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26 January 2024
Armed Drug Dealer Convicted of Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
A Chicago man who distributed significant amounts of methamphetamine, cocaine, and crack cocaine, and was found in possession of a firearm, was convicted by a jury on January 25, 2024, after a four‑day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Antonio Rayshaun Evans, from Chicago, Illinois, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, two counts of distribution of a controlled substance, one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, one count of carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. The verdict was returned yesterday following about one hour and thirty minutes of jury deliberations.
The evidence at trial showed that beginning in the summer of 2021 and continuing to March 2023, Evans distributed over 70 pounds of methamphetamine and significant amounts of cocaine and crack cocaine. On April 2, 2023, Evans distributed four pounds of methamphetamine, and on April 11, 2023, Evans distributed four ounces of cocaine. On April 18, 2023, law enforcement officers stopped Evans’ vehicle and arrested him. A closer inspection of Evans’ vehicle revealed a hidden compartment in the dash of the vehicle, which contained a firearm, over 26 grams of crack cocaine, and over 12 grams of fentanyl.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Evans remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Evans faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $44,500,000 fine, and a lifetime term of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dillan Edwards and Kyndra Lundquist and was investigated by the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force consisting of the Waterloo Police Department, Cedar Falls Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Department, Evansdale Police Department, Waverly Police Department, Hudson Police Department, La Porte City Police Department, and the Bremer County Sheriff’s Department; the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23‑CR‑02033‑CJW.
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Ardmore Resident Sentenced for Assault with A Dangerous WeaponRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that David Lawrence Hudson, age 67, of Ardmore, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 21 months in prison for one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to Cause Bodily Harm in Indian Country.
The charge arose from investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Ardmore Police Department, and the Chickasaw Nation Lighthorse Police.
On February 7, 2023, Hudson pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on April 9, 2022, Hudson struck the victim in the head with a wooden club, intending to cause bodily harm. The crime occurred in Carter County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Hudson will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Alleged Drug Trafficker Wilder Emilio Sanchez Farfan Extradited from ColombiaRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – January 26, 2024
SAN DIEGO – Wilder Emilio Sanchez Farfan, aka Gato, an Ecuadorian national and alleged drug trafficker, made his first appearance in federal court today following his extradition to the United States from Colombia yesterday.
At the hearing, Sanchez Farfan entered a not guilty plea. U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara L. Major ordered him detained pending trial. The next hearing is scheduled for March 4, 2024, at 1:30 p.m. before U.S. District Judge Gonzalo P. Curiel.
On October 30, 2019, a federal grand jury in the Southern District of California returned an indictment charging Sanchez Farfan with participating in a transnational conspiracy to traffic substantial quantities of cocaine from Colombia, through Ecuador, and into the United States. Sanchez Farfan’s organization is alleged to have been a major source of supply for the Sinaloa Cartel and the New Generation Jalisco Cartel in Mexico.
Sanchez Farfan was apprehended by Colombian authorities at the request of the United States in February 2023 while traveling in Colombia.
“We thank Colombian and Ecuadorian law enforcement authorities for their significant assistance,” said U.S. Attorney Tara K. McGrath.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Judicial Attaché’s office at the U.S. Embassy in Bogota provided critical assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Sanchez Farfan.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyle Martin and Ashley Goff.
DEFENDANT Case 19cr1610-GPC
Wilder Emilio Sanchez Farfan Age: 43 Ecuador
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
International Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances– Title 18, U.S.C., Section 959, 960, and 963
Maximum penalty: Life in prison with a mandatory minimum of ten years in prison
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Drug Enforcement Administration
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations
U.S. Marshals Service
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Ada Resident Sentenced for Theft in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Steven Esquivel Martinez, age 48, of Ada, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 20 months in prison for Theft in Indian Country, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Martinez was also ordered to pay restitution to the victims.
The charges arose from investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Coal County Sheriff’s Office.
On November 1, 2022, Martinez pleaded guilty to one count of Theft in Indian Country. According to investigators, between April 2018 and February 2020, Martinez, the appointed Personal Representative over his deceased grandmother’s estate, intentionally moved over $350,000 from the estate’s account into his personal bank account. Martinez then used the transferred estate funds for his own benefit. The crimes occurred in within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
“This sentencing demonstrates that individuals like Mr. Martinez, who commit financial crimes to enrich themselves, will be held accountable,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. “The FBI is dedicated to working with our law enforcement partners to identify and investigate those who illegally profit at the expense of others.”
“Financial crime can be devastating to victims,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to prosecuting those like Mr. Martinez who defraud others.”
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearings. Martinez will self-report to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility on February 23, 2024, to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Kara Traster represented the United States.
Activity in the U.S. Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Drug Trafficking
Alyssa Bury, age 31, of Spearfish, South Dakota, was sentenced to 33 months’ imprisonment for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Jan. 12. According to court documents, on Oct. 21, 2021, Cheyenne Police Department officers were dispatched to a welfare check for a female suspected to be on
narcotics. They found Bury hiding in the back of a black truck parked in an alleyway. The defendant was unable to describe how she arrived at that location. Another officer was dispatched to check out the defendant’s car. Upon searching the vehicle, officers discovered methamphetamine, a digital scale, several unused plastic baggies, and other controlled substances. The crime as investigated by the FBI, Cheyenne Police Department, and Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Z. Seth Griswold.
Sex Offenses
Louis Whiteplume, age 51, of Ethete, Wyoming, was sentenced to time served for failing to register as a sex offender. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Jan. 16. The defendant was required by a court order to register with the Wind River Sex Offender Registration & Notification Act office personnel as well as Wyoming Department of Criminal Investigation. He failed to do so and was arrested on Jul. 21, 2023. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy W. Gist.
Illegal Re-entry of a Previously Deported Alien
Jorge Sanudo Zavala, age 43, of Sinaloa, Mexico, was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison for illegal re-entry of a previously deported alien into the United States. The defendant will be deported to Mexico upon his release. According to court documents, on Aug. 3, 2023, the defendant was arrested by the Wyoming Highway Patrol, in Johnson County, Wyoming, for speeding and not having a drivers license. The defendant claimed to be a citizen of Mexico. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement verified that Sanuda Zavala had been previously deported and was in the United States illegally. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Elmore. Senior U.S. District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal imposed the sentence on Jan. 24.
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
25 January 2024
Youngstown Man Sentenced to More than 14 years for Leading a Drug Conspiracy in Youngstown AreaRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – Terrance May, 48, of Youngstown, Ohio, was sentenced today to 175 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Benita Y. Pearson today after earlier pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute drugs and distributing drugs. May was ordered to serve 15 years of supervised release following imprisonment and pay a $2,400 special assessment.
According to court documents and court records, May led a drug conspiracy in the Youngstown area that distributed fentanyl, cocaine, cocaine base, and heroin from February 2020 until January of 2022. Investigators used a wiretap to intercept drug communications from May and other co-conspirators that led to search warrants being executed that resulted in seizures of illegal drugs.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Youngstown, the Youngstown Police Department, the Boardman Police Department, the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office, and the Campbell Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason M. Katz.
Winona Man Indicted on Child Exploitation Charges After Targeting More Than 60 Young Girls in Online Sextortion SchemeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Winona man has been charged in an online sextortion scheme that victimized more than 60 minor girls across the country and abroad, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
“Online predators are using social media apps to befriend, coerce, and ultimately extort children and teens,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger. “Thousands of minor victims have been the target of this horrific exploitation. It’s imperative that we as a community engage with our kids about sextortion schemes so we can prevent them in the first place.”
According to court documents, between April 2022 and June 2023, Valentin Silva Quintana, 30, used social media apps, including Snapchat and Instagram, to threaten, sexually manipulate, and exploit more than 60 young girls primarily between 9 and 12 years old in Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, New Zealand and elsewhere. Quintana, who knew that most of the girls were between 9 and 12 years of age, used fake identities and lied about his age in communications with the girls, posing as a minor girl himself. He used images and videos of youthful appearing girls to make his communications with other victims more believable.
According to court documents, Quintana used a wide range of tactics to coerce his victims, sometimes by convincing young girls that he was their friend or romantic partner, or by offering them money. But most frequently, he convinced young girls to send him a sexual photo or video or covertly recorded them engaging in sexually explicit conduct and then threatened to send the first image to their friends and family unless the girls produced ever more graphic sexual images and videos for him. He continued this type of sextortion even as his victims wept and begged him to stop.
“The sexual exploitation of Minnesota’s children is horrific and tragic but never more so than when the offenses also include the physical assault of the young victims,” BCA Superintendent Drew Evans said. “Our Minnesota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force will continue to partner with local law enforcement to root out those who commit these acts and help bring them to justice.”
“Today’s indictment sends a crucial message to all predators – we will not allow any crimes against our most vulnerable population to go unpunished,” said Jamie Holt, special agent in charge for HSI St. Paul. “HSI is dedicated to protecting our children against sexual predators who seek to take advantage of their innocence by working with our federal, state and local partners to bring people like Quintana to justice.”
The indictment charges Quintana with thirteen counts of production of child pornography, one count of distribution of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography. Quintana made his initial appearance today in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Cowan Wright. Quintana was ordered to remain in custody pending further court proceedings.
To date, more than 60 minor girls have been identified, although law enforcement believes there may be additional victims. Anyone who believes they may have information about this matter is encouraged to contact Homeland Security Investigations through the toll-free tip line at 1-866-347-2423.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Winona County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael McBride is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Wichita man indicted for firing gun during robberyRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a man for allegedly discharging a firearm while robbing a business.
According to court documents, Clemente Garcia Jr, 35, of Wichita was indicted on one count of interference with commerce by threats or violence, one count of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Garcia is accused of firing a high caliber rifle while robbing a restaurant on South Seneca Street in Wichita, Kansas, in November 2022.
The Wichita Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Chad Gibson, 50, of Wichita was indicted on one count of theft of government property. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case.
Antonio Knight, 25, of Wichita is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Wichita Police Department, and Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Deb Barnett and Ola Odeyemi are prosecuting the case.
Jason Moody, 50, of Coffeyville is charged with two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster is prosecuting the case.
Eric Saldana, 37, of Haysville was indicted on three counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. The Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Deb Barnett is prosecuting the case.
