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16 January 2024
Colorado Resident Charged with Federal Hate Crimes and Firearm Offenses Related to Mass Shooting at Club QRead the Press Release
A Colorado resident was charged today by an information with hate crimes and firearms charges related to the mass shooting at Club Q, an LGBTQI+ establishment in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on Nov. 19, 2022.
The information charges that Anderson Lee Aldrich, 23, formerly of Colorado Springs, murdered five people, injured 19 and attempted to murder 26 more in a willful, deliberate, malicious and premediated attack at Club Q. According to the information, Aldrich entered Club Q armed with a loaded assault weapon and began firing. Aldrich continued firing until Aldrich was subdued by patrons of the Club. The information also alleges that Aldrich committed this attack because of the actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity of any person.
Aldrich filed a notice of disposition and requested that the court schedule a change of plea hearing. In consultation with the victims of this incident, the parties jointly filed a motion requesting that the court schedule the change of plea and sentencing hearings on the same date. The parties further informed the court that there is a plea agreement in this matter, and it is anticipated that the defendant has agreed to plead guilty to all charges in the information. The time for the entry of the guilty plea has not yet been set.
U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan for the District of Colorado, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and Special Agent in Charge Mark D. Michalek of the FBI Denver Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Denver Field Office and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alison Connaughty and Bryan Fields for the District of Colorado and Trial Attorney Maura White of the Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
An information is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Colorado Resident Charged with Federal Hate Crimes and Firearm Offense Related to Mass Shooting at Club QRead the Press Release
A Colorado resident was charged today by an information with hate crimes and firearms charges related to the mass shooting at Club Q, an LGBTQI+ establishment in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on Nov. 19, 2022.
The information charges that Anderson Lee Aldrich, 23, formerly of Colorado Springs, murdered five people, injured 19 and attempted to murder 26 more in a willful, deliberate, malicious and premediated attack at Club Q. According to the information, Aldrich entered Club Q armed with a loaded assault weapon and began firing. Aldrich continued firing until Aldrich was subdued by patrons of the Club. The information also alleges that Aldrich committed this attack because of the actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity of any person.
Aldrich filed a notice of disposition and requested that the court schedule a change of plea hearing. In consultation with the victims of this incident, the parties jointly filed a motion requesting that the court schedule the change of plea and sentencing hearings on the same date, which the court granted. The parties further informed the court that there is a plea agreement in this matter, and it is anticipated that the defendant has agreed to plead guilty to all charges in the information. The time for the entry of the guilty plea has not yet been set.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan for the District of Colorado and Special Agent in Charge Mark D. Michalek of the FBI Denver Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Denver Field Office and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alison Connaughty and Bryan Fields for the District of Colorado and Trial Attorney Maura White of the Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
An information is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Cheektowaga man pleads guilty to sex traffickingRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that James Fox, 41, of Cheektowaga, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to sex trafficking by coercion, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of life in prison, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas T. Cooper and Aaron J. Mango, who are handling the case, stated that between January 2019, and May 2020, Fox coerced an individual identified as T.P. to engage in commercial sex acts for him, providing T.P., who was addicted to heroin, with heroin and crack cocaine in exchange for sex. On the verge of physical withdrawal sickness, Fox supplied T.P. with small amounts of heroin to keep T.P. dependent and to coerce T.P. to engage in commercial sex acts, which included the use of physical restraints. On one occasion, T.P. suffered a heroin overdose. Fox administered four doses of Narcan and T.P. ultimately regained consciousness.
In addition, between 2018 and 2021, Fox coerced five other individuals to engage in commercial sex acts for him. Fox provided these victims, who were also addicted to heroin, with heroin and crack cocaine in exchange for sex. Similarly to T.P., these victims would be on the verge of physical withdrawal sickness, and Fox would supply them with a small mount to keep them dependent and to coerce them to engage in commercial sex acts, which included the use of physical restraints.
The plea is a result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, the Lancaster Police Department, under the direction of Chief William Karn. Jr. and Cheektowaga Police Department, under the direction of Chief Brian Coons.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 15, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. before Judge Sinatra.
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Cedar Rapids Woman Involved in Methamphetamine Conspiracy Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
A woman who conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced today to six years in federal prison.
Allison Mills, age 32, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 25, 2023 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that Mills was involved in a large-scale drug trafficking organization that was responsible for mailing methamphetamine from California to Iowa through the United States Postal Service. Mills received at least five packages from California that each contained multiple pounds of methamphetamine. In exchange for allowing these packages to be delivered to her address, Mills received a pound of methamphetamine from one of her co-conspirators for each box she received.
Mills was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Mills was sentenced to 72 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Mills is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep 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 United States Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force. The DEA Task Force consists of the DEA, the Linn County Sheriff's Office, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Marion Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-91.
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Bakersfield CPA Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison for Stealing $355,000 from InvestorsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Jeffrey Todd Stewart, 58, of Bakersfield, was sentenced today to 15 months in prison for stealing $355,000 from investors, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Stewart was employed as a certified public accountant in Bakersfield. Between September 2014 and June 2018, Stewart solicited and received over $2 million from investors to pay fees and expenses purportedly needed for an overseas business deal. Stewart represented to the investors that their investments were being used for the deal and promised significant returns. Although Stewart used most of the money for the purported deal, he spent $355,000 of the money obtained from the investors on his own personal expenses, including mortgage payments, trips to Las Vegas, and gambling.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Barton and Brittany Gunter prosecuted the case.
Asheville, N.C. Man Is Sentenced to 14 Years for Trafficking Methamphetamine and FentanylRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Jonathan Maurice Logan, 35, of Asheville, N.C., was sentenced to 14 years in prison today followed by five years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which oversees the Charlotte District Office, and Interim Chief Michael Lamb of the Asheville Police Department join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to filed court documents and court proceedings, in February 2022, law enforcement learned that Logan was trafficking narcotics in the Asheville area. Upon further investigation, law enforcement determined that Logan was renting a room in a hotel in Asheville which he used to facilitate his drug trafficking activities. On March 31, 2022, law enforcement obtained and executed a search warrant for Logan’s hotel room and vehicle, seizing multiple plastic bags containing nearly half a kilogram of methamphetamine and more than a kilogram of fentanyl. They further seized a digital scale, a blender, a brick press machine, a vacuum sealer, and more than $10,000 in cash.
Logan remains in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
The DEA and the Asheville Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hess of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.
Arizona Resident Indicted for Federal Bank FraudRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that on January 11, 2024, WILLIAM J. WHITE, age 63, of Phoenix, Arizona was indicted for bank fraud.
According to court documents, WHITE entered a local bank and used a false identification document in an attempt to cash a forged and fraudulent check.
The crime of bank fraud carries a penalty of up to 30 years imprisonment, followed by up to five years of supervised release, a fine of not more than $1,000,000, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Diplomatic Security Service, and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Richard R. Pickens, II of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
15 January 2024
U.S. Attorney Totten Presents Tribute from Attorney General Garland to Civil Rights Icon, Ms. Ruby BridgesRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today presented Ms. Ruby Bridges with a letter of tribute from U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, recognizing her courageous contribution to the advancement of civil rights. The presentation took place at the 39th Annual Day of Celebration at the Lansing Center in Lansing, Michigan, hosted by the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commission of Mid-Michigan.
“The brave steps 6-year-old Ruby Bridges took on November 14, 1960, and for months thereafter blazed a path of opportunity for countless children who followed,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “The role the U.S. Department of Justice played in protecting Ruby Bridges, escorted by multiple Deputy U.S. Marshals, was one of our proudest moments. I was thrilled to meet Ms. Bridges and I’m grateful for her incredible legacy.”
WATCH: Today’s presentation can be viewed on YouTube or the U.S. Attorney’s Facebook Page.
[Uncredited DOJ photographer. William Frantz Elementary School, 1960.]
On November 14, 1960, 6-year-old Ruby Bridges entered William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans, Louisiana under a court order requiring the school system to admit children of color. Although the U.S. Supreme Court had struck down school segregation in its 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision, many schools across the United States remained segregated. When Ruby first entered the school, and for months thereafter, she was met by screaming crowds and racial slurs. That first day and for the rest of the school year, Ruby was accompanied by several Deputy U.S. Marshals from the U.S. Marshal’s Service, an agency within the U.S. Department of Justice. Only one teacher was willing to accept Ruby, her father lost his job, grocery stores refused to sell food to her family, and her grandparents were evicted from their farm. More information about Ruby Bridges is available on this National Park Service webpage.
An image of the letter of tribute from Attorney General Merrick Garland, presented by U.S. Attorney Mark Totten, is available below.
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13 January 2024
Former Courtesy Patrol Operator Pleads Guilty to Bankruptcy FraudRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Robert Martin, 67, of Beckley, pleaded guilty yesterday to fraudulent receipt of property from a debtor. Martin admitted to paying himself without authorization while serving as the chief executive officer of the entity that operated the West Virginia Courtesy Patrol.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Martin was CEO of Citizens Conservation Corp (CCC), which he formed in 1993 and which dissolved in or about 2019. CCC’s primary source of income from in or around 1998 until in or around the summer of 2018 was a multimillion-dollar contract with the State of West Virginia to operate the Courtesy Patrol roadside assistance service.
On April 3, 2019, CCC filed for bankruptcy after the loss of the state contract in 2018 left it financially unstable. During a May 2, 2019, bankruptcy creditors meeting, Martin testified that CCC was not generating income, that he was not receiving a salary because of the lack of income, and that he expected CCC to be paid on some receivables owed to it. The United States Trustee, who oversees the administration of bankruptcy cases in the Southern District of West Virginia, told Martin that he was not allowed to take a salary as a controlling officer without U.S. Bankruptcy Court approval.
On May 8, 2019, CCC received more than $41,000 from the West Virginia Treasury, and the money was deposited in CCC’s bank account. Two days later, Martin caused $50,000 to be transferred from that bank account to an account at a different bank. Martin paid himself $32,072.76 from those transferred funds with six separate checks. Martin admitted that he did not obtain or have U.S. Bankruptcy Court approval for those payments, even though he knew that was required. Martin further admitted that he did not get prior approval because he intended to hide these payments from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court.
Martin also admitted that CCC knowingly misspent $108,751.60 it had received from the United States Department of Interior National Park Service (NPS) between September 10 and October 1, 2018. CCC entered into a cooperative agreement with NPS on November 20, 2014 to recruit, hire, train and place young adults for internship positions at national parks throughout the country. Funding made available under the agreement included $111,221.09 to hire and pay two interns to work at the Olmsted Center for Landscape Preservation for 13 months. Martin admitted that CCC did not hire or place any interns with that funding. Instead, CCC drew down all but $2,469.49 of that funding for unallowable CCC operating expenses following the loss of the Courtesy Patrol contract. Martin admitted that he knew that the funds were misapplied or fraudulently converted in this way.
Martin is scheduled to be sentenced on May 3, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Martin also owes restitution of $37,072.76 to the U.S. Trustee and up to $251,171.20 to the U.S. Department of Interior National Park Service.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the U.S. Department of Interior-Office of Inspector General (DOI-OIG). The United States Trustee’s Charleston field office, which serves West Virginia, made the criminal referral of this case to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The United States Trustee Program is a component of the Department of Justice whose mission is to promote the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system for the benefit of all stakeholders —debtors, creditors and the public.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Holly Wilson is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-147.
