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19 December 2023
Romance Scammer who Helped Steal Nearly $1.2 Million from Missouri Woman Sentenced to 3 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel on Tuesday sentenced a man who helped scam nearly $1.2 million out of a St. Louis area woman to three years in prison and ordered him to repay the money.
Rotimi Oladimeji, 38, of Texas, assisted other scammers in Nigeria and the United States prey on the victim, who thought she was in an online romance with a veterinarian and animal behaviorist living in St. Louis.
After a scammer spotted the victim on an online dating site, Oladimeji and his co-conspirators began an online relationship with her. They made plans to meet with her but never followed through, once leaving her waiting at the Missouri Botanical Garden. In October of 2019, Oladimeji claimed the veterinarian was going to Dubai, then said he wouldn’t be allowed to leave unless she sent money. They continued to make request after request of the victim for four and five-figure sums, court records show.
Oladimeji had the victim send cash and cashier’s checks via FedEx to the Texas home of his co-defendant, Olumide Akrinmade, now 38, of Richardson, Texas. Oladimeji had recruited Akrinmade and Adewale Adesanya, another Texas resident, to receive the funds.
In all, the victim lost nearly $1.17 million. Oladimeji received 20% of the funds he generated. As money mules who transmitted the fraudulent proceeds to people like Oladimeji, Akinrinmade and Adesanya received 20% of the funds they forwarded. The remaining amount went to scammers in Nigeria.
Oladimeji was born in Lagos, Nigeria and could be deported after his release from prison.
Oladimeji pleaded guilty in December of 2022 to two counts of mail fraud, two counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud.
Akrinmade, now 38, pleaded guilty in April to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud. He was sentenced to 15 months in prison and ordered to repay $46,500.
Adesanya pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Dallas and was sentenced to four years in prison. He was also ordered to repay $1.5 million that resulted from the romance fraud as well as a business email compromise scheme.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry prosecuted the case.
For information about how to spot and guard against romance scams, go to ice.gov/features/romance-scams.
Revere, Massachusetts Man Sentenced in Nationwide Rideshare and Delivery Account Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – A Revere, MA, man was sentenced yesterday for defrauding rideshare companies using fraudulent driver accounts that he created using stolen identities.
Thiago De Souza Prado, 39, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Mark L. Wolf to 70 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Judge Wolf also imposed a $50,000 fine. Prado was charged in May 2021 along with 17 others. In September 2023, Prado was convicted by a federal jury of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud, and three counts of aggravated identity theft.
“What Thiago De Souza Prado and this crew did is truly egregious. They stole the identities of unsuspecting consumers, violated customers’ privacy, and potentially compromised public safety by putting unqualified drivers behind the wheel of these rideshare and food delivery services which millions of people rely on,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “We are very grateful to Uber’s Global Security and Investigations team for their diligent efforts in rooting out this massive fraud ring, for quickly bringing it to the FBI’s attention, and for working with us to ensure the defendants in this case were brought to justice and held accountable for the crimes they committed.”
According to the government’s evidence presented at trial, starting in 2019, Prado obtained stolen Massachusetts driver’s licenses and bought social security numbers on the darknet. He and his co-conspirators then used the stolen identities to pass the criminal background checks, the sex offender registry check, and the driving record check required by the rideshare companies and by the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities.
Prado and his co-conspirators also used the stolen social security numbers for tax reporting on their fraudulent accounts. Once the driving accounts were active, Prado either used the accounts himself or rented them out to others, who also could not pass the background checks, often because they did not have social security numbers and were in the United States illegally.
Prado also used his fake driver accounts to get bonuses from rideshare companies by referring his other fake driver accounts as new drivers. In addition, Prado and his co-conspirators used an app, which they called “the drone,” to spoof rides and ride lengths, so that they were paid by the rideshare companies for “ghost rides” or for rides that were longer and more expensive than those actually provided. Prado received payments via bank accounts that he opened in the names of identity theft victims.
United States Attorney Zachary Cunha of the District of Rhode Island and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Social Security Administration, the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities and the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Holcomb and Kriss Basil of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts are prosecuting the case.
Mr. Cunha was assigned to oversee this matter by the Department of Justice upon recusal of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts.
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Return preparer and former owner of national tax preparation franchise sentenced to prison for evading his own taxesRead the Press Release
STATESBORO, GA: A Bulloch County, Ga., man has been sentenced to federal prison for income tax evasion.
Samir Patel, 56, of Statesboro, Ga., was sentenced today (Dec. 19) to two years in prison after previously pleading guilty to tax evasion, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randal Hall also ordered Patel to pay approximately $550,000 in restitution to the United States, a fine of $95,000, and ordered him to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“Much of our nation’s operating revenues are dependent on the lawful participation of citizens in the income tax system, and those who evade their responsibilities place a greater burden on everyone else,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “This sentence demonstrates the substantial consequences of attempting to cheat the system.”
As described in court documents and testimony, Patel was a tax return preparer at a national return preparation business. In 2015, Patel purchased a franchise of the business in Claxton, Ga. As the owner, he hired, trained, and supervised tax preparers, and continued to prepare returns for customers. Patel, however, willfully filed false income tax returns that omitted more than $1.28 million in income – including almost $1.18 million from S&W Amusements, a company that placed coin operated amusement machines in convenience stores and gas stations – and evaded proper assessment of his personal taxes for years 2015, 2016, and 2017.
As part of his sentence, Patel is prohibited from preparing tax returns for others or for entities in which he has no interest during his term of supervised release.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case, which was prosecuted for the United States by Trial Attorneys Matthew C. Hicks and Richard J. Hagerman of the Department of Justice Tax Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. Harper III of the Southern District of Georgia.
Return Preparer Who Evaded His Own Taxes Sentenced to Two Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
A Georgia man was sentenced today to two years in prison for evading his personal federal income taxes.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from 1999 to 2021, Samir Patel, of Statesboro, was a tax return preparer at a national return preparation business. In 2015, Patel purchased a franchise of the business in Claxton, Georgia. As the owner, he hired, trained and supervised tax preparers, while continuing to prepare returns for customers. Patel nevertheless evaded his own income taxes by, among other things, filing false returns for 2015 through 2017 that omitted over $1.28 million in income – including almost $1.18 million from his business, S&W Amusements, a company that placed coin-operated amusement machines in convenience stores and gas stations. In total, Patel caused a tax loss to the IRS of approximately $550,000.
In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randal Hall for the Southern District of Georgia ordered Patel to serve three years of supervised release and to pay a $95,000 fine and $551,450 in restitution to the United States.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Jill E. Steinberg for the Southern District of Georgia made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Matthew C. Hicks and Richard J. Hagerman of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. Harper III for the Southern District of Georgia prosecuted the case.
Recidivist Offender Sentenced Again for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialsRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Parker, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 11 years in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, on his conviction of violating federal laws relating to the sexual exploitation of children and violating the prior conditions of his federal supervised release that he had been serving for a previous conviction for receiving child sexual abuse material, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter imposed the sentence on Thomas Robert Hawk, 42.
According to information presented to the court, from August 2021 to May 2022, Hawk possessed and accessed with intent to view visual images and videos in individual digital files depicting prepubescent minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and United States Probation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Hawk.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Raleigh Man Convicted in Cross-Country Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal jury convicted a Raleigh man last week on charges of drug trafficking, conspiracy, and illegal firearm possession for his role as a leader of a Raleigh-based drug organization that sourced drugs from Los Angeles, California and Newark, New Jersey. Lawrence Levon Jones, age 45, has eight prior felonies including seven drug trafficking offenses and one conviction for felon in possession of a firearm and he faces between 15 years and life in prison when he is sentenced next year.
“This is the ninth defendant to be convicted in a drug trafficking organization moving kilogram quantities of drugs in the Raleigh area,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “I am proud of the collaboration of our law enforcement agencies to dismantle this organization and put those accountable behind bars.”
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, during an investigation into drug trafficking activity which included surveillance and wiretaps, agents determined that Jones regularly traveled to Los Angeles and Newark, picked up money from conspirators who were holding for him, and purchased large quantities of cocaine and marijuana. Couriers transported the drugs to the Raleigh area.
On July 22, 2020, law enforcement in Texas stopped one of these couriers travelling eastbound from California and seized 400 pounds of marijuana and three kilograms of cocaine from a hidden compartment in the back of the truck that had been constructed to look like a large stack of lumber. That same day, agents arrested Jones when he arrived at his stash house in Raleigh. Inside the home, agents found 3.5 kilograms of cocaine, 138 grams of crack, 2 kilograms of marijuana, hundreds of ecstasy pills that contained methamphetamine, two handguns (one stolen), over $99,000 in cash, and five kilo presses. Over the next two days, agents executed multiple search warrants at homes used by Jones’s organization in Raleigh and California and seized nine guns over $757,000, and additional drugs.
The prosecution of Jones was a part of Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force Operation (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, 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.
Other defendants associated with Jones pled guilty to drug trafficking and/or firearms offenses and received the following sentences imposed by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III:
- Tyrone Bragg, of Raleigh pled guilty to drug trafficking conspiracy and firearms charges and received a sentence of 168 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release;
- Calvin Lamar Kelley, of Keysville, Georgia, pleaded guilty to a drug trafficking conspiracy charge and received a sentence of 60 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release;
- Keishron Ko-She Kilpatrick, of Raleigh, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking conspiracy and firearms charges and received a sentence of 84 months imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release;
- Marquis Deja Brite, of Raleigh, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking conspiracy and firearms charges and received a sentence of 90 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release;
- Hurley Matthew Cannady, of Raleigh, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking conspiracy and firearms charges and received a sentence of 117 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release;
- David Earl Seawell, Jr., of Raleigh, North Carolina, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking conspiracy charges and received a sentence of 78 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release;
- Wesley Kimball Kelley, of Atlanta, Georgia, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking conspiracy charges and is awaiting sentencing; and
- Robert McNeal, of Raleigh, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking conspiracy and is awaiting sentencing.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III accepted the verdict. The Raleigh Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation are investigating the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Peaden and Nick Hartigan are prosecuting the case. Investigators also received valuable assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the 32nd Judicial District Attorney's Office in Texas.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No.5:20-cr-00388-D-1.
RICO Conspirators Responsible for Nationwide Computer Intrusions and Tax Fraud Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Louisaint Jolteus, Michael Jean Poix, Monika Shauntel Jenkins, Alain Jean-Louis (34, Hollywood), Louis Noel Michel, and Jeff Jordan Propht-Francisque to federal prison terms for their roles in a RICO conspiracy that involved cyber intrusions and millions of dollars of tax fraud. Andi Jacques, Dickenson Elan, and Vladimyr Cherelus will be sentenced next year for their involvement in the conspiracy. See chart below for details.
Name
(Age, Residence)
Status
Offense
Sentence
Louisaint Jolteus
37, West Palm Beach
Pleaded guilty on July 6, 2022
RICO Conspiracy
9 years and 2 months in prison and $2,928,841.00 in restitution
Michael Jean Poix
(33, West Palm Beach)
Pleaded guilty on August 29, 2023
RICO Conspiracy and Aggravated Identity Theft
10 years and 10 months in prison and $130,771.00 in restitution
Monika Shauntel Jenkins
(34, Hollywood)
Pleaded guilty on September 18, 2023
RICO Conspiracy and Aggravated Identity Theft
87 months in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and $3,384,913.00 in restitution
Alain Jean-Louis
(32, Miami)
Pleaded guilty on August 31, 2023
RICO Conspiracy and Aggravated Identity Theft
102 months in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and $2,554,907.00 in restitution
Louis Noel Michel
(29, Hollywood)
Pleaded guilty on July 25, 2023
RICO Conspiracy and Aggravated Identity Theft
7 years, 3 months in prison and $1,941,533.00 in restitution
Jeff Jordan Propht-Francisque
(29, Pompano Beach)
Pleaded guilty on August 29, 2023
RICO Conspiracy
4 years in prison and $2,574,235.00 in restitution
Andi Jacques
(42, Greenacres)
Pleaded guilty on August 23, 2023
RICO Conspiracy and Aggravated Identity Theft
Sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 10, 2024
Dickenson Elan
(39, Clearwater)
Found guilty on November 6, 2023
RICO Conspiracy
Sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 7, 2024
Vladimyr Cherelus
(34, Lauderdale Lakes)
Pleaded guilty on September 18, 2023
RICO Conspiracy
Sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 10, 2024
According to court documents, from 2015 through 2019, these individuals and numerous other conspirators—including a now-deceased conspirator who is referenced in the indictment as RICH4EVER4430—banded together to engage in a sophisticated cybercrime and tax fraud scheme.