Clifton Weatherspoon, 31, of Wichita was indicted on two counts of possession of fentanyl with intention to distribute, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Wichita Police Department, and Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Deb Barnett and Ola Odeyemi are 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.
###White Supremacist Group Member Convicted of Federal Hate Crime for Defacing Michigan Synagogue with Neo-Nazi SymbolsRead the Press Release
A federal jury today convicted a Michigan man for conspiring with others and defacing Temple Jacob, a Jewish synagogue in Hancock with swastikas and symbols associated with The Base, a multi-state, white supremacist group.
Nathan Weeden, 23, of Houghton, was convicted of one count of conspiring to injure, oppress, threaten or intimidate any person in the exercise of their rights and one count of intentionally defacing, damaging or destroying religious property because of the race or ethnic characteristics of individuals associated with that property. Weeden’s co-conspirators, Richard Tobin, of New Jersey, and Yousef Barasneh, of Wisconsin, both previously pleaded guilty to federal crimes related to the incident. Barasneh testified in the trial against Weeden.
“This defendant shamelessly desecrated Temple Jacob when he emblazoned swastikas — a symbol of extermination — on their Temple walls,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Such conduct is unacceptable and criminal under any circumstances but doing so in furtherance of a self-described ‘Operation Kristallnacht’ conspiracy is beyond disgraceful. Antisemitism has no place in our society, and the Justice Department will aggressively prosecute white supremacists who seek to threaten and intimidate others from exercising their federally and constitutionally protected rights.”
“Today’s swift conviction sends a strong message that hate will not be tolerated in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten for the Western District of Michigan. “No one should be the target of hate because of their race, ethnicity, religion or any other status. When hateful words become hateful acts, my office will use every tool we have to protect the public and secure justice.”
“People of all faiths deserve to feel safe in their communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to hold those accountable whose hate-filled aggression violates the civil rights of others. For law enforcement to safeguard against hate and violence, we request the public’s assistance in reporting suspicious or threatening behavior by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submitting a tip online at tips.fbi.gov/home.”
“Hate and intimidation have no place in Michigan or our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge James Deir of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Detroit Field Office. “The behavior in this conviction is most certainly disturbing, ignorant and intolerable. ATF is laser-focused on ensuring public safety by holding people accountable for their hate-inspired deplorable actions. Houses of worship need to remain safe places where people can go for spiritual redemption and growth. Any attack on a house of worship or a group of people is an attack on our very way of life in this great state.”
In September 2019, Weeden, Tobin and Barasneh, all members of The Base, used an encrypted messaging platform to discuss vandalizing property associated with African Americans and Jewish Americans. Weeden and his co-conspirators dubbed their plan, “Operation Kristallnacht,” which in German means “Night of Broken Glass.” This term referenced events that took place on Nov. 9 and 10, 1938, in which Nazis murdered Jews and burned and destroyed their homes, synagogues, schools and places of business. Weeden carried out this plan on Sept. 21, 2019, when he spray-painted swastikas and symbols associated with The Base on the outside walls of Temple Jacob.
A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. A federal district court judge will determine any sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI investigated the case with assistance from ATF and the Hancock Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nils Kessler for the Western District of Michigan and Trial Attorney Eric Peffley of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
Westbank Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun and Drug ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – BRANDON JOHNSON, a/k/a, Brandon Smith, age 32, a resident of Jefferson Parish, pled guilty on January 18, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier to Counts 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7 of the indictment pending against him. Count 1 charged JOHNSON with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c). Count 2 charged him with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, in violation of Title 18 USC § 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). Count 3 charged him with possession with the intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine and cocaine, in violation of Title 21 USC § 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C). Count 5 charged him with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, in violation of Title 18 USC § 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). Count 6 charged him with the illegal possession of a machinegun, in violation of Title 18 USC § 922(o). Count 7 charged him with possession with the intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and marijuana, in violation of Title 21 USC § 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and (D). The sentencing will be held on April 25, 2024.
Based on his guilty plea, JOHNSON will face the following sentences as to each count:
As to Count 1, JOHNSON will face a mandatory minimum sentence of not less than 5 years up to a maximum of life in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000. Any jail sentence imposed in connection with Count 1 must be consecutive to any other count. He will also face up to five years of supervised release.
As to Count 2, JOHNSON will face up to 10 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000.00 fine, and up to three years of supervised release.
As to Count 3, JOHNSON faces up to 20 years in prison, up to a $1,000,000.00 fine, and a term of supervised release of not less than three years up to life.
As to Count 5, JOHNSON faces up to 10 years in prison, up to a $250,000.00 fine, and up to three years of supervised release.
As to Count 6, JOHNSON will face up to 10 years in prison, up to a $250,000.00 fine, and up to three years of supervised release.
As to Count 7, JOHNSON faces up to 20 years in prison, up to a $1,000,000.00 fine, and a term of supervised release of not less than three years up to life.
Additionally, as to each charged count, JOHNSON faces payment of a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
On February 21, 2021, Jefferson Parish Deputies stopped JOHNSON in his vehicle for a traffic violation and saw marijuana in his car. Deputies then searched JOHNSON and found additional drugs. They then searched his car, found MDMA pills and a gun and arrested him. A subsequent jail search of JOHNSON uncovered approximately 90 pieces of crack cocaine (approximately 12 grams) in his possession.
While JOHNSON was out on bond after his arrest, Jefferson Parish narcotics detectives saw JOHNSON conducting hand to hand drug transactions and arrested him. A post-arrest search of JOHNSON, plus two vehicles in his possession and his two cell phones, revealed methamphetamine, fentanyl, marijuana, a gun with a Glock switch as well as photos of Glock Switches, drugs, money, and guns.
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.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Maurice E. Landrieu, Jr of the Narcotics Unit.
Waterloo Man Sentenced to 70 Months in Federal Prison for Being a Prohibited Person in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
A prohibited person who possessed a firearm was sentenced on January 24, 2024, to 70 months in federal prison.
Ezekiel Menteer, age 24, of Waterloo, received the sentence after an August 9, 2023, guilty plea to one count of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. At the plea hearing, Menteer admitted that, in January 2022, he possessed a Kimber pistol after having been convicted of a felony and while being an unlawful drug user. Evidence presented at the sentencing hearing showed that defendant used the pistol to fire eight shots outside a Waterloo bar.
Menteer was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Menteer was sentenced to 70 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Waterloo Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is CR 23-2009.
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Uzbek National and United States Citizen Charged with Long-Running Immigration and Passport-Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of a superseding indictment charging U.S. citizen Abduvosit Razikov (44, Orlando) and Uzbek national Dilrabo Obidova (35, Orlando) with conspiring for more than 16 years to make false statements to federal agencies, illegally obtain immigration benefits, make false statements in U.S. passport applications, and illegally obtain U.S. passports. The superseding indictment also charges Razikov and Obidova with several counts of passport fraud, and it charges Obidova with making false statements to federal agencies and attempting to illegally procure naturalization or U.S. citizenship. If convicted, Obidova and Razikov each face a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison for conspiracy and up to ten years in federal prison for passport fraud. Obidova also faces five years in federal prison for false statements to a federal agency and up to ten years in federal prison for attempting to illegally procure naturalization or U.S. citizenship.
According to the superseding indictment, Razikov, originally a national of Uzbekistan, gained immigration status and eventually obtained U.S. citizenship through a fraudulent marriage to a U.S. citizen. Razikov and Obidova separately conspired for Obidova to gain immigration benefits in the United States through her own fraudulent marriage to a different U.S. citizen. In the meantime, Razikov and Obidova secretly married each other and concealed their relationship from immigration authorities, including by listing Obidova’s sham husband as the father on Razikov and Obidova’s children’s birth certificates. Their efforts to hide their respective fraudulent marriages led to both Razikov and Obidova making several false statements in applications for U.S. passports for Razikov and their children.
After obtaining lawful permanent resident status, Obidova attempted to become a naturalized U.S. citizen. According to the superseding indictment, in her application for naturalization, Obidova made numerous false statements, under penalty of perjury, relating to her background, marriages, and past attempts to illegally obtain immigration benefits and status.
A superseding indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Joint Terrorism Task Force with valuable assistance from the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kara M. Wick and Richard Varadan.
U.S. Attorney’s Office announces charges in Alaska organized drug crime ringRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The U.S Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska announced today that 53 people have been charged through nine indictments in connection with a large-scale organized crime ring operating within the state of Alaska.
U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska, Assistant Special Agent in Charge David Zahn of the Drug Enforcement Administration Anchorage District Office, Assistant Inspector In Charge Jarrod Resendez of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Seattle Division, Special Agent in Charge Antony Jung of the FBI Anchorage Field Office, and Capt. Cornelius Sims of the Alaska State Troopers made the announcement alongside Special Agent in Charge Adam Jobes of the IRS Criminal Investigation Seattle Field Office and Chief Michael Kerle of the Anchorage Police Department during a press conference at the James M. Fitzgerald U.S. Courthouse and Federal Building.
According to court documents, Heraclio Sanchez-Rodriguez, 57, ran a transnational organized crime and drug trafficking ring targeting Alaska. Throughout the entirety of the conspiracy, Sanchez-Rodriguez was an inmate in a California state prison. He allegedly used contraband cell phones to communicate with his suppliers in Mexico and their brokers, leaders in California and Oregon, and distributors of the drug trafficking enterprise in Alaska.
From February 2022 to July 2023, law enforcement intercepted roughly 36 kilograms of fentanyl, 27.3 kilograms of meth, 11.3 kilograms of heroin and 118 grams of cocaine connected to the enterprise, with the majority destined for various communities across the state. According to the indictments, the enterprise mainly used high-level suppliers to send drug packages through the U.S. Postal Service from Oregon and California to Alaska. Distributors located in Alaska would receive the packages and distribute the drugs to Alaskan communities as small as Goodnews Bay, Tyonek, Sand Point and Savoonga per Sanchez-Rodriguez’s instruction.
The indictments charge that Christina Quintana, 38, who was an inmate at Hiland Mountain Correctional Facility in Eagle River during the entirety of the conspiracy, was known as one of Sanchez-Rodriguez’s “wives,” which was a title reserved for high-ranking members of the enterprise. Her role in the conspiracy was allegedly to recruit soon to be released inmates from Hiland to be distributors for the enterprise. Upon release, the newly recruited members are alleged to have received packages of drugs to distribute the drugs across Alaska.