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12 January 2024
কুইন্সে সহিংস অপহরণের জন্য সাত ব্যক্তিকে অভিযুক্ত করা হয়েছেRead the Press Release
আজ ব্রুকলিনের ফেডারেল কোর্টে পূর্বেকার একটি রায় বাতিল করে সৈয়দ রুবেল আহমেদ (Syed Rubel Ahmed), শাহাদ আলম (Shahed Alom), আবু চৌধুরী (Abu Chowdhury), আঞ্জু খান (Anzu Khan) এবং সুলতানা রাজিয়া (Sultana Razia)-এর বিরুদ্ধে অপহরণ এবং জন ডো-1 (John Doe-1)-কে অপরহণের ষড়যন্ত্র করার অভিযোগে; আবু চৌধুরী এবং ইফফাত লুবনার (Iffat Lubna) বিরুদ্ধে জন ডো-2 (John Doe-2)-কে অপরহণ করার জন্য ষড়যন্ত্র করার জন্য; এদের বিরুদ্ধে চার্জ পেশ করার বিষয়টি ঘোষণা করা হয়েছে। আবু চৌধুরি ও তার স্ত্রী লুবনা এর বিরুদ্ধে এর আগে উল্লিখিত অভিযোগে জন ডো-2 অপহরণের অভিযোগ আনা হয়েছিল। আসামী এবং ভুক্তভোগীগণ Queens একই জাতিগত সম্প্রদায়ের সদস্য। আহমেদ, আলম, খান ও রাজিয়া-কে আজ গ্রেপ্তার করা হয়েছে এবং আজ বিকেলে ইউনাইটেড স্টেটস ম্যাজিস্ট্রেট জজ Joseph A. Marutollo এর সামনে হাজির করা হবে। আবু চৌধুরি ও লুবনা-কে এর আগে গ্রেপ্তার করা হয়েছিল এবং পরবর্তী তারিখে তাদের বিরুদ্ধে অভিযোগ গঠন করা হবে। সপ্তম আসামী পলাতক রয়েছেন।
ব্রিয়ন পিস (Breon Peace), ইউনাইটেড স্টেটস অ্যাটর্নি ফর দ্য ইস্টার্ন ডিস্ট্রিক্ট অব নিউ ইয়র্ক, জেমস স্মিথ (James Smith), অ্যাসিস্ট্যান্ট ডিরেক্টর-ইন-চার্জ, ফেডারেল ব্যুরো অব ইনভেস্টিগেশন, নিউ ইয়র্ক ফিল্ড অফিস (FBI) এবং এডওয়ার্ড এ. ক্যাবান (Edward A. Caban), কমিশনার, নিউ ইয়র্ক সিটি পুলিশ ডিপার্টমেন্ট (NYPD), গ্রেফতার ও অভিযোগের বিষয়টি ঘোষণা করেছে।
ইউনাইটেড স্টেটস অ্যাটর্নি পিস বলেন, “অভিযোগ অনুসারে, আসামীগণ নির্মমভাবে শারীরিক ও যৌন নির্যাতনের মতো ঘটনা ঘটিয়েছে”। “আসামীগণ অপরাধকে আরো গুরুত্বর করতে ভুক্তভোগীদের সাথে তাদের শেয়ার করা জাতিগত পটভূমিকে কাজে লাগিয়েছে বলে অভিযোগ রয়েছে। এই আসামীগণের কারণে ভুক্তভোগী হওয়া যেকোনো কাউকে ইউনাইটেড স্টেটস অ্যাটর্নি'স অফিসের https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/report-crime ঠিকানায় গিয়ে যোগাযোগ করার জন্য আমি অনুরোধ জানাচ্ছি।”
মি. পিস তদন্তে সহায়তা করার জন্য জয়েন্ট রোবারি ভায়োলেন্ট ক্রাইমস টাস্ক ফোর্সকে ধন্যবাদ জানান যেটি FBI-এর এজেন্ট এবং NYPD-এর গোয়েন্দাদের সমন্বয়ে গঠিত।
“অপহরণের শিকার হওয়া ব্যক্তিদের উপর এই বিবাদীরা যে সহিংস শারীরিক এবং যৌন অত্যাচার করেছে, তা অত্যন্ত উদ্বেগজনক বিষয়। আমাদের সমাজে সহিংস অপরাধের কোনো জায়গা নেই এবং যারা এই ধরনের অপরাধ করবে, তারা আমাদের বিচারব্যবস্থার পরম শক্তির সম্মুখীন হবে -- সেটা যাতে ঘটে, FBI এবং FBI নিউ ইয়র্ক জয়েন্ট ভায়োলেন্ট ক্রাইম টাস্ক ফোর্স তা নিশ্চিত করবে,” FBI অ্যাসিস্ট্যান্ট ডিরেক্টর-ইন-চার্জ স্মিথ বলেন।
NYPD-এর কমিশনার কাবান (Caban) বলেন, “NYPD-এর পুরুষ ও মহিলারা এই সমস্ত অত্যন্ত গুরুতর অভিযোগের নিন্দা করে। আমরা ও আমাদের আইন বাস্তবায়নকারী পার্টনাররা সহিংসতা এবং অত্যাচার সংক্রান্ত সব অভিযোগকে অতি গুরুত্ব সহকারে বিবেচনা করে এবং New York City রাস্তা থেকে এই ধরনের অপরাধ নির্মূল করার ব্যাপারে প্রতিজ্ঞাবদ্ধ।”
27 মার্চ 2023 তারিখে Jamiaca, Queens জন ডো-1 এর অপহরণ
অপহরণের অভিযোগ এবং আদালতের দাখিলার বিবরণ অনুযায়ী 27 মার্চ 2023 তারিখে প্রায় 14 ঘণ্টা ধরে আহমেদ, আলম, চৌধুরী, খান এবং রাজিয়া Jamiaca, Queens একটি পাবলিক স্ট্রিটের একজন ভুক্তভোগী (“John Doe-1”)-কে অপহরণ ও লাঞ্ছিত করেছিল। 181st Street এবং Hillside Avenue-এর আশেপাশে জন ডো-1 হাঁটাহাটি করার সময় চৌধুরী তাকে হোন্ডা মিনিভ্যানে (SUV) জোর করে তুলে নিয়ে যাওয়ার অভিযোগ করেছে। চৌধুরী মিনিভ্যানের ভিতরেই জন ডো-1 কে মারতে শুরু করেছিলেন। অপহরণের সময়, চৌধুরী জন ডো-1 কে মিনিভ্যান থেকে বের হতে বাধ্য করেছিলেন এবং ভুক্তভোগীকে আবাসিক এলাকায় নগ্নাবস্থায় দাঁড় করিয়ে ছবি তুলছিলেন। অপহরণের সময় আহমেদ, আলম, খান এবং রাজিয়া সেলুলার টেলিফোনের মাধ্যমে আবু চৌধুরী এর সাথে যোগাযোগ করে সারা রাত জুড়ে বিভিন্ন পয়েন্টে চৌধুরী এর সাথে সাক্ষাৎ করেছিলেন এবং জন ডো-1 কে আরো মারধর ও হত্যার হুমকিতে অংশ নিয়েছিলেন। জন ডো-1 অপহরণকারীদের নিকট পানি পানের জন্য আকুতি জানালে আসামীগণ তাকে চেতনানাশক জল মিশ্রিত দিয়েছিল। পরবর্তীতে জন ডো-1 জ্ঞান হারিয়ে ফেলে এবং অপহরণের পরেরদিন স্থানীয় একটি হাসপাতালে তার জ্ঞান ফিরে পায়।
11 মে 2023 তারিখে Woodside, Queens জন ডো-2 এর অপহরণ
অপহরণের অভিযোগ এবং আদালতের দাখিলার বিবরণ অনুযায়ী 11 মে 2023 তারিখ থেকে শুরু হয়ে প্রায় তিন চৌধুরী এবং লুবনা জন ডো-1 কে অপহরণ ও লাঞ্ছিত করেছিল। জন ডো-2 Woodside, Queens 72 তম স্ট্রিট এবং Broadway-এর পাশের একটি রেস্তোরাঁর বাইরে লুবনা এর সাথে দেখা করার জন্য অপেক্ষা করছিলেন তখন চৌধুরী জন ডো-2 কে জোর করে একটি মিনিভ্যানে তুলে মারধর শুরু করেন। অপহরণের সময়, চৌধুরী এবং লুবনা জন ডো-2 কে একটি হোটেলে নিয়ে গেলে সেখানে চৌধুরী জন ডো-2 কে যৌন হয়রানি করেন। এছাড়াও চৌধুরী ভুক্তভোগীর নিরাপত্তার জন্য $20,000 দাবি করে জন ডো-2 এর বাবার কাছে মুক্তিপণের জন্য কল করেছিলেন। যেখানে অপহরণের ঘটনাটি ঘটেছে সেটি হলো একটি জাতিগত সম্প্রদায় সেখানে আসামীগণ ভুক্তভোগীকে সতর্ক করে বলেছিল যে তিনি যদি আইন প্রয়োগকারীকে সহযোগিতা করে তাহলে তারা সহজেই তাকে খুঁজে পেতে পারে। অপহরণের তৃতীয় দিনে, চৌধুরী জন ডো-2 কে বেঁধে একটি পরিত্যক্ত বাড়িতে ফেলে রেখে যান। জন ডো-2 তার বাঁধন দাঁত দিয়ে কেটে, জানালা ভেঙে এবং পাশের বাসিন্দাদের 911 নম্বরে কল করতে বলে নিজেকে মুক্ত করতে সক্ষম হয়েছিল।
অভিযুক্তের অভিযোগগুলো হলো নিছক অভিযোগ এবং আসামীগণ হলো দোষী প্রমাণিত না হওয়া পর্যন্ত তারা নির্দোষ বলে মনে করা হয়। সবগুলোতে দোষী সাব্যস্ত হলে আসামিদের সর্বোচ্চ যাবজ্জীবন কারাদণ্ড হতে পারে।
সরকারের মামলাটি অফিস'স জেনারেল ক্রাইম সেকশন (Office’s General Crimes Section) কর্তৃক পরিচালিত হচ্ছে। অ্যাসিস্ট্যান্ট ইউনাইটেড স্টেটস অ্যাটর্নি স্টেফানি পাক (Stephanie Pak) এবং ভিনসেন্ট চিয়াপিনি (Vincent Chiappini) প্যারালিগাল বিশেষজ্ঞ ক্যাটরিনা বাতিস্তা (Katrina Batista)-এর সাথে যৌথভাবে প্রসিকিউশনের দায়িত্বে রয়েছেন।
পূর্বে অভিযুক্ত আসামীগণ:
আবু চৌধুরি (ABU CHOWDHURY)
বয়স: 34
জ্যামাইকা, কুইন্স (Jamaica, Queens)
ইফাত লুবনা (IFFAT LUBNA)
বয়স: 24
জ্যামাইকা, কুইন্স (Jamaica, Queens)
নতুনভাবে-অভিযুক্ত বিবাদীগণ:
সৈয়দ রুবেল আহমেদ (SYED RUBEL AHMED)
বয়স: 43
জ্যামাইকা, কুইন্স (Jamaica, Queens)
শাহেদ আলম (SHAHED ALOM)
বয়স: 29
জ্যামাইকা, কুইন্স (Jamaica, Queens)
আঞ্জু খান (ANZU KHAN)
বয়স: 28
জ্যামাইকা, কুইন্স (Jamaica, Queens)
সুলতানা রাজিয়া (SULTANA RAZIA)
বয়স: 38
উডসাইড কুইন্স (Woodside, Queens)
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-278 (S-1) (NRM)
West Bloomfield Doctor Sentenced for Illegal Distribution of Prescription DrugsRead the Press Release
DETROIT - A West Bloomfield doctor was sentenced to 5 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to the unlawful prescribing of prescription drug-controlled substances, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Joining Ison in the announcement was Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Scott Henry Cooper, 61, was sentenced before United States District Judge Denise Page Hood in Detroit.
