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7 February 2024
Gang Member Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Racketeering ChargeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A member of the Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crips gang was sentenced today to 144 months in prison for his role in a racketeering conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Tre Byrd, aka “Bands,” aka “G Bandz,” 22, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton to a superseding indictment that charged him with Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) conspiracy. Judge Wigenton imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From 2015 through Sept. 22, 2022, Byrd was a member of the Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crips, a criminal enterprise responsible for acts of violence and the distribution of controlled substances in the District of New Jersey and elsewhere. In March 2019, Byrd worked with other members and associates of the gang to murder a gang rival, who was fatally shot on March 20, 2019, in Irvington, New Jersey. On June 20, 2020, Byrd and at least one other member and associate of the gang robbed a victim at gunpoint in Newark.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Wigenton sentenced Byrd to five years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the DEA, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz; special agents of IRS- Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins; and special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller, as well as investigators of the U.S. Marshals Service, under Marshal Juan Mattos’ direction; the Irvington Police Department, under the direction of Police Division Director Tracy Bowers, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II, the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Fragé, the Bloomfield Police Department, under the direction of Director of Public Safety Samuel A. DeMaio, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, under Sheriff Armando B. Fontoura’s direction, the East Orange Police Department, under the direction of Chief Phyllis L. Bindi, the Elizabeth Police Department, under the direction of Police Director Earl J. Graves, the Edison Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Tom Bryan, the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor William A. Daniel, the Spotswood Police Department, under the direction of Chief Philip Corbisiero, and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation Fugitive and Missing Person Task Force, which includes members of the FBI, for the investigations leading to the charges in the Rollin 60’s Neighborhood Crips investigation.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. 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 government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Francesca Liquori of the Special Prosecutions Division.
Gang Member Sentenced for Gang Related Activity Resulting in the Murders of 16-Year Old and 33 Year-OldRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Eduardo Luciano, 35, of Hammond, Indiana, was sentenced by the United States District Court Senior Judge Jon E. DeGuilio, after a jury found him guilty of conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute cocaine and marijuana, and two counts of using a firearm to commit murder, announced U.S. Attorney Clifford. D. Johnson.
Luciano was sentenced to two Life sentences in prison for using a firearm to commit each murder. He was also sentenced to Life in prison for conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity along with 240 months in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute cocaine and marijuana. All sentences are to run concurrently.
According to documents in this case, on June 29, 2015, Luciano, who was a leader of the Hammond faction of the Latin Counts, a criminal street gang, and other Latin Count members formulated a plan to shoot and kill members of the Latin Kings, a rival criminal street gang. The Latin Kings were attending a vigil for a slain member on the 5500 block of Beall Avenue in Hammond, Indiana. After planning the shooting, gang members drove to the vicinity of the vigil and fired multiple shots into the crowd. Christopher White (33), who was visiting family on Beall Avenue, was shot in front of the family member’s home, and later died. Lauren Calvillo (16) was shot and killed while on the front porch of her family’s Beall Avenue home.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives/High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and the Hammond, Indiana Police Department with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation/Gang Response Investigative Team, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Marshal’s Service, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division, the Indiana State Police, the Gary Police Department, the East Chicago Police Department, the Chicago Police Department, and the Lake County Prosecutor’s Office. The case was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys David J. Nozick, Caitlin M. Padula, and Kimberly L. Schultz.
This case is also 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.
Former Postal Employee Pleads Guilty to Workers’ Compensation FraudRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Johnnie Franklin Sullivan, Sr., 73, of Mooresville, N.C., appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan C. Rodriguez today and pleaded guilty to workers’ compensation fraud for a job-connected injury, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western of North Carolina.
Jeff Krafels, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General (USPS OIG) for the Mid-Atlantic Area Field Office (MAAFO), which oversees Charlotte, joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to filed court documents and today’s plea hearing, Sullivan, Sr. was employed by the U.S. Postal Service as a mail processing clerk in Charlotte. In May 2005, Sullivan, Sr. sustained an injury at work. Later that year, Sullivan, Sr. began to receive workers’ compensation benefits administered by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP) for employees covered by the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA). In order to receive and maintain FECA benefits, Sullivan, Sr. was required to submit periodic reports regarding his physical condition and his inability to perform a Postal Service job.
Court documents show that, on multiple occasions, Sullivan, Sr. made false statements and material misrepresentations regarding his physical abilities and medical restrictions. Among the false claims Sullivan, Sr. made was that he was unable to sit for long periods of time, that he could only drive short distances, that he needed to use a cane when he walked, and that he was unable to travel or engage in hobbies and other recreational activities due to his medical condition. As a result of the false statements, over the years Sullivan, Sr. received payments totaling more than $103,261.
According to court records, during the time that Sullivan, Sr. made these false claims, he was posting on social media photos of his many long-distance trips and physically rigorous activities. For example, Sullivan, Sr. posted photos of himself traveling to places in Europe and the United States; walking long distances over different types of terrain; ziplining in Niagara Falls, New York; using surf boards and boogie boards during beach vacations; and participating in shag dancing events.
“For years, Sullivan, Sr. lied about his pain and suffering caused by an on-the-job injury to bilk the federal workers’ compensation program out of thousands of dollars, and used the funds to pay for recreational activities,” said U.S. Attorney King. “When individuals defraud an important program meant to protect injured federal workers, my Office will make sure they are held accountable for their actions.”
“Most postal employees who collect workers’ compensation benefits have legitimate claims. A small percentage, however, abuse the system and cost the Postal Service millions of dollars in fraudulent claims and enforcement costs. Therefore, USPS OIG Special Agents will continue to relentlessly pursue those identified as fraudulently collecting workers’ compensation funds from the Postal Service,” said USPS OIG Special Agent in Charge Krafels.
Sullivan, Sr. pleaded guilty to making a false report in connection with federal compensation benefits and theft of government funds. He was released on bond after the court hearing. A sentencing date has not been set.
The USPS OIG investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth M. Smith of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is in charge of the prosecution.
Former City of Pittsburgh Building Inspector Pleads Guilty to BriberyRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Walter Eiseman, 58, pleaded guilty before United States Chief District Judge Mark R. Hornak.
In connection with the guilty plea, Eiseman admitted that, as a building inspector for the City of Pittsburgh, he was responsible for performing inspections of properties that were the subject of applications for certificates of occupancy. In 2018, a developer was working on a project to redevelop a commercial building in downtown Pittsburgh as luxury apartments and hotel rooms. As part of the financing for the project, the developer sought a historical tax credit, which would only be granted after the developer obtained a temporary certificate of occupancy for one of the project’s floors by the end of December 2018. In support of his guilty plea, Eiseman admitted performing inspections on two floors of the project during the month of December, which resulted in a temporary certificate of occupancy being issued. In return for such official action, Eiseman accepted home appliances from the developer, which were delivered in early January 2019. Eiseman also admitted that he solicited a set of kitchen cabinets from the developer, which were ordered but ultimately not delivered to Eiseman’s residence.
“Walter Eiseman breached the trust placed in him by the public and the City of Pittsburgh when he sought out and accepted bribes in exchange for using his authority as a building inspector to prioritize the approval of a lucrative temporary certificate of occupancy,” said U.S. Attorney Olshan. “Whether it’s a bag of cash, a car, or a set of kitchen appliances, a bribe is a bribe all the same. This office and our partners at the FBI are committed to rooting out corruption at all levels of government. The public expects a level playing field, and it is our job to keep it that way.”
Chief Judge Hornak scheduled sentencing for June 6, 2024. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to ten years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey R. Bengel is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Eiseman.
Former Attorney Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former Massachusetts attorney was sentenced today for engaging in a scheme to bribe the Chief of Police in Medford, Mass. to obtain approval for a client to sell recreational marijuana.
Sean O’Donovan, 56, of Somerville, Mass., was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young to two years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. O’Donovan was also ordered to pay a fine of $150,000 and a $300 special assessment. In October 2023, O’Donovan was convicted by a federal jury on two counts of honest services wire fraud and one count of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds.
“Driven by greed, Mr. O’Donovan tried his hand at an old school bribery scheme in which he tried to bribe a police chief for the sake of lining his own pockets. Fortunately, his attempt was promptly thwarted by the integrity of the Police Chief he targeted, as he immediately reported him to federal authorities,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Our office remains committed to rooting out corruption in public offices. Today’s sentence should serve as a warning to anyone who thinks they can corrupt government officials for personal gain: your conduct will be uncovered, and will land you in federal prison – regardless of who you are.”
“Attorney Sean O’Donovan thought he was beyond the reach of the law when he orchestrated a back-door deal, funded by bribes, to line his own pockets. In doing so, he betrayed his client, and all hard-working businesses trying to play by the rules,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Such blatant corruption is toxic to the public trust, and today’s sentence makes it clear that crime truly does not pay. The FBI is committed to stamping out corruption, and we are very grateful to the Medford Police Chief and his brother who worked with us to thwart his shameful scheme.”
O’Donovan sought to corrupt the City of Medford’s political process for selecting retail marijuana companies by attempting to influence the Medford Police Chief in connection with O’Donovan’s client’s recreational marijuana business. At the time, the Chief had recently been appointed to serve on a committee to rank such applications on behalf of the Mayor, who would ultimately select three applicants to open retail marijuana stores in Medford.
O’Donovan approached the Chief’s relative and offered to pay as much as $50,000 in tax-free cash to the Chief’s relative in exchange for the Chief’s official support for his client’s anticipated application to sell recreational marijuana in Medford. Specifically, O’Donovan sought to have the Chief favorably rank his client’s application and, separately, to advise and pressure the Mayor to select the client. O’Donovan was slated to receive a stream of income of at least $100,000 annually from his client’s marijuana business if its Medford application was successful. After the relative informed the Chief of O’Donovan’s corrupt offer, the Chief immediately alerted federal authorities. Both the Chief and his relative cooperated with the investigation. O’Donovan never informed his client of the bribery scheme.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy; SAC Cohen; Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and Assistant Director Michael D. Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristina E. Barclay with the Public Corruption Unit for the District of Massachusetts and Trial Attorney Jonathan E. Jacobson of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and prosecuted the case.
Former Attorney Sentenced for Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
A Massachusetts man was sentenced today to two years in prison for engaging in a scheme to bribe the chief of police of Medford, Massachusetts, to obtain approval for a client to sell recreational marijuana.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Sean O’Donovan, 56, of Somerville, paid a bribe to influence the Medford police chief to take official acts to benefit O’Donovan’s client, a recreational marijuana business. At the time, the chief had recently been appointed to serve on a committee that ranked applicants seeking to operate marijuana dispensaries in Medford on behalf of Medford’s mayor. Medford’s mayor had the ultimate authority to select three applicants to open retail marijuana stores in Medford.
In furtherance of the scheme, O’Donovan approached a close family relative of the police chief and offered to pay as much as $50,000 in tax-free cash to the relative in exchange for the chief’s official support for his client’s anticipated application to sell recreational marijuana in Medford. Specifically, O’Donovan sought to have the chief favorably rank his client’s application and, separately, to advise and pressure the mayor to select the client to open a retail marijuana store in Medford. O’Donovan was slated to receive a stream of income of at least $100,000 annually from his client’s marijuana business if its Medford application were successful. O’Donovan never informed his client of the bribery scheme.
