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Tuesday 7 November 2023
Former FBI Contractor Pleads Guilty to Production and Receipt of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
A former FBI contractor pleaded guilty today to production and receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, beginning in February, Brett Janes, 26, of Arlington, Virginia, enticed a 13-year-old minor he met through playing Valorant, a popular first-person shooter game, to engage in “strip” games on a video chat in Discord. Janes threatened to commit suicide and sent the victim payments through CashApp to convince the victim to create and send him CSAM. He convinced a 12-year-old boy to produce CSAM and attempted to entice another minor boy to produce CSAM. Janes also admitted to purchasing hundreds of videos and images of CSAM through Telegram.
Janes pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of children, including using children to produce CSAM, and one count of receipt of child pornography. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 27, 2024, and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division made the announcement.
The FBI, Arlington County Police Department, and Galloway Township Police Department in New Jersey investigated the case.
Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Withers for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former City of Richmond Official and Wife Sentenced for FraudRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A former senior manager at the City of Richmond Department of Public Works (DPW) and his wife were sentenced today to 27 months in prison and 8 months of home incarceration, respectively, for defrauding the City of Richmond.
According to court documents, Michael Evins, 67, previously served as the Deputy Director of Operations at DPW and managed up to 60 other employees. Evins used his position within DPW, a governmental entity responsible for providing engineering, technical, and administrative services to Richmond residents, to steer governmental contracts towards himself and his co-conspirators, including his wife, Samaria Evins, 52. From at least 2016 through 2021, Michael Evins and Samaria Evins took steps to defraud the DPW. First, Samaria Evins and other co-conspirators created and operated straw companies to bid on DPW work. Second, Michael Evins designated and approved DPW work to be performed by these straw companies using his position at DPW, circumventing Virginia law and City of Richmond rules against self-dealing by public employees. In some instances, the work to be performed was completely fabricated and no such work was ever needed. In other instances, the work was actually performed by DPW employees, not by contracted vendors. Sometimes, Samaria Evins and other co-conspirators subcontracted the work out for profit upon winning the DPW work. Third, where procurement amounts exceeded $5,000, a DPW approval threshold requiring that work be competitively bid, Michael Evins and his co-conspirators manufactured fictitious straw bids on behalf of competitor companies to engineer the preferred company winning the work. Finally, upon receiving DPW funds, Samaria Evins and other co-conspirators paid Michael Evins a portion of the proceeds.
As an example, in early 2019, DPW sought to have overgrown foliage at Parker Field, an area in Richmond, cleared in advance of Fourth of July celebrations that same year. Though Michael Evins knew mowing of the field was being performed by DPW employees, he nevertheless approved a requisition in the DPW purchase order system for a company owned by Samaria Evins to mow the entire area 16 times in four days, at a total cost of $4,800.
In all, Michael Evins, Samaria Evins, and their co-conspirators fraudulently caused DPW to disburse at least $603,701 in funds to companies owned by Samaria Evins and her co-conspirators, causing approximately $226,767 in loss to DPW.
A co-conspirator, Shaun Lindsey, a senior administrative technician at DPW, pleaded guilty to the same scheme on May 9 and will be sentenced on November 14, 2023.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; and James Osuna, Inspector General, City of Richmond Office of the Inspector General, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Avi Panth prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 3:23-cr-81, 3:23-cr-87, and 3:23-cr-53.
Former Brighton High School teacher pleads guilty to possession of child pornographyRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Louis Carusone, 45, of Webster, NY, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography involving prepubescent minors, before Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a lifetime period of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that on October 10, 2022, Carusone, who was a high school physics teacher in the Brighton Central School District at the time, shared a video and images containing child pornography in an online peer-to-peer file-sharing network, which were downloaded by an undercover law enforcement officer. The officer then downloaded more files containing child pornography that were shared from Carusone’s IP address over the next few days.
On October 21, 2022, investigators executed a search warrant at Carusone’s Webster residence and seized multiple devices including a cell phone and computer. A forensic analysis recovered more than 2,000 images and videos of child pornography, some of which depicted children as young as five-years-old, and children being subjected to violence and sexual abuse. The forensic analysis further revealed that Carusone surreptitiously recorded and photographed children in public, to include minor female students in his Brighton classroom, and a water park, where he recorded children in bathing suits.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Rochester Child Exploitation Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 21, 2024, before Judge Wolford.
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Foreign National Pleads Guilty to Role in Immigration Fraud and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Israeli national pleaded guilty today to his role in a conspiracy to launder money and facilitate the illegal entry, harboring, and transporting of noncitizens in the United States for the purpose of their employment.
According to court documents, Shai Cohen, 39, admitted to organizing and working with others to recruit and facilitate the illegal entry of Israeli citizens into the United States under false pretenses. From approximately 2011 through December 2013, Cohen and his co-conspirators assisted noncitizens in fraudulently obtaining B-1/B-2 tourist/visitor visas by misrepresenting the true purpose of their travel to the United States, which was illegal employment. Cohen and his co-conspirators then assisted the noncitizens in traveling to the United States. Upon arrival, the noncitizens were employed at various kiosks owned and operated by Cohen and his co-conspirators in malls in Virginia and Maryland, despite entering the United States in a visa status that did not allow them to work. The noncitizens who engaged in illegal employment were primarily compensated for their work by under-the-table cash payments or the transfer of money to stored value payment cards, rather than through a legitimate payroll system. Cohen also provided for the noncitizens housing and transportation to and from work in the United States. Cohen and his co-conspirators also made foreign and domestic financial transactions in furtherance of and to promote the criminal scheme.
Cohen pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, and one count of conspiracy to launder money, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced on January 19, 2024. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Cohen was arrested in Israel pursuant to a U.S. request for his extradition. In August, he was extradited to the Eastern District of Virginia.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Nicole M. Argentieri, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington Field Office; and Troy W. Springer, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), National Capitol Region, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Raizza K. Ty and Trial Attorney Clayton O’Connor of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section are prosecuting the case.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing Cohen’s arrest and extradition from Israel. The Justice Department thanks the government of Israel for making the arrest and extradition of Cohen possible.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:16-cr-114.
Foreign National Pleads Guilty to Role in Immigration Fraud and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
An Israeli national pleaded guilty today to his role in a conspiracy to launder money and facilitate the illegal entry, harboring, and transporting of noncitizens in the United States for the purpose of their employment.
According to court documents, Shai Cohen, 39, admitted to organizing and working with others to recruit and facilitate the illegal entry of Israeli citizens into the United States under false pretenses. From approximately 2011 through December 2013, Cohen and his co-conspirators assisted noncitizens in fraudulently obtaining B-1/B-2 tourist/visitor visas by misrepresenting the true purpose of their travel to the United States, which was illegal employment. Cohen and his co-conspirators then assisted the noncitizens in traveling to the United States. Upon arrival, the noncitizens were employed at various kiosks owned and operated by Cohen and his co-conspirators in malls in Virginia and Maryland, despite entering the United States in a visa status that did not allow them to work. The noncitizens who engaged in illegal employment were primarily compensated for their work by under-the-table cash payments or the transfer of money to stored value payment cards, rather than through a legitimate payroll system. Cohen also provided housing and transportation for the noncitizens to and from work in the United States. Cohen and his co-conspirators also used foreign and domestic bank accounts for financial transactions to pay for leased office space, apartments, airline tickets, vehicles, and other business costs in furtherance of and to promote the criminal scheme.
Cohen was arrested in Israel pursuant to a U.S. request for his extradition. In August, he was extradited to the Eastern District of Virginia.
Cohen pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, and one count of conspiracy to launder money, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 19, 2024. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia, Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, and Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), National Capital Region made the announcement.
HSI Washington and DOL-OIG are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Clayton O’Connor of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Raizza K. Ty for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing Cohen’s arrest and extradition from Israel. The Justice Department thanks the government of Israel for making the arrest and extradition of Cohen possible.
Federal Jury Finds Three Defendants Guilty in $300 Million Nationwide Telemarketing Fraud Scheme Targeting the ElderlyRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A federal jury has found three defendants guilty in a $300 million nationwide telemarketing fraud scheme that targeted elderly and vulnerable victims, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to evidence presented at trial, Amondo Antoine Miller, 47, of Littleton, Colorado, Tashena Laverna Crump, 39, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Ballam Hazeakiah Dudley, 37, of Plymouth, Minnesota, knowingly conspired with at least 40 other defendants to carry out a telemarketing scheme that began in at least 2000 and victimized numerous individuals across the United States, many of whom are elderly and vulnerable.
“This was one of the largest elder fraud schemes in our nation, with over 150,000 elderly victims across the country,” said United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger. “We are pleased with the verdict. Combating elder fraud and abuse is one of the Justice Department’s top priorities, and we will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to combat systemic fraud of our most vulnerable citizens.”
Miller, Crump, and Dudley accomplished their scheme by calling victim-consumers who had one or more existing magazine subscriptions and offering to "renew" the existing magazine subscriptions, often at a reduced cost. In reality, the defendants tricked the victim-consumers into signing up for entirely new magazine subscriptions, which they did not want and often could not afford. Some victim-consumers were fraudulently billed by as many as ten companies at a time and received more than $1,000 in monthly magazine subscription charges. Over the course of the scheme, the co-conspirators defrauded more than $300 million from over 150,000 victims nationwide.
Following a month-long trial before Judge John R. Tunheim in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Dudley, Crump, and Miller, were found guilty of multiple counts of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, mail fraud, and wire fraud. Their sentencing hearings will be scheduled at a later date.
“The perpetrators of this reprehensible scam exhibited a ruthless level of deception and manipulation by targeting vulnerable victims,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston, Sr. “This verdict sends a strong message that those who seek to exploit vulnerable Americans will be brought to justice.”
“Yesterday’s verdict reaffirms how critical a role the U.S. Postal Inspection Service plays in protecting the American consumer from these types of fraudulent schemes and in ensuring that the nation’s U.S. Mail stream is not used by criminals to prey upon our citizens,” said Denver Division Inspector in Charge Bryan Musgrove. “The bold egregious nature in which these fraudsters victimized our elders and stripped them of their hard-earned money illustrates their callous disregard for human decency and overall greed. This investigation is a tremendous example of how the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and our FBI law enforcement partners can work side by side in an effort to bring these fraudsters to justice.”
The case was the first in Minnesota charged under the Senior Citizens Against Marketing Scams Act of 1994, which ensures enhanced penalties for persons convicted of mail or wire fraud in connection with the conduct of telemarketing. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA).
Based on the evidence obtained in this investigation, authorities believe there may be additional victims of the alleged conduct. Report suspected fraudulent activity to [email protected].
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Jacobs, Matthew S. Ebert, Garrett S. Fields, and Melinda A. Williams tried the case.
Federal Judge Sentences Hickory, N.C. Man to 14 Years in Prison for Trafficking Methamphetamine in Catawba and Caldwell CountiesRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell sentenced Joseph William Patton, 34, of Hickory, N.C., to 168 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release today for trafficking methamphetamine, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Alicia Jones, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, Sheriff Donald G. Brown II of the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Alan C. Jones, of the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office, and Chief Reed Baer of the Hickory Police Department join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to filed court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, Patton was operating as a major source of supply of methamphetamine in Catawba and Caldwell Counties. Between April and December 2022, law enforcement conducted a joint investigation into Patton’s drug trafficking activities, including arranging multiple controlled purchases of methamphetamine from the defendant. On December 12, 2022, law enforcement initiated a traffic stop of the vehicle Patton was a passenger in for an expired tag violation. During the traffic stop, law enforcement recovered from the vehicle a firearm, $5,448 in cash, and several baggies filled with methamphetamine, fentanyl, and Xanax pills. On the same day, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Patton’s residence, where they recovered 9 mm rifle and four magazines.