During his guilty plea, Cooper admitted that he practiced as a primary care physician at Comprehensive Medical Associates, located in West Bloomfield, MI, during 2013-2018. Some of his patients sought highly abused and valuable prescription drug-controlled substances such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, methadone, alprazolam (Xanax) and dextroamphetamine-amphetamine (Adderall). Cooper admitted in an interview with the DEA that his controlled substance patients were problem patients, he did not want to see them, and in fact he did not see them routinely, but continued to prescribe their controlled substances. He has not been allowed to prescribe controlled substances since 2020.
In the case of the patient that formed the basis of his guilty plea, the defendant prescribed oxycodone and other highly abused drugs for almost three years without having patient visits or contact with the patient. While the patient served almost three years in prison, the defendant wrote monthly controlled substance prescriptions, totaling over 7,000 dosage units, that were picked up by the patient’s relative. When the patient was released from prison and told Cooper he had been in prison, Cooper continued prescribing the same dangerous combination of drugs he had been prescribing while the patient was in prison.
“Oxycodone is extremely powerful, addictive, and easily abused. Michigan has seen devastating statistics relating to opioid drug overdoses in the last five years. My office remains committed to pursuing medical providers who abuse their license and ultimately inflict this type of significant harm on our community,” stated U.S. Attorney Ison.
DEA Special Agent in Charge Greene stated, “Healthcare professionals who blatantly disregard their commitments to safeguard controlled substances do so at the risk of endangering their patients and undermining critical public health efforts to address the opioid epidemic. Today’s sentencing emphasizes law enforcement’s commitment to saving lives by investigating, arresting, and prosecuting those responsible for fueling the overdose crisis.”
The Eastern District of Michigan is one of the twelve districts included in the Opioid Fraud Abuse and Detection Unit, a Department of Justice initiative that uses data to target and prosecute individuals that are contributing to the nation’s opioid crisis.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Wayne F. Pratt. The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
U.S. Attorney’s Office responsible for over $31 million in collections and forfeitures in fiscal year 2023Read the Press Release
ATLANTA – U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan announced that the Northern District of Georgia was responsible for collections and forfeitures of over $31 million in Fiscal Year 2023.
“This district maintains an unwavering commitment to securing financial justice for victims of crime and United States taxpayers,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “As this prior fiscal year’s results reflect, this district will vigorously pursue the recovery of money for crime victims and the public through all available legal means, whether by collecting criminal and civil monetary penalties, civilly pursuing those who seek to take unlawful advantage of federal agencies and programs or identifying and forfeiting ill-gotten gains.”
Our office collected more than $22 million through the district’s Financial Litigation Program, which is responsible for the collection of civil and criminal debts, fines, and monetary penalties due to victims of crime and the United States. Specifically, our office obtained $8.4 million in restitution, fines and/or assessments imposed against defendants in criminal cases. Federal law requires that defendants who commit certain crimes pay restitution to the victims of those crimes. Criminal fines and assessments paid by defendants go to the Department of Justice’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
We also collected $13.7 million in affirmative civil enforcement cases. The United States initiates affirmative civil enforcement cases to recover government money lost to fraud or other misconduct, or to collect fines imposed on individuals and/or corporations for violations of federal health care, safety, or environmental laws and controlled substance regulations, among other laws.
In addition, the district deposited over $9.4 million dollars into the Department of Justice’s Asset Forfeiture Fund and Treasury Forfeiture Fund through civil and criminal forfeiture actions handled by the office’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section. Of the total amount forfeited, more than $3 million was forfeited in civil forfeiture cases and over $6 million was forfeited in criminal cases. The Department of Justice uses forfeited property to compensate crime victims as well as for a variety of other law enforcement purposes, and shares these proceeds with federal, state and local law enforcement partners. In Fiscal Year 2023, $343,870 was returned to crime victims and over $1.4 million was shared with the district’s law enforcement partners.
This office also shared in the recovery of an additional $1.4 billion resulting from the settlement of the UBS civil action for misconduct related to UBS’ underwriting and issuance of residential mortgage-backed securities in 2006 and 2007 brought under the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act by a Department of Justice Working Group dedicated to investigating banks and other entities for their roles in creating and issuing residential mortgage-backed securities leading up to the 2008 financial crisis.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
U.S. Attorney Parker announces management appointmentsRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, today announced new appointments to his management staff.
Parker oversees a staff of approximately 125 people, including 65 Assistant United States Attorneys. The Office serves the southern 48 counties in the state and is responsible for virtually all federal litigation in the Southern District of Ohio. This includes criminal prosecutions, civil lawsuits by and against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers.
Management staff appointments are effective Jan. 13, and they include:
First Assistant United States Attorney Kelly A. Norris
Ms. Norris joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Columbus in 2018, primarily handling narcotics and gun cases. During her tenure, she has been the District’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Deputy Chief and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Coordinator. She previously served in the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee, beginning in 2008. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Xavier University and her law degree from the Valparaiso University School of Law before working for the Ohio Attorney General’s Office as an Assistant Attorney General in the Health Care Fraud Section.
Criminal Chief Christy L. Muncy
Ms. Muncy most recently served as the District’s Executive Assistant United States Attorney and served as the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force Chief from 2019 to 2022. Muncy has also served as the District’s Project Safe Childhood Coordinator. She has served as a criminal Assistant U.S. Attorney since 2007. Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Muncy was First Assistant Commonwealth Attorney for Kenton County, Kentucky, from 2002-2007. Muncy is a graduate of Eastern Kentucky University and the Syracuse University School of Law.
Muncy will be assisted in her Criminal Chief Duties by five Deputy Criminal Chiefs. They are:
Brian J. Martinez, Deputy Criminal Chief (Columbus)
Mr. Martinez has served as the Deputy Criminal Chief in the Columbus office since 2019. Martinez joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 2014. He served as the Chief of Staff for the Associate Attorney General of the United States from 2012 to 2014 and as the Chief of Staff of the Justice Department’s Civil Division from 2009 to 2012. Prior to his work at the Department, Martinez was an associate at Morrison & Foerster LLP in San Francisco from 2003 to 2009. Martinez clerked for the Hon. Thelton Henderson of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. He attended Stanford University for both his undergraduate education and law school.
Emily N. Glatfelter, Deputy Criminal Chief (Cincinnati)
Ms. Glatfelter has served as a Deputy Criminal Chief in the Cincinnati office since 2015. She joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Cincinnati in 2012, primarily handling financial crimes matters. She previously served in the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Maryland, beginning in 2006. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Butler University and her law degree from Indiana University before working for Arnold & Porter LLP in Washington D.C. She also clerked for the Hon. David F. Hamilton while he served as U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Indiana.
Brent G. Tabacchi, Deputy Criminal Chief (Dayton)
Mr. Tabacchi has served as a Deputy Criminal Chief in the Dayton office since 2021. He joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Dayton in 2007, handling the prosecution of drug organizations and financial crimes. He previously served in the Criminal Division in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Central District of California. In the early 2000s, he worked as an associate at Sidley Austin LLP in Chicago and as a law clerk for the Hon. Kenneth F. Ripple, Judge for the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. He graduated from the University of Illinois with his bachelor’s degree and law degree.
Frederic Shadley, Deputy Criminal Chief (Organized Crime & Drug Enforcement Task Force)
Mr. Shadley joined the office’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) in Cincinnati in 2022. He is a Cincinnati native who attended the University of Notre Dame for both his undergraduate and law degrees. Shadley has previously served as an Associate with Winston & Strawn in Chicago and as a Law Clerk for the Honorable John Blakley in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Since 2017, he has served as an AUSA for the United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Florida.
Jessica W. Knight, Deputy Criminal Chief (Support Staff)
Ms. Knight joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 2012, primarily handling white collar and national security cases. She currently serves as the Anti-Terrorism Advisory Committee (ATAC) Coordinator, Chair of the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) Committee, and District Election Officer. She previously served as Assistant Deputy Criminal Chief from January 2021 – February 2022. Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Ms. Knight served as a Trial Attorney with the Department of Justice’s Tax Division. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Denison University, master’s degree from the University of Maryland and law degree from the University of Toledo, College of Law.
Civil Chief Brandi Stewart
Ms. Stewart joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Dayton in 2014, where she defended the United States and its agencies in a wide array of civil suits brought against the government. She currently serves in the Affirmative Civil Enforcement division in Cincinnati where she primarily investigates and prosecutes fraud and civil rights cases on behalf of the United States. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt University and received her Juris Doctor from the University of Kentucky Rosenberg College of Law. Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Stewart was in private practice at a large Cincinnati-based law firm practicing civil litigation.
Deputy Civil Chief John Stark
Mr. Stark joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Columbus in 2003, where he has primarily represented the federal government and individual federal employees in a wide array of defensive suits. Prior to joining the District, he was in private practice at Warner Norcross & Judd LLP in Michigan. He is also a veteran of the United States Army. Stark received his B.S., M.B.A., and J.D. degrees from The Ohio State University.
Appellate Chief Mary Beth Young
Ms. Young will continue as Appellate Chief, a position she has held since 2016, with supervisory responsibility for criminal and civil filings in the Court of Appeals and coordination of the District’s appellate practice with other divisions of the Department of Justice. Young became an Assistant U.S. Attorney in 2012 in Columbus after serving two years as a Special AUSA. Prior to joining the District, Young was in private practice in Columbus and served as a Visiting Assistant Professor at the Moritz College of Law. Young received her B.S. from the University of Kentucky, her M.S. from Georgia Tech, and her J.D. from the University of Chicago. Following law school, Young served as law clerk to Judge David Sentelle of the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, then to Justice Antonin Scalia of the United States Supreme Court.
Senior Litigation Counsel Heather A. Hill
Ms. Hill will continue as the District’s Senior Litigation Counsel (SLC), a position she has held since April 2021. As the SLC, Hill is responsible for legal training and development. She joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Columbus in 2011 and served as the District’s Project Safe Childhood (“PSC”) Coordinator from 2012 until 2021. She previously served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Washington D.C. from 2007 to 2011. Prior to beginning her career as an assistant federal prosecutor, Hill clerked for the Hon. Robert I. Richter while he served on the Criminal Division of the D.C. Superior Court. She received her law degree from the George Washington University Law School and her bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Missouri.
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U.S. Attorney Announces Agreements with Morgan Stanley and Former Senior Employee, Pawan Passi, in Connection with Deceptive Practices in Block Trades BusinessRead the Press Release
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC To Enter into a Non-Prosecution Agreement and to Pay $153 Million in Financial Penalties
Pawan Passi, Former Head of Morgan Stanley’s U.S. Equity Syndicate Desk, Admits Misconduct and Agrees to Enter into a Deferred Prosecution Agreement
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James Smith, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today that Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC (“MORGAN STANLEY”) entered into a non-prosecution agreement (the “NPA”) with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and agreed to pay more than $153 million to the United States for making false statements in connection with the sale of certain “block trades” (the “Relevant Blocks”) from 2018 through August 2021. The NPA requires MORGAN STANLEY to forfeit $72,515,141 to the United States, representing its profits from the Relevant Blocks; to pay $64,016,082 in restitution, representing the harm it caused to the sellers of the Relevant Blocks; and to pay a $16,900,000 fine. The NPA requires MORGAN STANLEY to continue to cooperate with and provide information to the United States for at least three years from the date of the agreement. In the event that MORGAN STANLEY violates the NPA, the U.S. Attorney’s Office may prosecute MORGAN STANLEY.