At the direction of Sanchez-Rodriguez and in furtherance of the conspiracy, Tamara Bren, 41, who was one of Sanchez-Rodriguez’s “wives,” and Kevin Peterson, 29, another member of the enterprise, allegedly killed Sunday Powers and Kami Clark near Trapper Creek in May 2023. Court documents allege Sanchez-Rodriguez, Bren and Peterson coordinated the kidnapping, where the victims were kidnapped through carjacking, murdered and buried in a shallow grave.
The grand jury also charged Edward Ginnis, 38, and Samantha Pearson, 37, of North Pole, with offenses related to their role in the conspiracy and with distributing fentanyl to Adam Sakkinen resulting in his death.
Over 25 defendants were also charged with money laundering conspiracy to promote drug trafficking and concealing the source of the funds. Court documents identified at least 76 separate money laundering transactions as part of the investigation, including some made internationally to Mexico.
Defendants in this case include (in alphabetical order):
- Alison Giacullo, 40
- Amber Young, 28
- Amy Garcia, 32
- Angela Jasper, 39
- Anna Petla, 24
- April Chythlook, 28
- Ashley Northrup, 35
- Catherine Phillips, 40
- Christina Quintana
- Cloe Sam, 26
- Colleen McDaniel, 68
- Della Northway, 28
- Desiree Green, 45
- Douglas Vanmeter, 32
- Edward Ginnis
- Elroy Bouchard, 58
- Erika Badillo, a.k.a “Erica Madrigal,” 42
- Erindira Pin, 44
- Frieda Gillespie, 50
- Gust Romie, 36
- Heraclio Sanchez-Rodriguez, a.k.a “Charlie,” “Marco” and “Danny Sanchez”
- James Schwarz, 41
- Josi Sterling, f.k.a “Josi Philbin,” 35
- Julia Brusell, 41
- Kaleea Fox, 24
- Karen Kasak, 51
- Karly Fuller, 30
- Kevin Peterson II
- Khamthene Thongdy, 45
- Krystyn Gosuk, 33
- Larry Marsden, 41
- Lois Frank, 64
- Mario Klanott, 37
- Michael Kohler, 35
- Michael Soto, 33
- Michelle Pungowiyi, 49
- Naomi Sanchez, 39
- Pasquale Giordano, 45
- Patricia Seal-Uttke, 30
- Pius Hanson, 40
- Richard Frye, 35
- Rochelle Wood, 38
- Samantha Pearson
- Sara Orr, 32
- Shanda Barlow, 34
- Shania Agli, 25
- Stormy Cleveland, f.k.a “Stormy Powell,” 37
- Tamara Bren
- Tamberlyn Solomon, 25
- Tiffani Couch, 30
- Twyla Gloko, 36
- Valerie Sanchez, 26
- Veronica Sanchez, 49
Most defendants made their initial court appearances over the past four months before U.S. Magistrate Judges of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska.
The Drug Enforcement Administration Seattle Division Office and Anchorage District Office, FBI Anchorage Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation Seattle Field Office, U.S. Postal Inspection Service Seattle Division and Anchorage Domicile, Homeland Security Investigations Anchorage, Alaska Office, Alaska State Troopers, Anchorage Police Department and Palmer Police Department, with significant law enforcement support from the U.S. Marshals Service, are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephan Collins, Christopher Schroeder, Karen Vandergaw and Alana Weber are prosecuting the case.
This investigation and prosecution are part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”), which identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
UPDATE: This press release has been changed to include the law enforcement agency Homeland Security Investigations Anchorage, Alaska Office.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects over $8.9M in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2023Read the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins announced today that the District of Utah collected $8,945,364.56 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2023. Of this amount, $6,624,427.09 was collected in criminal actions and $2,320,937.47 was collected in civil actions.
Additionally, the District of Utah worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $30,645,096.14 in cases pursued jointly by these offices. Of this amount, $10,100 was collected in criminal actions and $30,634,996.14 was collected in civil actions.
In September 2023, the District of Utah recovered $300,000 as part of a court ordered restitution from Crystal Huang who was convicted of a $5M securities fraud scheme. See full press release here.The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s office in the District of Utah, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $6,191,974 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2023. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects Nearly $3M for Taxpayers and Victims in 2023Read the Press Release
Memphis, TN – U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee collected $2,959,254.54 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2023. Of this amount, $2,846,173.69 was collected in criminal actions and $113,080.85 was collected in civil actions.
Additionally, Tennessee’s Western District worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $70,742.42 in cases pursued jointly by these offices. Of this amount, $28,492.42 was collected in criminal actions and $42,250 was collected in civil actions.
“Protection of taxpayer resources in the United States Treasury is a core value and critical mission for this office and the Department of Justice,” said U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz. “Equally important is the federal government’s responsibility to collect restitution for victims of crime so that offenders are held accountable, and victims can receive justice. I commend our Criminal Division, Civil Division, and Financial Litigation Unit for outstanding work in pursuing and collecting these funds on behalf of victims of crime and the United States.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Tennessee’s Western District, working with partner agencies and divisions, also collected $1,689,156 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2023. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
Several cases generated significant collection efforts in fiscal year 2023:
- For example, a $10 million international fraud conspiracy case generated significant collection efforts this past fiscal year. The case involved eleven people who used compromised email accounts to steal from businesses and conduct romance scams on the internet. In U.S. v. Babatunde Martins, the defendant owed restitution and agreed to pay $300,000 as part of the judgment. However, the funds were frozen in a bank in West Africa pending legal process. After working with the U.S. Department of Justice civil division of foreign litigation, our office secured $299,972 in criminal fines related to this case in fiscal year 2023. A related case, U.S. v. Marie Theresa Zamora and Allianz, generated $72,653 in June 2023.
- Another case involving several former federal employees who defrauded COVID-19 relief programs, yielded $68,817 for taxpayers and crime victims. In U.S. v. Tina Rochelle Hume, the defendant pled guilty to submitting fraudulent applications for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funds. Within two months of her guilty plea, our office filed a criminal restitution order and obtained a garnishment that resulted in a large, fast collection of taxpayer dollars.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Kentucky Collects over $17 Million in Fiscal Year 2023Read the Press Release
Louisville, KY- U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky announced today that the United States Attorney’s Office collected more than $17.17 million in Fiscal Year 2023, including $11,887,384.70 in civil actions, $3,786,402.45 in criminal cases, and $1,456,855 in asset forfeiture matters. The District also worked with other U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $39,419.63 in jointly-pursued criminal cases.
“Our pursuit of justice does not end when the court proceedings are over,” said U.S. Attorney Bennett. “Our Office is committed to collecting restitution for victims of crime and monies owed to federal, state, and local agencies. That commitment is evidenced by our tremendous recoveries in the last fiscal year. I commend the work of our collection teams and their dogged dedication to uncovering every possible dollar for crime victims and federal agencies.”
Notable criminal restitution recoveries within the Western District of Kentucky include $250,100 from the voluntary liquidation of real property in United States v. Mackie Shelton, Case No. 1:21-cr-16-2 and $204,817.69 in forfeited funds in United States v. Hatem Kaisi, Case No. 3:18-cr-215.
Significant civil recoveries include the collection of over $1,750,000 from providers who received kickbacks for ordering medically unnecessary lab tests and a final $6 million settlement payment in a False Claims Act settlement in United States, ex rel. v. Agendia, Inc., Case No. 5:15-cv-50.
The Office also recovered more than $2.6 million for federal agencies in bankruptcies and judicial foreclosures and worked to forfeit $1,270,163 to the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund, which will be used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the Department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the United States and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid directly to victims, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
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U.S. Attorney Will Thompson and Law Enforcement Officials to Hold Press Conference in Counterfeit Pill CaseRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson will hold a press conference with law enforcement officials on Thursday, January 25, 2024, at 4 p.m. in a case involving the creation of thousands of fake prescription pills containing fentanyl and other dangerous opioids.
WHAT: Press Conference
WHEN: Thursday, January 25, 2024, at 4 p.m.
WHERE: U.S. Attorney’s Office, Robert C. Byrd U.S. Courthouse, Charleston
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.
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Two Sunland Park Men Charged with Hostage TakingRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Jason T. Stevens, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations - El Paso, announced today that a federal grand jury returned a second superseding indictment charging Saul Castorena and his brother Steven Castorena with conspiracy to take a hostage, two counts of hostage taking, conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens, and two counts of harboring an illegal alien. Saul is also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and possession of a firearm not registered with the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Saul, 41, and Steven, 40, both of Sunland Park, remain in custody pending trial, which is currently scheduled for Feb. 26, 2024.
According to the indictment, between Jan. 15 and Jan. 18, 2023, Saul and Steven detained and threatened to kill or injure two people who had entered and remained in the United States in violation of law unless a third party paid a ransom for their release. During this time, Saul, knowing that he had previously been convicted of conspiracy to transport aliens for financial gain and transporting aliens for financial gain, possessed a firearm and ammunition, specifically a shotgun with a barrel less than 18 inches, that was not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Saul and Steven both face up to life in prison.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated this case with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Randy Castellano and Devon Aragon Martinez are prosecuting the case.
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Two St. Croix Men Indicted in Castaways Robbery and HomicideRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – U.S. Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Enock Cole, age 25, and Jiovoni Smith, age 24, were indicted by a federal grand jury for the robbery and homicide that occurred at the Castaways bar and restaurant on St. Croix on November 14, 2018.
The indictment charges Cole and Smith with Hobbs Act Robbery, Discharge of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence, Use of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence Resulting in Death, Use of a Minor in a Crime of Violence, and First-Degree Murder. Both men are scheduled to make their initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Emile A. Henderson III on February 1, 2024.
If convicted, Cole and Smith face a maximum penalty of death or life imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide initiative that brings together federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement officials, prosecutors, and community leaders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in a community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. For more information on the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods, please see: https://www.justice.gov/psn.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Virgin Islands Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rhonda Williams-Henry and Daniel H. Huston.
