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14 February 2024
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.
Elderly Ontario Couple Sentenced to Federal Prison for Trafficking Methamphetamine in IdahoRead the Press Release
BOISE – Efren Avilez-Lopez, 81, and Maria Medina-Zeveda, 70, husband and wife, and both Mexican nationals illegally living in Ontario, Oregon, were sentenced for trafficking large amounts of methamphetamine in Idaho, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
On February 12, 2024, Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye sentenced Avilez-Lopez to nine years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. On February 13, 2024, Chief Judge Nye sentenced Medina-Zeveda to 37 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Both Avilez-Lopez and Medina-Zeveda were ordered to serve three years of supervised release. Both will be deported after completing their sentences.
According to court records, on April 15, 2023, Avilez-Lopez and Medina-Zeveda sold an undercover officer five pounds of methamphetamine in a Nampa store parking lot. On April 25, 2023, they both sold an undercover officer 20 pounds of methamphetamine in a Nampa store parking lot.
Then on May 12, 2023, Avilez-Lopez and Medina-Zeveda drove from Ontario to Los Angeles, to pick up a large load of methamphetamine. On their way home, they were stopped by law enforcement in Owyhee County, where it was discovered they were transporting four family members, including a minor child. A dog, which was trained and certified to detect the odor of illegal drugs, alerted on the vehicle and when officers searched the vehicle, they located twenty-one pounds of methamphetamine in the floorboards.
“These defendants were a driving force behind a significant drug trafficking organization that, thanks to law enforcement, has been dismantled,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “While it is not common for us to find drug traffickers at this stage of life, make no mistake: these defendants earned their sentences. We will continue to do our part to ensure that justice is applied fairly and equitably to all, regardless of age or background.”
“The drug threat can come from anywhere and is not restricted to any age or demographic, as this case dramatically illustrates,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “Whether these criminals are old or young, the Drug Enforcement Administration and our partners will relentlessly pursue those who poison our communities with methamphetamine or other dangerous drugs.”
“Strong partnerships between local, state, and federal law enforcement is key to bringing successful conclusions to cases like this,” said Nampa Police Chief Joe Huff. “We are proud of the teamwork being done across jurisdictions to combat drug crime.”
“I am proud of our continued partnership and collaboration with our law enforcement partners, which ultimately led to this successful operation,” said Caldwell Police Chief Rex Ingram.
“This case highlights the incredible working relationships among our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners in and around the Treasure Valley,” said Canyon County Sheriff Kieran Donahue. “It also shows that the illicit drug trade — inherently operated by Transcontinental Criminal Organizations like the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation Cartels — knows no bounds. These individuals are not what the average person would think of when they hear the term drug dealer. This was a couple in their 70s and 80s who bought and sold extremely high quantities of methamphetamine, endangering countless lives, including those of their own family.”
“By working together, law enforcement agencies across jurisdictions continue joining forces to combat illicit drugs in our communities. Embodying the principles of "Esto Perpetua," our collaborative efforts relentlessly strive to dismantle the networks responsible for distributing drugs throughout Idaho. We are not only upholding the law but safeguarding the well-being of our citizens,” said Idaho State Police Major Russ Wheatley.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Nampa Police Department, the Malheur County Sheriff’s Office, Idaho State Probation and Parole, the Canyon County Sheriff’s Office, the Caldwell Police Department, the City-County Narcotics Unit, the Idaho State Police, the Oregon State Police, the Ontario Police Department, the Owyhee County Prosecutor’s Office, and the High Desert Drug Task Force in Oregon. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Nafzger prosecuted the case. U.S. Attorney Hurwit expressed his gratitude to each of the law enforcement agencies for their efforts on this case who achieved justice through their hard work.
The High Desert Task Force is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force that identifies, disrupts, and dismantles local, multi-state, and international drug trafficking organizations using an intelligence-driven, multi-agency prosecutor-supported approach. They are supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA).
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.
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El Departamento de Justicia publica una actualización del Plan de Acción de EquidadRead the Press Release
El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy la publicación de su Plan de Acción de Equidad 2023 (el Plan), que forma parte de los esfuerzos más amplios del Departamento destinados a implementar la Orden Ejecutiva del Presidente Biden sobre Avanzar Más la Equidad Racial y el Apoyo para Comunidades Desatendidas en Todo el Gobierno Federal. La actualización del Plan de Acción de Equidad del Departamento de Justicia se finalizó en diciembre de 2023 y ayudará a guiar las estrategias de equidad del Departamento en el año fiscal 2024. El Plan conmemora el compromiso del Departamento con ayudar a todas las personas, incluidas las comunidades históricamente marginadas y desatendidas, a acceder a los programas y recursos del Departamento, salvar complejos obstáculos legales y regulatorios para reivindicar sus derechos, comprender la amplitud del trabajo del Departamento y comprometerse de manera significativa con los responsables de la toma de decisiones del Departamento de Justicia.
“El Departamento de Justicia se compromete a garantizar que nuestros programas y servicios estén al alcance de todas las comunidades que los necesiten”, manifestó el Fiscal General Merrick B. Garland. “Las cinco estrategias de este Plan se proponen adelantar la misión más amplia del Departamento de hacer valer el estado de derecho, mantener al pueblo seguro y proteger los derechos civiles, al laborar para eliminar las barreras que impiden que las comunidades vulnerables accedan a recursos críticos”.
Para el año fiscal 2024, el Departamento de Justicia se ha comprometido a avanzar en las siguientes cinco estrategias de equidad:
- Eliminar las barreras en cuanto al acceso al financiamiento de subvenciones y recursos para organizaciones dirigidas por y que prestan servicios a comunidades históricamente marginadas y desatendidas que han enfrentado barreras sociales y sistémicas a fin de acceder y recibir recursos federales, así como para las comunidades afectadas de manera desproporcionada por la delincuencia, la violencia y la victimización.
- Apoyar los programas correccionales y de reinserción destinados a reducir la reincidencia y mejorar los resultados para las personas involucradas en el sistema judicial (incluidas las de comunidades históricamente marginadas y desatendidas y aquellos que se ven afectados de manera desproporcionada por la delincuencia, la violencia y la victimización), incluso mejorando la cobertura de atención médica y los apoyos de continuidad de la atención, reduciendo las barreras para obtener una identificación emitida por el gobierno, abordando las cargas asociadas con la incapacidad de pagar multas y tarifas, y mejorar los modelos de supervisión comunitaria para disminuir la incidencia de revocaciones por infracciones técnicas.
- Promover una fuerza laboral que sea inclusiva, diversa y experta en la aplicación de la ley para fortalecer la confianza pública y mejorar los resultados de seguridad pública al eliminar las barreras de representación dentro de las agencias del orden público federales, estatales, tribales, locales y territoriales para las comunidades subrepresentadas.
- Mejorar la respuesta del personal encargado del orden público y de la justicia penal frente a los delitos que afectan de manera desproporcionada a las mujeres, las niñas, las personas transgénero y las personas no conformes con el género (incluida la violencia de género y el tráfico sexual) proporcionando y/o apoyando: capacitación específica sobre cómo investigar y enjuiciar estos delitos; capacitación y recursos sobre enfoques, atención y servicios con sensibilidad a los efectos del trauma y culturalmente receptivos disponibles para las víctimas; así como recursos y apoyo para establecer relaciones y aumentar el acceso a los servicios y la asistencia para las comunidades históricamente marginadas y desatendidas.
- Garantizar que las comunidades desatendidas (incluidas las personas con dominio limitado del inglés y las personas con discapacidades, entre otras) estén informadas sobre y puedan acceder a los servicios legales para abordar los delitos ambientales, la contaminación, el cambio climático y otros peligros ambientales, y que reciban ayuda para navegar por el panorama legal y reglamentario necesario a fin de garantizar el acceso al agua y aire limpios, y otros recursos naturales.
Estas estrategias de equidad procuran acatar los mandatos establecidos en la Orden Ejecutiva 14091 y se basan en las cinco prioridades de equidad descritas en el Plan de Acción de Equidad 2022 del Departamento de Justicia.
A medida que evolucione este trabajo crucial, se publicarán actualizaciones en https://www.justice.gov/equity. Se puede obtener más información sobre la agenda de equidad de la Administración Biden-Harris y las iniciativas relacionadas en www.whitehouse.gov/equity y revisar todos los demás Planes Federales de Acción de Equidad en www.performance.gov/equity.
- Eliminar las barreras en cuanto al acceso al financiamiento de subvenciones y recursos para organizaciones dirigidas por y que prestan servicios a comunidades históricamente marginadas y desatendidas que han enfrentado barreras sociales y sistémicas a fin de acceder y recibir recursos federales, así como para las comunidades afectadas de manera desproporcionada por la delincuencia, la violencia y la victimización.
Eagle River man sentenced to 35 years for sexually abusing minor for over 5 yearsRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Eagle River man was sentenced today to 35 years in prison for sexually abusing a minor in order to produce and possess child pornography.
According to court documents, Michael Vernon Ross, 32, began sexually abusing a 7-year-old child in 2017. The abuse occurred weekly and lasted for multiple years.
Ross documented some of the abuse through pictures and videos kept on his cell phone. The defendant was in possession of over 450 photos and 30 videos of varied length depicting his sexual abuse of the victim.