Today’s corporate action reflects a careful weighing of factors relevant to the appropriate corporate resolution. The NPA recognizes that while the serious conduct to which MORGAN STANLEY has admitted was uncovered by the Government and was not voluntarily self-disclosed, (i) MORGAN STANLEY has provided extraordinary cooperation with this Office’s investigation; (ii) the investigation has not uncovered evidence of corporate management’s complicity in or knowledge of the wrongdoing; (iii) MORGAN STANLEY’s controls, while ultimately unsuccessful in uncovering the misconduct, were designed in part to detect misconduct in the block trades business and were applied in good faith; (iv) in 2022, MORGAN STANLEY implemented a series of remedial measures to create clearer policies governing its ability to communicate with the buy-side in advance of block trades and trained its employees on those policies; (v) MORGAN STANLEY has no prior criminal history of any kind, including no prior NPA or DPA; and (vi) MORGAN STANLEY has accepted full responsibility for its conduct and agreed to resolve with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).
U.S. Attorney Williams also announced that PAWAN PASSI, the MORGAN STANLEY employee that supervised block trades during the relevant time, entered into a deferred prosecution agreement (the “DPA”) with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, pending court approval. In the DPA, PASSI admitted that, from 2018 through August 2021, he promised sellers of certain equity blocks that MORGAN STANLEY would keep information concerning their potential sales confidential, knowing that he would disclose that information to buy-side investors and that those investors would use the information to trade in advance of the block sales. The DPA provides that criminal prosecution of PASSI will be deferred during a period in which PASSI must demonstrate good behavior and fulfill the terms of the DPA, in which case PASSI will not be further prosecuted criminally. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres, and a court appearance has been scheduled before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robyn F. Tarnofsky today at 11:00 a.m.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Morgan Stanley, through the supervisor of its block trades business, Pawan Passi, deceived block sellers by promising confidentiality knowing that they would turn around and share that information with others to use to trade. As the Statement of Facts makes clear, the Government’s investigation uncovered the misconduct at Morgan Stanley. This fact serves as a reminder that we are watching. And we will continue to use all the tools at our disposal to root out fraud in our financial markets. Today’s actions show too that while we continue to act aggressively to enforce our nation’s laws, we evaluate each case and each prosecution on its facts and circumstances and will, where appropriate, consider alternatives to criminal prosecution, including declination, an NPA or DPA, whether for a corporation or an individual. Here, with respect to Morgan Stanley, while many factors weighed in Morgan Stanley’s favor, including extraordinary cooperation and remediation, the misconduct was not uncovered and voluntarily disclosed. Morgan Stanley now must comply with the terms of the NPA for the next three years and have a criminal resolution with the U.S. Attorney’s Office on its permanent record.”
Assistant Director in Charge James Smith said: “The integrity of our financial markets requires a level playing field, and when individuals and institutions intentionally tip the scales there must be consequences. Morgan Stanley and Mr. Passi, as admitted in the agreements, utilized confidential information regarding block trades to benefit themselves. The FBI, in order to maintain the public’s trust in our economic system, will hold any individual or financial entity engaging in complex financial crimes accountable in the criminal justice system.”
As part of the NPA, MORGAN STANLEY agreed to a statement of facts describing the deceptive conduct and the remedial measures that it took in response to learning of that conduct.
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Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the FBI. Mr. Williams further thanked the SEC, which today announced resolutions with MORGAN STANLEY and PASSI.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Margaret Graham, Justin Rodriguez, and Samuel P. Rothschild are in charge of the prosecution.
Towaoc Man Indicted on Sex Assault ChargesRead the Press Release
DURANGO – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announced that Lyndreth Hemp Wall, age 58, of Towaoc, Colorado was indicted on multiple charges stemming from alleged sexual assaults occurring on the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation. A federal grand jury returned the indictment, alleging Wall committed eight counts of sexual abuse in Indian Country and four counts of abusive sexual contact in Indian Country.
Wall made his initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge James Candelaria in Durango. If convicted on any of the counts of alleged sexual abuse in Indian Country, Wall faces a sentence of up to life in prison.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Bureau of Indian Affairs. Anyone who has information about this case or about other possible victims is asked to call the FBI Denver office at (303) 629-7171.
The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Case Number: 24-cr-00003-GPC-JMC
Toledo Man Found Guilty of Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
TOLEDO – Lance Harris, 44, of Toledo, Ohio, was found guilty of two counts of making false claims against the United States after a two-day trial before U.S. District Court Judge James R. Knepp, II.
According to court documents and testimony, in January and February of 2020, Harris filed two tax returns with the IRS falsely claiming refunds of approximately $1.1 million dollars.
Harris will be sentenced on March 12, 2024, his sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, and the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
This case was investigated by the IRS Criminal Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gene Crawford and Dexter Phillips.
Update May, 10, 2024 – Harris was sentenced to 36 months in prison on two counts of making false claims against the United States, to run concurrently and pay $55,747.27 in restitution.
Three individuals sentenced for roles in fraud and identity theft ring that stole over $6 million in government fundsRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Three individuals have been sentenced for their roles in a far-ranging fraud and identity theft ring that stole and laundered over $6 million in government funds that had been obtained using stolen identification information and the opening of fraudulent bank accounts.
“In just a few months, these defendants used hundreds of stolen identities and laundered millions in fraud proceeds from government programs—several of which were designed to help those most severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Their sentences reflect the scope of their conduct and our commitment to partner with federal, state, and local investigators to prosecute individuals who seek to exploit government programs.”“These convictions highlight the commitment of our agency to combat fraud and protect the integrity of government funds,” said Kyle Munro, special agent in charge of the Fraud and Schemes Division of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. “The collaborative efforts of law enforcement agencies and our dedicated personnel have resulted in the successful apprehension and sentencing of those responsible for this egregious crime. We will continue to aggressively pursue individuals engaged in such criminal activities, sending a clear message that fraud and identity theft will not be tolerated. Our resolve to safeguard public funds and maintain the trust of the citizens remains steadfast.”
“These convicted criminals caused great stress to their victims upending their lives when they stole their identities and utilized the stolen identities to fraudulently gain federal tax funds intended to aid taxpayers,” said Demetrius Hardeman, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “Many people may be embarrassed or feel at fault when their identity has been taken. I want to let these victims know that it is not their fault and that they are not alone. IRS-CI will continue working closely with our partners to investigate, apprehend, and prosecute perpetrators who seek to steal the information of innocent victims, especially that of America’s seniors.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: Between approximately January 2020 and October 2020, the defendants and others opened financial accounts using stolen personal identifying information from hundreds of victims and used these accounts to receive and launder the proceeds of various frauds, including fraudulently obtained federal income tax refunds, economic impact payments, SBA loans, and unemployment benefits from at least 21 states. In total, the scheme caused a loss of at least $6 million in government funds.
Edwin Owie, 63, of Dallas, Georgia, was sentenced to four years and eight months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $2,390,357.03 in restitution to the federal and state victims. Owie pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Deborah McNeill, 55, of Loganville, Georgia, was sentenced to four years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $2,390,357.03 in restitution to the federal and state victims. McNeill pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Osemwengie Imarhia, 43, of Acworth, Georgia, was sentenced to two years, six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $2,390,357.03 in restitution to the federal and state victims. Imarhia pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit access device fraud.
TIGTA and IRS-CI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex Sistla and Trial Attorneys Lauren Archer and Katherine Rookard of the Justice Department’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
For inquiries, please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Three Individuals Charged for Running Multimillion-Dollar Pyramid SchemeRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed yesterday charging a U.S. citizen residing in Canada for orchestrating a multimillion-dollar pyramid scheme under the name 8 Figure Dream Lifestyle LLC (8FDL). Guilty pleas by his co-conspirators, who participated in the same scheme, were unsealed today.
According to court documents, Alex Dee, formerly known as Alex Dowlatshahi, 49, of Maple Ridge, British Columbia, allegedly was the co-founder of 8FDL. Brian Kaplan, 52, of Fort Collins, Colorado, and Jerrold Maurer, 58, of North Bellmore, New York, co-founded 8FDL with Dee and participated in the scheme.
From January 2017 through June 2019, Dee allegedly ran 8FDL as a pyramid scheme. Dee and his co-conspirators allegedly recruited participants through emails, robocalls, promotional videos, and webinars. They allegedly told consumers that 8FDL was a legitimate business with real products and lied to prospective members about how much money they could make, how much others who had joined 8FDL had made, and the ongoing costs associated with the business. For example, Dee allegedly wrote and sent mass-marketing emails claiming that typical members with no prior skills or experience could easily earn between $5,000 and $10,000 in 10 to 14 days after joining the program, and that most members were averaging two to three sales in their first 30-45 days. In fact, the vast majority of people who joined 8FDL never made any money.
Dee was arrested at the U.S.-Canada border on Tuesday while trying to enter Washington state from British Columbia. He made his initial appearance on Wednesday before a magistrate judge in the Western District of Washington.
Dee is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each of the charged counts. Kaplan and Maurer were each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and both pleaded guilty. They have yet to be sentenced, and each faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Criminal Investigations Group made the announcement.
USPIS is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Brandon Burkart and Andrew Jaco and Assistant Chief William Johnston of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. The department received assistance from the Federal Trade Commission.
If you believe you are a victim in this case, please contact the Fraud Section’s Victim Witness Unit toll-free at (888) 549-3945 or by email at [email protected]. To learn more about victims’ rights, please visit www.justice.gov/criminal/criminal-vns/victim-rights-derechos-de-las-v-ctimas.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Texas Man Sentenced to Nearly 12 Years in Prison for Holding Smuggling Victims HostageRead the Press Release
EL PASO, Texas – A San Elizario man was sentenced in a federal court in El Paso to 140 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit hostage taking.
According to court documents, Luis Lorenzo Salas, 25, operated a stash house where a human smuggling victim from Mexico was being held. Salas created a video depicting himself masked and pointing a rifle at the victim. A screenshot of the video was sent to the victim’s family along with threatening messages demanding that they pay $10,000 or the victim’s ears and fingers would be removed. Homeland Security Investigation agents located and rescued the victim along with eight other noncitizens, all of whom were unharmed. Salas was arrested April 17, 2023. He pleaded guilty on Aug. 29, 2023, to one count of conspiracy to commit hostage taking.
“This defendant caused severe, lasting damage that will haunt his smuggling victims and their families for the rest of their lives,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “Thanks to our partners at HSI, the victims in this case are safe and we’ve taken another smuggler out of operation for the next decade.”
“Human smugglers who exploit people for their personal gain and further use threats and violence to collect a ransom will be held accountable as this sentence makes clear,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason T. Stevens for the HSI El Paso Division. “Human smuggling poses a threat to national security, and it ultimately places a vulnerable population in harm’s way.”
HSI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mathew Engelbaum prosecuted the case.
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Texas Company Pleads Guilty to Distributing Misbranded Dietary Supplements and Agrees to $4.5 Million ForfeitureRead the Press Release
Defyned Brands, an Austin, Texas, company also known as 5 Star Nutrition LLC, pleaded guilty today to a three-count information charging it with distributing misbranded dietary supplements.
Pursuant to the plea agreement, the company admitted that from September 2018 to July 2020, it delivered into interstate commerce misbranded dietary supplements, which are considered a type of food under the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FDCA). The company specifically admitted that shipments of products known as Epivar, Alpha Shredded and Laxobolic were misbranded. According to the plea agreement, the products contained ingredients mislabeled as dietary ingredients or not listed on the product label.
The products at issue were marketed as workout supplements and sold at 5 Star Nutrition retail locations. As part of the plea, the company agreed to forfeit $4.5 million and comply with the terms of a compliance program and certain compliance reporting requirements. Magistrate Judge Susan Hightower of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas presided over the plea.
“Consumers deserve to know what is in the dietary supplements they take,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to investigate dietary supplement manufacturers and distributors who sell products that do not comply with the law, including through criminal enforcement where appropriate.”
