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Thursday 7 December 2023
Grand jury indicts Butler County man for romance-fraud conspiracy involving more than $1 million in proceeds, separate COVID-relief fraudRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A dual Ghanaian and American citizen currently residing in Ohio was indicted for crimes related to a romance-fraud conspiracy and making false statements on a COVID‑relief application.
Benjamin Adu Acheampong, 37, of Fairfield, Ohio, is charged in a 7-count indictment.
According to the indictment, from January 2019 through July 2021, Acheampong conspired with others to create false online profiles, which the conspirators used to express romantic interest in victims. Once the victim believed he or she was in a romantic relationship with the person pictured in the online profile, the coconspirators, using false pretenses, would convince the victims to send money by mail or by wire transfer. For example, the conspirators commonly falsely represented that the person pictured in the online profile was expecting a large inheritance of gold and needed financial assistance to bring it to the United States, or that he or she needed money for a plane ticket or medical expenses.
Acheampong allegedly laundered part of the $1 million in scam proceeds through multiple bank accounts, including bank accounts he opened in the name of ABA Automotive & Export LLC, an Ohio LLC he created.
It is alleged the money was laundered by making wire transfers, including to accounts in Africa, and by falsely representing that the transfers were for, among other things, paying workers and family expenses.
In addition, the indictment alleges that Acheampong made false statements to the Small Business Administration (SBA) in a Payment Protection Program (PPP) loan application, which resulted in the SBA awarding him more than $20,000 in COVID relief to which he was not entitled.
Acheampong is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, one count of wire fraud, two counts of international money laundering, and two counts of concealment money laundering, each of which is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Acheampong is also charged with one count of making false statements to an agent of the United States, which is punishable by up to five years in prison.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Julie D. Garcia is representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Grand Jury Returns Indictment Charging Robert Hunter Biden with Three Felony Tax Offenses and Six Misdemeanor Tax OffensesRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned a nine-count indictment today charging Robert Hunter Biden (Hunter Biden) with three felony tax offenses and six misdemeanor tax offenses.
According to the indictment, Hunter Biden engaged in a four-year scheme in which he chose not to pay at least $1.4 million in self-assessed federal taxes he owed for tax years 2016 through 2019 and to evade the assessment of taxes for tax year 2018 when he filed false returns. As alleged in the indictment, to further this scheme, Hunter Biden:
- subverted the payroll and tax withholding process of his own company by withdrawing millions outside of the payroll and tax withholding process;
- spent millions of dollars on an extravagant lifestyle rather than paying his tax bills;
- in 2018, stopped paying his outstanding and overdue taxes for tax year 2015;
- willfully failed to pay his 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 taxes on time, despite having access to funds to pay some or all of these taxes;
- willfully failed to file his 2017 and 2018 tax returns, on time; and
- when he did finally file his 2018 returns, included false business deductions in order to reduce the very substantial tax liability he faced as of February 2020.
The indictment charges Hunter Biden with the following offenses:
COUNT
STATUTE
OFFENSE
TAX YEAR AND FILING
1
26 U.S.C. § 7203
failure to pay
2016 Form 1040 for Hunter Biden
2
26 U.S.C. § 7203
failure to pay
2017 Form 1040 for Hunter Biden
3
26 U.S.C. § 7203
failure to file
2017 Form 1040 for Hunter Biden
4
26 U.S.C. § 7203
failure to pay
2018 Form 1040 for Hunter Biden
5
26 U.S.C. § 7203
failure to file
2018 Form 1040 for Hunter Biden
6
26 U.S.C. § 7201
tax evasion (felony)
2018 Form 1040 for Hunter Biden
7
26 U.S.C. § 7206
filing a false return (felony)
2018 Form 1040 for Hunter Biden
8
26 U.S.C. § 7206
filing a false return
(felony)
2018 Form 1120 for Hunter Biden’s company, Owasco, PC
9
26 U.S.C. § 7203
failure to pay
2019 Form 1040 for Hunter Biden
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 17 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The investigation is ongoing.
David C. Weiss, Special Counsel, made the announcement.
Court documents and information for this case is located on the website of the District Court for the Central District of California or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-00599.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
IndictmentGeorgia Motel Manager Sentenced for Trafficking and Forced Labor of VictimRead the Press Release
A motel manager in Georgia was sentenced to 57 months in prison for trafficking a victim with respect to peonage, slavery, involuntary servitude or forced labor and ordered to pay $42,648 in restitution to seven individuals.
According to court documents, Shreesh Tiwari, 71, an Indian national and legal U.S. permanent resident, began managing the Budgetel Motel in Cartersville, Georgia, in 2020. Shortly thereafter, Tiwari hired the victim to work as a maid at the motel and provided her with a room where she could live. Tiwari knew that, prior to arriving at the motel, the victim had experienced homelessness, struggled with a heroin addiction and lost custody of her young child. Tiwari promised the victim that he would help her regain custody of her child by providing her with pay, an apartment and an attorney.
Instead of following through with his promises, Tiwari monitored the victim’s interactions with motel guests and employees and forbade her from speaking to them. He also discouraged the victim from communicating with her family and friends, falsely claiming that they did not care about her. Tiwari began making numerous sexual overtures to the victim. When Tiwari became angry at the victim, he threatened to evict her from the room he provided her at the motel, knowing that she would become homeless as a result. In addition, Tiwari threatened to report the victim’s drug use to law enforcement or child welfare agencies whenever he was angry at the victim. Eventually, Tiwari began to regularly “evict” the victim from her motel room, and even locked her out of her room at night without warning. Tiwari even threatened to call animal control to remove the victim’s dog despite permitting the victim’s dog to live with the victim in her motel room at first. Ultimately, Tiwari required the victim to perform sex acts with him to stay at the motel. If she did not, Tiwari removed her from the property, causing her to be homeless.
“Human trafficking can occur anywhere since traffickers are adept at identifying someone’s vulnerabilities and often fraudulently extend hope to someone looking for an opportunity to improve their dire circumstances,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This sentence and the restitution secured for the survivors of this heinous labor trafficking scheme make clear that the Justice Department is committed to prosecuting anyone who flagrantly exploits their position of power. We will tirelessly seek restitution on behalf of the victims that traffickers callously exploit.”
“Tiwari used his position of power to ruthlessly abuse a victim he knew had already suffered immeasurably,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan for the Northern District of Georgia. “The level of this defendant’s callousness is shocking. But we are thankful that our community is now safer, and other potential victims spared, due to the excellent investigative work of our federal, state and local law enforcement partners who made Tiwari’s conviction possible. Our office also intends for Tiwari’s prosecution and sentence to provide a stark warning to other traffickers that these crimes carry especially serious penalties on account of the lasting harm done to victims and their families.”
“Tiwari preyed upon the victim’s difficult past and fear of homelessness to control and extort her, subjecting her to unspeakable horrors,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Atlanta. “HSI Atlanta and our law enforcement partners will continue our efforts to ensure that predators like Mr. Tiwari will be held accountable for their actions.”
The HSI Dalton Office investigated the case, with assistance from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Bartow-Cartersville Drug Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leanne Marek and Annalise Peters for the Northern District of Georgia and Trial Attorney Kate Hill of the Justice Department’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit prosecuted the case.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
Four Members of Violent Bridgeport Gang GuiltyRead the Press Release
On December 5, 2023, a federal jury in New Haven found KEISHAWN DONALD, 22; TREVON WRIGHT, also known as “Tre,” 22; ERIC HAYES, also known as “Heavyweight Champ,” 26; and TRAVON JONES, also known as “Budda,” 21, guilty of racketeering offenses related to their involvement in a violent Bridgeport street gang.
Today’s announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Joseph T. Corradino, State’s Attorney for the Fairfield Judicial District; Bridgeport Police Chief Roderick Porter; Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Acting U.S. Marshal Lawrence Bobnick.
According to the evidence presented during a month-long trial, the FBI, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service and Bridgeport Police have been investigating multiple Bridgeport-based gangs whose members are involved in narcotics trafficking, murder and other acts of violence. Donald, Wright, Hayes, and Jones have been members of the “East End gang,” which began as a local street gang based in the East End of Bridgeport, but currently has members and associates who are either incarcerated or living throughout Bridgeport and surrounding towns. The East End gang has been aligned with other groups, including the PT Barnum Gang, the East Side gang and 150, which is a geographic gang based on the West Side of Bridgeport. These groups were aligned against rival organizations in Bridgeport, including the “Original North End” (“O.N.E.”) and the “Greene Homes Boyz,” (“GHB/Hotz”), based in the Charles F. Greene Homes Housing Complex in Bridgeport’s North End.
East End members distributed heroin, crack cocaine, marijuana and Percocet pills; used and shared firearms; and committed at least six murders and other acts of violence against rival gang members and other individuals. East End members celebrated their criminal conduct on social media websites such as Facebook and YouTube, and committed acts of intimidation and made threats to deter potential witnesses to their crimes and to protect gang members and associates from detection and prosecution by law enforcement authorities.
During the trial, the government presented evidence that:
- On January 30, 2018, Donald shot and killed Eric Heard, a.k.a. “Fetti,” a member and associate of the GHB/Hotz gang;
- On March 5, 2019, Hayes shot and killed Jerrell Gatewood;
- On July 12, 2019, Jones and another East End Member, Tyrone Moore, shot and killed Sean Warren, also known as “Kujoe,” a member and associate of the O.N.E. gang;
- On September 15, 2019, Wright shot and attempted to kill Marquis Isreal, a.k.a. “Garf” or “Gbaby,” a member and associate of the O.N.E. gang;
- On October 17, 2019, Jones shot and attempted to kill Joshua Gilbert, a member and associate of the O.N.E. gang;
- On December 8, 2019, Wright shot and attempted to kill Arvan Smith, a.k.a. “Arv Barkley,” an associate of the O.N.E. gang;
- On January 26, 2020, Wright shot and killed Myreke Kenion and shot and attempted to kill D’Andre Brown, both members and associates of the GHB/Hotz gang
The jury found Donald, Wright, Hayes, and Jones guilty of conspiring to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity. At sentencing, Donald, Wright, and Jones face a maximum term of imprisonment of life, and Hayes faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. All are detained pending sentencing.
U.S. Attorney Avery noted that due to rising level of gun violence Bridgeport was experiencing, this wide-ranging investigation commenced in January 2020, shortly before the violence culminated on January 27, 2020, when GHB/Hotz and O.N.E. members, in retaliation for the Myreke Kenion murder and D’Andre Brown shooting, attempted to kill East End gang members and associates in a brazen afternoon shooting in front of a state courthouse on Golden Hill Street in Bridgeport. After a Shot Spotter activation detected approximately 20 shots being fired in front of the courthouse, law enforcement and first responders discovered that four victims had been shot while sitting inside a car.
Approximately 47 members and associates of the East End, O.N.E. and the GHB/Hotz gangs have now been convicted of federal offenses stemming from this investigation, which has and solved eight murders and approximately 20 attempted murders.
“We believe that the investigation of these warring gangs and resulting prosecutions have had a significant and substantial impact on the violence being perpetrated in Bridgeport,” said U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery. “In 2020 and 2021, when many other cities saw significant surges in gun violence, much of it caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and longstanding societal issues, Bridgeport saw a significant decrease in gun violence, with a 61 percent decline in gang-related homicides and a 59 percent decrease in gang shootings not resulting in death. Moreover, the gun violence, and particularly the gang related violence, has decreased from 2022 to 2023. While these statistics are encouraging, the amount of gun violence in our cities remains unacceptable and a top priority for our office and our federal partners. I thank all of the law enforcement officers who have contributed to these investigations, and commend and acknowledge the trial teams that are prosecuting these cases.”
“Every Connecticut resident, regardless of where they reside or their race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic class, should be able to feel safe in their community,” U.S. Attorney Avery continued. “No person, or group of people is entitled to wreak havoc by engaging in repeated acts of violence, instilling fear and trauma on the children and families who reside in our communities. Every life matters. We implore anyone engaged in, or planning to engage in, senseless violence like these defendants to reconsider so you don’t end up either killed or facing the prospect of wasting your life sitting in a federal prison.”
“The continuing cooperation between local, state, and federal officials in Bridgeport is a model of effective law enforcement,” said Fairfield Judicial District State’s Attorney Joseph T. Corradino. “The net result of these sustained efforts is a safer community for the people who live and work in the Greater Bridgeport area. We are committed to maintaining this successful long term relationship with our federal counterparts for the benefit of the people we serve.”
“The level of complexity involved in this long term investigation proved to be no match for our Connecticut professional law enforcement partners ability, skills and determination to bring about justice,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Fuller. “We here in Connecticut have a unified partnership with local, state, and federal partners that is second to none in the country. Justice has been served.”
“Keishawn Donald, Trevon Wright, Eric Hayes and Travon Jones have been found guilty in federal court of gang related racketeering offenses, including murder and other violent crimes. Said James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Boston Field Division. “The ATF alongside our local, state and federal partners remain dedicated to protecting the citizens of Bridgeport from violent gangs like the East End gang.”
“Drug trafficking, along with the violence that all too often accompanies it, is a serious threat to the safety and security of our communities,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. “Drug dealers and street gangs value their own profits over human life, and are responsible for fueling drug addiction and much of the violent crimes across New England. These crimes hold law abiding citizens of Connecticut hostage to drug-fueled lawlessness. This is unacceptable and will not be allowed to happen. DEA and its local, state, and federal partners are dedicated to bringing to justice those that commit these crimes.”
“On behalf of the City of Bridgeport and the Bridgeport Police Department, I want to the thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and all of the federal law enforcement agencies for their continued support and partnership in helping to reduce violent crime in the City of Bridgeport and bringing those responsible for violence in our city to justice,” said Bridgeport Police Chief Roderick Porter.
This investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Safe Streets and Violent Crimes Task Forces, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Bridgeport Police Department, Connecticut State Police and the Bridgeport State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory and the Waterbury Police Department. The East End gang cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis, Rahul Kale, and Stephanie T. Levick
This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.
PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities. Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it. If a group member elects to engage in gun violence, the focused attention of federal, state and local law enforcement will be directed at that entire group.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Fort Pierce Man Detained for Robbery of U.S. Postal Letter CarrierRead the Press Release
MIAMI - On Dec. 6, Jamal Travon Brown Weathers, 23 of Fort Pierce, Florida, was ordered detained in custody pending trial by U.S. Magistrate Judge Shaniek Mills Maynard, after he was charged by federal criminal complaint for participating in a conspiracy to commit a postal/U.S. Property robbery, armed postal/U.S. Property robbery, illegal theft/possession of a U.S. Postal Service Arrow Key, and use or carrying a firearm during and in relation to, or possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
According to the criminal complaint, between November 19, 2022, and October 21, 2023, Brown and two other individuals (Bernard Jerome Davis, III, and Jalen Dennis Elliott) committed armed robberies of U.S. Postal Letter Carriers, in St. Lucie, Brevard, Orange, and Miami-Dade Counties.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Inspector in Charge Juan A. Vargas of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Miami Division, Fort Pierce Police Department Chief Diane Hobley-Burney, Miami Beach Police Department Chief Richard Clements, Orange County Sheriff John W. Mina, Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey, and St. Lucie County Sheriff Keith Pearson made the announcement.