On Sept. 3, 2021, classmates of the victim told school staff that they believed the child was being abused. The school took appropriate and timely action to report the abuse to law enforcement, which led to the prompt investigation and prosecution of the defendant.
Ross pleaded guilty in September 2023 to one count sexual exploitation of a child for production of child pornography and one count possession of child pornography. Ross was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison, 25 years’ supervised release, and is required to pay over $28,000 in restitution.
In imposing the maximum sentence for the production of child pornography, the court noted that while it doesn’t have the power to “bring back the victim’s childhood, there can be provision for just punishment.”
“Mr. Ross’ actions were deplorable. He preyed on a member of our most vulnerable community and caused irreparable damage to those involved,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska. “Individuals who choose to target children should expect to be vigorously investigated and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s office in collaboration with our law enforcement partners. This case highlights why encouraging your children and peers to report suspected abuse is paramount, because it helps our teams continue to prioritize efforts to keep Alaska’s children safe.”
“The defendant’s years-long child exploitation crimes are among the most egregious and have no place in our society,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Brandon Waddle of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “May this sentence serve as a reminder that the FBI and our law enforcement partners have zero tolerance for child predators, and will hold them accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
“The Anchorage Police Department thanks the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the prosecution of these offenses. The sexual exploitation of anyone is unacceptable in the Municipality of Anchorage and all communities. The abuse of our youth is a serious matter that will be diligently investigated,” said APD CACU Detective S. Davies. “The Anchorage Police Department encourages anyone who learns of a disclosure of sexual abuse or sexual exploitation, or makes observations of those crimes, to please make a report. It is our hope that the sentence received by Mr. Ross will bring closure to those involved and have a deterrent effect for others.”
The FBI Anchorage Field Office and Anchorage Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth Brickey and Adam Alexander prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the
Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
If you are a victim of child abuse or suspect someone you know is a victim, you can report to APD at [email protected] or 3-1-1/(907) 786-8900, the state OCS at [email protected] or 1(800) 478-4444, or the FBI at tips.fbi.gov.
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District Man Indicted on Enhanced Second-Degree Theft for Theft from a Residence and a Church in DCRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Sterling McLaughlin, 30, of Washington, D.C., was indicted on Wednesday, February 14, 2024, by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on one count of felony second-degree theft stemming from events occurring on October 20, 2023, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced.
Sterling is to be arraigned on February 22, 2024, at a hearing before a Superior Court judge.
According to the government’s evidence, on October 20, 2023, and January 3, 2024, Sterling took packages from two locations in the Capitol Hill area, one from a residential home and the other from church. Sterling was later located and arrested after investigation by the Metropolitan Police Department.
Sterling has two or more prior theft convictions, though not from the same occasion, and therefore is subject to enhanced penalties for his alleged theft, including a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in jail for each count of theft for which he is indicted.
Since September 1, 2023, including the aforementioned case, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia has indicted 24 cases involving a felony second-degree theft charge based on a defendant’s two or more prior theft convictions, not from the same occasion.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Chorong Song.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
Columbia Man Sentenced for Possessing a Firearm While Out on Bond for Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Nicholas Vanover, 26, of Columbia, was sentenced to an additional term in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Vanover had been charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm in a previous federal case. After he pled guilty to the prior felon in possession charge, he was allowed to stay out on bond awaiting sentencing. While awaiting sentencing, agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives learned that Vanover was continuing to sell marijuana from his apartment.
While on bond and awaiting sentencing for his prior firearm guilty plea, he violated the conditions of his bond by having multiple positive drug tests. Probation officers obtained an arrest warrant for his bond violations and U.S. Marshals served the warrant at Vanover’s apartment. When they entered the apartment, they saw a digital scale with marijuana with several large capacity ammunition magazines. They obtained a search warrant and found a .40 caliber handgun with a drum magazine capable of accepting 50 rounds of ammunition, several extended magazines capable of accepting more than 15 rounds of ammunition, an AK-47 style rifle, four large bags containing more than 500 grams of marijuana, approximately $16,000.00 in U.S. currency, a money counter, and a pharmacist-sized (one pint) bottle of codeine cough syrup, which had been stolen during a pharmacy robbery in Kershaw County.
Senior United States District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie sentenced Vanover to 75 months imprisonment consecutive to the 63-month term he is currently serving for his prior conviction. Following his incarceration, he will serve a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, 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.
This case was investigated by United States Marshals Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Columbia Police Department, and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon prosecuted the case.
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Cocaine Trafficker Is Sentenced to 10+ Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Dante Rashaun Ramseur, 44, of Hickory, North Carolina, was sentenced today to 121 months in prison followed by six years of supervised release on federal drug charges, announced Dena J. King U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which oversees the Charlotte District Office, Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Sheriff Donald G. Brown II of the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to filed court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, law enforcement conducting an investigation into drug trafficking networks in Catawba County determined that Ramseur was distributing significant quantities of cocaine in the Hickory area. The cocaine was supplied to Ramseur by his co-defendants, Holly Christine Furlough, 31, and Carlos Hernandez Landeiro, 33, both of Charlotte. Court records show that, between September 2022 and January 2023, Ramseur sold cocaine to an undercover officer on multiple occasions. Ramseur was arrested in February 2023, after he attempted to sell six kilograms of cocaine to the undercover officer. During the investigation, Ramseur conducted the drug transactions with the undercover officer throughout the Hickory area, including within 1,000 feet of an elementary school.
At today’s sentencing hearing, the Court determined that Ramseur obstructed justice by intimidating an individual associated with the case. As a result, Ramseur received a sentencing enhancement.
On September 20, 2023, Ramseur pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine within 1,000 feet of an elementary school, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a mixture of cocaine, and distribution of cocaine. He is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
Furlough and Landeiro have each pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine near a school. A sentencing date for the defendants has not been set.
This case was investigated by a joint Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) which includes the DEA, the FBI, and the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office. 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.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Regina Pack of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is in charge of the prosecution.
Cherokee County Residents Plead Guilty to Federal Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Ricky Dale Degase, age 30, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, and Andrea Dawn Winsett, age 34, of Park Hill, Oklahoma, entered guilty pleas to charges of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. Degase also entered a plea of guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition.
The Indictment against Degase alleged that on March 7, 2023, Degase knowingly and intentionally possessed with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of actual methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, along with a loaded firearm prohibited to him as a convicted felon. At the plea hearing, Degase admitted that after a traffic stop on March 7, 2023, he was found to be in possession of 22.36 grams of actual methamphetamine which he intended to distribute, along with a loaded 9mm pistol. At the time of the offenses, Degase knew he had been convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year.
The Information against Winsett alleged that on March 7, 2023, Winsett knowingly and intentionally possessed with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance. At the plea hearing, Winsett admitted that on March 7, 2023, after being arrested for driving under the influence, she was found in possession of 14.75 grams of actual methamphetamine which she intended to distribute.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office.
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the pleas and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Degase and Winsett will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.
Carmel Man Sentenced to More than Eight Years in Federal Prison for $2 Million International Identity Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Tuong Quoc Ho, a/k/a Robert Parker, 36, a resident of Carmel, Indiana, has been sentenced to 102 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to twenty counts of wire fraud, two counts of aggravated identity theft, one count of possession of multiple unauthorized access devices, one count of unlawful possession of identification, and two counts of money laundering.
According to court documents, beginning in 2013 and lasting through February of 2020, Ho devised and led a complex, international scheme to defraud multiple victims throughout the United States and abroad of approximately $2 million.
To carry out the scheme, Ho and his co-conspirators unlawfully obtained personally identifiable information (“PII”) including names, addresses, dates of birth, phone numbers, social security numbers, and credit card numbers of hundreds of victims throughout the United States and worldwide. They used that PII to create fraudulent PayPal and eBay accounts in the victims’ names. Ho then placed expensive items, such as Vera Bradley handbags, American Girl dolls, PlayStations, and blood pressure monitoring devices for sale on eBay. Ho did not have the majority, if any, of the items on hand at the time of the sale, but instead purchased the items after they were sold through online retailers using stolen credit card information that he unlawfully obtained, and had those items directly shipped from the retailer to the buyer. Ho and his co-conspirators sold many of the items at prices lower than market value, but still profited off those items because they were purchased with stolen credit cards.
Ho linked his personal bank information to the fake PayPal and eBay accounts and collected the money. Ho’s personal bank accounts were linked to over 500 hundred fraudulent PayPal accounts. When PayPal suspected suspicious activity on the account, it restricted the accounts and required additional documentation to re-establish access. Ho modified and used PII of identity theft victims to create fraudulent driver’s licenses, passports, utility bills, and bank statements to make them appear to belong to the account holder.
In total, Ho stole over $2 million and wired $1.2 million to family and other individuals in Vietnam. Ho also laundered the money, using over $300,000 to purchase his home in Carmel, Indiana.
On October 24, 2018, Carmel Police Department officers executed search warrants at Ho’s residence and other buildings owned by Ho and arrested him on state charges. CPD recovered over 400 packages of merchandise addressed to Ho’s alias, “Robert Parker.” At least $78,000 worth of that merchandise was purchased with stolen credit cards. Ho continued to operate his scheme after his home was searched by law enforcement until his arrest by federal authorities in 2020.
