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5 February 2024
Wyatt Detention Center Detainee Sentenced for Arranging Deliveries of Synthetic Cannabinoid to the Detention FacilityRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – A Connecticut man detained at the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility while awaiting sentencing on a criminal matter prosecuted in the District of Connecticut was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Providence to two years of incarceration for arranging to have papers soaked with a synthetic cannabinoid shipped to the detention facility, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
United States and Commonwealth of Massachusetts Announce Settlement with City of Lowell to Address Pollution in Merrimack RiverRead the Press Release
The Justice Department, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Commonwealth of Massachusetts announced a settlement agreement with the City of Lowell, Massachusetts, requiring the city to reduce sewage discharges into the Merrimack River. Under the consent decree, Lowell will pay a $200,000 penalty for past violations.
A portion of Lowell’s wastewater collection system consists of sewers that convey sanitary sewage and stormwater runoff in a single pipe. During wet weather, untreated combined sewage is discharged through combined sewer overflow (CSO) outfalls to the Merrimack River and its tributaries, including Beaver Brook and the Concord River. The Merrimack River is a drinking water source for several downstream communities. Today’s settlement requires work to separate wastewater and stormwater, which will minimize the number of times untreated sewage is released into nearby waters.
Lowell will also implement a program to detect and eliminate illicit connections that discharge wastewater to the city’s stormwater system thereby reducing pollution in stormwater that flows into local streams and rivers. Lowell must also establish and implement city ordinances to help prevent stormwater runoff from construction and post construction sites.
The total cost to update the sewer system has been estimated at approximately $195 million.
This consent decree was the result of a joint enforcement action brought by the Justice Department on behalf of the EPA, and the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, on behalf of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.
“Today’s settlement will result in cleaner and healthier water for the residents of Lowell and downstream communities, including some with environmental justice concerns, that rely on the Merrimack River for drinking water,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The Justice Department is committed to upholding our nation’s water protection laws for the benefit all.”
“For far too long the city of Lowell, Massachusetts has failed to protect the communities that rely on the Merrimack River and other water sources for their drinking water,” said Assistant Administrator David M. Uhlmann of EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Today’s settlement demonstrates EPA’s commitment to ensure cities and towns meet their obligations under the Clean Water Act to prevent the overflow of sewage, pollutants, and debris into our nation’s waterways.”
“With this consent decree, the City of Lowell is taking necessary steps to further protect Lowell’s historic river ecosystem and improve the quality of the Merrimack River for its residents,” said Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell. “These measures are critical as we continue our work to ensure that all of our residents live in a healthy and safe environment.”
“We are proud to have worked alongside our colleagues at the Attorney General’s Office and with our federal partners to make significant progress toward reducing contamination in the Merrimack River,” said Commissioner Bonnie Heiple of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. “The Healey-Driscoll Administration is committed to addressing complex issues like combined sewer overflows head-on, using all available tools – including technical support, funding and enforcement – to promote better environmental and public health outcomes.”
“This settlement is good news for Lowell and for communities downstream who will be better able to enjoy healthful activities on and near the Merrimack River. The Merrimack flows through several historically disadvantaged communities, so this settlement is especially important for ensuring that all citizens can enjoy a clean and healthy environment,” said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. “EPA is committed to continuing our work to ensure that Massachusetts and New Hampshire citizens along the Merrimack River have clean and safe water. The timing of this is fortunate, as funding assistance available in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law may help defray costs borne by local ratepayers.”
Lowell owns and, through the Lowell Regional Wastewater Utility, operates the Duck Island Clean Water Facility, a 32 million gallon per day secondary wastewater treatment facility that discharges to the Merrimack River. The treatment facility treats wastewater not only from Lowell but also from the towns of Chelmsford, Dracut, Tewksbury and Tyngsboro, Massachusetts.
Lowell had previously signed a consent decree with the federal government and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 1988 to address its illegal CSO discharges. While several interim actions have taken place, Lowell has not yet fully complied with the federal and state environmental statutes. More information on EPA’s efforts to address water quality issues can be found on the agency’s Merrimack River website.
The Justice Department’s Environmental Enforcement Section filed today’s proposed consent decree in U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. It is subject to a 30-day public comment period and court approval. A copy of the consent decree will be available on the Justice Department’s website at www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees.
U.S. Attorney’s Statement on Black History MonthRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Today, U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz of the Western District of Tennessee issued the following video message in honor of National Black History Month, 2024.
Here is an excerpt from his message:
“Black History Month is a time to reflect on the people who have taken a stand for civil rights in our nation – those whose contributions to justice and reform helped to protect our right to vote and ensure fair treatment under the law.
Americans like Ida B. Wells. Who, as the daughter of formerly enslaved parents, became a leader for racial justice and gender equality here in Memphis – and went on to fight against lynching and become one of our nation’s most ardent defenders of democracy and a free press.
Her contributions help to shape the work my team and I do every day. Please join me in celebrating Black History Month and the countless achievements of Black Americans.”
See the full video on YouTube.
U.S. Attorney Announces Federal Charges Against 10 Additional Defendants in Feeding Our Future Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota today announced federal criminal charges against 10 additional defendants for their alleged roles in the fraud scheme that exploited a federally-funded child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 10 defendants are charged across two separate indictments and one criminal information with charges of conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering, and bribery.
As outlined in the charging documents, the defendants participated in a multi-million-dollar scheme to defraud the Federal Child Nutrition Program by obtaining, misappropriating, and laundering millions of dollars in program funds that were intended as reimbursements for the cost of serving meals to children. The defendants exploited changes in the program intended to ensure underserved children received adequate nutrition during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rather than feed children, the defendants enriched themselves by fraudulently misappropriating millions of dollars in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.
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The following defendants are named in the two indictments:
- Ikram Yusuf Mohamed, 41, of Minneapolis, worked as a consultant for Feeding Our Future. Ikram Mohamed opened several food sites that were enrolled in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future. To conceal her involvement, she put the sites and entities in the name of family members, including her husband, mother, and siblings. Ikram Mohamed also solicited and received kickbacks from individuals and companies involved in the program. Ikram Mohamed registered IM Consultation LLC with the Minnesota Secretary of State on or about March 10, 2021. She used IM Consultation to receive and launder kickback payments and fraud proceeds. Ikram Mohamed is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, federal programs bribery, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. 24-CR-15 (ECT/DJF)
- Shakur Abdinur Abdisalam, 45, Ikram Mohamed’s husband, created a company called Inspiring Youth & Out Reach LLC (“Inspiring Youth”), which he enrolled in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future. Inspiring Youth purported to run a food site in Minneapolis. Between February and November 2021, the company claimed to have served more than 1 million meals. Based on these fraudulent claims, Inspiring Youth received more than $1.5 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. As part of the scheme, Abdisalam also paid a $21,000 kickback to his wife’s entity, IM Consultation. Abdisalam is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, federal programs bribery, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. 24-CR-15 (ECT/DJF)
- Aisha Hassan Hussein, 27, Ikram Mohamed’s sister, was the principal of United Youth of MPLS LLC (“United Youth”). Hussein enrolled her company in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future and purported to operate two sites in Minneapolis. As alleged, from December 2020 through November 2021, Hussein and her co-conspirators falsely claimed to have served more than 1.3 million meals to children at the United Youth sites, totaling approximately $2.2 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. As part of the scheme, Hussein also paid a $166,000 kickback to Ikram Mohamed’s IM Consultation. Hussein is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, federal programs bribery, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. 24-CR-15 (ECT/DJF)
- Fadumo Mohamed Yusuf, 57, Ikram Mohamed’s mother, ran Active Mind’s Youth LLC (“Active Minds”), another company that enrolled in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future. Active Minds purported to operate a food site located on East Lake Street in Minneapolis. Between February and June 2021, Active Minds fraudulently claimed to have served more than 500,000 meals and received more than $1 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. As part of the scheme, Yusuf also paid a $38,500 kickback to Ikram Mohamed’s IM Consultation. Yusuf is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, federal programs bribery, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. 24-CR-15 (ECT/DJF)
- Sahra Sharif Osman, 41, of Savage, was the principal of Youth International Club LLC (“Youth International”). Youth International operated two Federal Child Nutrition Program sites under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future. The Youth International food sites were in Hopkins and Edina, both purportedly serving meals out of community rooms in townhome complexes. Between March and November 2021, Youth International fraudulently claimed to have served nearly 700,000 meals and received more than $1.4 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. As part of the scheme, Osman also paid a $7,500 kickback to Ikram Mohamed’s IM Consultation. Osman is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, federal programs bribery, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. 24-CR-15 (ECT/DJF)
- Suleman Yusuf Mohamed, 39, Ikram Mohamed’s brother, was the owner of Star Distribution LLC, which purported to be a food distribution business in Minneapolis. Star Distribution purported to be in the business of providing meals to be served at the Federal Child Nutrition Program site run by Suleman Mohamed’s family members and co-defendants. As alleged, from February 2021 through April 2022, Star Distribution received approximately $10 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds, including more than $4.9 million from Feeding Our Future, $1.6 million from United Youth of Mpls, and $1 million from Inspiring Youth & Outreach. As part of the scheme, Suleman Mohamed also paid more than $330,000 in kickbacks to Ikram Mohamed’s IM Consultation. Suleman Mohamed is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, federal programs bribery, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. 24-CR-15 (ECT/DJF)
- Gandi Yusuf Mohamed, 43, Ikram Mohamed’s brother, was the owner of GAK Properties LLC and GIF Properties LLC, companies used to receive and launder the proceeds of the fraud scheme. Gandi Mohamed also submitted fraudulent meal counts and claims on behalf of his family’s companies. As alleged, between March 2021 and July 2022, Gandi Mohamed fraudulently received and laundered more than $1.1 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. Gandi Mohamed is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. 24-CR-15 (ECT/DJF)
- Said Ereg, 45, and was the owner and operator of Evergreen Grocery and Deli, a for-profit grocery and deli in south Minneapolis. Ereg’s wife, Najmo Ahmed, 34, worked for Evergreen Grocery and Deli. Evergreen Grocery and Deli was enrolled in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future. As alleged, April 2020 and April 2021, Evergreen Grocery and Deli fraudulently claimed to have served over 1.4 million meals to children and received more than $4.2 million in payments from Feeding Our Future for purportedly serving meals. Ereg and Ahmed transferred most of the money to fund their own lifestyles, including to make purchases from Burberry, Louis Vuitton, and Canada Goose. Ereg and Ahmed also transferred more than $2.5 million to foreign accounts controlled by foreign companies. As part of the scheme, Ereg and Ahmed also paid more than $100,000 in kickbacks to Abdikerm Eidleh, a Feeding Our Future employee. Ereg and Ahmed are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. 24-CR-13 (PJS/DTS)
Criminal informations:
- Hoda Ali Abdi, 53, was the owner of Alif Halal LLC (“Alif Halal”), a grocery store located in Burnsville, which she enrolled in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future and Sponsor A. As alleged, Abdi fraudulently claimed to have provided approximately $3 million worth of food for children through other co-conspirator’s sites. Abdi also claimed, falsely, to have served more than 242,000 meals to children at her Burnsville site and received approximately $243,268 in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. Abdi is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. 24-CR-24 (JWB)
United States Attorney Andrew Luger thanks the FBI, IRS – Criminal Investigations, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for their collaboration and skilled investigative work in bringing these charges.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Minnesota Joseph H. Thompson, Harry M. Jacobs, Matthew S. Ebert, and Chelsea A. Walcker are prosecuting the cases. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Baune is handling the seizure and forfeiture of assets.