USPIS investigated the case with assistance from the Fort Pierce Police Department, Miami Beach Police Department, Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, and St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office. Managing Assistant U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Lineberger is prosecuting it.
A criminal complaint contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
In May of 2023, the U.S. Postal Service and U.S. Postal Inspection Service announced the Project Safe Delivery campaign to crack down on postal crimes and attacks on postal employees. Part of this effort includes increased reward amounts for these crimes. Currently there is an up to $150,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in these crimes. If you have information, please report it via www.uspis.gov/report or by calling 877-876-2455.
You may find related court documents and information on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 23-mj-00124.
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Former and Present Owners of Standish Surveying Company Charged in Scheme to DefraudRead the Press Release
BAY CITY – A federal grand jury indicted Andrew Semenchuk and Adam Ball, former owners and executives of Surveying Solutions, Inc. and Jeffrey Bartlett, a current owner and executive of Surveying Solutions, Inc., on charges of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and conspiracy to defraud the United States, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison. The indictment arises out of false statements made to the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) and the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) in the process of applying for and receiving highway construction and surveying contracts.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Andrea M. Kropf, Special Agent-in-Charge, Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Midwestern Region.
Indicted were Andrew Semenchuk, age 51, of Rives Junction, Michigan, Adam Ball, age 46, of Saginaw, Michigan, and Jeffrey Bartlett, age 51, of Standish, Michigan. All were charged in the indictment as co-conspirators in one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, and 13 counts of wire fraud.
According to the indictment, Andrew Semenchuk, Adam Ball, and Jeffrey Bartlett were owners and employees of Survey Solutions, Inc., a company that was awarded millions of dollars in construction and surveying contracts by MDOT. Those contracts were funded almost entirely by federal funds through USDOT. The indictment alleges that statements made by Semenchuk, Ball, and Bartlett to MDOT and USDOT included false claims that SSI qualified as a disadvantaged business which tricked MDOT into granting SSI contract preferences. The indictment further alleges that Semenchuk, Ball, and Bartlett also reported false and fraudulent employee costs, and false and fraudulent equipment, real estate, and IT expenses which artificially inflated payments MDOT made to SSI.
“Every year USDOT entrusts millions of taxpayer dollars into programs intended to support and improve our community’s infrastructure, including the maintenance of our highways system. When the integrity of USDOT’s contracting system is damaged by individuals who cheat to obtain contracts and fraudulently inflate the expenses and costs they claim for reimbursement, the public trust is broken, and taxpayer funds are squandered. The charges in this indictment serve as a promise to the taxpaying public that such violations of the public trust will not be tolerated,” said United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
"The defendants' alleged actions to personally profit through their fraud scheme, which created an unfair competitive market for other businesses to earn contracts, is particularly disturbing," said Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of the FBI in Michigan. "The FBI is uniquely poised to investigate fraud cases with financial intricacies like those documented in this case. We commend our partner law enforcement agencies for their assistance in taking strong action against those who seek to corrupt the integrity and fair administration of government programs."
“The indictment announced today demonstrates our commitment to working with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to identify and put an end to this extensive fraud scheme,” stated Andrea M. Kropf, Special Agent-in-Charge, Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Midwestern Region. “We will continue to hold accountable those who knowingly defraud the Federal government and put taxpayer dollars at risk.”
An indictment is merely an accusation and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. If convicted, Bartlett, Semenchuk, and Ball face up to 20 years in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 5 years in prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States, and 20 years in prison for each of the 13 counts of wire fraud. If convicted, a federal district court judge would determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General.
Former Pennsylvania State Police Corporal Sentenced to 23 Years in Prison for Child Sexual Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A former resident of Perryopolis, PA has been sentenced in federal court to a total term of 276 months’ imprisonment (23 years) on his conviction for seven counts of child sexual exploitation, including the production and attempted production of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, possession of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, and transportation and attempted transportation of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon ordered a period of 25 years’ supervised release following McKenzie’s incarceration sentence and ordered that McKenzie pay restitution totaling $61,000.00 to his minor victims.
According to information presented to the court, on three separate occasions in 2020-2021, McKenzie induced a minor known to him to shower and change in a bathroom where he surreptitiously recorded the minor. McKenzie saved one of the videos that he had captured of this minor on a thumb drive where he also had saved hundreds of other videos of child sexual abuse material, including videos that depicted prepubescent minors, toddlers, and babies being sexually abused. Additionally, McKenzie transferred the videos he created of the minor to a Dropbox account, along with another video of an unknown minor showering and changing. At the time of this criminal conduct, McKenzie was employed by the Pennsylvania State Police as a Corporal. Law enforcement recovered the thumb drive containing the child sexual abuse material from the lapel pocket of McKenzie’s Pennsylvania State Police uniform.
In sentencing the defendant, Judge Bissoon acknowledged the pain and harm McKenzie caused all of the victims of his crimes. Judge Bissoon stated that McKenzie is a danger to society.
“This defendant betrayed his oath as a sworn law enforcement officer and victimized the very children he was sworn to protect,” said United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan. “McKenzie’s conduct represents the most disturbing betrayal of trust, and today’s sentence provides more proof that this office and our partners in law enforcement will bring the full force of federal law to seek justice for child sexual abuse victims.”
“The investigation, prosecution and sentencing of Sean McKenzie was made possible by the unparalleled cooperation between HSI Pittsburgh, the Pennsylvania State Police and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania,” said Special Agent in Charge of HSI Philadelphia William S. Walker. “Today’s sentence is a warning to all would-be predators that our law enforcement agencies continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute to the fullest extent those who harm children. This is especially true when the perpetrator of these horrific crimes is a law enforcement officer.”
Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Homeland Security Investigations – Pittsburgh and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of McKenzie.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Owner and Operator of Norfolk Dermatology Practice Sentenced for Stealing over $310,000 in Government BenefitsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former owner and operator of a Norfolk-based dermatology practice was sentenced today in federal court in Worcester for fraudulently receiving federal workers’ compensation and disability benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA).
Karen Nolan, 66, of Norwood, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to time served (one day in prison) and three years of supervised release, with the first six months in home confinement. Nolan was also ordered to pay restitution of $235,563 to the Department of Labor, Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP) and $78,446 to the SSA. On Sept. 22, 2023, Nolan pleaded guilty to two counts of theft of public funds and two counts of making false statements.
From approximately November 2017 through August 2021, Nolan stole federal workers’ compensation benefits and Social Security disability benefits from approximately July 2019 through August 2021, totaling more than $310,000. In April 2019, Nolan falsely reported to the SSA that she had not worked since 2017 due to a medical disability, but was actively self-employed at a dermatology practice at the time. Nolan also made similar false statements to OWCP in May 2021.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office; Sharon MacDermott, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division; and Anthony DiPaolo, Chief of Investigations, Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts made the announcement today. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Former NYPD Officer Pleads Guilty in Connection with Obstructing A Federal Investigation and Helping A Gang Leader Evade Capture After Committing MurderRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today the guilty plea of GINA MESTRE, a former New York City Police Officer, in connection with her involvement in obstructing a federal investigation into the Shooting Boys gang and serving as an accessory after the fact to a murder committed by the gang’s leader. MESTRE pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Denise Cote.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As she has now admitted, Gina Mestre, a former NYPD Officer, abused her position of public trust and betrayed the oath she took to protect and serve the citizens of New York City by helping a gang member evade capture for a murder of a rival gang member that he committed in broad daylight. When law enforcement officers break the laws they are sworn to uphold, they do a disservice to their fellow officers, to the departments that employ them, and to the public they serve. My Office will work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to uncover and prosecute such corruption.”
As alleged in the Indictment, other public court documents, and statements made during court proceedings:
MESTRE was an NYPD Police Officer from July 2013 to May 2022 and assigned to the 52nd Precinct’s Public Safety Unit. In the summer of 2020, a major focus of the precinct and the Public Safety Unit was the reduction of gun violence, much of which was committed by members of the Shooting Boys gang.
The Shooting Boys gang is a criminal organization based in the University Heights section of the Bronx. Since at least 2017, members of the gang have sold drugs, used guns, and committed numerous acts of violence against rival gang members. The gang’s territory and base of operations fell within the jurisdiction of the NYPD’s 52nd Precinct, where MESTRE worked. The leader of the Shooting Boys was Andrew Done, a/k/a “Caballo.”
In or about June 2020, MESTRE began communicating with Done through secret social media accounts and phone numbers. MESTRE and Done began an intimate relationship, during which MESTRE provided Done and other gang members with confidential, non-public law enforcement information about the federal grand jury investigation into the Shooting Boys. For example, MESTRE warned Done and other gang members that federal authorities were investigating the gang and preparing to bring a federal indictment. MESTRE also warned Done about impending law enforcement operations, enabling Done and other gang members to conceal their criminal activity. In addition, MESTRE disclosed the identity of a witness cooperating with law enforcement and providing information about the gang, which allowed Done and other Shooting Boys to assault and intimidate the witness in an effort to prevent the witness from further cooperation.
On November 5, 2020, Done shot and killed a rival gang member (“Victim-1”) as Victim-1 sat in his car in the Bronx. NYPD Detectives investigating the murder recovered security camera video capturing Done’s commission of the murder. Several members of the 52nd Precinct were called upon to assist in the identification of the person captured on the video. MESTRE was one of several officers who identified Done as the perpetrator.
During the manhunt to apprehend Done, of which MESTRE was a part, MESTRE covertly advised Done that authorities were looking for him and sent Done a copy of the video that showed him committing the murder (thus making clear to Done that the evidence against him was overwhelming). In the days and weeks following the murder, MESTRE continued to secretly communicate with Done and warn him about law enforcement’s efforts to capture him, which helped him avoid apprehension and eventually flee the United States. During this time, while authorities were trying to locate Done, MESTRE was aware of the cellphone numbers being used by Done, communicated with Done while he used those cellphones, knew that the cellphone numbers could be used by law enforcement to track Done’s location, but failed to share the information regarding Done’s use of the cellphone numbers with other law enforcement officers.
In March 2022, 10 members of the Shooting Boys were charged in a 15-count indictment with various federal crimes, including racketeering conspiracy and murder. Done was charged with the murder of Victim-1 and was apprehended in the Dominican Republic several months later.
On November 17, 2022, Done pled guilty to racketeering conspiracy and admitted to murdering Victim-1. On February 22, 2023, Done was sentenced to 35 years in prison.
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MESTRE, 33, of Mohegan Lake, New York, pled guilty to one count of accessory after the fact to murder in aid of racketeering, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. MESTRE will be sentenced by Judge Cote on March 21, 2024.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau, Group 25, and the Special Agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dominic A. Gentile and Jim Ligtenberg are in charge of the prosecution.
Former Gretna Postal Carrier Sentenced for Desertion of MailRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Kevin Radik, 38, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced December 7, 2023, in federal court in Omaha for desertion of mail. United States Magistrate Judge Michael Nelson sentenced Radik to one year of probation.
Radik had been employed as a rural mail carrier for the United States Postal Service in Gretna, Nebraska, since 2009. In 2023, the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General began investigating after receiving reports of Radik not delivering the weekly ads and newspapers to an apartment complex along his route. Investigators observed Radik on video removing a postal bin from a postal vehicle and placing it in the back of his personal vehicle. Radik was found with twenty pieces of mail in his personal vehicle. Radik admitted that since December 2022 or January 2023, he had not been delivering bulk business mail to the apartment complex and would instead throw the mail away in a dumpster. Radik indicated that he had intended to throw away the mail found in his vehicle at his home. Radik advised that not delivering the bulk mail saved him five minutes on his route.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General.
Former Elementary School Principal Sentenced to 30 Years for the Attempted Production of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
OXFORD, MS – A former school principal will spend 30 years in prison after he secretly videotaped and photographed students in the bathroom and locker room of the school where he was the principal.
Norman Keith Aycock, 56, was sentenced today to 30 years in prison for the attempted production of child sexual abuse material. U.S. District Court Judge Michael P. Mills sentenced Aycock to 360 months in federal prison for the offense to be followed by five years of supervised release. Aycock was also ordered to pay restitution to victims and will be required to register as a sex offender.
The investigation began in January of 2022, after a student discovered a hidden camera in the bathroom of the girls’ locker room at Bayou Academy, located in Cleveland, Mississippi. Law enforcement determined Aycock placed the camera along with others throughout the school, including the office where he met with students. At the time, Aycock was employed as the principal of the Academy’s elementary school. Ultimately, investigators discovered that Aycock’s hidden camera footage in the school spanned over six years.
On August 10, 2023, Aycock pled guilty to two counts of attempted production of child sexual exploitative material. Aycock is also under state indictment in the Circuit Court of Bolivar County, Mississippi, where the charges remain pending.
“I can think of few things more despicable than a school official betraying the trust of parents, children and the community in the most profound way possible – the sexual exploitation of students in his care,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “The sentence imposed by Judge Mills in this case will mean that this defendant will spend the rest of his life in prison and should serve as a stern warning to anyone entrusted with the care and protection of our kids who would ever consider violating that trust. I appreciate the investigative work of our partners at the Attorney General’s Office of the State of Mississippi and the Bolivar County Sheriff’s Office in helping to bring this abhorrent conduct into the light.”
"Safeguarding our children from predators is one of my top priorities," said Attorney General Lynn Fitch. "I am proud of my team's efforts investigating this case with the Bolivar County Sheriff's Department, and I grateful for the work of the U.S. Attorney's Office to secure this federal sentence. While we cannot undo the harm that has been done to these victims, we can work together to ensure justice is served."
The Mississippi Attorney General’s Cyber Crime Division investigated the case, with assistance from the Bolivar County Sheriff’s Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Addison prosecuted the case.
Former Columbus vice detective pleads guilty to depriving victims’ civil rights, obstructing justiceRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A former Columbus vice detective pleaded guilty in federal court today to crimes related to kidnapping victims under the guise of an arrest.
Andrew K. Mitchell, 59, of Sunbury, pleaded guilty to two counts of depriving individuals of their civil rights while acting under color of law and one count of obstructing justice.
As part of the plea agreement, the parties involved have recommended a sentence of seven to 11 years in prison.
Mitchell was employed by the Columbus Division of Police from 1988 until 2019 and was assigned to the vice unit from 2017 until 2019. As part of his duties in that role, Mitchell conducted law enforcement actions for solicitation offenses.
