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Friday 15 December 2023
Federal Jury Finds Defendant Guilty of Murder for Hire, Conspiracy to Commit Murder for Hire, and Solicitation to Commit a Crime of ViolenceRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A federal jury convicted Joshua Druid Bryan of Clinton, MS, today for murder for hire, conspiracy to commit murder for hire, and solicitation to commit a crime of violence.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Bryan, 28, hired a hitman to murder another person. He also entered into a conspiracy with Regan Bryan, his sister, to commit the offense. Regan Bryan previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit murder for hire.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives made the announcement.
The ATF investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Payne and Matt Allen prosecuted the case.
Farmington Man Sentenced to More Than 6 Years in Federal Prison for Fentanyl and Cocaine Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that DENIS MURTIC, 38, of Farmington, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to 78 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for fentanyl and cocaine trafficking offenses. Judge Williams also ordered Murtic to pay a $25,000 fine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the DEA’s Hartford Task Force launched an investigation of Murtic for trafficking large quantities of fentanyl and cocaine. On September 3, 2020, a court-authorized search of an apartment on Grafton Street in Hartford apartment connected to Murtic revealed thousands of wax folds of fentanyl, more than 700 grams of cocaine, and items used to process and package narcotics for distribution.
On October 18, 2021, investigators made a controlled purchase of approximately 50 grams of fentanyl from Murtic and Alexander Rodriguez at a parking lot in East Hartford. After the transaction, investigators observed Murtic and Rodriguez travel to an apartment on Wakefield Circle in East Hartford. On October 26, 2021, Murtic, Rodriguez, and Efrain Rosario were arrested at the apartment, which was being used as a narcotics processing and packaging mill. A search of the apartment revealed more than 40,000 glassine bags and wax folds of fentanyl, approximately 1.7 kilograms of loose fentanyl, two compressed bricks of cocaine weighing a total of approximately 1.5 kilograms, and numerous narcotics processing and packaging items, including a kilogram press.
A related search of Murtic’s business resulted in the seizure of a .22 caliber handgun and ammunition. Analysis of Murtic’s phone revealed numerous texts and images involving Murtic’s illegal acquisition of other firearms.
Murtic has been detained since his arrest. On January 20, 2023, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of cocaine.
Rodriguez, of East Windsor, and Rosario, of Hartford, have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
The DEA Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, and Windsor Locks Police Departments.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Fairport man sentenced for attacking a federal officer during a campaign eventRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that David G. Jakubonis, 44, of Fairport, NY, who was convicted of assaulting a federal officer, was sentenced to serve three years probation by U.S. Magistrate Judge Marian W. Payson.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean C. Eldridge, who handled the case, stated that on July 21, 2022, during a campaign event in Perinton, NY, Congressman Lee Zeldin gave a speech from the bed of a flatbed trailer. During the speech, Jakubonis walked onto the trailer, approached the Congressman, extended a keychain with two sharp points toward him and grabbed his arm. A struggle then ensued between Congressman Zeldin and Jakubonis and, as bystanders intervened, Jakubonis pulled Congressman Zeldin down onto the bed of the trailer, stating several times during the assault, “you're done.” Jakubonis was subdued and arrested.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, the U.S. Capitol Police, under the direction of Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge Chad Beckett, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Miklos Szoczei II, the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith and the Brighton Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Catholdi.
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Fairfax Doctor Pleads Guilty to Obstructing the IRS, Agrees to Pay $5.3 MillionRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Fairfax doctor pleaded guilty today and has agreed to pay $3.1 million in taxes and $2.2 million to insurance companies for corruptly obstructing the IRS by underreporting his income and filing false tax returns in connection with his medical practice.
According to court documents, Dr. Jasser Thiara owned and operated an obstetrics medical practice, doing business as Mid-Atlantic Ob-Gyn, and another doctor’s office specializing in pain management called Fairfax Pain Clinic. To reduce his taxable income for the 2017 to 2020 tax years, Thiara filed false returns for Mid-Atlantic that claimed bogus business deductions, which falsely decreased the company’s business income. Thiara then filed false individual income tax returns, which did not fully report the income that he had received from MidAtlantic. Thiara also failed to report hundreds of thousands of dollars a year in gross receipts generated by Fairfax Pain Clinic.
In addition to the Mid-Atlantic and Fairfax Pain Clinic schemes, from 2014 through approximately 2016, Thiara received payments for prescriptions referred to certain Virginia pharmacies owned by Mohamed Abdalla, even though some of Mid-Atlantic’s contracts with insurers expressly prohibited such arrangements. In some instances, Abdalla billed insurance companies for these prescriptions but did not send the medications to patients in order to increase profits. Some patients contacted Mid-Atlantic to complain that they had been provided with medicine that they had not requested or did not need. In other instances, patients complained to Mid-Atlantic that their insurance companies had been billed for prescriptions that they had not received, knew nothing about, and did not need. In total, Thiara received approximately $2.2 million from the “referral” scheme, and neither reported, nor paid taxes on this income.
Finally, for the 2017 to 2020 tax years, Thiara used a business called NTMT to receive payments for medical services billed out-of-network, principally from Aetna and United Healthcare, even though Thiara was an in-network provider for both insurers. Thiara then filed returns which falsely reported that NTMT had received minimal to no business income, when in fact it had received millions of dollars from insurance companies.
In total, Thiara did not pay the Internal Revenue Service $3,172,001 in taxes owed for the tax years 2015 to 2020. Thiara used these funds to purchase a lavish $3.5 million residence and a $340,000 Ferrari, and spent hundreds of thousands more on credit cards and luxury items.
Thiara is scheduled to be sentenced on March 15, 2024. He faces a maximum penalty of 3 years in prison. 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. Thiara has also agreed to pay $3,172,001 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service and another $2,214,830 to third-party victims.
Adballa was sentenced on March 19, 2021, to four years in prison for his role in the kickback scheme.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; David Geist, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division; Kareem Carter, Special Agent in Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigations Washington Field Office; Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); Christopher Dillard, Special Agent in Charge for the Department of Defense, Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s (DCIS) Mid-Atlantic Field Office; Derek Holt, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM); and George Scavdis, Special Agent in Charge, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Office of Criminal Investigations, Metro Washington Field Office, made the announcement after Senior U.S District Judge Claude M. Hilton accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jack Morgan and Zoe Bedell are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-00194.
Extradited Bloomington Fugitive Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography and Enticement ChargesRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Bloomington fugitive has pleaded guilty to attempted production and production of child pornography, receipt of child pornography, and enticement of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, between October 2020 through March 2023, Ibrahim Ghassan Sleyman, 30, used Snapchat and other messaging apps to solicit sexually explicit material and sex acts from minors, some as young as nine-years-old. Additionally, Sleyman groomed and enticed a minor victim to produce child pornography and engage in sexual activity with Sleyman by providing the minor with drugs and gifts. Once Sleyman became aware of law enforcement’s investigation, he fled to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), on September 6, 2022. While Sleyman was a fugitive in the UAE, he continued to use Snapchat to engage in sexually explicit conversations with minors in the United States.
Sleyman was extradited by the UAE and upon his return to the United State, he was taken into federal custody by the FBI on September 15, 2023. To date, the United States has identified at least 22 minor victims who Sleyman solicited and used to produce and receive child pornography and attempted to entice to engage in unlawful sexual acts. If you believe you or your minor dependent(s) have been victimized by Ibrahim Sleyman, please contact the FBI Tip Line at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or tips.fbi.gov.
Sleyman pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Court Judge Donovan W. Frank to one count of attempted production and production of child pornography, one count of receipt of child pornography, and one count of enticement of a minor. As a part of his plea, Sleyman admitted to criminal conduct relating to 22 minor victims.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Elk River Police Department, and the Pleasant Hill, Missouri Police Department, with assistance from the St. Paul Police Department. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the State Department, the Ministries of Justice and Interior of the United Arab Emirates, UAE Interpol, Abu Dhabi Airport Police and Abu Dhabi International Airport – Airport Security provided significant support and assistance in Sleyman’s extradition from the United Arab Emirates.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Hillary A. Taylor is prosecuting the case.
Executives Charged with Bid Rigging, Territorial Allocation and Defrauding the U.S. Forest Service After a Wiretap InvestigationRead the Press Release
Following a court-authorized wiretap investigation, a federal grand jury in Boise, Idaho, returned an indictment this week charging two executives of competing companies with conspiring to rig bids and allocate territories in violation of the Sherman Act, conspiring to commit wire fraud and committing wire fraud.
According to the seven-count felony indictment, Ike Tomlinson and Kris Bird’s conspiracy affected contracts for forest-firefighting services. As alleged, the U.S. Forest Service runs a competitive bidding process for these contracts to ensure taxpayer dollars are spent efficiently. The indictment alleges that from at least in or about February 2014, up to and including in or about March, the defendants coordinated their bids to “squeeze” and “drown” competitors; accepted payment for fuel trucks at collusive and noncompetitive daily rates; and tried to conceal their actions.
This investigation was conducted by the department’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF), which included FBI agents, with judicial authorization, intercepting phone calls between the defendants. As alleged, Tomlinson and Bird spoke with one another shortly before the deadline to submit bids on fuel truck contracts. During calls quoted in the indictment, they allegedly agreed to rig bids, allocate territories and target competitors.