“Over seven years, the Defendant stole hundreds of identities and millions of dollars, exploiting eCommerce and financial platforms in a complex international scheme,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Making the public safer from these pernicious identity theft schemes is a critical priority for our office, in partnership with outstanding investigators like the FBI and Carmel Police Department. The serious federal prison sentence imposed today should serve as a warning to fraudsters that we are dedicated to finding you and holding you accountable for the harm you cause.”
“This case shows the significant value of partnership in the law enforcement community,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “The Carmel Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the FBI combined our efforts in a complicated and intricate case to put a long-time criminal behind bars for many years to come.”
The FBI and Carmel Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge James R. Sweeney. Judge Sweeney also ordered that Ho be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years following his release from federal prison and pay $217,147.87 in restitution.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys MaryAnn T. Mindrum and James M. Warden, who prosecuted this case.
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Bộ Tư pháp phổ biến bản cập nhật về Kế hoạch Hành động Công bằngRead the Press Release
Hôm nay, Bộ Tư pháp đã phổ biến Kế hoạch Hành động Công bằng năm 2023 (gọi tắt là Kế hoạch), là một phần trong nỗ lực rộng hơn của Bộ nhằm thực hiện Sắc lệnh Hành pháp của Tổng thống Biden về Thúc đẩy hơn nữa công bằng chủng tộc và hỗ trợ cho các cộng đồng không được phục vụ đúng mức, thông qua Chính quyền Liên bang. Bản cập nhật Kế hoạch Hành động Công bằng của Bộ Tư pháp đã được hoàn tất vào tháng 12 năm 2023 và sẽ hướng dẫn các chính sách tạo công bằng của Bộ trong Năm tài chánh 2024. Kế hoạch nhắc lại quyết tâm của Bộ trong việc hỗ trợ tất cả mọi người – bao gồm các cộng đồng mà trải qua lịch sử đã bị thiệt thòi và không được phục vụ đúng mức – khi tiếp cận các chương trình và nguồn lực của Bộ, giúp họ len lỏi qua các rào cản pháp lý và các quy định phức tạp để đòi hỏi các quyền của họ, giúp họ hiểu được tầm rộng lớn công việc của Bộ để giao tiếp có ý nghĩa với những người trong Bộ Tư pháp có quyền đưa ra quyết định.
“Bộ Tư pháp cam kết đảm bảo rằng các chương trình và dịch vụ của chúng tôi sẽ đến được với mọi cộng đồng cần chúng,” Bộ trưởng Tư pháp Merrick B. Garland cho biết. “Năm chiến lược trong Kế hoạch này nhằm mục đích thúc đẩy sứ mệnh rộng lớn hơn của Bộ nhằm duy trì pháp quyền, giữ an toàn cho mọi người và bảo vệ quyền công dân bằng cách nỗ lực xóa bỏ các rào cản ngăn cản các cộng đồng nguy hiểm tiếp cận các nguồn tài nguyên quan trọng.”
Trong năm tài chánh 2024, Bộ Tư pháp đã cam kết thúc đẩy năm chính sách tạo công bằng sau đây:
- Loại bỏ các rào cản đối với việc tiếp cận các khoản tài trợ và nguồn lực cho các tổ chức được lãnh đạo bởi và chủ yếu phục vụ các cộng đồng mà trải qua lịch sử đã bị thiệt thòi và không được phục vụ đúng mức, đã từng đối mặt với các rào cản mang tính xã hội và hệ thống khi muốn tiếp cận và nhận các nguồn lực của Liên bang, cũng như các cộng đồng bị ảnh hưởng không đồng đều bởi tội phạm, bạo lực và trở thành nạn nhân.
- Hỗ trợ các chương trình khắc phục và tái hòa nhập xã hội nào có mục tiêu giảm bớt tình trạng tái phạm và cải thiện kết quả cho những người bị vướng mắc vào công lý (bao gồm cả những người thuộc các cộng đồng mà trải qua lịch sử đã bị thiệt thòi và không được phục vụ đúng mức và những người bị ảnh hưởng không đồng đều bởi tội phạm, bạo lực và trở thành nạn nhân), bao gồm những chương trình nhằm cải thiện cách chăm sóc sức khỏe và liên tục hỗ trợ chăm sóc, giảm các rào cản để có được giấy tờ tùy thân do chính quyền cấp, giải quyết gánh nặng liên quan đến việc không đủ khả năng trả tiền phạt và lệ phí, cải thiện các mô hình giám sát cộng đồng để giảm tỷ lệ phải thu hồi quyết định do lỗi kỹ thuật.
- Tiến đến việc thành lập một đội ngũ nhân viên thực thi pháp luật toàn diện, đa dạng và chuyên nghiệp để củng cố niềm tin của công chúng và cải thiện kết quả an toàn công cộng bằng cách loại bỏ các rào cản đối với tỷ lệ đại diện trong các cơ quan thực thi pháp luật liên bang, tiểu bang, bộ lạc, địa phương và lãnh thổ cho các cộng đồng ít được đại diện.
- Cải thiện cách phản ứng của nhân viên thực thi pháp luật và tư pháp hình sự đối với các tội phạm gây ảnh hưởng không đồng đều đến phụ nữ, thiếu nữ, người chuyển giới và người không biểu lộ giới tính truyền thống (bao gồm bạo lực dựa trên giới tính và buôn bán tình dục) bằng cách cung cấp và/hoặc hỗ trợ: đào tạo có chủ đích về cách điều tra và truy tố các tội phạm này; đào tạo và nguồn lực về các phương pháp tiếp cận, chăm sóc và phục vụ cho nạn nhân, các phương pháp này có giải thích cho nạn nhân về chấn thương và phù hợp với văn hóa của nạn nhân; và các nguồn lực và hỗ trợ để xây dựng mối quan hệ và tăng mức tiếp cận các dịch vụ và giúp đỡ dành cho các cộng đồng mà trải qua lịch sử đã bị thiệt thòi và không được phục vụ đúng mức.
- Bảo đảm rằng các cộng đồng không được phục vụ đúng mức (bao gồm thành phần trình độ tiếng anh hạn chế và thành phần khuyết tật, bên cạnh thành phần khác) nhận thức được và có thể tiếp cận các dịch vụ pháp lý để giải quyết tội phạm môi trường, ô nhiễm, biến đổi khí hậu và các mối nguy môi trường khác và được giúp đỡ để len lỏi qua các khung cảnh pháp lý và quy định cần thiết để có được nước sạch, không khí sạch và các tài nguyên thiên nhiên khác.
Các chiến lược tạo công bằng này nhằm tuân thủ các nhiệm vụ được quy định trong Sắc lệnh Hành pháp 14091 và xây dựng dựa trên năm chính sách về công bằng được nêu trong Kế hoạch Hành động Công bằng năm 2022 của Bộ Tư pháp.
Trong quá trình thực hiện công việc quan trọng này, chúng tôi sẽ có các bản tin cập nhật và được đăng tại https://www.justice.gov/equity. Quý vị có thể tìm hiểu thêm về chương trình thực hiện công bằng và các kế hoạch có liên quan của Chính quyền Biden-Harris tại www.whitehouse.gov/equity và xem xét tất cả các Kế hoạch Hành động Công bằng Liên bang khác tại www.performance.gov/equity.
- Loại bỏ các rào cản đối với việc tiếp cận các khoản tài trợ và nguồn lực cho các tổ chức được lãnh đạo bởi và chủ yếu phục vụ các cộng đồng mà trải qua lịch sử đã bị thiệt thòi và không được phục vụ đúng mức, đã từng đối mặt với các rào cản mang tính xã hội và hệ thống khi muốn tiếp cận và nhận các nguồn lực của Liên bang, cũng như các cộng đồng bị ảnh hưởng không đồng đều bởi tội phạm, bạo lực và trở thành nạn nhân.
Buffalo man sentenced for his role in narcotics conspiracy which resulted in a triple homicideRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Jariel Cobb a/k/a Doobie a/k/a Black, 52, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of narcotics conspiracy, conspiracy to obstruct justice, use of fire to commit a felony, and conspiracy to damage and destroy a vehicle used in interstate commerce by fire, was sentenced to serve 20 years in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Adler, Maeve E. Huggins, and Joseph M. Tripi, who handled the case, stated that beginning in 2014, Cobb, and others, began receiving and selling marijuana, heroin, and cocaine. Cobb, and his co-conspirators utilized 973 Fillmore Avenue to store, package, and sell the illegal narcotics. In furtherance of the narcotics conspiracy, on September 15, 2019, Cobb arranged a purchase of a kilogram of cocaine from Miguel Anthony Valentin-Colon and Dhamyl Roman-Audiffred, who served as Cobb’s sources of supply. Valentin-Colon, along with his wife. Nicole Marie Merced-Plaud, their minor son, and Roman-Audiffred, arrived in their vehicle, a white minivan, at a residence on Roebling Avenue, as directed by Cobb. Roman-Audiffred exited the van and entered the residence’s kitchen, at which time a co-defendant hit her in the head with a blunt object and she fell to the floor. The co-defendant then went outside and shot and killed both Valentin-Colon and Merced Plaud, in the presence of their minor son, who was seated in a child’s car seat. The co-defendant then drove the minivan and parked it on Scajaquada Street near Kilhoffer Street in Buffalo.