RICH4EVER4430, Jean-Louis, Jenkins, Michel, Propht-Francisque, and Cherelus used the dark web to purchase server credentials for the computer servers of Certified Public Accounting (CPA) and tax preparation firms across the country. They used those server credentials to remotely and covertly commit computer intrusions and exfiltrate the tax returns of thousands of taxpayers who were clients of those CPA and tax preparation firms.
Jacques, Elan, Jean-Poix, and Jolteus were involved with creating and operating fraudulent tax businesses to file false tax returns in the names of thousands of victims. They also registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) preparer tax identification numbers using the names and information of identity theft victims, to make it appear that those victims were the individuals who were filing false returns in bulk.
RICH4EVER4430, Jean-Louis, Jenkins, Michel, Propht-Francisque, Cherelus, and other conspirators then partnered with Jacques, Elan, Poix, Jolteus, and others to form an enterprise through which they filed thousands of false tax returns in the names of more than 9,000 identity theft victims.
The conspirators directed the resulting tax refunds to debit cards and bank accounts that they controlled. Also, to make the businesses appear more legitimate, members of the enterprise opened bank accounts in the names of these fraudulent tax businesses to receive fake “tax preparer fees.”
As the RICO conspiracy evolved, members of the enterprise “hijacked” the IRS-issued identification numbers of CPA and tax preparation firms and used those identification numbers to file scores of additional false tax returns. Members of the enterprise filed false self-prepared tax returns using stolen identities as well.
Altogether, the enterprise claimed more than $45 million in false tax refunds over the course of approximately four years. The actual loss to the IRS and the United States was estimated to be more than $7 million.
“The recent sentencings of these co-conspirators, highlights the unwavering dedication of IRS-CI and our law enforcement partners in combating cybercrime. Our determination remains resolute in pursuing individuals who exploit technology as a means to commit unlawful activities,” said Tara K. Reed IRS-CI Acting Special Agent in Charge. “These sentences serve as a stark warning to potential wrongdoers that there is nowhere to hide, and IRS-CI will work tirelessly to bring you and your misdeeds to light.”
“This was a milestone investigation for the FBI because of the RICO cybercrime conspiracy,” said FBI Tampa Division Special Agent in Charge David Walker. “It underscores the evolution of the cyber threat and how criminals are learning cyber tradecraft in an attempt to advance their criminal enterprises. However, this case also demonstrates how the FBI and our law enforcement partners are evolving our approach to investigations and prosecutions to continue to successfully disrupt cyber gangs.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation in Orlando, with assistance from the FBI in Miami and IRS-CI in Minnesota. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys John M. Gardella and William S. Hamilton.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced for Cyberstalking and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Philadelphia man, Austin Genay, 30, has been sentenced to 22 months in federal prison, by Chief U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves, for cyberstalking and wire fraud.
According to his guilty plea agreement, Genay and the victim initially engaged in a consensual sexual relationship online. Without the knowledge or permission of the victim, Genay took screenshots and still images of some of their online communications of a sexually explicit nature. Initially, the victim made voluntary payments to Genay; but thereafter, Genay began making numerous financial demands of the victim. Specifically, Genay sent messages seeking money from the victim, which threatened to expose the communications and contained promises to delete them to induce the payments. The victim then paid Genay substantial sums.
When the victim informed Genay that he did not have sufficient funds to continue to pay him and attempted to block his phone number, Genay used threats to expose the intimate information. During the scheme, Genay fraudulently lied about a variety of things, such as being evicted, having vehicle expenses, and legal fees, to induce the victim to pay him. Despite the victim’s pleas to stop, Genay sent harassing communications and demands for money that he knew would and did cause substantial emotional distress and pecuniary harm to the victim. As part of his sentence, Genay was also ordered to pay restitution to the victim, in the amount of $338,602.00.
Under federal law, Genay must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence; and upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Michael Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI, Louisville Field Division, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI. The United States was represented by Assistant United States Attorney Tashena A. Fannin.
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Peggs Resident Pleads Guilty to ManslaughterRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Wanda Kay Friday, age 53, of Peggs, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Information charging her with one count of voluntary manslaughter.
The Information alleged that on November 25, 2022, upon sudden quarrel and heat of passion, Friday knowingly and unlawfully shot and killed the victim. The crime occurred in Cherokee County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea in Muskogee, and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Assistant United States Attorney James Seaman represented the United States.
Partners in drug trafficking hub sent to prisonRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Two Rio Grande Valley residents have been sentenced in for drug and money laundering conspiracies, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Luis Ortiz III, 43, Mission, pleaded guilty June 21, 2019, while Rodolfo Hernandez Ramos 44, Los Fresnos, entered his plea Aug. 9, 2019, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five or more kilograms of cocaine and 1,000 or more kilograms of marijuana. They also admitted to a conspiracy to launder drug proceeds in the form of bulk U.S. currency between July 1, 2014, and March 19, 2019.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now ordered Ramos to serve a total of 135 months in federal prison while Ortiz was ordered to serve 100 months imprisonment.
The investigation focused on a group of cocaine and marijuana distributors in the Rio Grande Valley and their sources of drugs who smuggled these drugs into the United States from Mexico. Drugs were smuggled into the country in passenger vehicles, large trucks and dropped from aircraft.
Ramos and Ortiz worked within the drug trafficking organization by operating stash houses to prepare the drugs for shipment within the United States. The partnership also used trucks to deliver cocaine and marijuana to the customers in 22 other states. Both men were also responsible for having the proceeds of the drug sales transported back to South Texas for delivery to the suppliers.
Ramos has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons (BOP) facility to be determined in the near future. Luis Ortiz III was permitted to remain to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender at a later date.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and IRS – Criminal Investigation conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. 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 on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Cusick prosecuted the case.
Palm Beach Gardens Attorney Sentenced to Prison for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Michael Thomas Dolce, 54, a Palm Beach Gardens attorney, was sentenced yesterday, by U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks, to 48 months in federal prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, after previously pleading guilty to possessing child pornography.
As part of his guilty plea, Dolce admitted to downloading child pornography to his personal laptop at his West Palm Beach apartment. According to court records, Dolce used peer-2-peer software to search for and download the illegal material, including prepubescent children. Nearly 2,000 images and videos were recovered from Dolce’s laptop. Forensic evidence confirmed that Dolce was in the process of downloading child pornography files just before law enforcement seized his laptop during the execution of a federal search warrant of his residence.
“The prosecutors in our office, alongside our FBI partners, are committed to safeguarding all children from child predators” stated U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida. “As an attorney and Southern District resident, Michael Dolce had a duty to protect children from the very crimes for which he pled guilty to committing. Yesterday, Dolce was sentenced to prison for casting aside his oath and victimizing the most vulnerable people in society – our children. We encourage anyone with information regarding the sexual exploitation of children to immediately contact the FBI.”
“The investigation revealed that Michael Dolce downloaded onto his laptop nearly 2,000 images and videos of child sexual abuse material, including prepubescent children,” said Jeffrey B. Veltri, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami. “There is nothing more despicable than those who carry out crimes against the most innocent among us - our children. That is why our agents, analysts, and task force officers work tirelessly to bring to justice those individuals responsible for such heinous crimes.”
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office, announced the sentencing.
The West Palm Beach Resident Agency of the FBI Miami Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Schiller prosecuted it.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov or https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/project-safe-childhood.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 23-cr-80063.
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Oxford Man Convicted for Felon in Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Eric L. Eggers, 39, of Oxford, Nebraska, was sentenced on December 19, 2023, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for felon in possession of a firearm. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Eggers to 36 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Eggers’ release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release.
On August 24, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant of Eggers’ residence in Furnas County, Nebraska. During the search, law enforcement located 16 firearms in total. Eggers admitted that he knew that the firearms were in his residence and that he knowingly possessed them. He also admitted that he knew he could not legally possess them. Eggers had previously been convicted of a felony in 2012.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Furnas County Sheriff’s Office.
Owner of Kansas Company Pleads Guilty to Crimes Related to Scheme to Illegally Export U.S. Avionics Equipment to Russia and Russian End UsersRead the Press Release
Cyril Gregory Buyanovsky, 60, of Lawrence, Kansas, the owner and president of KanRus Trading Company Inc., pleaded guilty today for his role in a years-long conspiracy to circumvent U.S. export laws by filing false export forms with the U.S. government and, after Russian’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, continuing to sell and export sophisticated and controlled avionics equipment to customers in Russia without the required licenses from the U.S. Department of Commerce.
“Buyanovsky admitted to a long-running scheme to smuggle sophisticated U.S. avionics equipment to Russia, doubling down to hide his actions after Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Today’s guilty plea demonstrates the Justice Department’s commitment to cut off Moscow from the means to fuel its military and hold those enabling it accountable in a court of law.”
“The rejection of tyranny and the protection of democracy are among the foundational principles of the United States of America. Our country continues to hold steadfastly to these ideals,” said U.S. Attorney Kate E. Brubacher for the District of Kansas. “After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the U.S. government imposed export controls and sanctions to prevent the weaponization of U.S. manufactured technology against Ukraine in a conflict intended to usurp its right to sovereignty within its borders. As long as there are people who value greed and profit over freedom and justice, the U.S. Department of Justice will remain vigilant and investigate and prosecute these crimes.”
“Buyanovsky’s guilty plea serves as a reminder to those who defy U.S. law to support Russia’s aggression – know you will be held accountable for your actions,” said Executive Assistant Director Larissa Knapp of the FBI’s National Security Branch. “The FBI, along with our partners, works diligently to identify and prevent illegal transfers of sophisticated equipment to hostile nations and will pursue those who support such smuggling operations.”
“The diversion of controlled U.S.-origin goods and falsification of end user information for use by Russian end users will be vigorously investigated,” said Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tambrini of Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement Chicago Field Office. “Individuals will be pursued and prosecuted wherever they are located.”
According to court documents, as part of his guilty plea, Buyanovsky admitted that between 2020 and when he was arrested in March, he conspired with others – including co-defendant and former KanRus vice president Douglas Edward Robertson, 56, of Olathe, Kansas – to smuggle U.S.-origin avionics equipment to end users in Russia, as well as Russian end users in other foreign countries, by, among other actions, knowingly filing false export forms and failing to file required export forms with the U.S. government. In these forms, Buyanovsky and his conspirators lied about the exports’ value, end users and end destinations.
Buyanovsky further admitted that on at least one occasion in 2021, he and Robertson smuggled a repaired Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) to the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (FSB) by removing the FSB sticker from the device before sending the device to a U.S. company to be repaired and then reattaching the sticker before shipping the TCAS back to the FSB in Russia.
Buyanovsky further admitted that after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 and the U.S. government tightened export controls concerning Russia, he, co-defendant Robertson and other conspirators continued to purchase and export U.S.-origin avionics equipment to customers in Russia and took numerous steps to hide their illegal activity from law enforcement, including by lying to U.S. suppliers about the intended end users; shipping goods through intermediary companies in Armenia, the United Arab Emirates, and Cyprus; continuing to file false export forms with the U.S. government; and using foreign bank accounts in countries other than Russia, such as Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Cyprus and the United Arab Emirates, to funnel money from the Russian customers to KanRus in the United States.
In addition to pleading guilty, Buyanovsky consented to the forfeiture of over $450,000 worth of avionics equipment and accessories and a $50,000 personal forfeiture judgment. According to court documents, among the equipment that Buyanovsky forfeited was a pallet of avionics devices that was detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection the day before Buyanovsky and Robertson were arrested.
On Dec. 7, as part of the U.S. government’s interagency efforts to dismantle Russian procurement networks designed to circumvent U.S. export controls and sanctions imposed in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Department of Commerce added many of the entities and individuals involved in Buyanovsky’s illegal export scheme to the Commerce Department’s Entity List, which imposes specific license requirements on all listed individuals and entities.
As a result of today’s guilty plea, Buyanovsky faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison – five years for the conspiracy count and 20 years for the money laundering count. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 21, 2024.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Task Force KleptoCapture Co-Directors David Lim and Michael Khoo, U.S. Attorney Kate E. Brubacher for the District of Kansas, Executive Assistant Director Larissa Knapp of the FBI’s National Security Branch, Special Agent in Charge Stephen A. Cyrus of the FBI Kansas City Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tambrini of the Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement Chicago Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge John Johnson of the Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement Miami Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI and the Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement are investigating the case. U.S. Customs and Border Protection provided substantial assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Rask and Ryan Huschka for the District of Kansas and Trial Attorney Adam Barry of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
The investigation was coordinated through the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture, an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export controls and economic countermeasures that the United States, along with its foreign allies and partners, has imposed in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine. Announced by the Attorney General on March 2, 2022, and under the leadership of the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, the task force will continue to leverage all of the department’s tools and authorities to combat efforts to evade or undermine the collective actions taken by the U.S. government in response to Russian military aggression.