A violation of the Sherman Act carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $1 million fine for individuals and a maximum penalty of a $100 million fine for corporations. The maximum fine may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by victims if either amount is greater than the maximum. A violation of the wire fraud statute carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Antitrust Division’s San Francisco Office, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho and FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, Boise Resident Agency are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Matthew Chou and Assistant Chief Christopher J. Carlberg of the Antitrust Division’s San Francisco Office and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean M. Mazorol for the District of Idaho are prosecuting the case.
In November 2019, the Justice Department created the PCSF, a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant and program funding at all levels of government – federal, state and local. To learn more about the PCSF, or to report information on bid rigging, price fixing, market allocation and other anticompetitive conduct related to government spending, go to www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force. Anyone with information in connection with this investigation can contact the PCSF at the link listed above.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Evansville Child Predator Sentenced to Six Years in Federal Prison for Sharing Child Sexual Abuse Material via Social MediaRead the Press Release
EVANSVILLE- Seth Harms, 31, of Mount Vernon, Indiana, has been sentenced to six years in federal prison after pleading guilty to two counts of distribution of child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, between November 22, and December 8 of 2021, Harms used the screen name “monstere98” to send multiple videos and images of child sexual abuse material to other users using an online communications platform. One video contained a prepubescent female undressing and engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
On December 8, 2021, Harms was interviewed at his home by local law enforcement officers and admitted to viewing sexually explicit material involving minors on his cell phone as recently as a couple of hours before the investigators arrived. Additionally, Harms admitted to using the platform to communicate with other individuals who would send him internet file links for child sexual abuse material.
“Predators like this defendant use online platforms to exploit children and seek affirmation from others who share their sexual interest in minors. Survivors of child sexual abuse are retraumatized every single time the evidence of their abuse is shared,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “My office and our law enforcement partners at the FBI are dedicated to protecting children from those interested in their exploitation by identifying and sending them to federal prison.”
The FBI investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Richard L. Young. Judge Young also ordered that Harms be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for five years following his release from federal prison and register as a sex offender wherever he lives, works, and goes to school.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Todd S. Shellenbarger, who prosecuted this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.
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Ethete man sentenced for assault resulting in serious bodily injuryRead the Press Release
Gary Lee Moon, a/k/a Rod or Rodney Moon, 43, of Ethete, Wyoming, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for assault resulting in serious bodily injury. According to court documents, on April 20, 2023, Moon and the victim were drinking together at the victim’s residence. When the victim laid down to sleep, Moon went into the bedroom and began hitting the victim with a metal pole. Moon struck the victim in the head, back, and arm, breaking the victim’s forearm and dislocating his elbow.
Moon pled guilty to the charge in September 2023 and was sentenced on December 13, 2023, by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal.
This crime was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the FBI. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy W. Gist.
Case No. 23-CR-00111
Eight Time Prior Drug Felon Sentenced to 300 Months for Armed Fentanyl and Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Fayetteville man was sentenced today to 300 months in prison for running a Fayetteville-based stash house where fentanyl and methamphetamine were sold. On July 25, 2022, Montrel Demon Rhone pled guilty to drug trafficking and firearms charges.
“Stemming the flow of illicit fentanyl and the overdose epidemic continue to be among our highest priorities,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “This avowed drug trafficker and REPEAT felon had eight prior drug-related convictions, and tried to escape accountability in this case by flushing drugs down the toilet when police executed search warrants. With this federal sentence, he will now spend the next quarter century behind bars.”
According to court documents and other information presented in court, investigators received information in October of 2020, that Rhone, 45, was running a drug house in the Deep Creek Road area of Fayetteville where he and half a dozen of his co-conspirators were selling drugs that he provided. From late 2020 through March of 2021, investigators conducted multiple controlled purchases of fentanyl, para-fluorofentanyl, and methamphetamine from Rhone and people working on his behalf. Ultimately, investigators were able to establish that Rhone received half kilograms of fentanyl at a time from his source of supply.
On March 25, 2021, the Fayetteville Police Department executed a search warrant at a hotel where Rhone had stored methamphetamine for one of the controlled purchases. Though Rhone attempted to destroy drug evidence by flushing it down the toilet, investigators recovered fentanyl, drug packaging material, and two firearms from within the room. At the time of this investigation, Rhone had previously been convicted of eight different drug related felony convictions in the State of North Carolina and had served an active prison sentence for cocaine trafficking.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Fayetteville Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Webb prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-CR-280-D-1.
District Man Sentenced to 16 Months in Prison for Felony Second Degree Theft for Stealing from CVS after Multiple Prior Theft ConvictionsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jamal Calloway, 34, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to sixteen months incarceration to be followed by three years of supervised release for felony second degree theft by the Honorable Lynn Leibovitz of the Superior Court for the District of Columbia.
According to the government’s evidence, on August 21, 2023, around 9:00 p.m., Jamal Calloway entered the CVS located at 2129 14th Street, NW, picked up store merchandise, and left the store without paying for the items. About an hour later, Calloway went back into that same CVS and was arrested while inside.
On September 20, 2023, a grand jury indicted Jamal Calloway on one count of felony second degree theft pursuant to DC Code § 22–3212(c); Calloway had multiple prior theft convictions, not from the same occasion, and was therefore subject to enhanced penalties for his alleged theft, including a mandatory minimum sentence of one year of incarceration.
On October 18, 2023, Calloway pleaded guilty to that offense. At sentencing on December 15, 2023, Judge Leibovitz heard a victim impact statement from a representative of CVS. The CVS representative explained that “Mr. Calloway’s theft has not only harmed the stores’ performance, but also created an atmosphere of insecurity and demotivation among the hardworking employees by affecting their morale and overall well-being.”
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). They acknowledged the efforts of those who are working on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Augustin Horner, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Convicted of Assault, Threatening to Injure or Kidnap a Person, and Intimidating, Impeding, Interfering with and Retaliating Against a Government OfficialRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Antoine Nicholson, 34, of Washington, D.C., was convicted at trial of intimidating, impeding, interfering with and retaliating against a government official, among other charges, for a firearm-related assault against a parking enforcement officer that took place in the U Street corridor on Aug. 12, 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Pamela Smith, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Nicholson was also found guilty of assault and threatening to injure or kidnap a person. The verdict was returned on Dec. 15, 2023, following a four-day jury trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia before the Honorable Maribeth Raffinan.
According to the government’s evidence, on Aug. 12, 2023, at approximately 1:30 a.m., Nicholson was illegally parked in a no-parking zone in the 2100 block of 10th Street N.W. His vehicle also had over $3,000 in unpaid parking tickets and had expired tags. The victim and his partner, both Department of Public Works parking enforcement officers, were patrolling the area. Due to the defendant’s parking violations, they began to impound the defendant’s vehicle, during which Nicholson approached the officers and cursed at them. In response, the victim explained to Nicholson why his car was being towed. Nicholson then went inside the driver’s side compartment of the vehicle, retrieved a handgun from the compartment, and threatened to “bust” the victim.
Nicholson fled the scene and was apprehended by police approximately a half-mile from the location of the offense. Nicholson is scheduled to be sentenced by D.C. Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan on March 8, 2024. For being convicted of Intimidating, impeding, interfering with and retaliating against a government official, he faces a statutory maximum penalty of 5 years in prison and a $12,500 fine. For being convicted of threatening to injure or kidnap a person, he faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $50,000 fine.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Pamela Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s office. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emmanuel Hampton and Kraig Ahalt, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Convicted by a Federal Jury of Unlawful Possession of Ammunition and Unlawful Possession with Intent to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Roy Tatum, 47, of Washington, DC, was convicted by a federal jury of unlawful possession of ammunition and unlawful possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, both felony offenses. U.S. District Court Judge Dabney L. Friedrich scheduled a sentencing hearing for March 22, 2024.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
According to the evidence presented to the jury, on October 27, 2021, at approximately 6:04 a.m., members of the Metropolitan Police Department executed a D.C. Superior Court search warrant at 238 35th Street Northeast in Washington D.C. Officers banged loudly on the front door prior to making entry into the apartment. When there was no answer at the front door, officers forced entry. As they entered, they observed Tatum walk out of the bathroom, wearing only shorts and slippers. In that bathroom, officers found numerous packets of narcotics, including fentanyl on the floor and inside the toilet bowl and tank, which Tatum admitted at trial that he was trying to destroy to prevent recovery by police. Additional packets of Fentanyl were recovered from Tatum’s vehicle, which was parked outside the apartment. Moreover, during the search of the apartment, officers recovered from inside Tatum’s pant pocket a .45 caliber Glock magazine containing six rounds of ammunition.
Tatum was previously released from incarceration under the D.C. Incarceration Reduction Amendment Act (IRAA) after serving more than 25 years following previous first-degree murder convictions. Less than two years after he was released, MPD was executing a warrant in an unrelated homicide case and arrested Tatum for possession of firearms, ammunition, and drugs.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emory V. Cole and Ariel L. Dean.
DEA-Led Operation Dismantles Clovis-Based Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Towanda Thorne-James, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s El Paso Division, announced that a 6-count indictment against 7 alleged drug traffickers was unsealed following a coordinated, multiagency enforcement operation in Clovis and Ruidoso Downs, New Mexico.
During the federal arrests, agents seized six firearms and several kilograms of methamphetamine. Federal agents also assisted with the arrest of over 40 fugitives on state warrants.
A federal grand jury indicted 7 defendants on December 6, 2023. According to the indictment, between October of 2022 and December of 2023, Jose Badillo-Hernandez, 51, of Clovis, Rebecca Chavez, 39, of Portales, Joseph Sandoval, 50, of Clovis, his sister, Michelle Sandoval, 52, of Ruidoso Downs, William Voges, 53, of Ruidoso Downs, Daniel Perez, 53, a citizen of Mexico, and Manuel Pinon-Duran, 47, a citizen of Mexico, conspired to distribute 50 grams and more of methamphetamine in Curry, Lincoln, Roosevelt and Cibola Counties.
