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12 January 2024
Annapolis Woman Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison for Role in Manufacturing Fentanyl PillsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Laura Garvin, 30, of Annapolis, Md., was sentenced today to 24 months in prison in connection with her role in a drug trafficking group running a fentanyl pill pressing operation in and around Washington, D.C. and Maryland.
The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division.
Garvin pleaded guilty to a one count information on May 17, 2023, charging her with conspiracy with intent to distribute fentanyl. In addition to the prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta ordered Garvin to serve 24 months of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, Garvin helped sell real and fake oxycodone pills. She also sold powder cocaine. In addition to this, she allowed members of the drug trafficking conspiracy to store one of the group’s industrial pill presses at her home along with a tub filled with fentanyl pill making mix after the group’s drug lab was discovered in Laurel, Maryland. The conspiracy started in May 2020 and lasted until September 2022. Garvin admitted that she was accountable for between 40 grams and 160 grams of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl.
In August 2021, the FBI began investigating a drug trafficking group running a fentanyl pill pressing operation in and around Washington, D.C. and Maryland. Law enforcement learned that the group possessed at least three pill presses – including one industrial rotary pill machine – used to press fentanyl into counterfeit prescription pills. The pills were made to appear as legitimate prescription oxycodone and other prescription drugs which the group then distributed throughout the District and Maryland.
On March 29, 2022, the FBI executed a search warrant at an apartment stash house on the 1300 block of 4th Street in Southeast Washington, D.C. During the search, agents seized Zip-loc baggies of pills and loose powder, totaling more than 516 pills and more than 76 grams of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl. Garvin had spent the evening at this location on multiple occasions.
FBI agents arrested Garvin on September 20, 2022. After her arrest, she had been on home confinement while awaiting sentencing. However, she tested positive for cocaine and allegedly continued to sell oxycodone pills. Garvin was removed from pre-trial supervision and taken into custody on November 9, 2023.
Garvin’s boyfriend, Co-defendant Collin Edwards, aka “Chills,” pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine and a charge of identity theft. Edwards, 29, of Largo, Md., is scheduled for sentencing on March 5, 2024.
The FBI Washington Field Office is investigating this case.
The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin L. Rosenberg of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Assistant United States Attorney Steven Wasserman and former Special Assistant United States Attorneys Marnee Rand and Sarah Rasalam assisted in the investigation.
Albuquerque Man Charged with Conspiracy Related to Recovery of Tiger Cub in AlbuquerqueRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Amy Lueders, Acting Deputy Director of Operations for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announced today that a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging David Mendoza-Enriquez with conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act, which prohibits the transport and sale of certain wildlife, in connection with the tiger cub seized in Albuquerque early last year. Mendoza-Enriquez, aka “Cholo,” 40, of Albuquerque, was also one of 15 defendants charged with drug trafficking in a separate superseding indictment.
According to the indictment, between Nov. 20, 2022, and Jan. 10, 2023, Mendoza-Enriquez conspired with others to import the tiger cub from Mexico into New Mexico and sell it for thousands of dollars.
On January 10, 2023, the Albuquerque Police Department, with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, located and seized the tiger cub in Albuquerque after responding to an unrelated call. The tiger cub, now named “Duke,” was transferred to the ABQ BioPark, and later to the Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keenesburg, Colorado.
The following photographs appeared in the indictment to illustrate Mendoza-Enriquez’s possession of Duke. They include a distinctive tattoo on Mendoza-Enriquez’s right hand.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Mendoza-Enriquez faces up to 5 years in prison.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service investigated this case with the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Albuquerque Police Department, the Rio Rancho Police Department, the Pojoaque Pueblo Police Department, the Laguna Police Department, the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, the Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office, the New Mexico State Police, the United States Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The investigation was designated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program, a Department of Justice program that combines the resources and unique expertise of federal agencies, along with their local counterparts, in a coordinated effort to disrupt and dismantle major drug trafficking organizations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Hirsch and Joseph Spindle are prosecuting the case.
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24-18
Albuquerque Man Charged with Conspiracy Related to Recovery of Tiger Cub in AlbuquerqueRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Amy Lueders, Acting Deputy Director of Operations for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announced today that a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging David Mendoza-Enriquez with conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act, which prohibits the transport and sale of certain wildlife, in connection with the tiger cub seized in Albuquerque early last year. Mendoza-Enriquez, aka “Cholo,” 40, of Albuquerque, was also one of 15 defendants charged with drug trafficking in a separate superseding indictment.
According to the indictment, between Nov. 20, 2022, and Jan. 10, 2023, Mendoza-Enriquez conspired with others to import the tiger cub from Mexico into New Mexico and sell it for thousands of dollars.
On January 10, 2023, the Albuquerque Police Department, with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, located and seized the tiger cub in Albuquerque after responding to an unrelated call. The tiger cub, now named “Duke,” was transferred to the ABQ BioPark, and later to the Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keenesburg, Colorado.
The following photographs appeared in the indictment to illustrate Mendoza-Enriquez’s possession of Duke. They include a distinctive tattoo on Mendoza-Enriquez’s right hand.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Mendoza-Enriquez faces up to 5 years in prison.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service investigated this case with the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Albuquerque Police Department, the Rio Rancho Police Department, the Pojoaque Pueblo Police Department, the Laguna Police Department, the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, the Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office, the New Mexico State Police, the United States Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The investigation was designated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program, a Department of Justice program that combines the resources and unique expertise of federal agencies, along with their local counterparts, in a coordinated effort to disrupt and dismantle major drug trafficking organizations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Hirsch and Joseph Spindle are prosecuting the case.
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24-18
Additional defendant pleads guilty in $50 million Ponzi scheme involving off-the-road tiresRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A New Jersey man who is alleged to have fled to Turkey has returned to the United States and pleaded guilty to his role in a nationwide, off-the-road tire sale fraud scheme that resulted in tens of millions of dollars of losses.
Ahmet Neidik, 64, of Fort Lee, New Jersey, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to commit wire fraud.
Neidik was the co-owner of, and ran the daily operations for, transportation, logistics and importing/exporting businesses. Some of the proceeds of the scheme were sent to businesses controlled by Neidik. Neidik would then wire money to the bank accounts of co-conspirators.
It is alleged that John K. Eckerd, Jr., 58, of Dallas, is the leader of the multi-state conspiracy.
Conspiring with previously convicted and sentenced defendant Jason E. Adkins, 46, of Jackson, Ohio, Eckerd and others orchestrated a $50 million Ponzi scheme that defrauded more than 50 investors.
According to Eckerd’s indictment, from 2012 until at least in or around late 2018, Eckerd represented himself to potential investors as an entrepreneur and businessman with expertise in the market for off-the-road tires. Off-the-road tires are over-sized tires that are used on earth moving equipment and/or mining equipment. Eckerd had control of or access to many corporations allegedly used as part of the scheme.
Co-conspirators allegedly solicited millions of dollars from investor-victims under false pretenses. Investors were told their money would be used to buy off-the-road tires at a steep discount, and that the tires would then be re-sold to a buyer at a much higher rate. Investors were promised a high percent rate of return on investment, generally within 180 days.
It is alleged defendants rarely bought or sold tires, and when they did, they used the same tires as the basis for multiple deals, promising multiple investors that they each owned the same tires.
Defendants corresponded with the potential investors face-to-face, as well as through a combination of phone calls, text messages, and, on occasion, emails. It is alleged they used private planes to showcase their inventory and appear wealthy and successful. Defendants also allegedly provided investors with elaborate, fraudulent paperwork regarding the purported deals. The co-conspirators requested large investments and loans, most to be funded through wire transfers.
With his guilty plea, Neidik admitted to participating in the scheme. To give potential investors confidence in the tire deals, Eckerd and Adkins offered the services of a purportedly neutral third party to arrange shipment of the tires and/or hold investment funds in escrow until certain conditions were met in completing the deal. Neidik allowed Eckerd and Adkins to represent to investors that he was the neutral third party, and on some occasions, entered into escrow agreements with the investors.
As part of his plea, Neidik has agreed to pay $370,000 in restitution for his part of the scheme.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Bryant Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation; and J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the guilty plea entered today before Chief U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorneys S. Courter Shimeall, Peter K. Glenn-Applegate and David J. Twombly are representing the United States in this case.
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Ada Resident Pleads Guilty to Aggravated Assault and Possession of ContrabandRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announces that Kalup Allen Born, age 25, of Ada, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country and one count of Possessing Contraband in Prison.
At the plea hearing, Born admitted that on April 24, 2023, while being held as a federal inmate at the Muskogee County Jail, he stabbed a fellow inmate in the neck and head numerous times with a metal shank.
The crimes occurred in Indian country, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Muskogee County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Honorable Judge Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea in Muskogee, Oklahoma, and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Born will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan Conway and T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.
11 January 2024
eBay Inc. to Pay $3 Million in Connection with Corporate Cyberstalking Campaign Targeting Massachusetts CoupleRead the Press Release
BOSTON – eBay Inc., the global ecommerce company, has agreed to pay a $3 million criminal penalty for an August 2019 harassment and intimidation campaign targeting a Massachusetts couple in retaliation for their online coverage of eBay, and for its obstruction of the investigation that followed.
eBay was charged criminally with two counts of stalking through interstate travel, two counts of stalking through electronic communications services, one count of witness tampering and one count of obstruction of justice and has entered into a deferred prosecution agreement. Pursuant to the agreement, eBay admitted to a detailed recitation of all the relevant facts about its conduct and agreed to pay a criminal penalty of $3 million, which is the statutory maximum fine for these six felony offenses. As part of this resolution, eBay will also be required to retain an independent corporate compliance monitor for a period of three years and to make extensive enhancements to its compliance program.
“eBay engaged in absolutely horrific, criminal conduct. The company’s employees and contractors involved in this campaign put the victims through pure hell, in a petrifying campaign aimed at silencing their reporting and protecting the eBay brand,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “We left no stone unturned in our mission to hold accountable every individual who turned the victims’ world upside-down through a never-ending nightmare of menacing and criminal acts. The investigation led to felony convictions for seven individuals, all former eBay employees or contractors, and the ringleader was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison.”
Levy continued, “Today’s criminal resolution with the company imposes the maximum fine that the law allows under the statutes, holding eBay accountable for a corporate culture that led to this unprecedented stalking campaign. The corporate monitoring of eBay will be in place for the next three years and will ensure that eBay’s senior leadership sets a tone that makes compliance with the law paramount, implements safeguards to prevent future criminal activity, and makes clear to every eBay employee that the idea of terrorizing innocent people and obstructing investigations will not be tolerated.”