A short time later, Cobb and a co-defendant moved the body of Dhamyl Roman-Audiffred from the kitchen into the residence’s basement, where they dismembered her body. Cobb placed the body parts into multiple trash bags and placed them into the trunk of his vehicle, and then drove to a residence on Box Avenue, removed the trash bags, and placed them into a burning fire in a fire pit area in the backyard.
The following day, during the early morning hours of September 16, 2019, Cobb and another co-defendant retrieved the minivan from Scajaquada Street, with the bodies of Miguel Valentin-Colon and Nicole Marie Merced-Plaud still inside, as well as their minor son. Cobb and the co-defendant drove the minivan into the yard of a residence on Tonawanda Street and doused the vehicle and the bodies with gasoline, lighting the vehicle and bodies on fire. They took the minor child and left him on a stranger’s porch on Potomac Avenue in Buffalo.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia; the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia; the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff John Garcia; the Erie County Central Police Services Forensic Laboratory, under the direction of Commissioner James Jancewicz. Additional assistance was provided by the Erie County District Attorney’s Office, under the direction of District Attorney John Flynn.
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Brooklyn Man Convicted for Role in Drug Trafficking Conspiracy Involving over 50 Kilograms of CocaineRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brooklyn man was convicted today by a federal jury in Boston for his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) in which he transported dozens of kilograms of cocaine from New York to Boston.
Dinelson Hernandez-Rodriguez, 30, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for May 21, 2024. Hernandez-Rodriguez was indicted by a federal grand jury along with nine others in October 2021.
In October 2019, an investigation began into a DTO trafficking cocaine and fentanyl in Boston and Taunton. Intercepted communications established that the DTO was supplied in part by individuals in New York. In August 2020, Hernandez-Rodriguez drove from New York to Hyde Park with kilograms of cocaine hidden in a trap compartment inside his car. One day prior, a co-conspirator also transported kilograms of cocaine from New York to Hyde Park. In total, Hernandez-Rodriguez and his co-conspirator transported more than 50 kilograms of cocaine intended for distribution in Boston.
After cocaine was distributed in the Boston area, Hernandez-Rodriguez attempted to transport $240,240 in drug proceeds – again, hidden in the trap inside his car – back to New York but was intercepted by law enforcement.
Hernandez-Rodriguez is the ninth defendant to be convicted in this case, either by guilty plea or following a jury trial.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years 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 that govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division, made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Connecticut State Police and the Boston, Taunton and Stratford (Conn.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samuel R. Feldman and K. Nathaniel Yeager of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. 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 remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Baltimore Firearms Trafficker Sentenced to 42 Months in Federal Prison for Illegally Dealing in FirearmsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Chief U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Mark Ryals, age 35, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 42 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for unlicensed dealing in firearms.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; and Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department.
According to his guilty plea, in early July 2021, law enforcement received information that Ryals was illegally selling firearms from his residence in Baltimore. That month, an undercover law enforcement agent asked Ryals to sell him firearms. Ryals agreed to make the sale and on July 15, 2021, Ryals sold the undercover officer two privately manufactured 9mm pistols and a .17 caliber firearm silencer for $2,250. Ryals knew that he was prohibited from possessing firearms due to a final protective order that was served on him on June 30, 2021. Ryals also knew that he didn’t have a license to deal or sell firearms.
According to court documents, between July 15 and August 11, 2021, Ryals sold firearms to undercover law enforcement personnel on six separate occasions, resulting in the purchase of 21 additional firearms from the defendant.
As detailed in the plea agreement, on August 12, 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Ryals’ residence and recovered two privately manufactured 9mm pistols, one of which was equipped with a large capacity magazine; a short barreled 12-gauge shotgun with no serial number; a .22 caliber firearm; 237 rounds of assorted ammunition and $1,190 in cash, most of which was ATF funds used in the controlled purchases. Additionally, officers recovered firearms accessories and tools used in the creation of privately manufactured firearms, including a Dremel press with red plastic shavings on it. Ryals waived his Miranda rights and agreed to an interview with law enforcement, during which Ryals admitted that he had been making firearms and selling them.
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.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF, and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Gordin, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Arizona Man Pleads Guilty to Domestic ViolenceRead 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 Norbert Michael Tsosie pleaded guilty in federal court to assault of intimate partner by strangulation or suffocation. Tsosie, 31, of Tsalie, Arizona, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been set.
A federal grand jury indicted Tsosie on May 24, 2023. At his plea hearing, Tsosie agreed that on November 2022, he and his intimate partner, Jane Doe argued, and as the argument escalated, he attempted to strangle her.
At sentencing, Tsosie faces up to 10 years in prison.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Jicarilla Apache Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Bell is prosecuting the case.
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Anchorage man sentenced to 20 years following drug, firearm convictionRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison, subsequent to his conviction by a federal jury of one count of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking and one count of felon in possession of firearms and ammunition in July 2023.
According to court documents, Charles Rashid Malik Lee, aka “Cheese,” 41, had been under investigation by federal authorities. The FBI And Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) executed a search warrant on Lee’s residence and vehicle in Anchorage in Oct. 2021.
Agents found Lee inside the residence in the process of flushing heroin down the toilet. Agents searched the residence and discovered a total of over 150 grams of meth, 100 grams of heroin and 90 grams of cocaine. According to evidence presented at trial, these drugs had a street value of over $54,000.
Agents also found tools commonly used by drug traffickers, including digital scales, branded baggies and two loaded handguns, among other items. It was later determined that one of the digital scales had Lee’s fingerprint on it. Agents also discovered over $165,000 in cash hidden in multiple locations around the residence, including in a crawl space.
“This successful prosecution shows that illegal drug distribution has no place in Alaska and will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “My office, in partnership with our law enforcement partners, will investigate and vigorously prosecute any perpetrator who chooses to distribute these dangerous drugs and seek justice for any damage they cause.”
“The defendant’s dangerous drug trafficking activities threatened the safety of our community and his own family,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Brandon Waddle of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “Anyone who profits from violence and drug trafficking activities at the expense of public safety will be held accountable by the FBI and our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners.”
“Cases like this clearly demonstrate the resolve of the Drug Enforcement Administration and our partners in the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, to hold criminals such as Mr. Lee accountable for his actions,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “We will not tolerate armed drug traffickers in our community, as the sentence in this case shows.”
The FBI Anchorage Field Office and the DEA Seattle Field Division investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth Brickey and Alana Weber prosecuted the case.
This investigation and prosecution were part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”), which 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.
UPDATE: This release has been amended to include a quote from FBI Anchorage.
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Albion man arrested, charged with production of child pornographyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Norman Kelly, 66, of Albion, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with production of child pornography, which carries a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 30 years.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan P. Cantil, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on October 20, 2023, Kelly arrived at the Port of Detroit Metropolitan Airport in Romulus, Michigan, on a flight from Incheon, South Korea. During an inspection of his baggage, Kelly removed a cellular phone from his pocket, and had a computer bag, which contained a laptop computer, and four USB thumb drives. Due to a lack of eye contact during questioning, inconsistencies in his travel story, and nervous behavior, the devices were authorized to be examined. A Customs and Border Protection officer examined the cell phone, laptop and one of the thumb drives and discovered what appeared to be suspected child pornography. The phone, laptop and thumb drives were seized, and a subsequent forensic review recovered 530 image files and six video files of child pornography.
Kelly made an initial appearance before U.S. District Judge Michael J. Roemer and was held pending a detention hearing.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino. Additional assistance was provided by Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations in Detroit, Michigan.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Acusadas 17 personas por plan de contrabando de fentanilo y otras drogas ocultas en extintores a través de la frontera entre EE. UU. y MéxicoRead the Press Release
LOS ÁNGELES – Esta tarde está programada una audiencia de acusación formal para el último inculpado al que se arrestó en virtud de la determinación de un jurado de acusación federal, que alega la existencia de un plan para ingresar fentanilo, metanfetaminas y heroína por contrabando desde México a Estados Unidos. Estos narcóticos habrían sido introducidos en extintores de incendios y ocultos en cargamentos de chatarra.
La organización de narcotráfico utilizó camiones con acoplado para importar extintores rellenos con drogas a través de la frontera entre Estados Unidos y México, según surge de documentos judiciales. Durante la investigación, que se extendió por dos años y recibió el nombre de Operación “Smoke Jumpers”, las autoridades realizaron 13 incautaciones en las que se obtuvieron cerca de 680.992 píldoras de fentanilo, 3 kilogramos de polvo de fentanilo, 17 kilogramos de heroína y 10.418 píldoras que contenían metanfetaminas.
Nueve acusados fueron arrestados durante operativos policiales que comenzaron el 8 de febrero y continuaron durante el día lunes. Un acusado ya se encontraba bajo custodia de las autoridades estatales. Hay otros siete acusados que están prófugos y se cree que se encuentran en México.
