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Friday 3 November 2023
Albany Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Charles E. Williams, age 34, of Albany, pled guilty today to possessing a firearm as a prohibited person.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and United States Marshal David L. McNulty made the announcement.
On November 18, 2021, the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force tracked Williams to a hotel to arrest him for a kidnapping. When searching his hotel room, the Marshals found a .357 caliber Smith & Wesson revolver. Williams is prohibited from possessing the firearm as a result of a prior New York State felony conviction for assault in the first degree. Additionally, a jury convicted Williams of kidnapping in the second degree a few months ago, and he pled guilty to assault in the second degree in Rensselaer County last month.
Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes will sentence Williams on March 4, 2024. The conviction carries a maximum term of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of post-release supervision of up to 3 years. A judge imposes a defendant’s sentence based on the particular statute a defendant violated, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
The U.S. Marshals Service investigated the case with assistance from the North Greenbush Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner is prosecuting the case.
Thursday 2 November 2023
Woonsocket Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – A Woonsocket man today admitted to a federal judge that he possessed more than one thousand images and videos of child sexual abuse, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Appearing in U.S. District Court in Providence, John F. Tracy IV, 40, admitted that he stored images and videos depicting child pornography in a storage-cloud, and on multiple digital storage devices and a cell phone that were seized from his Woonsocket home during a court-authorized search on July 14, 2022.
According to information presented to the court, forensic audits of the devices revealed 1,059 images and 24 videos depicting child pornography.
Tracy pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of child pornography. He is scheduled to be sentenced on February 1, 2024. The defendant’s sentence will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dulce Donovan and Julie M. White.
The matter, first brought to the attention of law enforcement in a report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations and the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
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Wheeling man sentenced to 15 years for cocaine distributionRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – A Wheeling, West Virginia man was sentenced to more than 15 years in federal prison for the distribution of cocaine.
Antonio Cunningham, age 46, was ordered to serve 188 months in prison. According to court documents and statements made in court, Cunningham sold cocaine to a confidential informant on multiple occasions earlier this year at his residence on South Broadway Street in Wheeling. Officers obtained and executed a search warrant at his home and recovered cocaine along with a loaded Taurus model G2C pistol. Cunningham has two prior felony drug convictions and was determined to be a career offender under the guidelines set forth by the United States Sentencing Commission.
“Repeat drug offenders like Mr. Cunningham won’t receive any breaks in the federal criminal justice system,” said United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld. “I’m pleased that the residents of Wheeling Island won’t have to worry about him for a long, long time.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Nogay prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The case was investigated by the Ohio Valley Drug Taskforce, a HIDTA-funded initiative.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Warren Woman Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploiting an Infant and Young ChildRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A Warren resident was sentenced today to 20 years in federal prison on charges of sexual exploitation of children and distribution of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan.
Sentenced was Amber Nicole Dunbar, 27. Dunbar pleaded guilty in March before United States District Judge George Caram Steeh.
As part of her plea, Dunbar admitted that in August 2022 she created images of herself engaging in sexually explicit conduct with an infant. She sent these images to another individual located in Tennessee, who was being investigated for child pornography charges. This individual had caused numerous women to produce and send him child pornography.
Once agents in Michigan learned of this abuse, they swiftly executed a search warrant and Dunbar admitted to the abuse of the child. Further investigation revealed that Dunbar had also produced child pornography involving a five-year-old child.
“I am thankful for the agents who acted so quickly to save these children from continued abuse. This defendant not only engaged in unthinkable abuse of an infant, but also shared the abuse with someone else on the internet. This sentence demonstrates our commitment to ensure that those who harm the most vulnerable in our community will pay a significant price for their actions. responsible,” said U.S. Attorney Ison.
"Ms. Dunbar's exploitation of her daughter and other victims is deplorable," said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. "While the harm the defendant inflicted on these innocent children cannot be undone, we hope this sentence brings a small sense of justice to all those impacted in this case. Protecting children from dangerous predators is a top priority for the FBI, and we remain fully committed to investigating criminals who take advantage of minors in this indefensible way. We continue to urge the public to report alleged crimes of child sexual and physical abuse by calling 1-800-CALLFBI (1-800-225-5324) or submitting tips online to http://tips.fbi.gov."
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Rawsthorne.
Violent felon sentenced for gun chargeRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 37-year-old Alton man has been ordered to federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Juan Manuel Teran Jr., aka El Blunt, pleaded guilty June 22.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Teran to serve 57 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional information about Teran’s history of robbery, repeated assaults on women and felony drug possession. In imposing the sentence, Judge Crane adopted findings that Teran was trafficking in narcotics at the time that he possessed the firearms.
In January, law enforcement responded to a domestic violence call at a residence in McAllen. The incident resulted in an arrest warrant for Terran for assault on a pregnant person.
Upon his arrest, authorities found Terran to be in possession of meth, cocaine, marijuana, Alprazolam, Clonazepam and heroin. He also had two firearms.
As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition per federal law.
Teran was prosecuted as part of a joint Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and U.S. Attorney’s Office initiative known as Operation: Knock Down. It started in 2022 and focuses federal resources on armed and violent offenders in the Rio Grande Valley.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert L. Guerra Jr. prosecuted the case.
Utica Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Conspiracy and DistributionRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Bernabe Lopez, age 58, of Utica, New York, pled guilty yesterday to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Carla Freedman; Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division and Thomas Fattorusso, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), New York Field Office.