After the relative informed the chief of O’Donovan’s corrupt offer, the chief immediately alerted federal authorities. Both the chief and his relative cooperated with the investigation.
On Oct. 27, 2023, a federal jury convicted O’Donovan of two counts of honest services wire fraud and one count of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy for the District of Massachusetts, Assistant Director Michael D. Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Boston Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Boston Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Jonathan E. Jacobson of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristina E. Barclay for the District of Massachusetts prosecuted the case.
Five Arrested on Federal Grand Jury Indictment Alleging San Gabriel Valley Crew Shipped Methamphetamine to Australia and New ZealandRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Five alleged members of an international drug trafficking ring based in the San Gabriel Valley were arrested today on a 27-count federal grand jury indictment charging them with conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Two of the defendants also have been charged with maintaining a drug premises where the methamphetamine was stored and packaged. Specifically, the defendants are engaged in the mailing and shipping of methamphetamine from Los Angeles County to New Zealand and Australia.
The following defendants were arrested this morning are scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow in United States District Court in Santa Ana:
- Yangqiang Chen, 45, of Monterey Park;
- Jie Chen, 40, of Rosemead;
- MeiMei Chen, 41, of Rosemead;
- Guorong He, 50, of Rosemead; and
- Yien He, 32, of Rosemead.
Zuxing Lin, 44, of Rosemead is currently a fugitive. Xingyun Chen, 54, is currently in Louisiana in immigration custody.
As part of this investigation, law enforcement has seized 91 packages of methamphetamine destined for foreign countries. In those packages, law enforcement seized almost 200 kilograms of methamphetamine. The value of the drugs seized, if sold in Australia and New Zealand, exceeds $20 million, according to law enforcement estimates.
During search warrants executed today at three locations in Rosemead and Monterey Park, law enforcement seized approximately 40 pounds of methamphetamine, more than $100,000 in cash, and more than 1,000 gift cards from various retailers.
According to the indictment returned on Tuesday, defendants Yangqiang Chen and Jie Chen ordered and received items from online retailers, such as spools of 3D printing filament, utility cases, wine opener sets, and drive shafts, for use in concealing methamphetamine in international shipments to foreign drug customers.
Zuxing Lin, Meimei Chen, Xingyun Chen, Guorong He, and Yien He packaged the methamphetamine, at a residence in Monterey Park and elsewhere, for delivery to foreign drug customers. Yangqiang Chen, Zuxing Lin, Meimei Chen, Xingyun Chen, and Yien He delivered the packages containing methamphetamine to UPS stores and international shipping companies so they could be shipped to foreign drug customers.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted of all charges, each defendant would face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
The FBI; the Drug Enforcement Administration; Homeland Security Investigations; IRS Criminal Investigation; the Los Angeles Police Department; the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department; and the United States Postal Inspection Service are investigating this matter.
This case is the result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, FBI, DEA, and IRS. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, firearms trafficking, and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. OCDETF uses an intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer L. Waier of the Santa Ana Branch Office is prosecuting this case.
Felon Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Possession of Four Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A former Dover man pleaded guilty in federal court to being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Christopher T. Brown, 38, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. Sentencing was scheduled for May 14, 2024, with U.S. District Court Judge Steven J. McAuliffe. Brown was first charged on April 26, 2023.
On January 9, 2023, the defendant’s spouse called emergency services and reported that she and the defendant had an argument, and that the defendant had a gun to his head. Dover police officers responded to the emergency call at the defendant’s home. The defendant’s spouse consented to a search of the house, and officers found four firearms. Those guns included two pistols, a .40 caliber rifle, and a 12-gauge sawed-off shotgun. Officers also recovered ammunition.
The defendant later admitted to owning the firearms and knowing that he could not lawfully possess them as a felon. The defendant also admitted that he used a straw purchaser to purchase three of the firearms and asked that straw purchaser to file a false police report that the firearms she bought were stolen.
The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 15 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Dover Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen is prosecuting the case.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Calloway County Man for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY – A federal grand jury in Paducah, Kentucky, returned an indictment on January 9, 2024, charging an Almo, Kentucky man with possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, and Sheriff Ryan Norman of the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Robert William Grundy, 52, was charged with possessing with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on June 14, 2023.
On February 5, 2024, Grundy made an initial court appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison. The defendant remains in federal custody pending trial. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the DEA Paducah Post of Duty Office and the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Hancock, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, is prosecuting this case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts 19 Individuals for Roles in a Fraudulent Scheme to Obtain COVID-19 Relief FundsRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, announced the indictment of 19 individuals for their participation in a scheme to illegally obtain federal recovery funds under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The Grand Jury charged the defendants with multiple counts of wire fraud and money laundering.
The charging documents allege that from April 2020 through February 2024, the defendants and their co-conspirators caused the submission of at least 30 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications seeking the illegal disbursement of at least $587,442 in federal recovery funds from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and Bank 1.
“This is the fifth round of defendants charged since April 2023 relating to this fraud scheme. The investigation remains ongoing, and we expect more charges,” said U.S. Attorney Muldrow. “Today I make the same recommendation that I have in the past – if you are involved in criminal activity, contact law enforcement and cooperate. It will be better for you if you come forward than if you wait for the feds to knock on your door.”
“In IRS Criminal Investigation we have been working on these complex cases for almost three years. The investigations include multiple special agents and expert personnel from several federal agencies,” said Matthew D. Line, Special Agent in Charge of the IRS-CI Office in Miami. “Twenty-four IRS:CI special agents coordinated today’s operation were responsible for the arrest of five people this morning. Our message is one and it is clear: we will continue to work tirelessly to bring to justice those who commit criminal acts or defraud our taxpayers, no matter who they are or where they are.”
“Scheming to fraudulently obtain federal funds that are meant to provide assistance to the nation’s small businesses is unacceptable,” said SBA OIG’s Eastern Region Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Braithwaite. “OIG will aggressively root out organized fraud rings that seek to wrongfully take advantage of pandemic relief program funds. Today’s arrests serve as a reminder that each fraudulent action is like footprints in concrete, and wrongdoers will be brought to justice. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s office and our law enforcement partners for their support and dedication to pursuing justice in this case.”
The United States Secret Service, the Small Business Administration Office of the Inspector General, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations conducted the investigation with the collaboration of the Puerto Rico Treasury Department, the Puerto Rico Bureau of Special Investigations, the Puerto Rico Police Bureau, and the Guaynabo Municipal Police.
According to court documents, defendants José Carmona Morales, a.k.a. “Cheka” and Cecy Casiano Santiago, together with Manfred A. Pentzke Lemus, a.k.a. “Man/Contable/El Gestor”, Rodolpho R. Pagesy Roussel, a.k.a. “El Banquero”, Augusto A. Lemus Berrios, a.k.a. “Primo”, Jonatan Ben David Prieto Ruiz De Val, a.k.a. “Johnny Millones”, Ligia María Lemus De Pentzke, and others knowingly devised a scheme to defraud the SBA and Bank 1 to obtain federal money and property by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises submitted through applications for EIDL and PPP loans made available through the CARES Act to help small businesses recover from the impact of the pandemic. Pentzke Lemus, Pagesy Roussel, Lemus Berrios, Prieto Ruiz De Val, and Lemus De Pentzke were previously charged in April 2023 in a separate indictment.
The defendants are:
[1] José Carmona Morales, a.k.a. “Cheka”
[2] Cecy Casiano Santiago
[3] Arnaldo Dávila Rivera
[4] Cruz Sheila Pérez Guzmán
[5] Emmanuel Maysonet Cruz
[6] Janelle Irene Fe Cooney Delgado
[7] Jesús Rodríguez Maysonet
[8] Julia Cecilia Santiago Salgado
[9] Nelson Noriega Sotomayor
[10] Héctor Martínez Ortiz
[11] Carolyn González Marrero
[12] Edyel León Rivera
[13] Ángel Febus Muñoz
[14] Verónica Vázquez Molina
[15] Karishna Ayala Otero
[16] Lilliam Collazo Pérez
[17] Rebecca Serrano Martínez
[18] Rosa Casanova Salgado
[19] Tatiana Lebrón
The CARES Act authorized federal assistance through the issuance of SBA loans to small businesses and non-profit entities that experienced revenue loss due to the COVID-19 worldwide pandemic. The EIDL program was one such loan assistance program for small businesses. To procure the loan, applicants had to fill out an online application detailing operational information for the 12‑month period prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the number of employees in the business, the gross business revenues realized, and the cost of goods sold. Another form of assistance provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of United States taxpayer funds in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, such as interest on mortgages, rent and utilities, through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
The indictment alleges that the defendants submitted at least 30 fraudulent PPP loan applications containing materially false and fraudulent information and false documents, including false and fictitious tax documents, payroll records, bank records, and identification documents, to procure the disbursement of PPP assistance loans by Bank 1. The indictment further alleges that the defendants and their co-conspirators directed the recipients of the fraudulently obtained PPP loans to remit a portion of the proceeds of the loans to the defendants and their co-conspirators and used the loan proceeds to benefit themselves and others, and to pay for expenses prohibited under the requirements of the PPP programs.
Defendants José Carmona Morales, a.k.a. “Cheka” and Cecy Casiano Santiago are facing one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, for knowingly conducting financial transactions involving the proceeds of wire fraud, together with other individuals previously indicted. The defendants, including José Carmona Morales, a.k.a. “Cheka”, are also alleged to have recruited other unindicted co-conspirators to not only obtain additional EIDL and PPP loans under false pretenses, but recruit others to submit fraudulent applications.
If convicted, the defendants are facing up to 30 years in prison for the wire fraud counts. José Carmona Morales, a.k.a. “Cheka” and Cecy Casiano Santiago are also facing up to 20 years of imprisonment for the money laundering count.
Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Timothy R. Henwood, Chief of the Criminal Division, and AUSA Daniel J. Olinghouse are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Engineer Arrested for Allegedly Stealing Trade Secret Technology Designed to Detect Nuclear Missile Launches and Track MissilesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A former engineer at a Southern California company has been arrested on federal charges alleging he stole trade secret technologies developed for use by the United States government to detect nuclear missile launches and to track ballistic and hypersonic missiles, the Justice Department announced today.
Chenguang Gong, 57, of San Jose, California, was arrested Tuesday morning. Gong, who is a native of China and became a United States citizen in 2011, is being held in custody until a detention hearing scheduled for later today.
Gong is charged in a criminal complaint with theft of trade secrets. According to court documents unsealed today, Gong transferred more than 3,600 files from a Los Angeles-area research and development company where he worked – identified in court documents as the victim company – to personal storage devices during his brief tenure with the company last year. The files Gong allegedly transferred include blueprints for sophisticated infrared sensors designed for use in space-based systems to detect nuclear missile launches and track ballistic and hypersonic missiles, as well as blueprints for sensors designed to enable U.S. military aircraft to detect incoming heat-seeking missiles and take countermeasures, including by jamming the missiles’ infrared tracking ability. Some of these files were later found on storage devices seized from Gong’s temporary residence in Thousand Oaks, according to the affidavit in support of the complaint.
Together with the United States government and others, the victim company “has invested tens of millions each year for more than seven years to develop the technology,” the affidavit states, and it “would be extremely damaging economically” to the victim company if the technology were obtained by its competitors and “dangerous to U.S. national security if obtained by international actors.”