A criminal indictment is only an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, the defendants face sentences of at least 10 years and up to life in prison.
The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case with the assistance of the Region V Drug Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, , Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department, and New Mexico State Police. The investigation was designated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program, a Department of Justice program that combines the resources and unique expertise of federal agencies, along with their local counterparts, in a coordinated effort to disrupt and dismantle major drug trafficking organizations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Hirsch and Raquel Ruiz-Velez are prosecuting the case.
Read the Indictment# # #
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Creator of International Digital-Asset Exit Schemes Pleads Guilty to Defrauding InvestorsRead the Press Release
Earlier today, Ivars Auzins, a Latvian national, pleaded guilty at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn to conspiring to commit securities fraud in connection with defrauding investors in a series of digital-asset exit scams. Today’s proceeding took place before United States Magistrate Judge Taryn A. Merkl. When sentenced, Auzins faces up to five years in prison. As part of his sentence, Auzins has also agreed to pay $497,006 in forfeiture. Auzins was extradited to the United States from Latvia in August 2022.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the guilty plea.
The term “digital asset” refers to an asset that is issued and transferred using distributed ledger or blockchain technology. According to court filings and facts presented during the plea proceeding, Auzins and his co-conspirators fraudulently marketed multiple digital-asset offerings to investors worldwide by misrepresenting their products and services, the profits investors would earn and the qualifications of the individuals making the offerings. Auzins and his co-conspirators intentionally failed to deliver on these promises, diverting millions of dollars’ worth of proceeds for their personal benefit while continuing to represent that the benefits would be forthcoming.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorney John O. Enright is in charge of the prosecution with assistance from Paralegal Jordi Martinez. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Latvia to secure the arrest and extradition of Auzins to the United States.
The Defendant:
IVARS AUZINS
Age: 31
Riga, LatviaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-357 (ERK)
Council Bluffs Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Council Bluffs man was sentenced yesterday to five years in federal prison for possession of a firearm a felon and possession of cocaine and marijuana with the intent to distribute it.
According to public court documents, Terrance Tethur Yager, 58, was on probation when probation officers visited his home and found cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamine, mushrooms, and prescription pills in his garage and a loaded pistol in his truck. After completing his prison term, Yager will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Council Bluffs Police Department investigated the case.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to Four Years in Federal Prison for Possessing A Loaded FirearmRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge Gregory A. Presnell has sentenced Eddie Lee Parks, III (24, Orlando) to four years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Parks had pleaded guilty on July 26, 2023.
According to the court records, in Lake County on April 10, 2023, law enforcement officers discovered Parks in possession of a loaded handgun during a domestic altercation. Parks had previously been convicted of three felonies, including two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon (2019) and possession of a controlled substance (2019). As a convicted felon, Parks is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Leesburg Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk.
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.
Colorado Man Sentenced for Trafficking Methamphetamine into UtahRead the Press Release
ST. GEORGE, Utah – A foreign national, and Colorado resident, was sentenced yesterday to 92 months imprisonment followed by four years supervised release, after he admitted to trafficking over 140 pounds of methamphetamine into the District of Utah in March 2022.
“It is mind-blowing to think about the downstream effects of this amount of drugs in the community,” said U.S. Federal District Court Chief Judge Robert J. Shelby. “Substantial sentences are necessary for people to understand the risks of trafficking drugs.”
According to court documents, Sergio Antonio Silva-Gonzalez, 24, of Denver, Colorado, pleaded guilty in September 2023 to illegally possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. In Silva-Gonzalez’s written statement in advance of his plea of guilty, and admissions made in court at his change of plea hearing, he admitted that the methamphetamine he possessed at the time of his arrest weighed approximately 141 pounds. According to court records, and statements made by the federal prosecutor during Silva-Gonzalez’s sentencing hearing, in addition to the methamphetamine, the defendant was in the United States illegally. He also possessed and intended to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine and was in possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
“Community safety is a top priority. The amount of narcotics Mr. Silva-Gonzalez attempted to traffic into our state threatens the safety and lives of our citizens,” said United States Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah. “Working with law enforcement, we will continue to prosecute these types of cases and seek appropriate federal sentences to protect the community.”
“The amount of drugs is staggering. Adding the stolen firearm makes it downright disturbing,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Brady Wilson during the sentencing hearing.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
"HSI will aggressively pursue individuals who bring poison into our communities and try to profit off the misery they leave behind," said Christopher Miller, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant United States Attorney, Brady Wilson, of the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Cleveland Man Sentenced to More than 16 Years for Possessing Narcotics and Being a Felon in Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND - U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko announced today that William Sims, 46, of Cleveland, Ohio, was sentenced to 195 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Dan Aaron Polster after a jury convicted Sims of all seven drug trafficking and firearms charges against him.
According to court documents and testimony, on November 26, 2021, after completing controlled purchases of crack cocaine from William Sims during the prior week, Cleveland Police detectives executed a search warrant on Sims’ home. During the search, detectives found Sims in possession of approximately 154.5 grams of methamphetamine, approximately 124.51 grams of crack cocaine, approximately 78.59 grams of fluorofentanyl and fentanyl, as well as numerous mixtures containing other narcotics like cocaine and heroin. The majority of the drugs were found in Sims’ bedroom, in close proximity with two loaded firearms and ammunition found under Sims’ bed. Sims is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior felony conviction.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by Cleveland Police Department and the FBI. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Payum Doroodian and Alejandro Abreu.
Catoosa Resident Pleads Guilty to Violent Assault ChargesRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that James Tyler Garbey, age 36, of Catoosa, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Indictment charging him with Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country and Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury to a Spouse or Intimate Partner in Indian Country.
The Indictment alleged that on July 19, 2023, Garbey assaulted the victim with a knife, causing substantial bodily injury. The crimes occurred in Wagoner County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Wagoner County Sheriff’s Office.
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Garbey was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Michael E. Robinson represented the United States.
Cape Girardeau Man Sentenced to Serve 7 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of a Firearm Later Used in Bar ShootoutRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – The U.S. Attorney's Office announced that Jeremiah R. Twiggs, age 40, of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, was sentenced Friday to 7 years in federal prison following his guilty plea to the offense of being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm. Twiggs appeared for his sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark at the federal courthouse in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.
According to court documents, officers were dispatched to a bar known as “Hot Shots” in Cape Girardeau last March in response to a report of multiple shots being fired inside the establishment. Upon arrival, officers discovered a male subject identified as Larry McIntyre lying on the ground with multiple gunshot wounds. McIntyre was rushed to the emergency room for treatment of serious injuries. Officers processed the scene and discovered a .40 caliber pistol on the floor, along with a total of sixteen spent shell casings.
Officers subsequently reviewed video surveillance footage, which depicted McIntyre getting into an altercation with two male subjects around a pool table. Moments before shots were fired, the footage depicted McIntyre reach into another subject’s sweatshirt to retrieve a firearm. McIntyre then discharged the firearm as he was simultaneously shot by the other two assailants multiple times.
Through their investigation, the Cape Girardeau Police Department identified Twiggs as the person from whom McIntyre obtained the firearm. During an interview with detectives, Twiggs confirmed that he accompanied McIntyre to the bar on the night in question. Twiggs told detectives that the .40 caliber pistol belonged to McIntyre. According to Twiggs, he concealed the pistol inside his sweatshirt at McIntyre’s request before entering the bar. Twiggs further stated that, during the altercation around the pool table, McIntyre took the pistol from him right before he was shot. Twiggs is prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law due to numerous felony convictions.
After serving his prison sentence, Twiggs will be placed on supervised release for a period of three years. The Cape Girardeau Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Koester handled the prosecution for the government.
Canadian Man Sentenced for Conspiring to Smuggle 142 Kilograms of CocaineRead the Press Release
UTICA, NEW YORK – Guillaume Latour-Laitre, age 27, of Prevost, Quebec, was sentenced yesterday to 120 months in prison for conspiring to traffic 142 kilograms of cocaine.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.
Latour-Laitre previously pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance. In doing so, he admitted that from November 2019 through December 7, 2019, as vice president of a commercial trucking company in Quebec, he trafficked cocaine from the United States to Canada via tractor trailer. On December 7, 2019, Latour-Laitre’s co-conspirator and employee at the trucking company, Jason Nelson, attempted to leave the United States for Canada at the Derby Line, Vermont Port of Entry. At the border, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officers performed an outbound inspection on Nelson’s tractor trailer and discovered approximately 142 kilograms of cocaine hidden in a secret compartment in the trailer. Latour-Laitre was extradited from Canada in December 2022 to face the charges.
Nelson was sentenced, on April 27, 2022, to 72 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release.
United States District Judge David N. Hurd also imposed a 5-year term of supervised release, which will start when Latour-Laitre is released from prison. Upon his release from prison, Latour-Laitre may be removed/deported from the United States.
HSI and CBP investigated the case and Assistant United States Attorney Douglas Collyer prosecuted the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Latour-Laitre.