These charges are merely an allegation and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two Men Sentenced to a Combined Eleven Years in Federal Prison for $1 Million “Free Bankruptcy” Car Lien-Stripping SchemeRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Brian Fenner, 45, of Camby, Indiana, has been sentenced to a total of 77 months in federal prison. Dennis Birkley, 64, of Wisconsin, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison.
In January 2023, a federal jury found both men guilty on one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, seven counts of wire fraud, six counts of mail fraud, and three counts of money laundering.
According to court documents and evidence introduced at trial, between 2013 and 2016, Fenner promoted the “Sperro free bankruptcy program” to individuals who were planning to file for bankruptcy. Through this purported “free bankruptcy program,” Fenner promised to pay the debtors’ bankruptcy attorneys’ fees if they turned over their vehicles to him, instead of surrendering them to the banks that financed the purchase of the vehicles. Numerous people from across the country participated in the program and surrendered their vehicles to Fenner, including from as far away as California and Arizona. Fenner arranged for the debtors’ cars to be towed to his lots in Indianapolis for outlandish fees, which formed the basis of a bogus mechanic’s lien on the vehicle.
Fenner then pretended to “sell” the cars to Birkley at “auctions” to cover the exorbitant mechanic’s lien. In reality, no auctions occurred, no money changed hands, and there was no sale by Fenner to Birkley. Instead, the sham auctions were part of a series of lies and fraudulent documents submitted to the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles, so that Birkley could get clean titles to the vehicles from the BMV.
Once Birkley had clean title to the vehicles, he sold the vehicles for their true value – often earning thousands of dollars in profit – which Birkley split with Fenner. Over the course of the conspiracy, Birkley and Fenner illegally obtained over $1 million.
Fenner was sentenced to 70 months of imprisonment on June 8, 2023, and was instructed to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons in Terre Haute by July 18, 2023. Fenner did not report to prison, and was re-arrested in Morgan County, Indiana, on August 25, 2023. Fenner was sentenced to an additional seven months in prison after pleading guilty to failing to surrender. This sentence will be served consecutively to Fenner’s 70-month sentence for the fraud conviction, for a total prison sentence of 77 months.
“For years, these greedy men preyed on people in financial crisis by offering a purported financial lifeline too good to be true—and was in fact just a series of lies,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana “Unraveling complex schemes and holding fraudsters accountable is a top priority for our office. I commend the talented and dedicated team, including our partners at the FBI, Indiana State Police, and our federal prosecutors, for their unrelenting determination to see that these crooks pay for their crimes.”
“These two men shamelessly exploited the financial difficulties of their victims to enrich themselves, disguising their scheme as a potential lifeline to people who were in extreme financial difficulty,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “The FBI will continue to work with our partners to aggressively identify and investigate those who engage in in such fraudulent behavior and ensure they are held accountable.”
“The prosecution, conviction, and sentences imposed on Mr. Fenner and Mr. Birkley, who took advantage of consumers in financial distress who signed up for the bogus ‘Sperro free bankruptcy program’ demonstrates that those who abuse the bankruptcy system for their own personal gain will be brought to justice,” said Nancy J. Gargula, United States Trustee for Indiana and Central and Southern Illinois (Region 10). “We are grateful to US Attorney Myers for his commitment in helping to protect and preserve the integrity of the bankruptcy system, not just here in the Southern District of Indiana but across the country, and to Assistant U.S. Attorneys Olivier and Shepard.”
“The Indiana State Police and its law enforcement partners work towards a common goal each and every day, with every criminal investigation...to identify those who violate our various criminal laws and to hold them responsible for those unlawful actions,” said Captain Ron Galaviz.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Indiana State Police, with assistance from the Department of Justice’s U.S. Trustee Program, in collaboration with the Southern Indiana Bankruptcy Fraud Working Group coordinated by the U.S. Trustee for Region 10. The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Court Judges Richard L. Young and James R. Sweeney II. Both men were ordered to pay $49,045.84 each in restitution.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kate Olivier and Bradley P. Shepard, who prosecuted this case.
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Texas man sentenced for tax evasionRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A Texas man has been ordered to federal prison for evading his taxes by not reporting income he earned while working overseas.
Peter Joseph Tignini pleaded guilty Aug. 21, 2023.
U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks has now ordered him to serve 41 months in prison and to pay a $150,000 fine as well as $1,169,348.60 in restitution to the United States.
According to court records, from 2013 to 2018, Tignini worked in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, earning over $4,750,000 in income. However, for tax years 2013 through 2017, Tignini filed false returns that claimed his income was only approximately $100,000 each year. The amount Tignini reported each year was near or below the amount that U.S. citizens who live and work abroad for most of a year can exclude from their taxable income on their U.S. tax return. Tignini did not file a return for 2018. As a result, Tignini caused a tax loss to the IRS of $1,169,348.
Following an interview with federal law enforcement, Tignini altered his employment contract and payroll documents to make it appear his former employer, not Tignini himself, was responsible for failing to report the income and pay the tax. Tignini then caused his attorneys to provide the false documents to the Department of Justice’s Tax Division and the IRS. After investigators asked a witness about the online program Tignini used to create the phony documents, Tignini attempted to delete the documents from his account.
IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Goldman prosecuted the case along with Senior Litigation Counsel Sean Beaty and Trial Attorney Brian Flanagan of the Tax Division.
Texas Man Sentenced to 41 Months in Prison for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
A Texas man was sentenced today to 41 months in prison for evading his taxes by not reporting income he earned while working overseas.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2013 to 2018, Peter Joseph Tignini, formerly of Cypress, Texas, worked in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, earning over $4,750,000 in income. For tax years 2013 through 2017, Tignini filed false tax returns that claimed that his income was only approximately $100,000 each year. The amount Tignini reported each year was near or below the amount that U.S. citizens who live and work abroad for most of a year can exclude from their taxable income on their U.S. tax return. Tignini did not file a return for 2018. As a result, Tignini caused a tax loss to the IRS of $1,169,348.
Following an interview with federal law enforcement, Tignini altered his employment contract and payroll documents to make it appear that his former employer, not Tignini himself, was responsible for failing to report the income and pay the tax. Tignini then caused his attorneys to provide the false documents to the Justice Department’s Tax Division and the IRS. After investigators asked a witness about the online program Tignini used to create the phony documents, Tignini attempted to delete the documents from his account.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Court Judge George C. Hanks ordered Tignini to serve three years of supervised release and to pay $1,169,348.60 in restitution to the United States.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Ramsey E. Covington of IRS-Criminal Investigation Houston Field Office made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Senior Litigation Counsel Sean Beaty and Trial Attorney Brian Flanagan of the Tax Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Goldman for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
Texas Doctor Convicted of Illegally Prescribing Highly Addictive OpioidsRead the Press Release
Following an 8-day trial, a Texas doctor who unlawfully prescribed powerful opioids has been convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and six counts of unlawful distribution of a controlled substance, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
On Monday, a jury convicted Leovares A. Mendez, a 58-year-old doctor who co-owned and operated Cumbre Medical Center, LLC in Dallas, on all counts. He will be sentenced at a later date.
Codefendant Cesar Pena-Rodriguez, 56, pleaded guilty on January 17, 2024, 5 days before trial was scheduled to begin, to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. Dr. Pena-Rodriguez is scheduled to be sentenced on April 22, 2024.
According to evidence presented at trial, Dr. Pena-Rodriguez and Dr. Mendez issued numerous prescriptions without a legitimate medical purpose and outside the usual course of professional practice. Specifically, the defendants repeatedly issued prescriptions for controlled substances, including hydrocodone, alprazolam, and tramadol to undercover agents posing as patients in exchange for $250 cash payments.
The defendants sold medically unjustified prescriptions to undercover agents in 24 undercover visits. At trial, the evidence showed Dr. Mendez issued prescriptions despite performing only minimal or perfunctory medical evaluations during short visits, some only lasting one minute. Video and audio recordings of the visits made by the undercover officers showed a pattern of the officers requesting the medications by name with no complaint of pain. On multiple occasions, Dr. Mendez coached the undercover officers as to what to say if ever contacted by law enforcement in relation to the illegal prescriptions.
Dr. Mendez now faces up to 140 years in federal prison – 20 years per count.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Donna Strittmatter Max, Marty Basu and Renee Hunter prosecuted the case, with support from Assistant U.S. Attorney Gail Hayworth.
Tahlequah Resident Sentenced to Forty-Five Years for Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Aaron Richard Eubanks, age 33, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to forty-five years imprisonment, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, on five counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country.
The charges were the result of an investigation by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On August 5, 2022, a federal jury found Eubanks guilty of the charges. During the trial, the United States presented evidence that during 2020 and 2021, Eubanks engaged in sexual acts with a minor victim who had not reached 10 years of age. The United States also presented evidence that in February 2021, Eubanks engaged in sexual acts with a second minor victim who had not reached the age of 11 at the time of the abuse. The crimes occurred in Adair and Cherokee Counties, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Charles B. Goodwin, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Oklahoma City. Eubanks will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Caila M. Cleary represented the United States.
Tacoma man pleads guilty to brutal assault that left victim critically injuredRead the Press Release
Tacoma– A 41-year-old Tacoma man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Shaun Lee Blue faces up to ten years in prison when sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo on May 3, 2024.
According to records filed in the case, Blue worked for the victim as a day laborer. On March 19, 2023, the men were working on removing an old trailer from a property in Eatonville, Washington. At the end of the workday, the two met up at the Roy Y Park and Ride lot so that the victim could pay Blue for the work he had done.
At the parking lot, both men got out of their cars and started to argue. Blue pulled a knife and stabbed the victim in the abdomen multiple times causing serious cuts to his intestines, colon, and liver. Blue continued to stab the victim even after the victim fell to the ground.
After the attack, Blue drove away and the victim was able to call 9-1-1 for help. He was found critically injured in his vehicle and was taken to the hospital. The victim continues to recover from his significant injuries and multiple surgeries.
The Roy Y Park and Ride is on the property of Joint Base Lewis McChord and therefore is in exclusive federal jurisdiction.
Blue has agreed to make restitution to the victim.
Assault resulting in serious bodily harm is punishable by up to ten years in prison and $250,000 fine.
The case is being investigated by the FBI, and Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) with assistance from the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hillary K. Stuart.
Stock Newsletter Analyst, Beverly Hills Executive, and Money Launderer Charged with Conspiring to Tout Securities in Exchange for MoneyRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Federal criminal charges were filed today against an analyst for a newsletter promoting unregistered securities and over-the-counter stocks, his money-laundering associate, and the CEO of a Beverly Hills company, all of whom participated in a bribery scheme in which leaders of various companies paid more than $4.2 million in undisclosed compensation to have their stocks touted by the newsletter.