“We will do everything to protect our nation’s security, including from foreign threats,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Mr. Gong, who had previously sought to provide the People’s Republic of China with information to aid its military, stole sensitive and confidential information related to detecting nuclear missile launches and tracking ballistic and hypersonic missiles. We know that foreign actors, including the PRC, are actively seeking to steal our technology, but we will remain vigilant against this threat by safeguarding the innovations of American businesses and researchers.”
“The FBI is committed to protecting our nation’s critical technologies and to pursuing those who look to steal trade secret information for their benefit or for the benefit of foreign adversaries,” said Donald Alway, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The theft of trade secrets, especially of sensitive military technology, undermines our national security, erodes U.S. competitiveness in the global market, and harms the businesses and individuals who have invested time, resources, and creativity into developing innovative technologies. Our actions today send a strong message that anyone willing to steal proprietary information from U.S. businesses will face consequences in the criminal justice system.”
As alleged in the affidavit, the victim company hired Gong in January 2023 to work at one its laboratories as an application-specific integrated circuit design manager responsible for the design, development and verification of its infrared sensors. Beginning on approximately March 30, 2023, and continuing until his termination on April 26, 2023, Gong transferred thousands of files from his work laptop to three personal storage devices, including more than 1,800 files after he had accepted a job on April 5, 2023, at one of the victim company’s main competitors.
Many of the files Gong allegedly transferred contained proprietary and trade secret information related to the development and design of a readout integrated circuit that allows space-based systems to detect missile launches and track ballistic and hypersonic missiles and a readout integrated circuit that allows aircraft to track incoming threats in low visibility environments. Gong also allegedly transferred trade secret files relating to the development of “next generation” sensors capable of detecting low observable targets while demonstrating increased survivability in space, as well as the blueprints for the mechanical assemblies used to house and cryogenically cool the victim company’s sensors. This information was among the victim company’s most important trade secrets worth hundreds of millions of dollars, according to the complaint, and many of the files were marked “[VICTIM COMPANY] PROPRIETARY,” “FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY,” “PROPRIETARY INFORMATION,” and “EXPORT CONTROLLED.”
During the investigation, the affidavit states, the FBI discovered that, between approximately 2014 and 2022, while employed at several major technology companies in the United States, “Gong submitted numerous applications to ‘Talent Programs’ administered by the People’s Republic of China government.” The affidavit explains that “the PRC has established talent programs through which it identifies individuals located outside the PRC who have expert skills, abilities, and knowledge that would aid in transforming the PRC’s economy, including its military capabilities.”
In 2014, while employed at a U.S. information technology company headquartered in Dallas, the affidavit states that Gong sent a business proposal to a contact at a high-tech research institute in China focused on both military and civilian products. In his proposal, translated from Chinese, Gong described a plan to produce high-performance analog-to-digital converters similar to those produced by his employer.
On May 8, 2023, the FBI executed a search warrant at Gong’s temporary residence in Thousand Oaks, California, and recovered several digital devices containing hundreds of documents marked as confidential or proprietary belonging to the information technology company, the affidavit alleges.
In another Talent Program application in September 2020, the affidavit states, Gong proposed to develop “low light/night vision” image sensors for use in military night vision goggles and civilian applications. In a video presentation included with Gong’s submission, Gong used a video containing the model number of a sensor developed by an international defense, aerospace, and security company where Gong worked from 2015 to 2019.
According to the affidavit, Gong also travelled to China several times to seek Talent Program funding to develop sophisticated analog-to-digital converters. In his Talent Program applications outlined in the affidavit, Gong underscored that the high-performance analog-to-digital converters he proposed to develop in China had military applications, explaining that they “directly determine the accuracy and range of radar systems” and that “[m]issile navigation systems also often use radar front-end systems.” In a 2019 email, translated from Chinese, Gong remarked that he “took a risk” by traveling to China to participate in the Talent Programs “because [he] worked for…an American military industry company” and thought he could “do something” to contribute to China’s “high-end military integrated circuits.”
The affidavit states that Gong “continued to seek funding from Chinese government programs through at least March 2022.”
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The charge of theft of trade secrets carries a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison.
The FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office is investigating this matter. The FBI’s San Francisco Field Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California provided substantial assistance.
Assistant United States Attorneys David C. Lachman of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section and Nisha Chandran of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section are prosecuting this case. Department of Justice Trial Attorney Brendan Geary of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section is providing substantial assistance.
Elmira man with prior child sex conviction going to prison on new child pornography chargeRead the Press Release
Rochester, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Eugene R. Criss, Jr., 55, of Elmira, NY, who was convicted of possession of child pornography by an individual with a prior sex offense conviction, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who handled the case, stated that in July 2013, Criss was convicted of Criminal Sex Act – 1st Degree – Victim Less Than 11 Years Old. On April 5, 2023, Criss possessed a cellphone, a thumb drive, a tablet, and a laptop, which contained over 1,000 images and videos of child pornography, some of which depicted prepubescent children engaged in sexually explicit conduct and violence or the sexual abuse of an infant or toddler.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.
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Elkhart Man Sentenced to 160 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Sean Posey, 40 years old, of Elkhart, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty, after pleading guilty to possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Posey was sentenced to 160 months in prison, 15 years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $22,500 in restitution to victims of the offense.
According to documents in the case, between August and September 2021, Posey possessed over 900 photos and 7 videos on his cell phone consisting of child sexual abuse material, including images of minors under the age of 12. Posey had previously been convicted of sexual misconduct with a minor which required him to register as a sex offender.
This case was investigated by the United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Indiana State Police Crimes Against Children Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys John M. Maciejczyk and Hannah T Jones.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Electrician at Federal Detention Center recognized by U.S. Attorney General for outstanding work on behalf of DOJRead the Press Release
Seattle – An Electrical Worker Supervisor at the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac was recognized last week with the Attorney General’s Cubby Dorsey Award for outstanding service. Charles D. Treadway II was presented the award at a ceremony in Washington DC. The award reads for “Outstanding Service in support of programs and operations through extraordinary performance and achievements.”
“I am so pleased that Attorney General Merrick Garland recognized the outstanding work of Charles Treadway,” said U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. “He demonstrates the best of the federal workforce with his dedication to making improvements to benefit the staff and people in custody at the FDC.”
In the Bureau of Prisons nomination form, it notes that Mr. Treadway saved taxpayers more than $55,000 with his innovative approach to a lighting project at the Federal Detention Center. FDC SeaTac, a high-rise building, needed outdoor lighting to reduce areas of dark shadow that posed a security risk. BOP had estimated it would need to spend $60,000 for a major project to improve the lighting. Mr. Treadway improvised with new LED lighting fixtures designed for stadiums and was able to complete the project for just $5,000 – a significant savings. Mr. Treadway is also working to improve the lighting in recreation areas with bulbs that can be protected from recreation equipment. This too will improve security at the facility.
Charles Treadway was also recognized for his quick work to complete projects that benefit staff and those in custody. For example, when BOP decided to allow tablets for inmates, Mr. Treadway developed the plans for charging locations and completed the installation months ahead of schedule.
The Bureau of Prisons further commended Treadway for his teamwork, by volunteering to fill corrections posts when short staffed and reporting for work in off hours when there are power outages. His work with outside contractors sets an example for other employees.
Mr. Treadway is the sole employee in federal service receiving this year’s Cubby Dorsey Award for Outstanding Service by a wage Grade Employee.
El Departamento de Justicia llega a un acuerdo con una empresa de dotación de personal para resolver unas acusaciones de discriminación en el empleoRead the Press Release
El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que ha llegado a un acuerdo conciliatorio con Latitude Inc. (Latitude), una empresa de dotación de personal en Hanover, Maryland. El acuerdo resuelve la determinación del departamento que Latitude vulneró la ley de Inmigración y Nacionalidad (INA, por sus siglas en inglés) al discriminar a ciertos no ciudadanos de los EE. UU. con permiso para trabajar en los Estados Unidos y los excluyó de oportunidades laborales con base en su estatus de ciudadanía.
«Las compañías no pueden excluir, de manera ilegal, a todo no ciudadano de los EE. UU. que tenga permiso para trabajar en los Estados Unidos de oportunidades laborales debido a estatus de ciudadanía», dijo Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. «El Departamento de Justicia seguirá responsabilizando a aquellos cuyas acciones vulneren las leyes federales de derechos civiles de nuestra nación».
La investigación del departamento determinó que, desde al menos abril del 2022 hasta julio del 2023, Latitude se negó a recomendar, reclutar o contratar a no ciudadanos de los EE. UU. para varios puestos en una empresa cliente que había solicitado la restricción sin ninguna base jurídica. Estas acciones perjudicaron a los trabajadores que son residentes permanentes legales, a los trabajadores nacionales que no son ciudadanos y a los trabajadores a los que se les ha otorgado el asilo o el estatus de refugiado, al disuadirles, de manera ilícita, de presentar una solicitud y no avanzar por el proceso de contratación, para mayor consideración, a aquellos que sí solicitaron un trabajo.
En virtud de los términos del acuerdo, Latitude capacitará a su personal en cuanto a los requisitos de la INA, revisará sus políticas de empleo y que se someterá a los requisitos de supervisión y declaración departamentales. Por otra parte, Latitude pagará sanciones civiles a los Estados Unidos.
La Sección de Derechos de Inmigrantes y Empleados («IER», por sus siglas en inglés) de la División de Derechos Civiles es responsable de hacer cumplir la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA. Entre otras cosas, por lo general, la ley prohíbe la discriminación por motivos de estatus de ciudadanía y nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido o reclutamiento o recomendación por comisión, prácticas documentales injustas y represalias e intimidación.
Aprenda más sobre el trabajo de la IER y cómo conseguir ayuda mediante este vídeo corto. Aquellos aspirantes o empleados que creen haber sido discriminados por motivos de su ciudadanía, estatus migratorio o nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido, reclutamiento o verificación de la elegibilidad para trabajar (Formulario I-9 e E-Verify) o sujetos a represalias pueden presentar una denuncia. El público también puede llamar a la línea directa de la IER para trabajadores al 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); llamar a la línea directa de la IER para empleadores al 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); inscribirse a un seminario en línea gratuito o visualizar una presentación a la carta; enviar un correo electrónico a [email protected]; o visitar los sitios web de la IER en inglés y español. Inscríbase para recibir actualizaciones por correo electrónico desde IER.
East Hartford Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Federal Prison for Gang-Related Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that LUIS FELICIANO, also known as “Louminaty,” 39, of East Hartford, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 132 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for trafficking fentanyl and other narcotics.
According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from an investigation into gang-related drug trafficking and firearm possession by members of Los Solidos. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps, revealed that Feliciano distributed fentanyl and heroin, often with a xylazine additive, as well as cocaine and crack, to his Los Solidos associates, other customers and distributors in the Hartford area, and also to individuals in Schenectady, New York and Bangor, Maine.
Feliciano was arrested on April 13, 2022, after searches of his East Hartford residence and a Hartford apartment he used to store and process drugs revealed more than two kilograms of fentanyl, more than a kilogram of heroin, quantities of crack and powder cocaine, vials of xylazine, drug processing and packaging items, and 40 rounds of ammunition.
On June 8, 2022, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Feliciano and 15 others with various narcotics distribution and firearm possession offenses.
Feliciano has been detained since his arrest. On February 17, 2023, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of heroin.