According to court documents, in July 2017, Mitchell picked up a sex worker who was working in the Hilltop near Sullivant and Whitethorne avenues. Mitchell was in plain clothes and an unmarked black sedan. He told the victim he was a police officer and acted as if he were doing a check for any outstanding warrants on the victim.
Mitchell used this ruse to handcuff the victim to the doorknob of his vehicle. He drove the victim to a nearby parking lot with multiple dumpsters and forcible held and detained the victim against her will before dropping her off at her boyfriend’s residence.
Similarly, in September 2017, Mitchell picked up a second sex worker in the Hilltop. Mitchell was again in plain clothes and was driving a dark SUV. He began discussing the victim’s rates for sexual activity before announcing that he was an officer with the vice unit and said she was going to jail.
Mitchell kidnapped the victim and drove her to Lindbergh Park, holding her against her will.
Mitchell also admitted in his plea agreement to obstructing justice. Specifically, during the federal investigation into Mitchell’s civil rights crimes, he directed several individuals to assist him in cleaning out one of the rental properties he owned, located on Denune Ave. The individuals disposed of evidence including photos, clothing, bedding and rental records, and used bleach extensively in the apartment to clean a bed, couch, ottoman and floor.
Mitchell was charged federally and arrested in March 2019. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost; Ohio Auditor of State Keith Faber and Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant announced the guilty plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin W. Kelley and Noah R. Litton are representing the United States in this case.
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Former CEO of Sacramento Non-profit Indicted for Stealing over a Million Dollars from the CharityRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The former CEO of a Sacramento non-profit was arrested today, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
On Nov. 16, 2023, a federal grand jury returned an indictment against Richard Alan Abrusci, 45, of South Lake Tahoe, charging him with nine counts of wire fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, and three counts of monetary transactions with proceeds of specified unlawful activity. The indictment was unsealed after the arrest.
According to court documents, in 2014, Abrusci began working at a non-profit organization that operates a chain of retail stores in California and Nevada. Abrusci became the Chief Operating Officer of the organization in 2016 and its president and CEO in 2018.
From 2016 through 2021, Abrusci fraudulently caused the non-profit organization and one of its subsidiaries to pay approximately $1.4 million to Resolution Arrangement Services (RAS). RAS consisted of nothing more than a fictitious business name that Abrusci registered in 2008 and a bank account that he opened the same year. Abrusci caused the fraudulent payments into the RAS bank account that he controlled by using various false documents, including invoices and purchase orders. In one instance, Abrusci used a forged letter purporting to be from an attorney representing the non-profit organization to convince the organization’s CFO to pay RAS $55,000 under false pretenses related to a lawsuit.
The payments to RAS were supposedly for information-technology services, helping to facilitate settlement of a lawsuit, and assisting the non-profit organization in running call centers for the State of California during the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, RAS provided none of the services for which it billed the non-profit organization and its subsidiary.
This case is the product of an investigation by IRS-Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas M. Fogg is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Abrusci faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each of the nine counts of wire fraud. Additionally, he faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for each of the three counts of monetary transactions with proceeds of specified unlawful activity. Finally, he faces a consecutive two years in prison for the aggravated identity theft. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
abrusci_indictment_unsealed.pdfFlorida Man Found Guilty of Trafficking Migratory Birds After Five Others SentencedRead the Press Release
A federal jury in the Middle District of Florida last week convicted a Florida man of three counts of trafficking migratory birds.
Ernesto Gonzalez Campos is the most recent conviction in “Operation Ornery Birds II,” which has resulted in five other defendants being sentenced in the Middle District of Florida. Operation Ornery Birds II was a Florida-wide investigation conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Painted bunting, Exhibit 36 in case 8:22-cr-00287.According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Campos, 36, of Brandon, Florida, had engaged in the ongoing capture, sale and trade of protected migratory songbirds. On at least three occasions in 2020 and 2021, Campos sold and traded indigo buntings, painted buntings, rose-breasted grosbeaks and blue grosbeaks, all of which are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA). Campos trapped the birds from the wild, and once they were tamed, was able to sell them within the songbird community.
Prior to Campos’ conviction, five other Florida individuals pleaded guilty and were sentenced in U.S. District Court in Tampa. The defendants admitted to buying, selling or bartering a variety of MBTA-protected birds, all highly prized for their colorful plumage and singing abilities. The defendants acquired the protected wildlife through a variety of means, including the employment of baited bird traps and the barter, purchase and sale of specimens among like-minded individuals in person and internet sales sites frequented by traffickers. The following individuals were sentenced:
- Jorge Luis Mena Graveram Sr., 59, of St. Petersburg, was sentenced on Aug. 8 to time served, one year of supervised release and a $200 fine.
- Eliernesto Baez Garcia, 29, of St. Petersburg, was sentenced on Aug. 14 to time served, one year of supervised release and a $200 fine.
- Ariam Rodriguez Diaz, 32, of Ocala, was sentenced on Aug. 18 to one year of probation and a $1,000 fine.
- Jorge Alberto Gonzalez-Gonzalez, 57, of Tampa, was sentenced on Sept. 6 to one year of probation and a $1,000 fine.
- Adrian Michel Ortega Rodriguez, 42, of Tampa, was sentenced on Sept. 11 to one year of probation and a $500 fine.
Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD), U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida, Assistant Director Edward Grace of the USFWS Office of Law Enforcement and Lt. Col. Randy Bowlin of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission made the announcement.
The USFWS and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel for the Middle District of Florida prosecuted the above defendants. Assistant U.S. Attorney Spergel and Senior Trial Attorney Patrick M. Duggan of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section prosecuted the case against Campos.
Florida Man Found Guilty of Trafficking Migratory Birds After Five Others SentencedRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – A federal jury in the Middle District of Florida last week convicted a Florida man of three counts of trafficking migratory birds.
Ernesto Gonzalez Campos is the most recent conviction in “Operation Ornery Birds II,” which has resulted in five other defendants being sentenced in the Middle District of Florida. Operation Ornery Birds II was a Florida-wide investigation conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Picture of a painted bunting seized from Campos and presented at trial. Exhibit 36, case 8:22-cr-00287.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Campos, 36, of Brandon, Florida, had engaged in the ongoing capture, sale and trade of protected migratory songbirds. On at least three occasions in 2020 and 2021, Campos sold and traded indigo buntings, painted buntings, rose-breasted grosbeaks and blue grosbeaks, all of which are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA). Campos trapped the birds from the wild, and once they were tamed, was able to sell them within the songbird community.
Prior to Campos’ conviction, five other Florida individuals pleaded guilty and were sentenced in U.S. District Court in Tampa. The defendants admitted to buying, selling or bartering a variety of MBTA-protected birds, all highly prized for their colorful plumage and singing abilities. The defendants acquired the protected wildlife through a variety of means, including the employment of baited bird traps and the barter, purchase and sale of specimens among like-minded individuals in person and internet sales sites frequented by traffickers. The following individuals were sentenced:
- Jorge Luis Mena Graveram Sr., 59, of St. Petersburg, was sentenced on Aug. 8 to time served, one year of supervised release and a $200 fine.
- Eliernesto Baez Garcia, 29, of St. Petersburg, was sentenced on Aug. 14 to time served, one year of supervised release and a $200 fine.
- Ariam Rodriguez Diaz, 32, of Ocala, was sentenced on Aug. 18 to one year of probation and a $1,000 fine.
- Jorge Alberto Gonzalez-Gonzalez, 57, of Tampa, was sentenced on Sept. 6 to one year of probation and a $1,000 fine.
- Adrian Michel Ortega Rodriguez, 42, of Tampa, was sentenced on Sept. 11 to one year of probation and a $500 fine.
Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD), U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida, Assistant Director Edward Grace of the USFWS Office of Law Enforcement and Lt. Col. Randy Bowlin of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission made the announcement.
The USFWS and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel for the Middle District of Florida prosecuted the above defendants. Assistant U.S. Attorney Spergel and Senior Trial Attorney Patrick M. Duggan of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section prosecuted the case against Campos.
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Federal Jury Convicts Former IBEW Local 98 Business Manager John Dougherty and Former Local 98 President Brian Burrows of Conspiracy, Embezzlement of Union Funds, and Tax FraudRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that John Dougherty, 63, of Philadelphia, PA and Brian Burrows, 63, of Mount Laurel, NJ, were convicted today by a federal jury of numerous charges related to their embezzlement of funds belonging to Local 98 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (“Local 98”).
John Dougherty previously served as the Business Manager of Local 98, and Brian Burrows served as the president of Local 98. In January 2019, a federal grand jury indicted Dougherty, Burrows, and four other union employees with multiple federal offenses connected to their illegal use of Local 98 funds for personal and other unauthorized expenses, contrary to the provisions of IBEW’s constitution, the by-laws of Local 98, and the beneficial interests of Local 98’s members. The Indictment also charged Dougherty and Burrows with concealing the embezzlement of Local 98’s funds by filing false labor management reports with the U.S. Department of Labor, and with tax fraud by failing to report their personal use of the funds on their tax returns.
Today, the federal jury convicted Dougherty of one count of conspiracy to embezzle the funds of Local 98, 33 counts of embezzlement of funds from Local 98, 24 counts of wire fraud by participating in a scheme to defraud Local 98 of its money, four counts of signing and submitting false labor management forms that concealed the embezzlement of Local 98 funds, and three counts of filing false federal income tax returns. The jury convicted Burrows of 13 counts of embezzlement of funds from Local 98, four counts of signing and submitting false labor management forms that concealed the embezzlement of Local 98 funds, and three counts of filing false federal income tax returns.
In December 2022, four other employees of Local 98 pleaded guilty to charges related to the embezzlement of Local 98’s funds. Michael Neill, former Training Director of Local 98’s Apprentice Training Fund, Niko Rodriguez, an employee of the Apprentice Training Fund, and Brian Fiocca, an office employee with Local 98, pleaded guilty to embezzlement of Local 98’s funds. Marita Crawford, who previously served as Local 98’s Political Director, pleaded guilty to wire fraud, the object of which was to obtain money from Local 98 through false and fraudulent representations. The four former employees are currently scheduled to be sentenced later this month.
The same Indictment also charged John Dougherty with multiple crimes involving honest services fraud bribery, which the Court earlier ordered severed from the embezzlement charges and tried first. The Indictment charged that Dougherty and co-defendant Robert Henon defrauded the City of Philadelphia and its citizens of the right to Henon’s honest services as a member of City Council. In November 2021, a federal jury convicted Dougherty of one count of conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and seven counts of honest services wire fraud.
“The members of Local 98 trusted Dougherty and Burrows to faithfully manage and protect the union’s funds; the defendants did exactly the opposite – they stole from their own members, and violated that trust.” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Today’s verdict demonstrates the consequences of such dishonesty and theft, which involved egregious and repeated violations of trust and misuse of funds for personal benefit. I want to thank our federal and state law enforcement partners for their tireless cooperation in bringing this case to trial.”
“After decades at the top, John Dougherty grew to believe he was Local 98 — and completely entitled to misuse its money as his own,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “In doing so, Dougherty repeatedly betrayed the electrical union’s members, those thousands of workers who trusted him to act on their behalf and for their benefit. Local 98’s rank and file are clear victims of his greed and these crimes. If you think about it, though, after his convictions at both trials, there aren’t many folks around here who aren’t John Dougherty’s victims. His corrupt acts harmed this city, he cheated taxpayers, and he stole from his own hard-working electricians. Justice means finally holding him accountable for the damage done.”
“The consequences to those who betray the public trust is evident by today’s convictions,” said Yury Kruty, Special Agent in Charge of IRS-Criminal Investigation. “IRS-Criminal Investigation is proud to have provided its financial expertise in this investigation, and we, along with our law enforcement partners and the Department of Justice, will continue to aggressively investigate individuals who engage in money laundering, tax fraud, or other types of white-collar crimes.”
“Today’s verdict sends an important message to all those entrusted with protecting benefit plan assets. Regardless of title or position, the U.S. Department of Labor will hold fiduciaries to the highest standards of accountability to protect the employee benefits of America’s workers, ” said Cristina O’Brien, Philadelphia Regional Director of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration.
“By any measure, the crimes John Dougherty and Brian Burrows committed are extraordinarily serious offenses. Labor leaders have a fiduciary responsibility to the members they represent. Dougherty and Burrows violated that responsibility and turned Local 98 and its members – whose interests they were supposed to protect – into victims, when they treated the union and its assets as their own personal piggy banks – harming the union and its members. The Office of Labor-Management Standards will continue to work with its law enforcement partners to protect unions and their members by bringing to justice, and seeking restitution from, any official who chooses to use union funds for their own benefit,” said OLMS District Director Kevin Smallwood.
Burrows faces up to 83 years in prison. Dougherty, in combination with the 2021 conviction, faces up to 901 years in prison. Sentencing for Dougherty has been scheduled for March 20, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. and for Burrows on March 21, 2024 at 10:00 a.m.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration, the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Labor Management Standards, the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, and the Pennsylvania State Police, with assistance from the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Frank Costello, Chief of the Corruption & Civil Rights Unit; Bea Witzleben, Co-Chief of Trials; Jason Grenell; and Anthony Carissimi.
Federal Jury Convicts Buxton Man for Twitter ThreatRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Buxton man was found guilty today of transmitting a threatening interstate communication. The verdict came after a three-day jury trial in the U.S. District Court in Portland with Chief Judge Jon D. Levy presiding.
According to evidence presented during the trial, on September 8, 2021, Brian Dennison, 27, posted on Twitter, “I’m going to kill jews with my ar15 tomorrow.” FBI investigators identified Dennison as the likely author of the threat and executed search warrants at his Buxton residence. Among the items seized were approximately 1,700 rounds of ammunition that could be fired from an AR-15-style rifle. Investigators also found evidence that Dennison had a long-standing animus toward Jewish people. In October 2021, investigators executed another search warrant at the property and found an AR-15-style rifle and ammunition in a case that had been hidden in the woods behind the residence.
Dennison faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI and U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case.
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Fall River Mail Carrier Pleads Guilty to Obstructing the Mail and Diverting PackagesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Fall River U.S. Postal Service (USPS) employee has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to obstructing the mail by diverting multiple mail packages in his custody.
Rafael De Los Angeles, 43, pleaded guilty on Dec. 4, 2023 to five counts of obstruction of mail. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for March 4, 2024.
On five separate occasions in August 2017, De Los Angeles knowingly and willfully obstructed the passage of five mailed packages he was responsible for delivering. Specifically, on each occasion, De Los Angeles drove the packages to different locations that were not listed as the delivery addresses. There, he scanned the packages to record them as having been delivered to the correct addresses before ripping off the address labels and giving the packages to someone other than the listed recipients.