Overland Park man charged with robbing bankRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas man has been charged through criminal complaint in Kansas City, Kansas, for allegedly robbing a bank.
According to court documents, Cesar Serrano, 46, of Overland Park is charged with one count of bank robbery. On December 16, 2023, Serrano allegedly used a firearm to demand money from employees at Great Southern Bank in Prairie Village, Kansas.
The defendant is scheduled for his initial court appearance on December 20, 2023, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Angel D. Mitchell of the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison.
The Prairie Village Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Overland Park Police Department are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Flannigan is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###Orange County Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to 6 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton today sentenced Jennifer Lee Branham (42, Orlando) to 6 years in federal prison for possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it. Branham had pleaded guilty on July 26, 2023.
According to court documents, in early 2022, Branham sold controlled substances to a confidential source in Orange County. Based on those drug sales, on February 23, 2022, deputies from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at Branham’s residence. Inside her bedroom, detectives located over 200 grams of methamphetamine, a scale, small baggies, various other controlled substances, and a loaded 9mm Springfield semi-automatic handgun.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Karyna Valdes.
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.
Oklahoman sentenced in East Texas for federal wildlife violationRead the Press Release
TYLER, Texas – An Oklahoma man has been sentenced for federal wildlife violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.
Dusty Caudill, 37, of Ardmore, OK, pleaded guilty to the transportation of wildlife in violation of state law – a violation of the U.S. Lacey Act – and was sentenced to 12 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle on Dec. 19, 2023.
According to information presented in court, in February of 2021 Caudill conspired with co-defendants David Bartlett and Darryl Garcia to transport stolen African elephant ivory tusks from Ardmore, Oklahoma to Tyler, Texas for sale. The tusks had been stolen in the burglary of a residence in Ada, Oklahoma in late 2020. Bartlett negotiated the sale of the tusks with a person he believed to be a resident of Houston, Texas for $10,700.00.
The investigation revealed that on February 17, 2021 Caudill and Garcia removed the ivory tusks from the trunk of Caudill’s car in Ardmore and placed them in Garcia’s car. Garcia then picked up Bartlett and the two of them drove the tusks to Tyler, Texas where they believed they would be meeting with the buyer from Houston. Instead, they were met by federal wildlife agents.
African elephants are a protected wildlife species under the federal endangered species act. The term “wildlife” includes any part of the animal. The U.S. Lacey Act prohibits the transportation of endangered species, valued at more than $350.00 in interstate commerce in violation of federal or state law.
This case was investigated by special agents with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Noble.
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Ohio man charged in Jamestown drug conspiracyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, NY—U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Justin Whitfield, 24, of Cincinnati, OH, was charged by criminal complaint with narcotics conspiracy, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, since April 2019, the DEA has investigated the drug trafficking activities, including heroin/fentanyl and methamphetamine, of Rocco Beardsley in the Jamestown, NY area. During the investigation, Whitfield was identified as an associate and co-conspirator of Beardsley. The complaint states that Beardsley was utilizing a source of supply for methamphetamine in the Cincinnati area, and Whitfield was responsible for introducing Beardsley to the source. Whitfield utilized social media to conduct drug related conversations and facilitate his drug trafficking activities.
Whitfield made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and was detained. Co-defendant Rocco Beardsley is scheduled for trial on March 25, 2024.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Jamestown Police Department and the Jamestown Metro Drug Task Force, under the direction of Jamestown Police Chief Timothy Jackson; the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito, New York Field Division, and the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Nine Indicted in Federal Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A federal grand jury in Abingdon, Virginia indicted nine individuals last week charging them with participating in a federal drug conspiracy that trafficked methamphetamine from North Carolina into southwest Virginia.
All nine defendants have been arrested and are now in federal custody.
The indictment charges Marcos Adrian Martinez Rodriguez, Nestor Gutierrez-Gonzalez, Isaias Cisneros-Hernandez, Loeum Vinn Tok, Joan Mary Schugardt, Cody Allen Cashatt, Johnie Zeke Derose, April Renae Maness, and Richard Wayne Greer.
All nine defendants are charged with one count of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. In addition, Greer is charged with one count of knowingly using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, from June 2021 and October 2021, the defendants operated a methamphetamine distribution ring in and around Lexington, North Carolina. During the life of the conspiracy, methamphetamine was transported into southwest Virginia for distribution. Last year, Joshua Kogod, of Smyth County, Virginia, was convicted for his role in the conspiracy.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh and Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division made the announcement.
The investigation, which remains ongoing, is being conducted by FBI in Virginia and North Carolina as well as the Lexington, N.C. Police Department; the Davidson County, N.C. Sheriff’s Office; and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carrie Macon and Whit D. Pierce are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
New Yorker Guilty of Defrauding 50+ Investors in Pre-IPO Scam SentencedRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ga. – The CEO of a New York-based venture capital firm who conspired to defraud more than 50 investors of millions of dollars in a pre-IPO scam was sentenced to prison today for his crime.
George Iakovou, 30, of New York, New York, was sentenced to serve 97 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Clay Land today. Iakovou pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud on Aug. 8. Iakovou is not eligible for parole.
“George Iakovou’s financial scheme and lies harmed people, causing irreparable damage to his victims,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Law enforcement at every level in the Middle District of Georgia will continue to do everything in our power to hold con artists accountable for their crimes.”
“George Iakovou’s greed will have an everlasting effect on the victims he defrauded,” said Resident Agent in Charge Clint Bush of the U.S. Secret Service’s Albany, Georgia, Resident Office. “The United States Secret Service will continue to investigate, arrest and support the successful prosecution of the criminals who choose to commit this and other types of financial fraud in our community and around the nation.”
According to court documents, in July 2021, the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) began investigating a pre-IPO (initial public offering) scheme orchestrated by Iakovou, the CEO of Vika Ventures LLC, a boutique venture capital firm headquartered in New York which purported to specialize in pre-IPO investments in various early and late-stage private companies.
Iakovou advertised that Vika had access to buy pre-IPO shares in private companies such as Palantir, Airbnb, SpaceX and Stripe. He claimed that once these private companies went public and the mandatory six-month lockout period expired, Vika would distribute the purchased shares to the investors. In fact, Iakovou had neither access to pre-IPO shares in the advertised companies nor owned the shares at the time of the solicitations. While Iakovou did take the victim-investors’ money, he did not purchase or acquire any of the promised shares. Iakovou established fake email domains, posed as representatives from private equity brokerage firms and created fake bank statements among other tricks to carry out his fraud scheme.
USSS identified more than 50 victim-investors from across the country who provided capital to Vika between Jan. 2020 and Dec. 2021, including two victims in the Middle District of Georgia. A review of bank records for Vika’s investor account showed that identified victim-investors paid Vika approximately $5,958,505 for the purchase of pre-IPO shares of select private companies, but none received their promised shares. Iakovou rerouted the money to several accounts, including personal bank accounts, and used the money for private jet charters, cars, home furnishings, artwork, luxury clothing and accessories. For example, Iakovou spent $135,528 on a 2021 Corvette Stingray and more than $500,000 on luxury watches, including $231,799 on a single Patek Philippe timepiece.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Williams prosecuted the case.
New Jersey Man Sentenced to 168 Months for Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Richard “Richie” Sinde, age 59, of Fort Lee, New Jersey, was sentenced today to 168 months in prison, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, for conspiring to traffic about 15 kilograms of cocaine in March and April 2021.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, made the announcement.
Sinde, and Jeffrey Civitello Sr. and Jeffrey C. Civitello Jr., both of Schenectady, New York, were convicted on all counts following an 8-day trial in April 2023. Sinde has prior federal convictions for heroin trafficking and unauthorized use of stolen credit cards, and prior state convictions for arson, enterprise corruption, conspiracy, and criminal tax fraud.
The trial evidence demonstrated a conspiracy between five men: the three defendants on trial, as well as Christopher J. Kelly, of Brooklyn, New York, and Robert J. Ingrao, of Lodi, New Jersey.
As part of the conspiracy, Kelly and Sinde delivered 3 kilograms of cocaine to Civitello Sr. in Schenectady on March 29, and Kelly and Sinde an additional 3 kilograms to Civitello Sr. on March 31. Also on March 31, the Civitellos ordered more cocaine and suggested that Kelly use a 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee owned by Civitello Jr., which contained, in its trunk, a sophisticated, hidden compartment, also known as a “trap.” Unbeknownst to the conspirators, the DEA had placed a court-authorized tracker on the Jeep several months prior, as part of an investigation of Civitello Jr.
Sinde then drove the Jeep from Schenectady to Fort Lee, and the following evening met Kelly in Breezy Point, New York, on the Rockaway Peninsula, where Kelly and Sinde loaded up the Jeep’s hidden compartment with 9 kilograms of cocaine to be delivered the following day to the Civitellos in Schenectady.
The following day, on April 2, 2021, Ingrao went to Sinde’s house and got into the blue Jeep, driving it north on Interstate 87. A New York State Police Trooper, at the DEA’s request, conducted a stop on Ingrao in Greene County. The Trooper then located 9 kilograms of cocaine in the Jeep’s hidden compartment.
As part of the conspiracy, the Civitellos were arranging for a “trap” to be installed in another Jeep used by Sinde, so that Sinde could continue to traffic drugs to the Civitellos after Kelly went to state prison for a prior cocaine case; they abandoned that plan following the seizure of 9 kilograms of cocaine from Civitello Jr.’s Jeep on April 2.
United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino previously imposed the following sentences in this case:
- Civitello Sr. was sentenced to 120 months in prison, to be followed by a 4-year term of supervised release.
- Kelly was sentenced to 41 months in prison, to be followed by a 4-year term of supervised release, and to pay a $25,000 fine.
- Ingrao was sentenced to 37 months in prison, to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release.
Civitello Jr. is scheduled to be sentenced on March 5, 2024.
This case was investigated by the DEA’s Capital District Drug Enforcement Task Force, which includes DEA Special Agents and investigators from state and local police agencies, including the Saratoga Springs Police Department, the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, and the New York State Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Barnett and Dustin C. Segovia are prosecuting this case.
New Hampshire Man Sentenced to over Six Years for Role in Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Manchester, N.H. man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston to his role in a multi-state methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy.
Anthony Elwell, 49, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Denise J. Casper to 78 months in prison and five years of supervised release. In July 2023, Elwell pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Elwell was indicted in May 2021 along with three other individuals, Andrew Lunn, Mark Daileanes and William Velez. On four occasions between June and September 2020, Lunn sold pure methamphetamine to a cooperating witness in amounts ranging from 100 to almost 280 grams. Velez supplied Lunn with the methamphetamine for each of those deals. For one of the deals, in July 2020, Elwell provided Daileanes with money to purchase 280 grams of methamphetamine from Lunn. All of Elwell’s co-defendants have pleaded guilty. The final defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 20, 2023.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration in New England made the announcement today. The New Hampshire State Police and the Everett, Nashua (N.H), Merrimack (N.H.), Litchfield (N.H), and Manchester (N.H.) Police Departments provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alathea Porter of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
New Castle Resident Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking and Firearm CrimesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of New Castle, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to federal drug trafficking and firearms charges, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Maurice Collier, age 33, pleaded guilty before Senior United States District Judge David Stewart Cercone.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised on September 17, 2020, Collier distributed cocaine base. In addition, on November 4, 2020, Collier possessed with the intent to distribute quantities of fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, and cocaine base, and he possessed a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime.
Judge Cercone scheduled sentencing to occur on April 30, 2024, at 1:00 p.m.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
The Lawrence County Drug Task Force, the New Castle Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives conducted the investigation leading to the convictions in this 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 of Justice 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.
Monroe County man sentenced to 235 months in Federal prisonRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Monroe County man was sentenced on December 1, 2023 to 235 months in prison for two counts of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.
According to court records, Charles Brian Stabler, 47, of Monroeville, was convicted in a jury trial in July of 2023 with possessing methamphetamine for distribution on two separate occasions, one in 2019 and the other in 2021. On January 29, 2019, Stabler was stopped by police driving in Monroeville and four individual packages of methamphetamine were discovered in the vehicle. Stabler was also convicted of possessing nearly 9 ounces of methamphetamine discovered during a search warrant executed in Frisco City on August 4, 2021. Evidence showed that Stabler was distributing methamphetamine in the days leading up to the search. At the time of the August 4, 2021 arrest, Stabler was on supervised release for a prior federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Stabler has an extensive criminal history, dating back to the 1990’s.