In pleading guilty yesterday, Lopez admitted that from May 2020 through October 2021, he acquired quantities of fentanyl from co-conspirators, which he then re-distributed to others in the Utica, New York area. Lopez admitted that the combined amount of fentanyl that he distributed during this time frame exceeded 40 grams. Lopez also admitted that during the conspiracy, he sold a cutting agent to member of the conspiracy for $10 a gram knowing that the co-conspirators were adulterating fentanyl with the cutting agent to increase volume for sales.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 29, 2024, in front of United States District Judge David N. Hurd. Lopez faces a minimum of 5 years in prison, a maximum of 40 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $5 million, and a term of supervised release of at least 4 years and up to life.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations Division, Homeland Security Investigations, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations, New York State Police, Oneida County Sheriff’s Office, Oneida County District Attorney’s Office, Utica Police Department, Syracuse Police Department, Rome Police Department, Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, New York Army National Guard Counter Drug Program, Yorkville Police Department, Whitesboro Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamara Thomson.
Utah Resident Sentenced to 45 Years for MurderRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY – Brandon Redfoot, 28, of Fort Duchesne, Utah, was sentenced Wednesday to 540 months’ imprisonment followed by 60 months of supervised release, after a federal jury convicted him of murder. Redfoot is also ordered by the court to pay $5,955.36 in restitution.
According to court documents and the evidence presented at trial, Redfoot shot and killed another man, on June 7, 2018. In August 2023, he was found guilty on all counts charged in the indictment, including murder in the second degree while within Indian Country, assault with a dangerous weapon while within Indian Country, felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and two counts of discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
“Mr. Redfoot’s senseless act of violence put many lives at risk and took the life of one young man,” said United States Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah. "We will continue to work with our Tribal and federal law enforcement partners to pursue justice for victims and their families."
Evidence presented at trial showed Redfoot was in a physical altercation with the victim outside a store in Randlett, Utah. After the fight, and after the two men parted ways in separate vehicles, Redfoot told the driver of the vehicle he was in to turn around and drive back in the direction the victim had traveled. After the driver refused, Redfoot pulled out a firearm, later identified as a KelTec Sub-2000 9mm folding rifle and threatened the driver to turn around by firing the gun inside the vehicle. The driver complied, and ultimately arrived outside a residence where Redfoot spotted the victim. Redfoot fired at least twenty-nine shots in the direction of the victim and others, ultimately hitting the victim in the back of the head and killing him.
“Redfoot acted with no regard for the victim’s life and recklessly endangered other innocent lives that day,” said Special Agent in Charge Shohini Sinha of the Salt Lake City FBI. “We are committed to working with our Tribal partners to investigate the most egregious crimes in our Native American communities and help keep them safe.”
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), the FBI Vernal Resident Agency and investigations from the Ute Tribe.
Assistant United States Attorneys Michael J. Thorpe and Sam Pead of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
United States Seized and Files Forfeiture Action to Recover over $54 Million of Cryptocurrency Traceable to Narcotics Distribution SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office filed a civil forfeiture action today to recover $54 million of cryptocurrency that it previously seized and is traceable to the proceeds of an illegal narcotics distribution scheme operating in and around New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
“The civil action we are taking today seeks to recover millions of dollars of cryptocurrency, which the defendant allegedly obtained from drug sales. Whether it’s as simple as bags of cash or as sophisticated as cryptocurrency, we will take the steps necessary to seize financial gains defendants obtain from criminal activity.”
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger
“Many criminals use cryptocurrency on the darknet to operate away from the prying eyes of law enforcement,” FBI – Newark Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy said. “Our forfeiture action of $54 million should serve as a lesson to those who mistakenly believe we can't trace their illicit behavior or their ill-gotten proceeds. We will successfully hold all criminals responsible in the open, with real world consequences.”
According to the complaint:
From 2010 to 2015, Christopher Castelluzzo and others conspired to sell various narcotics. Around 2013, Castelluzzo and his conspirators began to sell narcotics on darknet sites in exchange for Bitcoin. Castelluzzo then used some of the Bitcoin he had earned from narcotics sales to purchase 30,000 Ether in Ethereum’s Initial Coin Offering in July 2014. Castelluzzo also received an amount of an additional cryptocurrency – 30,000 Ethereum Classic – in 2016. Castelluzzo used the additional cryptocurrency to purchase various other cryptocurrencies. The complaint seeks the forfeiture of all of the cryptocurrency Castelluzzo obtained as a result of his narcotics sales.
Castelluzzo is currently serving concurrent 20-year federal and state prison sentences for drug distribution convictions. While Castelluzzo was incarcerated as a result of these convictions, and as Ethereum increased in value, Castelluzzo plotted from prison to avoid taxes and to move the 30,000 Ether outside of the United States. Before he could do so, however, the United States learned of Castelluzzo’s efforts to launder the cryptocurrency through recorded prison telephone calls in 2021, intervened, and seized Castelluzzo’s cryptocurrency holdings traceable to his drug trafficking crimes.
Today, the value of the 30,000 Ether is approximately $54 million.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited members of the FBI’s Virtual Assets Unit (VAU) under the direction of Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the Financial Crimes Section of the Criminal Investigative Division; FBI Newark Atlantic City Resident Agency under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy; the FBI-Denver Field division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Mark D. Michalek; Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Kurtz; the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, under the direction of Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin; the New Jersey Special Investigation Division under the direction of Timathy Gonzalez; and the Colorado Springs, Colorado, Police Department, under the direction of Chief Adrian Vasquez, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Frazer of the Organized Crime and Gangs Unit, DeNae M. Thomas of the Health Care Fraud Unit, and Jordan M. Anger of the Asset Recovery and Money Laundering Unit.