United States Attorney Smith reminds the public that an indictment is merely a formal charging document and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two Plead Guilty in Scheme to Steal More than $850,000 in COVID-19 Housing Assistance FundsRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Two members of a New Bern family pled guilty for their role in a scheme to defraud a program designed to help struggling North Carolina residents stay in their homes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Takeeia Hawkins, age 43, and her daughter, Shanasia Hawkins, age 22, both pled guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and face up to 30 years at sentencing later this year. Takeeia Hawkins’ son, Jmari Hawkins, age 24, and another conspirator, Jonell Ojeda, age 23, have also been indicted in the scheme to fraudulently obtain more than $850,000 in emergency rental assistance from the NC HOPE Program (North Carolina Housing Opportunities and Prevention of Evictions).
“This case is yet another example of the greedy taking from the needy,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “These funds were meant to help struggling families pay their rent, and these defendants stole it. Our office will keep coming for fraudsters who used pandemic relief as a personal piggybank.”
According to information presented in court, Takeeia and Shanasia Hawkins admitted to submitting fraudulent applications to the NC HOPE Program, in which they falsely claimed to be the landlord of multiple properties in North Carolina. More than 50 applications, requesting nearly $500,000, were submitted with Takeeia or Shanasia Hawkins listed as the landlord. Neither woman owned property nor served as a landlord of any property. Based on the fraudulent representations, the NC HOPE Program mailed checks, totaling nearly $150,000 to the two women.
Jmari Hawkins and Ojeda were indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and aggravated identity theft in October 2023. According to the indictment, Jmari Hawkins and Ojeda are alleged to have worked together with other Hawkins family members to falsely claim to be property landlords on applications submitted to the NC HOPE Program. Property records show neither Jmari Hawkins or Ojeda owned property or served as landlord of any property on the applications. In addition, the indictment alleges they conspired with a third-party to obtain stolen identities and fraudulent identity cards to use when submitting applications for rental assistance. Their cases are still pending, and an indictment is merely an accusation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. (see case number below)
The NC HOPE Program administered federal COVID-19 relief funds and provided emergency rental assistance to North Carolina renters who faced eviction and homelessness during the pandemic. The Program allowed renters to submit an online application to apply for rental assistance. If approved, the Program paid the tenant’s rent, in checks sent directly to the landlord, for up to 15 months of overdue or future rent payments.
“Treasury OIG is committed to supporting these coordinated efforts to detect and prevent misuse of public funds,” said Acting Inspector General Rich Delmar.
This alleged scheme allowed the members of the Hawkins family and their associates to enrich themselves at the expense of North Carolina renters struggling with housing insecurity during the pandemic.
“Investigating allegations of fraud related to housing assistance programs is a critical part of the mission of the Office of Inspector General,” said Special Agent in Charge Jerome Winkle, with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate these types of allegations and bring to justice bad actors who prey on communities struggling with the catastrophic impacts of the pandemic.”
“The COVID-19 pandemic was a difficult time for so many families, including those in communities across North Carolina,” said NC State Bureau of Investigation Director Robert Schurmeier. “The purpose of emergency relief funds like the NC HOPE Program offered was to provide a lifeline to those struggling to keep a roof over their heads. It is beyond disappointing to know that individuals exploited the crisis for their own personal gain while some of their most vulnerable neighbors risked losing their homes. Such actions undermine the very support systems created to hold our communities together during a crisis or otherwise.”
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General; the United States Department of Treasury, Office of Inspector General; and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation investigated the case and it is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Haughton.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for United States v. Takeeia Hawkins, Case No 5:23-CR-00380; United States v. Shanasia Hawkins, Case No. 5:23-CR-00379; Unites States v. Jmari Hawkins et al, Case No. 5:23-cr-00300.
Two Owners of Tony Luke’s Philadelphia Cheesesteak Restaurant Sentenced for Tax FraudRead the Press Release
Two New Jersey owners of a popular South Philadelphia cheesesteak restaurant were sentenced today for their decade-long conspiracy to defraud the IRS. The court sentenced Nicholas Lucidonio, 57, and Anthony Lucidonio Sr., 84, to 20 months in prison each.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the Lucidonios owned and operated Tony Luke’s, a cheesesteak and sandwich restaurant located in South Philadelphia. From 2006 to 2016, they hid from the IRS more than $8 million in cash receipts by, among other things, depositing only a portion of the cash they received into Tony Luke’s business bank accounts and providing incomplete information to their accountant, which caused their accountant to file false tax returns that substantially underreported business receipts and income.
The Lucidonios also committed employment tax fraud by paying employees “off the books” in cash. To evade detection, they paid most employees a portion of their wages “on the books.” The Lucidonios then paid the remainder of their wages in cash without withholding federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare taxes or paying those to the IRS. They did not report these cash wages to their accountant, which caused the accountant to prepare and file false quarterly employment tax returns with the IRS.
When a dispute over Tony Luke’s franchising rights arose between the Lucidonios and another individual in 2015, the Lucidonios became concerned that their tax fraud scheme would be revealed, so they directed that the prior year’s tax returns be amended to increase reported sales. The Lucidonios continued to hide their ongoing payroll tax scheme.
As a result of their tax fraud scheme, the defendants caused a loss of $1,321,042 to the United States.
In addition to the terms of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Gerald A. McHugh ordered both defendants to serve three years of supervised release.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Acting Section Chief John Kane of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney and Criminal Division Chief Richard Barrett for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania are prosecuting the case.
Two Owners of Tony Luke’s Philadelphia Cheesesteak Restaurant Sentenced for Tax FraudRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that two owners of a popular South Philadelphia cheesesteak restaurant were sentenced to prison today for their decade-long conspiracy to defraud the IRS. The court sentenced Nicholas Lucidonio, 57, and Anthony Lucidonio Sr., 84, to 20 months in prison each.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the Lucidonios owned and operated Tony Luke’s, a cheesesteak and sandwich restaurant located in South Philadelphia. From 2006 to 2016, they hid from the IRS more than $8 million in cash receipts by, among other things, depositing only a portion of the cash they received into Tony Luke’s business bank accounts and providing incomplete information to their accountant, which caused their accountant to file false tax returns that substantially underreported business receipts and income.
The Lucidonios also committed employment tax fraud by paying employees “off the books” in cash. To evade detection, they paid most employees a portion of their wages “on the books.” The Lucidonios then paid the remainder of their wages in cash without withholding federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare taxes or paying those to the IRS. They did not report these cash wages to their accountant, which caused the accountant to prepare and file false quarterly employment tax returns with the IRS.
When a dispute over Tony Luke’s franchising rights arose between the Lucidonios and another individual in 2015, the Lucidonios became concerned that their tax fraud scheme would be revealed, so they directed that the prior year’s tax returns be amended to increase reported sales. The Lucidonios continued to hide their ongoing payroll tax scheme.
As a result of their tax fraud scheme, the defendants caused a loss of $1,321,042 to the United States.
“For a decade, these successful restaurateurs boldly cooked the books, cheating the government and honest taxpayers alike,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “As this investigation and prosecution show, tax fraud is a crime with some pretty high stakes, with violators held fully accountable.”
“Anyone contemplating cheating on their taxes should know that IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agents work tirelessly, year-round, to investigate tax and financial crimes,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Yury Kruty. “Our largest enforcement program is directed at the portion of American taxpayers who willfully and intentionally violate their known legal duty of filing and paying their taxes.”
In addition to the terms of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Gerald A. McHugh ordered both defendants to serve three years of supervised release.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Acting Section Chief John Kane of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Criminal Division Chief Richard Barrett of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania are prosecuting the case.
Two Men Sentenced for Falsifying Documents Related to Testing of Equipment at Nuclear Power PlantsRead the Press Release
Two men attended sentencing hearings today in federal court for their roles in creating false calibration certificates in a matter within the jurisdiction of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).
Miguel Marcial Amaro and Martin Ramos had each previously pleaded guilty to the felony offense of making and using a false document, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1001. Each defendant is banned from participation or employment in NRC-licensed activities as a condition of their plea agreement – Marcial Amaro for five years and Ramos for two years.
According to court documents, Marcial Amaro and Ramos both worked for a company that provided acoustic emissions (AE) testing to nuclear power plants to detect structural defects in the plant’s equipment, including critical components within the nuclear reactors.
Between 2010 and 2021, Marcial Amaro was responsible for ensuring that the company’s AE testing equipment was calibrated annually; Ramos worked under Marcial Amaro as an engineer. The two men created numerous false calibration certificates for AE testing equipment and 15 of these false certificates were sent a total of 29 times to nuclear plant owners as part of final testing reports required by NRC. The falsified calibration certificates were discovered in 2021 during an external audit.
Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) and U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania made the announcement.
The NRC’s Office of Investigation conducted the investigation.
Senior Trial Attorney Daniel Dooher and Trial Attorney Rachel M. Roberts of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joan E. Burnes for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania are prosecuting the case.
Two Maryland Men Charged with Killing Maryland Pro BoxerRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jayvon Thomas, 20, and Lavar Hunter, 19, were arraigned today, in Superior Court for the District of Columbia, on one count of first degree felony murder while armed, for the November 2023 murder 24-year-old Anwar “The Silent Assassin” Wingate, a professional boxer from Maryland, during an armed robbery, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves.
The murder, on November 19, 2023, happened inside a parking garage located at 2112 8th Street NW. Wingate was shot in the neck after he tried to fight off the two men who were able to get the jump on him by catching him off guard. The defendants were arrested yesterday morning in Maryland. Both defendants entered not guilty pleas today. The Honorable Magistrate Judge Eric Glover found probable cause that the defendants committed the murder and held them without bond pending a preliminary hearing on February 2, 2024, at 10:00 a.m., before Judge Raffinan in Courtroom 203.
An arrest on a complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
In announcing the charges, U.S. Attorney Graves commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and Assistant United States Attorneys Kathleen Gibbons and Alec Levy for their continued efforts in prosecuting this case.
Two Charged with Firearms Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Brendan Iber, Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, announced that Anthony Stephen and Whitney Bisetti appeared in federal court on an indictment charging them with one count each of firearms trafficking conspiracy and transfer of a firearm not registered with the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Stephen is charged with an additional count of transfer of a firearm not registered with the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Stephen, 34, and Bisetti, 22, both of Albuquerque, were released on conditions pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled.