The charge of obstruction of mail provides for a sentence of up to six months in prison, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $5,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Northeast Area Office made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kunal Pasricha and Luke Goldworm of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
Española Man Pleads Guilty and is Sentenced for Abandoning Child and Assaulting GirlfriendRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Larry G. Valdez, Jr. pled guilty to the crimes of child abandonment and assault by striking, beating, or wounding and was sentenced to one year of probation.
In March 2022, Valdez, Jr. struck John Doe’s mother with a closed fist at a roadside location within the exterior boundaries of the Pueblo of Ohkay Owingeh. When six-year-old John Doe (Valdez, Jr.’s son) attempted to intervene on his mother’s behalf, Valdez, Jr. punched John Doe in the face with a closed fist, which caused Doe to sustain a bloodied and swollen upper lip. Valdez, Jr. then left John Doe and Doe’s mother by the dark roadside without calling for medical attention.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case with assistance from the Ohkay Owingeh Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Jones is prosecuting the case.
View the Plea Agreement View the Indictment# # #
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El Departamento de Justicia llega a un acuerdo con un restaurante de Florida para resolver unas acusaciones de discriminación en el empleoRead the Press Release
El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que ha llegado a un acuerdo conciliatorio con OSI/Fleming’s LLC, propietaria y operadora del Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar restaurante (Fleming’s) en Sandestin, FL. El acuerdo resuelve la determinación del Departamento que Fleming’s vulneró la ley de Inmigración y Nacionalidad («INA», por sus siglas en inglés) al discriminar a un residente permanente legal cuando verificó si contaba con un permiso continuo para trabajar.
«Aquellos empleadores que discriminan a los trabajadores, rechazando sus documentos válidos o exigiendo que muestren documentos innecesarios para demostrar que pueden seguir trabajando, están vulnerando las leyes federales», afirmó Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. «El Departamento de Justicia seguirá responsabilizando a los empleadores de discriminar ilegalmente a los trabajadores debido a su ciudadanía, estatus migratorio o nacionalidad de origen».
Después de abrir una investigación basada en la queja de un trabajador, el Departamento concluyó que Fleming’s discriminó a un residente permanente legal al rechazar los documentos válidos que el trabajador originalmente proporcionó y exigir, de forma innecesaria, que presentara un documento con una fecha de vencimiento para demostrar su estatus de ciudadanía. Según el Departamento, cuando no lo hizo, Fleming’s lo despidió. Las leyes federales permiten a todos los trabajadores elegir la documentación válida y legalmente aceptable que desean presentar para demostrar su identidad y permiso para trabajar, independientemente de su estatus de ciudadanía, estatus migratorio o nacionalidad de origen. Los empleadores no pueden exigir más documentos de los necesarios o especificar la documentación que prefieren ver como parte de este proceso.
Después de que el departamento comenzara su investigación, Fleming’s volvió a contratar al trabajador y le pagó los salarios perdidos. En virtud del acuerdo, Fleming’s pagará una sanción civil a los Estados Unidos, capacitará a su personal de recursos humanos sobre los requisitos de la INA y proporcionará una forma alternativa de aceptar la documentación de un trabajador si el software de la empresa no acepta la documentación válida de un trabajador.
La Sección de Derechos de Inmigrantes y Empleados («IER», por sus siglas en inglés) de la División de Derechos Civiles es responsable de hacer cumplir la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA. Entre otras cosas, la ley prohíbe la discriminación por motivos de estatus de ciudadanía y nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido o reclutamiento o recomendación por comisión, prácticas documentales injustas y represalias e intimidación.
Puede obtener más información sobre cómo los empleadores pueden evitar la discriminar al verificar el permiso para trabajar de alguien en el sitio web de la IER. Aprenda más sobre el trabajo de la IER y cómo conseguir ayuda mediante este vídeo corto. Aquellos aspirantes o empleados que creen haber sido discriminados por motivos de su ciudadanía, estatus migratorio o nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido, reclutamiento o verificación de la elegibilidad para trabajar (Formulario I-9 e E-Verify) o sujetos a represalias pueden presentar una denuncia. El público también puede llamar a la línea directa de la IER para trabajadores al 1‑800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); llamar a la línea directa de la IER para empleadores al 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); enviar un correo electrónico a [email protected]; inscribirse a un seminario en línea gratuito o visualizar una presentación a la carta; o visitar los sitios web de la IER en inglés y español. Suscribirse a actualizaciones por correo electrónico de la IER.
fnl_-_executed_settlement_agreement_flemings_redacted_ocred.pdfDetroit Man Sentenced for Dealing Drugs While on Supervised Release for Dealing DrugsRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A Detroit man was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison for dealing dangerous drugs while on pretrial release for another drug and firearm offense pending in state court, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Rickey Butler, age 40, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced by United States District Judge Denise Page Hood.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 4, 2022, Butler—who was then on a GPS tether for controlled substance and weapons offenses—possessed with the intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine. Butler also possessed a Glock firearm, which he used to protect the narcotics. Butler admitted to police that he had been selling drugs for approximately eight years before he was apprehended in this case.
“All too often, guns and drugs go hand in hand—and both are causing far too many deaths in our community,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to remove illegals guns, drug dealers, and other drivers of violent crime out of our neighborhoods.”
“This sentencing shows the unwavering commitment by the FBI and our law enforcement partners to remove traffickers who conspire to distribute harmful drugs in our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of the FBI in Michigan. “We will continue to relentlessly pursue those involved in narcotics trafficking to safeguard Michigan’s streets and communities.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in conjunction with the Livonia Police Department and Detroit Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara Lanning.
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.
Del Rio Man Sentenced to Prison for Coaxing Sexually Explicit Material from Minors on Social MediaRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A Del Rio man was sentenced in federal court to 78 months in prison and ordered to pay a $35,000 special assessment for receipt of child pornography.
According to court documents, Leeroy Hinojosa, 35, used the mobile app Snapchat to message two minors, knowing they were underage, and repeatedly request illicit sexually explicit photos and videos from them. The interactions led to Hinojosa receiving 129 images and 106 videos of child pornography from the victims. Hinojosa was arrested on Dec. 17, 2020 and has remained in federal custody.
“Without help from members of the community who said something when they saw something, the authorities would not have been able to investigate and prosecute this offender who repeatedly sought nude photos and videos of underage girls,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “We must look out for the innocent, vulnerable children in our lives and our community. I appreciate the investigative work of our local, state and federal partners, ensuring this predator serves his time in confinement, where he can no longer harm these victims.”
“Homeland Security Investigations agents make it a top priority to work with all of our local law enforcement partners to investigate predators involved with the receipt of child pornography,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee for the HSI San Antonio Division. “Each year, millions of children fall prey to sexual predators, and it is imperative that we do our part to protect vulnerable children from victimization and ensure the perpetrators are punished for their heinous crimes.”
HSI, Customs and Border Protection, Del Rio Police Department, and TX DPS investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Holly Pavlinski prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Defendants Sentenced to Federal Prison for Fire Bombings of Police VehiclesRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—All five members of a group responsible for the fire bombings of multiple police vehicles will spend time in prison for their crimes. On Thursday, Chief United States District Court Judge D.P. Marshall Jr. sentenced the final four defendants in a case dating back to August and September 2020, when the group, by its own words, resolved to “attack [] the institution of the American police structure” and destroyed property at five different police stations, which escalated to the use of incendiary weapons. The leader of the group, Mujera Benjamin Lung’aho, received a 5 ½-year sentence for his conduct, which involved the use of Molotov cocktails to burn police cars. The five defendants include:
Defendant
Age
Hometown
Sentence
Mujera Benjamin Lung’aho
33
North Little Rock, AR
66 months’ incarceration, $86,099.37 restitution
Brittany Dawn Jeffrey
34
Little Rock, AR
17 months’ incarceration, $529.30 restitution
Emily Nowlin
30
Little Rock, AR
18 months’ incarceration, $35,956.31 restitution
Aline A. Espinosa-Villegas
27
Little Rock, AR
18 months’ incarceration, $34,356.31 restitution
Renea Goddard
25
Little Rock, AR
18 months incarceration, $35,956.31 restitution
Jeffrey had previously been sentenced, while the other four were sentenced Thursday. In addition to the prison sentences, all defendants received terms of supervised release: Lung’aho 36 months; Nowlin, Espinosa-Villegas, and Goddard 24 months; and Jeffrey 18 months. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case is a result of numerous incidents of violence and vandalism that occurred in late August and early September 2020 and involved Lung’aho, Jeffrey, Nowlin, Goddard, and Espinosa. The investigation revealed that on August 25 and into August 26, 2020, Lung’aho, Jeffrey, and others traveled to the Little Rock Police Department (LRPD) Northwest Substation with Molotov cocktails and parked nearby; however, once the group noticed several officers in the area, they left the scene. Later, the group went to Shannon Hills, Arkansas, where a marked police car was parked. Several members of the group broke a window of the car, cut a tire, and stole a toolbox from the vehicle.
The group then traveled to LRPD’s 12th Street Substation. As some of the individuals broke patrol vehicle windows and slashed tires, Lung’aho and another individual threw Molotov cocktails at the LRPD patrol vehicles. According to surveillance video, a Molotov cocktail was lit but burned out as it was thrown over the fence. Two Molotov cocktails used that night were made at Jeffrey’s residence with gasoline, liquor bottles, and bed sheets. On the same day, the group went to the North Little Rock Police Department’s (NLRPD) Levy Substation and damaged several police cars’ tires.
In the early morning hours of August 28, 2020, Lung’aho, Goddard, Nowlin, and Espinosa traveled to the Arkansas State Police (ASP) Headquarters with Molotov cocktails. Lung’aho cut a section of a chain-link fence, and he and the others entered the property through the hole in the fence and vandalized multiple ASP vehicles, slashing 33 tires. Espinosa threw a Molotov cocktail, but it did not explode. Lung’aho threw a Molotov cocktail at a 2020 Chevrolet Tahoe patrol unit, and the device exploded. The explosion caused the vehicle to catch fire, resulting in the complete destruction of the vehicle.
On September 3, 2020, Lung’aho and others traveled to the Rose City Police Station in North Little Rock and threw a Molotov cocktail at a NLRPD police vehicle, destroying the vehicle. The Molotov cocktail was made from a liquor bottle and bed sheets, the same materials used in the attempted destruction of a patrol car on August 26, 2020. The fire was observed by officers at 3:20 a.m. and Lung’aho’s phone contained an image of the fire taken at approximately 3:10 a.m.
“There is no justification for violent acts targeting our law enforcement community. The use of Molotov cocktails to destroy law enforcement property is not a form of legitimate protest; rather, it is a troubling escalation of gratuitous violence that seeks to stoke embers of anarchy in our community, and it will not be tolerated in the Eastern District of Arkansas,” said United States Attorney Jonathan D. Ross. “The Constitution protects our rights to peacefully assemble. But make no mistake, when you use violence to advance your agenda, the Department of Justice will make every effort to put you in prison. Anyone engaging in such criminal activity will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Lung’aho was originally charged in a complaint on September 14, 2020, and then indicted on October 6, 2020, on charges alleging conspiracy to commit arson and arson. On Feb. 3, 2021, a federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment adding the other four defendants, and adding numerous charges including conspiracy to commit arson, arson, and possession of unregistered destructive devices.
Lung’aho pleaded guilty on August 23, 2023, to arson, related to the firebombing of the NLRPD police car on September 3, 2020. On May 18, 2022, Jeffrey pleaded guilty to a superseding information charging her with conspiracy to possess an unregistered destructive device, a Molotov cocktail, and she was sentenced on December 12, 2022. On September 23, 2021, Espinosa-Villegas pleaded guilty to possession of an unregistered destructive device, a Molotov cocktail. Nowlin pleaded guilty to possession of an unregistered destructive device, a Molotov cocktail, on September 26, 2022. Goddard pleaded guilty on September 26, 2022, to a superseding information charging her with conspiracy to possess an unregistered destructive device, a Molotov cocktail.
“This investigation is an example of ATF working with law enforcement partners and the community to hold persons accountable that choose to engage in violent crime that threatens the safety of our shared community,” said ATF New Orleans Field Division Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson. “ATF will remain engaged with the law enforcement team and the public to best serve and protect our communities.”
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, North Little Rock Police Department, Little Rock Police Department, Arkansas State Police, and Shannon Hills Police Department.
# # #
This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available on-line at
http://www.justice.gov/edar
Twitter:
@EDARNEWS
Chief Executive Officer Admits False Statements to Conceal Foreign Origin of Forklifts Provided to U.S. ArmyRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – The chief executive officer of a Passaic, New Jersey, company today admitted falsifying data plates on forklifts provided to the U.S. Army to make it appear as if the forklifts, which were purchased in China, had been manufactured in the United States, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
James Cai, 33, of Hackensack, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert A. Kirsch in Trenton federal court to an information charging him with one count of making false statements in connection with the provision of two forklifts to a U.S. Army installation, Fort Cavazos, in Killeen, Texas.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From September 2018 to January 2019, Cai, through his company, Toner Connect LLC, submitted bids on, and obtained, contracts to supply various U.S. Army installations with forklifts. The contracts required that the forklifts be compliant with the Buy American Act (BAA), that is, the forklifts had to be manufactured in the United States and at least 50 percent of the cost of the forklift components had to be of U.S. origin.
One of those contracts awarded Toner Connect LLC $247,000 for the provision of two FD150 diesel forklifts to Fort Cavazos. Despite the BAA clause in that contract, and in order to reduce costs, Cai purchased the two forklifts from a company based in Shanghai, China. To conceal the origin of the forklifts and make them appear compliant with the BAA, Cai installed data plates on the forklifts that falsely stated:
Final Assembly in the USA
Millennial Enterprise LLC
Newark, NJ 07102
North American Headquarters
After the forklifts were delivered to Fort Cavazos on Aug. 26, 2019, Fort Cavazos personnel discovered that the forklifts had multiple operational problems and could not be repaired due to the concealment of their true make and model.
The charge to which Cai pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for April 11, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the U.S. Army, Criminal Investigation Division, Major Procurement Fraud Field Office, under the direction of Assistant Special Agent in Charge Michael Curran; and special agents of the U.S. Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Hegarty, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen P. O’Leary of the Economic Crimes Unit.
cai.information.pdfCedar Rapids Man Charged with Being a Prohibited Person in Possession of Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Christopher King, age 52, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has been charged with three counts of being a prohibited person in possession of firearms and ammunition. The charges are contained in an Indictment filed on September 8, 2023, in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids.
The Indictment alleges that, between February and August of 2023, King possessed a pistol, a shotgun, and ammunition while being an unlawful drug user and after having been convicted of felonies.