“For almost two years, the defendant in this case misinformed consumers with inaccurate labeling on dietary supplements,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “By requiring this company to forfeit its profits from this practice, we hope to reaffirm the public’s confidence in the safety of the products they purchase.”
“U.S. consumers rely on FDA oversight of foods to ensure that they are safe and wholesome. Companies that produce, sell or distribute misbranded dietary supplements put the public health at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Charles Grinstead of the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI) Kansas City Field Office. “We will continue to investigate violators of our laws and work to bring them to justice.”
FDA-OCI investigated the case.
Senior Litigation Counsel David Sullivan and Trial Attorney Manu J. Sebastian of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Harding for the Western District of Texas prosecuted the case.
Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.
Taylorville, Illinois, Woman Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Springfield, Illinois, woman, Mary Scott, 61, was sentenced on January 12, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Colleen Lawless to 60 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Scott will be required to serve four years of supervised release after her release from prison.
Scott was indicted in January 2020 and pleaded guilty in August 2023.
The statutory penalties for possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of actual methamphetamine are up to 40 years’ imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000 fine, and up to a life term of supervised release.
Scott is currently serving a 15-year sentence in the Illinois Department of Corrections in an unrelated case involving the distribution of methamphetamine. Judge Lawless ordered that Scott’s sentence in federal court is to be served consecutively to her state-court sentence.
This case was investigated by the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office, the United States Marshals Service, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Z. Weir represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Scott 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.
Two Arkansas Men Sentenced to a Combined 20 Years in Federal Prison for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
FAYETTEVILLE – Two northwest Arkansas men were sentenced to federal prison this week for child exploitation offenses. The Honorable Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearings, which was held in the U.S. District Court in Fayetteville.
On January 10, 2024, Earnest Dean Easley, age 72, of Gravette, Arkansas, was sentenced to 168 months without the possibility of parole after being convicted of transporting child pornography through the internet. According to court documents, on June 28, 2022, an FBI taskforce officer received information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children indicating that Easley had sent an email containing images of child sexual abuse material . Officers later served a search warrant at Easley’s residence and discovered additional child pornography, some of which appeared to have been self-produced. Easley later admitted that years prior, while living in Texas, he had taken lascivious photographs of a minor female relative while she was sleeping.
On January 11, 2024, Lyle Kenneth Smith, age 53, of Gentry, Arkansas, was sentenced to 74 months in federal prison without the possibility for parole after being convicted of receiving child pornography. In August of 2021, FBI taskforce officers were conducting a nationwide investigation into Freenet, an online peer-to-peer platform. During the investigation a task force officer discovered that Smith was actively searching for child pornography through Freenet. Officers executed a search warrant at Smith’s residence and discovered multiple devices containing child pornography and forensic evidence that Smith had downloaded illegal content from Freenet. Smith later admitted to having collected child pornography for years, using Freenet and other online sources.
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Benton County Sheriff’s Office, and Bentonville Police Department investigated the cases.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon Still prosecuted these cases on behalf of the United States.
These cases were prosecuted 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.
Springfield, Illinois, Man Sentenced to 60 Months and One Day in Prison for Distributing Cocaine and Possessing A Firearm in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Springfield, Illinois, man, Semaron Lawson, 38, was sentenced on January 11, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Colleen Lawless to 60 months and one day in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking crime. Lawson was ordered to serve a three-year term of supervised release following his release from prison.
Lawson was indicted in October 2018 and pleaded guilty in August 2023.
The statutory penalties for possession with intent to distribute cocaine are up to 30 years’ imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and up to a life term of supervised release. The statutory penalties for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime are up to life in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to a five-year term of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Springfield Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Z. Weir represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Lawson 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.
Springfield Man Sentenced to Nearly 20 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking a Minor He Solicited over FacebookRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Springfield man was sentenced yesterday for sex trafficking a minor under 14 years old.
Carlos Casillas, 51, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 220 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. In July of 2023, Casillas was convicted by a federal jury of one count of sex trafficking of a minor.
“Let the message go out loud and clear — if you prey on vulnerable girls and traffic minors you will spend a long, long time behind bars. Casillas used this victim’s vulnerability and challenging circumstances to take advantage of her,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Preying on vulnerable young children will never be tolerated.”
“Casillas preyed upon a child who was vulnerable and disenfranchised. Like many traffickers, he took advantage of her situation and used the power he had over her to ensnare and exploit her. Today’s significant sentence takes him off the street and away from those he could harm,” said Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New England.
In September 2021, an investigation began into Casillas for sex trafficking activity involving a 13-year-old girl living in a group home in the custody of the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families. Evidence presented at trial established that Casillas solicited the minor victim using Facebook messenger, picked the minor victim up from her group home and eventually took her to a local motel under the guise of taking her to Boston. He initiated conversations about leaving the group home and exchanging money for services. Casillas knowingly used his age difference and superior resources to entice the victim.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy; HSI SAC Krol; Hampden County District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni; Hampden County Sheriff Nicholas Cocchi; and West Springfield Police Chief Ronald Campurciani made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Catherine G. Curley and Deepika Bains Shukla of the Springfield Branch Office 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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Sinaloa Cartel Associate Sentenced After Decades of Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
A Mexican national was sentenced today to 21 years and 10 months in prison and ordered to forfeit $280 million for his role in an international conspiracy to transport tens of thousands of kilograms of cocaine into the United States over the span of four decades.
In March 2023, Raul Flores-Hernandez, 71, pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to international cocaine trafficking conspiracy.
“For more than three decades, Raul Flores-Hernandez worked with the leaders of the world’s largest, most violent cartels, including El Chapo of the Sinaloa Cartel, to traffic deadly drugs into the United States,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department has held him accountable for his crimes, and he has been sentenced to more than 20 years in prison. Anyone who profits from the violence and devastation of the illegal drug trade at the expense of the American people should be prepared to face the full force of the Justice Department.”
“It may be impossible to quantify the destruction wrought by this defendant channeling vast quantities of cocaine across the globe,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath for the Southern District of California. “One thing is certain—the world is far safer with this sentence.”
According to court documents, Flores-Hernandez was the leader of a drug trafficking organization responsible for trafficking hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of cocaine from South America through Mexico and into the United States. For example, in 2003, Flores-Hernandez and his partners used oil tanks to smuggle more than two tons of cocaine into Mexico every week, at least half of which was imported into the United States. In 2007 and 2008, Flores-Hernandez sent tens of millions of dollars in U.S. currency to Colombia to purchase cocaine. During his time as a narcotrafficker Flores-Hernandez was closely aligned with the leaders of some of the most violent drug cartels, including Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman of the Sinaloa Cartel and Hector Beltran of the Beltran Leyva Organization.
“Raul Flores Hernandez spent decades working closely with El Chapo and others to transport hundreds of kilograms of cocaine from South America, through Mexico, into the United States, knowing it would devastate American communities,” said Administrator Anne Milgram of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “He will now spend decades in prison. I commend DEA’s Los Angeles Field Division and San Ysidro District Office and our law enforcement partners for their work bringing Flores Hernandez to justice.”
“Today’s sentencing is the result of the close cooperation and dedication of HSI’s domestic and international law enforcement partners,” said Executive Associate Director Katrina W. Berger of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “HSI is dedicated to working with our partners to investigate, disrupt, and dismantle those transnational criminal organizations that threaten national security and the safety of our communities.”
The DEA Los Angeles Field Division and San Ysidro Office, as well as HSI San Diego, investigated the case, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service’s Investigative Operations Division.
Acting Assistant Deputy Chief Melanie L. Alsworth and Trial Attorneys Kirk Handrich and Jonathan Hornok of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Martin for the Southern District of California represented the United States during Flores-Hernandez’s sentencing.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with Mexican authorities to secure the arrest and extradition of Flores-Hernandez.
Shreveport Woman Pleads Guilty to Defrauding MedicaidRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Chassidy Bell, 34, of Shreveport, Louisiana, has pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting healthcare fraud. Bell pleaded guilty before United States Magistrate Judge Mark L. Hornsby on January 10, 2024.
Bell was employed as a Mental Health Specialist at Community Health Care Solutions, LLC (Community Health) which was a licensed mental health rehabilitation provider in Caddo Parish, that alleged to provide Crisis Intervention Services. These types of services are provided to those who may experience a psychiatric crisis and are designed to interrupt a crisis experience. Crisis Intervention Services are required to be provided face to face and are authorized up to 66 hours per crisis episode and cannot exceed 14 days. According to information presented in court, from 2017 to 2020, individuals associated with Community Health devised a scheme to defraud Medicaid for services that were not rendered.
In June 2019, while an employee of Community Health, Bell began creating false progress notes for an individual who resided in the Shreveport area. The detailed notes indicated very specific behaviors on the part of the individual and that Bell modeled crisis scenarios and provided feedback to him. In truth and reality, this individual did not exist but rather his identity had been assigned to an undercover Medicaid card for a fictitious individual that law enforcement had provided to an associate of Community Health in exchange for payment. Bell created the fictitious notes stating she was providing Crisis Intervention Services for this individual and Community Health billed Medicaid for the services that she had not rendered to him.
In addition, Bell created false progress notes for other individuals purporting to provide Crisis Intervention Services and inflated her hours of service to maximize billing. In reality, Bell did not provide any services to the individuals she created progress notes for, or either provided non-Crisis Intervention Services and documented them incorrectly as Crisis Intervention Services. In total, Bell’s false progress notes and fictitious notes supporting the filing of fraudulent claims led to payments by Medicaid of $63,441.32 to Community Health.
Bell faces a sentence of not more than 25 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Her sentencing date has been set for April 24, 2024.
The case was investigated by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services–Office of Inspector General and the Louisiana Medicaid Fraud Control Unit-Office of Attorney General and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Seth D. Reeg.
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Sebastian man sentenced to 160 months in prison for distribution of methamphetamineRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On Jan. 10, a man was sentenced to 160 months in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, for distribution of methamphetamine, after pleading guilty on Oct. 16, 2023.
In March 2023, Jamiey Tonino Parker, 45, of Sebastian, Florida, distributed a total of 47.4 grams of methamphetamine on two separate occasions. Thereafter, pursuant to a search warrant of Parker’s residence, law enforcement officers found a variety of illegal drugs including cocaine, methamphetamine, Methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) and fentanyl.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division, and Sheriff Eric Flowers of the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office (IRCSO), announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Jose E. Martinez.
DEA Miami Field Division, Port St. Lucie Resident Office, and IRCSO investigated the case with assistance from the Sebastian Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hudock prosecuted it.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 23-cr-14032.
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Puerto Rico Legislator and Husband Convicted for Theft, Bribery, and Kickback SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A federal jury convicted a Puerto Rico legislator and her husband today for engaging in a years-long theft, bribery, and kickback conspiracy scheme to fraudulently inflate the salary of a legislative assistant in exchange for a portion of the assistant’s inflated salary.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from early 2017 until July 2020, María Milagros Charbonier-Laureano, aka Tata, a member of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives, along with her husband, Orlando Montes-Rivera, and her assistant, Frances Acevedo-Ceballos, executed a scheme to defraud the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico by engaging in a theft, bribery, and kickback scheme. Over the course of the scheme, Charbonier-Laureano inflated Acevedo-Ceballos’s salary from $800 on a bi-weekly, after-tax basis to nearly $2,900. Out of every inflated paycheck, it was agreed that Acevedo-Ceballos would keep a portion, and kick back between $1,000 and $1,500 to Charbonier-Laureano and Montes-Rivera.
After learning of the investigation into illegal activities in her office and of a warrant that had been obtained for one of her phones, Charbonier-Laureano proceeded to delete certain data on the phone. In particular, Charbonier-Laureano deleted nearly the entire call log, nearly all WhatsApp messages, and nearly all iMessages associated with the phone.