On July 20, 2023, Patton pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Patton is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
The ATF, the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office, the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office, and the Hickory Police Department conducted the investigation.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) William Wiseman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case. Mr. Wiseman is a state prosecutor with the office of the 26th Prosecutorial District and was assigned by District Attorney Spencer Merriweather to serve as a SAUSA with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte. Mr. Wiseman is sworn in both state and federal courts. The SAUSA position is a reflection of the partnership between the District Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
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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Federal Grand Jury Indicts 2 for Allegedly Supplying Fentanyl and Other Narcotics Sold Through Darknet to Customers in All 50 StatesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A federal grand jury has indicted two men who allegedly supplied fentanyl-laced pills and methamphetamine for a drug trafficking organization that used the darknet and encrypted messaging applications to sell narcotics to thousands of customers in all 50 states across the country, the Justice Department announced today.
The two-count indictment returned October 25 charges Omar Navia, 38, of South Los Angeles, and Adan Ruiz, 27, of Garden Grove, with one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. Ruiz is also charged with one count of distribution of fentanyl.
Navia and Ruiz were arrested on November 2 and were arraigned that same day in United States District Court in Los Angeles. Both defendants pleaded not guilty, and a December 26 trial date was scheduled for them. Navia and Ruiz were ordered jailed without bond.
According to the indictment, Navia and Ruiz conspired with Rajiv Srinivasan, 38, of Houston, and Michael Ta, 25, of Westminster, who were indicted last year by a federal grand jury and pleaded guilty this year to similar charges. Srinivasan also pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. In their plea agreements, co-conspirators Srinivasan and Ta admitted that their drug trafficking activities caused the death of three individuals and that they sold fentanyl-laced pills to two others who died of drug overdoses soon thereafter. Srinivasan and Ta are awaiting sentencing next year before United States District Judge David O. Carter in Santa Ana.
As alleged in the indictment, co-conspirator Srinivasan advertised and accepted orders for counterfeit M30 oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and other narcotics through the vendor account “redlightlabs” on multiple darknet marketplaces. Navia and Ruiz allegedly communicated with co-conspirator Srinivasan regarding drug orders, including through encrypted messaging applications, such as “Session” and “Signal,” as well as direct Instagram messages. Navia and Ruiz then delivered controlled substances to Ta for mailing to customers who had ordered those drugs from Srinivasan, according to the indictment.
Navia and Ruiz allegedly were paid by Srinivasan for their roles as drug suppliers for the organization, including through cryptocurrency, currency which had been routed through cryptocurrency exchanges, and mobile payment applications including Apple Cash, CashApp, PayPal, Venmo, and Zelle.
The indictment alleges that co-conspirators Srinivasan and Ta maintained a shared electronic document that detailed approximately 3,800 drug transactions to approximately 1,400 unique customers in all 50 states across the country. That database documented sales between May 2022 and November 2022 totaling approximately 123,688 fentanyl pills, approximately 20 pounds of methamphetamine, and smaller amounts of fentanyl powder, black tar heroin and cocaine, according to the indictment.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The statutory maximum sentence for the conspiracy charge alleged in the indictment is life in federal prison. The statutory maximum sentence for distribution of fentanyl is 20 years in federal prison.
The FBI is investigating this matter. The investigation in this matter was conducted under the auspices of the FBI-led Joint Criminal Opioid Darknet Enforcement Team (JCODE), which targets darknet vendors by using sophisticated, high-tech techniques to identify drug traffickers who wrongly believe the dark web allows them to engage in criminal conduct with anonymity. Since its inception in 2018, JCODE investigations have resulted in the arrest of more than 300 darknet drug traffickers, as well as the seizure of more than $42 million in drug-tainted proceeds, over 800 kilograms of narcotics, and approximately 145 firearms.
Assistant United States Attorney Gregg E. Marmaro of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section is prosecuting this case.
Engineer Indicted for Bombing Energy Facilities in CaliforniaRead the Press Release
Peter Karasev, 36, a U.S. citizen residing in San Jose, was arraigned in the Northern District of California today on an indictment charging him with destroying energy facilities and using fire or explosives to commit a federal crime.
According to court documents, Karasev was indicted on Oct. 19. As alleged in counts one and two of the indictment, Karasev knowingly and willfully damaged the property of two energy facilities – specifically, two PG&E transformers in San Jose, California on Dec. 8, 2022, and Jan. 5, 2023, respectively – and attempted to cause and caused significant interruption and impairment of those energy facilities. The indictment also alleges, in count three, that the defendant used fire and an explosive to commit a felony, specifically, the destruction of an energy facility on Jan. 5, 2023.
“These charges make clear that those who attack our country’s critical infrastructure will be met with the full force of the Justice Department,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “We have charged Peter Karasev with bombing two energy transformers in Northern California, leaving more than 1,500 households and businesses in the San Jose community without power. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Northern District of California and the FBI for their work to bring the defendant to justice and prevent further harm to the San Jose community.”
"The indictment alleges that Karasev built explosive devices and used them to damage energy facilities, knocking out power to over 1,500 homes and businesses in the San Jose area,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The FBI is laser focused on protecting the essential infrastructure that Americans rely on every day, and we and our partners like the San Jose Police Department will use every lawful means to hold anyone who targets that infrastructure accountable.”
“The defendant in this case allegedly used explosives to try to cut off electricity to more than 1,500 San Jose businesses and residences,” said U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey for the Northern District of California. “Damaging our region’s critical infrastructure endangers innocent victims – including our most vulnerable citizens such as the elderly and the sick – and we will not tolerate it. We will vigorously prosecute any malicious attempts to disrupt the power grid.”
As described in a government memorandum seeking Karasev’s pretrial detention, Karasev constructed, planted and ignited the explosive devices that caused each of the transformer explosions. Both attacks occurred during the early morning hours in commercial areas occupied by stores and businesses, and collectively terminated power to over 1,500 households and businesses in the San Jose community.
The government’s memorandum also detailed that in the months leading up to the attacks, Karasev was building and experimenting with homemade explosives, as well as manufacturing methamphetamine, in his own home. At the time of his arrest, Karasev was allegedly in possession of a range of improvised explosive devices in varying stages of completion, as well as multiple firearms, additional weapons, over 300 pounds of explosive precursor materials, and other hazardous substances.
Karasev was arrested in March 2023 by local authorities and remained in custody on related state charges prior to his transfer to federal custody for this case. He is charged with two counts of destruction of an energy facility and one count of use of fire or an explosive to commit a federal felony. If convicted, Karasev faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison on count three to be served consecutively to any imprisonment imposed for either of the other counts. Karasev faces a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release for each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI and the San Jose Police Department are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne C. Hsieh for the Northern District of California and Trial Attorney Jacob Warren of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Doctor and Her Granddaughter Indicted for Drug Conspiracy and Unlawful Distribution of OpioidsRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Janet Pettyjohn (77, Spring Hill) and Shelly Gallagher (34, Brooksville) with conspiracy to distribute drugs. The indictment also charges Pettyjohn with 21 substantive counts, and Gallagher with 9 substantive counts, of unlawful drug distribution. If convicted, Pettyjohn and Gallagher each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each count. The indictment notifies Pettyjohn that the United States intends to forfeit $34,132 in U.S. currency, which is alleged to be traceable to proceeds of her criminal conduct.
According to the indictment, Pettyjohn was an osteopathic physician licensed to practice medicine in the State of Florida with a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registration number to prescribe controlled substances. In July 2020, Florida’s Board of Osteopathic Medicine (BOM) restricted Pettyjohn from prescribing opioids due to complaints about the manner in which she prescribed controlled substances. After the BOM’s Final Order and the prescribing restriction took effect, Pettyjohn continued to prescribe opioids in violation of the Final Order. The BOM later lifted the prescribing restriction in March 2021.
Gallagher is Pettyjohn’s granddaughter and did not hold a medical license. Between March 2021 and February 2023, Gallagher sponsored patients at Pettyjohn’s clinic and ordered controlled substances for herself and others from Pettyjohn. Pettyjohn knowingly and intentionally prescribed the controlled substances for Gallagher and others for no legitimate medical purpose in the usual course of professional practice, which Gallagher and others abused and diverted.
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 Drug Enforcement Administration—Tampa District Office, the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office, and by the Opioid Fraud Abuse and Detection Unit at the United States Attorney’s Office, which focuses on opioid-related fraud and abuse by medical and health care professionals who have contributed to the prescription opioid epidemic. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Greg Pizzo.
District Woman Guilty of Aggravated Assault While Armed and Related ChargesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Following a four-day trial, on November 6, 2023, a Superior Court jury found Tiaquana Chandler, 42, of Washington, D.C., guilty of conspiracy to commit assault with a dangerous weapon, aggravated assault while armed, and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
On or about March 28, 2023, the victim was in an apartment on 13th Place SE, Washington, D.C., when he got into a disagreement with Chandler. Chandler left the apartment, but returned a short time later with her son, Donnell E. Tucker, who was armed with a firearm. Together, they assaulted the victim, causing severe lacerations that required 14 staples and stiches to close. After Tucker allegedly pistol whipped the victim, he shot him in the leg, causing a fracture that required surgery. Tucker’s trial is scheduled for January 2024.
The Honorable Sean Staples ordered the defendant be released pending sentencing scheduled for January 12, 2024.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Saman Danai and Nathaniel Brower.
Disbarred Attorney Charged in COVID-19 Relief Loan Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James Smith, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced the unsealing of an Indictment today charging DOUGLAS RAYMOND ARNTSEN with masterminding a fraudulent scheme to obtain more than $1.3 million in government-funded loans designed to provide relief to small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. ARNTSEN was arrested this morning and presented this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Douglas Raymond Arntsen, a disbarred attorney, recruited multiple co-conspirators in a scheme to defraud the government out of more than $1 million by submitting fraudulent loan applications. These loans were funded by the American taxpayers and meant to help small businesses struggling from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. They were not meant to line people’s pockets for personal gain. Today’s arrest demonstrates this Office’s ongoing commitment to holding accountable those who illegally profited from a national emergency.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Smith said: “Arntsen allegedly recruited people who were facing financial stress amidst an unprecedented global pandemic into a fraudulent scheme to illegally obtain $1.3 million in COVID-19 relief funds intended for small businesses. COVID-19 relief schemes abuse a government funded program that was designed to help small businesses who were struggling during a time of economic confusion. The FBI will bring to justice anyone who attempted to fraudulently exploit COVID-19 relief programs for their personal benefit.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment, which was unsealed today:[1]
Between in or about June 2020 through at least in or about August 2020, DOUGLAS RAYMOND ARNTSEN orchestrated a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) by submitting fraudulent loan applications through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) Program. In doing so, ARNTSEN recruited multiple co-conspirators. ARNTSEN promised potential co-conspirators a way out of their difficult financial circumstances. Certain of those co-conspirators trusted ARNTSEN because they thought he was an attorney. In reality, ARNTSEN had been disbarred.