“Estos acusados usaron una red sofisticada para el contrabando de grandes cantidades de fentanilo a nuestro país”, señaló el fiscal federal Martin Estrada. “Sabemos que cada píldora de fentanilo puede ser letal, pero a estos acusados no les importaba la destrucción generalizada que estaban causando. Nuestra institución seguirá trabajando de manera inteligente y enérgica para llevar ante la justicia a organizaciones internacionales de narcotráfico”.
“La autoridades de aplicación de la ley siguen estando a la altura de los desafíos que plantean las organizaciones de narcotráfico cuyos miembros siempre encuentran nuevas formas de ocultar las sustancias venenosas que importan de México a ciudades y pueblos en Estados Unidos”, expresó Amir Ehsaei, director adjunto interino a cargo de la Oficina de Campo del FBI en Los Ángeles. “El FBI y nuestros socios en el Equipo Especial están buscando a siete fugitivos en relación con este caso y piden que toda persona que tenga información sobre su paradero se ponga en contacto con el FBI”.
La imputación formal, que consta de 15 cargos, se publicó el 8 de febrero y acusa a varias personas de cargos de tráfico de drogas y conspiración para el lavado de dinero. Los nueve acusados que fueron arrestados son:
- Oscar Ahumada Leyva, de 43 años, de México;
- Miguel Antonio Rabago Valenzuela, de 42 años, de México;
- Gustavo Rivero Rodríguez, de 39 años, de México;
- Carlos Espinoza, de 38 años, de Alhambra;
- Erick Roque Ángeles, de 39 años, de Fontana;
- David Sánchez Balderas, 26 años, de Denver;
- Fernando Salgado, de 36 años, de Riverside;
- Rocío Guadalupe Acevedo Tonche, de 32 años, de Ontario; y
- Efren Quibrera Espinoza, de 29 años, de Cudahy.
Seis de los acusados quedaron bajo custodia en las regiones de Los Ángeles e Inland Empire. Cinco de esos acusados han sido imputados formalmente, se declararon no culpables y se dispuso su vinculación a juicio el 2 de abril. Está previsto que Erick Roque Ángeles sea imputado formalmente en el Tribunal Federal de Distrito en Los Ángeles hoy más tarde. Un décimo acusado —Toniel Báez-Duarte, de 33 años, oriundo de Apple Valley— ya se encontraba bajo custodia de las autoridades estatales.
Conforme a una orden que autoriza a examinar un teléfono incautado cuando Carlos Espinoza fue arrestado la semana pasada, la investigación se centró en Carin Trucking, una organización perteneciente a Leyva y con sede en San Diego que operaba al menos seis camiones con acoplado que ingresaban habitualmente a Estados Unidos desde México para llevar a cabo la entrega de presuntos narcóticos en el área de Los Ángeles. Las drogas, que incluían píldoras falsificadas conteniendo fentanilo se encontraban ocultas en extintores inicialmente disimulados como de chatarra y, posteriormente, en extintores que simulaban ser legítimos, según indica la orden de registro presentada el lunes.
“Los investigadores han observado múltiples transacciones de drogas que involucran a conductores de camiones y sus camiones con acoplado”, según indica una declaración jurada en apoyo a la orden de registro. “El conductor del camión conducía a Estados Unidos desde México y cruzaba la frontera, generalmente llevando una carga de chatarra, pero oculto entre la chatarra se encontraba un extintor que contenía drogas. El conductor del camión se dirigía entonces a Los Ángeles para reunirse con un mensajero, quien recogería los extintores cargados con drogas para su ulterior distribución”.
En el documento de acusación formal se exponen señalamientos de que un inculpado ha cometido un delito. Se presume que todo acusado es inocente hasta que se demuestre su culpabilidad en un tribunal de justicia.
La acusación alega dos cargos de conspiración relacionada con narcóticos y 12 delitos de tenencia de drogas, para cada uno de los cuales se prevé una pena mínima obligatoria de 10 años en una prisión federal y posible pena perpetua. El cargo 15, que alega la existencia de una conspiración con fines de lavado de dinero, conlleva una pena máxima de 20 años de prisión.
La Operación Smoke Jumpers fue dirigida por el Equipo Especial del FBI en Los Ángeles, que es parte de una Iniciativa de Equipos Especiales de los Grupos Operativos contra las Drogas y la Criminalidad Organizada (Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, OCDETF) y prevé el establecimiento de grupos operativos permanentes de carácter interinstitucional que trabajan codo a codo en el mismo lugar. Este modelo de ubicación compartida permite que agentes de diferentes organismos colaboren en operaciones en múltiples jurisdicciones basadas en datos de inteligencia para interceptar y desarticular a los traficantes de drogas, responsables de lavado de dinero, bandas y organizaciones delictivas transnacionales más importantes.
Además del FBI, participaron en la investigación la Oficina de Aduanas y Protección Fronteriza de EE. UU., el Departamento de Policía de South Gate, el sector de Investigación Penal del IRS e Investigaciones de Seguridad Nacional.
La Administración para el Control de Drogas, la Patrulla de Carreteras de California, el Departamento de Policía de Pasadena, el Equipo Regional Interior de Control de Narcóticos del Departamento de Alguaciles del Condado de San Bernardino, el Departamento de Policía de Alhambra, el Departamento de Policía de Rialto y el Departamento de Policía de Fontana proporcionaron asistencia fundamental.
Los fiscales federales auxiliares Christopher C. Kendall y Jehan Pernas de la Sección de Narcóticos Internacionales, Lavado de Dinero y Extorsión impulsan la acción penal en esta causa.
Activity in the U.S. Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Firearm Offenses
Richard Wagner, age 25, of Sheridan, Wyoming, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Feb. 14. According to court documents, on Mar. 13, 2023, the defendant was stopped for a traffic violation by the Wyoming Highway Patrol (WHP). As the WHP trooper approached the vehicle, he noticed that Wagner was trying to conceal something in the backseat. A search of the vehicle revealed a Glock pistol and 9.1 grams of cocaine. Having been previously convicted of a felony, Wagner is prohibited from possessing a firearm. The defendant pled guilty to the charge on Nov. 20, 2023. This crime was investigated by WHP and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan C. Coppom.
Domestic Violence
Xander Noah Miller, age 20, of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, was sentenced to two years of supervised probation for assault by striking, beating, or wounding. Senior U.S. District Court Nancy D. Freudenthal imposed the sentence on Feb. 12. According to court documents, the defendant and the victim were seasonal employees in Yellowstone National Park and lived in employee housing. Park Rangers were called to their residence for a domestic violence disturbance. The defendant admitted to fighting with the victim and pled guilty on Nov. 11, 2023. The crime was investigated by the National Park Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook.
Illegal Re-entry of a Previously Deported Alien
Sergio Bucio-Cuellar, age 57, of Mexico City, Mexico, was sentenced to time served, plus up to 10 days to allow for deportation, for illegal re-entry into the United States of a previously deported alien. According to court documents, on Dec. 7, 2023, the defendant was arrested by the Cheyenne Police Department for aggravated assault and battery, bodily injury with a weapon, and strangulation of a household member. The defendant claimed to be a citizen of Mexico. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement verified that Bucio-Cuellar had been previously deported and was in the United States illegally. The state charges were dismissed when federal charges were filed. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook. Senior U.S. District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal imposed the sentence on Feb 14.
About the United States Attorney’s Office
The United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. The Office is involved in several programs designed to make our communities safer. They include:
Environmental Justice
The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.
Project Safe Childhood
Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is a nationwide commitment to reducing gun and gang crime in America by networking existing local programs that target gun crime and providing these programs with additional tools necessary to be successful.
Victim Witness Assistance
The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to making sure that victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect.To report a federal crime, go to: https://www.justice.gov/actioncenter/report-crime#trafficking
17 Charged in Scheme to Smuggle Fentanyl and Other Drugs Hidden Inside Fire Extinguishers Across U.S.-Mexico BorderRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – An arraignment is scheduled this afternoon for the final defendant arrested on a federal grand jury indictment that alleges a scheme to smuggle fentanyl, methamphetamine and heroin from Mexico into the United States – narcotics that allegedly were packed into fire extinguishers and concealed in scrap metal loads.
The drug trafficking organization used semi-trucks to import fire extinguishers filled with drugs across the United States-Mexico border, according to court documents. During the two-year investigation, called Operation “Smoke Jumpers,” authorities made 13 seizures that yielded approximately 680,992 fentanyl pills, 3 kilograms of fentanyl powder, 17 kilograms of heroin, and 10,418 pills containing methamphetamine.
Nine defendants were arrested during law enforcement operations that began on February 8 and continued through Monday. One defendant was already in state custody. Seven additional defendants are fugitives believed to be in Mexico.
“These defendants used a sophisticated network to smuggle immense amounts of fentanyl into our country,” said United State Attorney Martin Estrada. “We know that every fentanyl pill can kill, but these defendants did not care about the widespread destruction they were causing. Our office will continue to work intelligently and aggressively to bring international drug-trafficking organizations to justice.”
“Law enforcement continues to meet the challenges presented by drug trafficking organizations whose members constantly find novel ways to hide the poison they’re importing from Mexico to U.S. towns and cities,” said Amir Ehsaei, the Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The FBI and our partners on the Strike Force are seeking seven fugitives in this case and ask that anyone with information as to their whereabouts contact the FBI.”