“Today’s settlement holds e-Bay criminally and financially responsible for emotionally, psychologically, and physically terrorizing the publishers of an online newsletter out of fear that bad publicity would adversely impact their Fortune 500 company. It also puts in place some much needed checks and balances to ensure an overhaul of e-Bay’s corporate culture by requiring it to implement a revamped compliance and ethics program designed to prevent the recurrence of the appalling conduct we uncovered in this case,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Boston Division. “No one should ever feel unsafe in their own home, and while this settlement cannot erase the significant distress this couple suffered, we hope it will deter others from engaging in similar conduct.”
According to eBay’s admissions, between approximately Aug. 5, 2019 and Aug. 23, 2019, Jim Baugh, eBay’s former Senior Director of Safety and Security, and six other members of eBay’s security team targeted the victims for their roles in publishing a newsletter that reported on issues of interest to eBay sellers. Senior executives at eBay were frustrated with the newsletter’s tone and content, and with the comments posted beneath the newsletter’s articles. The harassment campaign arose from communications between those executives and Baugh.
Baugh and his co-conspirators executed a harassment campaign intended to intimidate the victims and to change the content of the newsletter’s reporting. The campaign included sending anonymous and disturbing deliveries to the victims’ home, including a book on surviving the death of a spouse, a bloody pig mask, a fetal pig and a funeral wreath and live insects; sending private Twitter messages and public tweets criticizing the newsletter’s content and threatening to visit the victims in Natick; and traveling to Natick to surveil the victims and install a GPS tracking device on their car. The harassment also featured Craigslist posts inviting the public for sexual encounters at the victims’ home.
The victims spotted the surveillance team and contacted local police. After learning of the Natick Police Department’s investigation, Baugh made false statements to police and internal investigators, and he and his team deleted digital evidence related to the cyberstalking campaign and falsified records intended to throw the police off the trail.
The seven convicted eBay employees and contractors include Baugh, who was sentenced to 57 months in prison in September 2022; David Harville, former Director of Global Resiliency, who was sentenced to 24 months in prison in September 2022; Stephanie Popp, former Senior Manager of Global Intelligence, who was sentenced to 12 months in prison in October 2022; Philip Cooke, a former Senior Manager of Security Operations, who was sentenced to 18 months in prison and 12 months of home confinement in July 2021; Stephanie Stockwell and Veronica Zea, a former Manager of Global Intelligence and a contract intelligence analyst, respectively, who were each sentenced to one year in home confinement in October and November 2022. Brian Gilbert, a former Senior Manager of Security Operations, has pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy and FBI SAC Jodi Cohen made the announcement today. Valuable investigative assistance was provided by the Natick Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth B. Kosto, Deputy Chief of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit, prosecuted the case.
Winter Park Man Indicted for Receiving and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material over the InternetRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Kevin Scott Thompson (34, Winter Park) with three counts of receiving child sexual abuse material over the internet and one count of possession of child sexual abuse material. If convicted, Thompson faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison for each of the receipt counts, and up to 20 years’ imprisonment for the possession count.
According to court documents, law enforcement seized Thompson’s cellphone during a search of his home following an investigation into his activity of downloading child sexual abuse material from a file sharing program. While forensically examining the cellphone, investigators discovered numerous images and videos of child sexual abuse material. Some of the children depicted in the images and videos were under the age of 12 years old.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Sartoian.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Violent Member of ‘No Rats Allowed’ Crew Sentenced to 60 MonthsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Adrian Wade, 28, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced yesterday to 60 months in prison for being a convicted felon in possession a semi- automatic pistol and ammunition inside a known stash house on the 200 block of K Street, Southwest, when the townhome was raided in November 2021.
The announcement was made January 10 by U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves, FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
In addition to the prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Dabney L. Friedrich ordered Wade to serve five years of supervised release.
Wade pleaded guilty on September 29, 2023, to a charge of using, carrying, and possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking offense. The sentencing followed a lengthy investigation lead by the Metropolitan Police Department’s Narcotics Enforcement Unit (NEU), FBI’s Washington Field Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
The law enforcement partnership identified a crew of young men operating within on the 200 block of K Street, Southwest, with firearms, large amounts of U.S. currency, and illegal narcotics. The members of the group wore matching insignia on clothing printed with “NO RATS ALLOWED” or “N.R.A.” Wade, aka “AD”, and other members of the N.R.A. crew used several townhouses on the block as stash locations or “trap houses” for narcotics and firearms.
Between May 1, 2021, and continuing until November 3, 2021, members of N.R.A. operated out of a townhome they took over at 215 K Street, Southwest, where they would sell counterfeit prescription pills laced with fentanyl. Members of N.R.A. would refer to the townhome through text messages as the “Dope Hole.”
On November 3, 2021, members of NEU and agents from FBI executed a search warrant at 215 K Street Southwest. Inside the townhome, officers located Wade and multiple other N.R.A. members.
Law enforcement recovered 37 grams of cocaine base, 457 counterfeit prescription pills laced with fentanyl, marijuana, multiple bottles of promethazine, and four pistols. One of those pistols was modified with a “giggle switch,” a device that converted the firearm to function as a fully automatic machinegun. Law enforcement then recovered multiple cell phones belonging to each defendant, and search warrants into those phones revealed and ongoing distribution scheme starting around May of 2021. Subsequent DNA testing performed by FBI’s Laboratory in Quantico confirmed Wade’s DNA on one of the firearms, a Glock 23 pistol.
In announcing the sentencing, U.S. Attorney Graves, SAC Geist, and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, and MPD.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Gold, Justin F. Song, and Samuel Frey. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration also provided valuable assistance.
Vigo County Methamphetamine Trafficker Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
TERRE HAUTE- Russell Silvers, 59, of Terre Haute, Indiana, has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, on September 15, 2020, Vigo County Sheriff’s Office Deputies observed Silvers sell 15.5 grams of methamphetamine to an individual for $550. On November 17, 2021, Silvers was again observed selling 205.2 grams of pure methamphetamine in return for $3,260.
On January 6, 2022, officers with the Vigo County Drug Task Force arrested Silvers while walking from a local restaurant to his parked Mustang. At the time, Silvers was on bond for two state cases, possession of methamphetamine and criminal recklessness, and had two other pending state cases involving dealing cocaine and methamphetamine.
Investigators located two plastic bags containing 896 grams of methamphetamine mixture inside the trunk of the Mustang. During an interview with investigators, Silvers admitted that he was getting methamphetamine from his source in South Bend once every few weeks and would not travel for less than three pounds at a time.
Over the course of the six months leading up to his arrest, Silvers obtained and distributed approximately 8.164 kilograms of methamphetamine to people in Vigo County.
“The people of Vigo County are safer today because of this prosecution. The defendant is responsible for dealing kilogram quantities of methamphetamine into our communities, impacting countless lives and fueling the epidemic of substance abuse,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “This sentence demonstrates that major methamphetamine traffickers will face serious consequences in federal court. Our office is committed to partnering with outstanding federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in the Wabash Valley to take dangerous drugs and dangerous criminals off our streets.”
"When local and federal law enforcement work together, serious criminals are taken off the streets. Russell Silvers was given more than one opportunity to change the direction of his life, but he continued to prey upon our community with his weapon of choice, methamphetamine," said Vigo County Prosecutor Terry Modesitt. "We applaud the efforts of the Vigo County Drug Task Force and Sheriff's Office in putting together such a strong case against Mr. Silvers. And we appreciate the D.E.A. agents, U.S. Attorney Myers, and his team for their efforts in removing another drug dealer from our streets."
The DEA, Wabash Valley Drug Task Force, and Vigo County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case. The Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program provided valuable assistance and resources to support this operation. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge James P. Hanlon. Judge Hanlon also ordered that Silvers be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 5 years following his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Lindsay Karwoski who prosecuted this case.
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Victoria resident imprisoned for firing several shots at federal authoritiesRead the Press Release
VICTORIA, Texas – A 37-year-old man has been sentenced for aggravated assault of a federal officer with a deadly weapon, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Mark Anthony Garcia Jr. pleaded guilty Sept. 28, 2023.
U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Garcia to serve 120 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release.
On Dec. 1, 2022, at approximately 9 p.m., law enforcement approached the front door of Garcia’s residence and began to knock, loudly announcing their presence. After receiving no response, authorities attempted to force entry into the home through the front door, which was barricaded with a couch.
Law enforcement then broke the front glass window, made entry, announced their presence again and identified themselves as law enforcement with arrest warrants. They then began searching for Garcia inside of the home.
While in the hallway, authorities heard two gunshots coming from a back room and immediately exited the residence. At the time of the shots, there were a total of six law enforcement officer inside the residence. The shots were fired in close proximity to authorities, placing them in imminent danger of serious bodily injury or death.
They began negotiations which spanned several hours, during which Garcia admitted to having a firearm and threatening to use it. The negotiations failed, and Garcia fired at least five more gunshots from the back bedroom.
Authorities then deployed tear gas into the residence, removed Garcia and took him into custody.
He will remain there pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patti Hubert Booth prosecuted the case.
Vicksburg Man Sentenced to 50 Years in Prison for Production and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Vicksburg man was sentenced in federal court to serve a total of 50 years in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for production of child pornography and possession of child pornography.
According to court documents, beginning in January 2022, Samuel Boyd Slade, Jr., 43, produced images and videos depicting minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
In addition to his term of imprisonment, Slade was ordered to pay $6,000 in restitution to victims and a $6,000 assessment under the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018. Slade was also ordered to register as a sex offender.
United States Attorney Todd W. Gee and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Orench of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenda R. Haynes.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the 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.
United States Attorney’s Office Hosts Human Trafficking Simulation for Human Trafficking Awareness MonthRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO – United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston announced today that the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina (USAO-MDNC), in partnership with Triad Ladder of Hope and the Lexington Police Department, hosted a simulation for community members, law enforcement, and service organizations to learn about the warning signs of human trafficking and provide resources for victims.
Each year, the Department of Justice recognizes National Human Trafficking Awareness month in January in an effort to better educate the public about the signs of human trafficking and bring awareness to the victims. This year, the USAO-MDNC hosted its first human trafficking simulation to allow law enforcement, community members, and service providers a chance to learn more about what it is like to be a victim of human trafficking in order to better serve victims and their families. Over fifty participants from all around the state took part in this event, including service providers, NGOs, churches, medical providers, law enforcement, analysts, and victims’ services. Participants were also given a chance to speak with prosecutors and law enforcement about the government response to human trafficking and what resources are available.