According to the indictment, between May 12 and Aug. 31, 2023, Stephen and Bisetti transferred a firearm to another person knowing that the use, carrying, and possession of a firearm by the recipient would constitute a felony. On Aug. 9, 2023, Stephen and Bisetti transferred a rifle with a barrel length less than 16 inches and an overall length less than 26 inches that was not registered in the National firearms Registration and Transfer Record. On Aug. 31, 2023, Stephen transferred a rifle with a barrel length less than 16 inches and an overall length less than 26 inches that was not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. The transfers are alleged to have occurred while Stephen and Bisetti worked at the Shooter’s Den store in Albuquerque.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Stephen and Bisetti face up to 15 years in prison.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico is prosecuting the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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Trigger Man in Wilmington Funeral Home Shooting Sentenced to More Than 19 Years for Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – Charles Gilbert Green, age 29 of Leland, was sentenced to 232 months in federal prison for drug trafficking and firearm charges after he was identified as the shooter who fired multiple shots in broad daylight near a Wilmington funeral home. One person was injured in the shooting. On September 12, 2023, Green pled guilty to two counts of distribution of cocaine base (crack) and possession of ammunition by a convicted felon.
“We will continue to go after individuals involved in violent crime and will aggressively seek prosecution,” said Wilmington Police Chief Donny Williams. “I am proud of the continued work of our women and men and the partnerships we have with other agencies as well. We take the opportunity to serve and protect our community very seriously and will stop at nothing to do our part to help ensure our citizens have a safe place to live and work.”
According to court documents and other information presented in court, on April 2, 2022, at approximately 1:30 p.m. officers with the Wilmington Police Department were dispatched to the area of 6th and Red Cross Streets after receiving a ShotSpotter alert and multiple 911 calls about shots fired. Upon arrival, officers located one person suffering from multiple gunshot wounds and he was immediately transported to the hospital where he received treatment and recovered from his injuries. During their investigation, officers located almost a dozen fired shell casings. Officers were able to locate security camera footage which showed Charles Green firing multiple shots from the southeast corner of Red Cross Street towards a group of individuals standing near the funeral home and then get into a white Ford Flex and flee the scene.
After reviewing the video from the shooting and hearing evidence, the court found Mr. Green used a firearm in an attempted murder, which resulted in serious bodily injury to the victim. At the time of the shooting, Mr. Green was a convicted felon and was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Mr. Green has prior convictions for assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury, common law robbery, assault inflicting serious injury, resisting a public officer, and possession with intent to sell or deliver marijuana.
Members of the Brunswick County Vice and Narcotics Unit received information that a man that went by “CJ” was distributing narcotics in Leland. Law enforcement was able to identify “CJ” as Charles Gilbert Green, and then utilize a confidential informant to conduct controlled purchases of cocaine base (crack) from Green.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The FBI’s Coastal Carolina Safe Street’s Gang Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Brunswick County Vice and Narcotics Unit, the Wilmington Police Department, the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wilmington Police Department’s Gun Crime Task Force investigated the case and Special Assistant United States Attorney William Van Trigt prosecuted the case. Van Trigt is a prosecutor with the New Hanover County District Attorney’s Office assigned to the United States Attorney’s Office to prosecute federal violent crimes and other criminal matters. This has been made possible by a grant funded by New Hanover County.
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. 7:23-cr-00014-M-001.
Tohajilee Man Pleads Guilty to Voluntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Cole Ray Shorty pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter. Shorty, 19, of Tohajilee and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
A federal grand jury indicted Shorty on Sept. 27, 2022, along with his co-defendant, Keon Apachito. In his plea agreement, Shorty admitted that he went to John Doe’s home on May 27, 2022, to retrieve a backpack that he believed John Doe has stolen. Shorty approached John Doe while he was seated in his car in the driver’s seat and opened the back door of the car to look for his backpack. John Doe got out of the car with a baseball bat and a knife. After a struggle, John Doe dropped the bat. Shorty picked up the bat and hit John Doe with the baseball bat in his head, then left, leaving John Doe lying unconscious on the ground. The Office of the Medical Inspector’s found that the cause of John Doe’s death was blunt head trauma.
Per the terms of his plea agreement, Shorty faces up to 15 years in prison.
Apachito remains in custody pending trial, which is currently scheduled for June 10, 2024.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittany DuChaussee, Meg Tomlinson and Mark Probasco are prosecuting the case.
View the Information View the Plea Agreement# # #
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Timothy Carver Sentenced to 460 Months in Prison for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On January 25, 2023, Timothy Carver, 54, of Jonesborough, Tennessee, was sentenced to 460 months in prison by the Honorable Clifton L. Corker, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville.
Carver was convicted following a jury trial in April 2023 of knowingly producing child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2251(a); knowingly distributing child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252A(a)(2)(A); and knowingly possessing child pornography involving a child less than 12 years of age, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252A(a)(5)(B).
Evidence presented at trial proved the defendant videoed and photographed himself engaged in sexual acts with a two-year-old. The proof further showed that he distributed a child pornography video to an FBI Online Covert Agent using a messaging application. FBI agents searched the defendant’s cellular phone and discovered 1,735 photo and video files containing child pornography.
Carver will serve 460 months in prison and will also be subject to lifetime supervision and placement on the sex offender registry.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton, III of the Eastern District of Tennessee and Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico, Federal Bureau of Investigation, made the announcement.
The FBI, including agents from the Johnson City, Tennessee, and Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Field Offices, led the investigation that resulted in the indictment and subsequent conviction of Carver. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office also provided assistance in the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily Swecker and Thomas McCauley represented the United States.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), 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 Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC 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 PSC, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Tennis Coach Convicted of Transporting Minor Across State Lines and Engaging in Sex ActsRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – On January 23, 2024, a federal jury in Dothan, Alabama convicted 51-year-old Leroy Thomas Joyner, Jr., from Columbus, Georgia, on one count of unlawfully transporting a minor across state lines with intent to engage in sexual activity, announced Acting United States Attorney Jonathan S. Ross.
According to court records and evidence presented during his trial, Joyner was a tennis coach operating an association in Dale County, Alabama. The association provided lessons to underprivileged children and teens. In September of 2018, reports of physical abuse were made to law enforcement alleging that Joyner had used a wooden paddle on some of his students. Law enforcement began to investigate these reports and found much more than physical abuse. Investigators discovered that, in late 2015, Joyner took a special interest in a 13-year-old female student. He began taking her out of state to play in tennis tournaments. Testimony given during Joyner’s trial indicated that he engaged in sex acts with the minor in multiple states, including Georgia, Louisiana, and South Carolina. This exploitation continued until the reports of abuse surfaced in 2018. At that time, the victim was 15.
Following the guilty verdict, Joyner faces a sentence of ten years to life in federal prison. When the trial ended, the judge remanded Joyner into custody. There is no parole in the federal system. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled for Joyner in the coming months.
“Safeguarding children from sexual exploitation and abuse is one of law enforcement’s most vital responsibilities,” said Acting United States Attorney Ross. “Through his position of authority, Joyner targeted young and vulnerable victims. His actions were reprehensible and caused lasting harm. I am grateful for the law enforcement agents and prosecutors who worked diligently to hold him accountable.”
Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown with the FBI stated, “Protecting our children is of paramount importance, and the FBI will work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to prevent their victimization and to hold accountable those who abuse them.”
The FBI and the Dale County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case, which Assistant United States Attorneys Russell T. Duraski, Tara S. Ratz, and B. Chelsea Phillips prosecuted.
Tech Entrepreneur Charged in Offshore Tax Evasion SchemeRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed today in St. Paul, Minnesota, charging a former Excelsior, Minnesota, man with tax evasion, assisting in the preparation of false tax returns and making false statements to federal agents.
According to the indictment, from 2014 through 2018, David V. Erickson, a licensed CPA, engaged in a scheme to conceal from the IRS income that he earned abroad by falsely characterizing the funds he received as loans. Erickson allegedly owned and operated Halstead Bay Holdings (HBH), a Minnesota-based consulting company. HBH allegedly received payments from several foreign companies that Erickson partially owned. These foreign companies allegedly provided marketing and payment processing systems for an adult content website.
Erickson allegedly caused his foreign companies to transfer millions of dollars held offshore to bank accounts in the United States that he controlled. He allegedly directed his bookkeeper and others to falsely characterize those payments as nontaxable loans in HBH’s accounting records. HBH’s purported debt allegedly grew to nearly $5 million by the end of 2018. Erickson allegedly used the funds for personal expenses, including the purchase of a $1.3 million home and a luxury vehicle.
The indictment further alleges that Erickson provided false information to his accountants and bookkeepers, and, in turn, filed false federal income tax returns with the IRS. Erickson also allegedly lied to IRS Criminal Investigation special agents by claiming he had no authority to direct the foreign companies to send money.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each tax evasion count and for making a false statement to IRS-CI agents and three years in prison for each count of assisting in the preparation of false tax returns. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger for the District of Minnesota made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Amanda R. Scott and Boris Bourget of the Justice Department’s Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Three Nigerian Citizens Indicted for Wire Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced today that on January 23, 2024, a grand jury returned a superseding indictment charging Nigerian citizens John Umukoro, Shedrack Umukoro, and Otaniyen Iduozee with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349; wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343; and conspiracy to commit money laundering, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1956.
According to filed court documents, between November of 2021 and May of 2022, the defendants participated in an extensive scheme to fraudulently obtain and then launder money from American citizens who believed they were loaning funds to their romantic partners. According to court filings, the defendants posed as older men looking for connections on dating websites and engaged in text-based romantic relationships with older women. Once the defendants gained their victims’ trust, they began to “borrow” money from their victims, for allegedly urgent and short-term financial needs. Court filings further indicate that those “loans” were never repaid, however, and multiple victims ultimately lost their life savings. Finally, filings indicate that after obtaining the victims’ funds, the defendants laundered them through multiple transactions and moved the funds overseas.
If convicted, each of these offenses carries a maximum of twenty years in prison and up to three years of supervised release.
The Department of Homeland Security investigated the case, which Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca Taibleson will prosecute.
The public is cautioned that an indictment or criminal complaint is merely a charge and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Surgical Sales Representatives Plead Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Bribery and Honest Services Wire Fraud Against the Quillen VA Medical CenterRead the Press Release
GRENNEVILLE, Tenn. – On January 25, 2024, Eric S. Smith, 54, currently of Bristol, Virginia, and Landon Chester, 36, currently of Johnson City, Tennessee, entered guilty pleas to conspiracy to commit bribery and honest services wire fraud before the Honorable Clifton L. Corker. Smith’s sentencing has been set for May 30, 2024, at 11 a.m., and Chester’s sentencing has been set for May 30, 2024, at 1:30 p.m., in the United States District Court at Greeneville.