The following defendants have been charged:
- Jonathan William Mikula, 38, of Woodstock, Georgia; who worked as a stock analyst and writer for an investment newsletter;
- Christian Fernandez, 33, a.k.a. “Christian Crockwell,” of Smyrna, Georgia, who was a business associate and friend of Mikula’s; and
- Amit Raj Beri, 47, of Hobe Sound, Florida, who was the CEO of a Beverly Hills-based business.
All three defendants have been charged via information with one count of conspiracy to tout securities for undisclosed compensation. Mikula also has been charged with one count of touting securities for undisclosed compensation.
According to an information filed January 30 in United States District Court, Mikula worked as an analyst for “Palm Beach Venture,” an investment newsletter with subscribers nationwide. This newsletter published promotional pieces for offerings of securities, including unregistered securities marketed pursuant to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s Regulation A, as well as microcap stocks traded “over the counter.” There, securities are lower-priced, illiquid securities traded not on liquid public exchanges but instead through securities dealers known as “market makers.”
Federal law requires full and public disclosure from anyone who has received payment – directly or indirectly – from an issuer for publishing, publicizing, or circulating any advertisement or communication that describes the issuer’s security offered for sale.
From December 2019 to August 2022, in exchange for Mikula touting certain securities issuances through “Palm Beach Venture,” Beri and others provided Mikula and Fernandez with both cash payments as well as undisclosed, indirect compensation, including lavish meals, beverages, and other illicit entertainment.
Fernandez opened and operated foreign and shell companies and bank accounts – some based in Mexico – whose purpose was to conceal the nature of the bribes and kickbacks. In exchange, Fernandez took a hefty cut – sometimes half – of the funds.
The conspiracy allowed some of its participants to raise tens of millions of dollars in investor funds through securities offerings described and promoted by “Palm Beach Venture” without required disclosures that such promotions had been obtained via direct and indirect payments to Mikula.
For example, in March 2020, Mikula caused to be published an article in “Palm Beach Venture” entitled, “Curing Incurable Diseases and Giving Us Over 4,900% Potential Gains.” The article touted Emerald Health Pharmaceuticals (EHP), a San Diego-based life sciences company and falsely stated that neither the newsletter nor its affiliates had received compensation and that “as publishers of financial information, we make general recommendations based on our own analysis.” In fact, negotiations were underway between EHP, Beri, Mikula, and Fernandez toward concealed payments in exchange for the article.
In total, Mikula, Fernandez, Beri and others received more than $4.2 million in undisclosed and misrepresented payments as well as hundreds of thousands of dollars of compensation in the form of undisclosed entertainment and illicit services.
Another co-conspirator, Avtar Singh Dhillon, 62, of Long Beach, a one-time board member of and an indirect shareholder in EHP, pleaded guilty in December 2022 in United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts and admitted his role in the conspiracy. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 23 in Boston.
The conspiracy charge carries a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. The securities touting charge also carries a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.
The FBI is investigating this matter.
The United States Securities and Exchange Commission has also charged the defendants in a separate civil enforcement action.
Any investors who believe they are a victim of the crimes alleged in this Information are encouraged to go to https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/united-states-v-jonathan-william-mikula-christian-fernandez-and-amit-raj-beri for further information and updates regarding this matter.
An information contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
Assistant United States Attorney Adam P. Schleifer of the Corporate and Securities Fraud Strike Force is prosecuting this case.
Springfield Man Sentenced to 16 Years for Meth Trafficking, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for possessing more than 1.2 kilograms of methamphetamine to distribute and illegally possessing two firearms.
Christopher Kelley, 43, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 16 years and six months in federal prison without parole.
On July 20, 2023, Kelley pleaded guilty to one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
Springfield police officers executed a search warrant at Kelley’s residence on March 11, 2021, and seized more than 1.2 kilograms of methamphetamine, a Kimber 9mm semi-automatic pistol (that had been reported stolen) from the living room coffee table, a Smith & Wesson .22-caliber semi-automatic pistol from underneath a couch cushion, eight hollow point rounds, $6,842 in cash, two cell phones and drug paraphernalia.
Kelley told investigators he had purchased approximately four to six pounds of methamphetamine each week from his source over the past five or six months.
At the time of this offense, Kelley was wanted on an outstanding warrant for the revocation of his probation in an unrelated state case for his felony conviction of property damage. He also has prior felony convictions for possessing a controlled substance, distributing methamphetamine near a school, and unlawful possession of a firearm.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Michael Brown. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
Springfield Gang Member, Rapper Sentenced for Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man who was part of a local rap group and leader of a gang known as “FTO,” was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing firearms, some of which have been linked to multiple shootings.
Jardell Carlin Williams, 20, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to six years and six months in federal prison without parole.
On May 16, 2023, Williams pleaded guilty to two counts of being an unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of a firearm.
Williams admitted he was in possession of a Glock .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol when a gold Nissan Altima, driven by co-defendant Ezekiel Josiah King, 20, of Springfield, was stopped by Springfield, Mo., Police Department detectives on Feb. 15, 2022. King, also a rapper and leader of the FTO gang, was in possession of a loaded Glock .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol, with an extended magazine that contained 29 rounds. King also was in possession of an Anderson AM-15 multi-caliber rifle, loaded with 31 rounds of .223-caliber ammunition, which was in the back seat of the vehicle with a juvenile passenger.
Detectives also located two more boxes of ammunition under Williams’ seat. Under King’s seat, officers located a second extended magazine and two factory Glock magazines. In total, officers recovered well over 100 rounds of ammunition from the vehicle, in addition to the three firearms and multiple magazines.
Detectives found marijuana on Williams and in a backpack belonging to Williams. Both Williams and King admitted they regularly smoked marijuana.
Williams also admitted that he was in possession of a C3 Defense 5.56-caliber semi-automatic pistol when a vehicle, in which he was a passenger, was stopped by detectives with the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department on Oct. 23, 2022, after a rap concert where King had been performing. King was in the front passenger seat. Williams and four other individuals were in the backseat. When officers searched the vehicle, they found marijuana and multiple firearms.
According to court documents, Williams was also stopped by Nixa, Mo., police officers on Oct. 16, 2021. There were three passengers in the vehicle, including one juvenile. The juvenile was armed with a stolen, loaded Highpoint firearm. A loaded SCCY pistol was found near another passenger. A loaded, stolen Anderson AM-15 rifle was located on top of the center counsel covered with a blanket. Also located in the vehicle was marijuana wax, and three pipes with marijuana residue. During that stop, officers observed 15 to 20 bullet holes in Williams’ vehicle, and he confirmed he had been involved in a shooting but refused to provide additional details. Williams was charged in the Circuit Court of Christian County, Mo., with possession of a stolen firearm.
ATF National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN)
Agents with the ATF test fired the firearms seized from the traffic stop on Feb. 15, 2022. The shell casings from those test fires were submitted to the ATF National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) laboratory to determine if there were any links between the recovered firearms and firearms related violent crime.
The NIBIN analysis indicated that the .40-caliber Glock pistol possessed by Williams on Feb. 15, 2022, had been used in a drive-by shooting of a Springfield residence that occurred on Jan. 30, 2022. At the time of the shooting, five people were present in the residence. Officers found multiple bullet holes in the home; some of the bullets entered the home into a bedroom, the living room, and into the bathroom. Multiple shell casings were located in the street. Investigators also found that one projectile struck a vehicle parked on the street. Investigators believe the Jan. 30, 2022, shooting was gang-related, because the targeted residence was associated with a rival gang.
In their investigation, officers also found a second home had been hit with gunfire. Police were able to determine that a bullet travelled through the home into a bedroom and then into the wall of the closet bedroom. Fortunately, that house was vacant.
NIBIN analysis of the Anderson AM-15 rifle seized from King on Feb. 15, 2022, indicated that it was also used in the Jan. 30, 2022, shooting.
The NIBIN analysis indicated the C3 Defense firearm seized from Williams on Oct. 23, 2022, had been used in three shootings in Kansas City, Mo., that occurred on Aug. 6, 2022, Sept. 28, 2022, and Sept. 29, 2022. Williams was living in Blue Springs, Mo. (in the Kansas City area) when those shootings occurred.
According to court documents, Williams is also a suspect or a person of interest in a shootout between rival gangs that occurred in a busy commercial area of downtown Springfield on May 14, 2022, which resulted in the deaths of two individuals and injuries to a third, as well as a robbery in which the victim was struck by an unknown object and dragged by a vehicle, and multiple drive-by shootings.
King pleaded guilty on Jan. 16, 2024, to one count of being an unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of firearms and awaits sentencing.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
Somerset County Resident Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Somerset County, New Jersey, resident was sentenced today to 60 months in prison for distributing videos and images of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Marcevan Manasse, 29, Somerville, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp to an information charging one count of distribution of child pornography. Judge Shipp imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From Sept. 20, 2020, through Nov. 22, 2020, Manasse distributed material containing images and video files of child sexual abuse, via a publicly available online peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing network of linked computers. Law enforcement conducted an undercover online session to access the P2P program and to download five video files and eleven images containing child pornography from an IP address assigned to an internet service provider account associated with Manasse’s residence. These files included multiple visual depictions of pre-pubescent children engaged in sexual acts with adults.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Shipp sentenced Manasse to five years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. He also thanked the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office for its assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Farhana C. Melo of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Newark.
Silver Spring Felon Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges of Illegal Possession of Ammunition and Postal Service KeysRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Andrew Steven Martin, age 30, of Silver Spring, Maryland, has pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of ammunition and to unlawful possession of U.S. Postal Service keys used to access U.S. Postal Service mail receptacles.
The guilty plea was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (“USPS”)- Washington Division; Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; and Chief Mark P. Sroka of the Gaithersburg City Police Department.
According to his guilty plea, on May 17, 2022, a Gaithersburg Police officer performed a traffic stop on a vehicle being driven by Martin. After approaching the vehicle, the officer detected an odor of marijuana emanating from the passenger compartment of the vehicle. Law enforcement recovered a bag containing marijuana in the center console, a half-smoked joint of marijuana, and two USPS “arrow” keys—one of which opened two collection boxes located outside the Reisterstown Post Office.
During the search of the vehicle law enforcement also recovered from the back seat area a stack of credit cards which were not in Martin’s name; two identification cards, one of which bore a picture of Martin and a different name; and approximately 42 checks bearing the names of payors and payees who were not Martin. Law enforcement also located in the center framework near the floorboard additional checks in names other than Martin’s, at least five debit cards; a privately made 9mm semi-automatic pistol loaded with 10 9mm caliber ammunition cartridges; and an orange pill bottle containing 27 tablets found to contain heroin and fentanyl. In total, law enforcement located 47 personal checks and two cashier’s checks in the vehicle. The sum of the funds to be paid by the checks amounted to approximately $80,164.89. Martin was arrested on an open warrant.
Martin knew that he had a previous felony conviction which prohibited him from possessing ammunition.