The accusations in the complaint, and the description of the complaint, constitute only allegations.
castelluzzo.complaint.pdfUnion County Man Charged with Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County, New Jersey, man was arrested for possessing videos depicting child pornography, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Matthew T. Williams, 43, Westfield, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count of possession of child pornography. He made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge James B. Clark III in Newark federal court on Nov. 1, 2023, and was released on $100,000 unsecured bond.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From February 2023 to November 2023, Williams possessed on devices in his home videos depicting child sexual abuse, which he made available for distribution through a peer-to-peer file-sharing service. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant of Williams’s home on the morning of Nov. 1, 2023 and discovered software open on a computer downloading child pornography. Williams had previously been convicted of sexual misconduct in New York.
The charge of possession of child exploitation material carries a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000 or the gross pecuniary harm to victims of the offense.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, Child Exploitation Group under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Kurtz, with the investigation leading to the charge.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Thypin-Bermeo of the General Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
williams.complaint.pdfU.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas Granted Funding for Investments in Public SafetyRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – The Justice Department announced today several new commitments as part of its Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime. Instituted by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in May 2021, the strategy focuses on harnessing federal resources, intelligence, and expertise as a force-multiplier with state, local, and Tribal law enforcement.
Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco and Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta highlighted the more than $334 million in critical grant funding to law enforcement agencies and stakeholders awarded today by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office). The COPS grants announced today include funding to help law enforcement agencies hire over 1,730 new law enforcement officers across the country while also providing critical funding to support school safety and continue to advance community policing nationwide.
Through this funding, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas is pleased to announce that the Department’s COPS Office awarded $11,028,393 to the Western District of Texas to combat violent crime and maintain public safety.
“Law enforcement officers across the country are showing up every day to protect their communities in the face of unprecedented challenges,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “These grants, which support the hiring of more than 1700 new officers and make critical investments in school safety and crisis intervention efforts, will help provide local law enforcement agencies with the resources they need to keep their communities safe, support officers, and build public trust.”
“The grant award announced today by the Justice Department is a critical investment in public safety for our district,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “I am grateful for the support from the Attorney General and across the Department, and I look forward to continuing our partnership with local law enforcement agencies to ensure that the people of the Western District are safe and secure.”
The Department has also named the five new cities to join the more than 50 jurisdictions currently part of the Office of Justice Program’s (OJP) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) National Public Safety Partnership (PSP), which has a proven track record of helping partner sites reduce crime, improve homicide clearance rates, and enhance the quality of life for community members. The 2024 PSP sites are: Knoxville, Tennessee; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Raleigh, North Carolina; San Antonio, Texas; and Vallejo, California.
Lastly, the Deputy Attorney General and Associate Attorney General announced that this December 11-13, in Indianapolis, the Justice Department’s will bring together 1,500 local and federal partners from across the country, including representatives from the more than 50 PSP jurisdictions and from Project Safe Neighborhoods for a Violent Crime Reduction Summit, to be hosted by OJP BJA.
Complete lists of all program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont Announces Grant Funding for Investments in Public SafetyRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The Justice Department announced today several new commitments as part of its Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime. Instituted by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in May 2021, the strategy focuses on harnessing federal resources, intelligence, and expertise as a force-multiplier with state, local, and Tribal law enforcement.
The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) announced today grants totaling more than $334 million including funding to help law enforcement agencies hire over 1,730 new law enforcement officers across the country while also providing critical funding to support school safety and continue to advance community policing nationwide.
Through this funding, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont is pleased to announce that the Department’s COPS Office awarded $389,250 to Vermont organizations to combat violent crime and maintain public safety.
“Law enforcement officers across the country are showing up every day to protect their communities in the face of unprecedented challenges,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “These grants, which support the hiring of more than 1700 new officers and make critical investments in school safety and crisis intervention efforts, will help provide local law enforcement agencies with the resources they need to keep their communities safe, support officers, and build public trust.”
U.S. Attorney for the District of Vermont Nikolas Kerest stated, “I offer my congratulations to the City of Vergennes and the Town of Pittsford for their $125,000 COPS Hiring Program Awards, the Town of Hartford for its $29,000 awards towards projects associated with law enforcement mental health and wellness, and the Mill River Unified Union School District’s $110,250 award from the COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program. All of these grants should help make Vermont safer.”
Complete lists of all program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here.
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana Granted Funding for Public Safety InvestmentsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS,LA – Today, the Department of Justice announced several new commitments as part of its Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime. Instituted by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in May 2021, the strategy harnesses federal resources, intelligence, and expertise as a force-multiplier along with state, local, and Tribal law enforcement.
Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco and Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta highlighted the more than $334 million in critical grant funding awarded today to law enforcement agencies and stakeholders by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office).The COPS grants include funding for law enforcement agencies to hire more than 1,730 new law enforcement officers across the country, along with critical funding for school safety and the advancement of community policing nationwide
Through this grant funding, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana (EDLA) is pleased to announce that the Department of Justice’s COPS Office awarded $9,418,156 to EDLA to combat violent crime and maintain public safety.