Feliciano’s criminal history includes felony convictions for drug distribution, firearm possession, and assault offenses, and he was on state probation at the time of his federal arrest in April 2022.
This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and the Hartford Police Department. The Task Force includes members of the FBI, Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, New Britain Police Department, West Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Ruff 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.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Child Cruelty and Felony StrangulationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Keenan Smith, 42, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to one count of second-degree cruelty to children and one count of felony strangulation for an assault on a child which took place in Washington, D.C., on November 17, 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves.
U.S. Superior Court Judge Lynn Leibovitz set a sentencing date of April 5, 2024. Smith faces a sentence of up to five years for felony strangulation and up to 10 years for second-degree child cruelty to children. The prison term will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
According to the government’s evidence, on November 17, 2023, Smith grabbed the child by his throat, using both of his hands, and slammed the child to the floor, causing the child to hit the back of his head. The defendant strangled the child by squeezing the child’s throat with both of his hands, restricting the normal circulation of blood, and breathing of the child. Smith strangled the child until he lost hearing and vision and blacked out.
Smith fled the scene and was arrested the next month pursuant to an arrest warrant. He has been in custody since January 23, 2024, where he will remain until sentencing.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly K. Smith of the Domestic Violence Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
District Felon Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Firearms PossessionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Mysire Poge, 23, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and Special Agent in Charge Craig Kailimai of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
Poge entered the guilty plea in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia before the Honorable Carl Nichols. Judge Nichols scheduled sentencing for May 16, 2024. The defendant has been detained since November 9, 2023.
According to the government’s evidence, on June 16, 2023, law enforcement officers were on the 300 block of 51st Street, NW when Poge rode by on a moped. Poge spotted the officers heading in his direction. He stopped, turned around, and jumped a sidewalk curb to flee southbound down a walkway on the 200 block of 51st St. NE. The defendant pulled into an alleyway and jumped off his moped. On the sidewalk on Division Avenue, Poge saw a uniformed police officer who was following him and again, ran towards an alley. Poge darted between two houses on Division Avenue and jumped over a chain-link fence. As Poge ran he threw a firearm that landed in a backyard. He continued to run in a circle before officers arrested him. Law enforcement recovered a Glock 27, 40 caliber semi-automatic pistol in the backyard with a 22-round capacity magazine.
The case was investigated by the MPD and ATF as part of Project Safe Neighborhood. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shehzad Akhtar.
Distributing fentanyl through the mail sends South Texan to prisonRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 37-year-old Brownsville resident has been sentenced for possession with intent to distribute 1,741 grams of fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar Hamdani.
Heriverto Ramirez pleaded guilty July 20, 2023.
U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera has now ordered Ramirez to serve 70 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release.
“This case is a perfect example of how fentanyl, a potent and deadly opioid, is overtaking every aspect of the illicit drug trade,” said Hamdani. “Ramirez was caught mailing half a kilogram of fentanyl through USPS, creating a potentially deadly hazard for anyone handling the package. The investigation revealed that this dangerous distribution scheme had been ongoing for almost a year.”
Ramirez packaged 494 grams of fentanyl for distribution through the U.S. Postal Service, concealing the dangerous narcotic in the shell of a tankless hot water heater.
Law enforcement executed a search warrant at the residence of Ramirez and discovered an additional 1,247 grams of fentanyl and 8.48 kilograms of cocaine.
Ramirez will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose A. Esquivel Jr. prosecuted the case.
Detroit Man Sentenced to Prison for Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
TOLEDO – Eddie Lee Pope, age 51, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced on February 6, 2024, to 240 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Helmick, after being convicted by a jury, in October 2023, of possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. Pope was sentenced to ten years of supervised release after he serves his prison term and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Pope was stopped by Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers on State Route 15 in Wyandot County for a traffic offense. After troopers on the scene pulled Pope over, Pope ran into a stand of woods on the side of the highway and discarded a bag containing a pound of crystal methamphetamine. Pope, who had several prior drug trafficking convictions, was on parole at the time he possessed the crystal methamphetamine.
The investigation was conducted by the Ohio State Highway Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Melching and Alissa Sterling.
Couple Charged with Fentanyl Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, a complaint was unsealed charging Levar Jackson and Jaclyn Misuraca with conspiring to distribute fentanyl. As alleged, Jackson and Misuraca sold approximately 270 grams of fentanyl—often in broad daylight and in public locations across Long Island including outside of a nursing home where Misuraca worked. They are being arraigned this afternoon before Magistrate Judge James M. Wicks.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent-in-Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, and Robert Waring, Acting Commissioner, Suffolk County Police Department, announced the charges.
Mr. Peace expressed his appreciation to the Nassau County Police Department and the New York State Police for their assistance on the case.
As alleged in the complaint and court filings, between May 2023 and January 2024, Jackson and Misuraca sold approximately 270 grams of fentanyl—often in broad daylight and in public locations across Long Island, including in residential areas and outside of stores. In several transactions, Misuraca sold significant quantities of fentanyl to an undercover officer in the parking lot of the nursing home where she worked. When the undercover officer arrived, Misuraca exited the nursing home, completed the sale, and then returned to work inside.
Several fentanyl doses sold by the defendants tested positive for xylazine, an animal tranquilizer that is of similar potency to fentanyl but not susceptible to treatment with Narcan, a medication that can reverse overdoses. Known by its street names “tranq” and the “zombie drug,” xylazine can cause users to blackout in a stupor and kill skin tissue by burning the flesh, which leads to deep sores.
According to the DEA, fentanyl is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin as an analgesic. From 2011 through 2021, fatal overdoses associated with misuse of clandestinely produced fentanyl and fentanyl analogs increased markedly. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids, excluding methadone were involved in roughly 2,600 drug overdose deaths each year in 2011 and 2012, but from 2013 through 2021, the number of drug overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids, excluding methadone increased dramatically each year, to more than 68,000 in 2021. The total number of overdose deaths for this category was greater than 258,000 for 2013 through 2021. Overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids are primarily driven by illicitly manufactured fentanyl, including fentanyl analogs.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Mark E. Misorek and James R. Simmons are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendants:
LEVAR JACKSON
Age: 44
Islip Terrace, New YorkJACLYN MISURACA
Age: 45
Islip Terrace, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-MJ-112
Convicted Felon Sentenced for Possessing Loaded Ghost Gun While on Federal Supervised Release for Heroin ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Cape Cod man, previously convicted of federal heroin distribution charges, was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for possessing a loaded “ghost” gun. The defendant was on federal supervised release at the time of his arrest.
Krymeii Fray, 28, of Hyannis, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In October 2023, Fray pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of ammunition.
On March 24, 2023, at 2:15 a.m., Fray’s vehicle was stopped on Blue Hill Avenue in Boston by local law enforcement. During a search of the vehicle, a Polymer 80 9mm firearm that was not commercially manufactured – commonly referred to as a “ghost” or kit firearm – loaded with seven rounds of ammunition was recovered from under Fray’s seat. Also seized was a live loose round of ammunition found near the gun as well as a spent shell casing found in the trunk:Fray was immediately taken into custody. At the time of his arrest, Fray was on supervised release from an earlier federal conviction for conspiracy to distribute heroin.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Pohl and Lauren A. Graber of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Firearm and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Haverhill man with multiple prior felony convictions, including manslaughter, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to possessing a loaded firearm and drugs intended for distribution.
Ramon Silvelo-Miles, 34, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. U.S. District Court Judge Dennis F. Saylor IV, scheduled sentencing for May 9, 2024. Silvelo-Miles was charged by criminal complaint in January 2022.
In the early morning hours of Sept. 20, 2021, Silvelo-Miles was stopped by law enforcement for driving erratically on Route 24 in West Bridgewater. Field sobriety tests administered on-site indicated that Silvelo-Miles was too impaired to drive. A subsequent search of the defendant’s car uncovered over 200 grams of cocaine and 9 grams of fentanyl packaged in small, clear plastic bags in a small backpack inside the glove compartment. Hidden by the defendant next to the backpack in the glove compartment was a Raven Arms MP-25 .25 caliber pistol within a black sock. The gun was loaded with one bullet in the chamber and five bullets in the magazine. Silvelo-Miles is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to multiple prior felony convictions including a 2014 conviction for manslaughter.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime provides for a minimum mandatory sentence of five years in prison, up to life, which must be served consecutively with any other term of imprisonment imposed in the case, five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred Wyshak, III of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit 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.
Commercial Fisherman Pleads Guilty to Income Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A crew member on commercial fishing vessels operating out of New Bedford pleaded guilty today to evading nearly $300,000 in federal income taxes.
Rodolfo Membreno, 49, of Fall River, pleaded guilty to one count of evading and defeating taxes before U.S. District Judge Richard G. Stearns. Judge Stearns scheduled sentencing for May 15, 2024. Membreno was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2023.From 2013 through 2021, Membreno earned more than $1.3 million working as a commercial fisherman. During the calendar years 2013 through 2019 Membreno failed to file federal income tax returns. He then filed a false tax return for 2020, before again failing to file a return for calendar year 2021. Membreno failed to pay any income taxes on his fishing income and took other measures to prevent the IRS from tracing his income or determining his tax liabilities, including routinely cashing his paychecks and using the cash to fund his personal lifestyle. Membreno’s scheme resulted in tax losses of approximately $293,118 to the IRS, not including penalties and interest.
The charge of tax evasion carries a statutory maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater, and restitution to the IRS. 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; Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division; and Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Victor A. Wild of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts and Trial Attorney Ezra Spiro and Acting Chief John Kane of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.
Columbus woman pleads guilty to kidnapping infant twinsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus woman pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to two counts of kidnapping a minor.
As part of the plea, parties involved in the case have recommended a sentence of 20 years in prison for Nalah T. Jackson, 25.
“There is no greater responsibility than protecting our youth,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “This community watched in horror as Nalah Jackson preyed on two vulnerable babies. Today, she admitted her crime and agreed to spend 20 years in prison for her actions.”
According to court documents, between Dec. 19, 2022, and Dec. 22, 2022, Jackson kidnapped two minor children in Columbus and traveled interstate with one of them.
Specifically, close to 10pm on the night of Dec. 19, Jackson walked out of Donatos Pizza on North High Street in Columbus and drove away in a black Honda Accord that had been left running in the parking lot. Two twin five-month-old infants were buckled in the back seat. The infants’ mother was inside Donatos to pick up a delivery order at the time.
Over the next several hours, Jackson drove from Columbus to Dayton and to various other locations in central and western Ohio.
Jackson arrived at the Dayton International Airport close to 3am. She parked in an economy lot and left the infants in the car while she entered the airport. Jackson attempted to hire an Uber to find the stolen car in the economy lot, but could not pay, and ultimately found the stolen car on foot. After finding the vehicle, Jackson left one of the infants in the parking lot at approximately 4am. A passerby parking their vehicle saw the baby in his car seat wrapped in a quilt between two vehicles and alerted security.
After Jackson left the Dayton International Airport parking lot at high speeds, she traveled to Indianapolis with the second baby still in the vehicle.
She arrived at a Papa Johns Pizza on Indiana Avenue near the university district at approximately 8am on Dec. 20, and exited the stolen car on foot. She never returned to the vehicle, leaving the second baby strapped in his car seat in the back seat of the car.
The baby remained strapped in the car seat for the next two-and-a-half-days while family members, concerned citizens and law enforcement officers continued to search for him.