U.S. Attorney Sean Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case, assisted by members of the Alabama Drug Enforcement Task Force, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and ATF.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tandice Blackwood and George May prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Member of Violent Gang Pleads Guilty to Racketeering and Robbery OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Quincy man pleaded guilty yesterday in connection with his role in Cameron Street, a violent Boston gang.
Michael Nguyen, a/k/a “Asian,” 23, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by threats or violence and one count of conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise, more commonly referred to as RICO or racketeering conspiracy. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for March 20, 2024.
According to court documents, Cameron Street is a violent gang based largely in the Dorchester section of Boston that used violence and threats of violence to preserve, protect, and expand its territory, promote a climate of fear and enhance its reputation. Cameron Street members possess, carry and use firearms to murder and assault gang rivals as well as protect narcotics and drug proceeds.
Cooperating witnesses identified Nguyen as a valued a member of Cameron Street who, among other duties, often infiltrated rival gang territory to conduct surveillance for other members. In July 2018, Nguyen and two alleged co-defendants broke into the home of two victims – entering through the back door while wearing masks and dark hoodies and carrying firearms. One victim ran out of the front door of the house and called 911. A second victim was brought into the living room, punched in the head, had a gun put to their head and a pillow put in front of their face as Nguyen and others ransacked the house, demanding, “where’s the stuff, where’s the money, where’s your boyfriend?” Nguyen and his two alleged co-conspirators later fled the house in a silver pickup trick after stealing $2,000 in cash and a safe.
Nguyen and others were later observed driving away from the house. Officers pursued the truck until it abruptly stopped in Stoughton – colliding with the police cruiser. Nguyen and an alleged co-conspirator then exited the truck and fled the area. The alleged co-conspirator was quickly apprehended and a firearm was recovered from the scene.
The charges of RICO conspiracy and conspiracy to interference with commerce by threats or violence each provide for sentences of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $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.
This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office; Suffolk, Plymouth, Norfolk and Bristol County District Attorney’s Offices; and the Canton, Quincy, Randolph, Somerville, Brockton, Malden, Stoughton, Rehoboth and Pawtucket (R.I.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Pohl and Charles Dell’Anno of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Maryland Marketing Company Owner and Texas Tax Return Preparer Charged with Tax Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Greenbelt, Maryland, returned a superseding indictment, unsealed last week, charging a Maryland man and a Texas man with conspiracy to defraud the United States, filing false income tax returns, aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns and theft of government funds. The Maryland man is also separately charged with tax evasion, willful failure to file income tax returns and bank fraud.
According to the indictment, Orin Wayne Solomon, of Glenn Dale, Maryland, and Marquis Al Bey, also known as Al Bey or Alvin Hewett, of Forney, Texas, conspired with each other to prepare and file false tax returns on behalf of Solomon and another Maryland-based client of Bey’s tax preparation business, Creative Associates Inc. The indictment alleges that Solomon filed at least 15 false income tax returns between 2017 and 2022 on behalf of himself, his marketing business and two purported trusts he controlled. On these returns, Solomon allegedly sought nearly $65 million in refunds that he and his entities were not entitled to receive. After receiving one of the trust tax returns, the IRS allegedly issued a tax refund check for more than $10 million. Solomon allegedly used those funds to pay for cars, a house, silver coins, insurance policies and to pay off the mortgage on his personal residence. Solomon also allegedly transferred approximately $1 million of the fraudulent refund proceeds to Bey, who purchased a house in Texas.
The indictment further alleges that Solomon attempted to evade his income tax liabilities for numerous years between 2009 and 2021 by, among other means, using funds from a business bank account to pay personal expenses for himself, his wife and his children, registering a vehicle in the name of a purported trust and transferring his personal residence to another purported trust. The personal expenses that Solomon allegedly paid for from his business account included tuition for his children, personal training sessions, medical and dental expenses and expenses relating to his personal residence and a property that his wife owned. From 2017 through 2021, Solomon also allegedly did not file personal tax returns or pay taxes on income generated by his business, Anjacor Marketing Inc. (Anjacor).
The indictment further charges that in 2020, Solomon applied for a loan on behalf of Anjacor under the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), an initiative authorized by Congress to provide financial assistance to businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of that application, Solomon allegedly provided a bank with false information about his company’s payroll, fraudulently causing the bank to extend a $229,012 PPP loan.
If convicted, Solomon and Bey each face a maximum penalty of five years in prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States, three years in prison for each false tax return count and 10 years in prison for theft of government funds. Solomon also faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison for bank fraud, five years in prison for each count of tax evasion and one year in prison for each of the failure to file charges.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Melissa S. Siskind and Jeffrey A. McLellan of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Maryland Financial Advisor Pleads Guilty to Stealing an Elderly Client’s Life SavingsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Eddy Blizzard, age 45, of Perry Hall, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to bank fraud, in connection with a fraud scheme in which he embezzled approximately $1 million from an elderly client’s retirement account.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Southeast Region Special Agent in Charge Edwin Bonano of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General.
“This defendant perpetrated a heartless scheme that preyed on a vulnerable elderly victim, stealing more than a million dollars,” said United States Attorney Erek L. Barron. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to bring to justice those who engage in these despicable schemes targeting elderly victims. I encourage anyone who believes they may be a victim of financial fraud to contact the Elder Fraud Hotline at 833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311).”
According to his plea agreement, Blizzard held several licenses that allowed him to operate as a registered broker and a registered investment adviser per the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”). From 2003 to 2014, Blizzard was employed by a bank securities company (Bank 1) and from 2014 to 2017 he was employed by a bank investment services company (Bank 2), both in Maryland.
As detailed in the statement of facts, victim R.M. was a resident of Maryland and had attended school through the ninth grade. R.M. was 75 years old in January 2020. Beginning in 1963, R.M. went to work for a Baltimore based commercial air-conditioning company, where he enjoyed a successful career installing commercial grade air conditioning units around the country. R.M.’s employer offered him supervisory positions at the company, but R.M. declined because he was not able to read or write. R.M. was able to continue as an air conditioning technician by memorizing facts and figures and conceptualizing things visually. R.M. routinely worked approximately 15 to 30 hours of overtime per week during his career to make extra money. In 2003, after approximately 40 years of service with the air conditioning company, R.M. took a buyout and retired. Six months later, R.M. decided to invest his retirement funds to provide an inheritance for his grandchildren. R.M. sought investment advice from Bank 1, where he had his depository accounts.
Blizzard began working at Bank 1 shortly after R.M. began investing there and became R.M.’s financial adviser. Blizzard admitted that in about 2005, he told R.M. that he “went out on his own” meaning that Blizzard began working as an independent financial advisor and asked R.M. if R.M. wanted to leave Bank 1 and use Blizzard as a full-time financial advisor. Blizzard told R.M. that it would be a while before he had his own office, but he would continue to work out of the Bank 1 branch in Catonsville, Maryland. However, Blizzard never went to work as an independent financial advisor.
According to the plea agreement, approximately once a month, R.M. would drive from his new home in Chester, Maryland on the Eastern Shore to meet with Blizzard at Bank 1 in Catonsville, approximately one hour away; however, R.M. and Blizzard would meet in Blizzard’s car, not the office. R.M. continued to meet with Blizzard in this way over several years. These meetings lasted 30 to 45 minutes and R.M. was never told why they were meeting in Blizzard’s car.
Blizzard admitted that after he became R.M.’s financial advisor, he began asking R.M. for signed blank checks. R.M. recalled giving Blizzard 15-20 signed blank checks. Blizzard filled in the remaining information to include the payee, the amount, the date, and detailed memo section, but R.M. did not know what the checks were for. When R.M. received the cancelled checks in the mail, he knew Blizzard had written them out because R.M. recognized Blizzard’s handwriting. Blizzard used these checks for personal purposes, and not for any benefit of R.M. On approximately 12 different instances, R.M. went to his local bank to withdraw cash and was told there was not enough money in the account. R.M. would then call Blizzard to let him know about the deficiency. Blizzard then told R.M. to wait a day or two and there would be funds in the account to withdraw. R.M. did not ask Blizzard why there were no funds in the account or how those funds were replenished.
During his years of investment with Blizzard, R.M. believed that his retirement funds were protected, meaning they would not lose value – a fact that Blizzard reiterated to R.M. many times. R.M. also believed that Blizzard was handling payment of R.M.’s mortgage.
As detailed in the plea, in August 2019, R.M. realized there was a problem. R.M. was preparing to go on a family vacation and attempted to withdraw $1,000 to $1,500 in cash from the local Bank 1 branch and was told there were not sufficient funds in the account. R.M. attempted to contact Blizzard on his cell phone for a week with no response. R.M. then went to Blizzard’s Perry Hall, Maryland residence to talk to Blizzard in person, knocking on the front and back doors of Blizzard’s residence. No one came to the door, but R.M. received a voicemail from Blizzard, while he was still at Blizzard’s home. In the voicemail, Blizzard stated that the neighbors had called him and were complaining about the banging on the door. Blizzard further explained that all of R.M.’s money was gone, and that Blizzard had attempted suicide at his parent’s Myrtle Beach, South Carolina home, and was being hospitalized.
On September 19, 2019, Blizzard sent an email to R.M.’s son in response to a message R.M.’s son had sent via social media to Blizzard’s wife inquiring about what happened to R.M.’s money. Blizzard told R.M.’s son that he had made some bad investments and felt terrible about failing R.M. and that is why Blizzard tried to end his life. As explained in the plea, Blizzard admitted that, in fact, he was never hospitalized and did not attempt suicide in South Carolina and that the reason R.M.’s account lost value was almost entirely because Blizzard withdrew R.M.’s funds, and deposited those funds into his own bank account, to use for his own purposes.
A review of R.M.’s depository and investment accounts showed that between January 2013 and August 2019 there were a total of 242 distributions totaling approximately $1.4 million from R.M.’s retirement accounts. Of those, 129 distributions totaling $1.2 million were specifically requested from R.M.’s retirement accounts instead of being regular systematic annuity payments. After taxes and fees were deducted from those requested payments, approximately $1 million was deposited into R.M.’s Bank 1 account. This review also revealed that from April 2016 to April 2019 Blizzard deposited approximately 112 checks drawn on R.M.’s account into various bank accounts at Bank 1 and elsewhere that were held by Blizzard jointly with his wife or individually. These checks totaled approximately $848,000 and were written to Blizzard or Blizzard’s wife. A review of these checks showed that almost all had comments written on the memo section indicating various purposes such as payment of property taxes, construction, boat payments, and down payments for a new house.
In addition, on at least three occasions Blizzard stole R.M.’s Social Security income, which was directly deposited into R.M.’s checking account. On each occasion, once the payment was deposited into R.M.’s account, a check in the amount of $1,200 or more, signed by R.M. and made payable to Eddy Blizzard, was deposited in Blizzard’s personal account. Also, in the fall of 2019, R.M.’s home was put into foreclosure because Blizzard failed to make the mortgage payments on R.M.’s home as he had promised. R.M. died on March 20, 2020.
Blizzard faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for bank fraud. As outlined in the plea agreement, Blizzard will also be required to pay restitution in the full amount of the victims’ losses, which is at least $1,030,000 and to forfeit $848,000 in the form of a money judgment. U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher scheduled sentencing for Blizzard on April 30, 2024, at 11:30 a.m.
Reporting from consumers about fraud and fraud attempts is critical to law enforcements efforts to investigate and prosecute schemes targeting older adults. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available through the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Department of Justice Hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying next steps, including identifying appropriate reporting agencies, providing information to callers to assist them in reporting or connecting them with agencies, and providing resources and referrals on a case-by-case basis. The hotline is staffed from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. English, Spanish, and other languages are available. More information about the Department’s elder justice efforts can be found on the Department’s Elder Justice website, www.elderjustice.gov. Victims are encouraged to file a complaint online with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at this website or by calling 1-800-225-5324.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and the FHFA OIG for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Evelyn Lombardo Cusson and Aaron S.J. Zelinsky, who are prosecuting this case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help seniors, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/elder-justice-initiative.
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Man Charged for $2M COVID-19 Relief Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A criminal complaint was unsealed today charging a New Jersey man for his alleged participation in a scheme to obtain, through multiple fraudulent loan applications, more than $2 million in COVID-19 relief money guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, and to launder the money through a series of financial transactions.