If convicted, King faces a possible maximum sentence of 45 years’ imprisonment, a $750,000 fine, and three years on supervised release following any imprisonment.
King appeared for a detention hearing on November 29, 2023, in federal court in Cedar Rapids and was held without bond. King’s next appearance for trial is set for January 16, 2024.
As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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 is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and is being investigated by the High Risk Unit of the Sixth Judicial District Department of Correctional Services, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is CR 23-62.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
California Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Custody for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine and FentanylRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced an Arvin, California, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl, Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine, and Use of a Communication Facility in the Commission of a Drug Trafficking Crime. The sentencing took place on December 4, 2023.
Victor Leon-Pacheco, 33, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $300 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. The federal sentence runs consecutive to his remaining sentence in Oklahoma.
Leon-Pacheco was indicted for the charges by a federal grand jury in June of 2022. He was found guilty after a three-day federal jury trial concluding on September 7, 2023.
Leon-Pacheco is formerly from California. In 2016 he was convicted of trafficking methamphetamine in Oklahoma and sentenced to 18 years custody. While in a locked facility, he gained access to a contraband cell phone which he utilized to conduct drug trafficking activities. He arranged drug sales to people in several states, including South Dakota. Leon-Pacheco then recruited others in California, including co-defendant Eduardo Acosta, to accept payments for drug proceeds that were wired through money exchange services. This occurred multiple times between September of 2021 and January of 2022. Acosta also sent packages containing controlled substances to South Dakota at the direction of Leon-Pacheco. Law enforcement was able to introduce an undercover agent to whom Leon-Pacheco organized three shipments of fentanyl and methamphetamine. Leon-Pacheco’s co-defendant, Eduardo Acosta, was sentenced to 37 months in custody on August 11, 2023.
“This trial conviction and resulting sentence should send a clear message to out-of-state drug traffickers who think they can get away with distributing lethal drugs in South Dakota,” said Alison J. Ramsdell, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota. “I am grateful to the many investigative agencies who participated in this case through the local Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team and worked collaboratively to ensure Victor Leon-Pacheco remains in custody for another thirty years.”
This case was investigated by the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team, which is a local drug task force comprised of law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the South Dakota National Guard, as well as the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Oklahoma Department of Corrections. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case.
Leon-Pacheco was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Burlington County Man Admits Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Burlington County, New Jersey, man today admitted possessing images of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Al-Fahim Medina, 24, of Willingboro, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler to an information charging him with possession of child pornography.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From Jan. 31, 2020, through June 12, 2020, Medina possessed mobile phones and a tablet, which contained multiple images of child sexual abuse, including children under age 12 and sadistic and masochistic conduct or other depictions of violence or sexual abuse or exploitation involving an infant or toddler.
The count of possession of child pornography carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for April 10, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen M. Harberg of the Camden Office.
medina.information.pdfBrooklyn Park Felon Indicted for Fentanyl Distribution and Firearms Violations Following Deadly Vehicle CrashRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Derrick John Thompson has been federally indicted for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and illegal possession of a firearm following a deadly vehicle crash that killed five victims, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
“These federal charges underscore the seriousness of Mr. Thompson’s criminal actions. We will continue to take an aggressive stance against individuals who engage in armed fentanyl dealing and present grave danger to our community,” said U. S. Attorney Andrew Luger.
According to court documents, on June 16, 2023, a trooper with the Minnesota State Patrol observed a black Cadillac SUV speeding north on I-35W, traveling at 95 miles per hour in a 55 miles per hour speed zone. The trooper observed Thompson abruptly cut across four lanes of traffic to exit the freeway at the Lake Street exit. The trooper began following the SUV but did not initiate the emergency lights or attempt to make a traffic stop because the trooper did not want to cause the driver, later identified as Thompson, 28, to continue to drive recklessly on city streets. At the intersection of 2nd Avenue South and East Lake Street, Thompson sped through a red light at the intersection without stopping or slowing. The SUV struck at full speed the driver’s side of a Honda Civic that was traveling lawfully through the intersection. All five occupants of the Honda Civic, four adult females and one juvenile female, were killed. When law enforcement responded to the scene of the crash, witnesses told officers that Thompson had fled on foot through a nearby alley. Officers found Thompson sitting on the curb outside of a nearby restaurant. Officers detained Thompson, who was later transported to Hennepin County Medical Center for evaluation.
According to court documents, an officer found at the scene a Hertz rental record for the Cadillac SUV indicating that Thompson rented the vehicle from a Hertz located at the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport approximately 30 minutes before the crash. After obtaining a warrant to search the SUV, officers found a black leather bag on the front passenger side floor that contained a loaded Glock pistol with an extended magazine, as well as three baggies containing more than 2,000 blue “M-Box 30” fentanyl pills, a baggie containing an additional 14 grams of powder fentanyl, a baggie containing 13 MDMA pills, a baggie containing 35 grams of cocaine, and a digital scale.
Because Thompson has multiple prior felony convictions, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.The indictment charges Thompson with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of a firearm as a felon, and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. He will make his initial appearance in U.S. District Court before a Magistrate Judge at a later date.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Minneapolis Police Department, the Minnesota State Patrol, and the Minneapolis–St. Paul Airport Police Department, in coordination with the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Calhoun-Lopez and Ruth S. Shnider are 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.
Brooklyn Hospital Dietician Found Guilty of Filing False Tax Returns and Obstructing the IRSRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a New York woman today of filing and aiding in the filing of false tax returns, obstructing the IRS and willfully failing to file tax returns.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Ehrenfriede Kauapirura worked at a Brooklyn hospital as a dietician. Kauapirura filed a false amended 2015 tax return and a false original 2016 tax return. On both returns, Kauapirura reported hundreds of thousands of dollars in fictitious tax withholdings that she used to claim refunds of approximately $250,000 for each year, which the IRS paid her.
The evidence at trial proved that after determining that Kauapirura’s claims were fraudulent, the IRS began collection activity to recoup the funds it paid her. To thwart the IRS’s collection efforts, Kauapirura transferred money from her personal bank account to a bank account that she controlled held in the name of a purported trust. Kauapirura also submitted a bogus $1 million dollar check drawn on a non-existent bank as payment of her tax obligations. In addition, Kauapirura did not file individual tax returns with the IRS for the years 2017 through 2020, despite earning substantial income from her job at the hospital.
Kauapirura is scheduled to be sentenced on March 7, 2024, and faces a statutory maximum sentence of three years in prison for each false return and obstruction count and one year in prison for each count of willful failure to file a tax return. The defendant also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Kenneth C. Vert and Michael C. Vasiliadis of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
Bergen County Public Relations Company Settles Allegations It Received Improper Paycheck Protection Program LoanRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Bergen County, New Jersey, public relations firm entered a settlement agreement with the United States resolving allegations that the company violated the False Claims Act by taking a loan from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to which the company was not entitled, Attorney for the United States Vikas Khanna announced today.
Congress created the PPP in March 2020 as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to provide emergency financial support to millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act authorized billions of dollars in forgivable loans to small businesses struggling to pay employees and other business expenses.
According to the allegations in the complaint and the contentions of the United States in the settlement agreement:
MWW Group LLC, which does business as MikeWorldWide (MWW), applied for and received a PPP loan totaling $2 million even though it was ineligible for such a loan because it was a required registrant under the Foreign Agent Registration Act. MWW thereafter sought and received forgiveness of the total amount of the loan.
MWW fully cooperated in the investigation and resolution of this matter. In accordance with the terms of the settlement agreement, MWW has agreed to pay the United States $2.29 million, plus interest. The settlement resolves a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties, called relators, to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. In this matter, the relator is receiving $229,000 as his share in the recovery.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney David V. Simunovich of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Forsyth v. MWW Group LLC, Civil Action No. 23-299 (D.N.J.).
mww.settlementpdf.pdfBend Man Sentenced for Theft from Tribal OrganizationRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Bend, Oregon man was sentenced in federal court today for stealing tools from Warm Springs Composite Products, a wood products manufacturing business owned by the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.
Kevin Neal Strampher, Jr., 40, was sentenced to time served and one year of supervised release. Strampher was also ordered to pay $2,378 in restitution to the tribe.
According to court documents, on January 28, 2023, Strampher entered the Warm Springs Composite Products mill and stole more than $2,000 in power and hand tools. Using surveillance footage obtained by the mill manager and other evidence collected, Warm Springs Tribal Police officers identified Strampher as the individual who burglarized the business.
On March 21, 2023, a federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment charging Strampher with theft from an Indian tribal organization. On September 14, 2023, Strampher pleaded guilty to the single charge.
This case was investigated by the Warm Springs Tribal Police Department with assistance from the FBI. It was prosecuted by Pamela Paaso, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Arkansas Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Shooting Officers in Hot Springs National ParkRead the Press Release
HOT SPRINGS, AR – An Arkansas man will serve twenty years in federal prison for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury and Assault with Intent to Do Bodily Harm, in connection with a July 28, 2019, shooting incident in Hot Springs National Park. On November 27, the Honorable Chief Judge Susan O. Hickey, sentenced Jonathan Allen Scott, age 36, of Hot Springs, to twenty years in federal prisons on both counts, and three years’ supervised probation after he pleaded guilty, on April 14, to Count Two and Count Four of a seven-count Indictment in which he was named.
According to court documents, on July 28, 2019, Scott entered Hot Springs National Park, along Bath House Row, east of Central Avenue, carrying a 12-gauge shotgun. Hot Springs is a United States National Park in Garland County. After receiving 911 calls regarding Scott, he was confronted by officers of the Hot Springs Arkansas Police Department and fired a slug into the ground in the direction of one of the officers. Dozens of visitors to the park and downtown area, along the sidewalks, and nearby city and park structures, were in the immediate vicinity, as well as a usually crowded Central Avenue. Two Hot Springs Officers, along with their city canine partner, approached Scott, and ordered him to drop the shotgun near park headquarters. Scott refused the orders and turned on the officers with the shotgun, discharging the weapon, and simultaneously one of the officers discharged his service weapon at Scott striking him multiple times. The second round Scott fired, struck the sidewalk in front of the officers, and the resulting slug round fragmented, striking and wounding one officer and his canine partner. Both officers recovered from their injuries sustained by gunfire. Scott was treated and later arrested at a local hospital.
A subsequent investigation by special agents of the Arkansas State Police and National Park Service-Investigative Services Branch, established the full extent of Scott’s actions and he was taken into custody after release from the hospital. Scott was later indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2019.
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
The case was investigated by special agents of the Arkansas State Police, National Park Service - Investigative Services Branch and U.S. Park Rangers at Hot Springs National Park, with the assistance of the Garland County Arkansas Sheriff’s Office and Hot Springs Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Achorn and First Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenny Elser prosecuted the case for the United States.
Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov.
Wednesday 6 December 2023
Чотирьох пов’язаних з Росією військовослужбовців звинувачують у військових злочинах у зв’язку з вторгненням Росії в УкраїнуRead the Press Release
Сьогодні в суді Східного округу Вірджинії було оприлюднено звинувачення у військових злочинах проти чотирьох пов'язаних з Росією військових. Вони обвинувачуються в катуванні, нелюдському поводженню та незаконному ув’язненні громадянина США в Україні після повномасштабного вторгнення Росії в Україну в лютому 2022 року.
45-річному Сурену Сейрановичу Мкртчяну, Дмитру Будніку, Валерію (прізвище невідоме) та Назару (прізвище невідоме) висунуто звинувачення у незаконному затриманні громадянина США в умовах збройного конфлікту між Росією та Україною. Ці особи підозрюються в тому, що вони допитували, жорстоко били та катували потерпілого. Вони також нібито погрожували вбити жертву та влаштували імітацію страти.
«Відколи світ став свідком жахіть жорстокого вторгнення Росії в Україну, за ними також спостерігає і Міністерство юстиції Сполучених Штатів, – сказав міністр юстиції США Меррік Гарленд. – Саме тому Міністерство юстиції висунуло перші в історії звинувачення згідно зі статутом США про військові злочини чотирьом військовослужбовцям, пов’язаним з Росією, за жахливі злочини проти американського громадянина. Міністерство юстиції працюватиме стільки, скільки буде потрібно, щоб привести винних до відповідальності та відновити справедливість, яку було порушено в результаті агресивної війни Росії».
«Завдяки невтомній і безпрецедентній праці федеральних правоохоронних агентів із відділу розслідувань Міністерства внутрішньої безпеки та Міністерства юстиції, чотирьом російським солдатам, звинуваченим у неймовірних, неприйнятних порушеннях прав людини американського громадянина, висунули звинувачення у військових злочинах і їх буде притягнуто до відповідальності, – зауважив міністр внутрішньої безпеки Алехандро Майоркас. – Звинувачення, які сьогодні було оприлюднено, надсилають чітке повідомлення Росії — наш уряд не пошкодує зусиль і ресурсів, щоб притягнути до відповідальності тих, хто порушує фундаментальні права людини американських громадян».
«З початку свого неспровокованого вторгнення в Україну Росія використовувала порушення прав людини як зброю, щоб завдати людям неймовірних страждань, — заявив директор ФБР Крістофер Рей. – Сьогоднішнє обвинувачення – перше в історії згідно зі статутом США про військові злочини – чітко показує, що ФБР працюватиме у тісній співпраці з міжнародними правоохоронними органами, щоб відновити справедливість для жертв цих жорстокостей. Людські втрати внаслідок конфлікту в Україні важким тягарем лягають на серця агентів ФБР, і ми сповнені рішучості притягнути військових злочинців до відповідальності незалежно від того, де вони перебувають і скільки часу це займе».
«Катування та незаконне ув’язнення особи, яка перебуває під захистом, є серйозними порушеннями прав людини, які не повинні залишатися безкарними, – сказала виконувач обов’язків помічника генерального прокурора Ніколь Арджентьєрі з кримінального відділу Міністерства юстиції. – Ці історичні кримінальні звинувачення — перші в історії, висунуті згідно зі статутом США про військові злочини — є важливим кроком у постійних зусиллях Міністерства юстиції, спрямованих на притягнення до відповідальності тих, хто чинить військові злочини та інші жорстокі дії в Україні.
Згідно з актом обвинувачення, Мкртчян і Буднік були командирами військових частин збройних сил РФ і/або так званої ДНР, а Валерій і Назар – військовослужбовцями нижчого складу. Як стверджується, звинувачені воювали на боці Росії в Україні, коли вони скоїли військові злочини, про які було повідомлено.
У квітні 2022 року Мкртчян і солдати під його командуванням, відповідно до свідчень, викрали потерпілого, громадянина США, з його будинку в селі Милове Херсонської області на півдні України та незаконно утримували його щонайменше протягом десяти днів. Під час викрадення Мкртчян, Валерій, Назар та інші притисли голого потерпілого обличчям до землі, зв’язали йому руки за спиною, приклали до голови пістолета і жорстоко били його, в тому числі прикладами. Потім Мкртчян, Валерій, Назар та інші нібито перевезли потерпілого до імпровізованої військової бази у Миловому.