ARNTSEN asked his co-conspirators to give him their personal information, including social security and driver’s license numbers, and then used this information to submit fraudulent loan applications to the EIDL program. The applications submitted by ARNTSEN falsely claimed that the co-conspirators owned businesses that had substantial revenue. Often, the co-conspirators named as owners of the businesses, in fact, had no legitimate connection to the businesses at all. After the loan applications were submitted, ARNTSEN directed his co-conspirators to lie to the SBA during the loan diligence process.
ARNTSEN also directed his co-conspirators to recruit additional participants to his fraudulent scheme. After one co-conspirator had obtained a fraudulent loan, ARNTSEN directed him, in sum and substance, to “[g]et me one more warm body.” The co-conspirator proceeded to give ARNTSEN the personal information of a relative, which was then used to obtain another fraudulent loan.
ARNTSEN and his co-conspirators enriched themselves through the fraud. In total, ARNTSEN and his co-conspirators obtained at least approximately $1.3 million in fraudulent loans and attempted to obtain hundreds of thousands of dollars of additional loans that the SBA declined to fund. After one fraudulent loan was approved by the SBA, ARNTSEN texted a co-conspirator, in sum and substance, “Need how you want your bank checks. Your chariot has arrived this morning.”
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ARNTSEN, 45, of Staten Island, New York, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and additionally thanked the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office for its assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Sowlati is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day Removes Almost 600,000 Pounds of Unneeded Prescription Medications Across the CountryRead the Press Release
DETROIT – On Oct. 28, 2023, the community once again emptied their medicine cabinets to help dispose of old, unwanted, and expired medications. Nationwide, DEA and its law enforcement partners collected 599,897 pounds of unneeded medications at 4,675 collection sites nationwide.
Locally, the Detroit Field Division collected 62,771 pounds between 498 sites in Michigan, Ohio and northern Kentucky. For more than a decade, DEA’s National Prescription Take Back Day has removed almost 17.9 million pounds of unneeded medications from communities across the country.
“We are in a fight to save lives,” said U.S. Attorney for the Western District Mark Totten. “Drug Take Back Days are an important preventative measure in the United States’ efforts to combat drug abuse and the opioid crisis. I commend our law enforcement partners, community partners, residents, and everyone who supported DEA Take Back Day to keep unwanted medications from getting into the wrong hands.”
“Too often we see a friend or family member’s medicine cabinet unknowingly becoming the source of an accidental poisoning, an overdose, or abuse,” said DEA Detroit Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene. “A big thank you to our many partners who continue to show their commitment to ridding our communities of these unwanted medications.”
According to a report published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, a majority of people who use prescription medication for a nonmedical purpose obtained that medication from a family member or friend. Removing unnecessary medications from the home can help prevent situations involving; not taking medication as intended or dosed; taking someone else’s prescription; and taking the medicine for euphoric effects rather than medicinal purposes.
DEA continues to expand opportunities to make safe disposal of medications more accessible nationwide. We encourage people to remove unnecessary medications from their home regularly and dispose of it at one of the nearly 17,000 permanent drug-drop boxes located in communities across the country. Those locations can be found here. Safe medication disposal receptacles along with DEA Take Back events provide families easy, no-cost opportunities to get rid of unnecessary medicines stored in the home.
Complete results for DEA’s fall National Prescription Drug Take Back Day are available at Take Back Day (dea.gov).
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Convicted Felon from Alexander City Sentenced to 130 Months in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA – On November 7, 2023, a federal judge sentenced 42-year-old Jeremy Glenn Dye, a resident of Alexander City, Alabama, to 130 months in prison for possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony offense and for possessing a stolen firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney Jonathan S. Ross. In addition, the judge ordered that Dye serve three years of supervised release following his prison term. Federal inmates are not eligible for parole.
According to court records and statements made in court, on October 6, 2021, law enforcement spotted Dye exiting a camper in Alexander City. Officers recognized Dye and knew that there was a warrant outstanding for his arrest. When officers approached Dye, he initially attempted to flee, but was apprehended after a short chase. Dye had a book bag with him at the time of the arrest. Inside the book bag was a handgun that had recently been reported stolen. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the camper and found three more stolen firearms, including two shotguns and a rifle. Dye is a convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing firearms. On July 27, 2023, Dye pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a stolen firearm.
This case was 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Alexander City Police Department investigated this case, which Assistant United States Attorney Brandon W. Bates prosecuted.
Charlotte Woman in Charge of $1.9 Million Debt Collection Scheme Is Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Dena J. King announced today that Carissa Eugenia Brown, 35, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 54 months in prison for orchestrating a $1.9 million debt collection scheme. In addition to the prison term imposed, Brown was ordered to serve three years under court supervision after she is released from prison and to pay $1,708,920.60 as restitution.
Donald "Trey" Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Review Service, Criminal Investigation Division (IRS-CI), Charlotte Field Office, and Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), which oversees Charlotte, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, from 2015 to July 2020, Brown executed a fraudulent debt collection scheme that defrauded hundreds of victims located in North Carolina and elsewhere in the United States. Court records show that, during the relevant time period, Brown had registered three companies in North Carolina, which she used in furtherance of the scheme: Accredited Recovery Solutions, LLC (a/k/a Accredited Recovery Network); Elite Credit Adjusters, LLC (a/k/a Elite Credit Network); and Martin Recovery Group, LLC (a/k/a Martin Recovery, P.C. and the Law Office of Martin and Associates).
According to court records, Brown operated her fraudulent debt collection scheme by contacting individuals who had been sued by various creditors for their outstanding debt and falsely represented that she was authorized to collect the debt on behalf of those creditors. Brown generally offered victims to “settle” the outstanding debt for a reduced amount, but only if the victims accepted the offer and paid the reduced amount in full, or began to make payments immediately to one of Brown’s companies. As court records show, Brown often mailed victims official-looking documents, including a purported settlement agreement. Victims then made a lump-sum payment, or several payments, to Brown and her companies, believing that doing so would resolve their debt and outstanding court case, only to later learn that Brown was not authorized to collect the debt and they still owed the full debt to the actual creditor.
To further induce victims to comply with the debt repayment demands, Brown sent correspondence to victims on letterhead that implied the communication was coming from a law firm, and left voicemails for victims falsely representing that she was calling from a law firm. In addition, Brown also employed threatening and harassing pressure tactics to fraudulently induce victims to pay her, including threatening to garnish victims’ wages, to seize victims’ bank accounts, or to file judgments in court if payment on the debt was not received.
As a result of the false and fraudulent representations and threatening and harassing tactics used by Brown, court documents show that hundreds of individuals throughout the United States were fraudulently induced to pay Brown and her companies more than $1.9 million. This resulted in victims being placed in the untenable position of either having to pay their debts twice, or face the financial consequences for failing to pay the true creditor.
Brown previously pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering. She is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked IRS-CI and USPIS for handling the investigation.
Assistant United States Attorney Graham Billings of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Charlotte Man Is Sentenced for Possession of A Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Benjamin James Hemphill, 24, of Charlotte, was sentenced today to 60 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release today for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which oversees the Charlotte District Office, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to information in court documents and court proceedings, on August 4, 2021, CMPD officers arrested Hemphill after the defendant fled on foot from the scene of a car accident. Court documents show that officers at the scene of the accident searched Hemphill’s vehicle and recovered two firearms, over 3,500 pressed oxycodone pills that contained fentanyl, MDMA pills, and quantities of cocaine, cocaine base, and marijuana. Hemphill was arrested shortly thereafter.
Hemphill is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the DEA and CMPD for their investigation of the case.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) William Wiseman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case. Mr. Wiseman is a state prosecutor with the office of the 26th Prosecutorial District and was assigned by District Attorney Spencer Merriweather to serve as a SAUSA with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte. Mr. Wiseman is sworn in both state and federal courts. The SAUSA position is a reflection of the partnership between the District Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
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.
California Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Kidnapping Ex-Girlfriend and Transporting Her to IdahoRead the Press Release
BOISE – Emiliano Jaime Ramos, 41, of Lompoc, California, was sentenced to federal prison today for kidnapping his ex-girlfriend at gunpoint and then transporting her to Idaho where she was eventually rescued by police.
According to court records, on December 21, 2022, Ramos approached the victim in the parking lot of the clinic where she worked as a medical assistant in Pismo Beach, California. The victim and Ramos had previously dated, and following their breakup, the victim refused to meet with Ramos and blocked him from her social media accounts and had blocked his phone number. When the victim entered her vehicle to leave, Ramos opened the back passenger door and jumped into the seat behind her. He then reached around the driver’s seat and pressed a handgun into her right side, leading her to believe she was going to be shot. Ramos then ordered her to drive north, and she complied.
Ramos, who was in possession of a large knife in addition to the firearm, compelled the victim to drive from California to Nevada, Oregon, and eventually to Nampa, Idaho, where Ramos checked them into a hotel. Later, when Ramos was fully asleep, the victim grabbed her cell phone, which had been sitting on a nightstand, and turned it on. She quickly sent a text message to 911, before turning the phone off and placing it back on the nightstand. Once the 911 message was received, Nampa police officers were dispatched to the hotel, where they quickly worked to assemble a team of officers to conduct a rescue. During the morning of December 23, 2022, Ramos was arrested by police as he exited the hotel room. During the kidnapping, Ramos sexually assaulted the victim and told her that he intended to kill her in Idaho.
Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye sentenced Ramos to 15 years in a federal prison followed by five years of supervised release. Ramos pleaded guilty to the crime on August 17, 2023.
“The bravery of the victim in this case is powerful and I salute the law enforcement officers who rescued her and brought the defendant to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “I am also grateful to the victim specialists at the Canyon County Prosecutor’s Office and my office who have supported and will continue to support the courageous victim in this case.”
In addition to the Nampa Police Department, U.S. Attorney Hurwit credited the cooperative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Canyon County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Idaho State Police Forensic Services, the Ada County Sheriff’s Office Forensic Lab, Idaho Department of Correction, the Pismo Beach Police Department, and the Santa Maria Police Department, which led to the charges.
Brockport man pleads guilty to his role in multi-million dollar investment scamRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Halford W. Johnson, 60, of Brockport, NY, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit securities fraud before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Bonanno, who is handling the case, stated that between September 2013, and April 2018, Johnson conspired with co-defendant Darin R. Pastor to defraud multiple investors through a publicly traded company named Creative App Solutions, Inc., whose stock was registered with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. On September 6, 2013, Pastor paid approximately $1,774.10 to purchase approximately 3,548,200 shares of Creative App Solutions’ stock. Pastor became the CEO and changed the company’s name to Capstone Financial Group, Inc. Johnson was appointed Chief Financial Officer of Capstone.
From September 2013, through March 2017, approximately 95 investors purchased Capstone stock for $19,807,303. Johnson and Pastor fraudulently represented to investors and potential investors that Pastor had substantial personal wealth. For instance, they created a Wikipedia page for Pastor claiming that he had a net worth of hundreds of millions of dollars. They also mislead investors and potential investors to believe that their money would be used by Capstone to fund business deals that would generate substantial profits and increase the value of Capstone stock. These business deals included the building of a gas-to-liquid fuel production facility, the selling of gold to Hong Kong and Australian based companies, the selling of livestock, and multi-million-dollar investments by other companies in Capstone, all of which projected revenues of hundreds of millions of dollars.
Defendant Pastor used millions of dollars of investors’ money to pay his personal expenses and fund a lavish lifestyle for himself and his wife, including:
- repaying his personal debt to a securities firm;
- purchasing a house in Clarence, NY, for $1.5 million;
- purchasing a house in Florida for a relative;
- purchasing jewelry worth $294,640; and
- paying for his destination wedding in the Caribbean.
