said Inspector in Charge Ruth Mendonça who leads the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which includes the St. Louis Field Office. “The guilty verdicts in this case put an end to a $190 million business model based on fraud.”
The scripts designed and implemented by Dorfman and Sand caused Simple Health’s salespersons to mislead consumers about the amount of coverage provided by the policies. For example, the scripts stated that “the whole idea of this plan is to make your out-of-pocket expenses as low as possible” and “when all is said and done, you’ll end up owing pennies on the dollar.” Evidence at trial also established that Simple Health’s commissioned salespersons frequently told additional, off-script lies to the consumers to get them to buy them to buy the policies, with little or no effort by Dorfman and Sand to stop this conduct.
Using the deceptive scripts and the blatant lies of their salespersons, Simple Health sold these limited indemnity policies to more than 400,000 unsuspecting victims across the country from May 2012 through November 2018. This fraudulent conduct generated more than $190 million in revenue for Simple Health. The company sold more than 1,400 of these limited indemnity policies to individuals from all 38 counties in the Southern District of Illinois.
Because the scheme was conducted via telemarketing and victimized ten or more individuals over the age of 55, the maximum penalty for the conspiracy count is 30 years, pursuant to the SCAMS Act. Each mail and wire fraud count carries a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison. In addition, the defendants can be ordered to pay full restitution to the victims.
Dorfman’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on May 21, 2024. Sand will be sentenced at 10:30 a.m. on May 22, 2024.
Candida L. Girouard, 47, of Valrico, Florida, was also named in the indictment. She served as chief compliance officer for Simple Health and pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge on Nov. 30, 2023. Girouard’s sentencing is scheduled for May 15, 2024. All three of the sentencings will take place at the federal courthouse in East St. Louis.
The St. Louis Office of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service led the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Verseman and Peter Reed are handling the prosecution.
The investigation began with a referral from the Federal Trade Commission’s Midwest Regional Office in Chicago. The FTC filed a complaint for civil injunctive relief in October 2018. The FTC’s action put an end to the fraud and a court-appointed receiver was appointed to take over Simple Health’s business operations.
Jefferson County Carjacker Sentenced to 17 ½ Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Tuesday sentenced a carjacker that permanently injured his victim in 2020 to 17 ½ years in prison.
Brandon Vandoren, 29, of St. Louis County, stole a Saturn Aura parked at a Jefferson County, Missouri MotoMart gas station and convenience store on May 20, 2020, and began driving away. Vandoren was armed at the time. The Aura’s driver, who was inside the store, ran outside and was struck by the stolen vehicle. The victim nearly died due to the carjacking and has been left with permanent injuries, including brain damage, but is now recovering.
Officers found the Aura the next day at a motel in St. Louis County. They arrested Vandoren and found a firearm in the room. Vandoren is a convicted felon and is thus barred from possessing a firearm.
Vandoren pleaded guilty November 8 to one count of carjacking. Matthew Carver, 31, of St. Louis, who drove Vandoren to the Moto Mart in a stolen Dodge Dart, pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Carver’s sentencing is pending. The felon in possession charge carries a potential penalty of up to ten years in prison.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassandra Wiemken is prosecuting the case.
Jackson Man Arrested for Illegal Possession of Machinegun Conversion Device a/k/a SwitchRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man was arrested today and taken into federal custody for illegal possession of a machinegun by possessing a Glock pistol that had a machinegun conversion device (MCD) attached to it, commonly known as a “switch.”
According to court documents, on Friday, February 9, 2024, Kylin Demond Russell, 22, led Capitol Police officers on a high-speed chase, reaching speeds of up to 120 mph, after failing to yield for a traffic stop. When his vehicle ultimately came to a stop, he attempted to flee on foot, was detained, and two Glock pistols with attached MCDs were found in the vehicle. Capitol Police contacted the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The vehicle driven by Russell appears to match the description of a vehicle seen in a video, taken by a citizen in Jackson and widely distributed on-line, showing a person firing a weapon from the vehicle.
Russell had his initial court appearance today before a United States Magistrate Judge. He was denied bond and ordered detained. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the ATF and Capitol Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Allen is prosecuting the case.
This arrest is a result of Operation Unified and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), both of which are coordinated efforts between state, local, and federal law enforcement agencies. Agencies participating in Operation Unified include the Mississippi Department of Public Safety’s Bureau of Narcotics, Capitol Police and Office of Homeland Security; the Jackson Police Department; the Hinds County District Attorney and Hinds County Sheriff’s Office; the Mississippi Department of Corrections; and the FBI, DEA, and ATF, as well as the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The PSN Program is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
India-based computer-hacking scam that targeted elderly across the country and stole $150,000 from a Kalispell woman sends Indian national to prison for more than four yearsRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A federal judge today sentenced an Indian national to four years and three months in prison for his role in stealing $150,000 from a Kalispell woman through an international computer-hacking scheme that targeted elderly Americans nationwide and resulted in more than $1.2 million in total losses, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Sukhdev Vaid, 24, of Haryana, India, pleaded guilty in December 2023 to wire fraud.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided. The court further ordered that upon release from custody, Vaid will be remanded to the Bureau of Customs and Immigration Enforcement for deportation and ordered Vaid to pay $1,236,470 restitution.