According to court documents, Nikenson Jean Mathurin, also known as Nik Mathurin and Jean Mathurin, 44, of Sparta, allegedly submitted false and fraudulent loan PPP and EIDL Program applications on behalf of five purported business — Innovation Partners Plus Inc., Opulence Motor Group LLC, OMG Collision Corp. (doing business as Corsa Volante), Tricon Systems LTC, and America Home Care LLC — to four lenders. In support of these applications, Mathurin allegedly provided false and fraudulent documents and information to the lenders, including fabricated tax documents, payroll documents, and number of employees.
Mathurin also used the allegedly fraudulent proceeds to, among other things, send money between his various bank accounts, buy restaurant equipment unrelated to any of his purported businesses, pay for travel expenses, and transfer money to an account at an online vehicle auction company, which was used to buy luxury cars, motorcycles, and motorcycle parts.
Mathurin is charged with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the wire fraud count and 10 years in prison on the money laundering count.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey, Special Agent in Charge Robert Manchak of the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General (FHFA-OIG) Northeast Region, and Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins of the IRS Criminal Investigation’s (IRS:CI) Newark Office made the announcement.
FHFA-OIG and IRS:CI are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney David D. Hamstra of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Fatime M. Cano for the District of New Jersey are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the PPP. Since the inception of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 200 defendants in more than 130 criminal cases and has seized over $78 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/ppp-fraud.
In May 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Justice Department in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Louisiana Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Shipping of Firearms to New YorkRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Rodell Patterson, age 51, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pled guilty today to engaging in the firearms business without a license.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), made the announcement.
Patterson admitted to mailing eight packages containing a total of 10 firearms from Baton Rouge to the Capital Region in 2021 and 2022. Two of those firearms were recovered in June 2022 in the Troy, New York, apartment of a man on parole. Patterson acknowledged that he knew these transfers were unlawful, and he admitted to engaging in extensive conversations with the recipient of the packages about the types of firearms and the amount of payment.
At sentencing, Patterson faces up to 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Patterson still faces a charge in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana for possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. That charge is merely an accusation of which Patterson is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of that charge, Patterson faces up to 15 years in prison.
ATF’s Albany Field Office investigated the case with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana and ATF’s Baton Rouge Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner is prosecuting the case.
Lodge Grass felon sentenced to two and one-half years in prison for illegally possessing firearmRead the Press Release
BILLINGS —A Lodge Grass man who admitted to illegally possessing a firearm because of prior felony convictions was sentenced today to two and one-half years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Paul Nomee III, 61, pleaded guilty in August to felon in possession of a firearm.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
In court documents, the government alleged that on Jan. 11, the Bureau of Indian Affairs responded to a report of a car that had crashed outside of Crow Agency, on the Crow Indian Reservation. While en route, the officer passed a vehicle with significant damage and matching the description in the report. Nomee was driver and only occupant. The officer believed Nomee had active tribal arrest warrants and took him into custody. Nomee told the officer he had a pistol in a shoulder holster he was wearing. The officer found a loaded pistol in the holster. Nomee had two prior felony convictions and was prohibited from possessing firearms.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Harper Suek prosecuted the case. The BIA and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation.
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Local man heads to prison for sex trafficking teenagerRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 32-year-old man who resided in Houston has been sentenced to federal prison for trafficking a 15-year-old girl for commercial sex using force, fraud or coercion, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
A federal jury convicted Giovanny Xavier Limon aka Ace or Ace One July 31 following a four-day trial.
U.S. District Judge David Hittner has now ordered Limon to serve 40 years in federal prison to be immediately followed by 10 years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard from the victim who recounted her ordeal, noting how she was young and desperate, how she showed her weakness and Limon took advantage of that and how she let him rob her of her happiness and a real smile. “Boy I’ve been waiting for this day,” she said. “To spit on you how you spit on me. My past does not and will not define me or my future, and after today I will not let you be in my shadow no longer. You took my life but I'm still breathing to live another day.”
“Sex traffickers have a PhD in manipulation using their skills to exploit our children and steal their innocence,” said Hamdani. “Although Limon stole that from this victim, he could not take her courage. She faced her oppressor at trial, recounting how Limon used her body, selling it to men as a commodity and raping it for his sick pleasure. Thanks to her, the next generation of children will be free—free from a predator’s grasp.”
“This case is a sad and angering example of innocence lost at the hands of sex traffickers like Limon who don’t care about anything other than exploiting our children,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge David Martinez of the FBI Houston Field Office. “Fortunately, the young victim in this case was rescued by law enforcement but not before being put through a month of hell by her trafficker. May his sentence serve as a promise to other sex traffickers and their victims that justice will be done.”
Limon trafficked a 15-year-old minor female for commercial sex during May and June 2022. After meeting her, he soon realized how he could isolate her from her companions and exploit her. She had no phone, little access to the internet and, most importantly, no money to support herself.
At trial, the jury heard evidence detailing how Limon forced the minor victim to engage in commercial sex with strangers on numerous occasions. Limon provided her with lingerie, photographed her and forced her to turn over all proceeds to him.
Limon caused the images to be posted, displaying his moniker “Ace One,” to commercial sex ads on the internet. The ads featured her posing in seductive lingerie on a bed. Limon and others created these ads portraying the minor as adult interested in engaging in commercial sex.
He controlled the victim and had them staying in several questionable motels. At one of these locations, he tattooed her entire inner forearm with the name of one of her relatives who she lost during the pandemic. The tattoo was so poorly done that after the trial, and with parental permission, she had it revised to represent something other than a memory of the Limon caused her.
Throughout the time she was with him, Limon provided her with illicit drugs, including meth, and fed her very little food. When he was not causing her to engage in commercial sex, Limon was having sex with her himself, knowing she was only 15 years of age.
The victim testified at trial describing her month-long ordeal in detail.
The jury also saw hotel records, internet sex ads and heard the testimony of the sexual assault treatment exam nurse.
Limon has been and will remain in custody where he will remain pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI conducted the investigation as part of the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance (HTRA). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sherri L. Zack and Kimberly Ann Bulger Leo prosecuted the case.
HTRA law enforcement includes members of the Houston Police Department, FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, Texas Attorney General’s Office, IRS Criminal Investigation, Department of Labor (DOL), DOL – Wage and Hour Division, Department of State, Texas Alcoholic and Beverage Commission, Texas Department of Public Safety, Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General (OIG), Social Security Administration – OIG and Sheriff’s Offices in Harris and Montgomery counties in coordination with District Attorney’s offices in Harris, Montgomery and Fort Bend Counties.
Established in 2004, the United States Attorney’s office in Houston formed HTRA to combine resources with federal, state and local enforcement agencies and prosecutors, as well as non-governmental service organizations to target human traffickers while providing necessary services to those that the traffickers victimized. Since its inception, HTRA has been recognized as both a national and international model in identifying and assisting victims of human trafficking and prosecuting those engaged in trafficking offenses.
Little Rock Man Sentenced to Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—On December 18, 2023, United States District Judge Lee P. Rudofsky sentenced Dontarious Marquette Henderson, 28, to 70 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. In addition to the prison sentence of nearly six years, Judge Rudofsky sentenced Henderson, of Little Rock, to three years supervised released.
Henderson was indicted on September 8, 2022, on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He faced a maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.
On November 11, 2021, the Arkansas State Police attempted to conduct a traffic stop when Henderson failed to stop, activated his hazard lights, and ran through a red light, nearly striking a vehicle. The pursuit continued at speeds up to 90 miles per hour through the streets of Little Rock, Arkansas, when Henderson struck another person’s vehicle. Henderson pulled a backpack out of the vehicle and began to flee on foot. He was taken into custody and during a search, Troopers located a Ruger handgun magazine containing 17 rounds in Henderson's front pocket. A Ruger P89 pistol with an extended magazine inserted on the front seat passenger floorboard was also discovered in Henderson’s vehicle.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Arkansas State Police.
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Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
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@EDARNEWS
Leader of large cartel-connected drug trafficking organization sentenced to 11 years in prisonRead the Press Release
Seattle – A citizen of Mexico, twice federally convicted of drug trafficking in Washington State, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 11 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to commit money laundering, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Alan Gomez-Marentes, 38, of Los Angeles and Tukwila, Washington was arrested in July 2020 following an 18-month investigation of an extensive drug trafficking organization. Gomez-Marentes ordered drug shipments and directed underlings to process drugs for distribution. He and his sister were involved in laundering the proceeds from the drug trafficking.
At today’s sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour said, the sentence he imposed was driven by the size of the drug trafficking ring, the amount of incredibly dangerous fentanyl it brought into the community and that this was Mr. Gomez-Marentes “second federal drug trafficking conviction.”
In total, the investigation into the conspiracy resulted in the seizure of 45 pounds of methamphetamine; 12 pounds of heroin; 3,200 fentanyl pills; 22 firearms; and $566,391.
On the wiretapped phone calls, agents heard Gomez-Marentes directing members of the organization to get new phones or pack up drug trafficking materials to avoid police scrutiny. He was heard asking members to obtain firearms and urging the beating of a drug trafficker who owed him money.
In 2005, Gomez-Marentes was convicted in Eastern Washington of distributing cocaine at Washington State University. He was sentenced to five years in prison and was deported. He was convicted in Mexico for another drug trafficking crime. While serving five years in a Mexican jail he began assisting drug dealers by translating drug deals with buyers in the U.S. He was released in Mexico in 2018 and illegally returned to Washington State in 2019.
Describing Gomez-Marentes role in the drug organization, prosecutors wrote to the court, “Alan Gomez-Marentes played a central leadership role in this highly successful organization for at least 10 months. He oversaw all aspects of drug trafficking: he orchestrated loads of drugs from Mexico; he managed the conversion of liquid methamphetamine to crystal methamphetamine; he directed numerous redistributors, providing them drugs for delivery and collecting cash drug proceeds; and he laundered tens of thousands of dollars.”
This is the final sentencing in this drug trafficking ring. The sentences for leaders and violent actors in the organization range from 17 years for Luis Magana-Ramirez, who was tied to violence and threats of violence, to ten and twelve years in prison for lower-level distributors who were caught with drugs and guns.
“The Jalisco Cartel is a significant threat to our community and the sentences today show the seriousness of the crimes of their affiliates here in the South Sound,” said DEA Seattle Special Agent in Charge David F. Reames. “DEA appreciates the partnership of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our Federal, state, and local law enforcement partners as we close this investigation with a win for our community.”
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Tacoma Resident Office in partnership with Tahoma Narcotics Enforcement Team (TNET), Kent Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, SeaTac Police Department, Thurston County Narcotics Team (TNT), the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). In addition, to the agencies listed above, these law enforcement agencies assisted in the investigation and/or with arrests and search warrants: DEA Seattle Special Response Team, Valley Narcotics Enforcement Team, Valley SWAT, Pierce County SWAT, Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team, Bremerton Special Operations Group, King County SWAT, King County Sheriff’s Office Metro, Burien Police Department, Auburn Special Investigations Unit, FBI Seattle, FBI SWAT, FBI Portland Tactical and TNET, which is comprised of Tacoma, Lakewood, Auburn, Kent, Bonney Lake and Puyallup Police Departments, the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office and the Washington State Department of Corrections. The investigation was supported by the Northwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Amy Jaquette and Andy Colasurdo.
Leader of Colombian Criminal Organization Pleads Guilty to Sending over 19,000 Kilograms of Cocaine via Semi-Submersible Vessels to the Sinaloa CartelRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Nestor Hugo Gomez-Garcia (38, Colombia), a/k/a “Simon,” “Guava,” and “Guavita,” has pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute cocaine on vessels subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. He faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, Gomez-Garcia was the leader of a transnational criminal organization that dispatched self-propelled semi-submersible (SPSS) vessels from Colombia into the Pacific Ocean destined for Sinaloa Cartel members in Oaxaca, Mexico. Members of his organization served various roles and responsibilities, such as overseeing security at the SPSS construction sites, building the fiberglass hulls for these vessels, recruiting crewmembers, and organizing the logistics of the smuggling trips. Gomez-Garcia contracted the construction of the SPSS vessels, paid the workers directly or through intermediaries, and invested in the cocaine shipments.
In July and August 2015, and March 2016, the United States interdicted three SPSS vessels in international waters that had departed from Colombia while en route to Mexico. The first SPSS carried approximately 6,900 kilograms of cocaine, the August 2015 SPSS carried approximately 6,845 kilograms of cocaine, and the March 2016 SPSS contained approximately 5,824 kilograms of cocaine.
This case was investigated by the Panama Express Strike Force, a standing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) comprised of agents and analysts from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and the U.S. Southern Command's Joint Interagency Task Force South. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs substantially assisted in the extradition of the defendants to the United States. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Baeza.
Lead Defendant in OCDETF Operation Sentenced to 15 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A Palm Beach County resident was sentenced to prison after having been convicted by a federal jury of participating in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy.