Cambria County Woman Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Conspiracy to Commit Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Florentina Mayko, age 40, of Cambria County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on December 14, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Yvette Kane to 30 months in prison. In June 2023, Mayko pleaded guilty to a one-count information charging her with conspiracy to commit health care fraud for defrauding Medicare and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services between 2017 and 2019.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Mayko agreed with others to defraud Medicare by submitting medically unnecessary urine drug tests for chronic opioid patients at medical clinics where she was the chief executive officer, including a group of clinics known as Pain Medicine of York or “PMY” (also known as All Better Wellness).
Mayko became the CEO of Pain Medicine of York around January 2018. Prior to that, Mayko served as Director of Operations of a group of medical practices known in the Information as “Practice Group 1.” Mayko was hired to work at Practice Group 1 by an individual known in the Information as Physician 1.
The owner of PMY, known as “PMY Owner” in the Information, was friends and business partners with Physician 1. “PMY Owner” refers to Rodney L. Yentzer, who has separately pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering for his participation in the same scheme to defraud Medicare. Yentzer is still awaiting sentencing.
Physician 1 was imprisoned for health care fraud and federal tax offenses in mid-2017, at which point the operation of Practice Group 1 was transitioned to PMY. When Mayko was promoted to the position of CEO of PMY, her responsibilities did not materially change. From the time of her promotion onward, Mayko was in charge of the day-to-day management of PMY’s operations, which included the practices previously associated with Practice Group 1.
PMY had a policy, established in 2016 by Physician 1 and Yentzer, of ordering multiple urine drug tests for each patient at every PMY office visit, despite a lack of medical necessity. From mid-2017 onward, Mayko and Yentzer were repeatedly confronted with information regarding the unlawful nature of the company’s UDT billing practices but continued to utilize the practice until search warrants were executed at PMY’s various locations in November 2019. PMY ceased operations soon thereafter because it could no longer retain medical providers.
PMY billed Medicare for more than $10 million in urine drug tests from mid-2017 through the end of 2019, and Medicare paid out over $5 million for these urine drug tests. The urine drug tests ordered by PMY were sent to an in-house laboratory at PMY whenever possible. As a result, when medically unnecessary tests were billed to Medicare, the proceeds from them went to PMY itself. A large portion of these proceeds went to Yentzer and Mayko. In 2018 and 2019, for instance, Mayko earned around half a million dollars per year. Mayko, in turn, purchased several investment properties using these funds.
Judge Kane also ordered Mayko to pay $1,408,976.48 in restitution and to forfeit to the United States several properties located in Ocean City, Maryland and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration Diversion Control Program, and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ravi Romel Sharma and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Smultkis prosecuted the case.
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California CEO Pleads Guilty to Employment Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – A South Lake Tahoe man pleaded guilty to willfully failing to pay employment tax withholdings due to the IRS, announced U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey, Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Oakland Field Office, Acting Special Agent in Charge Mark Silva.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2016 and 2017, Robert Hienekamp, 58, was the Chief Executive Officer of Endowance Solutions, Inc., a software consulting and development company. During each of those years, Endowance Solutions withheld income, Social Security, and Medicare taxes from its employees’ wages. Hienekamp, however, did not file the legally required quarterly employment tax returns or pay the withholdings due to the IRS, despite knowing of his obligation to do so. In total, Hienekamp caused a tax loss of over $800,000.
Hienekamp is scheduled to be sentenced on June 27, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
IRS-CI, Oakland Field Office, is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Mahana Weidler of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Lagrama of the Northern District of California are prosecuting the case.
Buffalo man charged with allegedly starting fire on railroad tracks in FarnhamRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Michael B. Benitez, 33, of Buffalo, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with arson of property used in interstate commerce. The charge carries carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, and a maximum of 20 years.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. Kruly, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in the early morning hours of June 14, 2023, the Village of Farnham Fire Department responded to a fire on railroad tracks just west of the Railroad Avenue grade crossing in Farnham. While the fire department responded, trains were being held until the fire, the source of which was several tires burning, could be extinguished. Subsequent investigation by the Norfolk Southern Police Department revealed freshly trampled grass and a path directly adjacent from the tracks to the nearby residence of Benitez. Video obtained during the investigation appears to show Benitez leaving and returning to the residence during the time of the fire.
Benitez made an initial appearance this morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroder, Jr. and was released on conditions.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, the Town of Brandt Police Department, under the direction of Chief Mark Slawek, and Norfolk Southern Police Department.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Bellevue, Washington tax preparer indicted for aiding and assisting with false tax returnsRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 63-year-old Bellevue, Washington, tax preparer was indicted this week on 14 counts of aiding and assisting with the preparation and presentation of false tax returns, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Thanjavur Manavalan, the owner and operator of Mano Accounting Services, made his initial appearance on the indictment today. He entered a plea of “not guilty,” and trial was scheduled in front of U.S. District Judge Lauren King on February 20, 2024.
According to the indictment, Manavalan falsified a variety of items on clients’ tax returns, including charitable contributions, proceeds and initial price (basis) of investments sold, business losses, rental income, and private loans. Manavalan’s tax preparation business filed thousands of returns and grew substantially over the course of the fraud scheme.
The indictment lists 14 different tax returns for tax years 2018-2020 alleged to contain false and fraudulent information. The total tax loss to the U.S. Treasury from the 14 counts charged in the indictment is estimated to exceed $500,000. Manavalan has owned and operated Mano Accounting Services since 2004.
Aiding and assisting with the preparation and presentation of a false tax return is punishable by up to three years in prison.
The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David T. Martin.
manavalan_indictment.pdfBaton Rouge Man Charged with Falsely Holding Himself as a Medical Doctor and Making False StatementsRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury recently returned a three-count indictment charging Samrat Mukherjee, 35, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana with falsely holding himself as a medical doctor and making false statements by calling in prescriptions without authority.
According to the indictment, Mukherjee was a licensed paramedic who worked for Acadian Ambulance Service, Inc. Mukherjee did not attend or graduate from medical school. However, the indictment alleges that while employed by Acadian Ambulance, Mukherjee falsely held himself to co-workers and friends as a licensed medical doctor. From in or around May 2019 through in or around November 2022, Mukherjee allegedly called in prescriptions to various pharmacies for himself and others. The indictment alleges that when calling in those prescriptions, Mukherjee falsely and fraudulently claimed that he was instead other actual doctors and had authority to write prescriptions.
This matter is being investigated by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristen Lundin Craig, Trial Attorney Samantha E. Usher, and Assistant Chief Justin M. Woodard.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,400 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $27 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
NOTE: An indictment is an accusation by a grand jury. The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless adjudicated guilty at trial or through a guilty plea.
Baker man sentenced to two years in prison for possessing child pornographyRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Baker man who admitted to possessing child pornography was sentenced today to two years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Dane Ralph James Curry, 40, pleaded guilty in August to possession of child pornography.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The court also ordered $2,511 restitution.
In court documents, the government alleged that in October 2021, law enforcement began an investigation of Curry after it received reports that he had produced child pornography. A minor person, identified as Jane Doe, disclosed to law enforcement that Curry arranged to take sexually explicit picture of her and provided her with alcohol for that purpose. This conduct led to a search warrant of a social media account associated with Curry and the discovery of child pornography on the account.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI.
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 U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Altamonte Springs Dentist Sentenced to Two Years in Federal Prison for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge Gregory A. Presnell has sentenced Frantz Brignol to two years in federal prison for tax evasion. In addition to the prison sentence, Brignol was ordered to pay the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) $896,588.89 for his outstanding tax liabilities. A federal jury had found Brignol guilty in August 2023.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Brignol amassed more than $600,000 in tax liabilities to the IRS between 2014 and 2020. He evaded tax payments on his income by hiding hundreds of thousands of dollars in his mother’s bank accounts (for which he had signatory authority), trading funds overseas in his mother’s name, and making materially false statements to the IRS on financial disclosure forms.
“Dr. Brignol lied to the IRS about his assets and exploited his elderly mother as a nominee, all to evade paying his fair share of federal income tax,” said Tara K. Reed IRS-CI Acting Special Agent in Charge. “You cannot brush off your tax obligations. Today’s sentencing reinforces the principle that everyone, regardless of status, will pay the price if they choose to violate the law.”
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service—Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Hannah Nowalk and William S. Hamilton.
Activity in the U.S. Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Attempt to Entice a Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity
Adam Paul Custeau, age 27, of Casper, Wyoming, was sentenced to 120 months in prison for attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Nov. 30, 2023, in Casper, Wyoming. This crime was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation and the Wyoming Highway Patrol. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Z. Griswold.
Drug and Firearms Offenses
Zachary Thomas Stott, age 30, of Gillette, Wyoming, was sentenced to 143 months and 9 days for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Senior U.S. District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal imposed the sentence on Dec. 15 in Cheyenne. According to court documents, on Oct. 7, 2022, Stott was pulled over by the Casper Police Department. Controlled substances, drug paraphernalia and a firearm were located in his vehicle. The defendant admitted that everything belonged to him. Stott is a convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms. This crime was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Casper Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan C. Coppom.
Drug Trafficking
Matthew Ryan Natoli, age 46, of Menifee, California, was sentenced to 77 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Senior U.S. District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal imposed the sentence on Dec. 15 in Cheyenne. According to court documents, Matthew Natoli was shipping methamphetamine to an individual in Evanston, Wyoming. Matthew Natoli pled guilty in September. This crime was investigated by the U.S. Postal Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Forwood.