“Human trafficking takes place in every state across the United States, and the public is law enforcement’s most valuable partner in identifying cases and preventing this heinous crime,” said United States Attorney Sandra Hairston. “Our office is proud to host this event to educate members of both the community and law enforcement on the ways to recognize and prevent human trafficking, and we will continue to prosecute these cases to the fullest extent of the law.”
If you or someone you know has experienced human trafficking, help is available. The National Human Trafficking Hotline provides free, confidential help, 24/7. Call: 1-888-373-7888; Text: HELP to 233733 (BEFREE); or Chat: humantraffickinghotline.org/chat. If you are experiencing an emergency, please call 911.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office to Co-Sponsor a “United Against Hate” Forum at Dover Public LibraryRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, in partnership with City of Dover Mayor Robin R. Christiansen and the Dover Police Department, will host a United Against Hate forum on January 25, 2024, at the Dover Public Library located at 35 Loockerman Plaza, Dover, DE 19901. The forum is free and open to the public. Seating is limited and admission is on a first-come, first-served basis. Light refreshments will be served.
Launched by the Department of Justice, United Against Hate is an initiative focused on improving efforts to combat hate crimes. Endeavoring to create and encourage cooperation and coordination, this forum aims to strengthen trust and build partnerships among community residents, community leaders and law enforcement.
“This forum is an education and awareness opportunity for community residents and community leaders to learn how we can work together to stand up against unlawful hate by identifying, reporting, and preventing acts of hate,” stated U.S. Attorney Weiss. “It is an honor to partner with Mayor Christiansen on such an important initiative.”
City of Dover Mayor Robin Christiansen stated, “I am deeply honored and appreciative of the partnership with the U.S. Department of Justice on their efforts to bring a forum for discussion and identification of hate crimes. It is imperative in the times we live in, that we are able to learn how we can assist authorities to help identify, prevent and respond to hate crimes. I would strongly urge all of our citizens to take the time to participate in this valuable and timely discussion of the ongoing issue that faces our country.”
“As a part of our community policing mission, it is essential that potential hate crimes are fully investigated so appropriate measures are taken against the offenders. Just as important is our goal of hate crime prevention and supporting healthy communities through education and alternative solutions. Bias, Hate or Discrimination has no place, or space, in Dover,” stated City of Dover Police Chief Thomas A. Johnson, Jr.
The January 25 event will include remarks from local leaders and presentations from prosecutors and law enforcement about hate crimes laws and reporting mechanisms.
For additional information, please email [email protected]. Media inquiries can be emailed to [email protected].
U.S. Attorney’s Office Observes National Human Trafficking Prevention MonthRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. To commemorate the month, Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, along with several members of the office, joined with Lutheran Community Services Northwest on Wednesday, January 10, to honor survivors of Human Trafficking at a community reception at the Spokane’s Central Public Library. Lutheran Community Services is one of the United States Attorney’s Office’s principal partners in fighting human trafficking and advocating for survivors. The program included a training session for victim advocates, and was attended by law enforcement personnel, anti-trafficking advocates, and resource providers from around the region.
From L to R: Jolene Jones, First Assistant United States Attorney Rich Barker, U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref, Assistant United States Attorney Ann Wick, and Michelle SpicerU.S. Attorney Waldref reaffirmed her commitment to the importance of federal prosecutors and community partners working together, “My office routinely partners with trauma-informed service providers to protect victims and survivors by connecting them with the resources and support they deserve. We also seek decades-long sentences for those who are convicted of keeping others enslaved through physical and sexual violence.”
Also this month, Assistant United States Attorney, Ann Wick, who serves as the Human Trafficking coordinator for the Eastern District, will be co-presenting a training for all deputy prosecuting attorneys in Spokane County. This training will focus on identifying the signs of trafficking in drug, property crime or domestic violence cases. The training will help put the focus on the victim’s needs, while also pursuing criminal charges.
Earlier this month, U.S. Attorney Waldref recorded a public service announcement, where she encouraged the public to learn the indicators of Human Trafficking and shared ways in join in the fight to prevent it.
If you are a victim of human trafficking or suspect you know one, please call the FBI, your local law enforcement, or the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1- 888-373-7888.
U.S. Attorney's Office Observes National Human Trafficking Prevention MonthRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. To commemorate the month and in observance of January 11th as National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, U.S. Attorney Dena J. King renewed the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s commitment to fight against human trafficking by bringing traffickers to justice, assisting trafficked victims, and enhancing public awareness through community outreach.
Human trafficking is a crime involving the exploitation of a person for labor, services, or commercial sex, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion that is physical and/or psychological. The exploitation of a minor for commercial sex is human trafficking regardless of whether any form of force, fraud, or coercion is used by the trafficker.
“Human trafficking is a despicable crime that is happening in our cities, our towns, and our communities,” said U.S. Attorney King. “Our notable federal prosecutions speak to our commitment to combat human trafficking and bring traffickers to justice. But there’s more work to be done. That’s why today, and every day, we are committed to working with our law enforcement partners, victim service providers, government entities, private businesses, and the community to combine and strengthen our anti-trafficking efforts. Together, we will ensure that traffickers who exploit human beings for profit are brought to justice, and that survivors receive the protection and assistance they need and deserve.”
To enhance awareness and educate the community about human trafficking, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has released a Public Service Announcement on how to identify potential trafficking situations and where to report suspected human trafficking activity.
2022 & 2023 Human Trafficking Prosecutions
In 2022 and 2023, the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s anti-trafficking efforts resulted in notable prosecutions that have led to federal charges, convictions, and lengthy prison sentences against individual traffickers:
U.S. v. Batten and King – In December 2023, a federal jury convicted Tawaan Batten, 33, of Charlotte, of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor, sex trafficking of a minor, and transportation of a minor with the intent to engage in commercial sexual activity. His co-defendant, Kristi Heather King, 33, of Locust, N.C. has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to sex traffic a minor. From July 2021 to December 2021, Batten engaged in a conspiracy to sex traffic a 15-year-old girl in North Carolina and South Carolina. Batten, who was at times assisted by King, posted advertisements of the minor victim on commercial sex websites, arranged the minor victim’s sexual encounters with customers, and booked hotel rooms where the encounters took place. Batten kept almost all of the money the victim earned from these commercial sexual encounters and used various physical and psychological ways to control the minor victim, including branding the minor victim with tattoos. Both Batten and King are in federal custody and are awaiting sentencing.
U.S. v. Reynolds – In May 2023, a federal grand jury in Charlotte indicted Yusef Reynolds, 32, of Delaware, with sex trafficking of a minor by force, fraud, or coercion, production of child pornography, transportation of a minor with the intent to engage in commercial sexual activity, and commission of a felony involving a minor while required to register as a sex offender. The indictment alleges that, between December 30, 2021, and January 25, 2022, in Mecklenburg County and elsewhere, Reynolds sex trafficked a victim who was not yet 18-years-old. It is furthered alleged that Reynolds engaged in the sex trafficking of the minor after he was convicted in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware for a federal sex trafficking crime involving a 17-year-old victim. The charges against Reynolds are pending and the defendant remains in federal custody.
U.S. v. Hasty – In March 2023, Milton Antonio Hasty, a/k/a “Montana,” 31, of Salisbury, N.C., was sentenced to 21 years in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for sex trafficking of a minor. From January 22, 2019, to June 5, 2019, Hasty sex trafficked an underage female, knowing the victim was a minor, for his financial benefit. Hasty met the victim through a mutual female acquaintance, and, upon meeting the victim, he took photographs of the victim, posted escort advertisements online, booked hotel rooms, and arranged the victim’s sexual encounters with customers. For over five months, Hasty and the minor victim traveled to various cities throughout North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, and Georgia, where the victim engaged in commercial sex acts. Hasty set up sexual encounters for the minor victim twenty-four hours a day and seven-days a week and kept almost all of the money the victim earned from these commercial sexual encounters.
U.S. v. Blair – On June 27, 2022, Dajuan Akeem Blair, 26, of Charlotte, was sentenced to more than 12 years in prison for sex trafficking of a minor. Blair was convicted of causing a minor female to engage in prostitution. The victim was a 16-year-old runaway, and she was introduced to Blair by a mutual friend, also a teenager, who had previously dated the defendant. Blair knew that both females were minors. On December 26, 2018, Blair rented a motel room in Charlotte, where he took pictures of the minors and used the pictures to advertise the minors for sex online. Over the next two days, Blair arranged sexual encounters for the minors and set the prices for those encounters. Blair then took a portion of the minor victim’s earnings from the commercial sex.
U.S. v. Luong – On June 15, 2022, Thuy Tien Luong, 38, of Charlotte, was ordered to serve 15 years in prison after a federal jury found that the defendant compelled the labor of one of her nail technicians at a salon she owned and operated in Davidson, N.C. From October 2016 to June 2018, Luong compelled the victim’s labor by, among other things, physically assaulting the victim, threatening to ruin the victim’s reputation with her family, and falsely claiming that the victim owed Luong a fictitious debt.
U.S. v. McIllwain – On January 26, 2022, Simone Cherelle McIllwain, 30, of Charlotte, was sentenced to more than 19 years in prison for sex trafficking of a minor from December 2, 2019, to December 19, 2019. The minor victim was introduced to McIllwain through a mutual acquaintance, and shortly thereafter McIllwain began to advertise the victim online for commercial sex. McIllwain also arranged for the minor to engage in sex acts at McIllwain’s hotel room in Charlotte and the defendant kept a portion of the proceeds. At the time of the offense, McIllwain was on supervised release for a 2014 federal conviction in Florida, for transporting a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity.
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If you believe you are the victim of human trafficking or have information about a potential trafficking situation, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
Specialists are available to answer calls 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also send a text to 233733 or submit a tip online.
You can also contact the Charlotte Office of the FBI at 704-672-6100, or your local law enforcement agency.
U.S. Attorney and ATF Release New Public Service Announcement Warning Against Possession of Machine Gun Conversion DevicesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Los Angeles Field Division today launched a public service announcement designed to raise awareness on the dangers of machine gun conversion devices, sometimes known as “switches,” “chips” or “auto sears.”
The PSA features United States Attorney Martin Estrada and ATF Los Angeles leadership highlighting the dangers of using illegal conversion devices in firearms and how possession of these devices can lead to federal prosecution and incarceration.