Awards include:
2023 COPS Office Anti-Heroin Task Force (AHTF) Program Awards Louisiana Department of State Police $3,418,156 2023 COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program (CAMP) Awards Louisiana Department of State Police $2,000,000 2023 COPS Hiring Program (CHP) Awards City of Gretna $375,000 Kenner Police Department $2,500,000 Town of Lutcher $125,000 Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office $1,000,000“Law enforcement officers across the country are showing up every day to protect their communities in the face of unprecedented challenges,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “These grants, which support the hiring of more than 1700 new officers and make critical investments in school safety and crisis intervention efforts, will help provide local law enforcement agencies with the resources they need to keep their communities safe, support officers, and build public trust.”
“In the Eastern District of Louisiana, communities continue, in some capacity, to be affected by violent crime and its collateral consequences, ” said U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. “The awards reflect DOJ’s commitment to support effective law enforcement and to also encourage taking preventative measures to reduce illegal drug trafficking and drug addiction.” “The Department of Justice will provide our state and local partners with the necessary tools to enhance public safety and combat violent crime through its public safety initiatives.”
The Department has also named the five new cities to join the more than 50 jurisdictions currently part of the Office of Justice Program’s (OJP) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) National Public Safety Partnership (PSP), which has a proven track record of helping partner sites reduce crime, improve homicide clearance rates, and enhance the quality of life for community members. The 2024 PSP sites are: Knoxville, Tennessee; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Raleigh, North Carolina; San Antonio, Texas; and Vallejo, California.
Lastly, the Deputy Attorney General and Associate Attorney General announced that this December 11-13, in Indianapolis, the Justice Department’s will bring together 1,500 local and federal partners from across the country, including representatives from the more than 50 PSP jurisdictions and from Project Safe Neighborhoods for a Violent Crime Reduction Summit, to be hosted by OJP BJA.
Complete lists of all program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here.
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana Granted Funding for Public Safety InvestmentsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS,LA – Today, the Department of Justice announced several new commitments as part of its Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime. Instituted by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in May 2021, the strategy harnesses federal resources, intelligence, and expertise as a force-multiplier along with state, local, and Tribal law enforcement.
Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco and Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta highlighted the more than $334 million in critical grant funding awarded today to law enforcement agencies and stakeholders by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office).The COPS grants include funding for law enforcement agencies to hire more than 1,730 new law enforcement officers across the country, along with critical funding for school safety and the advancement of community policing nationwide
Through this grant funding, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana (EDLA) is pleased to announce that the Department of Justice’s COPS Office awarded $9,418,156 to EDLA to combat violent crime and maintain public safety.
Awards include:
2023 COPS Office Anti-Heroin Task Force (AHTF) Program Awards Louisiana Department of State Police $3,418,156 2023 COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program (CAMP) Awards Louisiana Department of State Police $2,000,000 2023 COPS Hiring Program (CHP) Awards City of Gretna: $375,000 Kenner Police Department: $2,500,000 Town of Lutcher: $125,000 Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office: $1,000,000“Law enforcement officers across the country are showing up every day to protect their communities in the face of unprecedented challenges,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “These grants, which support the hiring of more than 1700 new officers and make critical investments in school safety and crisis intervention efforts, will help provide local law enforcement agencies with the resources they need to keep their communities safe, support officers, and build public trust.”
“In the Eastern District of Louisiana, communities continue, in some capacity, to be affected by violent crime and its collateral consequences, ” said U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. “The awards reflect DOJ’s commitment to support effective law enforcement and to also encourage taking preventative measures to reduce illegal drug trafficking and drug addiction.” “The Department of Justice will provide our state and local partners with the necessary tools to enhance public safety and combat violent crime through its public safety initiatives.”
The Department has also named the five new cities to join the more than 50 jurisdictions currently part of the Office of Justice Program’s (OJP) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) National Public Safety Partnership (PSP), which has a proven track record of helping partner sites reduce crime, improve homicide clearance rates, and enhance the quality of life for community members. The 2024 PSP sites are: Knoxville, Tennessee; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Raleigh, North Carolina; San Antonio, Texas; and Vallejo, California.
Lastly, the Deputy Attorney General and Associate Attorney General announced that this December 11-13, in Indianapolis, the Justice Department’s will bring together 1,500 local and federal partners from across the country, including representatives from the more than 50 PSP jurisdictions and from Project Safe Neighborhoods for a Violent Crime Reduction Summit, to be hosted by OJP BJA.
Complete lists of all program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here.
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U.S. Attorney and Federal Law Enforcement Officials Assemble with State Law Enforcement Officers and Local Dignitaries in Show of Unity Against Fentanyl Trafficking in the Tenderloin District of San FranciscoRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey convened a press conference today bringing together numerous federal, state, and local law enforcement authorities to announce “All Hands on Deck,” a law enforcement initiative to address what has become endemic drug dealing in the Tenderloin District of San Francisco. U.S. Attorney Ramsey explained that the new joint initiative, focused on the Tenderloin, is designed to change the basic cost/benefit analysis for fentanyl dealers throughout the Northern District of California.
Representing several state and local entities were notables including San Francisco Mayor London Breed, San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins, Chief of the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) William Scott, San Francisco Sheriff Paul Miyamoto, Commander Sunshine Garside of the California Highway Patrol, and Deputy Chief of the Bay Area Rapid Transit Police Chris Vogan. They were joined on stage by federal law enforcement personnel: Brian Clark of the Drug Enforcement Administration; Robert Tripp of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Jennifer Cicolani of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Tatum King of Homeland Security Investigations; and Shawn Bradstreet of the U.S. Secret Service, as well as Acting U.S. Marshal Jay Bieber, Executive Director of the Northern California High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Mike Sena, U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge Rafael Nunez, and Internal Revenue Service– Criminal Investigation Supervisory Special Agent Steve Martins.