Jevon Leon Bynum, age 44, of Casper, Wyoming, was sentenced to 108 months’ imprisonment for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. According to court documents, in February, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) were investigating an illegal fentanyl trafficker who had been distributing fentanyl throughout Wyoming via the USPS. This distributor was arrested and his cell phone was seized. Bynum’s cell number was seen communicating with the distributor. Agents conducted a search of Bynum’s residence and his mother’s residence, where packages were sent, and recovered 160 grams of fentanyl, a USPS shipping box addressed to Bynum and drug paraphernalia. Bynum waived indictment and pleaded guilty to the information. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Forwood. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence, which included $500 in community restitution, on Dec. 12.
Raymond Paddock, 66, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced to 33 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. According to court documents, on Mar. 12, Paddock was a passenger in a truck that was pulled over for a traffic stop. A Cheyenne Police Department officer arrived and deployed a canine that indicated the presence of narcotics. A search of the vehicle uncovered a plastic bag containing approximately 1,000 fentanyl pills under the passenger seat where Paddock was sitting. Paddock waived indictment and pled guilty to the information in September. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Forwood.
About the United States Attorney’s Office
The United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. The Office is involved in several programs designed to make our communities safer. They include:
Environmental Justice
The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.
Project Safe Childhood
Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is a nationwide commitment to reducing gun and gang crime in America by networking existing local programs that target gun crime and providing these programs with additional tools necessary to be successful.
Victim Witness Assistance
The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to making sure that victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect.To report a federal crime, go to: https://www.justice.gov/actioncenter/report-crime#trafficking
Activist Pleads Guilty to Defacing a Degas Exhibit at the National Gallery of ArtRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A New York woman pleaded guilty today to one count of causing injury to a National Gallery of Art exhibit in the May 26, 2023, defacement of Edgar Degas’ Little Dancer, Age Fourteen.
Joanna Smith, 54, of Brooklyn, N.Y., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson in Washington D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist, of the FBI’s Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division.
According to the government’s evidence, Smith, along with other co-conspirators, traveled to Washington D.C., to smear red and black paint on the National Gallery of Art permanent exhibition of Little Dancer, Age Fourteen, a sculpture created by Degas in 1881. Smith and a co-conspirator previously had conducted research on the piece and specifically targeted it. Before entering the National Gallery, the duo recorded video statements explaining their intent. Smith and the co-conspirator passed through security undetected with paint secreted inside water bottles.
The duo approached the exhibit, removed the bottles from their bags, and began smearing paint on the case and base surrounding Little Dancer, Age Fourteen. Smith delivered statements telling onlookers why she was undertaking the action as paint dripped from the exhibit onto the surrounding floor.
Following the action, the National Gallery was required to remove the sculpture from public display for 10 days. Gallery officials said it cost over $4,000 to repair the damage.
Judge Berman Jackson scheduled sentencing for Apr. 3, 2024. The charge carries a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The maximum statutory sentence for federal offenses is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. The sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, specifically the FBI’s Art Crime Team, with assistance from National Gallery of Art Police, and U.S. Park Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron A. Tepfer of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Thursday 14 December 2023
Woman Sentenced to More Than 11 Years in Prison for Role in Large-Scale Fentanyl Trafficking Organization with Ties to Sinaloa, MexicoRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican woman has been sentenced for possessing seven kilograms of fentanyl as well as one kilogram of fentanyl and fentanyl analogue intended for distribution.
Ana Checo, 42, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani on Dec. 7, 2023 to 135 months in prison and five years of supervised release. On Sept. 6, 2023, Checo pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of valeryl fentanyl and one count of money laundering conspiracy.
“The devastating impact fentanyl continues to have on our communities cannot be overstated,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “This sentence underscores our unwavering determination to identify and bring to justice those responsible for putting deadly fentanyl on our streets. Our office will continue to use every resource at our disposal to dismantle criminal enterprises that seek to profit off of addiction and misery.”
“Fentanyl is causing tremendous damage to the state of Massachusetts,” said Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division. “Let this sentence be a warning to those traffickers who are distributing this poison in order to profit and destroy people’s lives. DEA’s top priority is combatting the opioid epidemic by working with our local, county, state and federal partners to bring to justice anyone who distributes this deadly drug.”
In June 2019, Checo was identified as a member of a large-scale drug trafficking and money laundering organization working with drug suppliers based in Sinaloa, Mexico. Specifically, Checo was responsible for receiving narcotics – namely fentanyl – from the drug suppliers for distribution in Massachusetts, as well as delivering drug proceeds in bulk cash to money launderers who laundered the proceeds back to the suppliers in Mexico.
In June 2019, Checo delivered $58,510 in drug proceeds to an undercover officer for laundering. In July 2019, a search of Checo’s residence resulted in the recovery of over 12 kilograms of narcotics – including approximately seven kilograms of fentanyl, four kilograms of tramadol, one kilogram of a fentanyl and fentanyl analogue mixture and one kilogram of a hallucinogen. The drugs were found stored in bags inside Checo’s bedroom closet as well as her daughter’s bedroom closet. Also seized was $18,325 in cash as well as several notebooks that detailed drug transactions dating back to 2017.
In April 2020, Checo arranged to deliver $250,000 in bulk cash to an undercover agent posing as a money launderer who had accepted a contract to launder the money from a money broker. Similarly, in April and May 2021, Checo arranged to deliver $100,000 to undercover agents posing as money launderers who had accepted contracts to launder the money from money brokers.In April 2020, nearly $250,000 in bundled cash was seized from Checo as she was traveling to deliver the money to an undercover officer for laundering. Similarly, over two separate occasions in April and May 2021, Checo delivered a total of $200,000 to undercover agents for laundering. On May 26, 2021, in Peabody, Mass., Checo met with a tractor trailer driver and received a suitcase that contained 55 kilograms of fentanyl – worth over $1 million. The fentanyl was ultimately seized later that day.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy and DEA SAC Boyle made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Ferguson of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Woman Pleads Guilty to Smuggling Endangered Sea Cucumbers through South Florida AirportRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On Dec. 11, Xiao Pingping, 38, pled guilty to smuggling shark fins, sea horses, and sea cucumbers and attempted smuggling of American Ginseng. The Court sentenced her the same day to one month in federal prison.
The three-count indictment charged Xiao with two counts of smuggling shark fins, sea horses, and sea cucumbers into the United States and one count of smuggling American ginseng out of the United States. American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) is a plant species that is protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
According to the agreed upon factual proffer in support of Xiao’s plea to the three-count indictment, on January 14, 2022, Xiao sent a package from Brazil to an individual in Florida and Xiao intentionally misidentified the contents of the package. Xiao wrote on the shipping label that the package contained “fish belly,” when, instead, she had concealed 33 sea horses, 435 sea cucumbers, and 16 shark fins, which are wildlife and required to be declared to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (“USFWS”), pursuant to federal regulations.
On Nov. 19, Xiao travelled from Managua, Nicaragua to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (“FLL”), Florida. When border officers reviewed Xiao’s luggage in an X-ray scan, they observed various anomalies. Xiao lied to the border agents and told them that she was not carrying any plants, food, seeds, fruits, vegetables, endangered species and/or meat on her person or in her luggage and had nothing to declare. Border officers searched Xiao’s luggage by hand and identified 11 sea cucumbers concealed in the clothing packed in her bag. After the border officers discovered the sea cucumbers, Xiao intentionally misidentified the wildlife by telling the border officers that the sea cucumbers were “fish belly,” however, she later admitted they were sea cucumbers, which are required to be declared to USFWS pursuant to federal regulations. Border officers seized the sea cucumbers and explained to Xiao that federal regulations and laws required her to declare plants and wildlife.
On Nov. 24, Xiao checked a cardboard box at FLL for a flight from FLL to Managua, Nicaragua. Border officers again observed various anomalies that resembled organic material inside the box when the box passed through an x-ray scan. Border officers stopped Xiao on the jet bridge as she attempted to board the aircraft with a piece of carry-on luggage. Xiao denied that she had anything in her bags or checked box to declare. Border officers searched Xiao’s checked box and carryon luggage by hand and discovered 9 bags and four boxes of American Ginseng contained therein. Pursuant to federal regulations, CITES requires an export permit for protected plant species such as American Ginseng. Xiao intentionally failed to disclose the American Ginseng, knowing she had a declaration duty after being informed of such agricultural regulations just five days prior when border officers searched her luggage and seized the eleven sea cucumbers.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Stephen Clark for USFWS Office of Law Enforcement, Southeast Region, made the announcement.
USFWS Office of Law Enforcement in Miami, Florida and Portland, Oregon conducted the investigation, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily R. Stone.
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- 60231-WPD.
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West Plains Man Sentenced to 40 Years for Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A West Plains, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for the sexual exploitation of a 13-month-old child and distributing child pornography.
Kenneth Howard Worthy, 48, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 40 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Worthy to 15 years of supervised release following incarceration. Worthy will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.
On Dec. 6, 2022, Worthy was found guilty at trial of one count of the sexual exploitation of a child by producing child pornography and one count of distributing child pornography.
Worthy’s criminal activities came to light during an investigation of another individual involved with child pornography. That individual informed investigators that Worthy had transmitted images of himself engaged in sexual acts with a child.
On March 4, 2021, law enforcement officers contacted Worthy at his residence. Worthy admitted that he had used a child victim under the age of two, identified in court documents as “John Doe,” to produce child pornography. Worthy also told investigators he sent pornographic images of the child victim to another person.
Officers seized Worthy’s cell phone. Investigators found 10 images of child pornography that depicted John Doe and Worthy.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cameron Beaver, James J. Kelleher and Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, and the West Plains, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Childhood
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 . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Venezuelan Citizen Found Guilty of Three Separate Hostage-Takings of American Citizens in the Dominican RepublicRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Deivy Jose Rodriguez Delgado, 29, a Venezuelan national, was found guilty on December 11 in the District of Columbia for the 2022 hostage-takings of three U.S. Citizens in the Dominican Republic at knifepoint.