Belas Shelson Rosier, of Greenacres, Florida, was sentenced today to 15 years in federal prison, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, by U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon. Rosier was convicted at trial of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl, and possession with intent to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl, in addition to fentanyl analogs and cocaine.
According to court documents, the investigation into Rosier was initiated, by federal and local investigators, based on evidence recovered during the successful prosecution of one of Rosier’s long-term street level fentanyl and cocaine distributors. The evidence presented at trial established that Rosier was responsible for the distribution of at least six kilograms of fentanyl during the time period of October 4, 2021 through March 9, 2022, alone. During the investigation, federal agents seized and administratively forfeited over $50,000 in cash and $50,000 in jewelry that had been recovered from Rosier’s possession.
U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Markenzy Lapointe, Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami, Christopher A. Robinson, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, Frank Adderly, Chief of Police, West Palm Beach Police Department (WPBPD), and Ric L. Bradshaw, Sheriff, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO) made the announcement.
HSI Miami and ATF Miami Field Office investigated this case jointly with their local partners from WPBPD and PBSO. AUSA John McMillan prosecuted this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Zloch handled asset forfeiture.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under Case No. 23-CR-80045.
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Laguna Man Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison for AssaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Andres Nathaniel Harjo was sentenced to 15 months and 11 days in prison. Harjo, 25, of Laguna and an enrolled member of Laguna Pueblo, pleaded guilty to assault with intent to commit a felony on September 11, 2023.
According to court documents, on February 15, 2020, Harjo assaulted the victim, Jane Doe, at their shared residence and only stopped when his actions were interrupted by a third individual.
Upon his release from prison, Harjo will be subject to 3 years of supervised release. During the first six months of his release, he will be required to reside at a residential reentry center. He will also be required to complete literacy education, vocational rehabilitation programming, and sex offense treatment and counseling.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case with assistance from the Pueblo of Laguna Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander F. Flores is prosecuting the case.
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KC Man Indicted for Illegal Firearm Following Police ChaseRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for illegally possessing a firearm following a high-speed pursuit from police officers.
Shane C. Hyde, 36, was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo. Today’s indictment replaces a criminal complaint that was filed against Hyde on Dec. 6, 2023.
The federal indictment alleges that Hyde was in possession of a Ruger AR-style pistol with a collapsible rifle stock on Dec. 6, 2023.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original federal criminal complaint, Independence police officers found a black Ford Fusion parked in front of an Independence residence in the early morning hours of Dec. 6, 2023. Hyde was the only occupant of the vehicle, which was idling without its lights on.
When officers attempted to contact Hyde, the affidavit says, he fled in the vehicle. Hyde traveled at a high rate of speed without the vehicle’s headlights illuminated. He also failed to yield and drove into opposing lanes of traffic, the affidavit says, driving in the wrong lane of traffic around a dangerous curve. At least two vehicles had to take evasive action to avoid a collision. Officers deployed “stop sticks” to end the pursuit.
Hyde’s vehicle struck a curb and he got out of the car, holding a firearm in his left hand. As Hyde fled from officers on foot, they saw something fall from his waistband. Officers deployed their taser to take Hyde into custody after a brief struggle.
Officers found the Ruger AR-style pistol with a collapsible rifle stock on the ground. When they searched the Ford Fusion, officers found several rounds of various makes and calibers of ammunition, a firearm magazine, a Halloween mask, a pair of handcuffs, a ballistic panel from a bullet-proof vest, two glass pipes with methamphetamine residue, and a plastic bag with approximately .33 grams of methamphetamine.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Hyde has two prior felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance and prior felony convictions for tampering with a motor vehicle, resisting a lawful stop, property damage, and theft.
The charge contained in this indictment is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashleigh A. Ragner. It was investigated by the Independence, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
Justice Department Disrupts Prolific ALPHV/Blackcat Ransomware VariantRead the Press Release
MIAMI – The Justice Department announced today a disruption campaign against the Blackcat ransomware group — also known as ALPHV or Noberus — that has targeted the computer networks of more than 1,000 victims and caused harm around the world since its inception, including networks that support U.S. critical infrastructure.
Over the past 18 months, ALPHV/Blackcat has emerged as the second most prolific ransomware-as-a-service variant in the world based on the hundreds of millions of dollars in ransoms paid by victims around the world. Due to the global scale of these crimes, multiple foreign law enforcement agencies are conducting parallel investigations.
The FBI developed a decryption tool that allowed FBI field offices across the country and law enforcement partners around the world to offer over 500 affected victims the capability to restore their systems. To date, the FBI has worked with dozens of victims in the United States and internationally to implement this solution, saving multiple victims from ransom demands totaling approximately $68 million. As detailed in a search warrant unsealed today in the Southern District of Florida, the FBI has also gained visibility into the Blackcat ransomware group’s computer network as part of the investigation and has seized several websites that the group operated.
“In disrupting the BlackCat ransomware group, the Justice Department has once again hacked the hackers,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “With a decryption tool provided by the FBI to hundreds of ransomware victims worldwide, businesses and schools were able to reopen, and health care and emergency services were able to come back online. We will continue to prioritize disruptions and place victims at the center of our strategy to dismantle the ecosystem fueling cybercrime.”
“Today’s announcement highlights the Justice Department’s ability to take on even the most sophisticated and prolific cybercriminals,” said U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida. “As a result of our office’s tireless efforts, alongside FBI Miami, U.S. Secret Service, and our foreign law enforcement partners, we have provided Blackcat’s victims, in the Southern District of Florida and around the world, the opportunity to get back on their feet and to fortify their digital defenses. We will continue to focus on holding the people behind the Blackcat ransomware group accountable for their crimes.”
“The FBI continues to be unrelenting in bringing cybercriminals to justice and determined in its efforts to defeat and disrupt ransomware campaigns targeting critical infrastructure, the private sector, and beyond,” said FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate. “Helping victims of crime is the FBI’s highest priority and is reflected here in the provision of tools to assist those victimized in decrypting compromised networks and systems. The FBI will continue to aggressively pursue these criminal actors wherever they attempt to hide and ensure they are brought to justice and held accountable under the law.”
“At the Justice Department, we prioritize victim safety and security,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “In this case, agents and prosecutors worked tirelessly to restore victim networks, but these actions are not the culmination of our efforts, they are just the beginning. Criminal actors should be aware that the announcement today is just one part of this ongoing effort. Going forward, we will continue our investigation and pursue those behind Blackcat until they are brought to justice.”
According to the unsealed warrant, Blackcat actors have compromised computer networks in the United States and worldwide. The disruptions caused by the ransomware variant have affected U.S. critical infrastructure – including government facilities, emergency services, defense industrial base companies, critical manufacturing, and healthcare and public health facilities – as well as other corporations, government entities, and schools. The loss amount globally is in the hundreds of millions and includes ransom payments, destruction and theft of proprietary data, and costs associated with incident response.
Blackcat uses a ransomware-as-a-service model in which developers are responsible for creating and updating ransomware and for maintaining the illicit internet infrastructure. Affiliates are responsible for identifying and attacking high-value victim institutions with the ransomware. After a victim pays, developers and affiliates share the ransom.
Blackcat actors employ a multiple extortion model of attack. Before encrypting the victim system, the affiliate will exfiltrate or steal sensitive data. The affiliate then seeks a ransom in exchange for decrypting the victim’s system and not publishing the stolen data. Blackcat actors attempt to target the most sensitive data in a victim’s system to increase the pressure to pay. Blackcat actors rely on a leak site available on the dark web to publicize their attacks. When a victim refuses to pay a ransom, these actors commonly retaliate by publishing stolen data to a leak website where it becomes publicly available.
The FBI Miami Field Office is leading the investigation.
Trial Attorneys Christen Gallagher and Jorge Gonzalez of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kiran Bhat and Brooke Watson for the Southern District of Florida are handling the case.
The Justice Department also recognizes the critical cooperation of Germany’s Bundeskriminalamt and Zentrale Kriminalinspektion Göttingen, Denmark’s Special Crime Unit, and Europol. Significant assistance was provided by the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Cyber Operations International Liaison also provided significant assistance. Additionally, the following foreign law enforcement authorities provided substantial assistance and support: the Australian Federal Police, the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency and Eastern Region Special Operations Unit, Spain’s Policia Nacional, Switzerland’s Kantonspolizei Thurgau, and Austria’s Directorate State Protection and Intelligence Service.
Victims of Blackcat ransomware are strongly encouraged to contact their local FBI field office at www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices for further information and to determine what assistance may be available.
Blackcat affiliates have gained initial access to victim networks through a number of methods, including leveraging compromised user credentials to gain initial access to the victim system. More information about the malware, including technical information about indicators of compromise and recommendations to mitigate its effects, is available from the FBI at www.ic3.gov/Media/News/2022/220420.pdf.
Additional information regarding law enforcement’s ongoing investigation into Blackcat is available at www.justice.gov/media/1329536/dl?inline.
If you have information about Blackcat, their affiliates, or activities, you may be eligible for a reward through the Department of State’s Rewards for Justice program. Information can be submitted through the following Tor-based tip line (Tor browser required): he5dybnt7sr6cm32xt77pazmtm65flqy6irivtflruqfc5ep7eiodiad.onion.
For more information about rewards for information on foreign malicious cyber activity against U.S. critical infrastructure, visit https://rfj.tips/SDT55f.
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Justice Department Disrupts Prolific ALPHV/Blackcat Ransomware VariantRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today a disruption campaign against the Blackcat ransomware group — also known as ALPHV or Noberus — that has targeted the computer networks of more than 1,000 victims and caused harm around the world since its inception, including networks that support U.S. critical infrastructure.
Over the past 18 months, ALPHV/Blackcat has emerged as the second most prolific ransomware-as-a-service variant in the world based on the hundreds of millions of dollars in ransoms paid by victims around the world. Due to the global scale of these crimes, multiple foreign law enforcement agencies are conducting parallel investigations.
The FBI developed a decryption tool that allowed FBI field offices across the country and law enforcement partners around the world to offer over 500 affected victims the capability to restore their systems. To date, the FBI has worked with dozens of victims in the United States and internationally to implement this solution, saving multiple victims from ransom demands totaling approximately $68 million. As detailed in a search warrant unsealed today in the Southern District of Florida, the FBI has also gained visibility into the Blackcat ransomware group’s computer network as part of the investigation and has seized several websites that the group operated.
“In disrupting the BlackCat ransomware group, the Justice Department has once again hacked the hackers,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “With a decryption tool provided by the FBI to hundreds of ransomware victims worldwide, businesses and schools were able to reopen, and health care and emergency services were able to come back online. We will continue to prioritize disruptions and place victims at the center of our strategy to dismantle the ecosystem fueling cybercrime.”
“The FBI continues to be unrelenting in bringing cybercriminals to justice and determined in its efforts to defeat and disrupt ransomware campaigns targeting critical infrastructure, the private sector, and beyond,” said FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate. “Helping victims of crime is the FBI’s highest priority and is reflected here in the provision of tools to assist those victimized in decrypting compromised networks and systems. The FBI will continue to aggressively pursue these criminal actors wherever they attempt to hide and ensure they are brought to justice and held accountable under the law.”
“At the Justice Department, we prioritize victim safety and security,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “In this case, agents and prosecutors worked tirelessly to restore victim networks, but these actions are not the culmination of our efforts, they are just the beginning. Criminal actors should be aware that the announcement today is just one part of this ongoing effort. Going forward, we will continue our investigation and pursue those behind Blackcat until they are brought to justice.”
“Today’s announcement highlights the Justice Department’s ability to take on even the most sophisticated and prolific cybercriminals,” said U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida. “As a result of our office’s tireless efforts, alongside FBI Miami, U.S. Secret Service, and our foreign law enforcement partners, we have provided Blackcat’s victims, in the Southern District of Florida and around the world, the opportunity to get back on their feet and to fortify their digital defenses. We will continue to focus on holding the people behind the Blackcat ransomware group accountable for their crimes.”
According to the unsealed warrant, Blackcat actors have compromised computer networks in the United States and worldwide. The disruptions caused by the ransomware variant have affected U.S. critical infrastructure – including government facilities, emergency services, defense industrial base companies, critical manufacturing, and healthcare and public health facilities – as well as other corporations, government entities, and schools. The loss amount globally is in the hundreds of millions and includes ransom payments, destruction and theft of proprietary data, and costs associated with incident response.
Blackcat uses a ransomware-as-a-service model in which developers are responsible for creating and updating ransomware and for maintaining the illicit internet infrastructure. Affiliates are responsible for identifying and attacking high-value victim institutions with the ransomware. After a victim pays, developers and affiliates share the ransom.