By happenstance, an Indianapolis woman encountered Jackson after she abandoned the stolen vehicle on Dec. 20. Jackson was selling stolen merchandise outside of a local gas station. The woman gave Jackson a ride to a nearby shopping plaza and gave Jackson her cell phone number in case Jackson came across any more holiday gifts for resale.
That night, the woman noticed several social media posts regarding the kidnapping and recognized Jackson as the alleged kidnapper. The woman called her cousin, and together they formulated a plan to meet up with Jackson to confirm her identity, recover the infant if possible and lead Jackson to law enforcement.
On Dec. 22, the women met up with Jackson, whom they traced to a local residence through a phone number Jackson had previously used to call one of them. The women confirmed that Jackson was the same person identified as the kidnapping suspect and drove her to several shopping centers in Indianapolis, all-the-while surreptitiously attempting to contact law enforcement in Columbus and Indianapolis.
Eventually, one of the women was able to route local law enforcement to their vehicle over the phone by pretending that she was speaking with her boyfriend and providing updates on her location. The women tried to signal to Indianapolis police that Jackson was the kidnapping suspect, and eventually told officers when they were removed from Jackson’s immediate presence. Jackson provided a false name and another individual’s identification card to the officers. After some time, the officers confirmed Jackson’s identity and arrested her for kidnapping. After the arrest, they let the two women go without interviewing them about their time spent with Jackson.
The two women decided to continue searching for the missing infant. They discovered a bus schedule that Jackson left behind in the backseat of their vehicle and decided to focus their search on a bus route near the university district.
While driving around searching that area to no avail, and with driving conditions worsening quickly due to an impending snowstorm, the women decided to get something to eat before heading home. As they were pulling into a Blaze Pizza, they noticed a black Honda Accord at the nearby Papa Johns and noticed snow had already accumulated on the car.
They drove up to the stolen car and attempted to open the back door, which was locked. The driver’s door did open. Due to an overwhelming foul smell coming from the car, and the silence of the baby, one of the women screamed, assuming the baby was deceased. Upon hearing the scream, the baby alerted and began crying. One of the women removed the baby from his car seat and began comforting him.
The women then noticed an empty Indianapolis police cruiser parked nearby and began looking for officers, who they found on their lunch break inside the Blaze Pizza. Indianapolis police then relocated to Papa Johns Pizza and took custody of the baby, taking him to a local hospital. The infant was treated for dehydration, heart abnormalities due to the dehydration, extreme diaper rash and skin deterioration due to him being buckled in a car seat for three days while sitting in his own excrement.
U.S. Attorney Parker acknowledged the numerous law enforcement agencies who have assisted in this case, including FBI offices in Columbus, Dayton and Indianapolis; the Columbus, Dayton, Huber Heights, Riverside, Vandalia, Dayton International Airport and Indianapolis police departments; the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office; Ohio State Highway Patrol and U.S. Marshals Service’s Southern Ohio Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team (SOFAST).
Assistant United States Attorneys Emily K. Czerniejewski and Noah R. Litton are representing the United States in this case.
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Columbia, KC Residents Indicted for Armed Robbery SpreeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Two Columbia, Mo., residents and a Kansas City, Mo., man have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a conspiracy to commit a series of armed robberies across the state over a four-day period.
Kahvaseon Z. Smith, 25, and Janaia R. Cason, 26, both of Columbia, and Kentrail M. Collins, 26, of Kansas City, were charged in a 12-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Tuesday, Feb. 6.
The federal indictment alleges that Smith, Cason, and Collins participated in a conspiracy to commit a series of armed robberies from Jan. 5, 2023, to Jan. 8, 2023. In addition to the conspiracy, they are each charged together in five counts of robbery and five counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
The indictment alleges that Smith, Cason, and Collins committed five armed robberies:
- Petromart at 1004 N. Stadium, Columbia, Mo., on Jan. 5, 2023;
- Breaktime at 2241 Pioneer St., Boonville, Mo., on Jan. 5, 2023;
- Casey’s at 807 S. Broadway, Oak Grove, Mo., on Jan. 5, 2023;
- Casey’s at 5869 N. Main, Joplin, Mo., on Jan. 8, 2023;
- Lamarti’s Truck Stop at 71 US 160, Lamar, Mo., on Jan. 8, 2023.
Collins is also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Collins allegedly possessed a Taurus 9mm pistol on Jan. 9, 2023. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Collins has felony convictions for burglary, robbery and resisting arrest.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan A. Baker. It was investigated by the FBI, the Columbia, Mo., Police Department, the Boonville, Mo., Police Department, the Oak Grove, Mo., Police Department, the Jasper County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Barton County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Chicago Man Sentenced to 24 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking ChildrenRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Chicago man has been sentenced to 24 years in federal prison for recruiting four children to engage in sex acts for money.
On multiple occasions in 2017, DARYL S. ARNOLD arranged for the four victims, all of whom were under 18 years old, to meet with individuals to engage in commercial sex acts in the Chicago area. Arnold used websites such as Backpage to advertise the commercial sex acts and find customers. Afterward, Arnold kept half of the proceeds.
Arnold, 48, pleaded guilty in 2022 to four counts of sex trafficking of a minor. In addition to the prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Jorge L. Alonso on Friday ordered Arnold to pay $136,700 in restitution to the victims. The prison term will be followed by ten years of court-supervised release.
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The Chicago Police Department provided valuable assistance.
Arnold’s arrest was part of Operation Cross Country XI, a nationwide law enforcement effort to combat underage human trafficking.
“Defendant’s tactic of grooming minors is extremely dangerous because of the ease with which it can be implemented,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles W. Mulaney argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “He ‘sold the dream’ with a false promise of independence and love.”
If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by calling 1-800-843-5678 or logging on to www.cybertipline.com.
Canadian National Indicted in Washington D.C. on Charges of Distributing of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Matthew Norman Ballek, 31, of Saskatchewan, Canada, was taken into custody today following an indictment charging him with distribution of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
According to the indictment, unsealed today, on January 23, 2024, Ballek distributed three video files depicting adult males engaging in sexually explicit conduct with minors via a social media communication application.
On January 23, 2024, a member of the MPD-FBI Child Exploitation Task Force was monitoring an online application in an undercover capacity. Law enforcement has come to learn that the application is used by some individuals who have a sexual interest in children. The undercover agent encountered Ballek, who sent a message believing he was communicating with a pedophile. Ballek later sent the undercover agent three video files depicting adult males sexually abusing minor children. On February 1, 2024, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Ballek with one count of distribution of child pornography. The case is assigned to the U.S. District Court Judge Reggie B. Walton.
Earlier today, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Ballek’s residence in the District of Columbia and took him into custody. Ballek will remain in custody pending a detention hearing scheduled for Monday, February 12, 2024.
Distribution of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 20 years in prison. The statutory sentences for federal offenses are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes. Any sentence will be determined by the Court based on the advisory Sentencing Guideline and other statutory factors.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen Shinskie and Paul V. Courtney.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
California Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Federal Prison for Transnational Drug Trafficking SchemeRead the Press Release
Richland, Washington - Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that Michael Lopez Ferrel, age 30, of Salinas, California, was sentenced after pleading guilty to Possession with the Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Actual (Pure) Methamphetamine. United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke imposed a sentence of 108 months imprisonment to be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
According to court documents and information disclosed at sentencing, In February of 2022, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) learned Ferrel was supplying a large quantity of drugs to distributors in Eastern Washington. A confidential informant was used to set up a meeting to buy as much as 20 pounds of crystal methamphetamine and 500 fentanyl laced pills.
In March of 2022, a call was recorded between the Ferrel and the informant. During the call, Ferrel claimed he had been traveling from Mexico to Yakima every week with between 180 and 220 pounds of methamphetamine. Later that day, Ferrel and the informant met in person. Ferrel offered to provide the informant with 20 pounds of methamphetamine as well as pills that contained deadly amounts of fentanyl. Ferrel also said he had direct access to a source of drugs in Mexico and people in Mexicali and Tijuana to help move it.
On March 10, 2022, Ferrel called the confidential informant and made arrangements to sell the informant 10 pounds of methamphetamine. Surveillance units set up at Ferrel’s residence and the location where he was to meet the informant. Agents followed Ferrel as he traveled from his residence to another location that was being used as a drug stash house. Agents then observed Ferrel put drugs into the trunk of the vehicle. Agents continued to follow Ferrel as he traveled to meet the informant.
When Ferrel arrived, he pulled up alongside the informant’s vehicle and retrieved the drugs from the truck. He then got into the informant’s vehicle and gave the informant 10 pounds of methamphetamine. The drugs were packaged in 10 pre-packed zip-lock bags, each containing 1 pound of meth.
The next day, Ferrel made arrangements to meet the informant in Prosser, Washington, to collect payment for the drugs. When Ferrel arrived at the location, he was taken into custody by investigators.
Later that day, agents executed a search warrant at the residence being used as a stash house for Ferrel’s organization. Agents located more than 10 pounds of methamphetamine, a digital scale, a loaded Colt .45 pistol and $32,000 in US currency.
“Mr. Ferrel was part of a transnational drug trafficking scheme and was responsible for transporting massive amounts of illegal narcotics into the Eastern Washington and distributing those drugs into our communities,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “I commend law enforcement for identifying Mr. Ferrel’s drug trafficking activities and preventing him from further distributing this poison in our neighborhoods. As a result of these efforts, Eastern Washington is safer and stronger.”
“The Drug Enforcement Administration and our Federal, state, tribal, and local partners, strive to keep us all safe from those who would prey on our communities,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “This sentence against a methamphetamine and fentanyl trafficker proves our resolve to stop traffickers like Mr. Ferrel wherever they operate.”
This case was investigated by DEA Tri-Cities, assisted by the Tri-Cities Metro Drug Task Force, Tri-Cities FBI, United States Border Patrol, and Tri-Cities Regional SWAT. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Van Marter.
Brothers get significant sentences for manufacturing deadly fentanyl-laced pills disguised as pain medsRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Two Corpus Christi brothers have been ordered to federal prison for manufacturing and distributing tens of thousands of fentanyl-laced pills disguised as legitimate pharmaceutical-grade pain medications, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Chad Williams Wesevich, 40, and his brother Jamie Wesevich, 41, pleaded guilty in August 2023 to conspiracy to manufacture and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now ordered both men to serve a total of 35 years in prison - 360 and 240 months concurrently on the drug and money laundering charges, respectively as well as a consecutive 60 months on the firearm charge. In imposing the sentence, the court noted the brothers possessed a network of friends and family who had said supportive and loving things in letters requesting leniency, but that those letters must be tempered against the facts that people had overdosed on these pills. “We can’t get those people back,” said Judge Morales.
“Synthetic opioids, like fentanyl, account for almost 70% of drug overdose deaths in the United States, and Corpus Christi is no stranger to this new epidemic,” said Hamdani. “The dismantling of this deadly drug trafficking organization, including the seizure of two industrial fentanyl pill presses, has made Corpus Christi a better and safer place to live.”
“There were several overdose/fentanyl poisoning deaths tied to the Wesevich Drug Trafficking Organization,” said Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the Houston Division. “The exemplary work of DEA agents alongside our federal and state partners sought justice for the families of victims who lost their lives due to the poison spread by Chad Wesevich and his co-conspirators.”