Martin faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition and for illegal possession of USPS arrow keys. U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang has scheduled sentencing for April 30, 2024, at 2:30 p.m.
U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Montgomery County Police Department, and the Gaithersburg City Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Gustavo Ruiz and Assistant United States Attorney Timothy F. Hagan, Jr., who are prosecuting 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 and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Shiprock Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Assault on a Federal Officer and Federal Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Deon Joe Bidtah was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Bidtah, 24, of Shiprock, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pled guilty on Nov. 3, 2023, to assault with a dangerous weapon, discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, and assault on a federal officer with a deadly and dangerous weapon.
According to publicly available court records, on Oct. 11, 2022, Bidtah approached a vehicle parked at his neighbor’s house in Shiprock and fired two rounds from a 12-gauge shotgun into the vehicle. The driver, Jane Doe, was struck and injured by the gunfire. Jane Doe was immediately transported to the San Juan Regional Medical Center in Farmington by her friend whom she was visiting. Jane Doe suffered a 1 cm ballistic fragment in her right buttocks/rear upper thigh area. Records also noted gunshot wounds on her left buttock, right buttock, and right thigh.
Navajo Nation police officers responded to the incident location, including one officer who, by virtue of a special law enforcement commission, is considered a federal officer. Bidtah approached the officers carrying the 12-gauge shotgun and fired toward the officers. Officers took cover behind their patrol units and commanded Bidtah to stop and drop his weapon. Bidtah ignored the commands, reloaded the shotgun, and continued to walk towards the officers. In response, officers fired two rounds at Bidtah, striking him in the leg.
Upon his release from prison, Bidtah will be subject to 3 years of supervised release.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Department of Investigation and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew J. McGinley is prosecuting the case.
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Settlement agreement reached with Williamsville nail salon involving violation of the Americans with Disabilities ActRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, NY – U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has reached a settlement with a Williamsville, NY, nail salon to resolve allegations that the salon discriminated against an individual with a disability in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA).
Under the settlement, Le Petit Nails & Spa Inc. will not discriminate against any individual on the basis of disability, including individuals who use a service animal; Le Petit will post signs which clearly state “NOTICE: SERVICE ANIMALS WELCOME;” Le Petit will adopt a nondiscrimination policy, provide the policy to all current and future employees, and enforce the policy; and Le Petit will pay $1,000 to the complainant in this case.
The Department of Justice’s enforcement efforts under the ADA seek equal opportunity and dignity in all aspects of life, including access to public accommodations such as nail salons. This settlement agreement is the sixth agreement that the Department of Justice has reached with a nail salon through its U.S. Attorney Program for ADA Enforcement, and the first in the Western District of New York.
- In June 2021, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina entered a settlement agreement resolving an allegation that a nail salon in Durham, North Carolina, refused to provide services to an individual with HIV.
- In June 2022, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana reached a settlement agreement with a nail salon in Harahan, Louisiana, to resolve an allegation that an individual was refused services because of the inability to transfer out of their wheelchair.
- In February 2023, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey entered a settlement agreement with a nail salon in Ocean County, New Jersey, to resolve allegations that the salon discriminates against individuals with mobility impairments.
- In June 2023, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Arizona reached a settlement agreement with a nail salon in SunTan Valley, Arizona, to resolve allegations that the nail salon discriminated against a customer with paraplegia because she uses a wheelchair and does not have complete hand function.
- In October 2023, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Kansas entered a settlement agreement with a nail salon in Kansas City, Kansas, to resolve allegations that the salon refused nail services to a woman with cerebral palsy who used a motorized wheelchair.
Individuals who believe they may have been victims of discrimination may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (716) 843-5700 or file a complaint with the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division at: https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/. Additional information about the ADA can be found at www.ada.gov, or by calling the Department of Justice’s toll-free information line at (800) 514-0301 and (800) 514-0383 (TDD).
The government is represented by the Civil Rights Coordinator James E. B. Bobseine of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Buffalo, New York.
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Serial Armed Robber with History of Violence Sent to Federal Prison for 36 YearsRead the Press Release
A man who robbed several Siouxland businesses at gunpoint was sentenced today, to 36 years in federal prison.
Kevon Spratt, age 30, from Chicago, Illinois, received the prison term after an August 25, 2023, jury verdict finding him guilty of 2 counts of interference with commerce by robbery, 3 counts of use and brandishing of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, 1 count of attempted bank robbery, and 1 count of possession of a firearm by a felon. The jury acquitted Spratt of an additional count of bank robbery and use and brandishing of a fireman.
Evidence in the case revealed that on October 22, 2022, Spratt entered the Sgt. Bluff’s Stop Shell gas station in Sergeant Bluff, Iowa, at approximately 7:11 p.m., armed with a handgun that had a distinctive gold barrel and gold ejection port. Spratt forced the clerk to the register and robbed her before he fled on foot from the scene. Spratt’s vehicle was seen on several surveillance cameras in the area beginning as early as 5:28pm.
On October 24, 2022, Spratt entered the Check into Cash, in Sioux City, Iowa, just after 10:00 a.m., armed with the same distinctive handgun, forcing two employees to their registers. Spratt’s vehicle was seen on surveillance footage in the area as early as 7:00 a.m., the same video surveillance also captured his silver and black convertible-top car leaving the scene and crossing the bridge into South Sioux City, Nebraska, as he fled.
On November 14, 2022, Spratt attempted to enter the Pioneer Bank in Salix, Iowa, as the teller exited the bank just after noon. Spratt could be seen on surveillance footage circling the bank and town of Salix beginning just after 8:00 a.m. Spratt was able to make entry into the bank but was unable to get away with any funds because of the actions of the teller.
Additionally, the sentencing court concluded defendant had committed two other armed robberies in the tri-state region. The court found on October 16, 2022, Spratt robbed the Dakota City, Nebraska Food and Fuel at gun point at approximately 8:04 p.m. and on November 11, 2022, Spratt attempted to rob the Conoco gas station in Jefferson, South Dakota, at gunpoint.
In several of these robberies Spratt pointed his weapon at clerks and even pressed his firearm into their bodies.
Spratt had previously been convicted of many offenses including aggravated battery of a peace officer, aggravated robbery (where he pressed a toy gun into the head of his victim), and an attempted theft from a person (where he actually used a real gun to rob and carjack his victim), in Cook County, Illinois.
Spratt was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to 432 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $5,304.00 in restitution to two of his victims. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Timothy Duax stated that, “Due the fine work of local, state, and federal law enforcement, a dangerous individual who preyed upon the businesses of our community was brought to justice. Spratt traumatized his victims by placing them in fear for their lives. For the next three decades, those victims can sleep more soundly knowing he can’t hurt them. This case is a good example of what happens to people who commit violent crimes in the Northern District of Iowa.”
Spratt is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Sioux City, Iowa Police Department; the Sergeant Bluff, Iowa Police Department; the Jefferson, South Dakota Police Department; the South Sioux City, Nebraska Police Department; the Woodbury County, Iowa Sheriff’s Department, the Woodbury County Iowa Attorney’s Office; the Monona County, Iowa Sheriff’s Department, the Dakota County, Nebraska Sheriff’s Department, The Iowa Department of Public Safety; Iowa State Patrol; the Iowa Department of Natural Resources; the United States Department of Justice – Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, (ATF) and the United States Department of Justice – Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-4011.
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Schuylkill County Man Indicted for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Thomas Keister, age 68, of Schuylkill County, PA, was indicted on charges of distribution, receipt, and possession of child pornography.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Keister distributed, received, and possessed child pornography from March 2021 to October 2023, in Schuylkill County.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations - Allentown. Assistant United States Attorney Tatum R. Wilson is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is 20 years, with a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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San Diego Drug Dealer Sentenced to Eight Years in Fatal Fentanyl OverdoseRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY—February 5, 2024
SAN DIEGO— Derek Neal Turfler of San Diego was sentenced in federal court today to 97 months in prison for his role in selling fentanyl pills to a 27-year-old woman who fatally overdosed on May 9, 2022.
According to his plea agreement, Turfler arranged a meeting to deliver fentanyl to the victim, Faithe Sioban Thogode, who died later that morning after using the fentanyl he provided. According to the government’s sentencing memorandum, the defendant was addicted to fentanyl, knew how deadly the drug was, and knew the consequences for selling the drug and causing another’s death, yet he sold her the drug anyway.
Turfler also knew that the victim worked at a drug and alcohol treatment center, had just celebrated five years of sobriety, and was going through a drug relapse when he sold her the deadly pills.
According to the sentencing memo, this was not the first time the defendant had seriously hurt someone due to fentanyl. In 2019, he was convicted in California state court of driving under the influence of fentanyl and causing great bodily harm and was on formal probation for that felony conviction at the time he sold the deadly pills to Thogode.
“Faithe Thogode is not a statistic. She was a loving daughter and a devoted friend to dozens of people who appeared in court today to show their lasting appreciation for her infectious laugh and kind heart,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “The U.S. Attorney’s office is committed to our partnership with the DEA and the Overdose Response Team to hold accountable dealers—like this defendant—who deliver a fatal overdose.”
“Fentanyl kills and those who sell this lethal drug must be brought to justice,” said DEA Acting Special Agent in Charge Paul Abosamra.
Special Agents and Task Force Officers with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Overdose Response Team (formerly known as Team 10) led the investigation into Thogode’s death. This case is the result of ongoing efforts by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the San Diego Police Department and the California Department of Health Care Services to investigate and prosecute the distribution of illegal drugs—fentanyl in particular—that results in overdose deaths. The Drug Enforcement Administration created the Overdose Response Team as a response to the increase in overdose deaths in San Diego County.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick C. Swan.
DEFENDANT Case Number: 23-cr-175-LL
Derek Neal Turfler Age: 29 San Diego, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Distribution of Fentanyl – Title 18, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1)
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison
AGENCIES
Drug Enforcement Administration
San Diego Police Department
State of California Department of Health Care Services
Previously Deported Mexican Man Sentenced to Nine Months’ Imprisonment for Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Alfredo Sandoval-Madrigal, age 50, was sentenced on January 30, 2024, by U.S. District Court Judge Sylvia H. Rambo, to nine months’ imprisonment on the charge of illegal re-entry into the United States by a previously deported alien.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Sandoval-Madrigal was last deported from the United States to Mexico in June 2018. He re-entered the United States again sometime after June 2018 without first obtaining legal permission to do so. Sandoval-Madrigal was encountered in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, on June 12, 2023.
The matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). Assistant United States Attorney David C. Williams prosecuted the case.
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Pornographic chat room discussions lead to convictionRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 46-year-old Corpus Christi resident has pleaded guilty to distributing child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
The investigation into Jonathan Follis began when authorities discovered he was participating in chat rooms involving discussions of child pornography. Follis conducted the majority of these conversations using a cellular phone kept in his office at work.
Law enforcement later conducted a search at that office where they discovered a phone hidden under his keyboard. Follis admitted to using the phone to distribute child pornography.