In December 2016, Capstone filed a Form 15 with the SEC terminating Capstone’s duty to file periodic and current reports with the SEC. Johnson and Pastor told investors that this meant Capstone was “going dark.” In April 2017, Capstone offered to buy back shares of Capstone stock from its investors and pay them at least four times the amount they initially paid for the stock. Johnson and Pastor knew that Capstone did not have sufficient money to pay the investors who had accepted the stock buyback offer. In order to further lull investors into believing that Capstone would fulfill its buyback agreements, Capstone made partial payments to investors totaling $6,728,500. The total loss to investors is $19,807,303.
Defendant Pastor was also charged but died in March 2023.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Thomas Fattorusso, and the Federal bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 2, 2024, before Judge Vilardo.
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Active-Duty Air Force Member Agrees to Pay Treble Damages to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program LoanRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Eglin Air Force Base active-duty member, Lazarus Wallace, has agreed to settle allegations that he violated the False Claims Act (“FCA”) by knowingly providing false information in support of a Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loan. Wallace agreed to pay $63,327.54 in treble damages under the FCA. The settlement was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“Serving our nation as a member of the military is a position of honor, deserving of high esteem,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “The fraudulent acts of this individual are incompatible with such service. We remain committed to hold accountable all who abused this crisis-based loan system.”
The United States contends that in March 2021, Wallace prepared and submitted fraudulent documents and a false and fraudulent application to obtain a PPP loan totaling $20,833, in the name of Beaming Detailing LLC. The loan was forgiven and paid by the United States Small Business Administration (“SBA”), plus interest of $277.18, for a total of $21,109.18. The United States contends that Wallace fraudulently obtained the PPP loan based on multiple false and fraudulent statements, to include the date Beaming Detailing LLC was established, the amount of Beaming Detailing LLC’s gross income, and the purpose of the loan.
This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mary Ann Couch and Marie Moyle from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, with assistance from the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the U.S. Small Business Administration.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Monday 6 November 2023
Xavier Pelkey Sentenced to 15 Years for Conspiring to Provide Material Support to TerroristsRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Waterville man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for conspiring to provide material support to terrorists.
U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Xavier Pelkey, 20, to 15 years in federal prison followed by 20 years of supervised release. Pelkey pleaded guilty on April 7, 2023.
According to court records, beginning in November 2021, Pelkey conspired with two minors, one located in Chicago and one in Canada, to conduct a mass shooting at a Shia mosque in the Chicago area. Pelkey and his coconspirators were subscribers to a radical form of Sunni Islam and supporters of the foreign terrorist organization the Islamic State, also known as ISIS. Pelkey planned to contribute firearms, ammunition and explosives to be used in the attack.
In February 2022, the FBI executed a search warrant at Pelkey’s Waterville residence and discovered three handmade explosive devices. Investigators observed a hand-painted version of the flag used by ISIS on the wall of Pelkey’s bedroom and recovered written statements intended to be released just prior to the planned attack claiming the attack in the name of ISIS. The FBI investigated the case.
“The threat of a mass casualty shooting is all too real and fresh for the people of Maine today, as is the case for far too many communities across our nation,” said Darcie N. McElwee, U.S. Attorney, District of Maine. “Mr. Pelkey bought into hate and rhetoric he found online, and it cost him his future. I commend the quick work of the FBI to stop this conspiracy before it was able to cause any death, fear or destruction.”
"Xavier Pelkey self-radicalized, pledged loyalty to ISIS, and plotted with two others to commit a mass shooting at a mosque in Illinois. Thankfully, the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force was able to thwart these plans,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “This case highlights the very real threat posed by homegrown violent extremists who self-radicalize and are prone to attack with little to no warning. Rest assured, the FBI will use every investigative tool available to us to identify and disrupt terrorists like Mr. Pelkey in order to keep our communities safe.”
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Watertown Woman Sentenced for Her Role in Fentanyl ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a Watertown, South Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on October 30, 2023.
Taylor Hoff, 29, was sentenced to four years and nine months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Hoff was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in April of 2023. She pleaded guilty on July 31, 2023.
During her involvement in the conspiracy, Hoff obtained pills containing fentanyl from a co-conspirator on front and re-sold the pills to drug customers in northeastern South Dakota, to include on the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate reservation.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Watertown Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
Hoff was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Walterboro Couple Sentenced to Federal Prison for Loan Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — A Walterboro couple, David Hiers, 45, and his wife Loretta Hiers 33, has been sentenced to three years and two years in federal prison, respectively, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud.
Evidence presented to the Court showed that in May 2019, an individual named A.D. needed money to hire a lawyer for a jailed relative. The jailed relative advised A.D. to ask David Hiers for financial help. David Hiers told A.D. he would help and asked A.D. to provide his or her personal identifying information, including a picture of A.D.’s driver’s license and Social Security Account number. David Hiers also told A.D. that his or her credit would go bad. David Hiers advised A.D. that he would be able to repair A.D.’s credit in about six months because he had contacts to fix credit. David Hiers also said that he had done this many times with many people and for A.D. not to worry about it. Loretta Hiers informed A.D. that everything was going to be fine, and that A.D. was not going to be in trouble.
The Hiers proceeded to use A.D.’s personal identifying information (PII) to execute a fraudulent loan scheme whereby they obtained money from various federally insured banks and credit unions and other lending corporations by submitting fraudulent automobile, motorcycle, all-terrain vehicle, and farming equipment loan applications in the name of A.D., and they obtained approximately $393,029.06 in fraudulent loan proceeds.
To execute the fraud scheme, the Hiers utilized a used automobile dealership, namely Lowcountry Used Cars, LLC, located in Round O, S.C., that purported to be the seller of vehicles that were to be purchased with the fraudulent loans. The Hiers also set up bank accounts in the name of the dealership. The multiple false loan applications included fraudulent information about the details of the transactions, A.D.’s financial information, the purpose of the loans, and the collateral backing certain loans. The loans included A.D.’s PII even though A.D. was not actually purchasing vehicles or equipment, as well as false information concerning “ghost” vehicles that were purportedly going to be purchased with the loan proceeds, and fraudulent documents supporting the “ghost” automobile loans, including fictitious purchase orders. The Hiers used vehicle identification numbers (VIN) they obtained from the internet for the “ghost” automobile loans.
The Hiers deposited checks from the lenders, which were written to Lowcountry Used Cars, LLC and/or to A.D., into banks in the name of the dealership and into bank accounts that were otherwise under the control of the Hiers or A.D. The Hiers gave some of the fraudulently obtained loan proceeds to A.D., while keeping a portion of the fraudulent loan proceeds for themselves.
Around July 2019, A.D. confronted David Hiers and told him to stop doing what he was doing concerning A.D.’s credit. David Hiers then ended all contact with A.D.. Nevertheless, the Hiers continued to obtain fraudulent loans for motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, and farming equipment from lenders in the name of A.D., without A.D.’s knowledge. On many occasions, Loretta Hiers posed as A.D. and used A.D.’s PII, including a forged driver’s license of A.D. Ultimately, the fraudulently obtained loans defaulted, causing losses to the lenders. The Hiers obtained approximately $393,029.06 in fraudulent loan proceeds via the scheme. The FBI seized and liquidated assets that were applied to the restitution in the case. A restitution amount of $252,369.31 remains outstanding.
United States District Judge Bruce Howe Hendricks sentenced David Hiers to 36 months imprisonment, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. Judge Hendricks sentenced Loretta Hiers to 24 months imprisonment, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. Judge Hendricks also ordered that David Hiers and Loretta Hiers each pay $252,369.31 in restitution, jointly and severally. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Colleton County Sheriff’s Office assisted in executing search warrants and arrest warrants in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dean H. Secor is prosecuting the case.
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U.S. Attorney Office to Present Senior Fraud Prevention Seminar in CarmiRead the Press Release
CARMI, Ill. – To educate seniors on the latest scams targeting them online and over the phone, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with the Carmi Public Library to host a fraud prevention seminar.
“Elder fraud is a major concern nationwide, as criminals target seniors who may be more susceptible to manipulation,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “To educate seniors on current fraud schemes, a prosecutor with experience charging these scammers will be at the Carmi Public Library to give an interactive and informational presentation on ways to avoid becoming a victim.”
The presentation highlights information on online scams, fraud schemes targeting seniors and details on cases prosecuted in the Southern District of Illinois. The event will start at 1 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 17 at the Carmi Public Library, located at 103 Slocumb St. in Carmi.
The event is free and open to the public.
Two Philadelphia Men Arrested for Distributing Fentanyl; Over 17,000 Bags of Fentanyl and Almost 200 Grams of Cocaine Base SeizedRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Talbert Hill, who is also known as “T,” and Samuel Bennett, who is also known as “Mellow,” both of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were arrested on Friday, November 3, 2023 in or near Burlington, Vermont. Both men have been charged by criminal complaint and appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle this afternoon.
According to court records, Hill and Bennett are alleged to have distributed fentanyl in and around Burlington over the past few months. The investigation revealed that Hill and Bennett coordinated their activities by using the same cellular phone number to arrange drug sales. Law enforcement surveillance revealed a likely stash house used by Hill and Bennett on Walnut Street in Burlington. Investigators also determined that Bennett was staying at a hotel room in South Burlington. On November 3, 2023, law enforcement arrested Bennett from a car he was operating at the Charlotte, Vermont ferry landing. A search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of over $10,000 cash from a suitcase in the trunk of Bennett’s car. Later on November 3, 2023, law enforcement attempted to arrest Hill in Burlington. Hill tried to flee, and discarded suspected fentanyl and cocaine base during his flight. Nevertheless, Hill had fentanyl on him when he was apprehended. At the same time as the arrests, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant on Walnut Street and at an area hotel. In total, agents seized over 17,000 bags of fentanyl (the equivalent of approximately 340 grams) and almost 200 grams of cocaine base.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that criminal complaints contain only allegations and both Hill and Bennett remain presumed innocent until and unless they are convicted of a crime. Both men face a maximum of 20 years of imprisonment on the charges they currently face.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of the Burlington Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration, and thanked the Vermont State Police for their assistance in apprehending Bennett.
The prosecutors are Assistant U.S. Attorneys Colin Owyang and Jonathan Ophardt. Hill is represented by Karen R. Shingler, Esq. Bennett is represented by the Office of the Federal Public Defender.
Traffic Stop in Tipton, Iowa, Leads to Federal Guilty PleaRead the Press Release
A woman who possessed over 50 grams of actual (pure) methamphetamine pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Rebecca Ann Rose, age 36, from La Porte City, Iowa, was convicted of possessing at least 50 grams of actual (pure) methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it.
Evidence at a prior hearing demonstrated that on December 27, 2022, Rose was driving a vehicle in Tipton, Iowa, when law enforcement officers stopped her. Officers determined that she was intoxicated and arrested her. Officers searched her car and found thousands of dollars, over 50 grams of actual (pure) methamphetamine, and marijuana.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Rose remains in custody of the United States Marshal. Rose faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, a $10,000,000 fine, and a term of supervised release of at least five years and up to life.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated by the Tipton Police Department, the Cedar County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa State Patrol, and the Muscatine County Drug Task Force.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-45.