“It has become all too common for people outside of our country to victimize Montanans, especially as it relates to wire fraud, and get away with it. But not this time. Vaid is going to federal prison due to the sophistication and tenacity of the FBI, for which I am grateful. We will continue to be relentless in tracking down these criminals who prey on our trusting impulses, and we are confident such efforts will result in these fraudsters ending up in the same place as Vaid,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
“’Phantom Hacker’ scams layer imposter tech support, financial, and government personas to gain access to someone’s computer and personal information. Sadly, these scams are increasingly targeting our seniors. Adding to the depravity of this particular case is that the scammer traveled overseas to collect victim’s money in person,” said Special Agent in Charge Shohini Sinha of the Salt Lake City FBI. “To protect yourself, never click on unsolicited pop-ups, links sent by text message or email, don’t download software at the request of someone you don’t know, and always remember that the government and law enforcement will never call and ask you for money.”
“In an era where innocent folks increasingly fall victim to these types of crimes, I am pleased that our office played an active role in the capture, prosecution, and ultimate conviction of these individuals,” Flathead County Sheriff Brian Heino said. “While we know that the convictions of Mr. Vaid and Mr. Joseph cannot fully replace the emotional and financial loss experienced by the victims, they do ensure that these individuals will not have the ability to prey upon our citizens during their time of incarceration. It is a reminder to all citizens that these scams occur frequently and can be devastating. I urge everyone to exercise caution; do not allow strangers access to your computer, bank accounts, or personal information,” Heino said.
In a statement to the court, the Montana victim said, “I feel very violated…I have crawled into a shell emotionally and don’t want to be vulnerable in any way. I don’t know who I can safely trust now. I don’t feel safe at all.”
A victim from outside Montana wrote to the court, “I’m driving a 2007 car, and this loss has prevented me from affording a new car. The cost of living keeps going up, which doesn’t help when on a fixed income. I’m not sure I will ever have peace of mind again and trust others. This has cost me more than any monetary loss.”
The government alleged in court documents that a large enterprise originating from India was involved in stealing $1,236,470 from elderly Americans. The Montana case arose in February 2023, when Glacier Bank notified the FBI that Jane Doe, a 73-year-old woman in Kalispell, had been defrauded. The fraudsters tricked Jane Doe into giving them money through a pop-up notice that appeared on Jane Doe’s computer screen. The notice explained that Jane Doe had been “hacked” and for her to call a number for customer support. Jane Doe complied, and fraudsters directed her to remove cash from her bank accounts for safe keeping at the “Fed.” Jane Doe complied and gave $150,000 in cash to the fraudsters.
After learning of the scam, the FBI set up a ruse in which Jane Doe told the fraudsters she still had $50,000 in cash. The FBI arrested Vaid, along with his co-defendant, Eddly Joseph, of Gainesville, Florida, when they traveled to Montana to collect the money. The investigation determined that the fraudsters remotely accessed Jane Doe’s computer, using UltraViewer, which they installed on her computer.
Joseph was sentenced previously to two years and nine months in prison for his conviction in the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan G. Weldon prosecuted the case. The FBI and the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
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Houston man convicted in $6M bribery schemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A federal jury has returned a guilty verdict against a 54-year-old man for one count of conspiracy to pay and receive health care kickbacks and two counts of payment of kickbacks to marketers, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
The jury deliberated for an hour following a three-day trial before finding Ifeanyi Ozoh guilty on all counts as charged.
Ozoh worked at a local dental clinic known as Floss Family Dentalcare Center from January 2020 to February 2021.
At trial, the jury heard how Ozoh paid marketers $20 to $100 for each Medicaid-insured child referred to Floss. The marketers testified that Ozoh secretly paid them in cash and out of sight of other witnesses, sometimes putting their illegal kickback payments on top of a vending machine down the hall from the clinic.
One clinic manager testified that she repeatedly warned Ozoh that paying marketers was illegal.
The jury also heard that Ozoh paid out over $163,000 in bribes to marketers and received bonuses for reaching a quota of patients.
From 2020 to 2021, Floss billed Medicaid over $6 million. Floss received over $4 million on those claims, most of which were predicated on a kickback paid to marketers and for dental services that were not provided.
During the trial, a representative testified that Medicaid prohibits the payment of kickbacks for referrals of medical services.
The defense attempted to convince the jury that Ozoh was only a “handyman” and was not aware that his actions were illegal. The jury ultimately did not believe those claims and found him guilty as charged.
U.S. District Chief Judge Randy Crane presided over the trial and set sentencing for May 21. At that time, Ozoh faces up to 25 years in federal prison as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
FBI, Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Olson and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Valenti are prosecuting the case.
Heath Street Gang Members and Associates Charged in Federal SweepRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Over 40 members and associates of the Heath Street Gang in Boston were charged today in federal court in Boston with racketeering conspiracy; drug trafficking; firearms; wire fraud; and financial frauds, including COVID fraud, following a two-year investigation into gang violence in Boston.
According to the charging documents, the Heath Street Gang operates primarily out of the Mildred C. Hailey Apartments (previously known as the Bromley Heath Housing Development), a public housing development located in Jamaica Plain. It is one of the largest housing developments in the greater Boston area.
Formed in the 1980s, it is alleged that the Heath Street Gang is comprised of over 150 members and has historically been involved in acts of violence to preserve and protect the Gang’s power, territory and reputation. According to the charging documents, in furtherance of the racketeering conspiracy, members/associates are implicated in a number of murders, attempted murders and shootings – many of which targeted rival gang members/associates of other Boston-based street gangs, particularly the Mission Hill Gang and the H-Block Gang. This allegedly includes an October 2016 shooting targeting rivals in the Mission Hill Gang’s territory, in which a nine-year-old female victim was shot and severely injured, as well as a June 2021 murder allegedly committed by a juvenile Heath Street member/associate in Mission Hill Gang territory.