Law enforcement conducted a forensic analysis of the phone. It confirmed Follis had been engaging in chat rooms discussing child pornography utilizing the username “frickenwierdo.” In addition to those rooms, Follis was participated in distributing child pornography in private chats.
The investigation revealed Follis distributed a video of child pornography as recently as April 5, 2023, approximately one month before law enforcement executed the search warrant leading to his arrest.
U.S. District Judge David Morales will impose sentencing May 1. At that time, Follis faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He will remain in custody pending that hearing.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with assistance of the Corpus Christi Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children task force.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick Overman and John Marck prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.
Plaquemines Parish Man Pleads Guilty to Violations of the Federal Controlled Substances and Federal Gun Control ActsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JORDAN MEAUX, age 33, of Buras, Louisiana, pled guilty on February 1, 2024 to one (1) count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(B), and 846, and one (1) count of being a felon in possession of a firearm in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court documents, On March 17, 2023, Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s deputies executed a search warrant at MEAUX’s residence in Buras, Louisiana. Upon their arrival at the residence, deputies observed MEAUX in a vehicle in front of the residence. From the floorboard of the passenger seat where MEAUX was sitting, agents seized 19.66 grams of methamphetamine and a pipe. Inside the residence, deputies seized a Maverick Arms Model 88 Field Slide Action, 12-gauge shotgun.
In a post-arrest statement, MEAUX claimed ownership of all drugs seized and identified his drug source of supply. Deputies then arrested the source of supply when he arrived at MEAUX’s residence later that morning and seized 21.61 grams of methamphetamine and a gram of fentanyl from him. The source admitted to deputies that he stored methamphetamine at his place of employment. Deputies searched his place of employment and seized almost 18 grams of fentanyl from the source’s place of employment.
For the conspiracy count, MEAUX faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and maximum term of imprisonment of forty years, a fine of up to $5,000,000.00, a mandatory minimum term of supervised release of four years, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. For the felon in possession count, MEAUX faces a maximum term of imprisonment of fifteen years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, a maximum term of supervised release of three years, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney André Jones of the Narcotics Unit.
Philadelphia Man Charged with Making Antisemitic and Islamophobic ThreatsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Yaniv Gola, 50, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was charged today by information on eight counts of interstate communication of threats.
The information alleges that between August 2, 2022 and November 5, 2023, Gola used a Voice over Internet Protocol service to mask his phone number and make telephone calls threatening to injure, rape and kill eight different victims. On one of these calls, Gola threatened, “You f***ing Jew, now I know where you are. I’m going to kill all you Jews … You all should be shoved back into ovens. I’m going down to [victim’s business location] to kill you.” On another call, Gola said to a victim, “I want to put a bullet in your head … You f***ing Muslims.” In the most recent call, Gola threatened a victim, “You’re Jewish, I’m from Hamas. You’re animals and pigs … If you don’t leave that place, we’re going to blow you up.”
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, a $2,000,000 fine and an $800 special assessment.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Jeanette Kang. The FBI was assisted by the Philadelphia Police Department, the Media Borough Police Department, the Cinnaminson Township (NJ) Police Department, the Newtown Township (Delaware County) Police Department, and the Haddonfield (NJ) Police Department.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Pennsylvania Man Facing Federal Felony Charges for Illegally Operating a Drone During the National Football League’s AFC Championship GameRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal criminal complaint has been filed charging Matthew Hebert, age 44, of Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, on federal felony charges related to his flying a drone over M&T Bank stadium during the National Football League’s AFC Championship game in Baltimore on January 28, 2024.
The federal charges were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Baltimore Field Office; Acting Special Agent in Charge Thomas Neighbors of the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General, Mid-Atlantic Regional Office; and Colonel Roland L. Butler, Jr., Superintendent of the Maryland State Police (“MSP”).
“Illegally operating drones poses a significant security risk that will lead to federal charges,” said United States Attorney Erek L. Barron, “Temporary flight restrictions are always in place during large sporting events.”
“Operating a drone requires users to act responsibly and educate themselves on when and how to use them safely,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock of the FBI's Baltimore Field Office. “The FBI would like to remind the public of the potential dangers of operating a drone in violation of federal laws and regulations. The reckless operation of a UAS in the vicinity of a large crowd can be dangerous to the public, as well as interfere with other law enforcement and security operations.”
According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, on January 28, 2024, the Federal Aviation Administration had put in place a temporary flight restriction (“TFR”) for M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore during the National Football League (“NFL”) AFC Championship game, which precluded the flight of any UAS, including flying a UAS under the Exception for Recreational Flyers. A TFR temporarily restricts certain aircraft, including an UAS, from operating within a three nautical mile radius of the stadium. This is a standard practice for stadiums or sporting venues where a regular or postseason Major League Baseball, NFL, or NCAA Division One Game is occurring; or a NASCAR Cup, Indy Car, or Champ Series Race is occurring. The TFR goes into effect one hour before the scheduled start time and lasts until one hour after the end of a qualifying event.
During the game on January 28, 2024, the incursion of an unidentified and unapproved drone was deemed a serious enough threat that NFL Security temporarily suspended the game. MSP Troopers tracked the movement of the drone directly over the stadium and deployed to the area where the drone landed in the 500 block of South Sharp Street in Baltimore. FBI agents traveled to that location and assisted MSP Troopers. Hebert was located at that location and spoke with law enforcement.
Hebert advised law enforcement that he purchased a DJI UAS in 2021 and used the DJI account to operate the drone. The drone was not registered, nor did Hebert possess a Remote Pilot certificate to operate it. As detailed in the affidavit, on past occasions, the DJI application prevented him from operating the UAS due to flight restrictions and Hebert relied exclusively on the DJI application to tell him if he was not allowed to fly the UAS. The affidavit alleges that on January 28, 2024, Hebert assumed he was allowed to fly his UAS since the DJI application did not prevent him from doing so. Hebert allegedly flew the drone approximately 100 meters or higher for approximately two minutes. According to the affidavit, while in flight, Hebert captured approximately six photos of himself and the Stadium and may have taken a video as well.
If convicted, Hebert faces a maximum sentence of three years in federal prison for knowingly operating an unregistered UAS and for knowingly serving as an airman without an airman’s certificate. Hebert faces a maximum of one year in federal prison for willfully violating United States National Defense Airspace. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. An initial appearance and arraignment will be scheduled later this month.
A criminal complaint is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by criminal complaint is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, DOT OIG, and MSP for their work in the investigation, and thanked the FAA Office of Security & Hazardous Materials Safety for its substantial assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney P. Michael Cunningham, who is prosecuting the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Oldsmar Felon Sentenced to Seven Years for Firearms and Narcotics OffensesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Sean Peter Brewer (36, Oldsmar) to seven years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Brewer entered a guilty plea on September 1, 2023.
According to court documents, on November 11, 2022, officers from the Clearwater Police Department (CPD) responded to a gas station on Gulf to Bay Boulevard in Clearwater after receiving a report that a man was unresponsive in the driver’s seat of a vehicle parked at a gas pump. CPD and the Clearwater Fire Department discovered Brewer unconscious behind the wheel of his car. After Brewer was assessed by emergency services, CPD officers administered a field sobriety test, which Brewer failed. Officers arrested Brewer for driving under the influence and conducted a search incident to the arrest. That search revealed a backpack containing a scale with clear plastic baggies consistent with narcotics distribution, marijuana, multiple types of pills, 61 grams of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine, a loaded Smith & Wesson M&P 9 Shield pistol and a “Cash App” debit card with the name “$seanbrew87.”
At the time of the incident, Brewer had a previous felony conviction for unlawful use of a two-way communication device. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Clearwater Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A. Chee and David P. Sullivan.
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.
Northern Ohio Man Sentenced to Prison for Coercion and Enticement of a Minor and Transportation of a Minor Across State Lines for Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
TOLEDO – Jeffrey Deitsch, 36, of St. Marys and later Spencerville, Ohio, was sentenced on February 1, 2024, to 210 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey J. Helmick, after he pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor and transportation of a minor across state lines for illicit sexual activity. Deitsch was also sentenced to 25 years of supervised release after he serves his prison term and ordered to pay a $200 special assessment and an additional assessment of $5,000 under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act.
According to court documents, Deitsch met a 15-year-old Illinois girl online, drove from Ohio to Illinois less than a week later, and transported her back to Ohio where he engaged in illicit sexual activity with her. On June 25, 2020, Allen County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to a hotel in Lima after receiving a report that the Illinois runaway was staying there with Deitsch, who was more than twice her age. Sheriff’s Deputies located the victim who later advised that Deitsch had told her to tell anyone who asked that she was 18. Deitsch admitted to law enforcement that he knew the victim’s age before transporting her and engaging in the sex acts.
Deitsch had just been released from state prison the month before, after having served a prison term for abduction of a different female.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Lima, Ohio. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys, Tracey Tangeman and Angelita Cruz Bridges.
Nigerian National Pleads Guilty to Fraud ChargesRead 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 Uchenna Christian Nlemchi pleaded guilty in federal court to one count each of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Nlemchi, 31, a Nigerian national, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
A federal grand jury indicted Nlemchi on May 24, 2017. According to publicly available court records, in 2015, Nlemchi opened a bank account in Houston, Texas in the name of Jay Auto & Machine Parts, a fictional business, with the intent to siphon proceeds of political corruption in Nigeria to another individual in Nigeria. Between September 2015 and February 2016, Nlemchi received $868,295 into the account. Nlemchi withdrew approximately $167,000 in cash in person, $32,000 from ATMs, and transferred $75,000 to his personal bank account. Nlemchi transferred the rest of the money to various businesses and individuals at the direction of his co-conspirators.
In his plea agreement, Nlemchi admitted that he learned the money was procured through romance scams that his co-conspirators were running, not political corruption, and that by receiving the money, he facilitated the scams.
Nlemchi was arrested on the indictment in June of 2017 and released on conditions pending trial. In Oct. of 2017, Nlemchi violated the conditions of his release, and an arrest warrant was issued. At that time, Nlemchi fled the country and was believed to have returned to his native Nigeria. The FBI pursued Nlemchi for five years before locating him in Hungary. Nlemchi was extradited to the United States and arrested on June 6, 2023.
The Albuquerque Division of the FBI investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department during the extradition process. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Peña is prosecuting the case.
View the Plea Agreement###
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New York Resident Sentenced After Pleading Guilty to Cocaine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – PEDRO SARANTE, age 42, a resident of Bronx, New York, was sentenced on February 1, 2024 by United States District Judge Carl J. Barbier to ninety-six (96) months imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine hydrochloride, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court documents, on May 2, 2022, a Louisiana State Trooper stopped a 2005 Peterbilt tractor with a New Jersey license plate, for a motor carrier inspection, on Interstate 12 East. The trooper identified the driver and the passenger, and confirmed that the passenger, SARANTE, owned the tractor.
When interviewed by the trooper regarding their itinerary and cargo, neither man could describe their cargo or itinerary. Later on, troopers consensually searched the vehicle, seized three (3) rolling duffel bags containing approximately seventy-four (74) kilograms of suspected cocaine and arrested both occupants.