Although All Hands on Deck focuses on drug dealing in the Tenderloin, several of the elements have reach outside of the San Francisco neighborhood and throughout the Northern District of California. Elements of the initiative include the following:
• ramping up arrests of street dealers and suppliers of fentanyl who sell fentanyl near federal buildings (including near the James R. Browning U.S. Courthouse at 7th and Mission Streets, the Nancy Pelosi Federal Building on 7th and Mission Streets, and the Phillip Burton Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse at 450 Golden Gate Avenue);
• expanding efforts to track down and hold accountable suppliers of fentanyl;
• bringing additional charges against persons operating money services operations who turn a blind eye to drug trafficking and money laundering transactions on their networks;
• using targeted wiretaps, arrests, and searches throughout the Bay Area to enable drug seizures and to stem the flow of drugs and dealers coming into San Francisco from nearby counties;
• conducting regular joint federal and SFPD “jump out” operations in the Tenderloin to make on-the-spot arrests for open-air drug dealing;
• “fast-tracking” certain federal cases so that they take as little as a month from time of arrest to disposition; and
• federal “adoption” of state cases to raise the stakes by holding drug dealers accountable in the federal system.U.S. Attorney Ramsey stated that “our drug crisis has been fueled in part because selling fentanyl has become a lucrative vocation for people who have found our neighborhoods, and principally the Tenderloin District, to be a convenient and risk-free marketplace.” The U.S. Attorney disclosed that several of the participants at the press conference have been coordinating closely for months to disrupt fentanyl distribution in San Francisco and to remove fentanyl dealers from San Francisco neighborhoods. The result, U.S Attorney stated, has been an increase in collaboration, cooperation, and coordination between all the participants at the press conference. “All Hands on Deck,” said U.S. Attorney Ramsey, “is designed to change the basic cost/benefit analysis for fentanyl dealers. Today’s message is simple: selling fentanyl in the Tenderloin will result in your arrest and prosecution.”
“The Tenderloin has become ground zero for drug tourism. On average, we lose three lives a day to drug poisoning from sales connected to this area,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian Clark. “The community has said, loud and clear, that they are sick and tired of the death and destruction caused by this lawlessness. As leaders in law enforcement, I can tell you we are working tirelessly to hold accountable the people responsible for this devastation.”
“We’ve seen an increased and significant presence from federal law enforcement taking on drug enforcement,” said Mayor Breed, “and we greatly appreciate their partnership in this city. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney and his team and the DEA for dedicating resources to disrupting the flow of drugs on our streets and for their commitment to San Francisco. Their work, along with our state and local law enforcement, is having an impact on our streets.”
“Law enforcement approaches traditionally applied to drug dealing in our neighborhoods simply have not caught up the challenges presented by this new drug,” stated U.S. Attorney Ramsey. “Yet, the tools of law enforcement can address some of the root causes of this epidemic. We in law enforcement are determined to double-down, triple-down, and take all necessary steps to prevent this poison from reaching our streets.”
“Current conditions on our streets are completely unacceptable and require all levels of government to work together to close open-air drug markets and hold suspected drug dealers accountable for the unprecedented death and addiction that their trade has wrought on our city,” said District Attorney Brooke Jenkins. “I would like to thank Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi for her steadfast leadership and tireless advocacy on behalf of San Franciscans, which accelerated the federal government’s approval of San Francisco for Operation Overdrive. Working together with our partners in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, these federal law enforcement agencies, as well as state and local law enforcement agencies, we will be more able to identify, arrest and prosecute suspected drug traffickers at all levels. Every legal resource available to us must be used to deter and disrupt the flagrant drug trafficking in our community.”
“The SFPD will not tolerate people dealing drugs on our streets, and we will hold these dealers accountable, and sustain the effort over time,” Chief Bill Scott said. “I want to thank our federal partners and our officers for their hard work in helping make our beautiful city safe for everyone to enjoy.”
The participants at the press conference stressed that a new reality for San Francisco drug dealers exists and that the consequences for dealing drugs in the Tenderloin are changing. The chances of getting caught have increased and any hope for profits must now be weighed against unacceptable losses in time, money, seized drugs, and other disruptions that criminal convictions present. Over the past four months, nearly 50 kilograms of fentanyl were removed from the streets in the Tenderloin, nearly double the amount taken off the streets in the same area during the same period last year. Similarly, 12 kilograms of methamphetamine were seized in the last four months—a 169% increase from the same period last year.
Information shared at the press conference made clear that greater resources from each of the represented law enforcement partners are being deployed. U.S. Attorney Ramsey pledged that every criminal Assistant United States Attorney in the Northern District of California will be involved in this fight in one way or another. In addition, the DEA described how additional resources are being contributed through Operation Overdrive, and Mayor Breed, Chief Scott, and DA Jenkins all described devoting additional resources to respond to the fentanyl crisis. As stated by U.S. Attorney Ramsey, “‘All Hands on Deck’ means we are using our resources in a way that addresses the magnitude of the problem that fentanyl presents.”
Two Sioux Falls Women Sentenced for Their Roles in Multi-Pound Methamphetamine and Fentanyl ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced two Sioux Falls, South Dakota, women convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencings took place on October 30, 2023.