It is alleged that the Heath Street Gang commonly recruits juveniles living in the Mildred C. Hailey Apartments to join the Gang and participate in crimes on the Gang’s behalf, including shootings. It is further alleged that members of the Heath Street Gang require younger prospective members/associates to commit acts of violence as an act of initiation and often reward the juveniles with appearances in Heath Street Gang songs or music videos, which are used to publicly assert and affirm Gang membership/association, brag about acts of violence they have committed and denigrate and threaten rival gangs. On numerous occasions, members/associates of the Heath Street Gang have allegedly brazenly assaulted local law enforcement officers while engaged in official duties.According to the charging documents, Heath Street Gang members/associates have used the Mildred C. Hailey Apartments as a point for drug trafficking activities and, over a period of multiple years, have worked together to establish drug distribution networks throughout Massachusetts, Maine and California. Heath Street members/associates often use social media platforms to facilitate the distribution of controlled substances including fentanyl, fentanyl pills, cocaine, cocaine base and marijuana – specifically using social media posts to advertise, negotiate and arrange drug sales.
It is further alleged that the Heath Street Gang engages in a number of financial and theft crimes. This includes an organized retail theft group that, since at least approximately 2019, has allegedly openly and brazenly stolen merchandise from various stores in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Additionally, it is alleged that members/associates of the Heath Street Gang have engaged in widespread CARES Act loan and unemployment fraud.
The charge of RICO conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 10 years or 15 years (for offenses committed after June 25, 2022) in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession of firearm in furtherance of violent or drug trafficking crime provides for a mandatory consecutive sentence of five years in prison up to life, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act conspiracy) provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the scheme, whichever is greater. 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; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; and Harry T. Chavis Jr, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations made the announcement today. The investigation was supported by the Boston Housing Authority Police Department; Massachusetts State Police; U.S. Marshals Service; Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office; and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the New England State Police Information Network; U.S. Department of Agriculture; U.S. Secret Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; and the Quincy, Randolph and Lincoln Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Crowley, Sarah Hoefle and Lucy Sun of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit are prosecuting the cases.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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APPENDIX A
- Jaquori Lyons, a/k/a “Gizzle,” a/k/a “Y Gizzle,” 25, of Jamaica Plain, is charged with RICO conspiracy;
- Joan Avalo-Quezada, a/k/a “Trouble,” 26, of Hyde Park, is charged with RICO conspiracy and conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances;
- Trevon Bell, a/k/a “Moula,” 27, of Roslindale, is charged with RICO conspiracy;
- Keonte Campbell, a/k/a “Keko,” 28, of Hyde Park, is charged with RICO conspiracy;
- Amos Carrasquillo, a/k/a “Cruddy,” 35, of Mattapan, is charged with RICO conspiracy;
- Deshawn Cirino, a/k/a “D,” a/k/a “Lil D,” 26, of Boston, is charged with RICO conspiracy;
- Dominique Finch, a/k/a “Heff,” 34, of Boston, is charged with RICO conspiracy;
- Zion Ford, a/k/a “Bricks,” 24, of Hyde Park, is charged with RICO conspiracy;
- Tyrre Herring, a/k/a “Blick,” a/k/a “Smoov,” 26, of Billerica, is charged with RICO conspiracy;
- De’vonne Mcdonald-Jones, a/k/a “Daedae,” a/k/a “D Jones,” 27, of Roslindale, is charged with RICO conspiracy;
- Rickquille Mckinney, a/k/a “Ricky Mazarati,” a/k/a “Mozzy,” 30, of Arlington, is charged with RICO conspiracy;
- Amani Perkins, a/k/a “Chop,” a/k/a “Choppa,” 25, of Mattapan, is charged with RICO conspiracy;
- Michael Riley, a/k/a “Snyda,” a/k/a “Sneed,” 46, of Malden, is charged with RICO conspiracy;
- Keyon Roberson, a/k/a “Beano,” 23, of Dorchester, is charged with RICO conspiracy;
- Randy Diaz-Pizarro, 32, of Central Falls, R.I., is charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and being a felon in possession of firearm and ammunition;
- Bryon Palmer, 36, of Charlestown, is charged with being a felon in possession of ammunition and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl;
- Rolando Coxon, 31, of Hyde Park, is charged with two counts of distribution of fentanyl;
- Cerone Davis, 30, of Arlington, is charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances within 1,000 feet of a public housing facility;
- Donte Daily, 33, of Jamaica Plain, is charged with being a felon in possession of firearm and ammunition;
- Theodore Gamble-Williams, 39, of Jamaica Plain, is charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances;
- Jameel Gibbons, 39, of Roslindale, is charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances;
- Charles Bomman, 33, of Roxbury, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances;
- Deondre Blanding, 27, of Roslindale, is charged with possession of firearm in furtherance of violent or drug trafficking crime;
- Gelson Rodrigues, 33, of Randolph, is charged with possession of firearm in furtherance of violent or drug trafficking crime;
- Riccara McKinney, 28, of Roxbury, is charged with conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act conspiracy) and wire fraud;
- Rachel McKinney, 32, of Arlington, is charged with conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act conspiracy) and wire fraud;
- Teshawnda Knight, 41, of Hyde Park, is charged with wire fraud;
- Antawn Davis, 39, of Boston, is charged with wire fraud;
- Taisha Garcia, 27, of Lynn, is charged with wire fraud;
- Dawan Searcy, 32, of Somerville, is charged with wire fraud;
- Nathan Bootman, 26, of Randolph, is charged with wire fraud;
- Jameela Gross, 27, of Jamaica Plain, is charged with wire fraud;
- Robert Platt, 44, of Brockton, is charged with wire fraud;
- Donovan Scarlett, 25, of West Roxbury, is charged with wire fraud;
- David Avalo, 28, of Hyde Park, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances;
- Victor Pimentel, 27, of Brockton, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances;
- Amanda LaPointe, 39, of Ripley, Maine, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances;
- Krystin Mathewson, 38, of Enfield, Conn., is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances;
- Jacob Lyford, 32, of Milo, Maine, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances;
- Michael St. Pierre, 54, of Dedham, Maine, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; and
- Kayla Tasker, 31, of Dexter, Maine, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Harrisburg Drug Dealer Affiliated with “NFL” Rap Group Sentenced to 129 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Anderson Ortiz, age 24, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner to 129 months in prison for drug trafficking and firearms charges.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the sentencing was the latest sentence imposed of the eight people charged in the indictment for running a drug trafficking conspiracy from 2018 to 2020. Members of the conspiracy were affiliated with a music group named “Never Forget Loyalty” or “NFL.” As a part of their drug trafficking operation, the “NFL” posted videos on YouTube which were filmed in various Harrisburg locales, including the drug involved premises of 1621 Market Street. In the videos, members of the group brandished various weapons, flashed cash, and displayed drugs. In a yearlong investigation, ATF and the local law enforcement conducted a series searches. During these searches, police recovered part of “NFL’s” arsenal, including a machine gun, assault rifles, and various weapons with extended magazines.