The conviction was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI Miami Field Office.
A jury in U.S. District Court convicted Delgado of conspiracy to commit hostage-taking and three counts of hostage-taking. Chief U.S. District Court Judge James E. Boasberg scheduled sentencing for Apr. 12, 2024.
According to the government’s evidence, Delgado, also known as “Sebastian,” kidnapped the men in separate instances between July 5 and July 30, 2022. In all three instances, Delgado lured his victim online with the promise of a friendly “date,” and picked the victim up in his car. After driving a short distance, Delgado stopped suddenly to let an accomplice into the backseat, at which point Delgado and his accomplice held the victim at knifepoint and demanded ransom for their release. Delgado demanded ransom from each of the three men and asked for it to be paid to various online banking accounts, including the same CashApp account.
All three victims were forced at knifepoint to call their friends and family and ask for money to secure their release. The victims were held in captivity by Delgado and his accomplices for extended periods of time and were only released after Delgado believed a ransom payment had been made by their friends and family. In all three hostage takings, the victims were also robbed of their personal belongings before being released on the streets of the Dominican Republic.
Following victim reports and a request from the FBI to act on the hostage takings, Dominican authorities began an investigation in August 2022. Local law enforcement in the Dominican Republic traced a vehicle used in one of the hostage takings to Delgado and arrested him on Sept. 10, 2022. During a search of the vehicle, Dominican authorities found two serrated knifes, similar to those used in the hostage takings. On Oct. 4, 2022, Dominican authorities transferred Delgado to U.S. custody.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Miami Field Office.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Korba and Jolie Zimmerman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow Statement on the Passing of Judge Nydia M. Cotto VivesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow released the following statement regarding the passing of The Honorable Nydia M. Cotto Vives, President of the Independent Prosecutor Panel, on behalf of the United States Attorney’s Office.
We are saddened by the passing of former Judge of the Puerto Rico Court of Appeals Nydia M. Cotto Vives. She was a tireless public servant, distinguished jurist and a great woman who served the Court of Appeals, the Puerto Rico Superior Court, and the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections, and served them all with righteousness and distinction. We honor her many years of dedicated public service.
On behalf of the United States Attorney’s Office, I extend our deepest condolences to her family, her colleagues on the Panel, and all who knew and admired her. May her memory be eternal.
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Two Plead Guilty, One Sentenced in Separate Fentanyl CasesRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – Two co-defendants pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges and one defendant was sentenced to prison today resulting from separate investigations into the distribution of large amounts of fentanyl in the Athens and Milledgeville communities.
James Hill, 41, of Athens, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years up to a maximum sentence of life in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release and a maximum $10,000,000 fine. Co-defendant Jasmine Jackson, 29, of Athens, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl and faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a maximum $1,000,000 fine. Both defendants entered their guilty pleas before U.S. District Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self, III on Dec. 14 in Case No. 3:22-CR-25. Sentencing is scheduled for March 21, 2024, at the U.S. Courthouse in Athens.
Brandon Ector aka “Big,” 39, of Atlanta was sentenced to serve 150 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release by Chief U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on Dec. 14 after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in Case No. 5:22-CR-40. Ector is not eligible for parole.
“Stopping armed fentanyl trafficking and holding those associated with its distribution accountable is a top priority for our office and our law enforcement partners across the Middle District of Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Thanks to the efforts of many law enforcement agencies in both investigations, nearly four kilograms of fentanyl was prevented from circulating in the Athens and Milledgeville communities. Law enforcement is facing unprecedented challenges, and I am grateful for their dedication to protecting our citizens.”
“The success of these investigations demonstrates DEA will use all of its resources to destroy drug distribution networks that are endangering our communities,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division.
According to court documents in the Hill and Jackson case, a confidential informant working with the Northeast Georgia Regional Drug Task Force provided information that Hill was mixing fentanyl into heroin and selling it inside his Athens apartment located on Chateau Terrace that he shared with his girlfriend, co-defendant Jackson. A search warrant was executed at the apartment on Nov. 11, 2021, and agents found two plastic bags later confirmed to contain heroin and fentanyl in one and fentanyl in the other. In a kitchen cabinet, investigators located a small laboratory with mixing containers, measuring utensils, Acetone and a mixer, which they suspected Hill was using to mix the narcotics he was distributing. Investigators located additional, but smaller, quantities of drugs in Hill’s automobiles. Another search warrant was executed on the same day at the Sleep Inn and Suites in Athens, where Hill was using rooms to store and distribute narcotics. Agents seized 1.3 kilograms of fentanyl, two pistols, $33,525 cash, approximately 70 grams of heroin and 27.8 grams of methamphetamine.
According to court documents in the Ector case, law enforcement agents with the DEA Macon Resident Office, GBI and Ocmulgee Drug Task Force received credible information from multiple confidential sources regarding illegal drug activities occurring in the Milledgeville area in July 2020. Co-defendant Damon Hayes aka “D-5” was identified as a multi-kilogram distributor of methamphetamine, powder cocaine and crack cocaine operating in Milledgeville. Ector was a member of Hayes’ drug trafficking organization. Through surveillance, agents observed Hayes acquire bulk quantities of narcotics from co-defendant Lagary Williams aka “Frog” at his luxury high-rise apartment in downtown Atlanta, where Ector resided. On Sept. 10, 2021, a federal search warrant was executed at Williams’ Atlanta apartment. Both Williams and Ector attempted to flee law enforcement by jumping from the apartment’s balcony. Ector broke a bone from the jump. Agents recovered 2.5 kilograms of fentanyl in the apartment, as well as one kilogram of methamphetamine, two kilograms of cocaine, approximately 50 grams of cocaine base, approximately seven pounds of marijuana, a Glock 19 9mm pistol and a Ruger model 57 handgun. For more information about this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation and the other co-defendants in this case, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdga/pr/atlanta-based-fentanyl-meth-supplier-central-georgia-pleads-guilty.
The Hill and Jackson case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Northeast Georgia Regional Drug Task Force and the Athens-Clarke County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Morrison is prosecuting the case for the Government.
The Ector case was investigated by DEA, GBI, the Ocmulgee Drug Task Force, the Baldwin County Sherriff’s Office, the Wilkinson County Sheriff’s Office, the Jones County Sheriff’s Office, the Atlanta-Carolina’s HIDTA Office and the Gwinnett Metro Task Force. Deputy Criminal Chief Will Keyes prosecuted the case for the Government. Former Middle District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex Kalim previously prosecuted the case.
Two Los Angeles County Men Agree to Plead Guilty in Connection with Bribery Scheme to Unlawfully Obtain Tribal Police BadgesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Two Los Angeles-area men who unlawfully sold or purchased police badges from a southeastern San Diego County tribe – one who lied to the FBI about the scheme, the other who was arrested while high on drugs while carrying a stash of firearms and claiming to be a police officer – have agreed to plead guilty, the Justice Department announced today.
The two defendants named in court papers filed Tuesday are:
- Colin Gilbert, 80, of Marina del Rey, who has agreed to plead guilty to one count of making false statements, which carries a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison; and
- Akiva Grunewald, 45, of West Los Angeles, who has agreed to plead guilty to one count of bribery, a crime that carries a penalty of up to 10 years in federal prison.
Gilbert and Grunewald are expected to formally enter guilty pleas in the coming weeks.
According to court documents, beginning in 2016, Gilbert and others recruited wealthy people to join the Manzanita Tribal Police Department. Gilbert lived approximately 177 miles – three hours by car – from the Manzanita Reservation, was not a member of and had no affiliation with the Manzanita Tribe. The wealthy individuals were asked to make a large payment, ranging from $5,000 to $100,000 and sometimes styled as a “donation,” in exchange for membership in the Manzanita PD, which they wanted because of the benefits they believed having law enforcement credentials would bring them.
In August 2019, Gilbert arranged for an individual whom Gilbert understood had no prior law enforcement experience or training to become a member of the Manzanita Tribal Police Department after making a $5,000 payment. The buyer told Gilbert that his primary motivation for obtaining the badge was so he could carry a concealed firearm without a permit.
During a November 2019 interview with the FBI, Gilbert lied, in part, by telling agents “…everybody that I had brought on had proper credentials, had the proper training, had everything done correctly,” according to his plea agreement. Gilbert then falsely told the FBI that everyone, including the newest recruit, had taken a specific law enforcement training class before receiving credentials, even though Gilbert knew this individual had not. After his interview with the FBI, Gilbert called the new recruit and asked him to return the credentials and, if ever asked, deny having received them.
For his part, in July 2018, Grunewald corruptly gave the Manzanita Tribal Police Department chief $20,000, intending to obtain a tribal police badge. Grunewald had never served as, or trained to become, a law enforcement officer and had never served in the military or as a private security officer. Instead, Grunewald’s motivation was to conceal-carry firearms in California without getting a permit.
After obtaining the badge, in August 2018, Grunewald – then an addict and unlawful user of oxycodone and other narcotics – was pulled over by Culver City Police after an officer saw Grunewald run across a busy street and enter a black Range Rover that was missing a front license plate, had tinted windows, and had a rear license plate that rightfully belonged to a different car.
During the traffic stop, Grunewald displayed his Manzanita PD badge out of his window and identified himself as a police officer. Grunewald “was shaking visibly, sweating, and appeared extremely nervous,” his plea agreement states.