“In the last five years, ATF has recovered more than 31,000 machine gun conversion devices,” said ATF LA Field Division Special Agent in Charge Christopher Bombardiere. “These devices are not gun accessories. They are illegal and considered machine guns under federal law. This current machine gun conversion device trend is similar to what we saw when ghost guns emerged more than a decade ago.”
“Protecting the public is our priority and gun ‘switches’ pose a real danger to the community,” said U.S. Attorney Estrada. “Simply possessing a conversion device can carry a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, and law enforcement is committed to eradicating them for everyone’s safety.”
Conversion devices can convert semi-automatic pistols and rifles into fully automatic weapons in less than 60 seconds. One pull of the trigger can release all the ammunition in the magazine.
The PSA encourages the public to contact the local ATF office if they know someone making, selling or possessing a conversion device. Individuals are also encouraged to contact an ATF office if they need to safely dispose of a conversion device.
Conversion devices are advertised using misleading names and deceptive descriptions intended to avoid detection by law enforcement and defeat protocols used by internet vendors. Often the devices are advertised with the assertion that the purchase and possession of the devices is lawful. This is not true. A conversion device just on its own is considered an illegal machine gun under federal law and cannot be possessed, even without a pistol or rifle. Both the National Firearms Act and the Gun Control Act regulate machine guns.
The definition of a machine gun under 26 U.S.C. § 5845(b) and 18 U.S.C. § 921(a)(23) includes:
- Any weapon which shoots, is designed to shoot, or can be readily restored to shoot, automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger.
- The combination of parts designed and intended for use in converting a weapon into a machine gun.
The 60-second PSA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnlJ6HMpkMI
The 30-second PSA: https://youtu.be/XFw7abax_EM
The 30-second radio PSA: https://atf.widen.net/s/sg9mltzxk9/california-psa-30-sec.-radio-spot
U.S. Attorney Hosts Human Trafficking Awareness Training for Southeast RaleighRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Michael Easley and the Ship Outreach and Community Center hosted a Human Trafficking Awareness Training today to foster education and awareness of this crime. More than 150 individuals from law enforcement and local community service organizations were in attendance for the half-day training, which featured speakers from Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and multiple community service organizations that provide support to victims of human trafficking. Attendees also heard from a survivor of human trafficking.
“Raising awareness about human trafficking, a crime that often happens in plain sight, is vital to our efforts to stop it,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “We are using every tool available to combat this heinous crime and want victims to know that there are resources available to support them.”
“We are coming together to work towards ending human trafficking: Unite against the exploitation of lives, as every person deserves freedom and dignity,” said Pastor Christopher Jones of the Ship Outreach and Community Center.
“Investigating human trafficking is a top priority for HSI throughout the United States and internationally. By taking a victim-centered approach, HSI is able to disrupt and dismantle these organizations that seek to exploit the most vulnerable of our society for their own financial gain,” said Kyle D. Burns, Deputy Special Agent in Charge of HSI Charlotte, which covers both North and South Carolina. “Training such as this is paramount in our efforts to tackle human trafficking and encourages strong partnerships throughout both the private and public sector. HSI Charlotte is also proud to partner with the Washington, DC based Center for Countering Human Trafficking (CCHT). The CCHT is HSI-led and is the first US government unified, inter-component coordination center for countering human trafficking and special agents will be on hand to discuss HSI’s strategies to combat human trafficking and support victims at this important event.”
“As we recognize Human Trafficking Awareness Day around the world, it is important for everyone to be aware that no community is immune,” said Dawn Ferrer, Executive Director of A Safe Place. “It impacts men and women, boys and girls of all races, ethnicities and backgrounds and it is commonly interrelated with domestic violence, substance use and mental illness. In order to ensure survivors are identified and assisted in a trauma informed manner, we must all recognize the signs of this ‘hidden in plain sight’ crime as well as understand the most common vulnerabilities to help prevent victimization from occurring.”
“Human Trafficking is the fastest-growing crime in the world,” said Traci Klein, Executive Director of True Justice. “It has surpassed both drug and arms trafficking, and North Carolina is consistently ranked in the top 10 reported cases of human trafficking. It is a global epidemic that is happening right here in our local communities. We cannot sit by and expect others to abolish this heinous crime. There are numerous ways to get involved. Become aware of and share the warning signs, host an awareness event, and donate your time and talents to organizations fighting human trafficking. Together we make a difference.”
Two Mexican Nationals Plead Guilty to Assaulting a Federal OfficerRead 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 Jose Maria Reyes-Fuentes and his brother Juventino Darinel Reyes-Fuentes pled guilty in federal court to assault upon a federal officer involving physical contact. Jose Maria, 23, and Juventino Darinel, 29, both Mexican nationals, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
According to court documents, on Aug. 20, 2023, a Border Patrol Agent from the Santa Teresa Patrol Station was pursuing a group of five to seven migrants using an all-terrain vehicle (ATV). After a brief search, the agent located Juventino Darinel hiding in a bush. The agent pulled Juventino Darniel out of the bush and began to handcuff him. After the agent had placed the first handcuff on, but before the agent had completed securing him, Juventino Darinel began to resist the agent. During the ensuing struggle, Juventino Darinel shouted, at which time Jose Maria rose up approximately 20 yards away and ran towards the agent with a stick. The agent disengaged from Juventino Darinel, drew his duty weapon, and commanded Jose Maria to stop in Spanish. Juventino Darinel then tackled the agent and climbed on top of him. While he was on the ground, Jose Maria made contact with the agent during the altercation. The agent felt Juventino Darinel reach for his weapon and commanded him to stop in Spanish again. The agent then fired his weapon at Juventino Darniel’s leg. The firearm malfunctioned and the agent lost control of the weapon.
Juventino Darniel disengaged from the agent and Jose Maria wrestled the agent’s weapon from the agent before tossing the weapon away. Juventino Darinel and Jose Maria then mounted the agent’s ATV and drove into the dessert.
Other agents tracked the ATV and located it at the bottom of a mesa. Juventino Darinel and Jose Maria were located on top of the mesa by a Border Patrol helicopter. Agents climbed the mesa and located the two men and arrested them.
At sentencing, Juventino Darinel and Jose Maria face up to eight years in prison.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau Investigation investigated this case with assistance from the U.S. Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Ramirez is prosecuting the case.
View the Criminal Complaint View Jose Maria's Plea Agreement View Juventino's Plea Agreement# # #
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Two Men from South Louisiana Sentenced on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced the sentencing of two South Louisiana men on child pornography charges. The two defendants and their charges are as follows:
Bryan Anthony Foote, 50, of Westlake, Louisiana, has been sentenced by United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. to 204 months (17 years) in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, on a child pornography charge. Foote pleaded guilty to a Bill of Information charging him with one count of receipt of child pornography on August 17, 2023.
During the months of February and March 2022, agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) learned through their investigation that Foote had received multiple images of minor females, all under the age of 18 years old, engaging in sexually explicit conduct. These images were sexually suggestive and had been exchanged for sexual gratification for both the sender and receiver. Foote admitted to receiving and possessing these images by using the internet.
The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Casey Richmond.
Brodie Carlton Thibodeaux, 35, of Church Point, Louisiana, was sentenced by United States District Judge Robert R. Summerhays to 180 months (15 years) in prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release, for one count of receiving child pornography. Thibodeaux pleaded guilty to the charge on September 19, 2023.
Law enforcement agents with the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation (LBI) began an investigation after receiving a cybertip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that files containing child sexual abuse material had been uploaded by an individual. A search warrant was obtained and on February 10, 2023, law enforcement officers with the LBI and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations executed the search warrant at Thibodeaux’s residence in Church Point. Their investigation confirmed that Thibodeaux was the user of the account that had uploaded the images. As a result of the search of his residence, agents located and seized a cell phone from Thibodeaux’s bedroom. A forensic analysis of that phone confirmed that more than 100 still images and more than 100 videos containing child sexual abuse material were stored on the phone. Thibodeaux admitted to receiving these still and video images over the internet.
The case was investigated by U.S. Homeland Security Investigations and LBI and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Craig R. Bordelon.
These cases are part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice nationwide initiative 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, Project Safe Childhood combines 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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Two Men Plead Guilty to Trafficking FirearmsRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Two men pleaded guilty to trafficking firearms from Alabama, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson.
Yesterday, Juan Antonio Duran, 28, of Watford City, North Dakota, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to provide a false statement to a federal firearm licensee (FFL), false statement during the purchase of a firearm, straw purchasing a firearm, and firearms trafficking.
In November 2023, Jose Nicolas Flores, 31, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to provide a false statement to an FFL, false statement during the purchase of a firearm, straw purchasing a firearm, and firearms trafficking.
Both men pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Court Judge L. Scott Coogler.
According to related court documents, between May 9, 2023, and May 11, 2023, Duran conspired with Flores to purchase at least three firearms from an FFL in the Northern District of Alabama. Flores, the straw purchaser, falsified documents by specifically stating that he was the actual buyer when in fact he was buying the firearms for Duran. On May 9, 2011, after Duran and Flores traveled into Alabama, Flores attempted to purchase three Barrett .50 caliber rifles from the FFL but was told the transaction was delayed pending completion of a background check. Instead, Flores purchased the FFL’s entire stock of Barrett .50 caliber rifle magazines. Flores paid $2,769 in cash for the 15 rifle magazines. The next day, the FFL called Duran and Flores and informed them that the background was complete, and the transfer could proceed. On May 11, 2023, Duran and Flores returned to the FFL from out of state. Flores recertified the document stating that he was the actual buyer and provided approximately $31,000 in cash before being detained by ATF agents. Flores told the ATF agents that he received the bulk cash from Duran for the purpose of buying firearms for Duran. Meanwhile, Duran was detained while moving their vehicle in anticipation of receiving the rifles. During a search of Duran’s property, agents found a receipt for three Barrett .50 caliber rifles purchased by another person from an FFL in Grimes, Iowa, on April 28, 2023. The purchase was made in cash for $35,843.91.
The ATF investigated the case along with the Birmingham Police Department, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles. Homeland Security Investigations provided translation and technical support. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel S. McBrayer and Brittney L. Plyler are prosecuting the case.
Three Men Indicted for Breaking into Dunham’s Sports and Stealing 25 FirearmsRead the Press Release
BAY CITY – A federal grand jury in Bay City returned an indictment yesterday charging Eben Gray II, 19 of Flint, Jermain L. Williams, 18 of Flint, and Donald R. Carson, 21 of Flint, for their role in breaking into a Dunham’s Sports store located in Burton, Michigan and stealing 25 firearms, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Joining in the announcement was James Deir, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Detroit Field Division.