After resolving various sentencing issues, Judge Conner sentenced Anderson Ortiz to the top of the sentencing guideline range. Ortiz had previously entered a guilty plea to conspiracy to traffic drugs and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
All defendants have entered guilty pleas to drug trafficking and/or firearms offenses. Judge Conner sentenced the defendants as follows:
- Kaleaf Brown, age 28 of Harrisburg, was sentenced to 140 months in prison;
- Qushawn Brown, age 32 of Harrisburg, was sentenced to 137 months in prison;
- Tyquann Langston, age 28 of Harrisburg, was sentenced to 120 months in prison;
- Adieas Johnson, age 35 of Harrisburg, was sentenced to 120 months in prison;
- Donza Brown, age 60 of Harrisburg, was sentenced to 37 months in prison; and,
- Jaionne Miller, age 23 of Harrisburg, was sentenced to 37 months in prison.
Co-defendant Wesley Garner entered a guilty plea to weapons and drug trafficking offenses. He is awaiting sentencing.
The case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Harrisburg Bureau of Police, and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Consiglio is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Greenville Man Indicted for Threatening a Federal JudgeRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE, S.C. — A federal grand injury returned a two-count indictment against Alvin Bernard Parks, 42, in connection with sending a threatening letter to a federal judge.
According to court documents, Parks is alleged to have sent a letter to a specifically named United States District Court Judge for the District of South Carolina. The handwritten letter contained threats to harm the judge. An excerpt from the letter reads: “I have watched you leave the courthouse numerous times and plotted to get my revenge.” The letter goes on to say, “you best to make sure they lock me away for good cause I’m going to kill you or blow that courthouse up.” The return address on the letter was listed as Alvin Parks with the address to the Greenville County Detention Center, where Parks is detained.
“Our public officials should have the freedom to carry out their work without fear of harm,” said Adair F. Boroughs, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina. “Targeted and violent threats like this will be prosecuted in the District of South Carolina.”
The case is being investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Max Cauthen is prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs stated that all charges in the complaint are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Grand jury indicts 2 brothers & their father in narcotics, obstruction of justice conspiraciesRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – A federal grand jury has indicted two brothers and their father, charging them with crimes related to conspiracies to distribute narcotics and obstruct justice.
Chase Alexander Crump, 34, of Centerville, Colin Tanner Crump, 32, of Centerville, and Mark Crump, 56, of Englewood, were arraigned in federal court Monday and today.
Chase and Colin Crump are charged in a narcotics conspiracy punishable by at least 10 years and up to life in prison.
According to court documents, the brothers conspired to distribute more than two kilograms of methamphetamine, more than 100 grams of fentanyl analogue, and cocaine. It is alleged the drug trafficking took place between November 2023 and January 2024 in Miamisburg, Englewood, Franklin, Centerville and Cincinnati.
The brothers are also charged with maintaining a drug premises on River Downs Drive in Centerville. Law enforcement agents discovered approximately half a kilogram of fentanyl analogue at the residence. While executing a search warrant at the defendants’ parents’ house near Oberer Field in Englewood, agents discovered additional fentanyl and a firearm.
After the FBI arrested Chase and Colin Crump in January 2024, it is alleged they conspired with their father, Mark Crump, on jail calls to obstruct the investigation. For example, they allegedly conspired to destroy Chase Crump’s burner phone. All three defendants are charged with conspiring to obstruct justice, a crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Cheryl Mimura, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Shawn Gibson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations Detroit; and members of the Warren County Drug Task Force announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Kelly K. Rossi is representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Four Individuals Charged in Stolen Vehicles ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Four individuals were charged for their roles in a conspiracy to receive, retitle, and “re-VIN” stolen vehicles, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Nathaniel Bell, aka “David Jones,” 26, of Linden, New Jersey; Johnathan Tanksley, 30, of Orange; L’Hubermane Felix, 24, of Miami, Florida; and Dayanna Sarango-Hidalgo, 28, of Newark, are each charged by complaint with one count of conspiracy to receive stolen vehicles. Bell is additionally charged with five counts of altering or removing motor vehicle identification numbers (VIN) and one count of transportation of stolen vehicles. Felix made his initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jessica S. Allen in Newark federal court. Bell, Tanksley and Sarango-Hidalgo made their initial appearances earlier this month before U.S. Magistrate Judge Edward S. Kiel in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
The defendants conspired to obtain stolen vehicles from New Jersey, New York, Florida, and other states, obtained fraudulent titles for the stolen vehicles, and altered vehicle identification numbers to conceal the fact that the vehicles were stolen. The stolen cars were then sold to dealerships or individual purchasers so the defendants could make a profit. In at least one instance, the defendants sold a stolen car to an individual purchaser and then stole it back so they could sell it again. They accomplished this by placing Apple AirTags in the stolen vehicles to track the location of the vehicle after its sale.