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Three Individuals Charged in Drug Conspiracy Involving JuvenilesRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that on October 18, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a 14-count superseding indictment against Rockylane Lewis (who is also known as “Rizzo,” “Rocko,” or “Rockout,”), 33, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Aisha Davy, 36, of Springfield, Massachusetts; and Holly Howard, 49, of Brattleboro, Vermont. The indictment charges Lewis, Davy, and Howard with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base. Lewis and Davy are also charged with conspiracy to employ and use persons under eighteen years of age to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base, and conspiracy to use and possess firearms during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Lewis is additionally charged with three counts of distributing controlled substances, five counts of employing and using persons under eighteen years of age to distribute controlled substances, one count of possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, one count of using and possessing firearms during and in relation to drug trafficking crimes, and one count of possession of a firearm while knowing that he was a fugitive from justice. The indictment references three separate juveniles that Lewis is charged with involving in the distribution of controlled substances in Vermont. Howard is additionally charged with allowing her hotel room at the Rodeway Inn on Woodstock Avenue in Rutland, Vermont, to be used for the distribution of a controlled substance.
According to court records, on June 21, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant in Rutland, Vermont, during which Lewis was encountered and arrested. During the search of the apartment in which Lewis was located, law enforcement seized a black 9mm Ruger SR9c handgun, over 55 grams of bulk fentanyl, and a gram of cocaine base. Lewis was previously arraigned on three counts of distribution of controlled substances on July 6, 2023 before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle and was ordered detained pending trial. Lewis will be arraigned today on the additional charges in the October 18, 2023, indictment via video conference with United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle.
Davy was arrested on October 24, 2023, in Springfield, Massachusetts. She was arraigned on November 1, 2023, before Magistrate Judge Doyle, and was released pursuant to conditions pending trial.
Howard was arrested on November 2, 2023, in Brattleboro, Vermont. She was arraigned on November 3, 2023, before Chief United States District Judge Geoffrey Crawford. Howard was released pursuant to conditions pending trial.
The indictment is an accusation only, and Lewis, Davy, and Howard are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. If convicted, Lewis and Davy face a maximum sentence of 40 years' imprisonment, while Howard faces a maximum sentence of 20 years' imprisonment if convicted. The actual sentences in the case will be determined by the court with reference to the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of Homeland Security Investigations and the Rutland City Police Department for their coordinated investigation. He also thanked the Vermont State Police Narcotics Investigation Unit, the Ludlow Police Department, the Windsor County Sheriff’s Office, the Rutland Office of Vermont Probation and Parole, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives for their vital assistance.
The prosecutors are Assistant United States Attorneys Jason Turner and Jonathan Ophardt. Lewis is represented by Jordana Levine, Esq., Davy is represented by Natasha Sen, Esq., and Howard is represented by Chandler Matson, Esq.
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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn .
Third Man Arrested for Cocaine and Firearms TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A third man has been arrested in connection with a conspiracy to traffic cocaine and illegal firearms in and around the Boston metro area.
Alan Robinson, 25, of Littleton, was charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, firearms trafficking, and knowingly and intentionally possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Robinson was arrested on Nov. 3, 2023 and, following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston, was detained pending a hearing set for Nov. 7, 2023.
According to the charging documents, Robinson engaged in a controlled purchase with a cooperating witness to sell them four firearms – which included two ghost guns, one of which was an assault rifle, knowing that the cooperating witness was a prohibited individual. Subsequently, a search warrant was executed at Robinson’s residence, where approximately 3.3 kilograms of powdered cocaine was recovered, as well as several firearms and accessories including a ghost gun assault rifle.
The charge possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of firearms trafficking provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000, The charge of knowingly and intentionally possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime provides for a sentence of a minimum of five years and up to life in prison, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Texas Man Sentenced to over 9 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
Jackson, Mississippi – A Houston, Texas man was sentenced to 109 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine.
Juan Angel Gonzalez, 50, was sentenced in U.S. District Court on November 1, 2023.
According to court documents, in August 2019, Gonzalez conspired with others, including Kendrick Kenyon Davis, 45, of Amite, Louisiana, and Jimario Juvonca Holmes, 35, of Louisville, Mississippi, to distribute cocaine. During the investigation, agents learned that Gonzalez and Davis negotiated the delivery of kilogram quantities of cocaine, and that Davis had elicited the assistance of Holmes to pick up narcotics from Gonzalez in Houston, Texas and bring them back to Mississippi for distribution.
Ultimately, agents observed Davis meet with Holmes in Mississippi, then travel to Houston, where he met Gonzalez in a parking lot. Davis was later stopped in Beaumont, Texas for a traffic violation. Officers searched Davis’s vehicle, finding over 2 kilograms of cocaine, 172 pounds of marijuana, and a Taurus handgun with 10 rounds and one chambered.
Codefendants Davis and Holmes entered a plea of guilty and will be sentenced on December 14, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Acting Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune of Homeland Security Investigations made the announcement.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations in Jackson and Houston, Drug Enforcement Administration, Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, Kemper County Sheriff’s Office, Neshoba County Sheriff’s Office, Philadelphia Police Department, Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, Mississippi National Guard Counterdrug Task Force, and the Beaumont (Texas) Police Department.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Keesha Middleton.
The case is the result of an extensive investigation targeting illegal drug trafficking in Philadelphia, Neshoba County, Mississippi, and surrounding areas. The case 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.
Texas Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Advertising Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Texas man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for advertising child sexual abuse material on the dark web.
Neal Staton Grubert, 35, of Bertram, Texas, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathanial M. Gorton to 15 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. On July 12, 2023, Grubert pleaded guilty to one count of advertising child pornography.
In May 2020, Swedish law enforcement authorities determined that a Swedish citizen was producing images and videos of himself sexually abusing his three-year-old niece and distributing them on various dark websites. The investigation identified Grubert as an administrator of one of the websites. Following the Swedish individual’s arrest, a forensic examination of their phone revealed several images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of children, including images and videos in which Grubert’s face could be seen watching the exploitation as it happened via webcam while logged onto this dark website. Specifically, Grubert was masturbating while directing the Swedish individual how to molest his niece. A subsequent undercover investigation located images and a video uploaded and published by Grubert in his role as an administrator on the dark website.
The other individual pleaded guilty to charges in Sweden and was sentenced to seven years in prison.
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 in the investigation was provided by the Swedish Police Authority; Swedish National Operations Department; Swedish National IT Crime Centre; Swedish Prosecution Authority; Swedish National Public Prosecution Department; and Swedish National Unit against Organized Crime. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Luke A. Goldworm and Benjamin Tolkoff 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.Tempe Man Arrested for Antisemitic Email Threat to Execute Local Rabbi and "every other JEW I can find"Read the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Jeffrey Mindock, 50, of Tempe, was arrested Saturday morning on a federal complaint and arrest warrant by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for making a threat to execute a local Rabbi and “every other JEW [sic] I can find tonight at midnight of your Sabbath.”
The complaint alleges that Mindock sent an email on the morning of Friday November 3, 2023, to a Rabbi at a local synagogue in Scottsdale, asking the Rabbi to “try to convince” a judge in Utah to “drop the charges against” Mindock in a state district court case in Utah. The email stated: “If you do not use your influence to right this wrong I will execute you and every other JEW [sic] I can find tonight at midnight of your Sabbath.” The email went on: “If you wish to communicate with me further, I will only meet in person,” listed an address for the sender in Tempe, and was signed “Shalom, Viktor Sitkevicz.”
The complaint alleges that Mindock’s address was listed in motor vehicle records as the same Tempe address listed in the email. The complaint further alleges that Mindock’s threatening behavior extended to another prior email threat to “hang” a judge sent from email addresses containing “sitkevicz” or “mindock,” and another threat made during a previous court appearance in 2021 to “execute” others.
“Civic engagement and civil dialogue help bind us together as a Nation,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “We have no tolerance for those who send threatening communications to Jewish faith leaders or to any other people in America. We will continue to exercise our prosecutorial discretion and deploy our resources to charge threats cases here in Arizona.”
“The FBI takes all threats of violence seriously,” said Chad Alvarado, acting special agent in charge of the FBI’s Phoenix field office. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners must take people who make threats at their word and intervene, because protecting human life is our absolute priority.”
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 Mindock.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case, with assistance from the Tempe Police Department and the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 23-05579MJ
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-171_Mindock# # #
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.Tama Woman to Federal Prison for Stealing from Disabled RelativeRead the Press Release
A woman who spent her disabled relative’s entire trust fund was sentenced on November 2, 2023, to more than two years in federal prison.
Nancy Lee Johnson, age 69, from Tama, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 1, 2023 guilty plea to one count of wire fraud. Information from Johnson’s plea agreement and sentencing showed that in November 2017, Johnson petitioned the Meskwaki Tribal Court to become the guardian and conservator of her disabled relative, L.J. In doing so, she swore that she would faithfully discharge the duties of a guardian and conservator, which included protecting, preserving, and prudently investing the estate of L.J. At the time, L.J. had a trust fund valued at more than $360,000. L.J. also received per capita pay from the Meskwaki tribe and Social Security benefits. The court recognized Johnson as L.J.’s guardian and conservator in February 2018.
As early as December 2017, she began to transfer money from L.J.’s trust fund to other accounts and by November 2018, the balance of L.J.’s trust fund was $0. In March 2018, Johnson activated a debit card for an account she opened in L.J.’s name. She had the only copy of the card. Johnson used that card to make unauthorized purchases, which included the purchases of two purebred dogs and multiple pieces of jewelry. During the time that she was his guardian and conservator, L.J.’s assets totaled at least $416,043.73. In August 2019, when the Meskwaki Tribal Court terminated Johnson’s guardianship and conservatorship, L.J.’s funds had been reduced to $1,871.38.
Johnson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Johnson was sentenced to 33 months’ imprisonment. She was ordered to make $387,213.40 in restitution to her relative. She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Johnson was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the United States Marshal on November 27, 2023.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kyndra Lundquist and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-0086.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
St. Louis Man Admits $150,000 Pandemic FraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis, Missouri on Monday admitted fraudulently obtaining a $150,000 loan during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Demetrice Black, 53, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one felony count of misuse of a Social Security number and one felony count of theft of government property. As part of his plea, he admitted applying for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration on July 24, 2020 using a Social Security number that was not his own and a fraudulent Missouri driver’s license. Black, who was acting with another person, transferred some of the money to a separate checking account and withdrew some of the money in cash.
The EIDL loans were intended to help business owners who had been negatively affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
Black is scheduled to be sentenced February 8, 2024. The charge of misusing a Social Security number is punishable by up to five years in prison and the theft charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Both also carry a potential fine of up to $250,000.
The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Klocke is prosecuting the case.
St. Charles Parish Man Indicted for Violating Federal Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – AMARYD DOWNING, age 37, a resident of Hahnville, Louisiana, was charged on November 2, 2023, in a three-count indictment, with distribution of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court documents, on May 8, 2023, May 11, 2023, and May 22, 2023, DOWNING distributed a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl. If convicted, DOWNING faces, as to each count, a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty years, a fine of up to $1,000,000.00, at least three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charging document and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney André Jones of the Narcotics Unit.
Snellville doctor pays $225,000 to resolve allegations for improper billingRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Saima Syed, M.D. (“Dr. Syed”), Atlanta Medical and Aesthetic Center, Inc. d/b/a AIM Medical Center (“Syed Practice Group”), and Rehan Syed have agreed to pay $225,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by, among other things, billing the government for office visits that were not medically necessary, were not provided as claimed, and were not supported by patient medical records.
“Physicians who attempt to unlawfully obtain funds from government healthcare programs by padding their bills siphon scarce resources from vital programs,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “This settlement represents our office’s commitment to ensure accountability for physicians who place their greed over following the rules established by Medicare and Medicaid.”