«Ці звинувачення свідчать про те, що дії обвинувачених, про які було засвідчено, є не лише серйозними порушеннями Женевської конвенції про захист цивільного населення під час війни, але й порушенням законодавства США, — заявила прокурор Східного округу штату Вірджинія Джессіка Абер. – Ми пишаємося тим, що виступаємо в авангарді зусиль Міністерства юстиції щодо притягнення до відповідальності осіб, які вчинили військові злочини в Україні, і продовжуватимемо їх переслідувати. Ми дякуємо нашим партнерам по розслідуванню цієї справи, групі аналізу військових злочинів, польовому офісу ФБР у Вашингтоні та Міністерсиву національної безпеки за їхні видатні зусилля зі збору доказів, необхідних для цих звинувачень».
В акті обвинувачення також зазначається, що Мкртчян і Буднік керували та брали участь щонайменше у двох допитах, під час яких четверо підсудних та інші катували потерпілого. На одному з допитів Мкртчян, Валерій і Назар нібито зняли з потерпілого одяг і сфотографували його. Тоді обвинувачені та інші нібито жорстоко побили потерпілого, спрямували пістолети йому в потилицю та погрожували розстріляти. Будник нібито погрожував вбити потерпілого і вимагав сказати прощальні слова. Незабаром після цього Назар та інші влаштували імітацію страти. Вони нібито змусили жертву впасти на землю, приставили пістолет до потилиці, потім відвели пістолет і випустили кулю прямо повз голову жертви.
«Ці історичні звинувачення є кульмінацією складного розслідування ФБР і наших партнерів, яке охоплює весь світ, — повідомив помічник директора ФБР і керівник вашингтонського офісу Девід Сандберг. – ФБР продовжуватиме співпрацювати з нашими внутрішніми та міжнародними партнерами, щоб досягти правосуддя та притягнути до відповідальності тих, хто вчиняє такі звірства».
«За свідченнями, діючи від імені російських збройних сил і так званої Донецької народної республіки, ці четверо осіб порушили права людини американського громадянина, – заявила виконувачка обов‘язків помічника директора з розслідувань внутрішньої безпеки (HSI) Катріна Бергер. – Згідно з обвинуваченнями, вони незаконно затримали і катували американського громадянина і навіть дійшли до імітації страти. Оприлюднення цих звинувачень у військових злочинах є важливим кроком у притягненні винних до відповідальності. HSI продовжуватиме агресивно переслідувати всіх, хто порушує права людини наших американських громадян – вдома чи за кордоном».
Зазначені особи звинувачуються у трьох військових злочинах – незаконному ув’язненні, тортурах і нелюдському поводженні – і в одному пункті – у змові з метою вчинення військових злочинів. У разі доведення вини обвинуваченим загрожує максимальне покарання у вигляді довічного ув'язнення.
Відділення ФБР та HSI у Вашингтоні (округ Колумбія), за сприяння Міжнародного відділу прав людини ФБР та Центру переслідування порушників прав людини та військових злочинців HSI, розслідували звинувачення у військових злочинах у партнерстві з Офісом прокурора Східного округу Вірджинії та Групою з питань підзвітності військових злочинів Міністерства юстиції, яка базується у Відділі прав людини та спеціального судового переслідування (HRSP) кримінального відділу Міністерства юстиції.
Справу ведуть судовий адвокат HRSP і провідний адвокат обвинувачення групи розслідування військових злочинів Крістіан Левеск, судовий адвокат HRSP Патрік Джасперс і помічник прокурора у Східному окрузі Вірджинії Олександр Бланшар за вагомої підтримки колишнього помічника прокурора Східного округу Вірджинії Томаса Тракслера. Суттєву допомогу в розслідуванні та судовому переслідуванні надали Історики HRSP та інші співробітники.
Цінну допомогу надали Офіс боротьби з комп’ютерними злочинами та порушенням прав інтелектуальної власності Кримінального відділу, Апеляційний відділ, Управління правоохоронних операцій і Управління міжнародних справ, а також Відділ національної безпеки. Міністерство юстиції висловлює вдячність Генеральній прокуратурі України за суттєву допомогу в розслідуванні.
Представників громадськості, які мають інформацію про порушників прав людини в Сполучених Штатах або місцезнаходження обвинувачених, зазначених у цьому звинуваченні, просимо зв’язатися з ФБР за номером 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) або через онлайн-форму на сайті ФБР. Посилання на інші урядові та неурядові сайти зазвичай відображатимуться разом із піктограмою «зовнішнього посилання», які вказують, що ви залишаєте веб-сайт Міністерства юстиції, коли натискаєте на посилання. Зв’яжіться з HSI за номером 1-866-DHS-2-ICE або через онлайн-форму ICE. Посилання на інші державні та неурядові сайти зазвичай відображатимуться разом із позначкою «зовнішнього посилання», яка вказуватиме на те, що ви залишаєте веб-сайт Міністерства юстиції, коли переходите за посиланням. Усі колл-центри працюють цілодобово, а інформацію можна надавати анонімно.
Обвинувальний висновок — це лише твердження. Усі обвинувачені вважаються невинуватими, доки їх вину не буде доведено в суді поза логічними сумнівами.
IndictmentЧетырем российским военнослужащим предъявлены обвинения в военных преступлениях в связи с вторжением России в УкраинуRead the Press Release
Сегодня в суде Восточного округа штата Вирджиния были оглашены обвинения в военных преступлениях, предъявленные четырем российским военнослужащим. Они обвиняются в пытках, бесчеловечном обращении и незаконном лишении свободы гражданина США на территории Украины после полномасштабного вторжения России в Украину в феврале 2022 года.
45-летнему Сурену Сейрановичу Мкртчяну, Дмитрию Буднику, Валерию (фамилия неизвестна) и Назару (фамилия неизвестна) были предъявлены обвинения в связи с незаконным задержанием гражданина США в контексте вооруженного конфликта между Россией и Украиной. Обвиняемые, как утверждается, допрашивали, жестоко избивали,пытали,угрожали убить жертву и устроили инсценировку казни.
“Сейчас, когда мир становится свидетелем ужасов жестокого вторжения России в Украину, Министерство юстиции Соединенных Штатов наблюдает то же самое, — заявил министр юстиции США Меррик Б. Гарланд. — Именно поэтому Министерство юстиции впервые в истории выдвинуло обвинения в соответствии с законом США о военных преступлениях против четырех российских военнослужащих за зверские преступления против американского гражданина. Министерство юстиции приложит все усилия , чтобы добиться привлечения к ответственности и правосудия за агрессивную войну, которую ведет Россия”.
“Благодаря неустанной и беспрецедентной работе сотрудников федеральных правоохранительных органов из отдела расследований Министерства национальной безопасности и Министерства юстиции четырем российским военнослужащим, совершившим немыслимые, неприемлемые нарушения прав человека в отношении американского гражданина, предъявлены обвинения в совершении военных преступлений и они будут привлечены к ответственности, — заявил министр национальной безопасности Алехандро Н. Майоркас. — Обнародованные сегодня обвинительные заключения ясно дают понять России: наше правительство не пожалеет усилий и ресурсов, чтобы привлечь к ответственности тех, кто нарушает фундаментальные права американских граждан”.
“С начала своего незаконного вторжения в Украину Россия использует нарушения прав человека в качестве оружия, причиняя людям невообразимые страдания, — заявил директор ФБР Кристофер Рэй. — Сегодняшнее обвинительное заключение – первое в истории в соответствии с законом США о военных преступлениях – ясно дает понять, что ФБР будет работать при полном содействии со стороны международных правоохранительных органов, чтобы добиться справедливости для жертв этих злодеяний. Человеческие жертвы конфликта в Украине тяжелым грузом ложатся на сердца сотрудников ФБР, и мы полны решимости привлечь военных преступников к ответственности независимо от того, где они находятся и сколько времени это займет”.
“Пытки и незаконное содержание под стражей являются серьезными нарушениями прав человека, которые не должны оставаться безнаказанными, — заявила исполняющая обязанности помощника Генерального прокурора Николь М. Арджентьери из Криминального управления министерства. — Эти беспрецедентные уголовные обвинения, впервые в истории предъявленные в соответствии с законом США о военных преступлениях, являются важным шагом в продолжающихся усилиях Министерства юстиции по привлечению к ответственности всех, кто совершает военные преступления и другие злодеяния в Украине”.
Согласно обвинительному заключению, Мкртчян и Будник были командирами воинских частей Вооруженных сил России и/или вооруженных формирований так называемой Донецкой Народной Республики, а Валерий и Назар были военнослужащими более низкого ранга. Обвиняемые, как утверждается, воевали на стороне России в Украине, когда они совершали вменяемые им военные преступления.
В апреле 2022 года Мкртчян и военнослужащие под его командованием предположительно похитили жертву, гражданина США, из его дома в селе Мыловое Херсонской области на юге Украины и незаконно удерживали его под стражей по меньшей мере 10 дней. Во время похищения Мкртчян, Валерий, Назар и другие предположительно бросили жертву раздетым, лицом вниз на землю, связали ему руки за спиной, приставили пистолет к его голове и жестоко избили его, в том числе прикладами автоматов. Затем Мкртчян, Валерий, Назар и другие предположительно перевезли жертву на импровизированный военный объект в Мыловое.
“Эти обвинения свидетельствуют о том, что предполагаемые действия обвиняемых являются не только серьезными нарушениями Женевской конвенции о защите гражданского населения во время войны, но и нарушением законодательства США, — заявила федеральный прокурор Восточного округа штата Вирджиния Джессика Эйбер. — Мы гордимся тем, что находимся в авангарде усилий Министерства юстиции по привлечению к ответственности лиц, виновных в совершении военных преступлений в Украине, и будем продолжать преследовать их. Мы благодарим наших партнеров по расследованию этого дела, Группу по привлечению к ответственности за военные преступления, оперативный отдел ФБР в Вашингтоне и Отдел расследований Министерства Национальной Безопасности за их выдающиеся усилия по сбору доказательств, необходимых для предъявления этих обвинений”.
В обвинительном заключении также утверждается, что Мкртчян и Будник участвовали и руководили по меньшей мере двумя допросами, в ходе которых четверо обвиняемых и другие лица пытали жертву. Как утверждается , во время одного из допросов Мкртчян, Валерий и Назар сняли с жертвы одежду и сфотографировали его, жестоко избили, приставили пистолеты к его затылку и угрожали застрелить его. Будник, как утверждается, угрожал жертве смертью и требовал от него произнести последнее слово. Вскоре после этого Назар и другие лица, как утверждается, устроили инсценировку казни, повалили жертву на землю, приставили пистолет к его затылку, затем немного отвели пистолет в сторону и произвели выстрел рядом с головой жертвы.
“Эти беспрецедентные обвинения являются кульминацией сложного расследования, которое проводилось ФБР и нашими партнерами в разных странах мира, — сказал помощник директора ФБР и руководитель вашингтонского отделения Дэвид Сандберг. — ФБР продолжит тесно сотрудничать с нашими партнерами в стране и международными партнерами, чтобы добиться правосудия и привлечь к ответственности тех, кто совершает подобные злодеяния”.
“Действуя в составе российских Вооруженных сил и вооруженных формирований так называемой Донецкой Народной Республики, эти четверо обвиняемых предположительно нарушили права американского гражданина, — заявила исполнительный помощник директора Катрина Бергер из Отдела расследований Министерства национальной безопасности. — Согласно обвинениям, они незаконно задержали и пытали американского гражданина и даже устроили инсценировку казни. Обнародование этих обвинений в военных преступлениях является важным шагом в процессе привлечения виновных к ответственности. Отдел расследований продолжит активно преследовать любого, кто нарушает права наших американских граждан, будь то в США или в других странах”.
Указанные лица обвиняются в военных преступлениях по трем пунктам, которыми являются незаконное лишение свободы, пытки и бесчеловечное обращение, и по одному пункту обвинения во вступлении в сговор с целью совершения военного преступления. В случае признания виновным каждому из подсудимых грозит максимальное наказание в виде пожизненного заключения.
Вашингтонское отделение ФБР и местное отделение следственного управления Министерства национальной безопасности в Вашингтоне, округ Колумбия, при содействии Международного отдела ФБР по правам человека и Центра по борьбе с нарушениями прав человека и военными преступлениями при следственном управлении МНБ провели расследования по обвинениям в военных преступлениях совместно с окружной прокуратурой США по Восточному округу штата Вирджиния и Группой по привлечению к ответственности за преступления Министерства юстиции США, базируется в отделе по правам человека и специальным судебным преследованиям (HRSP) Криминального управления Министерства юстиции.
Уголовное преследование по этому делу ведут судебный адвокат HRSP и ведущий обвинитель Группы по привлечению к ответственности за военные преступления Кристиан Левеск, судебный адвокат HRSP Патрик Джасперс и помощник прокурора США Александр Бланчард из Восточного округа штата Вирджиния. Важное содействие им оказывают бывший помощник федерального прокурора по Восточному округу штата Вирджиния Томас У. Тракслер. Сотрудники архивного отдела HRSP и другие сотрудники оказали существенную помощь в расследовании и судебном преследовании.
Ценную помощь также оказали Отдел по расследованию компьютерных преступлений и преступлений в отношении интеллектуальной собственности Криминального управления, апелляционный отдел Управления по контролю за соблюдением законодательства и Управление международных отношений, а также Отдел национальной безопасности. Министерство юстиции благодарит Генеральную прокуратуру Украины за существенную помощь, оказанную в проведении расследования.
Представителям общественности, располагающим информацией о нарушителях прав человека в Соединенных Штатах или о местонахождении обвиняемых, названных в этом обвинительном заключении, настоятельно рекомендуется связаться с ФБР по телефону 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) или заполнив форму онлайн-оповещения ФБР, или с Отделом расследований Министерства национальной безопасности (HSI) по телефону 1-866DHS-2-ICE или заполнив форму онлайн-оповещения Иммиграционно-таможенной службы (ICE). Все они работают круглосуточно, и сообщения принимаются на условиях анонимности.
Предъявление обвинения – это еще не доказательство вины. Обвиняемый считается невиновным до тех пор, пока его вина не доказана судом вне всяких разумных сомнений.
IndictmentWhite House Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable Issues ReportRead the Press Release
Today, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and White House Counsel Ed Siskel co-chaired a convening of the Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable (LAIR) where they announced the issuance of the 2023 LAIR Report, entitled Access to Justice in Federal Administrative Proceedings: Nonlawyer Assistance and Other Strategies. The Justice Department’s Office for Access to Justice facilitated the convening, which also featured remarks from Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta, as well as the publication of the report, in accordance with the office’s directive to staff and direct the work of LAIR at the direction of the co-chairs.