The jury convicted Charbonier-Laureano and Montes-Rivera of one count of conspiracy; two counts of theft, bribery, and kickbacks concerning programs receiving federal funds; six counts of honest services wire fraud; and two counts of money laundering. The jury also convicted Charbonier-Laureano of obstruction of justice for destroying data on her cell phone.
Charbonier-Laureano and Montes-Rivera are scheduled to be sentenced on April 10 and face a maximum penalty of five years in prison on the conspiracy count; a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each federal funds theft, bribery, and kickbacks count; a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each honest services wire fraud count; and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each money laundering count. Charbonier-Laureano also faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the obstruction of justice count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acevedo-Ceballos pleaded guilty on Nov. 7 to federal funds bribery and is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 5, 2024.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Jonathan E. Jacobson and Kathryn E. Fifield of the Criminal Divion’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney María L. Montañez Concepción for the District of Puerto Rico are prosecuting the case.
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Puerto Rico Legislator and Husband Convicted for Theft, Bribery, and Kickback SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a Puerto Rico legislator and her husband today for engaging in a years-long theft, bribery, and kickback conspiracy scheme to fraudulently inflate the salary of a legislative assistant in exchange for a portion of the assistant’s inflated salary.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from early 2017 until July 2020, María Milagros Charbonier-Laureano, also known as Tata, a member of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives, along with her husband, Orlando Montes-Rivera, and her assistant, Frances Acevedo-Ceballos, executed a scheme to defraud the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico by engaging in a theft, bribery, and kickback scheme. Over the course of the scheme, Charbonier-Laureano inflated Acevedo-Ceballos’s salary from $800 on a bi-weekly, after-tax basis to nearly $2,900. Out of every inflated paycheck, it was agreed that Acevedo-Ceballos would keep a portion, and kick back between $1,000 and $1,500 to Charbonier-Laureano and Montes-Rivera.
After learning of the investigation into illegal activities in her office and of a warrant that had been obtained for one of her phones, Charbonier-Laureano proceeded to delete certain data on the phone. In particular, Charbonier-Laureano deleted nearly the entire call log, nearly all WhatsApp messages, and nearly all iMessages associated with the phone.
The jury convicted Charbonier-Laureano and Montes-Rivera of one count of conspiracy; two counts of theft, bribery, and kickbacks concerning programs receiving federal funds; six counts of honest services wire fraud; and two counts of money laundering. The jury also convicted Charbonier-Laureano of obstruction of justice for destroying data on her cell phone.
Charbonier-Laureano and Montes-Rivera are scheduled to be sentenced on April 10 and face a maximum penalty of five years in prison on the conspiracy count; a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each federal funds theft, bribery, and kickbacks count; a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each honest services wire fraud count; and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each money laundering count. Charbonier-Laureano also faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the obstruction of justice count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acevedo-Ceballos pleaded guilty on Nov. 7 to federal funds bribery and is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 5, 2024.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Jonathan E. Jacobson and Kathryn E. Fifield of the Criminal Divion’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney María L. Montañez Concepción for the District of Puerto Rico are prosecuting the case.
Prolific Drug Trafficker Sentenced to Almost 22 Years in Prison and Ordered to Forfeit $280 millionRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO –Narcotrafficker Raul Flores Hernandez was sentenced in federal court today to 262 months in prison for moving hundreds of millions of dollars worth of cocaine into the United States over more than three decades. He was also ordered to forfeit $280 million in drug proceeds.
According to court documents, Flores Hernandez was a leader of a prolific drug trafficking organization that worked closely with Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman of the Sinaloa Cartel and Hector Beltran of the Beltran Leyva Organization. He utilized his connections with suppliers in South America and corrupt government employees to transport hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of cocaine into Mexico for importation into the United States.
“It may be impossible to quantify the destruction wrought by this defendant channeling vast quantities of cocaine across the globe,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “One thing is certain - the world is far safer with this sentence.”“DEA and our partners will continue to hold drug traffickers, like Mr. Flores, responsible for their actions,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Shelly Howe. We are steadfast in our commitment to reduce addiction, prosecute criminals, and make our communities safer.”
“Today’s sentencing is the culmination of years of relentless work by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and its partners targeting the Sinaloa Cartel,” said HSI San Diego Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz. “This investigation highlights HSI’s dedication to go after cartel members importing dangerous drugs into our communities. This substantial sentence not only holds Mr. Hernandez accountable but also sends a resounding message that transnational criminal organizations are being continuously investigated and their leaders will be brought to justice.”
During more than three decades as a narcotrafficker, Flores was closely aligned with the leaders of some of the most violent drug cartels, including. In addition to leveraging his relationships with cartel bosses, Flores benefited from corrupt government employees who facilitated Flores’s drug trafficking activities in exchange for bribes.
This prosecution was a joint effort between the Southern District of California and the Department of Justice Criminal Division Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Section.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Martin for the Southern District of California, Acting Assistant Deputy Chief Melanie L. Alsworth and Trial Attorneys Kirk Handrich and Jonathan Hornok of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section prosecuted the case.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 17-CR-51 (BAH) (District of D.C.)
Raul Flores Hernandez Age: 74 MexicoSUMMARY OF CHARGES
International Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine, 21 U.S.C. §§ 959, 960, 963
Maximum penalty: Life in PrisonAGENCY
Homeland Security Investigations
Drug Enforcement Administration
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.Pharmacist Sentenced for Illegally Dispensing Promethazine Cough Syrup and Earning Millions in ProfitsRead the Press Release
DETROIT - Livonia pharmacy owner Zaman Alshafey was sentenced to three years in federal prison by United States District Court Judge Jonathan J.C. Grey following his guilty plea to wire fraud and money laundering. He was also ordered to forfeit approximately $9 million dollars as the gross proceeds of his unlawful conduct, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Ronne Malham, of the Food and Drug Administration.
Alshafey used his pharmacy license and Medpro Pharmacy in Livonia to order more than $2.5 million dollars of pint-sized bottles of promethazine cough syrup from various wholesale distributors who operate outside the State of Michigan. Alshafey then sold the promethazine cough syrup to drug dealers without a valid prescription from a licensed practitioner and he failed to disclose this to the wholesalers. Alshafey paid the wholesalers via wire transfers from funds derived from the unlawful dispensing of the promethazine.
Promethazine is restricted to be dispensed by prescription only per the bottle’s label.
Promethazine cough syrup can have tranquilizing and euphoric effects when consumed at higher-than-recommended dose, especially when mixed with alcohol or other drugs such as fentanyl. Promethazine cough syrup has been referred on the illegal street market as “Green Drink” or “Purple Drink.”
“A pharmacist violates the public’s trust by unlawfully dispensing any drug, including promethazine cough syrup,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “We will continue to prosecute licensed professionals who wantonly engage in conduct that significant harms are community.”
“Providing misbranded prescription drugs puts all consumers’ health at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Ronne Malham, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Chicago Field Office. “We will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who jeopardize the public’s health.”
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Regina R. McCullough. Assistant United States Attorney Gjon Juncaj, of the Money Laundering & Asset Recovery Unit handled related forfeiture matters and the investigation was conducted by the Food and Drug Administration.
Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Ohio man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Thiago da Silva Pinheiro, 42, of Cincinnati, Ohio, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for April 30, 2024. Pinheiro was initially arrested and charged by criminal complaint in September 2022 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2022.
On Sept. 20, 2022, Pinheiro flew from Ontario, Canada to Boston with an ultimate destination of Brazil. During screening at Logan Airport, customs officers observed apparent CSAM on Pinheiro’s tablet. On Pinheiro’s tablet, there were approximately 100 images and 2000 video files depicting child pornography, with children as young as 2 years old and including the depiction of penetration, bondage, and posing of children. On Pinheiro’s phone, there were approximately 35 images and 10 videos depicting child pornography including children from 8 to 16 years old.
The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meghan C. Cleary and Jessica L. Soto of the Office’s Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting 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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
New Bedford Store Owner Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Selling Fake Government Identification DocumentsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The owner of International Guatemala Musical and Fashion Accessories in New Bedford was sentenced yesterday for producing and selling fraudulent government identification documents.
Tomas Xirum, 48, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Patti B. Saris to 18 months in federal prison. In August 2023, he pleaded guilty to three counts of unlawful transfer of document or authentication feature and three counts of unlawful production of document or authentication feature.
On three separate occasions – May 10, 2021, June 23, 2021 and Aug. 11, 2022 – Xirum sold fraudulent Permanent Resident Cards (commonly referred to as “green cards”) and Social Security cards to undercover agents from his store.
After pleading guilty, Xirum continued to produce and sell fraudulent government identifications, thus revoking his pretrial release.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and New Bedford Police Chief Paul Oliveira made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Navy Sailor Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Entice and Meet A 13-Year-Old Child to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Michael Buck Brockway (40, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to using the internet and his cellphone to attempt to entice a 13-year-old child to engage in sexual activity. Brockway faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in prison as well as a potential lifetime term of supervised release. Brockway was arrested on July 28, 2023, and is being detained pending his sentencing hearing, which has not yet been scheduled.
According to court documents, on July 17, 2023, an agent with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), using the personae of a 13-year-old child (UC), began an undercover investigation designed to identify individuals who were seeking to meet children online for sexual activity. The UC, as the “child,” began an online conversation on a particular social media application (app) with user “Telly_Rider,” who was later identified as Brockway. Over the next 10 days, Brockway and the “child” engaged in numerous sexually explicit conversations using several social media apps and text messaging. During these online conversations, Brockway confirmed that the child was only 13 years old, inquired about the child’s sexual experience, and asked if the child wanted to meet him in person for sex. On July 27, 2023, Brockway asked the child if “she” was alone for the next few days, and he confirmed that the child was living at a particular apartment complex in Jacksonville. Brockway sent the child explicit videos of himself using a sex toy, including one video that he produced and sent while onboard a U.S. Navy ship that was docked at Naval Station Mayport.
On July 28, 2023, Brockway drove to the apartment complex where the child purportedly lived, then over to a nearby restaurant where the child had agreed to meet him. When Brockway entered the restaurant to meet the child, he was arrested by detectives from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO). During a search incident to his arrest, Brockway’s cellphone and three condoms were recovered from his front pockets. A search of Brockway’s car revealed a container of personal lubricant, an unopened bottle of vodka, and a sex toy. A search of Brockway’s cellphone revealed at least 200 photos and 400 videos depicting children being sexually abused.
This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 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 child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Missouri Man Sentenced to 123 Months for Attempted Online Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Bonne Terre, Mo., man, Michael Ray Landness, 35, was sentenced on Friday, to 123 months in federal prison, by Chief U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves, for attempted online enticement of a minor to engage in sexual conduct.
Landsness is a trucker who lives in Missouri, but routinely travels through Kentucky as part of his employment. In his plea agreement, Landsness admitted to chatting with undercover law enforcement agents posing as a minor on two different occasions. In May 2022, Landsness connected with an undercover law enforcement agent posing as a 14-year-old girl. Landsness engaged in chats with the purported minor via the internet and text, during which he discussed engaging in various sexual acts with the minor. Although the Defendant talked about meeting the purported 14-year-old for sexual purposes, he failed to show up at the arranged meet and then stopped all communications with the purported minor.
On July 17, 2023, law enforcement located an ad placed by Landsness in which he was looking for young women to have sex with him in his truck during his travels as a truck driver. Law enforcement responded, this time posing as a 15-year-old minor girl. Landsness again engaged in sexual chats with the purported minor. During these chats, Landsness attempted to entice the purported minor to engage sexual activity with him. The Defendant also scheduled a time to meet with the purported minor at a truck stop in Woodford County for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity. On July 27, 2023, law enforcement found Landsness at the planned meeting location and he was taken into custody.