“Physicians who put their own profits above their professional responsibilities to their patients and to honestly billing federal health programs put both patient well-being and taxpayer funding at risk,” said Tamala E. Miles, Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Our agency, working closely with our law enforcement partners, will continue to investigate health care fraud schemes to protect these safety net programs and the enrollees relying on them.”
“Our office works diligently to protect the integrity of Georgia’s Medicaid program,” said Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr. “Through enforcement actions like this settlement, we’re able to retrieve taxpayer dollars that have been unlawfully diverted and return them to the public good they’re intended to serve.”
This settlement resolves allegations that from January 2, 2018, to February 12, 2021, Saima Syed knowingly submitted false claims to federal healthcare programs for office visits that were not as complex or lengthy as Saima Syed purported. This is a practice commonly known as “upcoding.” The government also alleged that Saima Syed submitted claims of certain office visits to federal healthcare programs as though she had personally provided the service, even though she was travelling out of the country at the time these services were allegedly performed.
The settlement also resolves allegations in a lawsuit filed by Herretta Pickens and Tahirah McCloud, both of whom are former Syed Practice Group employees, under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act. The False Claims Act authorizes private parties to sue for false claims on behalf of the United States and share in the recovery. The lawsuit was filed in the Northern District of Georgia and is captioned United States ex rel. Pickens and McCloud v. Atlanta Medical and Aesthetic Center, Inc. d/b/a AIM Medical Center et al., No. 1:20-CV-4556-JPB.
The investigation of this matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Austin M. Hall, Assistant Attorney General Sara Vann, and Assistant Attorney General Mary Bryan. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
The Georgia Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Division receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $4,871,744 for Federal FY 2024. The remaining 25 percent, totaling $1,623,912 for FY 2024, is funded by the State of Georgia.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Six Sentenced in Federal Court for their Role in Columbia Heroin, Fentanyl, and Marijuana Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C.— Three men and three women from the Midlands were sentenced after pleading guilty in federal court to their roles in a heroin, fentanyl, and marijuana trafficking conspiracy based in Columbia.
- Marcus Antonio Ashford, 44, of Columbia, was sentenced to 14 years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and marijuana.
- Debra Ann Thomas, 69, of Hopkins, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin and fentanyl.
- Tremeka R. Myers, 50, of Columbia was sentenced to five years of probation after pleading guilty to aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin.
- Rashad Naheem Myers, 45, of Columbia, was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin.
- Jemica Octavia Maxwell, 42, of Columbia, was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin and marijuana.
- Shaquan Maxwell, 26, of Columbia, was sentenced to more than two years in prison after pleading guilty to aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin.
Evidence presented to the Court showed that Marcus Antonio Ashford was the leader of a heroin, fentanyl, and marijuana distribution ring operating in and around Columbia, S.C. Debra Ann Thomas, Jemica Octavia Maxwell. and Shaquan Maxwell were drug distributors working on behalf of Ashford. Tremeka R. Myers and Rashad Naheem Myers were facilitators in the conspiracy. The Myers’ home was used as a location for co-conspirators to prepare heroin for sale.
Between Sept. 2019, and July 2020, law enforcement conducted a series of controlled buys of heroin and heroin/fentanyl mixture from Ashford and his co-defendants. Some of the drugs were sold directly by Ashford; others were sold by Ashford’s co-defendants working on his behalf. Based upon the controlled buys and related investigation, in approximately two years, Ashford and his organization were responsible for trafficking nearly one kilogram of heroin, 31 grams of fentanyl, and multiple kilograms of marijuana.
Law enforcement conducted six controlled buys of heroin and heroin/fentanyl mixture from Debra Ann Thomas between Sept. 2019 and March 2020. Ashford was present at several of those sales and was ultimately identified as Thomas’s source of supply.
On June 15, 2020, law enforcement contacted Ashford to set up a purchase of one ounce of heroin. At the time, Ashford was not in Columbia. Ashford contacted Tremeka and Rashad Myers and asked them to allow Shaquan Maxwell to come to their house to prepare the heroin for sale. Later that day, Shaquan Maxwell delivered approximately one ounce of heroin to the purported buyer. When Shaquan Maxwell met with the buyer to conduct the sale, Maxwell had Ashford on a video call and Ashford explained that Maxwell was delivering the heroin on his behalf.
Approximately one month later, on July 10, 2020, law enforcement arranged for another buy of one ounce of heroin from Ashford. Ashford was again out of town and turned to Jemica Octavia Maxwell to prepare the heroin for sale at the home of Tremeka and Rashad Myers.
In Sept. 2020, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on a car belonging to Ashford and driven by Jemica Maxwell. In a subsequent search of the vehicle, law enforcement found 2.7 kilograms of marijuana.
On Oct. 27, 2020, law enforcement executed search warrants at several homes around Columbia. At the home of Tremeka and Rashad Myers, which had been used by the conspiracy members to prepare heroin for sale, law enforcement found a quantity of marijuana, equipment for preparing heroin for sale, a Taurus 9mm handgun and ammunition. In the home of Jemica and Shaquan Maxwell, which had been frequented by conspiracy members throughout the investigation, law enforcement found nearly five kilograms of marijuana. In the kitchen cabinet, law enforcement found a loaded handgun next to a distribution-sized bag of marijuana.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced all six individuals. Marcus Antonio Ashford was sentenced to 168 months in federal prison. Debra Ann Thomas was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison. Tremeka R. Myers was sentenced to 60 months on federal probation. Rashad Naheem Myers was sentenced to 24 months of imprisonment. Jemica Octavia Maxwell was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison. Shaquan Maxwell was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system. Ashford’s term of imprisonment will be followed by an eight-year term of court-ordered supervision. Thomas’s term of imprisonment will be followed by a four-year term of court-ordered supervision. Rashad Myers’s, Jemica Maxwell’s, and Shaquan Maxwell’s terms of imprisonment will be followed by three-year terms of court-ordered supervision.
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. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case was investigated by the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Flynn prosecuted the case.
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Shiprock Man Pleads Guilty to Assault and Federal Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Deon Joe Bidtah pled guilty to all three counts of the indictment charging him with assault with a dangerous weapon, discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, and assault on a federal officer with a deadly and dangerous weapon. Bidtah, 24, of Shiprock, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
According to court records, on Oct. 11, 2022, Bidtah approached a vehicle near his residence in Shiprock and fired two rounds from a 12-gauge shotgun into the vehicle. The driver, Jane Doe, was struck and injured by the gunfire. Three of Jane Doe’s family members were in the vehicle at the time. Jane Doe suffered great bodily harm and was taken to San Juan Regional Medical Center for treatment.
Navajo Nation police officers responded to the incident location, including one officer who, by virtue of a special law enforcement commission, is considered a federal officer. Bidtah approached the officers carrying the 12-gauge shotgun and fired toward the officers. Officers took cover behind their patrol units and commanded Bidtah to stop and drop his weapon, however Bidtah ignored the commands, reloaded the shotgun, and continued to walk towards the officers. In response, officers fired two rounds at Bidtah. Bidtah was struck and was later transported to Northern Navajo Medical Center for treatment.
At sentencing, Bidtah faces at least ten years in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Department of Investigation and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew J. McGinley is prosecuting the case.
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Sharon Resident Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking CrimesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – Zachariah Owens was convicted of cocaine and crack trafficking crimes, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Owens, age 37, of Sharon, Pennsylvania, pled guilty before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon. Owens pled guilty to (1) conspiring to distribute cocaine and crack in October 2021, and (2) possessing cocaine and crack with intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a school and a playground. Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing to occur on March 19, 2024, at 2:30 p.m.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of at least one year and up to 60 years in prison and a fine of up to $3,000,000. Under the United States Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
The Mercer County Drug Task Force, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives conducted the investigation leading to the convictions in this case.
Second Owner of Fresno Sleep Clinic Pleads Guilty to Submitting over $1.5 Million in Fraudulent Claims to Medicare and Medi-Cal for Sleep StudiesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Jeremy Gober, 42, of Hanford, pleaded guilty today to health care fraud and aggravated identity theft charges for submitting more than $1.5 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare and Medi-Cal for sleep studies, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
Gober co-owned and co-operated Got Sleep Inc., which operated sleep clinics in Fresno and Orange Counties in California. Sleep clinics perform diagnostic sleep studies to identify disorders like sleep apnea and narcolepsy.
According to court documents, between August 2016 and July 2020, Gober caused Got Sleep to submit thousands of claims to Medicare and Medi-Cal for sleep studies that were not actually performed on patients. The claims also stated falsely that the patients had been referred for the sleep studies by physicians with whom Gober had previously worked. This was done because Medicare and Medi-Cal will not pay for a sleep study unless the patient was referred by a physician.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the California Department of Health Care Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Barton is prosecuting the case.
U.S. District Judge Ana de Alba is scheduled to sentence Gober on March 4, 2024. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison for the health care fraud conviction and an additional, mandatory two years in prison for the identity theft conviction. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
In September 2023, Jeremy Gober’s brother, Travis Gober, pleaded guilty to similar health care fraud and aggravated identity theft charges related to other sleep clinics in the Central Valley.
Roanoke Man Indicted for Gun Crimes, Hobbs Act RobberyRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – Federal agents arrested a Roanoke County man late last week who was indicted by a federal grand jury for his involvement in a violent Hobbs Act robbery and a variety of firearms offense.
On Friday, Damon Tyler Mills, a.k.a. Tyler Mills, 27, was arrested on a federal indictment charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, one count of Hobbs Act robbery, one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.
The indictment, returned under seal last week, was unsealed following Mills’ arrest. He made his initial court appearance today.
According to the indictment, in December 2018, Mills and another individual robbed two individuals of a firearm, marijuana, and money, and brandished a firearm in doing so. Approximately two months later, on February 24, 2019, Mills is alleged to have been involved in another incident, whereby he discharged a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Mills is charged with possessing marijuana on that same date with the intent to distribute the marijuana.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Roanoke County Police Department investigated the case.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh and Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Washington Field Division, made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charlene R. Day and Jason M. Scheff are 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.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Richmond County man indicted on federal charges for bomb scare at Social Security officeRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: A Richmond County man has been indicted on federal charges for a bomb threat targeting the Social Security Administration’s Augusta office.
Keyon Tishaye Dickens, 38, of Augusta, currently is being held in the Jefferson County Detention Center after being indicted for Using a Telephone to Make a Threat to Injure a Person or Damage a Building by Explosives, and two counts of False Information and Bomb Hoax, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The phone charge carries a statutory penalty upon conviction of up to 10 years in prison, and each of the hoax charges carry a statutory penalty of up to five years in prison, along with substantial financial penalties and a period of supervised release upon completion of any prison term.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“We take seriously any threats of violence against government employees or other workers,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “Actions intended to frighten and intimidate innocent people will not be tolerated.”
The indictment alleges that Dickens called the Social Security Administration office in Augusta on Oct. 10, threatening to use an explosive device to harm the building and workers. Later, at the Social Security office, Dickens displayed a note with the handwritten message, “I have a bomb,” to a security officer who alerted the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office.
The building was locked down and evacuated, and no bomb was found. Richmond County deputies took Dickens into custody. He awaits further court proceedings and is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being investigated by the FBI, the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General and the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney George J.C. Jacobs III.