Each defendant faces up to five years in prison on the conspiracy charge. The maximum penalty that Bell faces for each count of altering or removing a motor vehicle identification number is five years in prison, and the maximum penalty for transporting a stolen vehicle is 10 years.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the New Jersey State Police Auto Theft Task Force; the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey; the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission; the Union County Prosecutor’s Office; the National Insurance Crime Bureau; the Jersey City Police Department; the Belleville Police Department; the Rahway Police Department; the Linden Police Department; the Roselle Police Department; the Eatontown Police Department; the Freehold Police Department; the Elizabeth Police Department; the Miami Police Department (Florida); the Florida Highway Patrol; Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission; the Howard County Police Department (Maryland); the New York Police Department; the Nassau County Police Department (New York); the Georgia Department of Revenue; the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice; the Deputy Attorney General’s Office; the FBI Miami Office; the FBI Cleveland Office; and the FBI Milwaukee Office.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison Thompson of the General Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
belletal.complaint.pdfFort Wayne Man Convicted of Drug and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Payne T. Randle, 40 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was found guilty of drug trafficking and firearms offenses following a three-day jury trial, presided over by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A Brady, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
A sentencing hearing will be scheduled for Randle by a separate court order. Any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the District Court Judge after consideration of federal statutes and the United States Sentencing Guidelines.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Allen County Drug Task Force, the Allen County Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s North Central Laboratory, and the Indiana State Police Laboratory. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Stacey R. Speith and Justin C. Sheridan.
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.
Former Somerset Pulaski County Development Foundation Manager Pleads Guilty to Wire FraudRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. – A Somerset, Ky., woman, Lisa G. Gadberry, 51, pleaded guilty on Monday, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Hanly A. Ingram, to wire fraud.
According to her plea agreement, from November 5, 2012, through May 15, 2019, while employed as the Secretary/Office Manager for the Somerset Pulaski County Development Foundation, Gadberry devised a scheme to defraud the organization by means of materially false and fraudulent representations and promises. Specifically, Gadberry utilized the SPCDF credit card for numerous unauthorized personal expenses, including personal vacations, retail purchases, gasoline, electricity, cell phone, restaurants, and entertainment expenses, and concealed her scheme by paying the bill out of an account the Pulaski Fiscal Court, the SPCDF Board, and the CPA for SPCDF did not regularly control or monitor. In total, Gadberry charged $142,874.69 in personal charges to the card.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Michael E. Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office, jointly announced the guilty plea.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Smith is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
Gadberry will be sentenced on a date yet to be scheduled by the Court. She faces a maximum of 20 years in prison. Gadberry will also be required to pay a $142,874.69 money judgement. However, any sentence will be imposed by the Court, after its consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal sentencing statutes.
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Former Potosi Police Officer Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Child Sex Trafficking, Other ChargesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Wednesday sentenced a former Potosi, Missouri police officer to 25 years in prison for soliciting sexual acts and nude pictures in exchange for cash, vape cartridges and other items from three male minors.
In 2022, Matthew N. Skaggs, now 40, made contact with three minors via social media applications such as Snapchat and through his position as a police officer. Skaggs made the acquaintance of one victim by asking the minor if he wanted to participate in a police ride-along program in Skaggs’s patrol vehicle. Skaggs encountered another minor victim by offering to assist him to get out of some minor legal trouble. The minor victims reported being afraid to report or refuse Skaggs. Skaggs’s crimes came to light when one of the minor victims disclosed Skaggs’s actions to his mother.
At the time of his arrest, Skaggs was attending training to become a school resource officer.
In a letter to Judge Schelp, the mother of one of Skaggs’ victims said because her son’s abuser was a police officer, he did not feel like he could tell anyone what happened, “because he knew if he called for help that you would be the officer that was sent.” Skaggs, she wrote, began grooming her son when he was 12. Skaggs “played the part of a great police officer that would protect and guide these boys and then completely betrayed that trust.” She went on to add, “He was scared that you would come to our home or his father’s home and take him. He was scared that you would harm his family.”
Skaggs pleaded in November to three felony charges: sex trafficking, solicitation of child pornography and coercion and enticement of a minor.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Owner of Seaford Drug Rehab Center Pleads Guilty to False Statements on Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that a Milton man pled guilty in federal court yesterday to a one count Information charging him with of Making False Statements on a Tax Return. Chief U.S. District Judge Colm F. Connolly accepted the plea.
According to court documents, Amir Mohamed, 58, of Milton, Delaware, the former owner of Addiction Medical Facility, LLC, a Seaford drug rehab center, failed to declare on his federal tax returns all the income he received in calendar year 2021. As a result, Mohamed underpaid taxes in 2021.