Smith and Chester both face a term of up to 5 years in Federal prison, $250,000 in fines, and supervised release of three years. Under their written plea agreements, both must also pay restitution and have agreed to forfeit seized bank accounts totaling over $156,000.
As part of written plea agreements, Smith and Chester waived indictment by a Federal Grand Jury and agreed to plead guilty to an information. According to the plea agreements, both Smith and Chester worked as a surgical sales representative for an independent distributor of a nationwide orthopedic company that manufactured replacement joints and products used during surgeries in which those joints were implanted. Both routinely sold products to the James H. Quillen VA Medical Center in Mountain Home, Tennessee. In June 2018, Chester and Smith formed a separate company and began selling their own acquired inventory to the VA at inflated prices or when not necessary, resulting in losses to the VA in excess of $850,000. Chester and Smith agreed that they conspired and paid cash bribes of more than $80,000 to two VA Medical Center employees (indicted separately) for their agreement to commit, collude, and aid in the fraud against the VA.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee; Kim Lampkins, Special Agent-in-Charge, Mid-Atlantic Field Office, VA Office of the Inspector General; Elisa Pellegrini, Special Agent-in-Charge, GSA Office of the Inspector General, Mid-Atlantic Division; and Donald “Trey” Eakins, Special Agent-in-Charge, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, made the announcement.
This prosecution is the result of an ongoing investigation by the VA Office of the Inspector General, GSA Office of the Inspector General, and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation.
Mac D. Heavener, III, Assistant United States Attorney represented the United States.
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Stilwell Resident Pleads Guilty to Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Joseph Gene Christie, age 18, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Sexual Abuse in Indian Country.
The Information alleged that Christie sexually assaulted a victim in March of 2023. The crime occurred in Adair County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Stilwell Police Department, and the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, 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. Christie was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending the sentencing hearing.
Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole Paladino and Benjamin D. Traster represented the United States.
Springfield Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison for Gun Offense, Violating Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that BRANDON BLANKS, 38, of Springfield, Massachusetts, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 84 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for unlawfully possessing a firearm, and for violating the conditions of his supervised release from a prior federal conviction.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Blanks was arrested on November 2, 2021, after he broke into an Enfield apartment carrying a loaded firearm and threatened an individual. Responding officers located a polymer80 9mm firearm (“ghost gun”) with an extended magazine containing 24 rounds of ammunition. In Blanks’ car, officers found and seized a loaded Ruger 9mm firearm and a bag containing approximately 72 grams of crack cocaine and approximately 400 bags of para-Flourofentanyl, a fentanyl analogue.
Blanks’ criminal history includes felony convictions for assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, armed robbery, carrying a firearm without a license, and multiple drug offenses, including a federal drug conviction in 2018 in the District of Vermont. Blanks was on federal supervised release at the time of his criminal conduct in November 2021.
It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Blanks has been detained since his arrest. On November 29, 2022, he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon.
This matter was investigated by the Enfield Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Reed Durham.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Sinaloa Cartel Associate Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Kilogram Quantities of CocaineRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – An Elloree, South Carolina man was sentenced to 151 months in prison for conspiring to distribute and possessing with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. On October 13, 2023, Ricardo Baltazar-Aguirre pled guilty to the charges.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Baltazar-Aguirre, 52, conspired with Oscar Nunez-Cortes, 26, of Saint Matthews, South Carolina to distribute ten kilograms of cocaine to an individual in Fayetteville. On January 6, 2023, Nunez-Cortes drove to meet Baltazar-Aguirre at a house in Elloree, South Carolina. There, Baltazar-Aguirre and another man loaded 10 kilograms of cocaine into an SUV driven by Nunez-Cortes. Nunez-Cortes and his girlfriend then traveled to an agreed upon location in Fayetteville to meet the buyer. As they traveled Baltazar-Aguirre and his companion trailed their vehicle. North Carolina State Highway Patrol conducted traffic stops on both vehicles as they crossed into Cumberland County on Interstate 95. A search of Nunez-Cortes’s car revealed 10 kilograms of cocaine packaged in kilogram quantities in a large duffel bag in the back seat. A search of Baltazar-Aguirre’s truck revealed a handgun in the glovebox.
An examination of Baltazar-Aguirre’s phones revealed that he frequently communicated with a Mexican phone number that was saved in his contacts as “Sinaloa” that belongs to a suspected Sinaloan Cartel member. Baltazar-Aguirre discussed the sale and distribution of narcotics with “Sinaloa” ultimately receiving permission to conduct the deal with Nunez-Cortes. Nunez-Cortes was a heavy user of cocaine and would purchase an ounce or two a week from Baltazar-Aguirre before meeting the buyer and attempting to set up his own drug deal.
Nunez-Cortes previously pled guilty to possession with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Agency, the Nashville Police Department, Nash County Sheriff’s Office, and the NC State Highway Patrol investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin Blondel and Phil Aubart prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. 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. 7:23-cr-00016-BO.
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San Antonio Man Pleads Guilty to Fraud and Bribery ChargesRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man pleaded guilty yesterday to charges stemming from two separate indictments – one charging fraud and the other charging bribery.
According to court documents, Javor McCoy, 42, while trying to avoid a civil court appearance in Dallas, transmitted a criminal summons to an employee with the Dallas County Court showing he had to appear in court for a Western District of Texas federal indictment. The summons contained a false and fraudulent electronic signature of a United States magistrate judge and was altered to display a fictious appearance date for McCoy.
McCoy was previously charged on another case involving bribery of a public official. McCoy owned Ready 2 Go Transport Central LLC (R2G Central), a purported Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business, providing transportation for veterans, including ambulance and wheelchair transportation.
His co-defendant on the bribery case, Glenn Dartone Johnson, 49, of San Antonio, was the contracting officer with the Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA). McCoy paid Johnson approximately $100,000 for information regarding the VA bid process and for Johnson’s assistance in influencing the VA bid process to help R2G Central win competitive bids from the VA.
McCoy pleaded guilty to one count of fraud in connection with identification documents or authentication features and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery of a public official. A sentencing date has not been set. McCoy faces a maximum prison term of 15 years on the fraud count and a maximum prison term of five years on the bribery charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Johnson pleaded guilty on December 20, 2023, to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery of a public official. Johnson is set for sentencing on March 14, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas and Acting Special Agent in Charge Doug Olson for the FBI San Antonio Division made the announcement.
The FBI and VA-OIG are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Chung and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Porier are prosecuting the case.
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Saint Bernard Man Pleads Guilty to Violations of the Federal Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that ROBERT C. METZLER, age 60, pled guilty on January 23, 2024 before United States District Court Judge Jay C. Zainey to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of carisoprodol, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846 (Count 1), and possession with intent to distribute forty (40) grams or more of fentanyl and a quantity of cocaine, oxycodone and marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), 841(b)(1)(C), and 841(b)(1)(D) (Count 2).
As to Count 1, METZLER faces up to twenty (20) years imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000 fine, at least 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. As to Count 2, METZLER faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years and up to 40 years imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000 fine, at least 4 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
According to court records, METZLER conspired to receive shipments of carisoprodol from outside of the United States with intent to distribute and possess with intent to distribute this controlled substance within the Eastern District of Louisiana. Following the execution of a search warrant for METZLER’s home, agents recovered multiple controlled substances and documents associated with drug transactions .
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Postal Inspectors Office, and the Saint Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.
St. Thomas Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking FentanylRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that on January 18, 2024, Tahir Donadelle, of St. Thomas, entered a guilty plea before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ruth
Miller to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.According to court documents, on September 8, 2022, Donadelle arrived at the Cyril E. King airport in St. Thomas after disembarking a flight from Atlanta, GA. Customs and Border
Protection (CBP) officers were screening luggage from the flight and noticed that a suitcase appeared to contain marijuana. The officers placed the suitcase on the luggage carousel and observed Donadelle retrieve the suitcase. A CBP officer then escorted Donadelle for screening and inspection. Donadelle claimed the suitcase as his property. CBP officers then searched the suitcase and found three packages which contained 964 light blue pills. The U.S. Drug
Enforcement Administration (DEA) laboratory confirmed that the pills contained 109 grams of fentanyl.Donadelle faces up to 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was investigated by CBP and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kyle Payne.
Russian National Sentenced for Involvement in Development and Deployment of Trickbot MalwareRead the Press Release
A Russian national was sentenced yesterday to five years and four months in prison for his involvement in developing and deploying the malicious software known as Trickbot, which was used to launch cyberattacks against American hospitals and other businesses.
According to court documents and public reporting, Vladimir Dunaev, 40, of Amur Oblast, Russia, provided specialized services and technical abilities in furtherance of the Trickbot scheme. Trickbot, which was taken down in 2022, was a suite of malware tools designed to steal money and facilitate the installation of ransomware. Hospitals, schools, and businesses were among the millions of Trickbot victims who suffered tens of millions of dollars in losses. While active, Trickbot malware, which acted as an initial intrusion vector into victim computer systems, was used to support various ransomware variants.
“This sentencing demonstrates the department’s ability to place cybercriminals behind bars, no matter where they are located,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “In cooperation with our partners around the world, we will continue to bring cybercriminals to justice.”
“Dunaev developed malicious ransomware and deployed it to attack American hospitals, schools, and businesses in the Northern District of Ohio and throughout our country, all while hiding behind his computer,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “He and his co-defendants caused immeasurable disruption and financial damage, maliciously infecting millions of computers worldwide, and Dunaev will now spend over five years behind bars as a result. Dunaev’s case demonstrates that the Justice Department and our office will use all available resources to investigate and prosecute cybercrime, and we thank our international partners for their cooperation in helping us stop cybercriminals like Dunaev and bring them to justice.”
Dunaev developed browser modifications and malicious tools that aided in credential harvesting and data mining from infected computers, facilitated and enhanced the remote access used by Trickbot actors, and created a program code to prevent the Trickbot malware from being detected by legitimate security software. During Dunaev’s participation in the scheme, 10 victims in the Northern District of Ohio, including Avon schools and a North Canton real-estate company, were defrauded of more than $3.4 million via ransomware deployed by Trickbot.