Readout of Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen’s Trip to Kyiv and BerlinRead the Press Release
Assistant Attorney General (AAG) Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division traveled to Kyiv, Ukraine, from Oct. 30 through Nov. 1 to reaffirm the Department’s close partnership with foreign counterparts to stop the flow of sensitive technologies to foreign adversaries. AAG Olsen was joined by the Disruptive Technology Strike Force co-lead Assistant Secretary (AS) Matthew Axelrod of the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security. AAG Olsen thereafter traveled to Berlin, Germany, where he met with German counterparts and gave remarks at the U.S. Embassy during a roundtable discussion hosted by the American Academy.
The trip follows the creation of the Disruptive Technology Strike Force earlier this year. Co-led by AAG Olsen and AS Axelrod, the Strike Force is an interagency law enforcement effort targeting illicit actors, protecting supply chains and preventing critical technologies from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation-states. Senior officials from the FBI and Justice Department participated in the trip, including Deputy Assistant Attorney General and Counselor to the Attorney General for International Affairs Bruce Swartz and the Resident Legal Advisor in Kyiv, Jared Kimball.
While in Kyiv, the Strike Force delegation met with foreign counterparts and their staff, including Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin; Deputies Andrii Haichenko and Iryna Mudra of the Ukraine Ministry of Justice; Deputy Head of Security Service Olsekandr Poklad; and Head of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine, Oleksandr Lytvynenko. The delegation also visited the Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise of the Ministry of Justice (KFI), a leading institution in the field of forensic examinations, housed within the Ministry of Justice and overseen by Director Oleksandr Ruvin and Deputy Director Dr. Nataliia Nestor. The visit to KFI gave the delegation the opportunity to view weapons recovered from the front lines, including ballistic missiles, air-guided missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
Throughout the visit, AAG Olsen emphasized the U.S. government’s continued commitment to undermining the Russian government’s ability to obtain critical technology used in UAVs and other weapons systems to support its unprovoked and unjustified aggression in Ukraine. Olsen additionally described the Justice Department’s ongoing efforts to bring criminal prosecutions and other enforcement actions aimed at stopping the illicit transfer of export-controlled, military-grade technology. The two governments further discussed opportunities for the Ukrainian government to support this work, including through information sharing and the exchange of best practices of forensic analysis.
From Berlin, AAG Olsen gave remarks at and participated in a roundtable discussion at the U.S. Embassy hosted by the American Academy. He also met with officials from the German Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community, including State Secretary Hans-Georg Engelke, and officials from the Germany Federal Ministry of Justice.
Providence Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – A Providence man who took delivery of a locked case inside of which he expected to find thirteen kilos of cocaine, and who later participated in a scheme to smuggle contraband into the Wyatt Detention Center has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Emmanuel Nolasco, 37, previously admitted to a federal judge that, in June 2020, he travelled to Los Angeles where he obtained thirteen kilograms of cocaine that he stored inside a locked carrying case. Nolasco then hired an individual to drive the drugs to Rhode Island and deliver them to him at his Providence residence.
According to information presented to the court, while en route to Rhode Island, the vehicle in which the cocaine was being transported was stopped by local police in Texas for a traffic violation. The police notified DEA agents in Texas of their discovery, and DEA agents in Texas and in Providence arranged for the driver continue driving to Providence to deliver the storage case which now contained thirteen replica “kilos” of cocaine. Upon delivery of the case to Nolasco on June 22, 2020, DEA agents arrested Nolasco and executed a court-authorized search of his residence, seizing four kilograms of heroin, three kilograms of various cutting agents, two loaded firearms, $108,760 in cash, a kilo press; a Porsche automobile, and various items used in the packaging and sale of drugs.
In a separate matter, Nolasco admitted to the court that while being detained at the Wyatt Detention Center he participated in a scheme to smuggle contraband into the detention center. On February 15, 2021, members of the Wyatt Detention Center Professional Standards Unit searched Nolasco’s cell and seized controlled substances.
On June 22, 2023, Nolasco pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine; possession with intent to distribute heroin; two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; two counts of possession with intent to distribute suboxone; and possession of contraband by an inmate. He was sentenced on Friday by U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith to 108 months of incarceration to be followed by four years of federal supervised release. At the government’s request, the court ordered Nolasco to forfeit to the government the $108,760 in cash, the two loaded firearms and a Porsche Panamera seized at the time of his arrest.
The cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S Attorney Paul F. Daly, Jr.
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Pine Ridge Man Indicted on Murder ChargesRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a federal grand jury has indicted a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man for two counts of Second-Degree Murder.
Jonathan Eagle Elk, age 18, was indicted in October of 2023. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann on October 30, 2023, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to life in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, three of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
In June of 2022, Eagle Elk killed Louis Swift Bird by beating him to death. Then in July of 2022, he beat Maria Makes Him First to death. Both murders occurred in Pine Ridge, within blocks of each other. Both Swift Bird and Makes Him First were homeless at the time and laying defenseless on the ground when Eagle Elk attacked them.
The charge is merely an accusation and Eagle Elk is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
This matter is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
The investigation is being conducted by the FBI and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins is prosecuting the case.
Eagle Elk was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Over 220 Pounds of Suspected Controlled Substances Seized Including Pills Shaped to Resemble Heart Shaped CandyRead the Press Release
An estimated 10 million doses of controlled substances have been seized, including eight million doses of fentanyl and methamphetamine laced pills and powder. The total street value of the drugs seized is upwards of $8 million. Three men have been arrested in connection with allegedly running this large-scale drug trafficking organization (DTO) on the North Shore of Massachusetts.
Emilio Garcia, also known as 6, 25, of Lynn, Massachusetts, was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possess controlled substances with intent to distribute and one count of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute; Sebastien Bejin, also known as Bash, 33, of Lynn, Massachusetts, was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possess controlled substances with intent to distribute and one count of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute; and Deiby Felix, 40, of Lynn, Massachusetts, was charged with one count of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute. The defendants will appear in U.S. District Court on Nov. 13.
According to the charging documents, in July 2023, an investigation into an overdose death in Salem, Massachusetts, led investigators to a DTO allegedly led by Garcia, Bejin, and Felix. The defendants were surveilled for three months, which culminated in search warrants at locations identified in the investigation, and their arrests on Wednesday, Nov. 1.
On Nov. 1, searches were conducted at four locations in Lynn. These were identified as locations frequented by Garcia and Bejin. The searches resulted in, what is believed to be, one of the largest single-location seizures of fentanyl and methamphetamine in Massachusetts and the region. Over 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of controlled substances were seized. The seizure included nine kilograms (20 pounds) of pink heart shaped fentanyl-laced pills pressed to look like candy.
In total, an estimated eight million individual doses of fentanyl and methamphetamine laced pills and powder was seized. The street value is believed to be upwards of $8 million.
More specifically, according to the charging documents, the following drug quantities were seized from the basement of a two-family residential home that was occupied by multiple families and small children:
- More than 10 kilograms (22 pounds) of white powder and rock like substances which field tested positive for methamphetamine and cocaine base;
- More than 17 kilograms (37 pounds) of suspected raw methamphetamine which equates to approximately more than 3.5 million individual doses;
- Approximately 280,000 counterfeit Percocet pills, believed to contain fentanyl, weighing 28 kilograms (61 pounds) with a street value in the range of approximately $1.4 million to over $7 million;
- More than 27 kilograms (59 pounds) of counterfeit Adderall pills, believed to contain methamphetamine; and
- Approximately 1.8 kilograms (four pounds) of brown rock and powder-like substances, which tested positive for cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine. This quantity of fentanyl equates to about 900,000 individual doses.
Additional narcotics and five firearms were also seized during the searches.
“The only thing more depraved than trafficking deadly fentanyl is trafficking deadly fentanyl designed to look like candy to appeal to teenagers,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department is focused on attacking every link in the global fentanyl trafficking chain, and we will not stop until those responsible for the fentanyl poisoning epidemic are brought to justice. We also continue to urge families to have open and honest conversations about the urgent threat posed by this epidemic, and the fact that just one pill can kill.”
“This seizure by the FBI’s North Shore Gang Task Force saved lives in communities throughout Massachusetts,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “Not only was this seizure one of the largest in the history of Massachusetts, but some of the pills were created to look like candy, potentially presenting an enormous risk to children. The FBI will continue to relentlessly pursue those involved in narcotics trafficking to keep drugs off our streets, and out of the hands of children.”
“The doses of controlled substances seized in this case exceed the number of residents in Massachusetts,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy for the District of Massachusetts. “The fact that we now are seeing fentanyl-laced pills pressed to resemble candy only underscores the urgency of this fentanyl crisis.”
Surveillance during the investigation revealed that Garcia and Bejin would travel to the Broadway stash location on a daily basis and then bring quantities of suspected from the premises to supply lower-level dealers. One such location that appeared to be supplied from the main stash location was an address at 341 Western Avenue in Lynn, where Deiby Felix is alleged to reside. A search of 341 Western Avenue revealed more than three kilograms (6.6 pounds) of pressed pills containing methamphetamine and fentanyl, consistent with those found in the Broadway stash location and a firearm.
The charges of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and conspiracy to do the same, each provide for a sentence of a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after reviewing the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Boston Field Office investigated the case, with valuable assistance provided by the Essex County District Attorney’s Office, Massachusetts State Police, Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Boston Division, IRS-Criminal Investigation in Boston, and the Chelsea, Lynnfield, Salem and Lynn Police Departments.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit for the District of Massachusetts is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Over 220 Pounds of Suspected Controlled Substances Seized Including Pills Shaped to Resemble Heart Shaped CandyRead the Press Release
BOSTON - An estimated 10 million doses of controlled substances have been seized, including eight million doses of fentanyl and methamphetamine laced pills and powder. The total street value of the drugs seized is upwards of $8 million. Three men have been arrested in connection with allegedly running this large-scale drug trafficking organization (DTO) on the North Shore of Massachusetts.
Emilio Garcia, a/k/a “6”, 25, of Lynn, was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possess controlled substances with intent to distribute and one count of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute; Sebastien Bejin, a/k/a “Bash”, 33, of Lynn, was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possess controlled substances with intent to distribute and one count of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute; and Deiby Felix, 40, of Lynn, was charged with one count of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute. The defendants will appear in U.S. District Court on Nov. 13, 2023.
According to the charging documents, in July 2023, an investigation into an overdose death in Salem, Mass., led investigators to a DTO allegedly led by Garcia, Bejin and Felix. The defendants were surveilled for three months, which culminated in search warrants at locations identified in the investigation, and their arrests on Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023.
On Nov. 1, 2023, searches were conducted at four locations in Lynn, Mass. These were identified as locations frequented by Garcia and Bejin. The searches resulted in what is believed to be, one of the largest single-location seizures of fentanyl and methamphetamine in Massachusetts and the region. Over 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of controlled substances were seized. The seizure included nine kilograms (20 pounds) of pink heart shaped fentanyl-laced pills pressed to look like candy.
In total, an estimated eight million individual doses of fentanyl and methamphetamine laced pills and powder was seized. The street value is believed to be upwards of $8 million.
More specifically, according to the charging documents, the following drug quantities were seized from the basement of a two-family residential home that was occupied by multiple families and small children:
- More than 10 kilograms (22 pounds) of white powder and rock like substances which field tested positive for methamphetamine and cocaine base.;
- More than 17 kilograms (37 pounds) of suspected raw methamphetamine which equates to approximately more than 3.5 million individual doses;
- Approximately 280,000 counterfeit Percocet pills, believed to contain fentanyl, weighing 28 kilograms (61 pounds) with a street value in the range of approximately, $1.4 million to over $7 million;
- More than 27 kilograms (59 pounds) of counterfeit Adderall pills, believed to contain methamphetamine; and
- Approximately 1.8 kilograms (four pounds) of brown rock and powder-like substances, which tested positive for cocaine, fentanyl and methamphetamine. This quantity of fentanyl equates to about 900,000 individual doses.