“There cannot be equal justice without equal access to justice,” said Attorney General Garland. “But the complexity of administrative processes can interfere with access to government programs and services. The Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable’s 2023 Report identifies important strategies for addressing these barriers to promote just outcomes for the people and communities that federal agencies serve.”
The report highlights agency accomplishments and commitments in furtherance of LAIR’s mission to “increase the availability of meaningful access to justice for individuals and families, regardless of wealth or status.” It describes challenges individuals face in federal administrative proceedings to access government benefits or services, remedy rights violations or resolve disputes. The report also sets forth strategic solutions and highlights the work of LAIR’s 28 federal agency members to address these barriers.
“Community-focused alternative legal assistance models are an important way to augment the reach of legal aid providers,” said Associate Attorney General Gupta during the convening. “LAIR’s work reveals that many federal agencies have long utilized this type of innovative assistance — facilitating both attorney and non-attorney help to expand access to a wide range of federal government programs and resources.”
To help address these challenges, LAIR identifies two overarching strategies through the report:
- Continue to develop and implement simplification strategies in administrative proceedings, building on LAIR’s 2022 work on people-centered simplification of government forms, processes, and language to increase access to government programs and reduce the need for legal help.
- Increase representation and assistance by lawyers and nonlawyers for people in administrative proceedings.
The report provides examples of LAIR agency activities supporting nonlawyer assistance and offers ways that agencies can make assistance available to more people by addressing accreditation, providing clear guidance on the allowability of nonlawyers, conducting targeted outreach, providing training resources, and funding nonlawyer programs alongside legal service programs. The report also shares LAIR agencies’ work supporting global efforts to advance access to justice in administrative proceedings.
“The Office for Access to Justice is committed to engaging with and learning from communities that are seeking access to government programs and services, as well as working with the legal aid and community service providers as trusted intermediaries,” said Office for Access to Justice Director Rachel Rossi. “Through LAIR’s work, we can better understand where barriers exist and identify persistent or recurring problems that affect impacted, underserved, and historically marginalized communities.”
At the convening, in addition to Attorney General Garland and Associate Attorney General Gupta, remarks were provided by the Second Gentleman of the United States, Douglas Emhoff. The roundtable, moderated by Director Rossi, also featured several LAIR agency principals and high-level officials from the Departments of Defense, Education, Transportation, Interior, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Labor, State, and Veterans’ Affairs as well as the Administrative Conference of the United States, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Social Security Administration, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Office of Management and Budget, United States Digital Service, AmeriCorps, Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Communications Commission, Federal Trade Commission, National Science Foundation, Legal Services Corporation, and United States Agency for International Development.
During the convening, agency principals and high-level officials discussed their activities and recent accomplishments to address access to justice challenges experienced by the people they serve and reaffirmed their commitment to collaborative efforts to mobilize resources and develop access to justice solutions.
LAIR is co-chaired by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and White House Counsel Ed Siskel. It convenes 28 federal agencies and offices to improve coordination among federal programs and increase availability of meaningful access to justice for individuals and families, regardless of wealth and status. Through interagency collaboration and stakeholder engagement, LAIR develops policy recommendations that improve access to justice in federal, state, local, Tribal, and international jurisdictions; advances relevant evidence-based research, data collection, and analysis of civil legal and indigent defense; and promulgates best practices. Additionally, LAIR assists with implementation of Goal 16 of the United Nation’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development and provide access to justice for all. The Office for Access to Justice houses the Executive Director of LAIR, Allie Yang-Green, and staffs and directs LAIR’s work.
Waveland Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute 167 Grams of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Gulfport, MS – A Waveland man pled guilty today to possession with intent to distribute 167 grams of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, on July 12, 2023, law enforcement officials received information that Lance Ali Vaughn, age 40, was selling methamphetamine in Hancock County. Agents set up a controlled purchase and, when Vaughn arrived at the predetermined location for the drug buy, a K9 alerted to drugs in the vehicle. A subsequent search yielded 167 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine.
Vaughn will be sentenced on March 27, 2024, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of forty years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose is prosecuting the case
Waterloo Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Distributing Half of a Counterfeit Fentanyl Pill That Caused 19 Year Old’s DeathRead the Press Release
A man who distributed a fake Percocet pill containing fentanyl that killed his customer was sentenced December 5, 2023, to thirteen years in federal prison.
Tarron Lechtenberg, age 23, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 5, 2023 guilty plea to one count of distribution of a controlled substance.
Evidence at a prior hearing and information presented at sentencing showed that, in July 2020, Lechtenberg regularly sold marijuana, THC wax, and purported Xanax and Percocet pills in the North Washington, Iowa area. The purported Percocet pills, commonly referred to as “Perc 30s,” in fact contained fentanyl, and not oxycodone. In the evening of July 29, 2023, Lechtenberg distributed half of a “Perc 30” pill to a 19‑year‑old, J.C., who used the pill at Lechtenberg’s house. At approximately midnight, some friends drove J.C. from Lechtenberg’s house but returned to the house after J.C. began overdosing in their vehicle. Lechtenberg and the group put J.C. into a chair in the backyard and the friends left. One of the friends texted Lechtenberg later that night, asking if J.C. was okay. Lechtenberg responded, “No. He’s dead. JK, LOL.” J.C. was not conscious and was having snoring respirations. At around 4:00 a.m., Lechtenberg noticed that J.C. “didn’t look good” and called a friend to help him move J.C. into Lechtenberg’s vehicle so he could seek medical help. At approximately 4:45 a.m., Lechtenberg sped by a Chickasaw County Sheriff’s Deputy, slammed on his brakes, and returned to the deputy’s location to ask for help. J.C. was unresponsive and slumped over on the rear seat of Lechtenberg’s vehicle. Efforts by the deputy and first responders to revive J.C. were unsuccessful. J.C.’s death was determined to be from acute fentanyl intoxication.
Lechtenberg was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Lechtenberg was sentenced to 156 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $8,182.45 in restitution to J.C.’s family. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Lechtenberg is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Chickasaw County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Chatham and Jason Norwood.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23‑CR‑2002‑CJW‑MAR.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Violence Reduction Partnership Drive-Thru Food Distribution at Franklin ParkRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On Nov. 28, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida- Violence Reduction Partnership (VRP); Broward Parks, Recreation, and Open Spaces; Broward Sheriff’s Office; and Farm Share Inc. hosted a Free Food Drive-Thru Distribution at Franklin Park.
The Drive-Thru Distribution provided over 450 households with free food items to community residents, as well as resource materials for social and economic services. The food items distributed included: chicken, assorted produce, canned goods, orange juice, and walnuts totaling over 40 pounds of free food per household.
Office volunteers for the event included Law Enforcement Coordination/Community Outreach Section professional staff members: Keisha Bazile, Darcey Lindsley, Audrey Charles, John Hampton, Jorge Lorente, Mark McKinney, Michael Martinez, Robin McCowen, Corey Mackay, and Todd Goodman. The United States Probation Office also provided volunteers for the event.
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Vinton Man Sentenced to Eight Years for RobberyRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – A Vinton, Virginia man, who targeted and robbed a female who posted that she had marijuana for sale on social media, was sentenced today to eight years in federal prison.
Donovan Allen Carico, 21, previously pled guilty to one count of Hobbs Act Robbery, one count of brandishing and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and one count of possessing a firearm while being an unlawful user of a controlled substance. Carico will serve his 8 year sentence consecutive to a four-year sentence he is currently serving in state custody for unrelated conduct.
According to court documents, on June 7, 2020, the victim agreed to sell four ounces of marijuana to an individual with the Snapchat handle “DonnyChapo2020.” Accompanied by a friend, they traveled to Wasena Park, in Roanoke to make the transaction. At the park, Carico entered the victim’s car, sat in the back seat, and asked to see the marijuana.
After the victim showed Carico the marijuana, Carico produced a firearm, put it to the back of the victim’s head and told her to give him everything. The victim complied with his demands and Carico departed with the marijuana and other personal items.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh, Craig B. Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Roanoke City Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Coleman Adams prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Utah Man Pleads Guilty to Murder-for-Hire SchemeRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Christopher Pence, age 43, of Cedar City, Utah, pled guilty today to using the Internet to solicit and pay for the murders of two Rensselaer County residents.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
Pence admitted that between July 16 and August 9, 2021, from his Internet-connected computer at his home in Utah, he accessed a website on the Darknet dedicated to arranging contract killings. Through the website, Pence arranged for the murder of two residents of Hoosick Falls, New York, and paid a website administrator approximately $16,000 worth of Bitcoin to facilitate the murders. Pence then provided the website administrator with the names, address and photographs of the intended victims, instructed the administrator to make the murder look like an accident or botched robbery, and requested that care be taken not to harm any of the children who resided with the victims.
The intended victims were not harmed and the FBI arrested Pence in Utah on October 27, 2021. He has remained in federal custody since that time.
Pence faces up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years when he is sentenced by United States District Judge David N. Hurd in Utica, New York, on April 2, 2024. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
The FBI investigated this case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet J. O’Hanlon is prosecuting this case.
United States Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref Testifies Before United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs about Fentanyl in Native CommunitiesRead the Press Release
Washington, D.C. – On December 6, Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, testified before the United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. The title of the hearing was “Fentanyl in Native Communities: Federal Perspectives on Addressing the Growing Crisis.” At the hearing, U.S. Attorney Waldref was joined by Adam Cohen, Deputy Director, White House Office of National Drug Control Policy; Roselyn Tso, Director, Indian Health Service for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; and Glen Melville, Bureau Deputy Director, Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services.
U.S. Attorney Waldref gave background on the fentanyl crisis in native communities, and the Department of Justice efforts to respond to it – including prevention and education efforts. One example noted by U.S. Attorney Waldref is the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Operation Engage. In the summer of 2022, Operation Engage worked with the Spokane Tribe of Indians through the Boys and Girls Club in Wellpinit, Washington, to host a day of learning and activities that focused on making healthy choices and increasing drug prevention and awareness.
In addition to prevention and education efforts, U.S. Attorney Waldref highlighted significant prosecutions in the Eastern District of Washington addressing the distribution of fentanyl on Native American reservations. For example, in January, more than 120,000 fentanyl-laced pills and 42 pounds of methamphetamine were sized in a takedown in Yakima County, Washington. In another recent case highlighted in U.S. Attorney Waldref’s testimony, the U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted a drug dealer in connection with the overdose death of a young Native American mother, who purchased drugs from the defendant on the Colville Indian Reservation.
“It was an honor to testify before the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. As I stated in my testimony, the Department of Justice’s commitment to serving Indian country goes beyond prosecution. We are public servants who want to do all we can to make Tribal communities stronger and safer,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “To accomplish that goal, we will continue to work in partnership with Tribal, federal, state, and local partners to effectuate a multi-faceted response to the fentanyl epidemic, including prosecuting those who distribute deadly fentanyl in the Eastern District of Washington.”
When asked during the hearing about examples of success in combating the fentanyl crisis in Native communities by Senator Jon Tester of Montana, U.S. Attorney Waldref further highlighted a case that involved the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Montana. In that case, more than 100 pounds of illegal drugs, including 161,000 fentanyl-laced pills were seized. A significant portion of the drugs seized were believed to be destined for the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, as well as for other Native American communities and surrounding areas in Washington and Montana.
U.S. Attorney Waldref’s testimony is available here.
A recording of the entire hearing is available here.
Uniontown Resident Pleads Guilty to Failure to Register as a Sex Offender ChargeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A former resident of Uniontown, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of failure to register as a sex offender, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Jon Leslie Williams, age 65, formerly of Uniontown, PA, pleaded guilty to one count before Chief United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Williams, who had been convicted in Michigan in 1991 for Criminal Sexual Conduct and in Florida in 2014 for sexual battery, after raping a blind and deaf woman, both offenses for which Williams was required to register as a sex offender, had absconded from his Florida residence on July 23, 2021, traveled to Pennsylvania to live, and failed to update his sex offender registration, contrary to the provisions of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). Williams is required to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life.
Judge Hornak scheduled sentencing for April 10, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than ten years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000.00, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court ordered that Williams remain detained.
Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The United States Marshal Service conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Williams.
U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, and State and Local Law Enforcement Officials Release Second “Don’t Click December” PSARead the Press Release
BOISE – During the holiday season, online criminals increasingly target Idahoans through online scams and fraud schemes. Today, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit, along with the FBI, the Idaho State Police, the Ada County Prosecutor’s Office, the Ada County Sheriff’s Office, the Boise Police Department, the Meridian Police Department, and the Garden City Police Department, released a second PSA as part of their joint “Don’t Click December” Consumer Protection Campaign. The Canyon County Sheriff’s Office, Idaho Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division, AARP Idaho, and the Better Business Bureau also participated in the announcement.
The campaign advises members of the public to exercise skepticism and caution when receiving unsolicited online, email, pop-up, or text communications from unknown or unverified sources. If there is any doubt about a link, message, or attachment, law enforcement cautions: “don’t click it.”
In the second PSA, available here, Garden City Police Chief Cory Stambaugh, Boise Police Chief Ron Winegar, and U.S. Attorney Hurwit warn the public about the “Package can’t be delivered” scam and explain some of the ways in which individuals can protect themselves.
This scam targets individuals through text messages or emails, claiming a package cannot be delivered unless they click the provided link and enter personal information or pay a redelivery fee. Often the scammer wants you to click a link to steal your money and information. Don’t click it. Instead, contact the delivery service or seller directly using a verified number or website.
As part of the ongoing campaign, two additional PSAs are planned to be released in the weeks leading up to Christmas in an effort to alert the public to other common online fraud schemes that Idaho law enforcement has seen affect Idahoans.
Unfortunately, these are not the only schemes affecting the public, and new schemes arise all the time. Law enforcement hopes that the “Don’t Click December” Consumer Protection Campaign will raise public awareness and encourage individuals to talk to their friends and relatives about not clicking suspicious links, texts, messages, pop-ups, or attachments.
“We have witnessed many Idahoans lose their hard-earned money or their entire retirement savings to online scams. And, sadly, this type of crime tends to spike during the holiday season,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “But, together, we can reduce the risks by talking with each other about how to avoid such scams, and I’m grateful to our law enforcement partners and the AARP for joining us in the Don’t Click December campaign. We also encourage Idahoans to report any scams as soon as possible so that law enforcement can investigate and we can bring these vicious online criminals to justice.”
“Our detectives see the devastating impact scams like these have on members of our community every day. It can happen to anyone,” said Boise Police Chief Ron Winegar. “By working with our partners to talk about scams and point out the red flags, we hope to not only prevent you and your loved ones from becoming victims but to also create an environment where those who have fallen victim to a scammer feel comfortable reporting.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and its law enforcement partners recognize that we all must work to eliminate the stigma individuals may experience if they are victimized. There is no shame to falling victim to an online scheme, which are often designed by professional criminals, sophisticated, and tested repeatedly across the country.