The 15-count indictment unsealed on February 8 charges various defendants in drug trafficking counts and a money laundering conspiracy. The nine defendants who were arrested are:
- Oscar Ahumada Leyva, 43, of Mexico;
- Miguel Antonio Rabago Valenzuela, 42, of Mexico;
- Gustavo Rivero Rodriguez, 39, of Mexico;
- Carlos Espinoza, 38, of Alhambra;
- Erick Roque Angeles, 39, of Fontana;
- David Sanchez Balderas, 26, of Denver;
- Fernando Salgado, 36, of Riverside;
- Rocio Guadalupe Acevedo Tonche, 32, of Ontario; and
- Efren Quibrera Espinoza, 29, of Cudahy.
Six of the defendants were taken into custody in the Los Angeles and Inland Empire regions. Five of those defendants have been arraigned, entered not guilty pleas, and ordered to stand trial on April 2. Erick Roque Angeles is scheduled to be arraigned in United States District Court in Los Angeles later today. A tenth defendant – Toniel Baez-Duarte, 33, of Apple Valley – was already in state custody.
According to a warrant to search a phone seized when Carlos Espinoza was arrested last week, the investigation focused on Carin Trucking, a San Diego-based outfit owned by Leyva that operated at least six semi-trucks that regularly entered the United States from Mexico to deliver suspected narcotics to the Los Angeles area. The drugs, including counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, were concealed in fire extinguishers initially disguised as scrap metal and later in extinguishers that appeared legitimate, according to the search warrant filed Monday.
“Investigators have observed multiple drug transactions involving truck drivers and their semi-trucks,” according to the affidavit in support of the search warrant. “The truck driver would drive into the United States from Mexico, and cross the border usually carrying a load of scrap metal, and concealed inside will be a scrap metal fire extinguisher containing drugs. The truck driver would then make his way up to Los Angeles, to meet a courier, who would pick up the drug packed fire extinguishers for further distribution.”
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
The indictment alleges two narcotics conspiracies and 12 drug possession offenses, each of which carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a potential life sentence. Count 15, which alleges a money laundering conspiracy, carries a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
Operation Smoke Jumpers was led by the FBI Los Angeles Strike Force, which is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative and provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.
In addition to the FBI, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the South Gate Police Department, IRS Criminal Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations participated in the investigation.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the California Highway Patrol, the Pasadena Police Department, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department’s Inland Regional Narcotic Enforcement Team, the Alhambra Police Department, the Rialto Police Department, and the Fontana Police Department provided substantial assistance.
Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher C. Kendall and Jehan Pernas of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section are prosecuting this case.
13 February 2024
United States Files Lawsuit Against Philadelphia Resident, Alleging Violations of FAA Regulations When Flying DronesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that the United States has filed a complaint in U.S. District Court against Michael DiCiurcio of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In its complaint, the United States alleges that DiCiurcio operated small unmanned aircraft systems (“sUAS”) — commonly known as drones — unlawfully and unsafely in the Philadelphia area between at least December 2019 to the present, in violation of Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) requirements.
The United States alleges that DiCiurcio operated flights at night, in close proximity to the William Penn Statue, PSFS Building, and the Liberty One Building. On one occasion, the sUAS almost struck a church steeple during flight. The United States alleges that, during certain flights, DiCiurcio improperly operated the sUAS inside of controlled airspace near the Philadelphia International Airport, over people and cars, and, in at least one instance, lost control of the sUAS, causing it to fly uncontrolled over Philadelphia.
The FAA warned DiCiurcio in writing and provided him with counseling and education regarding requirements for safe operations of a sUAS under the Federal Aviation Regulations. The United States alleges that DiCiurcio nonetheless has continued to operate sUASs illegally and in a careless or reckless manner that endangers others. The United States seeks substantial civil penalties and an injunction to prevent additional illegal conduct.
“Failing to adhere to the safety requirements for flying drones endangers people and property,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “All drone operators have a responsibility to ensure that they observe all applicable regulations and guidance. Our office is committed to ensuring total compliance with the FAA regulations and we will vigorously enforce violations wherever we find them.”
“We work hard to educate people about safely flying their drones, and we don’t hesitate to take strong enforcement action when pilots deliberately flout the rules,” said Deputy FAA Administrator Katie Thomson.
The allegations regarding unsafe sUAS flights in violation of FAA regulations are described in detail in the complaint. The case is captioned United States of America v. Michael DiCiurcio, Case No. 24-cv-00612 (E.D. Pa.).
The case has been investigated by the FAA’s Flight Standards Division and the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of the Inspector General. The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Viveca D. Parker.
All civil claims are allegations only. There has been no determination of civil liability.
United States Attorney’s Office for Western District of Pennsylvania Collects Approximately $56 Million in Civil, Criminal, and Forfeiture Actions in Fiscal Year 2023Read the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today that the Western District of Pennsylvania collected $36.8 million in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2023. Of this amount, $23.7 million was collected in criminal actions and $13.1 million was collected in civil actions.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office, working closely with partner law enforcement agencies, also collected an additional $19.1 million in asset forfeiture actions in 2023. Forfeiture is a process by which criminal defendants are stripped of their criminal proceeds and the property used to facilitate criminal activity. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Asset Forfeiture Fund are used for a variety of law enforcement purposes and, where appropriate, restored to crime victims.
“Last year, this office recovered and forfeited over $50 million, demonstrating our commitment to holding criminal defendants financially accountable, assisting victims of crime, and protecting the federal treasury,” said U.S. Attorney Olshan. “I want to recognize and commend the tireless efforts of our financial litigation and asset forfeiture teams, who use all available resources to recover funds in our cases.”
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victims, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
United States Attorney Jane E. Young Announces New Criminal Division LeadershipRead the Press Release
CONCORD – United States Attorney Jane E. Young announces the appointments of Assistant United State Attorney Jennifer C. Davis to serve as the Criminal Division Chief and Assistant United States Attorney Georgiana L. McDonald to serve as the Deputy Criminal Division Chief.
Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Davis has 30 years of experience serving in the District of New Hampshire, most recently as the Deputy Criminal Division Chief. Prior to her roles in leadership, she conducted complex long-term narcotics investigations as the District’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Coordinator and National Opioid Coordinator. She has also served as a mentor for her colleagues as the District’s Senior Litigation Counsel.
AUSA Davis has prosecuted a vast array of crimes including health care and security fraud, illegal firearm and narcotic possession, immigration, and white-collar theft. Earlier in her career, AUSA Davis received a detail appointment as the Assistant Director for Criminal Programs at the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Education, where she oversaw the implementation of trainings for the country’s federal prosecutors. She is a graduate of Marquette University Law School.
“This Office is fortunate to have Jen’s dedication, experience, dependability, and leadership,” U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young said. “For many years, Jen has served as a mentor to federal prosecutors, both in New Hampshire and nationally, and a dependable ally to our law enforcement partners. These characteristics, coupled with her strong legal and analytical skills, make her exceptionally equipped to lead the Criminal Division.”
AUSA MacDonald has served in the District of New Hampshire’s criminal division since 2015. While AUSA MacDonald has prosecuted a wide range of criminal cases throughout her career, she specializes in computer crime, most notably matters involving cryptocurrency.
AUSA MacDonald received a detail appointment in 2022 as a founding member of the United States Department of Justice’s National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team, which is tasked with investigating and prosecuting the criminal misuse of digital assets. Prior to this specialized assignment, AUSA MacDonald worked on a myriad of criminal cases, including white collar theft, computer hacking, child exploitation, human rights violations, drug trafficking, and human trafficking cases. She also served as the Project Safe Childhood and Human Trafficking Coordinator for the District of New Hampshire. She is a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law.
“Georgie is a welcomed addition to the leadership team in the District of New Hampshire,” U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young said. “She is a skilled attorney with impeccable trial and advocacy skills, who also commands the respect of her colleagues throughout the country and in this Office. She will undoubtedly be a beacon for the criminal attorneys given her legal acumen and boundless enthusiasm.”
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U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young Announces the Appointment of the First Dedicated Civil Rights Assistant U.S. AttorneyRead the Press Release
CONCORD – U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces the appointment of Matthew Vicinanzo as an Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA). AUSA Vicinanzo will handle civil and criminal Civil Rights matters in the District of New Hampshire.
“Assistant U.S. Attorney Vicinanzo comes to the U.S. Attorney’s Office with a breadth of experience from private practice,” U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young said. “Matt is a New Hampshire native who cares deeply about our communities. He is eager to expand the Civil Rights practice in this Office, and further support the civil and constitutional rights of Granite Staters.”
Most recently, AUSA Vicinanzo represented clients in civil and criminal matters as Counsel at Crowell & Moring LLP, where he handled investigations and litigation related to the federal False Claims Act, anti-fraud statutes, and complex commercial disputes. AUSA Vicinanzo clerked for United States Chief Judge Jeffrey R. Howard, and he attended Georgetown University Law Center.
AUSA Vicinanzo is expected to investigate and prosecute civil and criminal Civil Rights matters. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was allocated two new attorney positions to address civil rights, and domestic terrorism/violent crime in New Hampshire. An AUSA focused on domestic terrorism and violent crime was appointed in October 2023.