The police officer asked Grunewald to exit the vehicle after Grunewald said he was carrying a firearm on his right hip. During a search of the vehicle and Grunewald himself, law enforcement recovered two loaded firearms, approximately 43 oxycodone pills, a police gun belt with handcuffs, a collapsible baton, a tactical vest, pepper spray, and numerous other badges and credentials associated with other law enforcement agencies.
After his August 2018 Culver City arrest resulted in the seizure of his badges, Grunewald then asked the Manzanita Tribal Police chief for another badge. Grunewald then used these new credentials to purchase several firearms, including a semi-automatic rifle. During these gun buys, Grunewald lied on federal forms that he was not an unlawful user of, or addicted to, marijuana or any depressant, stimulant, narcotic drug, or any other controlled substance when, in fact, he was.
In May 2019, Los Angeles Police arrested Grunewald, who possessed firearms and ammunition and was under the influence of oxycodone at the time, following multiple 911 phone calls reporting indecent exposure at a gas station, with an undressed man – Grunewald – in distress, hitting himself.
Grunewald, who was sweating profusely, again identified himself as a police officer and told law enforcement he had taken Percocet and Ambien. Police found two Manzanita PD badges and other law enforcement ID on Grunewald’s person. Police searched Grunewald’s black Range Rover and found four firearms, including the semi-automatic rifle, along with more than 200 rounds of ammunition.
Federal prosecutors in October 2021 secured a guilty plea from Anthony Reyes Vazquez, 51, of Oxnard, who admitted to stealing more than $300,000 while serving as the head of the Manzanita Tribal Police from 2012 to 2018. Vazquez pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in San Diego to one count of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds. Vazquez sold fake badges to buyers who made substantial payments to become members of the Manzanita Tribal Police Department and have privileges available to law enforcement officers, such as carrying concealed weapons.
Vazquez is scheduled for sentencing on April 29, 2024.
The FBI in Los Angeles and San Diego investigated this matter with substantial assistance from the Culver City Police Department and the Los Angeles Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Frances S. Lewis of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section is prosecuting this case.
Toadlena Man Charged with Failing to Update Sex Offender RegistrationRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Anthony Brian Manuelito appeared in federal court on an indictment charging him with failure to update sex offender registration in violation of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). Manuelito, 46, of Toadlena, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain in custody pending an arraignment and detention hearing scheduled for December 15, 2023.
According to the indictment, from on or about May 5, 2019, continuing to on or about December 5, 2023, Manuelito, a person required to register under the sex offender registration and notification act, by reason of a conviction under federal law, knowingly failed to update a registration.
SORNA, also known as the Adam Walsh Protection and Safety Act, requires that a convicted sex offender register in each jurisdiction where the offender resides, where the offender is employed, or where the offender is a student, and that the sex offender maintain current registrations.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Manuelito faces up to 10 years in prison.
The United States Marshal Service investigated this case with the assistance of the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meg Tomlinson is prosecuting the case.
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Three federal prison inmates charged in separate indictmentsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Kansas City returned separate indictments charging federal inmates with crimes.
According to court documents, on April 19, 2023, Thaddeus D. Daniel, 45, allegedly attacked a corrections officer at U.S. Penitentiary Leavenworth where Daniel is an inmate.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Zabel is prosecuting the case.
In a separate case, Jeremiah L. Harris, 44, of U.S. Penitentiary Leavenworth, was indicted on one count of escape from custody for an alleged escape on June 23, 2023. Harris is serving a prison sentence following a conviction in the U.S. District Court of Western Missouri.
The U.S. Marshals Service is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Zabel is prosecuting the case.
James Thompson, 50, of U.S. Penitentiary Leavenworth, was indicted on one count of escape from custody for an alleged escape on November 9, 2023. Thompson is serving a prison sentence following a conviction in the U.S. Northern District of Georgia
The U.S. Marshals Service is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Zabel is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Stockton Man Charged with Attempted Sexual Exploitation of Minors Using Social MediaRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a six-count indictment earlier in December against Elmer Yusay Ngo, 28, of Stockton, charging him with one count of attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, four counts of attempted coercion and enticement of minors, and one count of possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. The indictment was unsealed following Ngo’s arrest.
According to court documents, Ngo utilized social media to sexually exploit female minors nationwide. This sexual exploitation included attempting to coerce, entice, and persuade the minors to produce child pornography for Ngo. Ngo also possessed child pornography on his cellphone.
The FBI Sacramento Field Office is seeking to identify potential victims of Elmer Ngo. To assist the investigation and receive information regarding resources available to victims, please complete this questionnaire to the best of your ability: https://forms.fbi.gov/elmer_ngo/
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internet Against Crimes Against Children Task Force with assistance from state and local police departments nationwide. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin F. Scott is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Ngo faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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 those who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
St. Paul Felon Sentenced to over Three Years for Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A St. Paul man has been sentenced to 46 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for illegally possessing a firearm as a felon, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on March 7, 2023, officers with the St. Paul Police Department were conducting surveillance at an apartment looking for De’Voncea Lashoun Griffo, 24, a suspect in an ongoing investigation. Officers observed Griffo leave his apartment building wearing a cross-body bag across his chest and get into the driver’s seat of a Chevrolet Equinox. After Griffo pulled into a thrift store parking lot, officers activated emergency lights and conducted a felony stop. Griffo removed his cross-body bag and set it behind the center console of the car, and was placed under arrest. Officers later obtained a warrant to search Griffo’s vehicle and recovered the cross-body bag, which contained a .45 caliber Glock pistol with an extended magazine containing 23 rounds of ammunition. The firearm had been modified with an auto sear, also known as a switch, which is a device used to convert a semi-automatic firearm into a fully automatic firearm.
Because Griffo has a prior felony conviction, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
On July 18, 2023, Griffo pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm as a felon. He was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Michael J. Davis
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. Paul Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Hillary A. Taylor prosecuted the case.
St. Paul Felon Sentenced to 10 Years in Drug Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A South St. Paul felon has been sentenced to 120 months in prison for possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to the defendant’s plea agreement and court documents, on December 4, 2022, Nicholas Neil Nikiforakis, 34, posted a photo on Facebook that showed him in possession of a black firearm with a tan-colored extended magazine. Based on his prior felony convictions, Nikiforakis was prohibited from possessing a firearm of any kind. Law enforcement officers successfully located Nikiforakis and conducted physical surveillance. When the defendant was spotted getting behind the wheel of a black Ford Explorer, officers attempted a traffic stop on the vehicle. Nikiforakis responded by ramming into a responding squad car and fled the area at a high rate of speed. He eventually crashed as he attempted a high-speed turn, hit a fire hydrant, and collided with a nearby building. The defendant fled on foot but was ultimately apprehended at the scene. A subsequent search of the black Ford Explorer revealed a black and dark green privately-made-firearm – PMF or “ghost gun” – with a tan-colored extended magazine in the center console with a large black bag that contained fentanyl pills, marijuana, and a digital scale. A subsequent review of Nikiforakis’s phone confirmed that he possessed the fentanyl for the express purpose of distributing the drugs to others.
Nikiforakis pleaded guilty on June 23, 2023, to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. He was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Minneapolis Police Department, and the Hennepin County Violent Offender Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan L. Sing prosecuted the case
Six Defendants Plead Guilty to Fraud Charges in Multi-Million-Dollar, Nationwide Skimming ConspiracyRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala – Six defendants indicted for defrauding credit unions across the country have pleaded guilty to bank fraud conspiracy and identity theft charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona, FBI Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples, and United States Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick Davis.
Maria Matei, 22, and Larisa Iordache, 28, each pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Liles C. Burke to conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Florin Matei, 27, pleaded guilty in October to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. Ionut Iamandita, 28, and Milena Iamandita 25, pleaded guilty in November to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. Marius Iordache, 29, pleaded guilty in November to conspiring to commit bank fraud.
According to the plea agreements, between October 2022 and June 2023, the defendants defrauded credit unions in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Jacksonville, Florida; Philadelphia Pennsylvania; Albany, New York; Florence, Alabama; Dallas, Texas; Birmingham, Alabama; and Saginaw, Michigan. The defendants placed covert video cameras and skimming devices on the targeted credit unions’ Automatic Teller Machines, and then used the collected information to make fraudulent withdrawals for credit union customers’ accounts. The fraudulent withdrawals totaled more than $5 million dollars.
The maximum penalty for conspiracy to commit bank fraud is 30 years in prison. Aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory sentence of two years in prison, which must be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed.
The FBI and United States Secret Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney John M. Hundscheid is prosecuting the case. The Lauderdale County’s Sherriff’s Office, Tuscaloosa County Sherriff’s Office, Hoover Police Department, and Vestavia Hills Police Department aided the investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania also provided significant assistance.
Shalimar Man Found Guilty of Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Jeffrey L. Pybus, 41, of Shalimar, Florida, was found guilty by a federal jury for receiving and possessing images and videos of child pornography. The guilty verdict returned yesterday morning, at the conclusion of a two-day trial, was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
Between February 18, 2022, and May 4, 2022, Pybus received material containing child pornography through a Peer-to-Peer file sharing program. On May 4, 2022, Pybus’ residence was searched by law enforcement, and he was found to be in possession of over 23,000 images and/or videos of child pornography.
Sentencing is set for March 13, 2024, at 3:00 p.m., at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before the Honorable United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers. Based on his convictions, Pybus faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 5 years in federal prison, with a maximum of 20 years.