SARANTE later admitted that he was hired to travel from the Bronx Borough, of New York City, to Baytown, TX, to pick up a load of narcotics and transport them to Newark, NJ. SARANTE also admitted that he was going to be paid $1,000.00 per kilogram, once he delivered the drugs to Newark.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Louisiana State Police. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney André Jones of the Narcotics Unit.
New York Man Sentenced for Mailing Fentanyl to MaineRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A New York man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for distributing fentanyl through the U.S. Postal Service (USPS).
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Tyler Dean, 49, to 24 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
According to court records, in June 2020, Dean shipped an envelope via USPS Priority Mail Express from the Schenectady, New York area to a residence in Rockland, Maine using an alias. Text and Facebook messages confirmed Dean mailed the envelope and knew that he was sending a controlled substance but did not know the identity of the substance he shipped. Lab testing confirmed that the envelope contained fentanyl. The package’s recipient and their spouse died of accidental overdoses the day the package arrived.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Rockland Police Department, and Maine Attorney General’s Office investigated the case.
Fentanyl listed as a cause of death in 78% of Maine overdose deaths in 2023: According to the December 2023 Maine Monthly Overdose Report, from January 2023 thru December 2023, 78% of confirmed overdose deaths in Maine included fentanyl or fentanyl analogs, alone or in combination with other drugs. To find help dealing with substance use disorder for yourself or a loved one in Maine, including finding naloxone (Narcan) to have on hand and accessible in the case of an opioid overdose emergency, visit https://knowyouroptions.me.
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New Britain Resident Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation OffenseRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that LUIS A. ROSADO, 30, of New Britain, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to possession of child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in May and June 2022, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (“NCMEC”) received two CyberTipline reports from Kik Messenger that two separate Kik Messenger accounts had been used to upload video files depicting the sexual abuse of children. The investigation connected both Kik Messenger usernames to Rosado and determined that, between April and June 2022, he used them to upload and distribute 104 video files depicting the sexual abuse of children, including prepubescent children.
Rosado, who resided in Manchester at the time of the offense, was arrested on October 6, 2022.
At sentencing, which is not scheduled, Rosado faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. He is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing.
This matter has been investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Connecticut State Police, the Manchester Police Department, and the Connecticut Center for Digital Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Cummings.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Miami armed career criminal sentenced to 30 years in federal prisonRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On Jan. 25, a Miami man was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition as an armed career criminal. The sentence comes after a jury convicted him in October 2023.
As shown at trial and sentencing, this case involved an eight-day span where Demetris Kewan Mackie, 29, of Miami, Florida, possessed and used the same gun to shoot at two victims, injuring one.
On April 12, 2023, Mackie pistol-whipped and shot a male victim outside a laundromat in Miami. Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD) officers responded to the scene. When MDPD officers arrived, they found a blood trail on the ground that led them to where the victim had collapsed. The next morning, the victim advised MDPD officers that a male with a silver-topped gun and a teardrop-shaped tattoo next to his right eye had pistol-whipped him before shooting at him the day before. Surveillance footage verified the victim’s story.
Three days later, North Miami Beach Police Department (NMBPD) officers responded to another shooting. This time the victim was unharmed and was able to identify Mackie as the attacker.
On April 20, 2023, MDPD officers arrested Mackie. At the time of the arrest, Mackie was carrying a silver-topped gun whose test-fired casings matched the casings from both shootings.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Christopher A. Robinson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Rodolfo A. Ruiz II.
ATF Miami Field Office investigated the case with assistance from MDPD and NMBPD. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zachary A. Keller and Vanessa Bonhomme prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 23-cr-20204.
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Mescalero Man Charged with Domestic ViolenceRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Ronnie Pernell Evans appeared in federal court on a criminal complaint charging him with assault by strangulation and/or suffocating a spouse or intimate partner. Evans, 20, of Mescalero, and an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
According to the criminal complaint, on Nov. 8, 2023, Evans confronted Jane Doe’s outside her house and they got into an argument. When Jane Doe tried to enter the home, Evans blocked her path and grabbed her by the throat with one hand and the back of her head with the other and began pushing her towards her car. Evans and Jane Doe tripped over something on the path and Jane Doe fell backwards and hit the back of her head on concrete. Evans got back up and continued dragging Jane Doe towards his car, at which point a neighbor intervened and Evans fled the scene.
Responding officers later stopped Evans on Highway U.S. 70 and arrested him.
A criminal complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of the current charge, Evans faces up to 10 years in prison.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joni Autrey Stahl is prosecuting the case.
View the Criminal Complaint# # #
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Maryland Man Sentenced to 14 Years’ Imprisonment for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on February 1, 2024, United States District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson sentenced James Henderson Bryant III, age 46, of Westminster, Maryland, to 14 years’ imprisonment for bank robbery. Judge Wilson also ordered Bryant to serve five years on supervised release after the conclusion of his prison sentence and ordered him to pay BB&T and Citizens Banks restitution of more than $26,000.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, in July 2021, a little more than two months after being released from nearly 13 years in state prison, Bryant stole more than $3,000 from a BB&T Bank branch in Hanover, Pennsylvania using a demand note. In August 2021, Bryant robbed two different BB&T Bank branches in Gettysburg, and Spring Grove, Pennsylvania, threatening tellers that he had a firearm before fleeing with cash. In September 2021, Bryant robbed a Citizens Bank branch in Dillsburg, Pennsylvania, this time brandishing what looked like a handgun at three tellers before stealing more than $6,200. Bryant was arrested on October 5, 2021, minutes after robbing a Citizens Bank branch in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, while brandishing what appeared to be a firearm. Days following Bryant’s arrest, he assaulted a corrections officer while being transported to a local hospital for medical care, for which charges remain pending. According to court records, Bryant was charged federally with bank robbery in December 2021, and pleaded guilty in January 2023.
The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance provided by the Pennsylvania State Police, Penn Township Police Department, Gettysburg Police Department, York Area Regional Police Department, Carroll Township Police Department, and the Carlisle Township Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Christian T. Haugsby prosecuted the case.
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Martha's Vineyard Man Sentenced to More Than Eight Years in Prison for Armed Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Edgartown man was sentenced today for robbing a Falmouth bank. Defendant zip-tied bank employees and customers, brandished a firearm, placed a purported bomb on the counter and fled the scene in the vehicle of a bank customer.
Petar Petyoshin, 40, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley to 100 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. In October 2023, Petyoshin pleaded guilty to one count of armed bank robbery.
On April 8, 2023, Petyoshin departed Martha’s Vineyard aboard a Steamship Authority vessel at 7 a.m. and arrived at Woods Hole in Falmouth. At approximately 8:58 a.m. on April 8, 2023, Petyoshin entered the Rockland Trust Bank in Falmouth, placed a purported bomb on the teller counter and brandished a firearm. Petyoshin pointed the firearm at the tellers and customers, telling one bank employee, “I’m robbing you,” before having the customers and bank employees zip-tie each other’s hands together. Petyoshin then had two tellers place over $20,000 in cash from the bank into a brown bag, took a customer’s car keys and fled the scene in the customer’s vehicle. Petyoshin then boarded a 1:15 p.m. return ferry to Martha’s Vineyard.
On May 23, 2023, Petyoshin was arrested on state charges in connection with the robbery. A subsequent search of his residence in Edgartown resulted in the recovery of thousands of dollars in cash bundled together in Rockland Trust money bands, zip ties and clothing items Petyoshin was captured wearing on surveillance footage both before and after the robbery. Additionally, 57 firearms and a large quantity of ammunition were seized during the search. The same jacket worn by Petyoshin during the robbery was recovered during a search of Petyoshin’s personal locker at the Oak Bluffs Water Department where he was employed. The investigation also determined that the Facebook page for Petyoshin’s clothing store, Dapper Martha’s Vineyard, displayed photos of the same clothing – including jacket, sunglasses and wig – he wore during the bank robbery.
Immediately following the robbery, Petyoshin made a several thousand-dollar cash downpayment on a lease for a new Mercedes.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and John. E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Falmouth and Edgartown Police Departments; Barnstable County Sheriff’s Department; and the Cape & Islands District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Man Sentenced for Unlawful Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Drew T. Frost, 41 of Omaha, Nebraska was sentenced January 25, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Frost to 41 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Frost’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release.
On August 1, 2022, an ATF confidential source made a controlled buy of a Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun from Frost, who is a convicted felon. The confidential source, equipped with audio and video recording devices, drove to a meet location on the 42nd block of Frances Street (Frost’s residence). Frost came out of his apartment and entered the confidential source’s vehicle.
The confidential source gave Frost $360 of ATF buy fund money in exchange for the shotgun. Frost was previously convicted of Theft by Shoplifting (April 17, 2015), in the District Court of Lancaster County, Nebraska which is a felony. He is prohibited from possessing firearms.
The Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun was manufactured outside of Nebraska.
This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and was 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.
Luzerne County Man Sentenced to 42 Months’ Imprisonment for Fentanyl DistributionRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on February 1, 2024, United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion sentenced Luis Polanco-Lopez, age 29, of Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, to 42 months’ imprisonment for distribution of fentanyl. Judge Mannion also ordered Polanco-Lopez to serve three years on supervised release after the conclusion of his prison sentence.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, during the spring of 2022, Polanco-Lopez sold 1000, and on a second occasion 500, counterfeit prescription pills during controlled purchase operations conducted by law enforcement agents. The counterfeit prescription medication contained fentanyl, a dangerous and potentially lethal opioid. In all, Polanco-Lopez sold a total of 7.063 grams of pure fentanyl in the counterfeit pills, which is 3,531 doses of potentially fatal fentanyl.
The matter was investigated by the DEA with assistance provided by the Kingston, Pennsylvania Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Todd K. Hinkley prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of opioids. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin and fentanyl traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Last Defendants Sentenced for Central Valley Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Ignacio Alcantar Torres, 34, of McFarland, was sentenced today to 10 years and 10 months in prison, and on Jan. 22, 2024, Alexis Mendiola, 38, of North Hollywood, was sentenced to one year in prison for conspiring to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on four separate occasions, Alcantar served as a courier for Pedro Delgado-Montenegro, 43, a former resident of Porterville, and delivered 1,150 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and one-half pound of methamphetamine to an undercover officer for a total of $5,940. Delgado-Montenegro also arranged for Mendiola, his “pill source,” to deliver to an undercover officer 1,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl. Alcantar and Mendiola are the last of eight defendants to be sentenced for the conspiracy.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Porterville Police Department, the Coalinga Police Department, and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar prosecuted the case.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
Key figure in international cocaine trafficking operation sentenced to 20 years in federal prisonRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A key conspirator in a Colombian drug trafficking operation has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for attempting to fly cocaine to other countries using U.S.-registered aircraft to evade scrutiny.
Agim Cerma, a/k/a “Jimmy,” 54, a citizen of Albania living in Colombia, was sentenced to 240 months in prison after pleading guilty to his role in a conspiracy to transport cocaine aboard U.S.-registered aircraft, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge R. Stan Baker also ordered Cerma to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term and to be deported as part of his release conditions.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“International trafficking in illegal drugs represents a direct threat to the safety of the citizens of the United States, and this investigation and prosecution dismantles an operation planning to fly hundreds of kilos of cocaine out of Colombia,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “We applaud the exceptional work of our law enforcement partners in shutting down this operation and bringing the conspirators to justice.”