Kessara Mikkelson, 35, was sentenced to nineteen years and seven months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Asia Gunhammer. 31, was sentenced to ten years and six months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Mikkelson and Gunhammer were indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in June of 2023. Mikkelson pleaded guilty on July 25, 2023, and Gunhammer pleaded guilty on July 20, 2023.
Mikkelson and Gunhammer were involved in a large-scale methamphetamine and fentanyl distribution network that originated out of California and made its way into South Dakota through shipments that were both mailed through FedEx and driven in semi-trailers. The source of supply for this organization, Terry Morris, Jr., who was also indicted as part of this conspiracy, was, and continues to be, incarcerated in a California state prison. He is set to be sentenced on November 13, 2023. Mikkelson was personally responsible for organizing and handling over 100 pounds of methamphetamine and 25,000 fentanyl pills during her involvement in this conspiracy. Gunhammer was one of the known sub-distributors for Mikkelson. The methamphetamine in this conspiracy was known to be sourced by the Mexican cartels.
This case was investigated by the FBI, Sioux Falls Police Department, and the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
Mikkelson and Gunhammer were immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Two Nigerian Nationals Sentenced to Prison for International Scheme That Defrauded Elderly U.S. VictimsRead the Press Release
Two Nigerian nationals who were extradited to the United States from Spain were sentenced to 128 and 87 months in prison for their roles in a transnational inheritance fraud scheme. With today’s sentencing, five defendants who were extradited from the United Kingdom and Spain in connection with this matter have been sentenced.
According to court documents, Ezennia Peter Neboh, 48, who was sentenced today to 128 months of incarceration, was the lead defendant of a group of fraudsters who sent personalized letters to elderly victims in the United States, falsely claiming that the sender was a representative of a bank in Spain and that the recipient was entitled to receive a multimillion-dollar inheritance left for the recipient by a family member who had died years before in Portugal. Victims were told that before they could receive their purported inheritance, they were required to send money for delivery fees and taxes and were instructed to make other payments. Victims sent money to the defendants through a complex web of U.S.-based former victims. The defendant and his co-conspirators also convinced former victims to receive money from new victims and then instructed those former victims to forward the fraud proceeds to others.
On Oct. 23, the Honorable Kathleen M. Williams sentenced another defendant who was also extradited from Spain, Kennedy Ikponmwosa, to 87 months of imprisonment. Three other co-defendants who were extradited from the United Kingdom also received prison sentences. On June 21, Judge Williams sentenced Emmanuel Samuel to 82 months in prison; on July 25, Judge Williams sentenced Jerry Chucks Ozor to 87 months in prison; and on August 29, Judge Williams sentenced Iheanyichukwu Jonathan Abraham to 90 months in prison, for their roles in the scheme.
“The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch will continue to pursue, prosecute and bring to justice transnational criminals responsible for defrauding U.S. consumers,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We thank our colleagues at the Spanish National Police and the Ministry of Justice for assisting with the successful investigation and extradition of these defendants. This prosecution is a testament to the critical role of transnational collaboration in tackling transnational crime.”
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) has a long tradition of protecting American citizens from these types of schemes and bringing those responsible to justice,” said Inspector in Charge Juan A. Vargas for the USPIS Miami Division. “This result is a testament to the dedicated partnership between the Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the USPIS to protect our citizens from these scams.”
“HSI has a long history of aggressively pursuing criminals to ensure that they are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said Special Agent in Charge Scott Brown for HSI Arizona. “When criminals indiscriminately target the elderly or otherwise vulnerable, the impact and harm is particularly long-lasting. These sentences send a message to those around the world who think they can escape our laws - anyone who engages in or facilitates deceptive practices like these will not go undetected. HSI will continue to work tirelessly to hold those criminals accountable and bring justice to victims.”
The Consumer Protection Branch, USPIS and HSI are investigating the case.
Senior Trial Attorney Phil Toomajian and Trial Attorneys Josh Rothman and Brianna Gardner of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, Europol and authorities from the United Kingdom, Spain and Portugal all provided critical assistance.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department 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 relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.
More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.
Two Arrested for Cocaine and Firearms Trafficking ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two men have been arrested in connection with conspiracies to traffic cocaine and illegal firearms in and around the Boston area.
Malcolm Desir, 32, of Brockton and Cordell Miller, 27, of Haverhill, were charged with one count each of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and conspiracy to do the same, being a felon in possession of a firearm and firearms trafficking. The defendants were arrested this morning and were detained following an appearance in federal court in Boston today.
According to the charging documents, Miller was identified as a firearms and ammunition trafficker in the metro Boston area. Over a three-month investigation beginning in August 2023, Miller allegedly sold several firearms to a cooperating witness during controlled purchases and offered to sell distribution weight cocaine. It is alleged that the drug deals were handled by Desir, who distributed the powder cocaine in a number of controlled purchases. During one controlled purchase, Desir also allegedly sold a firearm he had purchased from Miller two years prior. It is further alleged that Miller recently facilitated the controlled purchase of four firearms – which included two ghost guns, one of which being an assault rifle – directly from one of his sources.
The charges of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and conspiracy to do the same, each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of firearms trafficking provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldwork of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Three Time Child Pornography Possessor Pleads Guilty to Fourth Child Pornography PossessionRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — David Elliott Paulsen, 61, pled guilty to his fourth federal offense of Possession of Child Pornography.