Blackcat actors employ a multiple extortion model of attack. Before encrypting the victim system, the affiliate will exfiltrate or steal sensitive data. The affiliate then seeks a ransom in exchange for decrypting the victim’s system and not publishing the stolen data. Blackcat actors attempt to target the most sensitive data in a victim’s system to increase the pressure to pay. Blackcat actors rely on a leak site available on the dark web to publicize their attacks. When a victim refuses to pay a ransom, these actors commonly retaliate by publishing stolen data to a leak website where it becomes publicly available.
The FBI Miami Field Office is leading the investigation.
Trial Attorneys Christen Gallagher and Jorge Gonzalez of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kiran Bhat and Brooke Watson for the Southern District of Florida are handling the case.
The Justice Department also recognizes the critical cooperation of Germany’s Bundeskriminalamt and Zentrale Kriminalinspektion Göttingen, Denmark’s Special Crime Unit, and Europol. Significant assistance was provided by the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Cyber Operations International Liaison also provided significant assistance. Additionally, the following foreign law enforcement authorities provided substantial assistance and support: the Australian Federal Police, the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency and Eastern Region Special Operations Unit, Spain’s Policia Nacional, Switzerland’s Kantonspolizei Thurgau, and Austria’s Directorate State Protection and Intelligence Service.
Victims of Blackcat ransomware are strongly encouraged to contact their local FBI field office at www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices for further information and to determine what assistance may be available.
Blackcat affiliates have gained initial access to victim networks through a number of methods, including leveraging compromised user credentials to gain initial access to the victim system. More information about the malware, including technical information about indicators of compromise and recommendations to mitigate its effects, is available from the FBI at www.ic3.gov/Media/News/2022/220420.pdf.
Additional information regarding law enforcement’s ongoing investigation into Blackcat is available at www.justice.gov/media/1329536/dl?inline.
If you have information about Blackcat, their affiliates, or activities, you may be eligible for a reward through the Department of State’s Rewards for Justice program. Information can be submitted through the following Tor-based tip line (Tor browser required): he5dybnt7sr6cm32xt77pazmtm65flqy6irivtflruqfc5ep7eiodiad.onion.
For more information about rewards for information on foreign malicious cyber activity against U.S. critical infrastructure, visit https://rfj.tips/SDT55f.
Justice Department Announces WarCAT Leadership TransitionRead the Press Release
Today, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced a transition in the leadership of the Justice Department’s War Crimes Accountability Team (WarCAT).
Last year, while in Ukraine, Attorney General Garland announced the launch of WarCAT to centralize and strengthen the Justice Department’s ongoing work to hold accountable those who have committed war crimes and other atrocities during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. At that time, he selected Eli Rosenbaum to serve as Counselor for War Crimes Accountability. Effective January 2024, Rosenbaum, the longest-serving American prosecutor of Nazi war criminals and other human rights violators in history, will retire after a 38-year career at the Justice Department. Attorney General Garland has selected WarCAT Lead Prosecutor Christian Levesque to serve as the Director of WarCAT. Today’s announcement also follows the Justice Department’s unsealing of war crimes charges in connection with Russia’s unlawful and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
“A year and a half ago, I asked Eli Rosenbaum to lead a team of Justice Department prosecutors working to identify and prosecute individuals involved in war crimes and atrocities committed during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,” said Attorney General Garland. “I am deeply grateful to Eli for postponing his retirement to stand up and lead that team, and for his decades of service to our country and to the cause of justice. Recently, the Justice Department filed the first-ever charges under the U.S. war crimes statute against four Russia-affiliated military personnel for heinous crimes against an American citizen. I have full confidence that WarCAT’s new Director, Christian Levesque, will continue to build on that work. I look forward to her leadership of our efforts to pursue accountability for Russia’s war crimes in Ukraine.”
As WarCAT Director, Levesque will lead the Department’s efforts to coordinate with experts on investigations and prosecutions involving human rights abuses, war crimes, and other atrocities occurring in Ukraine to centralize and strengthen the Department’s ongoing accountability efforts, and to assist authorities in Ukraine and elsewhere investigating such crimes. The team will continue to be responsible for providing wide-ranging assistance, including operational assistance, victim-witness support, and relevant legal analysis including regarding environmental damage. As Lead Prosecutor, Levesque has been integral to WarCAT over the past year, and her experience and expertise will ensure the continued success of this initiative. Levesque joined the Human Rights and Special Prosecution Section in 2016, after a career as an international human rights attorney in private practice.
In the 16 months since Attorney General Garland launched WarCAT, the team has brought together the Department’s leading experts on investigations and prosecutions involving human rights abuses, war crimes, and other atrocities to centralize and strengthen the Department’s ongoing accountability efforts, and to assist authorities in Ukraine and elsewhere investigating such crimes.
Jamestown man going to prison for selling heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamineRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Brendan Farver, 29, of Jamestown, NY, who was convicted of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute, and distributing, heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine, was sentenced to serve 24 months in prison by Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who handled the case, stated that during the conspiracy, Farver bought and sold heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine for profit and his own use, and brokered deals for other drug dealers in and around the Jamestown area. Farver utilized social media to conduct his drug trafficking activities. In May 2020, the Conewango Township Police Department conducted undercover purchases of heroin from Farver on two different occasions. On July 31, 2020, Farver brought heroin/fentanyl to an associate identified as K.T. at the individual’s residence in Jamestown. The two then injected the heroin/fentanyl. The following morning, at approximately 11:27 a.m., the Jamestown Police Department responded to K.T.’s residence for a reported overdose, where officers discovered K.T., deceased.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division.
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Jamestown man going to prison for cocaine possessionRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Eddie Ortiz-Ortiz, 29, of Jamestown, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, was sentenced to serve 36 months in prison by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Franz M. Wright, who handled the case, stated that on January 31, 2020, a Cattaraugus County Sherriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop of Ortiz’s vehicle. As the deputy spoke with Ortiz, he detected the odor of marijuana emanating from the vehicle. A Cattaraugus County K-9 unit was brought in and provided a positive alert to a wrapped white package located within the vehicle. The package contained approximately 1,000 grams of cocaine.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Cattaraugus County Sherriff's Office, under the direction of Sheriff Timothy Whitcomb and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division.
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Iranian National Charged with Unlawfully Procuring Microelectronics Used in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles on Behalf of the Iranian GovernmentRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department unsealed an indictment charging Iranian national Hossein Hatefi Ardakani and co-defendant Gary Lam, who worked for a Chinese company, with crimes related to the procurement of U.S.-manufactured dual-use microelectronics for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force Self Sufficiency Jihad Organization’s (ASF SSJO) one-way attack unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) program.
Concurrent with this unsealing, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Ardakani, as well as multiple other individuals and entities involved in the procurement network used by Ardakani in support of Iran’s production of UAVs. Ardakani’s codefendant, Lam, whom OFAC identified as Lin Jinghe, was designated by OFAC in October.
“Today’s coordinated action with the Treasury Department demonstrates the Justice Department’s commitment to keeping military-grade equipment out of the hands of the Iranian regime,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “We will aggressively investigate, disrupt, and hold accountable criminal networks that supply sensitive technology to hostile and repressive governments in contravention of U.S. sanctions.”
“Today’s announcements show that we remain focused on disrupting the efforts of Iran and its agents to circumvent U.S. sanctions in support of Iran’s weapons programs, including its drone program, which have been used to support and supply terrorist organizations and other foreign adversaries – such as Russia – around the globe,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “This whole-of-government approach is one more step in stopping the acquisition of drones for nefarious purposes such as attacks on innocent civilians and civilian infrastructure.”
“U.S. technology has zero place in Iranian UAVs,” said Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod of the Department of Commerce. “As these allegations demonstrate, those who procure dual-use microelectronics for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps will be held accountable.”
“Ardakani and his co-conspirators crafted a sophisticated web of front companies to obscure the illicit acquisition of U.S. and foreign technology to procure components for deadly UAVs,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New England. “These very components have been found in use by Iran’s allies in current conflicts, including in Ukraine. The disruption of these criminal networks by Homeland Security Investigations means that hundreds of thousands of critical UAV components will never again be used for malign purposes.”
According to the indictment, between at least in or around September 2014 and September 2015, Ardakani and Lam, who was based in China and Hong Kong, as well as other associates, conspired to illegally purchase and export from the United States to Iran dual-use microelectronics that are commonly used in UAV production, including high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs), monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) power amplifiers, and analog-to-digital converters. Each of these components are subject to U.S. export controls for anti-terrorism, national security and regional stability reasons.
The indictment further alleges that on four separate occasions Ardakani and his co-conspirators used a web of foreign companies to accomplish their obfuscation and evasion efforts. For example, between June and September 2015, Ardakani and Lam caused an unwitting French company to purchase from a U.S. company several pieces of analog-to-digital converters with applications in wireless and broadband communications, radar and satellite subsystems, multicarrier, multimodal cellular receivers, antenna array positioning and infrared imaging. Lam then caused a division of the French company to ship the analog-to-digital converters to Hong Kong, where they were reexported to Iran. A variation of this tactic – involving witting and unwitting companies in Canada, Hong Kong, and China – was used on the other three occasions.
In addition to the indictment, separate, related seizure actions targeting Nava Hobbies SDN BHD (Nava Hobbies) and Arta Wave (Arta Wave) SBN BHD and their property were unsealed today. Nava Hobbies and Arta Wave are two of the entities designated by OFAC in its action announced today. The funds are subject to seizure based on violations of U.S. law, including U.S. economic sanctions targeting Iran and money laundering violations. The seizures, totaling more than $800,000, aim to further degrade this network’s ability to procure UAV components. Proceedings involving this property remain ongoing.
Ardakani and Lam are charged with conspiracy to export U.S. goods to Iran and to defraud the United States, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison; unlawfully exporting and attempting to export goods to Iran, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; and conspiracy to engage in international money laundering, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Ardakani and Lam remain at large and are believed to reside abroad.
HSI, the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security, and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jolie Zimmerman for the District of Columbia is prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Heiden for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorneys Heather Schmidt and Brendan Geary of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Indictment Charges San Jose Man with Robbing U.S. Mail CarrierRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE – A federal grand jury has indicted James Luna, charging him with the robbery of a mail carrier in the Sunnyvale, Calif., area, announced U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge Rafael Nuñez. The indictment follows the announcement by U.S. Attorney Ramsey and Postal Inspector in Charge Nuñez regarding multiple arrests made throughout the Bay Area in cases involving the interference with delivery of the U.S. mail.
According to papers filed in connection with the Luna case, on December 30, 2022, a person fitting Luna’s description approached a United States Postal Service mail carrier just before 4:00 p.m. and demanded that the mail carrier hand over her postal keys. The mail carrier reported that she could see the handle of a firearm sticking out of the robber’s pocket. The mail carrier handed over the keys and the robber absconded with them. The robber was later identified as James Luna, 32, of San Jose. The keys are used to open United States Postal Service mailboxes in a designated area.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Luna is charged with robbery of a mail carrier, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2114. The maximum statutory penalty for robbery of a mail carrier is 10 years in prison. Further, in addition to the prison term, the court may order defendant to serve an additional term of supervised release to begin after a prison term, additional fines, and restitution, if appropriate. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
On October 10, 2023, U.S. Attorney Ramsey and Postal Inspector in Charge Nuñez held a press conference at which they discussed a recent increase in the theft of postal keys, break-ins of postal vehicles, assaults on letter carriers, and various other criminal acts involving interference with delivery of the mail. According to U.S. Attorney Ramsey, a surge in arrests throughout the Bay Area has resulted in several defendants now facing severe federal penalties. A press release discussing the press conference can be found here.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Neal Hong is prosecuting the Luna case. The prosecution of this case is the result of an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service and Sunnyvale Police Department.
Indictment Charges District Man with Fentanyl Trafficking and Firearms CountsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Kahlil Felder, 39, of Southeast Washington D.C., was arraigned on a four-count indictment yesterday in U.S. District Court charging him with possession with intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl, and using, carrying, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, among other charges. Felder was ordered detained pending trial.
The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon, of Homeland Security Investigations Washington Field Office, Inspector Damon Wood, with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service "Washington Division", and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department.
According to the indictment, Felder, aka, Kahlil Gibron Hewitt, unlawfully, knowingly, and intentionally, distributed a mixture containing a detectable amount of fentanyl on October 22, 2022, and possessed with intent to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl on December 13, 2023. The indictment further charges that, on December 13, 2023, Felder possessed two firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possessed two firearms as a prohibited person—that is, a person convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.