The three men were charged with conspiracy to steal firearms from a federally licensed firearms dealer and to possess stolen firearms, theft of firearms from a federally licensed firearms dealer, and possession of stolen firearms.
As alleged in the indictment and other court documents, sometime in December of 2023, the three men and others conspired to break into Dunham’s, steal firearms, and then sell those firearms for profit. During the day on December 15, 2023, Gray and Williams went to Dunham’s to learn about their gun shop and to obtain information to assist them in planning the burglary. Later that same day, and into the early morning hours of December 16, 2023, the three men and two juveniles drove to a location near Dunham’s where they parked their car and approached Dunham’s on foot. The group, all of whom were wearing masks, broke a window at the store and forced their way through a metal security gate. Once inside the store, the group broke a glass display case and stole 25 firearms. They placed the firearms into bags and then fled the scene. The indictment alleges that the men later sold or otherwise disposed of the firearms.
“Stealing firearms and putting those stolen guns out on the streets of our community is both reprehensible and dangerous. We will continue to hold to account those individuals who threaten the safety of our communities with their reckless behavior,” said U.S. Attorney Ison.
“Robberies and burglaries of gun dealers represent one of the biggest threats to our community’s public safety. Eben Gray, Jermain Williams, and Donald Carson are nothing more than common-day thugs who put personal greed before the safety of our community. In my experience, said Special Agent in Charge James Deir, “these folks represent the most deserving candidates for Federal prosecution. In the end, they’ll have a lot of time to reflect on their wrongdoing.”
The grand jury also returned an indictment against Gray for possessing a machinegun in a separate incident on December 17, 2023.
This case was investigated by the special agents from the ATF and the Burton Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Turkelson. Anyone with any information on those stolen guns is asked to contact the ATF at 1-800-atf-guns.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Three Individuals Plead to Staged Automobile Accident ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that both DIMITRI FRAZIER (“FRAZIER”), age 31, of Westwego, Louisiana; ADONTE TURNER (“A. TURNER”), age 25, of New Orleans; and TIFFANY TURNER (“T. TURNER”), age 52, also of New Orleans, pled guilty on January 10, 2024 to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. January 10th’s guilty pleas bring the total number of defendants convicted in “Operation Sideswipe” to 47.
According to court documents, on November 13, 2017, FRAZIER, A. TURNER, and T. TURNER intentionally struck a tractor-trailer in the area of Interstate 10 near Paris Road in New Orleans. FRAZIER, A. TURNER, and T. TURNER made false police reports, filed fraudulent lawsuits, lied during deposition testimony, and sought unnecessary medical treatment in furtherance of their fraud .
These defendants face up to five (5) years of imprisonment, up to three (3) years of supervised release, and up to a fine of up to $250,000.00. A $100 mandatory special assessment fee is also applicable. The Honorable Sarah S. Vance set sentencing for April 10, 2024.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office would like to acknowledge the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Louisiana State Police, and the Metropolitan Crime Commission with this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Carboni, Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Rivera, all of the Financial Crimes Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Supervisor of the Financial Crimes Unit.
Temple Terrace Woman Indicted for Possession of Stolen FirearmsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Laela Marme (18, Temple Terrace) with possession of stolen firearms. If convicted, Marme faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison.
According to court documents, on October 28, 2023, Marme stole five firearms, including four handguns and a semi-automatic rifle, from a victim with whom she was in an ongoing relationship. Multiple photographs and videos were located on Marme’s Instagram account depicting her in possession of the stolen firearms.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Tampa Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.
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 for occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Sullivan County Heroin Dealer Sentenced to 200 Months in Prison for Overdose of 26-Year-Old WomanRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that STEVEN JONES was sentenced to 200 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Karas for his distribution of heroin and fentanyl that resulted in the death of Jamie Elliott, a 26-year-old woman from Cochecton, New York. Today’s sentencing followed JONES’s guilty plea on November 29, 2021.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Steven Jones sold the fentanyl-laced heroin that killed Jamie Elliott, a 26-year-old mother. Even after Jones’s drugs killed Jamie Elliott, he continued to peddle dangerous opioids. This senseless tragedy could have been avoided, and we will continue to seek lengthy prison terms for those who poison others and add to the death toll of the opioid epidemic.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in related court proceedings:
On June 1, 2018, the defendant sold fentanyl-laced heroin stamped “Dorney Park,” to Elliott, the mother of one of the defendant’s children. Ms. Elliott was found dead inside her bedroom the following morning. An autopsy conducted following Ms. Elliott’s death revealed that she had died from a lethal dose of fentanyl. New York State Police (“NYSP”) investigators recovered additional bags of “Dorney Park” fentanyl-laced heroin in Ms. Elliott’s clothing.
Facebook Messenger messages reflected that Ms. Elliott had purchased narcotics from JONES the evening before her death. The day Ms. Elliott’s death was discovered, the defendant deactivated his Facebook account. But the defendant did not stop selling dangerous drugs. Shortly before his September 2, 2018, arrest the defendant obtained 500 more glassine envelopes of heroin for sale.
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In addition to the prison term, JONES, 37, of Monticello, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force and the NYSP in connection with this investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Coffman is in charge of the prosecution.
Stilwell Resident Pleads Guilty to Felon in Possession of Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Lewis Reynaldi Cypress, age 39, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Indictment charging him with one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition.
The Indictment alleged that on December 3, 2023, Cypress knowingly possessed a 9mm semi-automatic pistol, a .22 caliber semi-automatic rifle, and rounds of 9mm and .22 caliber ammunition after having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Stilwell Police Department.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea in Muskogee, and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Assistant United States Attorney Michael E. Robinson represented the United States.
St. Louis Man Indicted on Armed Robbery, Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis, Missouri was accused in an indictment Wednesday of the armed robbery of a store in October.
The indictment accuses Divontay Scott, 33, of the Oct. 17, 2023, armed robbery of a Family Dollar store in St. Louis. Scott was indicted on three felony counts: robbery, possession and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The robbery charge is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both. The felon in possession charge is punishable by of up to 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both. The possession and brandishing charge carries a penalty of at least seven years in prison, consecutive to the other charges.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Lake is prosecuting the case.
St. Louis County Man Accused of Two CarjackingsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from Jennings, Missouri on Wednesday was indicted in connection with two carjackings in October.
Ahmod Samez Moore, 28, of Jennings, was indicted on two counts of carjacking and two counts of possession and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. The indictment alleges that Moore stole a Kia Optima at gunpoint on Oct. 5, 2023, in St. Louis County and a GMC Envoy five days later, also at gunpoint, in St. Louis.
The carjacking charges are each punishable by up to 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both. The brandishing charges carries a penalty of at least seven years in prison, consecutive to any other charges.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The County Club Hills Police Department, the St. Louis County Police Department, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Finlen is prosecuting 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.
St. Louis Area Doctors Accused of Illegally Administering Ketamine, Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Two doctors from the St. Louis, Missouri area were indicted Wednesday and accused of illegally administering ketamine to patients and fraudulently billing Medicare for certain services related to a psychiatric clinic.
Dr. Asim Muhammad Ali, 53, and Dr. Mohd Azfar Malik, 70, were each indicted on 22 felony counts: conspiracy to illegally distribute controlled substances and to maintain a drug-involved premises, conspiracy to commit health care fraud, 12 counts of illegal distribution of a controlled substance, seven counts of making false statements related to health care matters and one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises.
The indictment says Dr. Ali, an internal medical specialist, defrauded Medicare when he falsely used Dr. Malik’s name and Medicare billing number to bill for health care services, including annual wellness visits. The indictment also says Dr. Ali illegally administered intravenous ketamine and a nasal spray version of the drug without authorization.
Among businesses owned by Dr. Malik, a psychiatrist, was COPE Ketamine Clinic in south St. Louis County, the indictment says. COPE was created to provide intravenous ketamine infusions for serious mental health illnesses, such as treatment-resistant depression, anxiety disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Dr. Malik had a Drug Enforcement Administration registration authorizing him to administer controlled substances but not at the office suite housing COPE, the indictment says. He was also enrolled in the Spravato Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy Program (REMS), which authorized him to administer the prescription esketamine nasal spray Spravato. Spravato is used to treat treatment-resistant depression and depressive symptoms in adults with major depressive disorder with suicidal thoughts or actions. Due to the risks of the drug, Spravato is only available through REMS and must be administered under the direct supervision of a healthcare provider who is onsite for at least two hours to monitor patients.
Dr. Ali did not have a DEA registration and thus was not authorized to administer ketamine unless he was being directly supervised by and in the physical presence of a practitioner with a DEA registration, and only if the ketamine was being administered in a DEA-registered location, the indictment says.
Dr. Ali was also suspended from participation in the Missouri Medicaid program in December 2020 and had a duty to report that to Medicare, it says. The indictment says he failed to do so and failed to fulfill his obligation to inform Medicare that he was providing services to Medicare beneficiaries through Dr. Malik's businesses.
The indictment alleges that beginning in December 2020, Dr. Malik and Dr. Ali agreed that Dr. Ali would use Dr. Malik's DEA registration to administer ketamine infusions to patients without direct supervision by Dr. Malik and outside of Dr. Malik's physical presence. Dr. Malik knew that Dr. Ali could not lawfully dispense controlled substances, including ketamine, without Dr. Malik's physical presence and supervision, it says. Dr. Ali and Dr. Malik also determined that Dr. Malik could simply "say hi" to the ketamine patients, typically via telephone, as a purported justification for Dr. Ali handling their ketamine treatment, the indictment says.
The indictment also alleges that Dr. Malik and Dr. Ali unlawfully stored ketamine and esketamine at COPE.
“Our agency is committed to investigating medical providers who undermine our federal health care programs and the well-being of patients by submitting alleged fraudulent claims. This case serves as a reminder that health care professionals have a duty to bill for services and prescribe controlled substances responsibly”, said Acting Special Agent in Charge Curt L. Muller of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.
"The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Diversion Program is dedicated to patient safety and oversight of all medical professionals registered with DEA,” said Diversion Program Manager Kim Daniels, DEA’s lead for the Diversion program in Missouri, Kansas and southern Illinois. “With the support of our enforcement partners, DEA will investigate to the maximum extent of our ability to ensure these individuals are prevented from risking lives within our communities.”
The conspiracy charges each carry the possibility of a penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a fine. The illegal distribution of a controlled substance charge carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of $500,000 or both. The false statements charge carries a penalty of up to five years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. The charge of maintaining a drug-involved premises carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison and/or a $500,000 fine.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The FBI, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Missouri Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Sestric is prosecuting the case.