At the plea hearing, Paulsen admitted that within four months of his release from the Bureau of Prisons for a 2014 conviction for possession of child pornography, he possessed a contraband phone and child pornography.
After his release from federal prison in March 2023, Paulsen was required to complete the remainder of his sentence at a residential reentry facility in Columbia. Paulsen admitted that on July 13, 2023, employees of the residential reentry center discovered a contraband phone in his room. Law enforcement searched the phone and discovered over 1,200 images containing child sex abuse material (CSAM) and at least one video. These CSAM images included adults sexually abusing children that were tied with ropes or duct tape. Paulsen admitted that he kept these images in password protected cellphone applications and was downloading these images from the Dark Web.
Paulsen has three prior federal convictions from 1993, 2004, and 2014 for possession of child pornography. He faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to 20 years in federal prison. Paulsen, who was previously ordered detained, will remain detained until sentencing before United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson at the Matthew J. Perry Federal Courthouse in Columbia.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Columbia Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elle E. Klein is prosecuting the case.
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Three Men Indicted on Federal Racketeering Charge for Allegedly Murdering Man to Increase Positions in Chicago Street GangRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — Three men have been indicted on a federal racketeering charge for allegedly murdering a man to maintain and increase their positions in a violent Chicago street gang.
CAMERON CALLISON, 24, JUAN ALCARAZ, 23, and VICTOR RAMIREZ, 24, all of Chicago, are charged with one count of murder in aid of racketeering. Callison, a previously convicted felon, is also charged with illegally possessing a handgun.
The indictment was unsealed today in U.S. District Court in Chicago. It accuses the trio of murdering Victor Ochoa on June 17, 2019, for the purpose of maintaining and increasing their positions in the Ambrose street gang, a criminal organization based on the South Side of Chicago whose members engaged in violence and trafficked narcotics. Ochoa was fatally shot while riding in a vehicle in the 2900 block of North Broadway in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood.
The defendants were arrested this morning and will make initial appearances in federal court in Chicago this afternoon. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will be seeking to have the defendants detained pending trial.
The indictment and arrests were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI Chicago Field Office, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paige Nutini and Maureen McCurry.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Murder in aid of racketeering is punishable by a mandatory sentence of life in federal prison, and the death penalty is also possible. The firearm charge against Callison is punishable by up to ten years. If convicted, the Court must impose reasonable sentences under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Callison et al indictmentThree Indicted for Contract Killing of 17-Year-Old High School Student in Order to Prevent Her Testimony in CourtRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Brooksville residents Lenard White (36), a/k/a “Len,” “Mike Williams,” and “Stick,” Sheldon Robinson (21), a/k/a “Poboy,” and Keshawn Woods (22) with conspiracy to commit murder for hire, murder for hire, discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence which caused the death of I.S., and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime. White and Robinson were also charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, tampering with a witness, and obstruction of justice. Janet Williams (44, Brooksville), Robinson’s mother, has been charged with multiple counts of false statements to federal agents.
If convicted on all counts, White, Robinson, and Woods each face mandatory life imprisonment, or the federal death penalty. Williams faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison for each of the three false statement counts.
According to the indictment and evidence presented in court, on February 6, 2023, a 17-year-old victim (I.S.) and her mother (L.P.) went to the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office to report that I.S. had been sexually assaulted by White. White then contracted with Robinson and Woods to murder I.S. for $10,000 to prevent her from further pursuing criminal charges against him. The following day, Robinson and Woods arrived at I.S. and L.P.’s home and knocked on the door. When the door was opened, a barrage of gunshots were fired at I.S. and L.P. I.S. was shot four times and killed. L.P. was struck by gunfire but survived.
As the federal investigation of I.S.’s murder progressed, White, Robinson, and Williams attempted to hinder the investigation by disposing of evidence, tampering with witnesses, obstructing justice, and making false statements to law enforcement.
Janet Williams made her initial appearance in federal court on October 26, 2023, and was released on conditions including home detention. Keshawn Woods had his initial appearance in federal court on November 1, 2023, and was ordered detained. White and Robinson are currently in state custody. They are scheduled to make their initial appearances in federal court on November 9, 2023, at 12:30 p.m.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with substantial assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the State Attorney’s Office for the Fifth Judicial Circuit. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes.
Tahlequah Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Cory Donnell Bryant, age 36, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of felon in possession of a firearm.
The Indictment alleged that on September 7, 2022, Bryant was in possession of a Mossberg, 12-gauge shotgun, which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce, after having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and knew of such conviction.
During the plea hearing, Bryant admitted to possessing the shotgun despite knowing he was prohibited from possessing firearms as a convicted felon.
The charges arose from an investigation by the by the Cherokee County Sherriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Bryant will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending sentencing.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Genevieve Ozark and Assistant United States Attorney Edith Singer represented the United States.
Statement of U.S. Attorney Damian Williams on the Conviction of Samuel Bankman-FriedRead the Press Release
“Sam Bankman-Fried perpetrated one of the biggest financial frauds in American history – a multibillion-dollar scheme designed to make him the King of Crypto – but while the cryptocurrency industry might be new and the players like Sam Bankman-Fried might be new, this kind of corruption is as old as time. This case has always been about lying, cheating, and stealing, and we have no patience for it.