Mohamed faces a maximum of 3 years in prison when sentenced on June 27, 2024. Judge Connolly will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Weiss commented, “Amir Mohamed’s scheme to evade taxes for the purpose of lining his own pockets was a theft from the American public. He stated that his taxable income was just over $12,000 when it was in fact over $1,000,000. Together with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to protect the interests of law-abiding taxpayers by pursuing those who shirk their lawful tax obligations.”
“Anyone contemplating cheating on their taxes should know that IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agents work tirelessly, year-round, to investigate tax and financial crimes,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Yury Kruty. “Our largest enforcement program is directed at the portion of American taxpayers who willfully and intentionally violate their known legal duty of filing and paying their taxes.”
IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eli H. Klein is prosecuting the case.
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. 1:24-CR-00007.
Former North East Resident Indicted for Child Sexual Exploitation ViolationsRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A former resident of North East, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Erie on charges of violating federal laws relating to the sexual exploitation of children, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
The two-count Indictment named Kurt Bryan Schultz, 54, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on or about September 6, 2020, Schultz received images depicting the sexual exploitation of minors. Schultz also possessed and accessed with intent to view child sexual abuse material in and around September 2020.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 15 years and up to 60 years in prison, a fine of up to $500,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police and the Erie County Detectives Bureau conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Former Jeannette Resident Indicted for Felony Firearms ViolationRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A former resident of Jeannette, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating a federal firearms law, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Akeem Vance, 39, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on August 2, 2023, Vance knowingly possessed ammunition as a convicted felon. Federal law prohibits an individual who has been convicted of a felony from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Katherine C. Jordan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Former Bookkeeper Sentenced to Federal Prison for Embezzlement and FraudRead the Press Release
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on February 9, 2024, Emilee K. Rueda (age: 42), of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was sentenced to 33 months’ imprisonment for wire fraud and tax offenses.
According to court documents, Rueda was the office manager and in-house bookkeeper at a small business. Between September 2018 and February 2020, she made more than $650,000 in unauthorized expenditures on antique jewelry, lifelike dolls, trinkets, and other miscellaneous items, intending to resell many of these purchases. Rueda took advantage of her position of trust and made false entries into the business’s books to hide the theft, which was only uncovered after an employee’s paycheck bounced. Rueda also filed false tax returns hiding this illegal income from the Internal Revenue Service.
In announcing the sentence, United States District Judge J.P. Stadtmueller emphasized the seriousness of the offense and the importance of deterring others from similar conduct.
“The sentence imposed in this case reflects the substantial financial loss caused by the defendant’s fraud, the harm to all taxpayers caused by her filing of false tax returns, and the sense of betrayal felt by the victim company and its owners, who had trusted and supported the defendant,” said U.S. Attorney Haanstad. “I commend the hard work of the officers and agents who worked hard to hold the defendant accountable for her actions.”
“Individuals entrusted with their employer’s finances are held to a higher ethical standard because their actions can have a significant impact on the financial health and reputation of their organization,” said Justin Campbell, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “Because she violated the trust between her and her employer, IRS-CI special agents held her accountable for her actions. The investigation of Ms. Rueda’s misdeeds underscores IRS-CI’s commitment to enforcing a just and transparent tax system.”
This case was investigated by IRS-CI and the West Milwaukee Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Farris Martini.
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Five Members of a Methamphetamine and Cocaine Distribution Ring Charged with Drug Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced the unsealing of a seven-count indictment charging five individuals with drug trafficking offenses. The indictment alleges that the defendants were members of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed methamphetamine and cocaine mailed to, and distributed throughout, the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, including in Reading, Quakertown, Bensalem, Plymouth Township, Coopersburg, and elsewhere.
Members of the DTO used addresses obtained through associates in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania to mail the drugs, and then had members of the organization pick up the packages for subsequent distribution to their dealers.
During the investigation, law enforcement seized forty firearms, over 100,000 rounds of ammunition, 60 pounds of methamphetamine, one kilogram of fentanyl, one kilogram of cocaine, 65 pounds of marijuana, fentanyl/heroin, 300 fentanyl pills, six pounds of mushrooms, and $15,000.00 in United States currency.
The individuals charged include Michael Sanchez, 32, of Los Angeles, California; Avrian Haywood Mack, 21, of Reading, Pennsylvania; David Matthew Yohn, 53, of Coopersburg, Pennsylvania; Aived Abel Garcia, 25, of Chula Vista, California; and Miguel Aliaga, 36, of Whitehall, Pennsylvania.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Philadelphia’s El Dorado Task Force, HSI Allentown, HSI Los Angeles, HSI San Diego, HSI LAX, Bucks County District Attorney’s Office Drug Strike Force, Quakertown Borough Police Department, Richland Township Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, Liberty Mid-Atlantic High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, Berks County Detectives, United States Postal Inspection Service, Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General (PAOAG), Bensalem Police Department, Montgomery County Detectives, and the Orange County Probation Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lizmar Bosques and Special Assistant United States Attorney Tom Gannon.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Federal Law Enforcement Seizes $70k Vehicle to be Applied to Former CEO's $74 Million Restitution OrderRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon announced today that it has seized a vehicle purchased for Jon Harder, the former CEO of Sunwest Management and associated companies, who previously admitted to orchestrating a $120 million fraud scheme—one of the largest in Oregon history—and that the proceeds of the vehicle’s sale will be applied to the former defendant’s court-imposed restitution order.