Springfield, Illinois, Woman Sentenced to 54 Months for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Springfield, Illinois, woman, Heather Horrighs, 44, was sentenced on January 10, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Colleen R. Lawless to 54 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for bank robbery.
At the sentencing hearing, the Court found that Horrighs and co-defendant Theodis Parnell jointly planned to rob the Alliance Community Bank located at 6530 North IL-29 in Springfield, IL. On September 13, 2021, Parnell drove Horrighs to the area of the bank where he remained in the vehicle with the engine running. Horrighs then entered the bank with a package that she said contained a bomb. After receiving money from two tellers, Horrighs left the bank and Parnell acted as the getaway driver. The pair stole a total of $12,888 from the bank. Parnell was previously sentenced to 51 months in federal prison.
Horrighs was indicted in November 2021 and pleaded guilty in January 2023. She has remained in the custody of the United States Marshal Service since her arrest.
The statutory penalties for bank robbery are up to 20 years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Springfield Field Office, with assistance from the Springfield Police Department and the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Z. Weir represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Horrighs and Parnell 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 Pleads Guilty to Cocaine DistributionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Springfield man pleaded guilty today to possessing cocaine intended for distribution.
Hector Quinones, 44, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for May 9, 2024. Quinones was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2022.
On Jan. 20, 2022, Quinones possessed with intent to distribute 236 grams of cocaine.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute cocaine provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. 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; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration in New England; and Cheryl Clapprood, Superintendent of the Springfield Police Department made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd E. Newhouse of the Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
Seven Individuals Indicted for Violent Kidnappings in QueensRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, a superseding indictment was unsealed charging Syed Rubel Ahmed, Shahed Alom, Abu Chowdhury, Anzu Khan and Sultana Razia with one count of kidnapping and one count of conspiracy to kidnap John Doe-1; Abu Chowdhury and Iffat Lubna with one count of conspiracy to kidnap John Doe-2. Abu Chowdhury and his wife Lubna were previously charged with kidnapping John Doe-2 in the underlying indictment. The defendants and the victims are members of the same ethnic community in Queens. Ahmed, Alom, Khan and Razia were arrested today and are scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Joseph M. Marutollo. Abu Chowdhury and Lubna were previously arrested and will be arraigned on the superseding indictment at a later date. A seventh defendant remains at large.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Edward A. Caban, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the arrests and charges.
“As alleged, the defendants carried out acts of brutal physical and sexual assault of the victims,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “The defendants allegedly exploited their shared ethnic background with the victims in furtherance of the crimes. I urge anyone who believes they were victims of these defendants to contact the United States Attorney’s Office at https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/report-crime.”
Mr. Peace thanked the Joint Violent Crimes Task Force, which is comprised of agents from the FBI and detectives from the NYPD, for their assistance with the investigation.
“The violent physical and sexual assaults these defendants allegedly inflicted upon the victims they kidnapped were disturbing beyond measure. Violent crimes of any nature have no place in our society, and those who perpetrate such crimes will find themselves facing the full extent of our justice system--the FBI and the FBI New York Joint Violent Crimes Task Force is here to make sure of it,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Smith.
“The men and women of the NYPD condemn these deeply disturbing allegations,” stated NYPD Commissioner Caban. “We and our law enforcement partners take extremely seriously all accusations of violence and abuse and remain dedicated to eradicating such criminal behavior from the streets of New York City.”
The March 27, 2023 Kidnapping of John Doe-1 in Jamaica, Queens
As alleged in the superseding indictment and detailed in court filings, over the course of approximately 13 hours on March 27, 2023, Ahmed, Alom, Chowdhury, Khan, Razia and a co-conspirator, abducted and assaulted a victim (“John Doe-1”) off a public street in Jamaica, Queens. John Doe-1 had been walking in the vicinity of 181st Street and Hillside Avenue when Chowdhury allegedly forced him into a Honda SUV. Inside the SUV, Chowdhury began beating John Doe-1 as the co-conspirator drove them around Queens. During the kidnapping, Chowdhury forced John Doe-1 to exit the SUV and filmed the victim standing naked in a residential neighborhood. Ahmed, Alom, Khan and Razia communicated with Abu Chowdhury via cellular telephone during the kidnapping, met Chowdhury at different points throughout the night, and took part in further beating and threats to kill John Doe-1. When John Doe-1 begged for water from the kidnappers, the defendants gave him water laced with a sedative. John Doe-1 later lost consciousness and woke up in a local hospital the day after he had been abducted.
The May 11, 2023 Kidnapping of John Doe-2 in Woodside, Queens
As alleged in the superseding indictment and detailed in court filings, over the course of approximately three days beginning on May 11, 2023, Chowdhury and Lubna abducted and assaulted John Doe-2. John Doe-2 had been waiting to meet Lubna outside a restaurant in the vicinity of 72nd Street and Broadway in Woodside, Queens, when Chowdhury forced John Doe-2 into a minivan and began beating him. During the kidnapping, Chowdhury, Lubna and a co-conspirator took John Doe-2 to a hotel, where Chowdhury sodomized John Doe-2. Chowdhury also made a ransom call to John Doe-2’s father, demanding $20,000 for the victim’s safety. The neighborhood where the abduction occurred is an ethnic community which the defendants exploited in warning the victim that they could easily find him if he cooperated with law enforcement. On the third day of the kidnapping, Chowdhury tied up and blindfolded John Doe-2, leaving him at an abandoned house. John Doe-2 was able to free himself by chewing through his restraints, breaking open a window and asking residents in the neighborhood to call 911.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of all counts, the defendants face a maximum of life imprisonment.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Stephanie Pak and Vincent Chiappini are in charge of the prosecution with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Katrina Batista.
Defendants Previously Charged:
ABU CHOWDHURY
Age: 34
Jamaica, QueensIFFAT LUBNA
Age: 24
Jamaica, QueensNewly-Charged Defendants:
SYED RUBEL AHMED
Age: 43
Jamaica, QueensSHAHED ALOM
Age: 29
Jamaica, QueensANZU KHAN
Age: 28
Jamaica, QueensSULTANA RAZIA
Age: 38
Woodside, QueensE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-278 (S-1) (NRM)
Serial Bank Robber Arrested After String of RobberiesRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Justin Eric Lindsay, 28, was arrested Saturday morning by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a string of bank robberies committed between August 12, 2023, and January 6, 2024. Lindsay was charged by federal criminal complaint with committing five bank robberies and one attempted bank robbery.
The complaint alleges that, since August 2023, Lindsay has robbed five banks, including branches of Chase and U.S. Bank. According to the complaint, Lindsay would enter a bank and hand a teller a demand note for money. At four of the robberies, Lindsay claimed he had a gun, although no firearm was ever shown. On Saturday, Lindsay was arrested shortly after robbing a U.S. Bank branch in Mesa.
A complaint is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The United States will have up to 30 days from arrest to seek an indictment of Lindsay.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case, with assistance from the Mesa and Tempe police departments. Assistant United States Attorney Ben Goldberg, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 24-09042MJ
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-004_Lindsay# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Seattle man making drug sales in car stolen from Childrens’ Hospital sentenced to eight years in prisonRead the Press Release
Seattle – A Seattle man arrested in a car that had been stolen from a Children’s Hospital garage, was sentenced on Tuesday January 9, 2024, to eight years in prison, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Timothy Robert Laucks, 42, pleaded guilty on September 26, 2023, to possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. U.S. District Judge James L. Robart imposed three years of supervised release to follow the prison term.
According to records filed in the case, Laucks was spotted driving a car that had been stolen at the Childrens’ Hospital parking garage, while the owner was inside with a sick child. The car was taken on October 30th and just days later, on November 4, 2022, Seattle Police spotted the car in the Ballard neighborhood. Officers observed the car for a few hours while the driver, Laucks, drove to various homeless encampments in the Seattle area. At these locations, officers observed Laucks carrying a pizza box and trafficking narcotics to members of the homeless encampments.
Officers followed Laucks, who drove to a downtown grocery store parking lot. When officers pulled their marked patrol car pulled in front of the stolen car, Laucks hit the accelerator crashing into the patrol car. He attempted to flee on foot but was caught within moments.
While running, Laucks attempted to toss his jacket and backpack. Those were recovered by officers. In the jacket was a .40 semi-automatic pistol that had been reported stolen in Redmond, Washington. In the backpack were multiple narcotics packaged for distribution, including zanax, fentanyl pills, powder, cocaine, meth, and heroin. Laucks had a second handgun and more than $8,000 cash on him when arrested.
Laucks claimed he had purchased the car from someone else and didn’t realize it had been stolen from a family with a sick child, until he saw some medical paperwork in the car. He told officers he had intended to return the car and the paperwork but “got busy making drops,” or drug sales.
Laucks was indicted by the grand jury on March 1st, 2023.
Laucks has multiple prior convictions which prohibit him from possessing firearms, including felony convictions in Whatcom and Skagit Counties. In asking for a nine-year prison sentence, Assistant United States Attorney Cecelia Gregson wrote to the court, “As a prohibited person, the defendant was precluded from possessing any firearms, let alone using them to traffic drugs. Seattle Police officers observed the defendant peddling drugs thinly disguised in a pizza box to various homeless communities in the city. The defendant’s prior encounters with the criminal system have failed to deter or dissuade him from selling drugs and carrying firearms.”
The case was investigated by the Seattle Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Cecelia Gregson.
Salem Resident Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Salem, Mass. man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Andrew R. Sorrento, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani to six years in prison and five years of supervised release. In October 2023, Sorrento pleaded guilty to possession and distribution of child pornography.
In July 2022, Sorrento was identified as an individual distributing CSAM via social media and text messages. During a search of Sorrento’s Salem residence on Dec. 9, 2022, his cell phone was seized and found to contain 23 images and seven videos depicting CSAM – including images of a child under 12-years-old.
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 Homeland Security Investigations in Calgary (Canada). Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of the Major Crimes Unit 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.
Sacramento Man Sentenced to over 7 Years in Prison for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Bryan Tamblyn, 40, of Sacramento, was sentenced today to seven years and three months in prison for receipt of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. He was also ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution to a victim in the case, and a $5,000 Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act assessment.
According to court records, between July 2018 and August 2019, Tamblyn used a BitTorrent client to knowingly receive thousands of files containing visual depictions of children engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Some of those files included children under the age of 12.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force, the Sacramento Sheriff’s Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina McCall prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Repeat Sex Offender from Sun Prairie Sentenced to 18 Years for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Robert D. Sutton, Jr., 52, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 18 years in prison for producing child pornography. This term of imprisonment is to be followed by a lifetime period of supervised release. Sutton pleaded guilty to this charge on October 3, 2023.