As described in court documents and testimony, in 2020 the Drug Enforcement Administration, working with law enforcement agencies in Colombia, identified individuals involved in large-scale drug distribution. The investigation determined that Cerma and others were planning and coordinating production and transportation of hundreds of kilograms of cocaine from Cali, Colombia, to Europe via a U.S.-registered aircraft, hoping U.S. registration would avoid the additional scrutiny given to Colombian-flagged aircraft.
The scheme involved the payment of corrupt airport employees, production of more than 300 kilograms of cocaine from a lab in Colombia, and payments toward the organization and execution of the scheme at approximately $300,000 in U.S. Currency. The investigation revealed Cerma to be the leader of the drug trafficking organization and conspiracies with co-defendants to export the cocaine using an U.S. registered aircraft.
Law enforcement authorities at the Bonilla Aragon International Airport in Cali later seized suitcases containing approximately 330 kilograms of cocaine destined for an aircraft traveling to Europe.
Cerma was arrested in Colombia in July 2021 and extradited to the United States in September 2023. Four Colombian co-defendants also were extradited to the United States, and three of them have entered guilty pleas in U.S. District Court: Jairo Fernando Cardona Lopez, 52, has been sentenced 175 months in prison; Edwin Durlandy Montilla Gonzalez, 39, has been sentenced to 150 months in prison; and Pedro Antonio Penagos Londono, 47, has been sentenced to 48 months. The fourth co-defendant, William Cruz Perez, 67, is awaiting trial and is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
ADD AGENCY COMMENTS
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service, United States Customs and Border Protection, and the Georgia Ports Authority. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Judicial Attaché’s office at the U.S. Embassy in Bogota provided significant assistance in securing the arrests and extraditions from Colombia. The case was prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marcela C. Mateo and Darron Hubbard.
Justice Department and State of North Carolina Secure $13.5 Million Agreement with First National Bank of Pennsylvania to Resolve Redlining Claims in North CarolinaRead the Press Release
The Justice Department and the State of North Carolina jointly announced today that First National Bank of Pennsylvania (FNB) has agreed to pay $13.5 million to resolve allegations that it engaged in a pattern or practice of lending discrimination by redlining predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in Charlotte and Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Redlining is an illegal practice in which lenders avoid providing credit services to individuals living in communities of color because of the race, color, or national origin of residents in those communities.
“Lending discrimination violates the law and harms communities and entire families for generations,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Today’s settlement will invest $13.5 million in expanding access to credit services for Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in Charlotte and Winston-Salem that for too long have been denied to them. With this settlement, the Justice Department’s Combating Redlining Initiative has now secured over $122 million in relief for communities across the country. But we recognize how much work we have left to do, and we are not letting up in our efforts to combat discrimination in lending wherever it occurs.”
“This agreement will have a transformative impact for Black and Hispanic communities, providing them with new opportunities to become homeowners, bank in their neighborhoods and create generational wealth,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “As we take time across the nation to commemorate Black History Month, we must also create space to acknowledge the ongoing harms caused by structural racism and long-term discrimination. Modern-day redlining is a stain on our economy and underscores the need to keep pushing for equal economic opportunity and racial justice in our country. The Justice Department stands ready to hold banks and financial institutions accountable to ensure that communities of color are not shut out of access to mortgage credit due to modern-day redlining.”
“The devastating effects of discriminatory lending that become entrenched in neighborhoods can reverberate through generations,” said U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston for the Middle District of North Carolina. “The settlement announced today demonstrates our commitment to combating redlining and ensuring the equal access to credit required by law. We will continue our efforts to hold accountable financial institutions that avoid communities of color in their markets or erect barriers that make it harder for minority residents to access credit. Banks and mortgage companies should evaluate their lending practices and take immediate corrective action to reach underserved communities in their market areas.”
“When banks discriminate, it means hardworking people can’t buy a house, start a business, or invest in their futures,” said North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein. “I want every person who calls North Carolina home to have a fair shot, and I’m pleased that this settlement will create better borrowing opportunities for all North Carolinians.”
The complaint alleges, from 2017 through 2021, FNB, including as successor in interest to Yadkin Bank, which it acquired in 2017, failed to provide mortgage lending services to predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in Charlotte and Winston-Salem, and discouraged people seeking credit in those communities from obtaining home loans. FNB’s home mortgage lending was focused disproportionately on white areas of Charlotte and Winston-Salem. For example, other lenders generated applications in predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhoods at two-and-a-half times the rate of FNB in Charlotte and four times the rate of FNB in Winston-Salem. FNB’s branches in both cities were also overwhelmingly located in predominantly white neighborhoods, with the bank closing its sole branch in a predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhood in Winston-Salem in 2021.
The complaint further alleges that FNB relied on mortgage loan officers working out of predominantly white areas to generate loan applications and that the bank did not track how its mortgage loan officers developed loan referrals or how they distributed the bank’s mortgage marketing materials.
The Justice Department and the State of North Carolina have resolved their claims via two proposed consent orders, which are both subject to court approval. The consent orders require FNB to invest $13.5 million to increase credit opportunities for communities of color in Charlotte and Winston-Salem. Specifically, FNB will:
- Invest at least $11.75 million in a loan subsidy fund to increase access to home mortgage, home improvement and home refinance loans for residents of majority-Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in FNB’s Charlotte and Winston-Salem service areas;
- Spend $1 million on community partnerships to provide services related to credit, consumer financial education, homeownership and foreclosure prevention for residents of predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in those service areas;
- Spend $750,000 for advertising, outreach, consumer financial education and credit counseling focused on predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in those service areas;
- Open three new branches in predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in Charlotte and Winston-Salem (two in Charlotte and one in Winston-Salem), with at least one mortgage banker assigned to each branch; and
- Hire a director of community lending who will oversee the continued development of lending in communities of color.
FNB also agreed to retain independent consultants to enhance its fair lending program and better meet the communities’ needs for mortgage credit. The bank will conduct a community credit needs assessment, evaluate its fair lending compliance management systems, and conduct staff trainings.
FNB worked cooperatively with the Justice Department and the State of North Carolina to resolve and remedy the redlining concerns that were identified and agreed to settle this matter without contested litigation. During the course of the investigation, FNB established a Special Purpose Credit Program to provide greater access to home loans in communities of color across the seven states where it does business and the District of Columbia.
With assets of over $45 billion, FNB is headquartered in Pennsylvania and operates approximately 350 branches throughout the District of Columbia, Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia. It is among the 100 largest banks in the United States.
In October 2021, Attorney General Garland and Assistant Attorney General Clarke launched the Justice Department’s Combating Redlining Initiative, a coordinated enforcement effort to address this persistent form of discrimination against communities of color. Since 2021, the department has announced 12 redlining resolutions and secured over $122 million in relief for communities of color that have been the victims of lending discrimination across the country.
A copy of the joint complaint and information about Justice Department’s fair lending enforcement can be found at www.justice.gov/fairhousing. Individuals may report lending discrimination by calling the U.S. Justice Department’s housing discrimination tip line at 1-833-591-0291 or submitting a report online.
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Justice Department and State of North Carolina Secure $13.5 Million Agreement with First National Bank of Pennsylvania to Resolve Redlining Claims in North CarolinaRead the Press Release
The Justice Department and the State of North Carolina jointly announced today that First National Bank of Pennsylvania (FNB) has agreed to pay $13.5 million to resolve allegations that it engaged in a pattern or practice of lending discrimination by redlining predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in Charlotte and Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Redlining is an illegal practice in which lenders avoid providing credit services to individuals living in communities of color because of the race, color, or national origin of residents in those communities.
“Lending discrimination violates the law and harms communities and entire families for generations,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Today’s settlement will invest $13.5 million in expanding access to credit services for Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in Charlotte and Winston-Salem that for too long have been denied to them. With this settlement, the Justice Department’s Combating Redlining Initiative has now secured over $122 million in relief for communities across the country. But we recognize how much work we have left to do, and we are not letting up in our efforts to combat discrimination in lending wherever it occurs.”
“This agreement will have a transformative impact for Black and Hispanic communities, providing them with new opportunities to become homeowners, bank in their neighborhoods and create generational wealth,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “As we take time across the nation to commemorate Black History Month, we must also create space to acknowledge the ongoing harms caused by structural racism and long-term discrimination. Modern-day redlining is a stain on our economy and underscores the need to keep pushing for equal economic opportunity and racial justice in our country. The Justice Department stands ready to hold banks and financial institutions accountable to ensure that communities of color are not shut out of access to mortgage credit due to modern-day redlining.”
“The devastating effects of discriminatory lending that become entrenched in neighborhoods can reverberate through generations,” said U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston for the Middle District of North Carolina. “The settlement announced today demonstrates our commitment to combating redlining and ensuring the equal access to credit required by law. We will continue our efforts to hold accountable financial institutions that avoid communities of color in their markets or erect barriers that make it harder for minority residents to access credit. Banks and mortgage companies should evaluate their lending practices and take immediate corrective action to reach underserved communities in their market areas.”
“When banks discriminate, it means hardworking people can’t buy a house, start a business, or invest in their futures,” said North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein. “I want every person who calls North Carolina home to have a fair shot, and I’m pleased that this settlement will create better borrowing opportunities for all North Carolinians.”
The complaint alleges, from 2017 through 2021, FNB, including as successor in interest to Yadkin Bank, which it acquired in 2017, failed to provide mortgage lending services to predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in Charlotte and Winston-Salem, and discouraged people seeking credit in those communities from obtaining home loans. FNB’s home mortgage lending was focused disproportionately on white areas of Charlotte and Winston-Salem. For example, other lenders generated applications in predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhoods at two-and-a-half times the rate of FNB in Charlotte and four times the rate of FNB in Winston-Salem. FNB’s branches in both cities were also overwhelmingly located in predominantly white neighborhoods, with the bank closing its sole branch in a predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhood in Winston-Salem in 2021.
The complaint further alleges that FNB relied on mortgage loan officers working out of predominantly white areas to generate loan applications and that the bank did not track how its mortgage loan officers developed loan referrals or how they distributed the bank’s mortgage marketing materials.
The Justice Department and the State of North Carolina have resolved their claims via two proposed consent orders, which are both subject to court approval. The consent orders require FNB to invest $13.5 million to increase credit opportunities for communities of color in Charlotte and Winston-Salem. Specifically, FNB will:
- Invest at least $11.75 million in a loan subsidy fund to increase access to home mortgage, home improvement and home refinance loans for residents of majority-Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in FNB’s Charlotte and Winston-Salem service areas;
- Spend $1 million on community partnerships to provide services related to credit, consumer financial education, homeownership and foreclosure prevention for residents of predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in those service areas;
- Spend $750,000 for advertising, outreach, consumer financial education and credit counseling focused on predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in those service areas;
- Open three new branches in predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in Charlotte and Winston-Salem (two in Charlotte and one in Winston-Salem), with at least one mortgage banker assigned to each branch; and
- Hire a director of community lending who will oversee the continued development of lending in communities of color.