Between 2017 and 2021, Chad and Jamie Wesevich acquired equipment and materials from foreign sources, which were used to manufacture pills disguised as legitimate medications such as hydrocodone. The equipment included two industrial pill presses capable of producing 9,000 pills per hour.
The fraudulent hydrocodone was distributed through a network of trusted associates throughout Corpus Christi and the surrounding areas. The pills the Wesevich brothers manufactured were linked to several overdoses, both fatal and non-fatal.
As a result of this investigation, authorities seized tens of thousands of
counterfeit hydrocodone pills containing over 1,500 grams of fentanyl as well as pill presses, pill dies, vacuums, separators and other tools used in the illicit production of fentanyl-laced pills. In addition, law enforcement seized seven vehicles, five houses, seven guns and $350,000 in cryptocurrency and bulk cash.
The brothers have been in custody since their arrests in May 2022 and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The DEA led the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation along with IRS Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, Corpus Christi Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance of the Texas Department of Public Safety. 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 leveraging the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittany Jensen and Tyler Foster prosecuted the case.
Brimhall Man Pleads Guilty to MurderRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Gilbert John, Jr. pled guilty in federal court to second degree murder. John, 35, of Brimhall, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
A federal grand jury indicted John on March 23, 2022, along with a co-defendant. According to publicly available court records, on July 1, 2019, an individual brought a stolen car to John at his apartment in the Sunset Hills complex in Gallup, New Mexico to dispose of and to sell. When John got in the car to test drive it, he heard John Doe from the trunk cry out for help. The individual who brought John the car told John to “get rid of him.” John understood this statement to mean that he should kill John Doe
John and the other individual drove around through the night and into the next evening, smoking methamphetamines, and eventually stopping on the back roads to Bass Lake. John walked away from the car, at which point John Doe opened the trunk from inside and attempted to escape. John slammed the trunk back down on him, sat on the top of the trunk door and asked the other individual for a machete that he had seen inside of the car. The individual gave the machete to John, who opened the trunk and stabbed John Doe repeatedly with the machete. John and the individual then closed the trunk and sat together on top of the trunk. John and the individual remained on the trunk until they stopped hearing movement from inside.
Afterward, John drove the car with John Doe’s body inside of it to a relative’s house in Standing Rock, New Mexico. Before leaving the car there, John attempted to remove a tracking device, but ended up disabling the car instead.
About ten days later, John asked a friend to tow the car to a remote location north of Church Rock, New Mexico. Once the car had been towed to the location, John released the car and let it roll down a hill out of view of the road and borrowed a gas can which he used to pour gasoline onto the car. John lit the car on fire and left it burning with John Doe’s body inside of it. John did not know John Doe prior to killing him.
On July 16, 2019, charred remnants John Doe’s body were found in the trunk of the car by the McKinley County Fire Department. John Doe was identified only because investigators were able to match serial numbers from John Doe’s medical records to metal hip replacement devices found in the burned-out trunk of the car. The hip replacement devices were the only substantial parts of John Doe’s body that remained after the fire.
In his plea agreement, John expressed remorse for killing John Doe and burning his body. He is facing between seventeen-and-a-half years and twenty-one years in prison at sentencing.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorneys Mark A. Probasco and Alexander F. Flores are prosecuting the case.
View the Plea Agreement# # #
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Baltimore Man Pleads Guilty to Participating in a Violent Racketeering Conspiracy, Including a MurderRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Daniel Williams, age 33, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity, including murder, carjacking, and armed robbery, just before the start of his trial in U.S. District Court in Baltimore.
The guilty plea 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; Acting Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department; Chief Robert McCullough of the Baltimore County Police Department.
According to his guilty plea, from at least April 2019 to the present, Williams and at least five other people agreed to participate in a criminal enterprise which committed a series of armed commercial robberies, armed robberies, attempted armed robberies, and carjackings, some of which resulted in the murder or non-fatal shooting of the victims. Williams and the co-conspirators used at least three different firearms to commit the crimes and shared the proceeds of their exploits, which they promoted on social media.
As detailed in the plea agreement, between June 9, 2019 and August 12, 2019, the conspirators committed seven carjackings, six armed robberies and two attempted armed robberies. During a carjacking on June 12, 2019, a victim was shot and killed; a victim was shot during an attempted armed robbery on July 24, 2019; and a victim sustained life threatening injuries after the victim was shot during a robbery on August 8, 2019.
Williams admitted that he personally participated in an armed carjacking on June 9, 2019, the armed robberies of three businesses in Baltimore and on June 28, 2019, the attempted armed robbery of a victim in the 22800 block of Forest Glen Road during which the victim was shot to death.
Williams and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Williams will be sentenced to 16 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher has scheduled sentencing for June 6, 2024, at 10:00 a.m.
This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (ATF) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
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, the FBI, the Baltimore Police Department, and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia C. McLane and Clinton J. Fuchs, 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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Atlanta-area doctor and medical staff indicted for running illegal pill-millRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Isaac Sved has been arraigned on federal charges of conspiracy to possess, and possession, with intent to distribute controlled substances, maintaining a premises for drug trafficking, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and money laundering.
“Regrettably, the opioid epidemic has at times been fueled by physicians who abused their positions of trust in illegally prescribing excessive amounts of narcotics,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Those who abuse the power of their medical profession to unlawfully profit must face the consequences of their actions.”
Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division commented on the case, “DEA investigators will continue to aggressively pursue the unlawful dispensing practices of healthcare providers, as was the case with Dr. Sved. The DEA is committed to making sure healthcare providers are abiding by the law.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges, and other information presented in court: Isaac Sved was an Atlanta-area physician registered with the DEA to prescribe controlled substances, including oxycodone. Sved operated two clinics: FamCare located in Roswell, Georgia, and Valere Medical PC located in Buford, Georgia. Sved was the sole prescribing physician for both FamCare and Valere and allegedly regularly prescribed excessive amounts of controlled substances in dangerous combinations. Dikla Rosh managed FamCare, and Lucciano Lopez worked as a medical assistant.
The indictment alleges that patients received minimal or non-existent medical examinations, evaluation, or testing prior to Sved prescribing them controlled substances such as Oxycodone, Alprazolam, and Carisoprodol.
The indictment further alleges that Sved falsified patient files to make it appear that the patient had been evaluated on certain dates when, in fact, the patient was not even present at the clinics. Sved also allegedly received large sums of cash from “sponsors,” such as Co-conspirator Bobby Lamar Mosley, Sr., who obtained prescriptions for controlled substances from Sved in the names of purported patients, some of whom were never examined. Sved and his associates also allegedly hired security guards armed with firearms to patrol and protect the clinic as part of the illegal operation.
Isaac Sved, M.D., 65, of Gainesville, Georgia, was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Justin S. Anand. Sved and his Co-conspirators Dikla Rosh, 45, of Dunwoody, Georgia, Lucciano Lopez, 27, of Sandy Springs, Georgia, and Bobby Lamar Mosley, Sr., 60, of Buford, Georgia, were indicted by a federal grand jury on January 9, 2024.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges and it is the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy M. Palumbo and C. Brock Brockington are prosecuting the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.gov.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Arizona Woman Sentenced for Concealing Funds Intended to Support Acts of TerrorismRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Jill Marie Jones, 37, formerly of Chandler, was sentenced on Monday by United States District Judge Dominic W. Lanza to 78 months in prison, followed by 25 years of supervised release. Jones pleaded guilty to Concealment of Funds Intended to Support Acts of Terrorism.
As early as 2019, Jones regularly posted anti-American content on social media platforms because she believed the United States military unjustly treated Muslims overseas. In 2020, Jones began communicating online with a person she believed to be a member of al Qaeda, but who was in fact working for the FBI. On May 10, 2020, when asked by this individual if she supported al Qaeda and their struggle against the kuffar (non-believers), Jones responded, “Yes, I do.” Jones communicated with this individual about traveling to Afghanistan to support al Qaeda because “supporting AQ against the oppressors would be an honour.”
On May 18, 2020, when asked whether she could spare any money to buy weapons for al Qaeda to kill American soldiers, Jones responded that, while she was not well-off financially, the U.S. government’s COVID stimulus checks presented an opportunity: “The timing is interesting. Since because of coronavirus we all got government money. Free money basically. ... [I]t would be most ironic the money from that goes for this . . . They give us free money, and I turn it around on them.”
Jones agreed to send money, via a prepaid credit card. After researching prepaid cards online, Jones determined that an online purchase could be traced back to her because it required the disclosure of personal information. In order to conceal the source, ownership, and control of her funds, Jones traveled to a national retail store and purchased a $500 prepaid credit card using the COVID stimulus money provided to her by the U.S. government. She then sent the card information to the purported al Qaeda member with the message, “may it help them to be victorious.” Jones intended for these funds to be used by al Qaeda to purchase rifle scopes for use against American soldiers in Afghanistan.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy Chang, David Pimsner, and Lisa Jennis, District of Arizona, Phoenix handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-20-0634-PHX-DWL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-015_Jones# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Alien smuggler heads to prison after hiding people in tractor bed and cabinetsRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 46-year-old man has been convicted of unlawfully transporting undocumented aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
A federal jury deliberated for 15 minutes following a one-day trial before convicting Deibi Ramos on Nov. 14, 2023.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now ordered Ramos to serve 18 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the number of aliens and manner of transportation was concerning.
On April 19, 2023, Ramos drove a tractor-trailer to the Border Patrol checkpoint near Sarita. The jury heard that a K-9 soon alerted to the sleeper area of the vehicle. Upon further inspection, law enforcement discovered 10 illegal aliens concealed beneath the bed compartment and in the cabinets of the tractor.
The jury saw evidence of phone calls on Ramos’ phone between him and one of the illegal aliens as well as a voice message from a smuggling coordinator. The message included pickup and drop-off instructions.
At the trial, the defense attempted to convince the jury that Ramos’ knowledge was not proven beyond a reasonable doubt. The jury did not believe those claims and found him guilty as charged.
Ramos was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tyler Foster, Liesel Roscher and Yasmine Tucker prosecuted the case.
Ada Resident Pleads Guilty to Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jaylon Parker Jackson Gore, age 23, of Ada, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country.
The Indictment alleged that Gore sexually assaulted a minor victim between January and June of 2019. The crime occurred in Pontotoc County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Ada Police Department.
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Gore was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending the sentencing hearing.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Jenna Rudoff (Dallas, TX) and Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Paladino represented the United States.
6 February 2024
Zuni Man Charged with AssaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Joey Luarkie appeared in federal court on a criminal complaint charging him with assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury in Indian County. Luarkie, 23, of Zuni Pueblo, will remain in temporary custody pending a detention hearing which is scheduled for Feb. 8, 2024.
According to the criminal complaint, on Feb. 4, 2024, Luarkie was at the home of Jane Doe in Zuni when her boyfriend, John Doe, knocked on the door. Jane Doe and John Doe went outside and argued for a short time before John Doe entered the residence to get his stuff. Luarkie followed John Doe and Jane Doe into her bedroom, where a physical altercation allegedly ensued, and John Doe was stabbed in the throat. John Doe left the residence and collapsed in the front yard, where responding officers from the Zuni Police Department found Jane Doe performing CPR on him. John Doe was transported to Zuni Health Center before being life-flighted to the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque where he underwent two emergency surgeries.
A criminal complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of the current charge, Luarkie faces up to ten years in prison per count.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Marshall is prosecuting the case.