According to court documents, in July 2023, the U.S. Attorney’s Office obtained information that Harder had purchased a 2023 Ford F-150 truck for a cash sale price of approximately $70,000 using funds provided by a non-familial person. Further investigation revealed that the vehicle was registered solely to Harder and was being stored at his residence in Canyonville, Oregon. On January 19, 2024, acting on a U.S. District Court order, the U.S. Marshals Service entered Harder’s property and seized the vehicle. The court issued an order Tuesday authorizing the sale of the vehicle and the application of the proceeds to Harder’s outstanding restitution balance.
Harder formerly controlled a network of companies that bought, constructed, and managed assisted living facilities. At its height, the organization, Sunwest Management and its related companies, owned approximately 300 assisted living facilities that served more than 15,000 residents. As CEO of Sunwest, Harder knowingly and intentionally misled hundreds of investors about the nature and risks of their investment in Sunwest housing facilities and development projects. He further misled his investors about the financial health of Sunwest, failing to disclose that the company continuously operated at substantial monthly losses. In total, Harder misled more than 1,400 investors, causing losses exceeding $120 million.
Harder was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison for wire fraud and money laundering, and ordered to pay more than $74 million in restitution to his victims.
This case was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, FBI, and the Justice Department’s U.S. Trustee Program. The United States was represented in this matter by Julia Jarrett, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, and the District of Oregon’s Financial Litigation Program staff.
The District of Oregon’s Financial Litigation Program (FLP) is part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Asset Recovery and Money Laundering Division. The mission and goal of FLP is to fairly achieve the maximum recovery of civil and criminal debts consistent with applicable laws, regulations, and Justice Department policies. FLP attorneys and support staff work with individuals subject to restitution orders to bring closure for crime victims and recoup losses incurred by United States taxpayers.
Federal Jury in Bridgeport Finds 4 Members of Violent Waterbury Gang GuiltyRead the Press Release
A federal jury in Bridgeport today found TAHJAY LOVE, also known as “Goon,” 25; ZAEKWON McDANIEL, also known as “Gap” and “Yung Gap,” 25; MALIK BAYON, also known as “Pop” and “Dirt,” 27; and JAMES GRAHAM, also known as “Little Cuz,” 24, guilty of offenses related their participation in the 960 gang, a violent Waterbury street gang.
Today's announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Maureen T. Platt, State’s Attorney for the Waterbury Judicial District; Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; and Waterbury Police Chief Fernando C. Spagnolo.
In an effort to address drug trafficking and related violence in Waterbury, the FBI, ATF, and Waterbury Police have been investigating multiple Waterbury-based groups, including the 960 gang. On September 14, 2021, a federal grand jury in Hartford returned a 36-count indictment charging 960 members Love, McDaniel, Bayon, and Graham, and 12 other alleged gang members, with racketeering, narcotics trafficking, firearm possession, murder, attempted murder and assault, and obstruction of justice offenses.
According to the evidence presented during the trial:
- On October 31, 2017, 960 members were involved in a drive-by shooting in the area of Porter Street and Bank Street in Waterbury in an attempt to murder members of a rival gang. An individual was shot and wounded in the shooting. Investigators recovered 17 shell casings from four different firearms at the scene, and also identified the car used by the assailants. McDaniel’s DNA was found on the steering wheel of the car.
- On November 22, 2017, McDaniel, Bayon, and Love shot at Clarence Lewis and Antonio Santos who were in a car at a restaurant in Waterbury. Lewis sped from the scene at a high-rate of speed and crashed into a house at the intersection of Wolcott Street and Dallas Avenue in Waterbury. Lewis, 22, and Santos, 20, were pronounced dead at the scene. Shell casings connected two of firearms used during the shooting to the shooting that occurred on October 31, 2017, and McDaniel’s DNA was found on a gun magazine that was dropped at the restaurant.
- On December 29, 2017, shortly before 9:00 p.m., McDaniel shot and injured the father of a rival gang member who was taking out the trash in front of his residence. 960 members videoed themselves wearing masks at the scene minutes before the shooting.
- On October 19, 2019, Love and Graham, who were incarcerated in state custody, assaulted another inmate who they believed had reported to law enforcement Love’s admitted role in the November 22, 2017, shooting that resulted in the deaths of Clarence Lewis and Antonio Santos.
The jury found Love, McDaniel, and Bayon guilty of conspiracy to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity with special circumstances that they killed Clarence Lewis and Antonio Santos in the course of a single event, murder in violation of the Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering (“VCAR”) statute, and two counts of causing death through the use of a firearm and in relation to a crime of violence. The jury also found McDaniel guilty of attempted murder and assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, and carrying and using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; Love and Graham guilty of obstruction of justice; and Bayon guilty of conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and 40 grams or more of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute narcotics, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
At sentencing, which is not scheduled, Love, McDaniel, and Bayon face a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment, and Graham faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
“We thank the jury for its thoughtful analysis of the evidence presented during this lengthy trial,” said U.S. Attorney Avery. “960 gang members murdered and attempted to murder both rival gang members and innocent victims alike. The U.S. Attorney’s office is committed to using federal law enforcement resources to dismantle violent groups in Waterbury and other cities in Connecticut, and prosecute those responsible for the drug trafficking and persistent acts of gun violence that torment the communities in which they operate. I thank the Waterbury State’s Attorney’s Office for its close cooperation in prosecuting this matter, and the FBI, ATF, and Waterbury Police Department for their excellent work and partnership during this long investigation.”
“This case serves as an important illustration of the importance of cooperation and the sharing of information between various federal and state agencies,” said Waterbury State’s Attorney Platt. “We are extremely thankful for the tremendous effort and resources that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has put forward to aid in the prosecution of these serious and violent offenders. I am also very proud and grateful of the hard work, dedication ,and professionalism exhibited by members of the Waterbury State’s Attorney’s Office including Supervisor Assistant State’s Attorney Don Therkildsen, Deputy Assistant State’s Attorney Alex Arroyo, and Inspector Michael Slavin, and the Waterbury Police Department led by Chief Fernando Spagnolo, which led to today’s verdicts.”
This investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, ATF and Waterbury Police Department, with the assistance of the Watertown Police Department, New Milford Police Department and Connecticut Department of Correction. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Geoffrey M. Stone, John T. Pierpont, Jr. and Natasha M. Freismuth, and Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Don E. Therkildesen, Jr. and Deputy Assistant State’s Attorney Alexandra Arroyo of the Waterbury State’s Attorney’s Office, who have been cross-designated as Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys in this matter.
This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.
PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Ex-Director of Technical Education Program, Contractor, and Company Plead Guilty to Theft of over $200,000 from the Puerto Rico Department of EducationRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Kelvin Pagán-La Luz, Javier Santiago-Rodríguez, and Star Enterprises Inc. (“Star Enterprises”) pleaded guilty today to Federal Program Theft in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 666(a)(1)(A).
According to the plea agreements, from June 2019 and continuing through August 2021, the defendants aiding and abetting each other, stole, embezzled, and obtained by fraud $213,201.07 owned by, and under the care, custody, and control of the Puerto Rico Department of Education (PRDOE).
Defendant Kevin Pagán-La Luz was employed by the PRDOE as the director of the Technical Education Program, a component of the PRDOE that was responsible for the administration of public post-secondary institutions operated under the auspices of the PRDOE. Pagán-La Luz lived with defendant Javier Santiago-Rodríguez, the owner and president of defendant Star Enterprises, a corporation with a registered physical address identical to the residential address that Pagán-La Luz and Santiago-Rodríguez shared.
In November 2017, Star Enterprises failed to renew its certificate of eligibility to contract with the Puerto Rico Department of Education or other local governmental entities. In December 2019, the Puerto Rico Department of State cancelled Star Enterprises certificate of incorporation because of its failure to comply with the Puerto Rico General Corporations Law.
As of December 2019, Star Enterprises could neither lawfully enter into any contracts with the government of Puerto Rico, nor lawfully conduct business in Puerto Rico. Despite not having either a valid certificate of eligibility or a valid certificate of incorporation, Kelvin Pagán-La Luz authorized payments to Star Enterprises totaling $213,210.07 for work that Star Enterprises purportedly performed for the PRDOE. In September 2020, Pagán-La Luz used an intermediary business that was an authorized contractor to funnel $59,999 to Star Enterprises and Santiago-Rodríguez for services that were never rendered.
“Today’s convictions should send a clear message that the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our federal and state partners will aggressively work to bring to justice those who defraud the government, especially institutions devoted to serve our children,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “Public corruption undermines confidence in our government institutions and the rule of law. We will continue to hold accountable those who breach the public’s trust for their personal gain.”
“These individuals abused their positions of trust for personal gain, and with today’s action, will now be held accountable for cheating those they promised to serve – Puerto Rico students,” said Robert Wolfe, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Inspector General, Southeastern Region. “The OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue those who misappropriate education funds for their own selfish purposes. Puerto Rico’s students and taxpayers deserve nothing less.”
“In this case, the public official was called primarily to act to benefit children and instead acted to benefit himself and his partner. I can't stress this enough: no scheme is invisible, and the People of Puerto Rico are tired of putting up with this behavior from those who are supposed to serve them,” said Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. “Our Public Corruption team is trained to detect and disrupt plots to defraud the government and its constituents. We will not stop and will continue to urge the public to report these schemes. Together, we can continue our work to make Puerto Rico a place where our children get the educational services they need and deserve.”
The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on May 22 at 10 a.m. and face a maximum penalty of ten years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and a three-year term of supervised release. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Inspector General, Southeastern Region, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander L. Alum is prosecuting the case.
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Essex County Man Sentenced to 138 Months in Prison for Armed Robberies of Three PharmaciesRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 138 months in prison for committing three armed robberies of pharmacies in Elizabeth, New Jersey, for oxycodone and other prescription medication, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Charles Johnson, 28, of Irvington, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Karen M. Williams to an information charging him with three counts of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Judge Williams imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Throughout June and July 2022, Johnson robbed three different pharmacies in Elizabeth using a similar approach for each of the robberies, including brandishing a firearm, committing the robberies in the morning, demanding that employees of the pharmacies provide Johnson with oxycodone, promethazine, and other prescription medication, and threatening to shoot individuals in the pharmacies with a firearm. Law enforcement officials collected extensive video surveillance footage that linked Johnson to the robberies.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Williams sentenced Johnson to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor William A. Daniel; and the Elizabeth Police Department, under the direction of Chief Giacomo Sacca, for the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Stern of the General Crimes Unit in Newark.
Essex County Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
PLATTSBURGH, NEW YORK – Logan Lafountain, age 27, of Essex County, New York, pled guilty today to sexually exploiting two children and possessing child pornography.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Matthew Scarpino of the Buffalo Field Office; and Acting New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James made the announcement.
Lafountain admitted that in 2021 and 2022, he sexually abused two girls between the ages of 6 and 8 years old and used his phone to photograph the victims’ genitals. Lafountain further admitted that along with the images he produced, he possessed images of other prepubescent children engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 13, 2024. Lafountain faces at least 15 and up to 80 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. The judge may also order Lafountain to pay restitution to the victims of his offenses. Lafountain will also have to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
HSI and NYSP investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Kopita is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.