FNB also agreed to retain independent consultants to enhance its fair lending program and better meet the communities’ needs for mortgage credit. The bank will conduct a community credit needs assessment, evaluate its fair lending compliance management systems, and conduct staff trainings.
FNB worked cooperatively with the Justice Department and the State of North Carolina to resolve and remedy the redlining concerns that were identified and agreed to settle this matter without contested litigation. During the course of the investigation, FNB established a Special Purpose Credit Program to provide greater access to home loans in communities of color across the seven states where it does business and the District of Columbia.
With assets of over $45 billion, FNB is headquartered in Pennsylvania and operates approximately 350 branches throughout the District of Columbia, Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia. It is among the 100 largest banks in the United States.
In October 2021, Attorney General Garland and Assistant Attorney General Clarke launched the Justice Department’s Combating Redlining Initiative, a coordinated enforcement effort to address this persistent form of discrimination against communities of color. Since 2021, the department has announced 12 redlining resolutions and secured over $122 million in relief for communities of color that have been the victims of lending discrimination across the country.
A copy of the joint complaint and information about Justice Department’s fair lending enforcement can be found at www.justice.gov/fairhousing. Individuals may report lending discrimination by calling the U.S. Justice Department’s housing discrimination tip line at 1-833-591-0291 or submitting a report online.
Jefferson Parish Man Charged with Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – COREY ESQUERRE, age 50, a resident of Jefferson Parish, was indicted on February 2, 2024, for possessing with intent to distribute fifty grams or more of methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
If convicted, ESQUERRE faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years, up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000, at least 5 years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
On July 31, 2023, Drug Enforcement Administration agents searched Mr. Esquerre’s residence pursuant to a state search warrant and discovered 1,917 grams of methamphetamine.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charging document and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Sarver of the Narcotics Unit.
Highlands County man sentenced to 100 months for distribution of methamphetamineRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On Jan. 30, a Highlands County man was sentenced to 100 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of methamphetamine. The sentence comes after his guilty plea on Sept. 27, 2023.
Between January and May 2023, Rafael Junior Morrero, 46, of Sebring, Florida, sold a total of 204.09 grams of pure methamphetamine on five separate occasions in Highlands County.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division, and Sheriff Paul Blackman of the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO), announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon.
DEA Miami Field Division, Port St. Lucie Resident Office and HCSO investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hudock prosecuted it.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 23-cr-14014.
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Grand Island Women Sentenced for MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Tarra Arcos, 47, and Glenda Aguilar, 67, both of Grand Island, Nebraska, were sentenced on Monday, February 5, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Senior United States District Court Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Arcos to 132 months’ imprisonment; and Aguilar to 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Arcos and Aguilar are released from prison, each will begin an 8-year term of supervised release. Approximately $66,000 in United States currency was forfeited to the United States as part of sentencing.
In March of 2023, investigators made a controlled purchase of meth from Glenda Aguilar at the residence of Tarra Arcos, Aguilar’s daughter. During this transaction, Aguilar stated that Arcos could supply a larger amount of meth.
The following day, investigators executed a search warrant at Arcos’ residence where they seized over 10 ounces of meth and approximately $66,000 in United States currency.
Tarra Arcos and Glenda Aguilar both have a prior federal conviction for selling meth.
This case was investigated by the Tri-Cities Drug Enforcement Team (TRIDENT) Task Force which is made up of officers from the Grand Island Police Department, Hall County Sheriff’s Office, Hastings Police Department, Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Kearney Police Department, Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office, Nebraska State Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Fresno Fentanyl Trafficker Sentenced to 9 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Uriel Diaz-Santos, 21, of Fresno, was sentenced today to nine years in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, after two juveniles overdosed on fentanyl pills, investigators interviewed witnesses and reviewed phone records, ultimately developing enough evidence to obtain a search warrant for Diaz-Santos’s residence. On Nov. 2, 2021, investigators searched Diaz-Santos’s house and found thousands of fentanyl pills and a firearm.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Fentanyl Overdose Resolution Team (FORT), composed of officers from Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Fresno and Clovis Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the U.S. Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts.
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 U.S. Department of Justice 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.
Former Washougal, Washington resident sentenced to 15 years in prison for production of images of child sexual abuseRead the Press Release
Tacoma – A 29-year-old former resident of Washougal, Washington, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 15 years in prison for making videos of the rape of two infant children, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Steven Rian Price was convicted at trial of multiple felonies in Clark County Superior Court. Price was sentenced to 108 years in state custody. The 15-year federal sentence will run concurrently with the state sentence. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle said, “The seriousness of this offense cannot be overstated. The crime was unspeakably cruel and depraved. No words can describe the horrors of the abuse… The victims will live with this for the rest of their lives.”
According to records in the case, Price was residing in a motel in Washougal. In summer 2019, Price used a smartphone to videotape the rape of an infant child. Later that year, Price used the online communication platforms Discord and Skype to share videos depicting the rape of the infant. Also in the summer of 2019, Price filmed the sexual assault of a second infant – the child of an acquaintance. In October 2019, the day after one of the videos was uploaded, Discord alerted law enforcement and Vancouver Police moved quickly to arrest Price.
The case was investigated by the Vancouver Police Department Digital Evidence Cybercrimes Unit.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Dillon.
Former Overland Park Business Owner Pleads Guilty to $800,000 COVID FraudRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former Overland Park, Kansas, man pleaded guilty in federal court today to charges related to fraudulently receiving more than $800,000 under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Mirza Michael Reazuddin, 66, currently a resident of Lawrenceville, Georgia, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering.
Reazuddin was a partner in a hotel operation called Grandview Hotel, LLC, which was established in 2013 and ceased operations in 2018. Another company then took over operations of the hotel until it ultimately closed in 2021.
The purpose of the CARES Act was to provide emergency financial assistance due to the economic impact caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act authorized the Small Business Administration to provide low-interest Economic Injury Disaster Loans to eligible small businesses that experienced substantial financial disruption due to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) authorized forgivable loans to small businesses to retain workers and maintain payroll, and make mortgage interest payments, lease payments, and utility payments. Under the PPP, both the principal and interest on those loans were eligible for forgiveness.
On June 25, 2020, Reazuddin, on behalf of Grandview Hotel (which had ceased operations), applied for and received a PPP loan in the amount of $384,100. Reazuddin made numerous false statements on the application and submitted false and fraudulent documents in support of the application.
On Jan. 26, 2021, Reazuddin, on behalf of Grandview Hotel, applied for and received a second draw of PPP funding in the amount of $420,000. Reazuddin made similar false statements on this application.
Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Reazuddin must pay $804,100 in restitution to the Small Business Administration and forfeit to the government $804,100, which represents the proceeds he personally obtained from the scheme, as well as his residential property in Lawrenceville.
Under federal statutes, Reazuddin is subject to a sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.
Former Brooklyn Tax Preparer Pleads Guilty in False Return SchemeRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Melinda Jacob, the former owner of a tax preparation business, pleaded guilty to a criminal Information charging her with the preparation of false tax returns. The proceeding was held before United States Magistrate Judge James R. Cho. When sentenced, Jacobs faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison as well as restitution and monetary penalties.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Thomas Fattorusso, Special Agent-in-Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), announced the guilty plea.
“With the tax season upon us, today’s guilty plea underscores the message that tax preparers have an obligation to perform their duties honestly, and when they abuse their position by filing false information that defrauds the IRS, the return will be a felony conviction like this and additional penalties,” stated United States Attorney Peace.
“While most tax preparers are reputable, it is the bad apples like Melinda Jacob who spoil the bunch. She took advantage of her role and her clients by using their returns to steal money from the government. Jacob’s plea puts her a step closer the consequences of her dishonesty and deceit,” stated IRS-CI Special Agent-in-Charge Fattorusso.
Jacob owned and operated Melinda Jacob Tax Services, a tax preparation business located in her home in Brooklyn, New York. Between 2019 and 2022, Jacobs prepared false and fraudulent Forms 5695 for multiple clients. Form 5695 was an IRS form on which a taxpayer reported expenditures or costs associated with clean energy or energy efficient improvements to their home, and claimed one or both of the “Residential Clean Energy Credit” and the “Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit” against their tax liability. A Form 5695, where applicable, is filed as an attachment to a taxpayer’s Form 1040. Jacob inflated her clients’ tax refunds by preparing and submitting to the IRS false tax returns that claimed fictitious expenses relating to solar water heaters and geothermal heat pumps that resulted in the clients receiving fraudulent Residential Energy Credits. In most cases, Jacob made up the energy expenses listed on her clients’ tax returns and did not discuss the Residential Energy Credit with her clients. As a result of these false Forms 5695, the IRS suffered an aggregate tax loss of approximately $1,151,761.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Raffaela S. Belizaire.
The Defendant:
Melinda Jacob
Age: 48
Lake Mary, FloridaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-35 (RER)
Former Bank Employee Sentenced for Bank FraudRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Jacqueline R. Brandt, 44, of Minden, Iowa, was sentenced on January 31, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for bank fraud. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Brandt to time served and five years of supervised release and ordered that she pay $64,102.52 in restitution. Brandt will be required to pay at least $1,000 per month toward restitution during her sixty-month term of supervised release.
During approximately November 2019 to July 2022, Brandt used her access as a Foundation One Bank employee to embezzle funds from customers’ accounts and to steal cash from the bank. Brandt fraudulently obtained a total of approximately $118,337.52, of which Foundation One Bank was able to recover $54,235.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Florida Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Selling Fentanyl over the Dark WebRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Chaloner Saintillus, 35, of Delray Beach, Florida, was sentenced today to 10 years and one month in prison for distributing controlled substances into the Eastern District of California using the dark web, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Saintillus operated multiple narcotics vendor accounts on the dark web under the username “chlnsaint,” through which he sold fentanyl, oxycodone, oxymorphone, and other narcotics in exchange for cryptocurrency. Taking advantage of the dark web’s anonymity, Saintillus completed more than 1,000 drug deals between August 2019 and August 2020 alone. Saintillus used the U.S. Postal Service to send his customers the fentanyl, opioids, and other narcotics they purchased from “chlnsaint.”
Law enforcement officers conducted 12 controlled purchases of narcotics from “chlnsaint” between April and October 2020. Agents identified Saintillus as “chlnsaint” through physical surveillance and analysis of financial, package tracking, and photographic records maintained by the Postal Service. Agents executed search warrants at Saintillus’s Florida residence in October 2020, during which they arrested Saintillus and seized narcotics, more than $20,000 in cryptocurrency, a firearm, and a suitcase full of ammunition. On April 6, 2023, Saintillus pleaded guilty to 12 counts of distributing controlled substances.
This case was the product of an investigation by Northern California Illicit Digital Economy Task Force (NCIDE), which is composed of agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. NCIDE agents received assistance from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and the Delray Beach Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sam Stefanki and Ross Pearson prosecuted the case.