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Yakima Man Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Yakima, Washington - Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that Christopher Lee Osborn, age 32, was sentenced after pleading guilty to Distribution of Child Pornography. United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke imposed a sentence of ninety-six months imprisonment to be followed by fifteen years of supervised release and lifetime registration as a sex offender.
According to court documents and information disclosed at sentencing, in April of 2021, Osborn used the KIK app to send images and videos of child pornography to an undercover agent with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The images included young children being sexually assaulted.
On April 16, 2021, HSI executed a search warrant at a home in Yakima where Osborn lived and seized several electronic devices. During the search, agents recovered 48 images or videos of child pornography, including the images sent to the HSI agent. Osborn had previously been arrested on September 18, 2020, and charged in Yakima County Superior Court with First Degree Possession of Depictions of Minor Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct under Washington State law based upon a separate investigation. He pleaded guilty to two counts of that charge in January 2024, and has been sentenced to a ninety-six-month sentence which will run concurrently with his sentence in this Federal case.
“Prosecutors, law enforcement, educators, parents, and community stakeholders must be vigilant in protecting the most innocent among us,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “Our law enforcement team will continue to tirelessly pursue those who use technology to harm young children. By prosecuting these cases, we protect children and vulnerable populations, thereby strengthening Eastern Washington families and communities.”
“Thanks to the unwavering collaboration with our law enforcement partners, including the invaluable assistance of the Yakima Police Department, HSI agents have successfully apprehended and put a stop to the distribution of child exploitation images,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest. “This sentence is as much as a service to the victims as it is a promise to the community to protect children wherever threats may be hiding.”
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.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Yakima Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Michael Murphy, Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.
Utah Man Charged in Attack on Memorial to African American Civil War Soldiers at the National Gallery of ArtRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jackson Green, 27, of Sandy, Utah, was taken into custody today following an indictment charging him with Damage to National Gallery of Art Property for his attack on the Shaw 54th Regiment Memorial in the National Gallery of Art’s West Wing.
According to the indictment, unsealed today, on November 14, 2023, Green, a member of the Declare Emergency climate group, entered the National Gallery of Art, carrying red paint. He then proceeded to smear the words “Honor Them” in red paint on the wall next to the patinated plaster work. The attack was videotaped by supporters of Declare Emergency and released online. Green caused more than $700 in damages.
The oversized piece, created by American sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens in the late 1880s, commemorates one of the first Civil War regiments of African Americans enlisted in the North, which drew recruits from many states and included Frederick Douglass’ own sons.
This is the third member of Declare Emergency charged in relation to attacks on the National Gallery of Art. In April 2023, Joanna Smith, 54, and her alleged co-conspirator, Timothy Martin, 54, of North Carolina, smeared paint on the case and base of Edgar Degas’ Little Dancer, Age Fourteen, at times smacking the case with force. Prior to the attack, members of the conspiracy had alerted the Washington Post, and two reporters from the Post recorded and photographed the offense. Following the action, the National Gallery was required to remove the sculpture from public display for 10 days. Gallery officials said it cost over $4,000 to repair the damage to the Degas sculpture.
In December, Smith pleaded guilty to one count of causing injury to a National Gallery of Art exhibit in the April 27, 2023, defacement of Edgar Degas’ Little Dancer, Age Fourteen. U.S. District Court Judge Berman Jackson scheduled sentencing for April 3, 2024. A trial for Ms. Smith’s co-conspirator Timothy Martin is scheduled for August 26, 2024.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, specifically the FBI’s Art Crime Team, with assistance from National Gallery of Art Police, and U.S. Park Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron A. Tepfer of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two-time felon convicted of carrying a firearm contrary to federal lawRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 35-year-old Laredo man has admitted to illegally possessing a loaded 9-millimeter handgun, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
On Dec. 8, 2023, Bruce James Lyles arrived at the Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint on IH-35 just north of Laredo. At that time, a K-9 alerted to his van. Upon further inspection, authorities discovered a 9-millimeter pistol with a magazine loaded with 12 rounds of ammunition in Lyles’ backpack.
Lyles admitted he knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms, that the weapon had been purchased at a pawn shop in Anchorage, Alaska, and had placed the pistol in his backpack.
Lyles had been convicted for two felony convictions in Minnesota – for robbery and for second-degree assault – which resulted in prison sentences of 23 and 30 months, respectively. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition per federal law.
U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña will impose sentencing at a later date. At that hearing, Lyles faces up to 15 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He will remain in custody pending sentencing which will be set at a later date.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with the assistance BP.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Homero Ramirez is prosecuting the case as part of the joint federal, state and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program. In May 2021, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced a new effort to reduce violent crime, including the gun violence that is often at its core. Integral to that effort was the reinvigoration of PSN, a two-decade old, evidence-based and community-oriented program focused on reducing violent crime. The updated PSN approach, outlined in the department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime is guided by four key principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results of our efforts. The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime, not simply to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions.
Two Philadelphia Men Plead Guilty to 2022 Crime Spree, Admitting to Seven Armed Robberies and a Carjacking in 12 DaysRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Angel Fayez, 19, and Kevin Antun, a.k.a. Acquah Evans, 20, both of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty today to one count of carjacking, eight counts of Hobbs Act robbery, and one count of carrying and using a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence.
Fayez and Antun were charged by indictment in March 2023 with these offenses, in connection with a series of gunpoint robberies of businesses in the Kensington and the Lower Northeast sections of Philadelphia.
According to the indictment, the defendants committed one carjacking and robbed a variety of small businesses, stealing approximately $3,613 total between November 22, 2022, and December 3, 2022. The incidents detailed are as follows:
- On November 22, 2022, Fayez and Antun carjacked a woman at the Liberty gas station located at 3949 Kensington Avenue;
- On November 22, 2022, Fayez and Antun robbed the Dollar General located at 1240 E. Erie Avenue;
- On November 22, 2022, Fayez and Antun robbed the Popeyes located at 501 Adams Avenue;
- On November 28, 2022, Fayez and Antun robbed the Texas Chicken and Burger located at 3960 Kensington Avenue;
- On November 30, 2022, Fayez and Antun robbed the Wingstop located at 3855 Aramingo Avenue;
- On November 30, 2022, Fayez and Antun robbed the Wingstop located at 2118 Cottman Avenue;
- On November 30, 2022, Fayez and Antun robbed the Domino’s Pizza located at 6391 Oxford Avenue; and
- On December 3, 2022, Fayez and Antun robbed the Popeyes located at 3541 Aramingo Avenue.
“Fayez and Antun terrorized the community with their brazen gunpoint crimes, at times committing multiple armed robberies in the same day,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Taking repeat offenders like these off the street is a priority for my office and our law enforcement partners, as we work to crack down on violent crime in Philadelphia and keep the public safe.”
“During their vicious crime spree, Fayez and Antun showed a complete disregard for public safety after carjacking an innocent woman and threatening multiple store employees with firearms,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Philadelphia Field Office. “I want to thank the Philadelphia Police Department and the United States Attorney’s Office as we work to protect the people of our district.”
“The brazen carjacking that initiated this crime spree and the violence used throughout these robberies put our community members at a real risk,” said Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel. “I applaud the collaborative efforts of the Philadelphia Police Department, ATF, and U.S. Attorney’s Office that brought these individuals to justice. This case again demonstrates our commitment to tackling carjackings and gun violence that plague our city. We will continue to relentlessly pursue those who choose to terrorize our neighborhoods and ensure they face the full force of the law.”
After pleading guilty, Fayez is set to be sentenced on May 29, 2024, and Antun on May 30, 2024, before the Honorable Juan R. Sanchez.
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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Eckert and Special Assistant United States Attorney David Osborne.
Two Fort Worth Gang Members Sentenced for Trafficking FentanylRead the Press Release
Two individuals have been sentenced to a combined 20+ years in federal prison for trafficking fentanyl in the Fort Worth area, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.First, Rhance Guerin, 27, was charged in August 2023 via criminal complaint and pleaded guilty in October to one count of conspiracy to possess of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. He was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Reed C. O’Connor to 108 months in prison.
According to court documents in Mr. Guerin’s case, on August 2, 2023, based on information that Mr. Guerin was selling fentanyl pills, the Johnson County STOP Special Crimes Unit (STOP SCU) conducted an arrest and search warrant operation in Fort Worth, Texas resulting in the arrest of Mr. Guerin and the seizure of 425.05 grams of fentanyl, 3.923 kg of marijuana, 14.65 grams of cocaine, 253.90 grams of psylocibin, and 3 firearms. Mr. Guerin is a documented Crips gang member.
Second, Willie Bryant, 39, was charge in May 2023 via criminal complaint and pleaded guilty in October to one count of conspiracy to possess of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. He was sentenced on February 2, 2024 by U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman to 135 months in prison.
According to court documents in Mr. Bryant’s case, on May 25, 2023, a Crime Stoppers Tip was received that Bryant was distributing black tar heroin, cocaine, crack, fentanyl, China white heroin, Xanax, and ecstasy from a Fort Worth residence. Law Enforcement obtained a search warrant for the residence and located approximately 24 grams of methamphetamine, 15 grams of black tar heroin, 51 fentanyl pills, 5 grams of cocaine and 1.65 ounces of marijuana near the location where Mr. Bryant was located. A search of the bathroom revealed a large cutout in the wall behind a mirror that contained 10 firearms, drivers licenses, identification cards, bank cards and social security cards issued to 10 different individuals. A doctor’s prescription pad, two bricks of fentanyl, a brick of heroin, a clear plastic Tupperware container containing methamphetamine, two plastic containers containing ecstasy pills, two plastic containers containing black tar heroin, and a small plastic container with additional fentanyl powder were also located in the cutout.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn Smith prosecuted the cases.
Two East Idaho Men Each Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Sex Crimes Against a Minor ChildRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced the outcomes in two separate East Idaho cases in which the defendants were sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for attempted sex crimes against a minor child.
“These cases demonstrate that child predators will find no refuge in Idaho,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “Instead, they will find justice and a ticket to federal prison. My office is fortunate to work with law enforcement across the state who spare no effort in tracking down these criminals. And we will continue to prosecute these offenders to the fullest extent of the law.”
On February 2, 2024, Lawrence Osborn, 44, of Soda Springs, was sentenced to ten years in prison for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. According to court records, on February 24, 2023, agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in San Angelo, Texas, conducted an online undercover operation to identify adults engaged in sexually predatory behavior towards children. During the operation, Osborn engaged in online chat communications with one of the undercover HSI agents who was posing as a mother with a 7-year-old daughter. In those communications, Osborn proposed that the mother travel from Texas to Idaho so that Osborn could sexually abuse the 7-year-old child. Osborn offered the mother money and travel accommodations to facilitate the sexual abuse of the 7-year-old. On March 3, Osborn arrived at a grocery store in Soda Springs with the intention of meeting the mother and 7-year-old, and he was arrested.
“Fortunately, Osborn was talking to an undercover agent and not a real parent or child,” said Shohini Sinha of the Salt Lake City FBI. “This case highlights the collective efforts of law enforcement to protect society’s most vulnerable and hold child predators accountable.”
“Internet crime knows no border or boundaries, and in this instance our joint law enforcement partnerships were able to stop this Idaho based child predator from finding victims wherever his disgusting impulses may have led him,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest. “This sentence helps to keep our communities, both virtual and throughout Idaho, safe from those who would prey upon children.”
Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered that Osborn be placed on supervised release for ten years following his prison sentence. Osborn pleaded guilty to the charge on September 14, 2023.
In a separate case, Nathan Mark Law, 49, of Idaho Falls was also sentenced to ten years in prison on February 5, 2024. According to court records, between July and September 2022, the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force found that Law had downloaded thousands of images of child pornography also known as, “child sexual abuse material” (CSAM) over the internet. Investigators executed a search warrant of Law’s residence where they discovered CSAM on Law’s electronic devices. Law admitted not only that he downloaded CSAM but also that he had hidden a camera in his camp trailer bathroom and captured images of a minor female using the shower. Law also admitted to sharing CSAM including the images he produced with another Idaho Falls man, Che Miles. Miles was sentenced to 136 months in federal prison in September.
“This is the level of evil that we fight against – a man who would seek to create pornographic images of children,” said Attorney General Raúl Labrador, who oversees the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force for Idaho. “We cannot pretend it doesn’t happen in our communities. This kind of exploitation must be stopped at every turn. These cases are a cooperative effort and I’m grateful for everyone involved in these successful prosecutions. The stakes could not be higher when it comes to putting those that prey on Idaho’s children behind bars.”
Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye sentenced Law to 120 months in federal prison followed by ten years of supervised release. Law pleaded guilty to attempted sexual exploitation of a minor child on June 26, 2023.
The Osborn case was investigated by HSI in Idaho Falls, in conjunction with HSI in Dallas and San Angelo, with assistance from the Idaho State Police, the United States Marshals Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Soda Springs Police Department. The Law and Miles cases were investigated by the Idaho ICAC Task Force, HSI in Idaho Falls, the Idaho Falls Police Department, and the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Paskett prosecuted these cases.
These case were 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. As part of Project Safe Childhood, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho and the Idaho Attorney General’s Office partner to marshal 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.
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Tulsa Gang Member Sentenced for Second Degree MurderRead the Press Release
U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Sir Michael Morgan, Jr., 20, of Tulsa to 210 months imprisonment, followed by
5 years of supervised release for Second Degree Murder in Indian Country.“Gang rivalry and gun violence resulted in the senseless death of Isaiah Jones,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Today’s sentence reflects this defendant’s callous disregard for life and reaffirms that prosecutors and law enforcement will hold violent criminals accountable for their actions.”
According to court documents, on January 29, 2022, Morgan killed Isaiah Jones by shooting him multiple times. Morgan believed that Jones, who was in a rival gang, shot his friend. A confrontation led to Morgan shooting at Jones and Jones returning fire. Morgan pleaded guilty to intentionally shooting and killing Jones with a 9mm handgun. Morgan sustained four gunshot wounds.
Morgan is a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The FBI and Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alicia N. Hockenbury and Stacey P. Todd prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Three Individuals Sentenced for $3.5M COVID-19 Relief Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Three people were sentenced today for fraudulently obtaining and misusing Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans that the U.S. Small Business Administration guaranteed under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act in connection with their involvement in a COVID-19 fraud ring.
Khadijah X. Chapman, 59, of Atlanta, was sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison; Daniel C. Labrum, 42, of South Jordan, Utah, was sentenced to two years in prison; and Eric J. O’Neil, 58, of Bethel, Connecticut, was sentenced to two years and three months in prison.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Chapman, Labrum, and O’Neil fraudulently obtained PPP loans for fictitious businesses in 2020 and 2021. The defendants worked with co‑conspirators to falsify information and submitted fraudulent documents to financial institutions in Boise and elsewhere to collectively obtain approximately $3.5 million in relief funding intended for small businesses struggling with the economic impact of COVID-19.
Chapman was convicted in November 2023 of bank fraud. Labrum and O’Neil pleaded guilty in 2023 to bank fraud.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit for the District of Idaho, Special Agent in Charge Thomas M. Fattorusso of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS:CI) New York, Assistant Director Michael D. Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, Special Agent in Charge Matthew Miraglia of the FBI Buffalo Field Office, Inspector General Gail S. Ennis of the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General (SSA-OIG), Special Agent in Charge Sharon B. MacDermott of SSA-OIG, and Inspector in Charge Ketty Larco-Ward of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Boston Division made the announcement.
IRS:CI, the FBI, SSA-OIG, and USPIS investigated the cases.
Trial Attorneys Jennifer Bilinkas and Tamara Livshiz of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Mazorol for the District of Idaho prosecuted the cases.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Justice Department in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866‑720‑5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Tax Preparer Sentenced for Including False Information on Federal Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA – Today, Acting United States Attorney Jonathan S. Ross announced the sentencing of a Sandersville, Georgia woman for aiding and assisting in the filing of false tax returns. On February 2, 2024, a federal judge sentenced 44-year-old April Michelle Nesbitt to 33 months in prison. Federal inmates are not eligible for parole.
According to her plea agreement and other court records, from 2015 to 2021, Nesbitt worked at Superior Tax Group in Montgomery, Alabama. There, Nesbitt filed federal income tax returns for clients. In her plea agreement, Nesbitt admitted that, on at least two occasions, she included false information on a client’s return. Doing so caused the taxpayer to receive greater refunds than he or she was entitled to receive. Specifically, Nesbitt included expenses on a client’s 2018 and 2020 tax returns related to a childcare business that did not exist. In addition to the prison sentence, the judge also ordered that Nesbitt pay restitution in the amount of $46,669 to the IRS.
“Tax fraud is a major problem costing the American taxpayer millions each year,” said Acting United States Attorney Ross. “I encourage all taxpayers to review their returns and confirm that they recognize the information. If a tax preparer refuses to let you examine your tax return before it is filed, or if you review your tax return and see a business that is not yours or expenses you do not recognize, ask for clarification or seek a second opinion from a different return preparer.”
“April Nesbitt used her position as a tax preparer to steal from the American people,” said Demetrius Hardeman, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “Tax preparers contemplating filing fraudulent tax returns should look at her sentencing as an example of what to expect after IRS Criminal Investigation special agents and our law enforcement partners discover their crimes.”
For additional guidance, see the IRS fact sheet on their website at https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-news/fs-08-10.pdf.
IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated this case, which Assistant United States Attorney Megan A. Kirkpatrick prosecuted.
Tampa Woman Charged with Smuggling over $100,000 into the United States from CubaRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest and filing of a criminal complaint charging Mirtza Ocana (38, Tampa) with smuggling over $100,000 of United States currency into the United States from Cuba. If convicted on all counts, Ocana faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.
According to the complaint, Ocana arrived at Tampa International Airport on an international flight from Cuba on February 5, 2024. She claimed that she did not have more than $10,000 on her person (a limit that would trigger reporting requirements), thus had nothing to declare. However, during a routine inspection of her luggage, agents from the Department of Homeland Security recovered approximately $30,000 in bulk cash concealed in three wrapped packages. Ocana then admitted that she flew from Cuba to Tampa two to three times per month to smuggle cash into the United States and that she knew that bringing bulk cash into the United States without reporting it was illegal. Agents searched Ocana and discovered an additional $70,000 in cash hidden in her clothes. Ocana’s flight history later revealed that she had flown from Cuba to Tampa 45 times since May 2023.
A complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection Field Operations. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Buchanan.
Statement of U.S. Attorney Alison Ramsdell on the Tragic Death of Moody County Chief Deputy Sheriff Ken ProrokRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS – Alison J. Ramsdell, United States Attorney for the District of South Dakota, has issued the following statement on the death of Moody County Chief Deputy Sheriff Ken Prorok:
"It is with profound sadness that we mourn the tragic loss of Ken Prorok, Chief Deputy for the Moody County Sheriff’s Office, who died in the line of duty on February 2, 2024.
Chief Deputy Prorok was a devoted and proud family man. He was an enthusiastic role model and a pillar of his community. As an officer, Chief Deputy Prorok exhibited the highest levels of professionalism. He was firmly committed to the cause of justice and displayed unwavering dedication to the safety of the communities he was charged with protecting, even to his last breath. The men and women of the U.S. Department of Justice stand with the entire law enforcement community as we honor the life of Chief Deputy Ken Prorok and share in the sorrow of this tragic loss. Our thoughts are with Chief Deputy Prorok’s family, friends, colleagues, and community.”
St. Louis Man Admits Fatally Shooting Driver and Burning Stolen CarRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis, Missouri on Tuesday admitted fatally shooting his friend before stealing his car in 2022.
Laveal David Jones, 25, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to three felony counts: carjacking resulting in death, being a felon in possession of a firearm and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, with death resulting.
After leaving a night club in Sauget, Illinois just after 4 a.m. on Oct. 1, 2022, the shooting victim drove Jones to an area near the 300 block of Walton Place in St. Louis. Jones confronted the victim about money Jones believed the victim owed, leading to a physical fight. Jones suffered a bloody nose. Jones admitted in his plea that he used the victim’s firearm to shoot the victim twice, killing him.
Jones then stripped the victim naked so the blood from Jones’ bloody nose couldn’t be recovered from the victim’s clothing. He left the victim’s body in the street, then drove away in the victim’s 2015 Kia K900 sedan. Jones got lighter fluid and then drove the Kia to West Missouri Avenue and North B Street in East St. Louis, Illinois. He set the car on fire and walked away. An acquaintance picked Jones up in East St. Louis. Jones was still wearing bloody clothing.
On Oct. 17, 2022, while the shooting death was still under investigation, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers spotted Jones in a different stolen Kia. He crashed the car and then fled on foot, discarding a pistol before he was caught, his plea agreement says.
Jones was a convicted felon at the time of the crimes, having been convicted of second-degree robbery, and was thus barred from possessing a firearm.
Jones is scheduled to be sentenced May 7. The U.S. Attorney’s office has agreed to recommend a prison term not to exceed 30 years. Jones’ lawyer has agreed to recommend not less than 20 years.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Finlen is prosecuting the case.
Smuggler Sentenced to 72 MonthsRead the Press Release
Driver Who Transported Alien in a Toolbox Also Found Responsible for Sexual Assault
TUCSON, Ariz. – Luis Carlos Ballesteros-Moreno, 43, of Hermosillo, Mexico, recently living in Tucson, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker to 72 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. On September 20, 2023, Ballesteros-Moreno pleaded guilty to Transportation of Illegal Aliens for Profit Placing in Jeopardy the Life of Any Person.
On March 27, 2023, Ballesteros-Moreno was encountered by United States Border Patrol agents at the State Route 90 checkpoint. At the time, he appeared to be the only occupant of his vehicle, a Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck. Approximately an hour into the encounter, Ballesteros-Moreno informed agents that a female person was hidden inside a commercial-sized toolbox mounted in the truck bed. Upon opening the toolbox, agents discovered an 18-year-old female. She was determined to be an undocumented noncitizen that Ballesteros-Moreno was transporting for financial gain. The young woman reported to law enforcement that she had been sexually assaulted by Ballesteros-Moreno during the transportation.
During sentencing, evidence was presented substantiating the sexual assault. The judge found that Ballesteros-Moreno created a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury via the method of transporting the young woman in the exterior toolbox, and that he sexually assaulted and involuntarily detained her during the transportation.
Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol, Tucson Sector, and the Cochise County Sheriff’s Department conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 23-CR-00542-TUC-JCH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-014_Ballesteros-Moreno# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.