In May 2021, law enforcement received information that Sutton was sexually assaulting Minor A, then age 13, and Minor B, then age 15. As part of the investigation, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Sutton’s phone and found numerous close-up images of him assaulting the minors.
Sutton was convicted of assaulting a different minor in 2007, and as a result, he was required to register as a sex offender. He was in violation of that requirement at the time he assaulted Minors A and B in the federal case.
Judge Conley stated that Sutton was calculating and manipulative, and that the most disturbing part of the case was Sutton’s willingness and ability to manipulate both adults and children in order to use the children for sexual gratification. Judge Conley was also troubled that Sutton did not seem to recognize the lifelong injury to his victims due to his actions.
The charge against Sutton was the result of an investigation conducted by the Sun Prairie Police Department and the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the Dane County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anita Boor and Elizabeth Altman prosecuted this case.
This investigation was a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. 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.
Readout of Justice Department’s Interagency Convening on Advancing Equity in Artificial IntelligenceRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division convened a meeting yesterday with the heads of civil rights offices and senior officials from multiple federal agencies to discuss the critical intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and civil rights as directed by President Biden’s Executive Order on the Safe, Secure and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence.
In her opening remarks, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke detailed the division’s comprehensive approach to address the potential impact of AI on civil rights through enforcement, education and outreach, interagency coordination and policy. She highlighted the division’s joint statement with federal partners explaining AI’s potential impact on civil rights, fair competition, consumer protection and equal opportunity and our collective commitment to combating unlawful use of AI systems. She also noted the division’s guidance explaining how algorithms and AI can lead to disability discrimination in hiring and the important work of the division’s internal AI Civil Rights Working Group.
During the meeting, attendees discussed their efforts to safeguard civil rights through robust enforcement, policy initiatives and ongoing education and outreach. Agency representatives explored ways to leverage shared resources to address discrimination or other adverse situations that may arise through the use of AI and other advanced technologies. Participants also provided updates on their respective obligations under the executive order, which include developing and issuing policies, guidance and other resource documents on the application of existing federal civil rights and consumer protection laws to the use of AI in areas such as education, employment, healthcare, housing and credit. All participants highlighted the importance of educating the public about how AI and similar systems can violate federal protections and the need to develop holistic remedies to address those harms.
Attendees at the interagency convening included Chair Charlotte Burrows of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Director Rohit Chopra of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Director of Civil Rights Melanie Fontes Rainer of the Department of Health and Human Services and Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia of the Department of Homeland Security. Additional officials participated from the following agencies: the Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce, Department of Education, Department of Energy, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of the Interior, Department of Labor, Department of Transportation, Department of the Treasury, Federal Trade Commission and Social Security Administration.
All of the participants pledged to continue collaboration to protect the American public against any harms that might result from the increased use and reliance on AI, algorithms and other advanced technologies. The agencies also agreed to partner on external stakeholder engagement around their collective efforts to advance equity and civil rights in AI.
Randleman Man Convicted for Trafficking Fentanyl, Cocaine, Methamphetamine, and HeroinRead the Press Release
WINSTON-SALEM – A Randolph County man, who was convicted in May 2023 after a four-day jury trial, was sentenced yesterday on four drug trafficking charges, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC).
JOSEPH KENNETH NEWBOLD, age 65, was indicted in November 2022 on one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine hydrochloride, and one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin. According to court documents, NEWBOLD, of Randleman, was charged after a search warrant executed at his home revealed narcotics buried in multiple locations in the woods around his property. Investigators located 1505 grams of methamphetamine, 49 grams of fentanyl, 166 grams of cocaine hydrochloride, and 8 grams of heroin.
NEWBOLD was sentenced yesterday to a 168-month term of imprisonment by the Honorable Loretta C. Biggs, United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the MDNC. In addition to prison time, NEWBOLD will be subject to supervised release for 5 years following his release from prison.
This case arises from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Mary Ann Courtney and Assistant United States Attorney Craig M. Principe.
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.
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Passaic County Man Charged with Embezzling $2.9 Million from Elderly CoupleRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Passaic County, New Jersey, man was arrested today in connection with his role in embezzling approximately $2.9 million from an elderly couple, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Charles Gallo, 34, of Hawthorne, New Jersey is charged by complaint with one count of wire fraud. He appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge José R. Almonte and was released on $100,000 unsecured bond.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In 2018 an elderly New Jersey couple hired Gallo to work as a part-time personal assistant at their residence. Gallo’s duties included managing the victims’ monthly bills and banking and assisting them with email and other computer/technology-related issues. From March 2022 through March 2023, Gallo, used his position to engage in a fraudulent scheme to misappropriate approximately $2.9 million from the victims’ accounts. Gallo accomplished this fraud by routinely using the victims’ ATM card to withdraw large amounts of money, opening a line of credit, cashing checks made payable to himself drawn on the victims’ bank accounts, and using the victims’ credit cards to purchase computer equipment, gaming systems, collectible items from online retailers, and other unauthorized transactions.
The wire fraud charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Christopher A. Nielsen, Philadelphia Division; special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas Mahoney; and the Hawthorne Police Department, under the direction of Chief James Knepper, with the investigation leading to the charge. He also thanked the Ridgewood Police Department under the direction of Chief Forest R. Lyons for its assistance in the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shontae D. Gray of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
gallo.complaint.pdfPalm Coast Man Arrested for Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft ChargesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Noah Michael Urban (19, Palm Coast), a/k/a “Sosa,” a/k/a “Elijah,” a/k/a “King Bob,” a/k/a “Anthony Ramirez,” with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, eight counts of wire fraud, and five counts of aggravated identity theft. If convicted, Urban faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each wire fraud charge. He also faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 2 years’ imprisonment for the aggravated identity offenses which will run consecutive to any other prison sentence imposed. Urban was arrested on January 9, 2024.
According to the indictment, between August 2022 and March 2023, Urban committed wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, which resulted in at least $800,000 being stolen from at least five different victims.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case is a joint partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, the United States Attorney’s Office District of Oregon, and the United States Attorney’s Office Middle District of Florida. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro.
Orlando Man Charged with Possessing A Firearm as A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Malcolm Bellamy (33, Orlando) with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. If convicted, Bellamy faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Bellamy that the United States intends to forfeit the firearm and ammunition that are alleged to have been used during the commission of the offense.
According to the indictment, on April 21, 2023, Bellamy possessed a Forjas Taurus firearm. At the time of the alleged offense, Bellamy had prior felony convictions for robbery with a firearm and aggravated assault with a firearm. As a convicted felon, Bellamy is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Orlando Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Rachel S. Lyons.
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.
On #WearBlueDay, U.S. Attorney Hurwit Releases PSA to Raise Awareness for Human Trafficking Prevention MonthRead the Press Release
BOISE – Today, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit, released a public service announcement, available here, in recognition of National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. The PSA aims to raise awareness about the somber reality of human trafficking and highlight the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s commitment to putting an end to this serious crime that violates the most basic of human rights.
Human trafficking is the exploitation of human beings for profit. It can occur as a form of forced labor, domestic servitude, or sex trafficking of children and adults, and has no place in any society. “That’s why in January and throughout the year, my Office’s dedicated prosecutors, our victim advocates, and our entire staff work with our law enforcement partners to prevent human trafficking and bring offenders to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit.
“Unfortunately, human trafficking continues to be a serious, global problem that impacts the
United States and our communities, even here in Idaho,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “Together we can end human trafficking. Please take time to learn how to identify and respond to people who are at risk or who have experienced human trafficking.”
If you or someone you know has experienced human trafficking, help is available. The National Human Trafficking Hotline provides free, confidential help, 24/7. Call: 1-888-373-7888; Text: HELP to 233733 (BEFREE); or Chat: humantraffickinghotline.org/chat.
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Omaha Man Sentenced for Firearms Conspiracy and Illegal Possession of a Machine GunRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Majok Bethow, 24, of Omaha, Nebraska was sentenced on January 11, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for illegal possession of a machine gun and participation in a firearms conspiracy in the furtherance of drug trafficking. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Bethow to 24 months’ imprisonment on each charge to run concurrently. There is no parole in the federal system. After Bethow’s release from prison, he will begin a concurrent 3-year term of supervised release.
On March 26, 2022, Omaha Police Department officers initiated a traffic stop southeast of South 32nd and Q Streets after they observed a vehicle without license plates. After pulling over the vehicle, the rear driver's side passenger door opened, and an occupant fled on foot. Officers gave chase and the party, later identified as Bethow, was taken into custody. A search of his person located a Glock 19X, 9 mm handgun loaded with a 24 round extended magazine containing 18 live rounds. The firearm slide had a black metal auto sear installed on the back of it, a “Glock switch,” that allowed it to function as a machinegun.
Bethow was also charged in a firearms conspiracy after law enforcement learned that codefendant Rodolfo Falcon owned a drug stash house that was the central location for the distribution of narcotics. Falcon rented the house out to younger drug dealers who were also documented gang members: codefendants Kenneth Blair, Alexis Bernal-Lopez, Majok Bethow, and Keland Strong each rented the residence from Falcon for some portion of the conspiracy.
The Safe Streets Task Force of the Greater Omaha area conducted a search of the residence and recovered cocaine, marijuana, currency, drug paraphernalia, and three firearms. Falcon was observed posing with one such firearm in photos of himself that were recovered during the search. Flacon is a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
At the time of the search, Kenneth Blair was in the basement of the residence, where text messages amongst the group confirmed was the portion of the house that Blair regularly occupied. Two apparent narcotics customers were located with Blair in the basement at the time of the search. Drugs and cash were also recovered from the basement. Keland Strong used an upstairs room that contained numerous firearms. Falcon was found on the main level of the home where cash and cocaine were recovered along with identification documents.
Evidence of significant marijuana distributions, such as wrappers for large quantities of marijuana were also recovered. This, along with text messages between the group, revealed that the home was being used as a narcotics distribution hub and that Bethow, Bernal-Lopez, Strong, and Blair all worked together to sell drugs.
Kenneth Blair pled guilty to firearms conspiracy and was sentenced on December 21, 2023, to 21 months imprisonment.
Codefendants Rodolfo Falcon, Keland Strong and Bernal-Lopez have all pled guilty to the firearms conspiracy. Sentencing is scheduled for January 19, 2024, February 8, 2024, and February 16, 2024, respectively.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Omaha Police Department.