“The FBI relentlessly investigates criminal activity impacting the American people even when the perpetrators reside beyond our borders,” said Assistant Director Bryan Vorndran of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “Combating malicious cyber actors is a team sport, and we are proud of the coordinated effort that brought about this sentencing.”
“This case and subsequent sentencing sends a strong message to cybercriminals and other bad actors who target individuals and businesses with malicious intent,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Nelsen of the FBI Cleveland Field Office. “The complexities of this case required careful coordination among our domestic and international partners and their commitment to meticulous investigative work. I am proud of the synchronized effort to see that justice was served.”
In 2021, Dunaev was extradited from the Republic of Korea to the Northern District of Ohio. On Nov. 30, 2023, Dunaev pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit computer fraud and identity theft and conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud.
The original indictment returned in the Northern District of Ohio charged Dunaev and six other defendants for their alleged roles in developing, deploying, managing, and profiting from Trickbot.
In June, one of Dunaev’s co-conspirators, Alla Witte, who was a Trickbot malware developer and Latvian national, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit computer fraud and was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison.
In February and September 2023, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued financial sanctions against multiple suspected Trickbot members.
The FBI Cleveland Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Candy Heath of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Duncan Brown and Daniel Riedl for the Northern District of Ohio prosecuted the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and National Security Division, as well as the Treasury Department’s OFAC, provided significant assistance.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with the International Criminal Affairs Division of the South Korean Ministry of Justice to secure the arrest and extradition of Dunaev.
Russian National Sentenced for Involvement in Development and Deployment of Trickbot MalwareRead the Press Release
A Russian national was sentenced yesterday to five years and four months in prison for his involvement in developing and deploying the malicious software known as Trickbot, which was used to launch cyberattacks against American hospitals and other businesses.
According to court documents and public reporting, Vladimir Dunaev, 40, of Amur Oblast, Russia, provided specialized services and technical abilities in furtherance of the Trickbot scheme. Trickbot, which was taken down in 2022, was a suite of malware tools designed to steal money and facilitate the installation of ransomware. Hospitals, schools, and businesses were among the millions of Trickbot victims who suffered tens of millions of dollars in losses. While active, Trickbot malware, which acted as an initial intrusion vector into victim computer systems, was used to support various ransomware variants.
“This sentencing demonstrates the department’s ability to place cybercriminals behind bars, no matter where they are located,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “In cooperation with our partners around the world, we will continue to bring cybercriminals to justice.”
“Dunaev developed malicious ransomware and deployed it to attack American hospitals, schools, and businesses in the Northern District of Ohio and throughout our country, all while hiding behind his computer,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “He and his co-defendants caused immeasurable disruption and financial damage, maliciously infecting millions of computers worldwide, and Dunaev will now spend over five years behind bars as a result. Dunaev’s case demonstrates that the Justice Department and our office will use all available resources to investigate and prosecute cybercrime, and we thank our international partners for their cooperation in helping us stop cybercriminals like Dunaev and bring them to justice.”
Dunaev developed browser modifications and malicious tools that aided in credential harvesting and datamining from infected computers, facilitated and enhanced the remote access used by Trickbot actors, and created a program code to prevent the Trickbot malware from being detected by legitimate security software. During Dunaev’s participation in the scheme, 10 victims in the Northern District of Ohio, including Avon schools and a North Canton real-estate company, were defrauded of more than $3.4 million via ransomware deployed by Trickbot.
“The FBI relentlessly investigates criminal activity impacting the American people even when the perpetrators reside beyond our borders,” said Assistant Director Bryan Vorndran of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “Combating malicious cyber actors is a team sport, and we are proud of the coordinated effort that brought about this sentencing.”
“This case and subsequent sentencing sends a strong message to cybercriminals and other bad actors who target individuals and businesses with malicious intent,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Nelsen of the FBI Cleveland Field Office. “The complexities of this case required careful coordination among our domestic and international partners and their commitment to meticulous investigative work. I am proud of the synchronized effort to see that justice was served.”
In 2021, Dunaev was extradited from the Republic of Korea to the Northern District of Ohio. On Nov. 30, 2023, Dunaev pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit computer fraud and identity theft and conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud.
The original indictment returned in the Northern District of Ohio charged Dunaev and six other defendants for their alleged roles in developing, deploying, managing, and profiting from Trickbot.
In June, one of Dunaev’s co-conspirators, Alla Witte, who was a Trickbot malware developer and Latvian national, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit computer fraud and was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison.
In February and September 2023, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued financial sanctions against multiple suspected Trickbot members.
The FBI Cleveland Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Candy Heath of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Duncan Brown and Daniel Riedl for the Northern District of Ohio prosecuted the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and National Security Division, as well as the Treasury Department’s OFAC, provided significant assistance.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with the International Criminal Affairs Division of the South Korean Ministry of Justice to secure the arrest and extradition of Dunaev.
Rochester man pleads guilty to child pornography charge involving cameras hidden in a church bathroomRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Stephen Nicot, 61, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. to receipt of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who is handling the case, stated that between 2012 and 2014, Nicot hid a camera in the bathroom of a church located in the Western District of New York. Nicot positioned the camera so that it would capture video and images of naked individuals using the shower in the church bathroom. He did this knowing some of the individuals would be under the age of 18 and he planned to display the video of the minors. On July 21, 2022, law enforcement executed a warrant at the Nicot’s residence and recovered a memory card and USB drive, which contained videos and images of at least five minor victims using the church bathroom and shower. Two cell phones were also seized, which contained naked images of a minor victim that were recorded by a camera hidden in a bathroom of Nicot’s residence.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 6, 2024, before Judge Geraci.
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Repeat Chico Sex Offender Sentenced to 10 Years for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jason Morgan, 46, of Chico, was sentenced Thursday to 10 years in prison for possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in December 2020, Morgan possessed child pornography while on federal supervised release for prior federal convictions for distribution of child pornography, receipt of child pornography, possession of child pornography, and the use of a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alstyn Bennett and Audrey B. Hemesath prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute 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.
Portland Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Armed Robbery Targeting Southern Oregon Marijuana GrowerRead the Press Release
MEDFORD, Ore.—On January 24, 2024, a Portland, Oregon man with a lengthy criminal history was sentenced to federal prison for his role in an armed robbery targeting a southern Oregon marijuana grower.
Kenan Dizdarevic, 35, was sentenced to 107 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. He was also ordered to pay restitution to his victims.
“Mr. Dizdarevic and his accomplices—pretending to be police armed with firearms and outfitted in body armor and ski masks—placed their victims in a horribly dangerous and frightening situation. Our office is committed to holding defendants like Mr. Dizdarevic accountable and combating violent crime throughout Oregon,” said Nathan J. Lichvarcik, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Eugene and Medford Branch Offices.
“This is a well-deserved sentence,” said ATF Seattle Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais. “Mr. Dizdarevic and his accomplices committed robbery, impersonated law enforcement, stole a vehicle and fled from actual law enforcement. Their actions were extremely brazen and posed a great danger to the community.”
According to court documents, in the early morning hours of November 2, 2019, Dizdarevic and another individual entered a residence located on a secluded marijuana grow in Eagle Point, Oregon. Wearing dark clothing, gloves, body armor, and ski masks and armed with multiple firearms, Dizdarevic and his accomplice shouted, “police search warrant” before handcuffing and placing two individuals found inside the residence face down on the floor. Dizdarevic and his accomplice demanded money and guns from the two victims and eventually made off with more than 30 pounds of marijuana and one of the victim’s vehicles.
Soon after, law enforcement located the stolen vehicle traveling with another car on Interstate 5. After a lengthy pursuit that exceeded 120 miles per hour and traversed three counties, the stolen vehicle successfully eluded law enforcement. After being disabled by a spike strip, the second vehicle came to a stop in Douglas County, Oregon, and the driver, who investigators later connected the Eagle Point robbery, fled on foot. Law enforcement executed a search warrant on the vehicle and located ski masks, zip ties, handcuffs, tactical vests, and multiple firearms. Investigators determined that Dizdarevic, the driver who fled on foot and was later apprehended, and a third individual traveled together to the Eagle Point robbery in the vehicle. Dizdarevic’s fingerprints, DNA, and various personal belongings were located in the vehicle.
On February 19, 2021, Dizdarevic was charged by criminal complaint with interfering with commerce by robbery; conspiring with others to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance; and using, carrying, or brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He was arrested on June 29, 2022, and on August 23, 2023, he pleaded guilty to a two-count criminal information charging him with interfering with commerce by robbery and conspiring with others to possess with intent to distribute marijuana.
On March 2, 2023, Shannon Christopher Harrop, 34, of Wilsonville, Oregon was sentenced to 162 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release for organizing the Eagle Point robbery Dizdarevic participated in and other robberies. 10 individuals, including Harrop and Dizdarevic were charged and have pleaded guilty for their roles in these robberies. Dizdarevic is the eighth defendant to be sentenced and the final two are pending sentencing.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service, Oregon State Police, the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office, and Medford Police Department. It was prosecuted by Marco Boccato, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Pittsburgh Man Indicted on Cyberstalking ChargeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a cyberstalking charge, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan, announced today.
The Indictment named Daniel Marsico, 37, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, over the course of three and a half years, Marsico harassed, threatened, and intimidated his ex-girlfriend, Person 1, by stalking her through text messages, phone calls, online, and in person. The Indictment alleges: after their relationship ended in 2020, Marsico messaged Person 1 persistently, continuing even after Person 1 obtained a court order (a Pennsylvania Protection from Abuse Order, or PFA) against him and after he was arrested. Marsico’s messages threatened Person 1, threatened her employment, and threatened other people in her life. He produced surreptitious, lewd, and embarrassing images of Person 1 and used those images to create fake social media accounts in her name. Marsico also posted about Person 1 on other internet websites. During the course of his criminal conduct, Marsico physically assaulted Person 1’s ex-boyfriend. He came to Person 1’s home uninvited multiple times, placing her in fear and forcing her to seek safety elsewhere. Marsico kicked in Person 1’s door, caused other damage to her home, and threatened to dismantle her security cameras. He surveilled her home and messaged her the license plate numbers of cars he thought were visiting her. When Person 1 blocked Marsico’s phone number, he called and messaged her using anonymous means. When Person 1 sought the assistance of law enforcement, Marsico escalated his threats and asserted that he would never be convicted of stalking her. Marsico’s course of conduct placed Person 1 in reasonable fear of death and serious bodily injury and caused Person 1 substantial emotional distress.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than one but not more than five years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Vasquez Schmitt is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Scott Township Police conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Pennsylvania Resident Indicted for Defrauding Allied World Insurance CompanyRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned a 10-count indictment charging JAMES KEATING, 51, of Paoli, Pennsylvania, with offenses stemming from an alleged fraud scheme against his former employer.