For this reason, the “Don’t Click December” Consumer Protection Campaign also publicizes ways to report scams and incidents of fraud to the FBI and local law enforcement.
To learn more about these and other scams targeting Americans visit FBI.gov, and if you believe you are the victim of a scam, take action by reporting it to FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov or by contacting your local law enforcement agency.
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U.S. Attorney's Office Hosts Fraud Awareness Seminar for SeniorsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The United States Attorney’s Office partnered with the Holland Police Department and Stop Abuse Today, Inc. to host a financial fraud awareness seminar for older adults from Brimfield, Holland, Sturbridge and Wales yesterday at the Holland Community Center.
The seminar provided education and awareness to local seniors about financial fraud and featured a number of presentations from seasoned professionals, including the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Elder Justice Coordinator, with assistance from members of the Internal Revenue Service and United States Postal Service. Topics covered included common scams directed at older adults; ways to avoid being victimized; what to do if victimized; and local, state and federal resources available. Yesterday’s event is in support of the Department of Justice’s ongoing commitment to fighting for justice for older adults and stopping elder abuse and financial fraud by actively promoting public awareness. According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center 2022 report, victims over 60 experienced an 84% increase in loss from 2021. The total loss reported was over $3 billion, including nearly 5,500 victims who lost over $100,000. Millions of older Americans fall prey to various financial scams, including tech support schemes; romance scams; and sweepstakes scams just to name a few. Perpetrators establish trust through online, phone, or mail communication, as well as indirectly through TV and radio. The financial exploitation of older adults often leads to a diminished quality of life through the potential loss of independence, declined health and psychological or emotional distress caused by the victimization.
“Protecting seniors from abuse and exploitation is one of my top priorities. Outreach activities like this are essential to raise awareness and educate communities about potential threats and how to report them, steps people can take to protect themselves from being victimized, and available resources,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Scams targeting the elderly are not just about the money lost – they also rob victims of their dignity and self-confidence. Our office will continue its strong track record of prosecuting individuals who prey on vulnerable seniors.”
“The Holland Police Department was proud to partner with such a fine group of colleagues about this very important subject. The ability to learn how to prevent from becoming a victim of fraud in the first place is a critical component to safeguarding the finances of our older adults. One of the most important responsibilities of law enforcement is to provide our community members with information pertaining to public safety and crime prevention while seeking information from them to assist us with criminal investigations. Information sharing between law enforcement personnel and the community is vital to safety, crime prevention, and to solving crimes,” said Holland Police Chief Bryan C. Haughey.
To learn more about common elder fraud schemes and ways to protect yourself, please visit: https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/elder-fraud. A free brochure with this information can be accessed here: Elder Fraud brochure. You can also visit Responding to Elderly abuse in Massachusetts to learn more about warning signs of elder abuse and reporting resources in Massachusetts. For more information and resources from the Department of Justice's Elder Justice Initiative, please visit https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice.
If you need assistance or to report elder abuse, please contact your local adult protective services agency through the Eldercare Locator or by call the helpline at 1-800-677-1116 Monday – Friday 9am – 8pm EST. To report elder fraud, please visit the FBI’s IC3 Elder Fraud Complaint Center or contact the dedicated National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833–FRAUD–11 or 833–372–8311 Monday – Friday, 10am – 6pm EST.
Two charged in $1.2 million COVID-19 relief fraud conspiracyRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A Houston area brother and sister have been indicted for submitting fraudulent COVID-19 relief loans, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Jonathan Flores, 31, Willis, and Bianca April Flores, 29, Houston, are expected to make their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christina A. Bryan at 2 p.m.
The six-count indictment, returned Nov. 29, alleges both committed one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and five counts of wire fraud.
According to the indictment, Jonathan and Bianca Flores conspired to submit nine false and fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan applications. They allegedly falsified the number of employees and the average monthly payroll expenses of the applicant businesses.
According to the charges, Jonathan and Bianca Flores fraudulently obtained approximately $1.2 million in COVID-19 relief funds.
If convicted, each face up to five years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, while wire fraud carries a possible sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin R. Martin is prosecuting the case.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Two Treasure Valley Men Sentenced for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOISE – Cosme Palomo, 60, of Boise, and Robert Dean Glenn, 48, of Nampa, were sentenced in separate cases for federal drug crimes involving methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
On December 4, 2023, Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye sentenced Palomo to 87 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court records, between March and June 2023, Palomo distributed methamphetamine to another person on seven separate occasions, totaling 1.3 pounds of methamphetamine. Law enforcement also searched Palomo’s residence as part of the investigation and located an additional 1.7 pounds of methamphetamine and 11 firearms. Palomo pleaded guilty to the charge of distribution of methamphetamine on September 13, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the investigations by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Boise Police Department, and the Boise Area Narcotics Drugs Interdiction Taskforce, which led to the charges in the Palomo case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Blackadar prosecuted this case.
In a separate case, Glenn was sentenced to 72 months in federal prison followed by four years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in connection with a January 10, 2023 incident in which he fled from a Nampa Police Officer during a routine traffic stop.
According to court records, Glenn jumped out of a moving vehicle during a traffic stop in an attempt to flee from law enforcement. After a foot pursuit through a grocery store parking lot, a Nampa Police Department patrol officer was able to apprehend Glenn. The officer searched Glenn and found nearly one pound of methamphetamine taped to his ankle. The bag holding the methamphetamine had a hole in it and spilled methamphetamine in a serpentine-like path through the grocery store parking lot when Glenn had run from police. Officers secured the scene and collected the methamphetamine scattered throughout the parking lot.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the work of the Nampa Police Department, which led to the charges in the Glenn case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Morse prosecuted this case.
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Two Men Involved in Mexico Based Drug Trafficking Organization Sent to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Two men who were involved in a large Mexico‑based drug trafficking organization were sentenced this week to significant time in federal prison.
Jesse Lax, age 38, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 8, 2023 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.
Luis Carlos Corral Lopez, age 32, from Caborca, Sonora, Mexico, received the prison term after a February 9, 2023 jury verdict finding him guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.
Evidence disclosed at Corral Lopez’s trial, Lax’s sentencing, and the sentencings of others involved in the Mexico‑based drug trafficking organization showed that, in either 2015 or 2016, Lax met a man who later moved to Mexico and became a source of supply of methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine for Lax while they were incarcerated together in the Colorado Department of Corrections. In the Spring of 2019, the source of supply directed Lax and his then‑girlfriend Sandra Deyerle to drive to Detroit, Michigan, where Lax obtained three kilograms of heroin.
In May 2019, the source of supply directed Lax and Deyerle to move to Waterloo, Iowa. After they arrived, Lax began distributing methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine, and he frequently possessed a firearm while doing so.
In June 2019, the source of supply directed Lax to travel to Cincinnati, Ohio, where Lax obtained eight kilograms of cocaine. Lax then brought all the cocaine back to Waterloo, and he distributed it to others.
In July 2019, and in August or September 2019, the source of supply directed Lax and Deyerle to travel to Bell Gardens, California, where they obtained three pounds of ice methamphetamine, which had been imported from Mexico, each time. After Lax and Deyerle acquired the ice methamphetamine, they mailed it back to Waterloo and later distributed all the methamphetamine to others.
In December 2019, the source of supply directed Lax and Deyerle to travel to Bell Gardens, California again, where they obtained at least 19 ounces of ice methamphetamine, which had been imported from Mexico.
On January 20, 2020, Lax shot another man in the neck during a methamphetamine‑related encounter. After he was arrested for the shooting, Lax directed Deyerle to take over his role within the Mexico‑based drug trafficking organization.
After Deyerle assumed Lax’s role, Deyerle distributed all the remaining methamphetamine Lax and Deyerle had obtained from California in December 2019. The source of supply then directed Deyerle to make three or four separate trips to California, where Deyerle obtained a total of approximately 21 pounds of ice methamphetamine, which had been imported from Mexico. Deyerle then mailed the methamphetamine to Iowa, and she distributed all of it to others.
Once Deyerle had distributed the 21 pounds of ice methamphetamine she obtained from California, the source of supply coordinated the delivery of at least 150 pounds of ice methamphetamine that had been imported from Mexico to Deyerle in Iowa via rail car in the Summer and Fall of 2020. On October 30, 2020, law enforcement officers searched several places in Iowa connected to the Mexico‑based drug trafficking organization, including Deyerle’s residence and storage units. During those searches, officers seized at least 75 pounds of ice methamphetamine, over 500 grams of heroin, $23,950, and two firearms.
Following the October 30, 2020, seizures, the Mexico‑based drug trafficking organization sent Corral Lopez to Waterloo. At some point after he arrived, the organization directed Corral Lopez to travel to an unidentified city, where Corral Lopez and two others acquired approximately 22 pounds of ice methamphetamine, which had been imported from Mexico. Corral Lopez then brought the 22 pounds of ice methamphetamine back to Waterloo, and he distributed all of it to others, including Levi Dull.
In the late Spring or early Summer of 2021, the Mexico‑based drug trafficking organization sent Narciso Chinchillas Sanchez to replace Corral Lopez in Waterloo. After he arrived, Chinchillas Sanchez distributed methamphetamine to others in Waterloo and elsewhere, including Levi Dull.
On August 18, 2021, law enforcement officers searched Dull’s house in Cedar Falls, Iowa, and his storage unit in Waterloo. During those searches, officers seized almost 300 grams of ice methamphetamine, two grams of a heroin/fentanyl mixture, and two firearms, including one that was stolen.
On October 25, 2021, law enforcement officers searched Chinchillas Sanchez’s house in Waterloo. During the search, officers seized over 90 pounds of ice methamphetamine and almost 23 pounds of fentanyl, including approximately 34,380 pills containing fentanyl. Most of the methamphetamine seized from Chinchillas Sanchez’s house was hidden behind drywall in the basement.
Around the time of the October 25, 2021, search of Chinchillas Sanchez’s house, the source of supply began supplying ice methamphetamine to Andrew Surprenant. A wiretap of Surprenant’s telephone revealed that the source of supply provided Surprenant with at least 10 pounds of methamphetamine that was imported from Mexico. On January 12, 2022, law enforcement officers searched Surprenant’s house and storage unit. During those searches, officers seized over seven pounds of methamphetamine, seven firearms, and ammunition.
Lax and Corral Lopez were sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Lax was sentenced to 313 months’ imprisonment, and Corral Lopez was sentenced to 141 months’ imprisonment. They both must serve a five‑year term of supervised release after their respective prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Nine other individuals have pled guilty to their involvement with the Mexico‑based drug trafficking organization and have been sentenced:
- Sandra Ann Deyerle was sentenced to 210 months’ imprisonment;
- Jeremey Aswegan was sentenced to 262 months’ imprisonment;
- Dana John Dana was sentenced to 234 months’ imprisonment;
- Drew Scarborough was sentenced to 150 months’ imprisonment;
- Levi Dull was sentenced to 270 months’ imprisonment;
- Ruben Vasquez was sentenced to 170 months’ imprisonment;
- Narciso Chinchillas Sanchez was sentenced to 158 months’ imprisonment;
- Andrew Davis Surprenant was sentenced to 396 months’ imprisonment; and
- Gabriel Allen Pelz was sentenced to 188 months’ imprisonment.
Lax and Corral Lopez are being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until they can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; 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 Drug Enforcement Administration; the United States Postal Inspection Service; Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Green County Sheriff’s Office; and the Elbert, County Colorado Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file numbers are 22‑CR‑02039‑CJW and 22‑CR‑02067‑CJW.
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Two Men Indicted in Federal Court in Connection with the Robbery and Murder of a Man in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — Two men have been indicted in federal court in connection with the robbery and murder of a man in Chicago last year.
JAYLAN WILLIAMS and BRANDON CUNNINGHAM conspired to rob Anthony Oliver in Chicago’s North Lawndale neighborhood on Sept. 13, 2022, according to a superseding indictment returned Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. During the robbery, Williams and Cunningham murdered Oliver, the indictment states.
The superseding indictment charges Williams, 23, and Cunningham, 21, both of Chicago, with robbery conspiracy, robbery, and firearm counts. Williams and Cunningham have been ordered detained in law enforcement custody pending trial.
The superseding indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elly M. Peirson.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The charges against Williams and Cunningham carry a maximum penalty of death. If convicted, the Court must impose reasonable sentences under federal statutes and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
Williams and Cunningham indictmentTwo Accused of Stealing Mail in ChesterfieldRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Two men have been indicted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis and accused of stealing mail from residential and businesses mailboxes in Chesterfield, Missouri.
Christopher Ali Pate, 31, and Eryk Campbell, 28, were each indicted on one count of theft of mail. The indictment accuses them of stealing mail from mailboxes on or around Chesterfield Industrial Boulevard.
Campbell was arrested Wednesday and appeared in court, where he pleaded not guilty. Pate was arrested in Georgia on November 13. He pleaded not guilty in court November 30.
The charge is punishable by up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cort VanOstran is prosecuting the case.
Suburban Chicago Man Admits Trafficking Fentanyl and Attempting to Support ISISRead the Press Release
A suburban Chicago man admitted in federal court today that he trafficked fentanyl and other drugs and attempted to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, aka ISIS.
According to court documents, Jason Brown, 41, of Lombard, Illinois, pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to provide material support to ISIS, one count of distributing fentanyl and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Brown admitted in a plea agreement that on three occasions in 2019 he provided $500 in cash to an individual with the understanding that the money would be wired to an ISIS soldier engaged in terrorist activity in Syria. Unbeknownst to Brown, the individual to whom he provided the money was confidentially working with law enforcement, and the purported ISIS fighter was actually an undercover law enforcement officer.
Brown further admitted that in 2019 he trafficked fentanyl from California to the Chicago suburbs and illegally possessed several loaded handguns in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities.
Brown faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison for the firearms charge; a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison for the drug charge; and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the terrorism charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Brown has been in law enforcement custody since his arrest in 2019. U.S. District Judge Mary M. Rowland set sentencing for May 28, 2024.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Morris Pasqual for the Northern District of Illinois and Assistant Director Larissa L. Knapp of the FBI’s National Security Branch. Special Agent in Charge Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler Jr. of the FBI Chicago Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Justin Campbell of the IRS Criminal Investigation in Chicago and Superintendent Larry Snelling of the Chicago Police Department made the announcement.
Substantial assistance was provided by the Illinois State Police, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, Lombard (Illinois) Police Department and Addison (Illinois) Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn McCarthy for the Northern District of Illinois and Trial Attorney S. Elisa Poteat of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.