This case was investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, and the North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey M. Tharp prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Sanford Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Production and Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Sanford man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for producing and distributing child sexual abuse material.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Joseph Daniel Zoll, 63, to 25 years imprisonment followed by 10 years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Zoll shared child sexual abuse material with a child sex trafficker in the Philippines and paid the trafficker to sexually abuse a prepubescent minor over a livestreaming videochat platform. For around two years, Zoll communicated with the trafficker and repeatedly instructed them how to abuse the child, watching over video calls. Zoll engaged in similar conduct with other child sex traffickers over the same platform for years. Zoll frequently recorded the livestreaming video calls, which he would then show to other traffickers when instructing them on how to sexually abuse children during their own calls.
Trial Attorney William G. Clayman of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig M. Wolff for the District of Maine prosecuted the case.
Homeland Security Investigations in New England investigated the case.
“It is difficult to put into words the horror and pain experienced by the children abused at Zoll’s behest. Not only did he direct the sexual abuse of several children, he used the videos of that abuse to teach others how to do the same, equipping more predators with the tools to hurt children,” said Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New England. “Today’s sentence puts Zoll behind bars and away from the means to abuse more children. We will continue to work alongside our partners in Maine and around the world to detect and end this type of sex trafficking.”
“Joseph Zoll paid for and directed the sexual abuse of children overseas from the comfort of his home in Maine, destroying lives half a world away,” said U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee. “That Zoll caused the abuse of young children to occur and observed and shared it with others, which led to the sexual abuse of additional victims, is beyond sickening and heartbreaking. Today’s sentence ensures that he will no longer be able to victimize another child. I commend the extraordinary work of HSI in this operation.”
Reports of child sexual exploitation are increasing: In 2022, The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) CyberTipline received 32 million reports of suspected child sexual exploitation. That included more than 80,000 reports of online enticement of children for sexual acts, an increase of 82% from 2021 to 2022, and more than 31 million reports of child sexual abuse materials. Victimization can take place across every platform, including social media, messaging apps, gaming platforms, etc. To make a CyberTipline Report, visit https://report.cybertip.org/. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.
Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Sacramento Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Fentanyl and Methamphetamine DistributionRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Michael Valentino Lovato, 34, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in April 2022, Lovato engaged in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine in Sacramento. During the conspiracy, Lovato sold fentanyl pills to a law enforcement source on multiple separate occasions. He also sold 4 pounds of methamphetamine to the source.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Sacramento Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily G. Sauvageau and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew De Moura are prosecuting the case.
U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley is scheduled to sentence Lovato on March 28, 2024. Lovato faces a minimum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum penalty of life in prison, and a $10 million fine on each count. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case is 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.
Real Estate Investor Pleads Guilty to $165M Mortgage Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A New York man pleaded guilty yesterday to engaging in an extensive multi-year conspiracy to fraudulently obtain over $165 million in loans and fraudulently acquire multifamily and commercial properties.
According to court documents, between 2018 and 2020, Boruch “Barry” Drillman, 36, of New York, conspired with at least four others to deceive lenders into issuing multifamily and commercial mortgage loans. Drillman and his co-conspirators provided the lenders with fictitious documents, including purchase and sale contracts with inflated purchase prices. Drillman managed BRC Williamsburg Holdings LLC, which purchased multifamily property Williamsburg of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Troy Technology Holdings LLC, which purchased commercial property Troy Technology Park in Troy, Michigan.
In March 2019, Williamsburg of Cincinnati was acquired for $70 million. However, Drillman and his co-conspirators from Rhodium Capital Advisors utilized a stolen identity to present a lender and Fannie Mae with a purchase and sale contract for $95.85 million and other fraudulent documents. On March 8, 2019, Madison Title Agency performed two closings, one for the true $70 million sales price and another for the fraudulent $95.85 million sales price presented to the lender.
In September 2020, Troy Technology Park was acquired for $42.7 million. However, Drillman and his co-conspirators presented the lender with a fraudulent purchase and sale contract for $70 million. Additionally, to support the inflated purchase price, Drillman and his co-conspirators submitted to the lender and appraiser a fraudulent letter of intent to purchase the property from another party for $68.8 million and other fraudulent documents. To conceal the fraudulent nature of the transaction, Drillman and his co-conspirators arranged for a short-term $30 million loan, which was used to make it appear that they had the funds needed to close on the loan. On Sept. 25, 2020, Riverside Abstract performed two closings, one for the true $42.7 million sales price and another for the fraudulent $70 million sales price presented to the lender.
Drillman pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 16, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey, Inspector General Brian M. Tomney of the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General (FHFA-OIG), and Postal Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s (USPIS) Criminal Investigations Group made the announcement.
The FHFA-OIG and USPIS are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Siji Moore of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Martha Nye for the District of New Jersey are prosecuting the case.
Raleigh County Man Sentenced for Export Fraud ViolationRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Rana Zeeshan Tanveer, 42, of Beckley, was sentenced today to five years of federal probation, including six months on home detention, and fined $5,000 for committing an export fraud violation. Tanveer admitted that he knowingly submitted false export valuations for two high-technology devices that Tanveer shipped to Pakistan.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 31, 2017, Tanveer ordered the two high-technology items, paying more than $4,000 for both items. The two items were shipped to Tanveer in Beckley and he received them on June 7, 2017. Tanveer admitted to creating a false invoice that intentionally understated the value of the items as less than $200. Tanveer further admitted to using the false invoice to ship the items to Pakistan using a freight forwarding service in July 2017.
Tanveer also admitted that he intentionally used false invoices on at least six other occasions, from June 14, 2014 through August 20, 2018, that deliberately undervalued the purchase cost of U.S.-origin technology that Tanveer exported to Pakistan.
Federal law requires the filing of accurate Electronic Export Information (EEI) through the Automated Export System (AES) about certain items that are exported from the United States. It is a federal crime to knowingly submit false or misleading Electronic Export Information. The purpose of this export requirement is to strengthen the ability of the United States to prevent the export of certain items to unauthorized destinations or end users. Accurate information in the Automated Export System also aids the United States in targeting, identifying, and, when necessary, confiscating suspicious or illegal items or shipments prior to export.
“Mr. Tanveer’s criminal conduct was deliberate, intentional, and spanned many years,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “Every time Mr. Tanveer misrepresented the price of export items to Pakistan, he committed a separate crime. Today’s sentence should send a message to anyone engaging in international trade throughout West Virginia, and the United States, that there are consequences for such criminal conduct.”
Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Department of Commerce Office of Export Enforcement (OEE) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
“Today’s sentencing sends a clear signal that knowingly submitting false export information to evade U.S. export controls will not be tolerated,” said OEE Washington Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Dugan. “This case demonstrates how BIS works with our law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate export violations and protect U.S. national security and foreign policy interests.”
“Mr. Tanveer knew what he was doing was wrong, and today he faces the consequences of his actions,” said FBI Pittsburgh Acting Special Agent in Charge Mike Shanahan. “I want to commend the determined efforts of the agents and our partners at the Department of Commerce for their countless hours of work and analysis throughout this lengthy investigation. These types of successful joint cases continue to strengthen the national security of the U.S. by protecting its economic interests.”
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes and National Security Division Trial Attorney R. Elizabeth Abraham prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-26.
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Postal Service Employee Is Sentenced for Stealing A Firearm from Mailed PackageRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A United States Postal Service employee was sentenced today for mail theft after stealing a firearm from a mailed package, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell ordered Demarkis Deon Houston, 31, of Charlotte, to serve 15 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release.
Jeff Krafels, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General (USPS-OIG) for the Mid-Atlantic Area Field Office (MAAFO), which oversees Charlotte, and Alicia Jones, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to information contained in court filings, Houston worked as a mail handling equipment operator at a USPS processing and distribution center in Charlotte. Between August and September 2022, Houston unlawfully opened and destroyed mail entrusted to him and removed firearms, to include a 9mm firearm, which was intended to be delivered by a carrier of the Postal Service. On October 10, 2022, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of Houston’s vehicle for a license plate violation. Over the course of the stop, law enforcement removed a firearm from Houston’s vehicle. Upon further investigation, law enforcement determined that the firearm recovered from Houston’s vehicle was one of the firearms reported stolen from a mailed shipment. On August 24, 2023, Houston pleaded guilty to destruction of theft of mail by a postal employee.
In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney King thanked USPS-OIG and ATF for their investigation of the case and thanked the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department for their assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Regina H. Pack of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Pittsburgh Resident Pleads Guilty to Violating Federal Firearms LawsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – Raesean M. Wilson, age 21, a resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to two charges of violating federal firearm laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
According to information presented to the court, in March 2022, Wilson was convicted in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas of being a person not to possess firearms, a felony offense. On or about September 21, 2022, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police observed Wilson in possession of a 9mm semi-automatic pistol loaded with an extended magazine and 30 rounds of ammunition in the Northview Heights community in Pittsburgh’s Northside neighborhood. Under federal law, a convicted felon is prohibited from possessing ammunition. On January 3, 2023, a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh indicted Wilson for this incident and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
On or about January 26, 2023, after being indicted for the previous incident, Wilson was stopped by Pennsylvania State Troopers in downtown Pittsburgh for a moving traffic violation and found to be in possession of a .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol loaded with an extended magazine and 23 rounds of ammunition. On February 28, 2023, a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh indicted Wilson for this second firearms offense.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 15 years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Carl J. Spindler prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police; Pennsylvania State Police; and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation in this case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.