The indictment was returned on January 16, 2024, and Keating surrendered to authorities in Philadelphia on January 18. He appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas O. Farrish in Hartford, pleaded not guilty, and was released on a $100,000 bond.
As alleged in the indictment, Keating was an Assistant Vice President and surety bond claims handler at Allied World Insurance Company (“Allied World”). He later served in the same capacity at Crum and Forster subsidiary U.S. Fire Insurance Company, where he also handled claims on Allied World surety bonds. All surety bond claims were handled through Allied World’s offices in Farmington, Connecticut. Between 2017 and 2021, Keating defrauded Allied World in two ways. First, he used a shell company, American Construction & Industrial LLC, to bill Allied World for unnecessary claims work that was not performed and took the proceeds for himself. Second, he solicited and received kickbacks from Allied World vendors through another Keating-owned company, Surety Risk Solutions (also known as “SRS” or “SR5”), without the knowledge of his employer. Keating also caused these vendors to use another company in which he had an undisclosed ownership interest, Kodiak Asset Recovery, for asset searches at vastly inflated prices. Keating profited nearly $1 million through American Construction & Industrial LLC, more than $350,000 in kickbacks through Surety Risk Solutions, and nearly $125,000 through Kodiak Asset Recovery.
The indictment charges Keating with 10 counts of wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David E. Novick.
Owner of Suburban Chicago Construction Company Pleads Guilty to Federal Bribery ChargesRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — The owner of a suburban Chicago construction company has pleaded guilty to federal bribery charges for conspiring to bribe an employee of the Cook County Assessor’s Office in return for favorable property assessments.
ALEX NITCHOFF, 56, of Lemont, Ill., pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of conspiring to corruptly give something of value to influence and reward a public official, and one count of using an interstate facility to facilitate bribery. Each count is punishable by up to five years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge John F. Kness set sentencing for May 8, 2024.
Nitchoff admitted in a plea agreement that from 2016 to 2019 he conspired with others to corruptly provide home improvement services and materials to Cook County Assessor’s Office employee LAVDIM MEMISOVSKI, who assessed property values and reviewed property tax appeals for Cook County commercial properties. Nitchoff and others provided free home improvement services and materials at Memisovski’s personal residence, including a concrete pad, decking materials, dumpster usage, fascias and soffits, a fence, a gas line, heads for a sprinkler system, tile, and windows, the plea agreement states. In return for the benefits, Memisovski took official action to reduce the property taxes owed for Nitchoff’s properties by at least $550,000, the plea agreement states.
One of Nitchoff’s employees, JOHN BODENDORFER, 56, of Chicago, has pleaded not guilty to participating in the bribery scheme and is awaiting trial. Memisovski, 45, of Burbank, Ill., pleaded guilty last year to a conspiracy charge and is awaiting sentencing.
Nitchoff’s guilty plea was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Valuable assistance was provided by the IRS Criminal Investigation Division and the City of Chicago Inspector General’s Office. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vikas Didwania and Thomas Peabody.
Nitchoff, Bodendorfer, and Memisovski were among seven people charged in connection with the federal investigation. Two other Cook County Assessor’s Office employees, BASILIO CLAUSEN, 51, of Crown Point, Ind., and LUMNI LIKOVSKI, 47, of Burbank, Ill., have pleaded not guilty to bribery charges and are awaiting trial in connection with a scheme in which they allegedly accepted bribes from the owner of a fence installation company in return for reducing property assessments. The fence company owner, ROBERT MITZIGA, 65, of Dyer, Ind., also pleaded not guilty to bribery charges and is awaiting trial. The seventh defendant, former City of Chicago building inspector JOSEPH E. GARCIA, was sentenced to probation for falsely claiming to have inspected home repair projects for low-income Chicago homeowners, allowing the city to pay a contractor for work that at the time had not been performed.
The public is reminded that the defendants who have pleaded not guilty are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Operation Smoke and Mirrors Update: Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Keith Royal Goode-Harper, 32, of Charleston, was sentenced today to two years in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release, for his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that operated in the Charleston area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 25, 2023, Goode-Harper obtained 7 ounces of methamphetamine from co-defendant Karl Lamont Funderburk at Funderburk’s residence in Charleston. Goode-Harper admitted that he arranged the purchase with Funderburk in advance over a series of cell phone calls. Goode-Harper further admitted that he had asked to purchase 10 ounces of methamphetamine for a customer, but that Funderburk told him that he only had 7 ounces of methamphetamine available.
Goode-Harper conducted two other transactions with Funderburk during this time period, obtaining over 1 pound of methamphetamine from Funderburk to sell to third-party customers.
Goode-Harper and Funderburk are among 32 individuals indicted as a result of Operation Smoke and Mirrors, a major drug trafficking investigation that has yielded the largest methamphetamine seizure in West Virginia history. Law enforcement seized well over 400 pounds of methamphetamine as well as 40 pounds of cocaine, 3 pounds of fentanyl, 19 firearms and $935,000 in cash.
Goode-Harper pleaded guilty on September 12, 2023, to use of a communication facility to facilitate drug trafficking. Funderburk, 37, of Charleston, pleaded guilty on December 6, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, conspiracy to distribute a quantity of cocaine, and conspiracy to distribute a quantity of fentanyl. Funderburk awaits sentencing.
Goode-Harper and Funderburk are among 27 defendants who have pleaded guilty. Indictments against the other defendants are pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia National Guard Counter Drug program, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and the Raleigh County Sheriff's Office. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
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. 2:23-cr-135.
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Ohio man sentenced for federal drug chargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Robert L. Bruce, age 42, of Groveport, Ohio, was sentenced today to 60 months in federal prison for distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Bruce, also known as “Miami,” sold methamphetamine in Marshall County, WV. During the investigation, Bruce’s vehicle was searched, and officers found nearly 800 grams of methamphetamine hidden in the engine compartment.
The Marshall County Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton Reid prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Ohio Man and Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Today, Tevon O'Shea Vanhorn, also known as "Von," 29, of Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced to 17 years and six months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, and Toby Lee Graley, 60, of Charleston, was sentenced to eight years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from at least June 2022 to on or about March 2023, Vanhorn obtained methamphetamine and fentanyl and distributed quantities of the controlled substances to Graley and several other customers at multiple locations within the Southern District of West Virginia. Vanhorn communicated with his customers by cell phone to arrange drug-related transactions, and knew that several of his customers redistributed the methamphetamine and fentanyl he sold them.
On February 21, 2022, Vanhorn attempted to mail a package containing approximately $74,835 from Charleston, West Virginia, to Detroit, Michigan, as part of the drug distribution conspiracy. Law enforcement officers intercepted and seized the package.
Since at least June 2022, Graley conspired with Vanhorn and several other people to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. Graley obtained methamphetamine and fentanyl from Vanhorn and distributed the controlled substances to customers at his Lumari Lane residence in Charleston and other locations within the Southern District of West Virginia. Graley arranged drug-related transactions on his cell phone with Vanhorn and customers. Graley knew several of his customers would redistribute the methamphetamine and fentanyl he sold them.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Route 119 Drug Task Force, the West Virginia State Police, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentences. Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan A. Keefe and JC MacCallum prosecuted the case.
The case is a result of “Operation Into The Woods,” a 10-month investigation of drug trafficking in Kanawha and Boone counties. Law enforcement seized 120 grams of methamphetamine, four shotguns, and approximately $23,150 from Graley when he was arrested.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
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. 2-23-cr-44.
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Ohio Man Sentenced to Prison for Dogfighting and Drug DistributionRead the Press Release
An Ohio man was sentenced today to 21 months in prison and three years supervised release after pleading guilty to dogfighting and fentanyl distribution. For today’s sentence, he will serve nine months concurrent with, and 12 months after, the 10 years he is already serving on the drug charges.
Michael Valentine, 40, of Bidwell, previously pleaded guilty to two counts of raising and training dogs for the purpose of fighting, and five counts related to fentanyl distribution. He was sentenced on Jan. 26, 2023, to serve 10 years in prison for the drug distribution charge and five years of supervised release. In total, Valentine will serve 11 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release.
“Dogfighting is a barbaric offense that cruelly harms animals and endangers the surrounding community,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Today’s sentencing demonstrates that those engaged in this horrific practice face significant punishment.”
“Valentine’s crimes endangered both humans and dogs,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio. “Thanks to the work of our investigative partners, hundreds of grams of fentanyl were taken out of circulation before reaching our local communities and more than 50 dogs were removed from the defendant. It is appropriate that Valentine will spend a significant amount of time in federal prison.”
“The relevant provisions of the Animal Welfare Act were designed to protect animals from being used in illegal fighting ventures, which often entail other forms of criminal activity including drug trafficking and illegal possession of firearms,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert J. Springer of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG). “The USDA-OIG thanks the Justice Department, who prosecuted the case, and Gallia County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI for their assistance with the investigation.”
According to court documents, law enforcement first investigated Valentine for dogfighting offenses in 2019 after a dog attacked a small child living with him. That investigation led to a search warrant of the Valentine’s residence and the seizure of 40 dogs. The search also recovered numerous items of dog fighting paraphernalia, including treadmills, veterinary supplies and dogfighting videos.
On March 8, 2022, a second search warrant was executed at the Valentine’s residence as part of a fentanyl-distribution investigation. That search revealed dog fighting paraphernalia, as well as two assault-style rifles. In addition, a search of a nearby parcel of land revealed 677 grams of fentanyl and 69 grams of cocaine packaged for distribution, and an additional 11 dogs, which Valentine was keeping for purposes of dogfighting. Valentine had previously sold 141 grams of fentanyl from the property.
The case was investigated by USDA-OIG and the FBI with assistance from the Gallia County Sherriff’s Office.
This investigation was conducted as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) initiative. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles 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 www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Senior Trial Attorney Adam Cullman of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Pakiz for the Southern District of Ohio and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Marous for the Southern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.