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Two New York Residents Charged with Fentanyl Trafficking OffenseRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, today announced that WINIFER ACOSTA JIMINEZ, 29, and OVIDALIS JIMINEZ PUJOLS, 38, both of New York, have been charged by indictment with a fentanyl trafficking offense.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in February 2023, the Drug Enforcement Administration began investigating a wholesale supplier of fentanyl and other narcotics with multiple distribution points in the northeastern United States. Investigators arranged a controlled purchase of two kilograms of fentanyl, which Acosta Jiminez and Jiminez Pujols transported from New York to Milford, Connecticut, on February 22, 2023.
On January 23, 2024, a grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment charging Acosta Jiminez and Jiminez Pujols with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years.
Jiminez Pujols, who has been detained since his related state arrest on February 22, 2023, appeared yesterday in Hartford federal court and entered a plea of not guilty to the charge. Acosta Jiminez pleaded not guilty on January 31, 2024, and is released on a $100,000 bond pending trial.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated the Drug Enforcement Administration, with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police and the West Haven Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie T. Levick and Jocelyn Kaoutzanis through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. 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.
Two Men Sentenced to Prison for Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises at Motel in AlbuquerqueRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Towanda R. Thorne-James, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration El Paso Division, announced today that Pragneshkumar Patel and Johnathan Craft were sentenced to 30 and 70 months in prison, respectively, for their part in running a drug-involved premises at a motel in Southwest Albuquerque. Additionally, Patel was ordered to pay fines in the amount of $40,000 and $9,000 in restitution and ordered to forfeit the Best Choice Inn at 7640 Central Avenue SE in Albuquerque. Patel, 36, of Mobile, Alabama, pleaded guilty to maintaining a drug-involved premises and Craft, 37, of Albuquerque, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm on July 13, 2023.
A federal grand jury returned a Superseding Indictment against Patel, Craft and their co-defendant Kamal Bhula, on November 5, 2019. According to publicly available court records, between March 2018 and June 2019, Patel leased the Best Choice Inn to Bhula, who took over as the on-site manager. Craft lived and worked at Best Choice Inn as a manager, claiming to be in charge when Bhula was away. Craft sold drugs from his room, allowed others to do the same, and permitted individuals to use drugs on the premises. The Best Choice Inn gained profits by imposing a “visitor fee” on individuals who frequented the establishment. As a manager, Craft knew that many of the people for whom a visitor fee was imposed specifically frequented the business to engage in illegal activity, including selling and using drugs. As the owner, Patel profited from the visitor fees imposed on those using and selling drugs at the Best Choice Inn.
“Drug traffickers exploit vulnerable members of our community to generate profits,” said U.S. Attorney Alexander Uballez. “These individuals face enough challenges without predatory business owners using addiction to drive corporate profits. When this greedy out-of-state hotel owner capitalized on the desperation of the most marginalized New Mexicans to line his own pockets, he lost his hotel, tens of thousands of dollars, and his freedom.”
“One of our core missions is to make our communities safer and healthier,” said Towanda R. Thorne-James, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s El Paso Division. “The men and women of the DEA will not tolerate local businesses masquerading as legitimate enterprises in order to carry on their illegal drug trafficking.”
“These sentences are a testament to the power of strength in numbers,” said Jason T. Stevens, acting special agent in charge of HSI El Paso. “This multi-agency investigation discovered a dangerous threat to public safety. HSI’s drug-trafficking investigative efforts are a top priority, and our special agents are committed to targeting individuals and trans-national organizations that make it their business to poison our communities for their financial gain.”
Upon their release from prison, Patel and Craft will each be subject to three years supervised release.
Kamal Bhula pleaded guilty to maintaining a drug-involved premises on July 13, 2023, and remains in custody pending sentencing which is scheduled on March 26, 2024.
The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case with assistance from the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office, the Albuquerque Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, New Mexico State Police and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorneys Letitia Carroll Simms and Jack E. Burkhead are prosecuting the case.
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Tse Bonito Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Sexual Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Gerald Lee was sentenced to 14 years in prison. Lee, 37, of Tse Bonito, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pleaded guilty to sexual abuse of a minor on Aug. 9, 2023.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Lee on Oct. 12, 2022. According to publicly available court documents, on May 15, 2021, when he was 35 years old, Lee forcibly raped the 15-year-old victim, Jane Doe, at his mother’s house within the exterior boundaries of the Navajo Nation. Afterwards, Lee warned Jane Doe not to tell anybody about what he had done, but Jane Doe eventually told a teacher and counselor at her school. Lee initially claimed that he and Jane Doe were in a consensual sexual relationship and that he was intoxicated at the time of the incident before ultimately admitting that he raped Jane Doe.
Upon his release from prison, Lee will be subject to five years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Bell is prosecuting the case.
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Tracy Woman Pleads Guilty to Fraudulent Scheme to Steal California Unemployment Insurance BenefitsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Kaymeisha Keyes, 32, most recently of Tracy, pleaded guilty today to one count of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between April 2020 and August 2021, Keyes executed a scheme to defraud the California Employment Development Department (EDD) by filing over 70 fraudulent unemployment insurance claims with EDD, seeking Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and other benefits under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. During the scheme, Keyes collected personally identifiable information of numerous individuals — including names, birth dates, and Social Security numbers — and used their identities to file fraudulent unemployment insurance claims. The filings represented, among other things, that the claimants had recently lost employment or were unable to find employment due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These unemployment insurance claims were fraudulent because, for example, the claimants were not unemployed, they were not eligible for California unemployment insurance benefits, or Keyes did not have authority to file claims on their behalf.
Since at least October 2021, EDD partnered with ID.me — a private company used by the EDD for ID verification of claimants — to implement a system for verifying claimant identities before EDD can process unemployment insurance claims. In executing this fraudulent scheme, Keyes submitted false information to ID.me that allowed fake and stolen identities to be verified. This false information included images of fake driver’s licenses that contained photos of Keyes and co-schemers and the names of the purported claimants. She also submitted photos of herself and co-schemers that were used to verify the photos on the fake driver’s licenses. Once these false identities were verified, Keyes filed the fraudulent unemployment insurance claims with EDD under the same identities.
In the fraudulent unemployment insurance applications, Keyes requested that the unemployment insurance benefits be mailed to various addresses under her control, including her residence in Tracy. EDD approved dozens of the fraudulent claims and authorized Bank of America to mail out EDD debit cards containing unemployment insurance benefits. Keyes then activated the EDD debit cards and spent the benefits on herself. The scheme sought over $2 million in unemployment insurance benefits and caused EDD and the United States to incur actual losses exceeding $1.1 million.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Office of Correctional Safety, and the California EDD – Investigation Division with assistance from the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise N. Yasinow is prosecuting the case.
Keyes is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez on May 11, 2024. Keyes faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the wire fraud count. She faces a two-year mandatory prison sentence on the aggravated identity theft count, which must run consecutive to any sentence received on the wire fraud count. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case is prosecuted as part of the California COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force, one of five interagency COVID-19 fraud strike force teams established by the Department of Justice. The California Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources in the Eastern and Central Districts of California. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multistate pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
Tenderloin Fentanyl Dealer Armed with Ghost Gun Sentenced to More Than Six Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Esmun Moyses Moral-Raudales was sentenced yesterday to 80 months in prison for crimes including distribution of, and possession with intent to distribute, fentanyl and methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), San Francisco Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Brian M. Clark. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. James Donato, United States District Judge.
Moral-Raudales, 28, a citizen of Honduras, pleaded guilty in October 2023 to two counts of distributing methamphetamine and one count of distributing fentanyl, all in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C). He also pleaded guilty to one count of possessing 40 grams or more of fentanyl with intent to distribute it, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B)(vi).
According to his plea agreement, Moral-Raudales admitted that, during two drug deals in the Tenderloin in January and February 2023, he sold a total of 103.8 grams (gross weight) of fentanyl and 95 grams (gross weight) of methamphetamine. He also admitted that, at the time of his arrest in Oakland in March 2023, he had 317.7 grams (gross weight) of fentanyl on his person and in his car, and that he had a loaded, privately manufactured, semi-automatic handgun (a “ghost gun”) in his backpack.
At the time he committed the offenses for which he was sentenced yesterday, Moral-Raudales was on federal supervised release following a 2020 drug trafficking conviction that also resulted from his sale of drugs in the Tenderloin.
“Recidivist drug dealers who prey on the Tenderloin are a clear and present danger to our community, especially those who arm themselves with guns,” said United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey. “This Office will marshal all resources needed to ensure that repeat players in the Tenderloin drug market face justice.”
“Moral-Raudales was given the opportunity to change his life after his first federal drug trafficking conviction. Instead, he recklessly chose to endanger our community by selling poison in the Tenderloin while arming himself with a weapon,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian M. Clark. “DEA will be relentless in our pursuit of those who repeatedly and brazenly violate the law.”
In addition to sentencing Moral-Raudales to prison, Judge Donato ordered the defendant to serve four years of supervised release to begin after his prison term is completed. The defendant was immediately remanded into custody.
Assistant U.S. Attorney George Hageman is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Erick Machado. The prosecution is the result of a months-long investigation by the DEA and the San Francisco Police Department.