Under federal law, Landsness must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for life.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Rana Saoud, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Phillip J. Burnett, Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police (KSP); and Chief Dustin Bowman, Frankfort Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by HSI, KSP, and Frankfort Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Michigan Man Charged with Assaulting A Flight Attendant on Orlando-Bound FlightRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest and filing of a criminal complaint charging James Warren Finnister (47, Detroit, MI) with interfering with flight crew members and assaulting a flight attendant on an aircraft in the United States. If convicted, Finnister faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.
According to court documents, Finnister interfered with crew members and flight attendants during a January 9, 2024, flight from Louisville to Orlando International Airport. Finnister allegedly sexually harassed flight attendants, assaulted a crew member, and requested entry into the aircraft cockpit while the plane was in flight, in addition to other disruptive behavior.
A criminal complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the United States Marshals Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Nate.
Download Criminal ComplaintMexican smugglers caught importing $1M in meth sent to prisonRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – Two men have been sentenced to federal prison for importing over 900 pounds of meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
A federal jury convicted Noe De Jesus Martinez-Montelongo, 36, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, and Fidel Rodriguez-Saldana, 35, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, Aug. 23, 2023 following a three-day trial.
U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana has now imposed a 235-month term of imprisonment for Martinez-Montelongo and Rodriguez-Saldana received 235 months in prison as well. Both must also serve five years of supervised release following their terms of imprisonment. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the large amount of liquid narcotics that they were attempting to bring into the United States.
On Nov. 28, 2022, Martinez-Montelongo and Rodriguez-Saldana attempted to enter the United States at the Columbia Solidarity port of entry in Laredo, driving a tractor-trailer without a load. Authorities referred them to secondary inspection where a K-9 alerted to the tractor.
Law enforcement conducted a scope and discovered a secret compartment in each diesel tank of the tractor. They were then able to extract some of the liquid which tested positive for meth.
Authorities ultimately seized a total of 413 kilograms (910 pounds) of liquid meth which filled 22 buckets. The estimated wholesale value is approximately $1 million.
At trial, Martinez-Montelongo and Rodriguez-Saldana claimed no knowledge of the liquid. They said they were simply supposed to pick up a legitimate load in Laredo. The jury did not believe their defense and found them guilty as charged.
Both have been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Makens and Brandon Bowling prosecuted the case.
Mescalero Woman Sentenced to 41 Months in Prison for AssaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Lucinda Ann Yuzos was sentenced to 41 months in prison. Yuzos, 49, of Mescalero, and an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, pled guilty in federal court on Apr. 25, 2023, to assault of an intimate partner resulting is substantial bodily injury.
According to court records, on the evening of May 31, 2022, Yuzos assaulted the victim, John Doe. When responding officers arrived, they found John Doe sitting on the front steps of the residence with blood dripping down his forehead from underneath a hat. When John Doe removed the hat, officers observed a large gash—approximately 6 inches long—on the victim’s forehead with exposed bone. Officer’s immediately contacted Mescalero Fire Rescue (MFR), and after they evaluated the victim, it was determined that the injuries were so severe the victim needed immediate transportation via medevac to University Medical Center in El Paso, Texas.
The victim spent four days in the hospital. His right orbital floor was fractured, he had a large blowout type fracture of his right orbital wall including displaced bone fragments in his sinuses requiring surgery. Since the initial surgeries, the victim has traveled to the Eye Institute of New Mexico in Albuquerque for eight additional surgeries, and he is still being treated for the injuries inflicted by Yuzos.
In her plea agreement, Yuzos admitted to hitting John Doe with a blunt object. During the sentencing hearing, Yuzos admitted that the object was a 2x4.
Upon her release from prison, Yuzos will be subject to 3 years of supervised release.
The FBI Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joni Autrey Stahl is prosecuting the case.
View the Plea Agreement# # #
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McAlester Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Richard Allen Rollings, age 57, of McAlester, Oklahoma, entered guilty pleas to two counts of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, one count of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, and two counts of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
The Superseding Indictment alleged that on January 5, 2023, Rollings possessed over 50 grams of methamphetamine for distribution, along with two firearms. The Superseding Indictment also alleged that on a separate occasion, on June 27, 2023, Rollings again possessed over 50 grams of methamphetamine for distribution, along with four firearms. Prior to these instances, Rollings had already been convicted of a crime punishable by one year of prison and was prohibited from possessing firearms.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, and the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Rollings was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal.
Assistant United States Attorney Erin Cornell represented the United States.
Maple Grove Felon Indicted for $10 Million Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Maple Grove man has been indicted for defrauding investors and financial institutions out of more than $10 million, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, Aditya Raj Sharma, 50, was the founder, CEO, and president of Crosscode Inc., a cloud-based software development company headquartered first in Maple Grove and later in Foster City, California. From Crosscode’s founding in 2015 through at least May 2019, Sharma was the primary operator of the company, its controlling shareholder and, at times, its only employee and shareholder.
According to court documents, from 2017 through at least 2019, Sharma knowingly and intentionally devised and executed a scheme to defraud investors, financial institutions, and lending and finance companies. Sharma manipulated and falsely inflated Crosscode’s financial records to induce private investors and financial entities to extend capital to his company in order to avoid or delay financial hardship for Crosscode, which was mired in debt with virtually no incoming revenue or cash-on-hand.
According to court documents, as part of his multi-year scheme, Sharma fraudulently applied for hundreds of thousands in funding from multiple lenders and finance companies. In total, Sharma induced at least one financial institution to provide him with a $950,000 line of credit, and further induced at least 150 investors, including Minnesotans, to provide approximately $9.25 million to Crosscode.
The indictment charges Sharma with four counts of wire fraud and two counts of bank fraud. Sharma made his initial appearance yesterday in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Dulce J. Foster.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew S. Ebert is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Man Sentenced for Distribution and Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A Commerce man was sentenced today for Distribution and Receipt of Child Pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Andrew Shane Hartman, 49, to 108 months imprisonment, followed by 12 years of supervised release. Upon release, Hartman will also be required to register as a sex offender.
According to court documents, the FBI discovered Hartman distributing images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children in various chat rooms. After being arrested and appearing before the court, Hartman was released on supervised release. Hartman then violated conditions of his supervised release and was detained prior to sentencing. He will continue to remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Nassar and Joshua M. Carmel 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Local Internet café murders shooter, getaway drivers sentenced to 40 years & 30 years in prisonRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Two Columbus men involved in the murder of a husband and wife in a local Internet café were sentenced in U.S. District Court this week to decades in prison.
Chris A. King, 28, was sentenced yesterday to 480 months in prison. King shot and murdered both the husband and wife while they were working.
Justice B. Stringer, 29, was sentenced today to 360 months in prison. Stringer drove co-defendants to and from the robbery resulting in murder.
Five total defendants were indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2019 for crimes related to a string of robberies of Internet gaming businesses, including the robbery at Players Paradise on East Broad Street that resulted in murder on Jan. 20, 2019.
According to court documents, King and a co-defendant robbed Players Paradise at gunpoint and allegedly murdered security guard Joseph Arrington and then his wife, employee Karen Arrington. Stringer then drove the men away from the Internet café.
Defendants were also responsible for a prior café robbery at Players Paradise on Dec. 10, 2018, stealing $30,000 in cash. Stringer also admitted to his involvement in a Jan. 7, 2019, robbery of Planet Jackpot café on Alum Creek Drive.
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; Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant and Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), announced the sentences imposed by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson. Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin W. Kelley and Elizabeth A. Geraghty are representing the United States in this case.
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Lebanon Man Sentenced to 106 Months' Imprisonment for Cocaine-Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Warionex Martinez-Medina, age 35, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson to 106 months’ imprisonment for attempting to possess with intent to distribute approximately 2 kilograms of cocaine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of that offense.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Martinez-Medina previously admitted to accepting a package that he believed contained over 2 kilograms of cocaine. When law enforcement executed a search warrant at Martinez-Medina’s Lebanon residence, they found a loaded handgun, drug-packaging materials, and over $123,000.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carlo D. Marchioli 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.
# # #Leaders of North Carolina Drug-Trafficking Organization, Bloods Gang Member, and Triggerman Sentenced to Life in Prison for Norfolk Murder-for-HireRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – Four Greensboro, North Carolina men were sentenced today to life in prison for their role in a murder-for-hire conspiracy that resulted in the death of 59-year-old Norfolk resident, Lillian Bond, on April 19, 2016.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Jaquate Simpson, 39, and Landis Jackson, 39, were the leaders of a long-running criminal enterprise responsible for distributing hundreds of kilograms of cocaine worth millions of dollars into central North Carolina and Virginia’s Hampton Roads region.
On April 13, 2016, a Norfolk-based drug dealer failed to pay over $81,000 for a multi-kilogram delivery of cocaine. Simpson and Jackson’s organization retaliated by hiring a Nine Trey gang member, Kalub Shipman, 36, to kill the next person to exit a house associated with where the Norfolk dealer had been known to frequent. Shipman initially traveled to Virginia within hours of being offered the murder-for-hire contract with a fellow gang member. They conducted surveillance on the residence and then returned to Greensboro. Shipman then recruited Nelson Evans, 33, to assist in the murder-for-hire, offering him a portion of the $10,000 Shipman would receive upon completion.
Shipman and Evans traveled to Virginia on April 18, 2016. The following morning, at approximately 11:30 a.m., Shipman and Evans entered the Ingleside neighborhood of Norfolk and shot Lillian Bond multiple times as she was taking out the trash on Trice Terrace. Ms. Bond had been an employee of the Children’s Hospital for King’s Daughters for approximately 20 years and was described as a pillar in her community.
After a three-week trial in early 2023, the jury found each defendant guilty of the following charges on March 20, 2023:
Name
Charges
Jaquate Simpson, a/k/a
“Quay,” “J,” “Stacks,” “Predator”Continuing criminal enterprise; murder while engaged in continuing criminal enterprise; narcotics conspiracy; murder while engaged in a drug-trafficking offense; distribution of cocaine; use of a firearm resulting in death; conspiracy to commit murder for hire; murder for hire
Landis Jackson, a/k/a “Juve,” “Juvie”
Continuing criminal enterprise; murder while engaged in continuing criminal enterprise; narcotics conspiracy; murder while engaged in a drug-trafficking offense; distribution of cocaine; use of a firearm resulting in death; conspiracy to commit murder for hire; murder for hire
Kalub Shipman, a/k/a “Kato,” “Baydo”
Murder while engaged in a drug-trafficking offense; use of a firearm resulting in death; conspiracy to commit murder for hire; murder for hire; felon in possession of a firearm
Nelson Evans
Use of a firearm resulting in death; conspiracy to commit murder for hire; murder for hire
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; and Mark Talbot, Chief of Norfolk Police, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney sentenced the defendants.
The case was investigated by the FBI Norfolk Field Office, Department of Homeland Security, DEA, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, and the Police Departments of Norfolk, Greensboro, Thomasville, Winston-Salem, and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, the Sheriff’s Departments of Guilford and Davidson County, and the U.S. Marshals Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joe DePadilla, John F. Butler, and Kristin G. Bird are prosecuting the case.
This case was investigated as part of four Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:20-cr-90.
Lawrence Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Use Stolen Identities to Fraudulently Purchase VehiclesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence man was sentenced today for his role in a scheme to use the stolen identities of United States citizens from Puerto Rico to fraudulently purchase vehicles and other merchandise and apply for and utilize bank accounts and credit cards.
Joshua Cruz, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to two years in prison and three years of supervised release. Cruz was also ordered to pay $75,346 in restitution to the victims. In September 2023, Cruz pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud and false representation of a Social Security number. Cruz and multiple co-defendants were charged by criminal complaint in September 2020 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2020. Cruz previously served two years in state custody for related conduct.