Additional narcotics and five firearms were also seized during the searches.
“The only thing more depraved than trafficking deadly fentanyl is trafficking deadly fentanyl designed to look like candy to appeal to teenagers,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department is focused on attacking every link in the global fentanyl trafficking chain, and we will not stop until those responsible for the fentanyl poisoning epidemic are brought to justice. We also continue to urge families to have open and honest conversations about the urgent threat posed by this epidemic, and the fact that just one pill can kill.”
“This seizure by the FBI's North Shore Gang Task Force saved lives in communities throughout Massachusetts," said FBI Director Christopher Wray. "Not only was this seizure one of the largest in the history of Massachusetts, but some of the pills were created to look like candy, potentially presenting an enormous risk to children. The FBI will continue to relentlessly pursue those involved in narcotics trafficking to keep drugs off our streets, and out of the hands of children."
“The doses of controlled substances seized in this case exceed the number of residents in Massachusetts,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “The fact that we now are seeing fentanyl-laced pills pressed to resemble candy only underscores the urgency of this fentanyl crisis.”
“Today, we’re announcing the arrests of three alleged drug traffickers and what we believe to be the largest seizure of fentanyl and methamphetamine from a single location in New England history. We believe this crew’s constant churn of drug transactions has kept the Bay State awash in dangerous and deadly narcotics and is tied to the overdose death of at least one person from Salem, Massachusetts,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “The overdose epidemic has-and does-to this day—wreak devastation on all our communities. There is no demographic this does not touch. Let this case serve as a warning that if you, or a loved one, are buying pills off the street, or getting them from a friend, or from anywhere that is not a pharmacy or physician, they might not be what you think, and it could cost you your life.”
Surveillance during the investigation revealed that Garcia and Bejin would travel to the Broadway stash location on a daily basis and then bring quantities of suspected from the premises to supply lower-level dealers. One such location that appeared to be supplied from the main stash location was an address at 341 Western Avenue in Lynn, where Deiby Felix is alleged to reside. A search of 341 Western Avenue revealed more than three kilograms (6.6 pounds) of pressed pills containing methamphetamine and fentanyl, consistent with those found in the Broadway stash location and a firearm.
The charges of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and conspiracy to do the same, each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Attorney General Garland; FBI Director Wray; Acting U.S. Attorney Levy; FBI SAC Cohen; Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker; and Lynn Police Chief Christopher P. Reddy made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Division; the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston; and the Chelsea, Lynnfield and Salem Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Operation Smoke and Mirrors Update: Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Timothy Allen Loudermilk, 64, of Charleston, was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Loudermilk admitted to his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that operated in the Charleston area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between January and March 2023, Loudermilk was living in the Charleston area and obtaining methamphetamine from a local supplier. Loudermilk’s supplier knew that he was re-distributing at least a portion of the methamphetamine. Loudermilk typically would receive one-half ounce of methamphetamine at a time, but sometimes he would obtain more. Loudermilk admitted that he was responsible for between 200 and 350 grams of methamphetamine in connection with the conspiracy.
Loudermilk is among 32 individuals indicted as a result of Operation Smoke and Mirrors, a major drug trafficking investigation that has yielded the largest methamphetamine seizure in West Virginia history. Law enforcement seized well over 400 pounds of methamphetamine as well as 40 pounds of cocaine, 3 pounds of fentanyl, 19 firearms and $935,000 in cash.
Loudermilk and 21 other defendants have pleaded guilty. Indictments against the other defendants are pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia National Guard Counter Drug program, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and the Raleigh County Sheriff's Office. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-31.
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Oklahoma Man Sentenced to over 21 Years in Prison for Advertising and Distributing Images of Child Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Austen Peppers, 36, of Lawton, Oklahoma, was sentenced today to 21 years and 10 months in prison to be followed by 15 years of supervised release for advertising and distributing child sexual abuse material, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
He was also ordered to pay restitution to 19 victims totaling $57,000.
According to court documents, between March 2018 and August 2019, Peppers sold and offered to sell images of minors being sexually abused. He conducted transactions on the dark web with cryptocurrency, using platforms and applications that he believed were secure and protected him from law enforcement scrutiny. Peppers also engaged in sexually explicit communications with persons he believed to be minors and encouraged those apparent minors to create sexually explicit images of themselves. Peppers amassed thousands of images and videos of children being sexually abused.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Homeland Security Investigations offices in Fresno, Chicago, and Oklahoma as well as the Royal Canadian Mounted Police with assistance from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol Tactical Team. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa prosecuted the case with Trial Attorney James Burke IV of the Department of Justice Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.
Peppers has been in custody since his initial appearance in this case on Nov. 14, 2019.
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 sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
Oklahoma City Man Sentenced to Serve 24 Months in Federal Prison for Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Four Defendants Sentenced Collectively to Serve 11 Years in Federal Prison and Ordered to Pay more than $135,000 in Restitution
for Metro Postal Theft, Forged Security, and Identity Theft Offenses
OKLAHOMA CITY – Last Friday, BRANDON NASH, 43, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve 24 months in federal prison and pay $20,646.62 in restitution for aggravated identity theft, announced U. S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On June 21, 2022, a federal grand jury returned a 21-count Indictment against Nash and three co-defendants, Dexter Smith, Jr., 36, Trista Ferguson, 39, and Gloria Taylor, 32, for their roles in a conspiracy to steal money from banks and individuals by cashing checks, money orders, and other financial documents stolen from metro United States Postal Service (USPS) collection boxes. The Indictment further alleges the group altered stolen checks, manufactured counterfeit checks using information found on stolen checks, and manufactured fraudulent identification documents to cash stolen and fraudulent checks.
On July 28, 2022, Nash pleaded guilty to Count 21 of the Indictment, aggravated identity theft. As part of his plea, Nash admitted to knowingly using a means of identification for another person.
At the sentencing hearing on November 3, 2023, U. S. District Judge Jodi D. Dishman sentenced Nash to serve 24 months in prison.
Smith, Jr., Ferguson, and Taylor were sentenced in October to serve 108 months collectively in federal prison. Those three defendants pleaded guilty to Count 1 of the Indictment, charging conspiracy to make, utter, and possess forged securities. Smith, Jr. was sentenced to serve 30 months, Ferguson was sentenced to serve 60 months, and Taylor was sentenced to serve 18 months.
The four defendants were ordered to pay $135,616.96 joint and several in restitution.
This case is the result of an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U. S. Attorney Charles Brown prosecuted the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Oklahoma City Man Sentenced to Serve 20 Years in Federal Prison for Armed Robberies Across Oklahoma CityRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Last week, MARCUS CLAYTON HARRIS, 40, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve 20 years in federal prison for multiple armed robberies of businesses in Oklahoma City, announced U. S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On January 3, 2023, Harris was charged by a four-count Superseding Information. Counts 1 & 3 charged Harris with interference with commerce by robbery. Count 2 charged Harris with possessing and brandishing a firearm during a robbery, and Count 4 charged him with possessing, brandishing, and discharging a firearm during a separate robbery. According to court records, in June 2022 law enforcement began investigating a string of armed robberies around the Oklahoma City area. Their investigation led them to Harris, who authorities say repeated certain behaviors during his robberies.
According to court documents, on July 3, 2022, Harris robbed a Family Dollar, where he isolated an employee with a firearm and ordered those in the store to not call police. During another robbery, at a Cricket Wireless store on July 7, 2022, Harris brandished and discharged a firearm. Harris was taken into custody on July 8, 2022, after having either committed or attempted two other armed robberies that same day. Court documents show that Mr. Harris ultimately committed a total of nine robberies during this spree.
On January 9, 2023, Harris pleaded guilty to the four-count Superseding Information. As part of his plea, Harris admitted to robbing both the Family Dollar and Cricket Wireless stores, and to discharging his firearm during the Cricket Wireless robbery.
At the sentencing hearing on November 2, 2023, U.S. District Judge Patrick R. Wyrick sentenced Harris to serve 20 years in federal prison. In announcing the sentence, the court noted Mr. Harris’s serious and extensive conduct in this case, including nine total robberies where he brandished a firearm or other dangerous weapon, multiple instances of discharging a firearm, and multiple instances of making threats toward victims. The court also recognized that Mr. Harris had a past conviction for attempted robbery in Oklahoma County District Court Case No. CF-2017-7456, yet continued to engage in this activity.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan J. West prosecuted the case.
Oklahoma City Man Sentenced to Serve 14 Years in Federal Prison, Wrapping up Multi-Year Drug Trafficking InvestigationRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Last week, JOSE ANDREAS FONSECA-ECHAVARRIA, 30, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve 168 months in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute large amounts of methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl, and to launder the proceeds from that distribution, announced U. S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
Today’s announcement wraps up a multi-year investigation into the Fonseca Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO), in which nine defendants were sentenced to serve over 70 years collectively in federal prison.
On October 5, 2021, a federal grand jury returned a 66-count Indictment against Fonseca-Echavarria and eight other defendants for their roles in the DTO’s operation. According to an affidavit filed in support of a criminal complaint, the Fonseca DTO was managed by Jose Fonseca-Echavarria (Jose) and co-defendant Cesar Fonseca-Echavarria (Cesar), 32, with the assistance of many others. The complaint alleges that Cesar was primarily responsible for the activities of the DTO, including coordinating the importation of bulk quantities of methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl into the Oklahoma City area, and the collection of proceeds from the distribution of the drugs. Cesar also regularly communicated with individuals in Mexico, who controlled the source of the supply of the drugs.
According to court documents, Jose assisted Cesar in the day-to-day operation of the DTO and located customers for local distribution of methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl.
In February 2023, Jose and Cesar both entered guilty pleas to Counts 1 and 48 of the Indictment. Count 1 charged the defendants with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, 100 grams or more of heroin, and 400 grams or more of fentanyl, and Count 48 charged the defendants with a money laundering conspiracy.
At the sentencing hearing on November 2, 2023, U.S. District Judge Joe Heaton sentenced Jose to serve 168 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, the court noted the significant amount of methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl that Jose helped to distribute through the organization and the impact of those drugs on the community. He also noted Jose’s critical role in helping to send drug proceeds back to Mexico.
On September 20, 2023, Cesar was sentenced to serve 244 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
The other defendants in this case have been sentenced as follows:
- Dean Alexander Mack, age 45 – 100 months in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, for drug conspiracy and illegal possession of a firearm after a previous felony conviction.
- Juan Antonio Cervantes, age 29 – 90 months in federal prison, followed by four years supervised release, for drug conspiracy and money laundering;
- Calista Charmaine Clark, age 39 – 85 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for drug conspiracy;
- Jerome Thor Campbell, age 63 – 70 months in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, for drug conspiracy;
- Osvaldo Calvillo-Oropeza, age 22 – 40 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, for drug conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy;
- Christian Saldivar, age 22 – 32 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for drug conspiracy; and
- Javion Jarrel Wisby, age 22 – 20 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for drug conspiracy.
This case is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics. Assistant U. S. Attorneys Thomas B. Snyder and Danielle M. Connolly prosecuted the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.