One Pill Can Kill: Beware of pills bought on the street. Fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, is a highly potent opiate that can be diluted with cutting agents to create counterfeit pills that purport to mimic the effects of Oxycodone, Percocet, and other drugs, but can be obtained at a lower cost. However, very small variations in the amount or quality of fentanyl create huge effects on the potency of the counterfeit pills and can easily cause death. Fentanyl has now become the leading cause of drug overdose deaths in the United States. Counterfeit, fentanyl-laced pills are usually shaped and colored to resemble pills that are sold legitimately at pharmacies.
St. Louis County Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Fentanyl Dealing, Fatal Shooting of TeenRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Tuesday sentenced a man who was dealing fentanyl and fatally shot a 16-year-old with a fully automatic pistol in downtown St. Louis in 2022 to 15 years in prison.
Judge Schelp also ordered John M. Whitney Jr., 22, of Bridgeton, to pay $8,341 for his victim’s funeral expenses.
In March of 2022, Whitney was selling drugs outside a loft building on Washington Avenue in downtown St. Louis. After entering the lobby and heading to the elevators, he used a Glock handgun equipped with an aftermarket “switch” to fatally shoot a 16-year-old. Whitney claimed he was acting in self-defense after the teen drew his weapon first, Whitney’s plea agreement says. Surveillance video shows Whitney and the teen simultaneously drawing firearms and Whitney opening fire with the Glock as the teen turned towards Whitney with his pistol raised. Whitney then exchanged fire with the teen’s associate before both fled the building.
The teen was socializing with others in the lobby. In a letter to Judge Schelp, the teen’s mother said it was his first time going out to have fun and that he was in the “wrong place at the wrong time.” “My heart is broken for the rest of my life,” she wrote.
Whitney continued selling drugs and possessing firearms after killing the victim.
In his plea agreement, he admitted selling fentanyl twice to someone working for the Drug Enforcement Administration. A court-approved search of his apartment on April 22, 2022, found a different Glock pistol with an aftermarket switch that converted it a fully automatic weapon, as well as three AR-15-style rifles, a .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol, raw fentanyl in a plastic bag and capsules containing fentanyl.
"Guns and drugs are often coupled when we encounter drug distributors," said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Colin Dickey, supervisor of DEA operations in Eastern Missouri. "These criminals are engaged in illegal activities and believe they must protect them through equally illegal means. It's our job to show them how wrong they are, and take the dealers off the streets to prevent more harm."
Whitney pleaded guilty in November to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoff Ogden is prosecuting the case.
Spokane Man Sentenced to 15 Years on Drug and Firearm Charges Following Guilty Verdict at TrialRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington - U.S. Senior District Judge Rosanna Malouf Peterson sentenced Johnathan Leslie Allen, also known as “Ghost,” to a total of 180 months in federal prison on one count of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine, one count of Distribution of Methamphetamine, and two counts of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Allen was convicted of those crimes on November 17, 2023, following a multi-day jury trial. Senior Judge Peterson also sentenced to Allen to 5 years of federal supervision after he is released from prison.
According to court documents and information disclosed at trial and sentencing, in October of 2022, Allen sent several text and Facebook messages to two coconspirators to obtain several ounces of methamphetamine for Allen to sell.
Allen and one of his coconspirators obtained the drugs and then went to a Wal-Mart in Spokane Valley, where the coconspirator sold the drugs to an Undercover Agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”).
The very next day, Allen brought a Ruger 9mm firearm to the Spokane Transit Authority bus plaza in downtown Spokane. Allen gave it to the same coconspirator to sell to the Undercover Agent, which the coconspirator did.
Allen and his coconspirators were indicted in January 2023 and a warrant was issued for Allen’s arrest. Allen was arrested on February 7, 2023, on the gaming floor of the Northern Quest Casino. At the time Allen was placed in custody, he was carrying a loaded, chambered 9mm firearm in the pocket of his sweatshirt. His coconspirators have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
Allen proceeded to trial. After four days of trial testimony, the jury returned guilty verdicts on all counts. At Allen’s sentencing hearing, the United States introduced evidence from Allen’s own Facebook account that showed Allen had been involved in distributing illegal narcotics and illegally possessing guns in the Spokane area separate from his charged conduct in this case.
“I am grateful for the dedication of the investigators, agents, and prosecutors, who brought Mr. Allen to justice. As a result of such dedication, a dangerous offender, two illegal firearms, and illegal narcotics have been removed from the Spokane community,” stated Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington. “Today’s sentence further reflects the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s commitment to vigorously prosecuting those who distribute illegal drugs and firearms in Eastern Washington.”
“Drugs and guns are a losing combination,” said ATF Seattle Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais. “Mr. Allen’s willingness to sell drugs and illegally possess firearms earned him this well-deserved sentence. ATF will vigorously investigate those who are conducting dangerous actions such as these in our communities.”
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Herzog.
Six Members of Evansville Fentanyl and Meth Trafficking Ring IndictedRead the Press Release
EVANSVILLE- A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging six individuals for their alleged roles in a conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine in Southern Indiana and Western Kentucky:
Defendant
Charge(s)
Lovechild McGuire, 30, of Evansville
Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine
Possession with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl
Possession with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine
Christopher Flax, 47, of Evansville
Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine
Amiee Ranes, 43, of Evansville
Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine
Trent Marion, 38, of Evansville
Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine
Unique Carter, 26, of Evansville
Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine
Possession with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl
Possession with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine
Camri Outlaw, 28, of Evansville
Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine
According to the indictment, on numerous occasions between June 1, 2023, through December 5, 2023, the alleged traffickers were responsible for possessing and distributing more than 50 pounds of methamphetamine, 14,000 fentanyl pills, and 1 kilogram of cocaine.
Lovechild McGuire allegedly served as the leader and supervisor of the drug trafficking operation. McGuire obtained the methamphetamine from an unknown source of supply and stored it in homes belonging to Carter and Outlaw. Carter also rented a storage unit in her name to store the controlled substances for McGuire. McGuire’s distributors, Flax, Ranes, Marion, and Carter, sold the drugs throughout Southern Indiana and Western Kentucky.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and Evansville Vanderburgh Country Drug Task Force investigated this case. This case is part of the Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program. If convicted, each defendant faces up to life in federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Lauren M. Wheatley, who is prosecuting this case.
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, as little as two milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal, depending on a person’s body size, tolerance, and past usage—a tiny amount that can fit on the tip of a pencil. Seven out of ten illegal fentanyl tablets seized from U.S. streets and analyzed by the DEA have been found to contain a potentially lethal dose of the drug.
One Pill Can Kill: Avoid pills bought on the street because One Pill Can Kill. Fentanyl has now become the leading cause of death for adults in the United States. Fentanyl is a highly potent opioid that drug dealers dilute with cutting agents to make counterfeit prescription pills that appear to be Oxycodone, Percocet, Xanax, and other drugs. Fake prescription pills laced with fentanyl are usually shaped and colored to look like pills sold at pharmacies. For example, fake prescription pills known as “M30s” imitate Oxycodone obtained from a pharmacy, but when sold on the street the pills routinely contain fentanyl. These pills are usually round tablets and often light blue in color, though they may be in different shapes and a rainbow of colors. They often have “M” and “30” imprinted on opposite sides of the pill. Do not take these or any other pills bought on the street – they are routinely fake and poisonous, and you won’t know until it’s too late.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Shooter During Marijuana Robbery Sentenced to Ten YearsRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man was sentenced today to ten years and one day in prison for shooting another man in broad daylight while robbing his victim of approximately 6.5 ounces of marijuana.
According to court documents, Brycen Scott Beal, 19, arranged a meeting to purchase a small amount of marijuana from D.M. When D.M. arrived at the agreed location in the residential parking lot of the Patriots Crossing Apartment Complex in Newport News, at midday on February 21, 2023, Beal did not purchase any marijuana. Instead, Beal reached into the vehicle D.M. was driving and grabbed a backpack containing approximately 6.5 ounces of marijuana. As Beal ran off, he fired three gunshots at D.M. using a Glock 23 .40 caliber semiautomatic handgun. Two of Beal’s shots penetrated the windshield and one hit D.M. in the leg, seriously injuring him.
D.M. drove off and reported the incident. Medical services were deployed to aid D.M., and the Newport News Police (NNPD) reported to the scene. Through the course of the investigation, NNPD confirmed Beal was the shooter with security camera footage of the apartment complex that captured the incident, as well as forensically matching the firearm seized from Beal’s residence, pursuant to a lawful search warrant, with the three shell casings recovered from the scene.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter G. Osyf and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyssa Levey-Weinstein prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:23-cr-64.
Schenectady Woman Indicted on Social Security Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – AnnMarie Ditoro, age 41, of Schenectady, New York, was indicted earlier this month on charges of social security fraud.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Sharon B. MacDermott, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, New York Field Office, made the announcement.
The indictment alleges that Ditoro misused her children’s Social Security benefits after Schenectady County Department of Social Services removed her children from her custody. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Ditoro was arraigned on February 7 and ordered released pending further proceedings.
If convicted, Ditoro faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 5 years, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised of up to 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.
The Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General is investigating this case, which is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Paul Tuck.