During a search of Felder’s residence on December 13, law enforcement officers discovered two loaded semiautomatic pistols – a Glock 36, 45mm, and a Springfield Hellcat 9 mm– and more than five kilograms of suspected fentanyl. The fentanyl included thousands of pre-packaged baggies or “zips” filled with suspected fentanyl. Investigators also found tools and materials for packaging fentanyl, including a scale, test kits, gloves, a respirator, a sifter, and a money counter.
This operation 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.
The charges of possession with intent to distribute over 400 grams or more of fentanyl and possession of firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking carry a statutory maximum of life in prison. The possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year carries a statutory maximum of 15 years in prison. The charges also carry potential financial penalties. The maximum statutory sentence for federal offenses is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes.
This case is being investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations Washington Field Office, U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Washington Office, and MPD’s Violent Crime Suppression Division.
It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Will Hart and Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jordan Leiter and Javier Urbina of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
Indiana Health Network Agrees to Pay $345 Million to Settle Alleged False Claims Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
Community Health Network Inc. (Community), a health care network headquartered in Indianapolis, has agreed to pay the United States $345 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly submitting claims to Medicare for services that were referred in violation of the Stark Law.
The Stark Law seeks to safeguard the integrity of the Medicare program by prohibiting a hospital from billing for certain services referred by physicians with whom the hospital has a financial relationship, unless that relationship satisfies one of the law’s statutory or regulatory exceptions. Under the Stark Law, when a hospital employs a physician, the hospital may not submit claims for certain services referred by that physician unless the physician’s compensation is consistent with fair market value and not based on the value or volume of their referrals to the hospital. In this lawsuit, the United States alleged that the compensation Community paid to its cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons, vascular surgeons, neurosurgeons and breast surgeons was well above fair market value, that Community awarded bonuses to physicians that were tied to the number of their referrals, and that Community submitted claims to Medicare for services that resulted from these unlawful referrals.
The United States’ complaint alleged that beginning in 2008 and 2009, senior management at Community embarked on an illegal scheme to recruit physicians for employment for the purpose of capturing their lucrative “downstream referrals.” Community successfully recruited hundreds of local physicians, including cardiovascular specialists, neurosurgeons and breast surgeons, by paying them salaries that were significantly higher — sometimes as much as double — what they were receiving in their own private practices. Community was well aware of the Stark Law requirements that the compensation of employed physicians had to be fair market value and could not take into account the volume of referrals. Community hired a valuation firm to analyze the compensation it proposed paying to its recruited specialists. The complaint alleged that Community knowingly provided the firm with false compensation figures so that the firm would render a favorable opinion. The complaint further alleged that Community ignored repeated warnings from the valuation firm regarding the legal perils of overcompensating its physicians. In addition to paying specialists excessive compensation, the complaint alleged that Community awarded incentive compensation to physicians, in the form of certain financial performance bonuses that were based on the physicians reaching a target of referrals to Community’s network, again in violation of the Stark Law.
“The Stark Law was enacted to ensure that the clinical judgment of physicians is not corrupted by improper financial incentives,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s recovery demonstrates the department’s resolve to protect the integrity of federal health care programs and to safeguard the taxpayer dollars used to support these important programs.”
“Hoosier Medicare patients deserve to know that their care is based on their medical needs, not their doctor’s financial gain,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers for the Southern District of Indiana. “When doctors refer patients for CT scans, mammograms or any other medical service, those patients should know the doctor is putting their medical interests first and not their profit margins. Community Health Network overpaid its doctors. It also paid doctors bonuses based on the amount of extra money the hospital was able to bill Medicare through doctor referrals. Such compensation arrangements erode patient trust and incentivize unnecessary medical services that waste taxpayer dollars. The U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Civil Division, working alongside the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and the DOJ’s Fraud Section are committed to holding companies accountable when they knowingly seek to profit off of Medicare patients through greedy compensation schemes.”
“HHS-OIG remains steadfast in our efforts to protect our health care programs and the people they serve, including holding those accountable who violate the Stark Law,” said Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of HHS-OIG. “Our work will not cease here. Following the settlement, HHS-OIG will enter into a five-year corporate integrity agreement with the defendant, further demonstrating our unwavering commitment to protecting federal health care programs.”
Under the settlement, in addition to paying the United States $345 million, Community will enter into a five-year Corporate Integrity Agreement with HHS-OIG.
The settlement announced today stems from a whistleblower complaint filed in 2014 by CHN’s former Chief Financial and Chief Operating Officer Thomas Fischer pursuant to the False Claims Act’s qui tam provisions, which permit private persons to bring a lawsuit on behalf of the government and to share in any recovery. The Act also permits the government to intervene and take over the lawsuit, as it did in this case as to certain of Fischer’s allegations. Fischer’s share has not yet been determined in this matter.
The United States’ intervention and settlement in this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to HHS at 800‑HHS‑TIPS (800-447-8477).
The FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case.
The matter was handled by Trial Attorneys Arthur Di Dio, Kelly McAuliffe, Claire Horrell and David Finkelstein of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Olson and Shelese Woods for the Southern District of Indiana.
The case is captioned United States and the State of Indiana ex rel. Thomas Fischer v. Community Health Network, Inc., et al., No. 1:14-cv-1215 (S.D. Ind.).
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Settlement ComplaintHaymarket Brothers Get 18 Years Total in Fentanyl ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – A pair of brothers from Northern Virginia, who distributed or intended to distribute more than 10,000 pressed fentanyl pills in Culpeper, Virginia and surrounding counties, were sentenced yesterday to more than 18 years of total federal prison time.
Thomas Anthony Marshall, 25, and Jonathon Hayden Marshall, 20, both pled guilty in August 2023 to identical charges, that is, one count of conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of distribution and possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl. Yesterday, Thomas Marshall was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison and Jonathon Marshall was sentenced to 8 years in federal prison.
According to court documents, on several occasions in September 2022 both Thomas and Jonathon Marshall sold pressed fentanyl pills to confidential informants working with the Blue Ridge Narcotics and Gang Task Force. Specifically, on September 1, 2022, Thomas Marshall sold 1,020 fentanyl pills and on September 6, 2022, Thomas and Jonathon Marshall sold 1,987 fentanyl pills. On September 14, 2022, Thomas Marshall sold 1,812 fentanyl pills.
On September 27, 2022, the Blue Ridge Narcotics and Gang Task Force executed a search warrant at a residence shared by the Marshall brothers in Fauquier County, Virginia. During the course of the search, law enforcement recovered 6,549 pressed fentanyl pills, $32,642 in cash, and numerous firearms and ammunition.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh announced the sentence today.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Blue Ridge Narcotics and Gang Task Force investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald M. Huber prosecuted the case.
Hartford Man Sentenced to 57 Months in Federal Prison for Gun OffenseRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DEVIN TEXIRA, also known as “LV,” 27, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 57 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for a firearm possession offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from an investigation into gang-related drug trafficking and firearm possession by members of Los Solidos. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps, revealed that Luis Feliciano, also known as “Louminaty,” distributed fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and crack to customers and other distributors in the Hartford area, and also to individuals in New York and Maine. In October 2021, a member of Feliciano’s drug trafficking network, Jose Tirado, coordinated the sale of 9mm handgun, owned by Texira, to another individual for $800.
Texira’s criminal history includes felony convictions for firearm possession, robbery, assault, and threatening offenses, and he was on state probation in October 2021 during the firearm transaction. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Hartford Police arrested Texira on March 27, 2022, on state charges related to an alleged threatening incident involving a firearm.
On June 8, 2022, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Texira, Feliciano, Tirado, and 13 others with various narcotics distribution and firearm possession offenses.
On February 16, 2023, Texira pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. He has been detained since his arrest, and he awaits sentencing on the unrelated state charges.
Feliciano and Tirado pleaded guilty. On August 11, 2023, Tirado, also known as “Joselito” and “Leet,” was sentenced to 84 months of imprisonment. Feliciano awaits sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and the Hartford Police Department. The Task Force includes members of the FBI, Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, New Britain Police Department, West Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Ruff. through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Hardin man sentenced to seven years in prison for role in large meth trafficking ring centered on Crow Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Hardin man who admitted to trafficking methamphetamine as part of a large-scale drug trafficking ring centered on the Crow Indian Reservation was sentenced today to seven years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Darlon Richard Lefthand, 37, pleaded guilty in August to possession with intent to distribute meth.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
In court documents, the government alleged that federal law enforcement, in a collaborative effort with local and tribal law enforcement, investigated a large-scale, multi-state narcotics trafficking operation centered on multiple properties on the Crow Indian Reservation. The properties, including one known as Spear Siding, were a source of supply of meth for both the Crow and Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservations. Darlon Lefthand is one of the individuals affiliated with the investigation.
The government alleged that Lefthand was considered in the mid-level of the distribution ring and was involved with major players above him. Lefthand could go to the Spear Siding property to obtain drugs for himself and others. Lefthand also used Facebook to obtain meth from Spear Siding and to set up drug deals. In September 2022, law enforcement conducted a controlled purchase of approximately one ounce of meth from Lefthand.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys are prosecuting the case. The Bureau of Indian Affairs, Drug Enforcement Administration and FBI conducted the investigation.
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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Guatemalan National Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Smuggle over 6,000 Kilograms of Cocaine into the United StatesRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Eliezer De Leon-Lopez (38, Guatemala), a/k/a “Wiro Loco” and “Daniel Martinez,” pleaded guilty today to conspiring to import cocaine into the United States. He faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, Leon-Lopez was part of an organization that received cocaine in Guatemala that had been smuggled on maritime vessels from South America. The organization then brought the cocaine to shore, transported it to the northern border of Guatemala, and smuggled it into Mexico for subsequent importation into the United States. In 2017, Leon-Lopez retired from active smuggling by relinquishing his routes and South American contacts but continued to financially benefit from the smuggling operations.
On November 11, 2018, the El Salvadoran navy interdicted a self-propelled semi-submersible (SPSS) in international waters. There were five men – four Colombian nationals and one Guatemalan national – onboard. The SPSS was transporting approximately 6,380 kilograms of cocaine. Intercepted communications obtained in the United States revealed that Leon-Lopez was in communication with a coconspirator about the status of the SPSS and the crewmembers, and then received photos of the seized cocaine and an article on social media about the interdiction.
This case was investigated by the Panama Express Strike Force, a standing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) comprised of agents and analysts from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and the U.S. Southern Command's Joint Interagency Task Force South. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Baeza.
Greenwich Psychologist Sentenced to 27 Months in Federal Prison for $2.6 Million Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that MICHAEL LONSKI, 72, of Greenwich, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 27 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for operating a $2.6 million health care fraud scheme.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Lonski was a licensed psychologist who, along with wife, Dr. Evelyn Llewellyn, maintained separate medical practices out of their home office in Old Greenwich. Lonski and Llewellyn were authorized providers for the Connecticut Medicaid program (“Medicaid”), Medicare, and other health care benefit programs. Lonski assumed responsibility for submitting claims for reimbursement for services allegedly provided by himself and Llewellyn, both at their home office and at various skilled nursing facilities within Connecticut.
For years, Lonski billed insurers for services that he knew were not rendered, including by billing for patients who were deceased, for dates of service when he was out of the country, for dates of service when Llewellyn was out of the country, and for dates of service when he was hospitalized. From 2014 through 2019, Lonski submitted more than 80,000 claims for service, and he claimed to have provided services every single day, including weekends and holidays, except for one day in 2017. On 60 of these dates, Lonski billed for more than 24 hours of service, and on 901 dates, Lonski billed for more than 12 hours of service. These fraudulent claims resulted in a loss of over $2,651,294, including a loss of $1,157,292 to the Connecticut Medicaid program and a loss of $119,092 Medicare.
In 2002, Lonski settled a federal civil lawsuit alleging health care fraud, which was brought by the government in the Southern District of New York. Lonski agreed to pay $4 million in restitution and was excluded from participating in all federal healthcare programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, for five years.
Judge Nagala ordered Lonski to pay restitution $2,651,294.
On December 12, 2022, Lonski pleaded guilty to health care fraud. Lonski is required to report to prison on March 25, 2024.
In May 2023, Llewellyn entered into a civil settlement agreement with the federal and state governments in which she agreed to pay $658,294 to settle allegations that she received payment for claims submitted by Lonski to the Medicare and Medicaid programs for psychology services allegedly provided by Llewellyn to Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries that were, in fact, not provided.
This investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Susan L. Wines, Richard M. Molot, and Christine Sciarrino
People who suspect health care fraud are encouraged to report it by calling 1-800-HHS-TIPS.