Between December 2018 and January 2019, the defendant visited Massachusetts car dealerships to purchase late-model vehicles and applied for 100% financing. In support of the applications, the defendant provided stolen biographical information of real United States citizens, fraudulent Puerto Rico driver’s licenses, and Social Security cards in those identities as proof of identification. Cruz was charged with using stolen identities to obtain car loans and purchase three cars worth over $170,000, collectively.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations, in New England; John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; and Brockton Police Chief Brenda Perez made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Lowell, Lawrence, Methuen, Haverhill, Woburn and Dartmouth Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elianna J. Nuzum and Adam W. Deitch of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), a specialized investigative group comprising personnel from various state, local, and federal agencies with expertise in detecting, deterring, and disrupting organizations and individuals involved in various types of document, identity and benefit fraud schemes.
Las Vegas Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Trafficking Large Quantities of Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Near Elementary SchoolRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas resident was sentenced Thursday by United States District Judge Richard F. Boulware II to 10 years in prison for selling fentanyl and methamphetamine from his home, which was located across the street from an elementary school.
According to court documents, Daniel Thorndal, 51, conspired with others to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and five grams or more of methamphetamine in Las Vegas. On April 15, 2022, Thorndal sold methamphetamine and fentanyl at his residence. On April 21, 2022, Thorndal sold fentanyl at the same residence again. On May 6, 2022, the FBI executed a search warrant on the residence and recovered approximately 422 grams of methamphetamine and approximately 127 grams of fentanyl. In addition to the drugs, law enforcement officials also recovered a .380 caliber pistol that was possessed in furtherance of the drug conspiracy.
Thorndal pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. In addition to imprisonment, he was sentenced to four years of supervised release.
United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jacob Operskalski prosecuted the case.
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Kingsville resident gets 300 months for two child pornography convictionsRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 28-year-old man has been sentenced for sexual exploitation of a minor and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Adrian Vela pleaded guilty Feb. 2, 2023.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now sentenced Vela to 300 and 240 months for the possession and production of child pornography convictions, respectively. They will run concurrently for a total 300-month-term of imprisonment. At the hearing, the court also heard additional information including letters from victims and statements made in court from family members detailing the impact Vela’s conduct has had on them. In handing down the prison terms, the court noted this was a very troubling case, stating “the pain, anguish, damage to the victims does not end… it will always exist.” Vela was further ordered to pay $27,000 in restitution to the victims and will serve 25 years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Vela will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
Vela came to the attention of law enforcement after they discovered child pornography images and videos uploaded to the internet. The investigation led to Vela. Law enforcement then obtained a search warrant for his home, at which time Vela admitted he possessed and produced images and videos depicting child pornography.
Vela has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with assistance of the Corpus Christi Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children task force.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick Overman and John Marck prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.
Kalamazoo Man, Charged with Murder, Sentenced for Escaping Halfway HouseRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Carlos Watts, 38, of Kalamazoo, was sentenced to 14 months’ incarceration for escaping from a halfway house, where he was living in accordance with a court order for a previous federal drug conviction.
On January 10, 2024, Kalamazoo County Prosecuting Attorney Jeff Getting also charged Watts with the murder of Heather Kelley. Upon completion of his federal sentence, Watts will be transferred to state custody to face that charge.
“Carlos Watts poses a tremendous threat to our community,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “While finishing his sentence at a halfway house for drug trafficking and possessing a firearm, Mr. Watts cut his tether, fled the facility, and has since been charged with the murder of his former girlfriend. My office will continue working with our law enforcement partners to keep our communities safe and hold criminals accountable.”
In 2013, Watts was sentenced to 156 months in federal prison for distribution of cocaine, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Near the end of his term, Watts was transferred to the Kalamazoo Probation Enhancement Program (KPEP) halfway house.
At his federal sentencing today and in filings with the court, prosecutors argued that Watts fled KPEP because he was involved in the murder of Heather Kelley. Kelley left her home on December 10, 2022, to pick up Watts from a restaurant where he worked. She was never seen again. Police went to KPEP and questioned Watts about her disappearance on December 11, 2022.
In the early morning hours of December 12, 2022, Watts took a pair of scissors from a desk at KPEP and used them to cut off his ankle monitor.
KPEP notified law enforcement of Watts’ escape. Two days later, police learned that Watts was at a house in Battle Creek and attempted to arrest him. Watts barricaded himself in the house for several hours before eventually surrendering to police. He has remained in custody.
"The FBI remains committed to bringing justice for Heather Kelley and her family,” said Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of the FBI in Michigan. “We thank all the dedicated prosecutorial and law enforcement teams for their relentless support throughout this case. We continue to request the help of the public by reporting any tips that may bring resolution to this case to the Silent Observer at (616) 774-2345 or www.silentobserver.org, or to the FBI at 1-800-CALLFBI (1-800-225-5324) or www.tips.fbi.gov.”
This case was investigated by the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Department, Portage Police Department, Battle Creek Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Michigan State Police. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erin Lane.
As to the state murder charge filed on January 10, 2024, a criminal charge is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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KDY Crew Member Sentenced for Violent Crime Spree Spanning Three MonthsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Tyrell Jordan Stewart, 25, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 15 years in prison today for a string of armed carjackings and sprees of violent armed robberies that he committed with two co-defendants in the District and Suburban Maryland during in 2022.
The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist, of the Washington Field Office; Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police (MPD); ATF Special Agent in Charge Craig Kailimai of the Washington Division, DEA Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget, of the Washington Division, Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County, Md., Police Department, and Chief Marcus G. Jones, of the Montgomery County, Md., Police Department.
Stewart pleaded guilty on September 15, 2023, to conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce, also known as a Hobbs Act robbery; conspiracy to commit carjacking; and armed robbery.
According to the plea paperwork, Stewart admitted to personally participating in the armed robberies of six individuals, five businesses and/or their employees, and two armed carjackings. Stewart admitted to personally discharging his weapon during one of the commercial robberies.
In addition to the prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Beryl A. Howell ordered Stewart to serve five years of supervised release and to pay $2,746.00 in restitution.
“This defendant was a member of the Kennedy Street Crew, also known as KDY—a crew that has had numerous members who have been charged with crimes of violence and drug trafficking,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “The people engaging in these carjacking and armed robbery sprees are among the most dangerous people in our community. Anyone thinking this kind of conduct is not a big deal is wrong: violent sprees, end with sentences like this.”
Had the case gone to trial, the U.S. Attorney’s Office would have proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Stewart and his two charged co-defendants conspired to a string of robberies and carjackings of individuals and businesses in the Washington D.C. metro area. Specifically, Stewart and his two charged co-defendants committed five commercial robberies, two armed carjackings, and at least 12 armed robberies over the course of their conspiracy.
“It is our hope that the results of today’s announcement sends a clear message to others that are committing similar acts of violence such as robberies and armed car jackings in the District; that they too may face similar consequences for their actions,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Kailimai. “I am proud that our agents and partnering agencies worked tirelessly to bring justice to those responsible.”
According to the government’s evidence, Stewart and his co-defendants are members of the Kennedy Street Crew or KDY, a violent street gang that operates in the Kennedy Street neighborhood in Northwest Washington, D.C. KDY is among the largest crews in Washington, D.C. based on both territory and its vast membership.
The defendant and his co-conspirators’ violent spree occurred over the first three months of 2022. The conspirators typically planned their robberies the night before and executed early in the morning. In order to avoid detection from law enforcement, the defendants typically began a day’s robberies by stealing a vehicle to then utilize in their subsequent robberies. If the vehicle was occupied or if the owner was close by, the men would use firearms, force, and intimidation to carjack it. After the sprees, the men sold the vehicles for added profit. A hallmark of the defendants’ robberies were the use of force and/or violence against their victims.
On February 20, 2022, for instance, Stewart and his co-conspirators stole a Honda Ridgeline truck in Silver Spring, Md., shortly before 6 a.m. Less than an hour later, police received multiple reports of suspects in a black Ridgeline truck in attempting to break into other vehicles. That same morning, Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) officers responded to a convenience store on the 3500 block of University Boulevard West, in Kensington, Md. Victims reported that three armed men had entered the store and robbed the cashier of currency and a cell phone. One of the gunmen held a handgun to a customer’s right temple. As the robbery progressed, one of the gunmen fired a round into the store. One of the armed men grabbed the customer’s car keys from his left pants pocket, and all three suspects fled in the customer’s Lexus SUV.
That same morning, MCPD officers separately responded to an armed robbery of a mini market on the 4800 block of Boiling Brook Parkway, in Rockville, Md. This time, Stewart discharged his firearm to intimidate the cashier into complying with his demands. All three armed men fled the store in what appeared to be the same stolen Ridgeline used earlier. At 7:25 a.m., an MCPD officer spotted the stolen Ridgeline and stolen Lexus SUV and pursued the vehicles southbound on 16th Street towards the District at speeds topping 100 m.p.h. The MCPD officer ultimately lost sight of both vehicles. That same morning, Stewart and his co-conspirators committed an armed robbery of someone waiting at a bus stop in the 7700 block of Georgia Avenue NW, one block from the D.C./Maryland line. The defendant and his co-conspirator placed the victim in a chokehold while the other pistol-whipped the victim in the face. The two then stole the victim’s wallet.
The prosecution of Stewart, along with his two codefendants, are part of an ongoing coordinated law enforcement investigation into the Kennedy Street Crew, also known as “KDY.” The multi-year investigation reflects the efforts of nearly every federal law enforcement agency in the District of Columbia, along with the Metropolitan Police Department’s Violent Crime Suppression Division.
The investigation of this case had the sponsorship and support of the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF specializes in the investigation and prosecution of drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and related criminal enterprises.
The case is being investigated by the ATF’s Washington Field Division, the Metropolitan Police Department, the Montgomery County, Maryland Police Department and the Prince George’s County, Maryland Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Kinskey and Sitara Witanachchi of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Valuable assistance was also provided by former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Lynch.
Jury Finds District Man Guilty of First-Degree Murder in Killing of 17-Year-Old in the Brightwood Area of Northwest WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Mussay Rezene, 31, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty by a jury of first-degree murder while armed in a shooting that took place in an alley in Northwest Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Pamela Smith, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
The verdict was returned on January 11, 2024, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Robert D. Okun scheduled sentencing for March 22, 2024. Rezene faces a maximum sentence of sixty years in prison for the crimes.
According to the government’s evidence, on September 18, 2021, at approximately 9 p.m., the victim, Brayan Villatoro, was riding in a vehicle with a group of friends, heading to a family party. On the way, Mr. Villatoro, asked the driver of the minivan he was riding in, to make a stop so he could meet with someone at the 1300 block of Nicholson Street Northwest. Once they arrived at the location, Mr. Villatoro got out of the van and waited in front of an apartment building. The defendant arrived a short time later in a vehicle, which later proved to be stolen, and directed Mr. Villatoro to a nearby alley. Moments later shots rang out and Mr. Villatoro was hit with eight bullets. Rezene fled the area as did Mr. Villatoro’s friends in the minivan as Mr. Villatoro laid in the alley suffering from his gunshot wounds. Officers arrived and discovered him in the alley a short time after the shooting where he was declared dead.
Rezene was identified in surveillance video as wearing distinct shoes and clothing. These same shoes were later seen in a photograph of Rezene along with two other individuals, which was posted on social media after Mr. Villatoro’s murder. Cell site data also showed Rezene was present both at the scene of the murder and along the path of the vehicle that Rezene owned.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, along with agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives who assisted with evidence recovery and cell site data analysis and testimony.
The case is being prosecuted by the Assistant U.S. Attorney’s Dennis Clark and Colleen Kukowski.