North Las Vegas Resident Sentenced to Prison for Selling over 200 Firearms Without A Federal Firearms LicenseRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A North Las Vegas man was sentenced Monday by United States District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey to 32 months in prison for illegally buying and selling over 200 firearms without a Federal Firearms License.
In January 2023, after the Government rested its case-in-chief at trial, Charles Martin Ellis (69) pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license and one count of the transfer or sale of a firearm to a non-resident.
According to court documents and admissions made in court, in February 2017, Ellis bought a Zastava 7.62mm caliber AK-47-style assault pistol and, in February 2017, he resold that firearm to an individual. In August 2017, a convicted felon used that firearm to kill a Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department Deputy and shot and wounded two California Highway Patrol Investigators who were investigating a stolen vehicle. An ATF investigation revealed guns sold by Ellis were used in other crimes in Nevada and California. In September 2017, Ellis bought a Century Arms International Rifle in Las Vegas and resold that firearm to an individual. Two years later, that firearm was used in a homicide in Guadalajara, Mexico.
In total, Ellis bought and quickly resold over 200 firearms without a Federal Firearms License. Some of the guns have been seized by law enforcement in California, Nevada, Oregon, and Mexico.
United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Cicolani for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the ATF. Assistant United States Attorneys Ed Veronda and Nadia Ahmed prosecuted the case.
Anyone with information about crimes that may be happening in your communities that involve firearms, explosives, arson, and violent crime can call ATF at 1-888-ATF-TIPS (1-888-283-8477), email [email protected] or submit information anonymously at www.reportit.com/.
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North Carolina Man Convicted of Federal Hate Crimes for Racially Motivated Attacks Against Black and Hispanic MenRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A jury today in Greensboro, North Carolina, convicted Marian Hudak, 52, for committing a hate crime against a Black man and a Hispanic man on separate occasions.
“It’s one thing to use racial slurs and harbor the KKK’s flag, but carrying out acts of violence fueled by naked racial animus and hatred violates the law and core principles of our democracy. The defendant was held accountable for his violent and unlawful attacks on Black and Hispanic members of his community,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will vigorously investigate and prosecute violence targeting people because of their race or national origin. All community members should be able to live in and move about their neighborhoods without fear of attack because of how they look or where they are from.”
“All people — regardless of the color of their skin or their nationality — are entitled to travel on public roads and enjoy their homes without fear of being threatened, harassed or intimidated,” said U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston for the Middle District of North Carolina. “We appreciate the law enforcement agencies who diligently sought justice in this case. The Concord community is safer and more peaceful as a result of today’s verdict.”
“Investigating civil rights violations is some of the most important work we do,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert M. DeWitt of the FBI Charlotte Field Office. “No one should be afraid to drive down the street, fill their car with gas or take their children to the bus stop because of someone’s intolerance and racial hatred. The FBI hopes this guilty verdict can give Mr. Hudak's victims some sense of peace."
Evidence at trial proved that, on Oct. 13, 2022, Hudak encountered a Black man, identified as J.S., while driving in Concord, North Carolina, and shouted racial slurs at him. After telling J.S. to “come here, boy,” Hudak swerved into J.S.’s lane, got out of his vehicle and punched J.S.’s driver’s side window multiple times. When J.S. fled, Hudak chased him to his home where he continued shouting racial slurs and threatened to shoot and kill him.
Evidence at trial also proved that on Nov. 27, 2021, Hudak attacked his Hispanic neighbor, J.D., outside J.D.’s home because of his nationality. Hudak shouted racially charged insults at J.D. before attacking him. Hudak punched and tackled J.D., causing J.D. to suffer bodily injury. Additional trial witnesses testified about Hudak’s frequent anti-Hispanic comments, both before and after the attack on J.D., and about other instances where Hudak shouted slurs at, gave the middle finger to and drove aggressively near other minority motorists in the Concord area. Other evidence included a KKK flag, a racist publication and Nazi memorabilia found in Hudak’s residence.
On June 26, 2023, Hudak was charged with willfully injuring, intimidating or interfering with J.S. because of J.S.’s race and color and because J.S. was using a public facility. Hudak was charged with willfully injuring, intimidating or interfering with J.D. because of J.D.’s race and national origin and because J.D. was occupying a dwelling.
A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for May 1. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Charlotte Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashley Waid and JoAnna McFadden for the Middle District of North Carolina and Trial Attorney Daniel Grunert of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
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North Carolina Man Convicted of Federal Hate Crimes for Racially Motivated Attacks Against Black and Hispanic MenRead the Press Release
A jury today in Greensboro, North Carolina, convicted Marian Hudak, 52, for committing a hate crime against a Black man and a Hispanic man on separate occasions.
“It’s one thing to use racial slurs and harbor the KKK’s flag, but carrying out acts of violence fueled by naked racial animus and hatred violates the law and core principles of our democracy. The defendant was held accountable for his violent and unlawful attacks on Black and Hispanic members of his community,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will vigorously investigate and prosecute violence targeting people because of their race or national origin. All community members should be able to live in and move about their neighborhoods without fear of attack because of how they look or where they are from.”
“All people — regardless of the color of their skin or their nationality — are entitled to travel on public roads and enjoy their homes without fear of being threatened, harassed or intimidated,” said U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston for the Middle District of North Carolina. “We appreciate the law enforcement agencies who diligently sought justice in this case. The Concord community is safer and more peaceful as a result of today’s verdict.”
“Investigating civil rights violations is some of the most important work we do,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert M. DeWitt of the FBI Charlotte Field Office. “No one should be afraid to drive down the street, fill their car with gas or take their children to the bus stop because of someone’s intolerance and racial hatred. The FBI hopes this guilty verdict can give Mr. Hudak's victims some sense of peace."
Evidence at trial proved that, on Oct. 13, 2022, Hudak encountered a Black man, identified as J.S., while driving in Concord, North Carolina, and shouted racial slurs at him. After telling J.S. to “come here, boy,” Hudak swerved into J.S.’s lane, got out of his vehicle and punched J.S.’s driver’s side window multiple times. When J.S. fled, Hudak chased him to his home where he continued shouting racial slurs and threatened to shoot and kill him.
Evidence at trial also proved that on Nov. 27, 2021, Hudak attacked his Hispanic neighbor, J.D., outside J.D.’s home because of his nationality. Hudak shouted racially charged insults at J.D. before attacking him. Hudak punched and tackled J.D., causing J.D. to suffer bodily injury. Additional trial witnesses testified about Hudak’s frequent anti-Hispanic comments, both before and after the attack on J.D., and about other instances where Hudak shouted slurs at, gave the middle finger to and drove aggressively near other minority motorists in the Concord area. Other evidence included a KKK flag, a racist publication and Nazi memorabilia found in Hudak’s residence.
On June 26, 2023, Hudak was charged with willfully injuring, intimidating or interfering with J.S. because of J.S.’s race and color and because J.S. was using a public facility. Hudak was charged with willfully injuring, intimidating or interfering with J.D. because of J.D.’s race and national origin and because J.D. was occupying a dwelling.
A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for May 1. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Charlotte Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashley Waid and JoAnna McFadden for the Middle District of North Carolina and Trial Attorney Daniel Grunert of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
Niskayuna Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Aaron Griesche, age 40, of Niskayuna, New York, pled guilty today to possessing child pornography, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Griesche admitted that on July 11, 2021, he possessed child pornography on a USB flash memory stick found in his residence. Griesche admitted that he had purchased the memory stick from an online retailer and transferred videos of child pornography from the Internet to the device.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 10, 2024. Griesche faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. The judge may also order Griesche to pay restitution to the victims of his offense and forfeit the device used in the offense. Griesche will also have to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
The FBI and the New York State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin C. Segovia is prosecuting this case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
New York Man Indicted for Stealing COVID-19 Unemployment BenefitsRead the Press Release
NEWARK N.J. – A New York man was indicted today for conspiring to illegally obtain over $444,000 in COVID-19 unemployment benefits, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Jose Tavares, 35, of Bronx New York, is charged by indictment with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Tavares’ alleged conspirators, Yanira Abreu, 42, of Keasby, New Jersey, and Christopher Valerio, 33, of Perth Amboy, New Jersey, have each previously pleaded guilty in the same scheme.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From July 2020 through February 2021, Tavares, Valerio, Abreu and others submitted false and fraudulent applications for unemployment insurance benefits to the New York Department of Labor (NYDOL) through fictitious online profiles that they created using personally identifiable information, including names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers, of other individuals without their consent. Once the NYDOL processed and approved the fraudulent applications, Tavares and his conspirators obtained debit cards with illegally obtained funds totaling $444,738, which they used for personal gain.
The wire fraud charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain to the defendant or gross loss to the victim, whichever is greatest.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso; special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone, and postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen, Philadelphia Division, with the investigation leading to today’s indictment.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Fatime Meka Cano of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
The District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The charge and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
tavares.indictment.pdfNew Orleans Woman Sentenced for Making False Oath in Bankruptcy MatterRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JEANNINE DUKES (“DUKES”), age 41, of New Orleans, was sentenced on January 10, 2024 for making a false oath in a bankruptcy matter, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 152(2), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to the bill of information, on November 19, 2021, DUKES knowingly and fraudulently made a false oath or account in or in relation to any case under Title 11 in a bankruptcy case. Specifically, DUKES failed to disclose that she had applied for a COVID-19 PPP Loan on May 18, 2021, and received approximately $20,527.00 in PPP funds on June 8, 2021.
United States District Judge Sarah S. Vance sentenced DUKES to one year of probation, fifty hours of community service, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of the Inspector General and the Office of the U.S. Trustee, Region 5, in investigating this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Chief of Financial Crimes Unit.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Violations of the Federal Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – ALFRED CLAY, age 59, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on January 10, 2024 after previously pleading guilty to both conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine hydrochloride, and possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine hydrochloride, all in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 846. CLAY was sentenced to 240 months imprisonment, five years of supervised release, and a $200 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to court documents, CLAY and other co-conspirators were responsible for distributing multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, and heroin, within the Eastern District of Louisiana.
During the investigation, law enforcement, led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, seized over forty (40) kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride, six (6) kilograms of fentanyl, four and a half (4.5) kilograms of heroin, and nearly $700,000.00 in U.S. Currency and other seized property.
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.
This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration – New Orleans Field Division Office and was assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Border Patrol, the Gretna Major Crimes Task Force, the Kenner Police Department, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, the St. John’s Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the New Orleans Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.