When I became U.S. Attorney, I promised we would be relentless in rooting out corruption in our financial markets. This is what relentless looks like. This case moved at lightning speed – that was not a coincidence, that was a choice. This case is also a warning to every fraudster who thinks they’re untouchable, that their crimes are too complex for us to catch, that they are too powerful to prosecute, or that they are clever enough to talk their way out of it if caught. Those folks should think again, and cut it out. And if they don’t, I promise we’ll have enough handcuffs for all of them.
This verdict would not have been possible without the amazing work by the career prosecutors from my Office and the FBI agents who have given their all for this case. We have pushed them hard, and they have delivered every step of the way. They are the best of the best, and I am grateful for them.
This case has received a tremendous amount of attention, and I understand why that is, but the women and men of the Southern District of New York consistently deliver outstanding public service on behalf of the American people – without fear or favor and often without any public recognition. They do it because they believe in the rule of law, because they love this country, and because they are patriots. I am proud to serve with them.”
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Bankman-Fried, 31, of Stanford, California, was convicted of two counts of wire fraud conspiracy, two counts of wire fraud, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. He was also convicted of conspiracy to commit commodities fraud and conspiracy to commit securities fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The statutory maximum sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
St. Louis County Felon Caught with Guns Sentenced to 15 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig on Wednesday sentenced a felon caught with a rifle and a pistol to 15 years in prison.
Arnell Jackson, 46, of Norwood Court, Missouri, pleaded guilty in July to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He admitted that on Feb. 21, 2022, police responded to reports of a man using an AR-style rifle to shoot at moving company employees working at a neighbor’s house. After a lengthy standoff, Jackson was taken into custody, and officers found an Adams Arms 5.56-caliber semi-automatic rifle and a Taurus .40-caliber pistol inside the front door of his home. Jackson has prior felony convictions, including for second-degree murder, and is barred from possessing firearms.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Goeke prosecuted the case.
Southern Pine Credit Union President and Controller Plead Guilty to Bank FraudRead the Press Release
VALDOSTA, Ga. – The former President and the former Controller of Southern Pine Credit Union in Valdosta both pleaded guilty to long-running multimillion-dollar bank loan and aggravated identity theft schemes.
Teresa Paulo, of Valdosta, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft today. Co-defendant Leah Lehman, 63, of Valdosta, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft on Oct. 26. Both women face a maximum of 30 years in prison for bank fraud, and a mandatory two years in prison in addition to any other prison term imposed for aggravated identity theft, to be followed by a maximum of five years of supervised release and a $1,000,000 fine.
U.S. District Judge W. Louis Sands is presiding over this case. Lehman’s sentencing date is scheduled for Feb. 28, 2024. Paulo’s sentencing date will be determined by the Court. The defendants are not eligible for parole.
“As leaders of this credit union, the defendants knowingly put their members—local paper mill employees and their families—at great risk with their complex schemes to enrich themselves,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “I want to thank the FBI and FDIC investigators for unraveling their carefully engineered criminal fraud and helping us hold them accountable.”
“These guilty pleas are the direct result of a diligent investigation by hardworking FBI employees and our partners at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation,” said Rich Bilson, Senior Supervisory Resident Agent of FBI Atlanta’s Valdosta office. “Paulo and Lehman’s greed driven scheme stole hundreds of thousands of dollars and damaged the financial security of innocent victims. They will now be held accountable for their blatant misuse of the power of their positions.”
According to court documents, Lehman served as President of Southern Pine Credit Union (SPCU) in Valdosta from 1990 to 2020. Paolo was SPCU’s controller from Oct. 2011 to June 2020. The Credit Union’s members are employees of the local paper mill and their families. Lehman and Paolo were both authorized to originate all types of loans, were responsible for filing quarterly reports to the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) and had access to all SPCU employees’ usernames and passwords for all SPCU computers and software.
Lehman began her fraud in June 2003, when she created a share secured loan in a SPCU account using the name and social security number of a member without that individual’s knowledge. From Feb. 2012 to May 31, 2020, Lehman paid off the loan and rebooked it multiple times with additional advances. She would take the proceeds and put them in a joint share draft account she had with the individual, using the proceeds to pay for a boat, a hunting club share, personal expenses and gifts to family members. This loan was repaid in full. However, Lehman created another share secured loan in another individual’s name without their knowledge and would also pay off the loan and rebook it multiple times for personal spending. To conceal these activities, Lehman created false credit transactions using the names and passwords of SPCU employees. These transactions would advance the due date on the loans, which prevented these loans from appearing on quarterly call reports to the NCUA and allowed Lehman to defer or not make payment on these loans. Following these transactions, Lehman created debit entries to put the loans back on the accounts, which would often include interest accrued on the outstanding loans. She made additional fraudulent loan advances simultaneously with those entries to advance the loan dates. She reflected the loans as being paid off at the end of the quarter to prevent possible detection of artificial growth in the SPCU loan portfolio. In total, the drafts needed to pay off the loan balances at each quarter grew to $4,112,870.63, excluding payments and interest, as of May 31, 2020.
Paulo committed a similar fraud scheme to Lehman. In Oct. 2011, Paulo created a share secured loan in a SPCU account using the name and social security number of a member without that individual’s knowledge. From Nov. 2011 until May 29, 2020, Paulo took out additional advances on the loan as well as additional loans from the account. Paulo would transfer the loan proceeds into a joint account for personal spending purposes. She created another share secured account using the personal identity of another individual and would pay off the loan and rebook it multiple times with additional advances, using the proceeds for her own personal expenses or electronically transfer money into her family’s accounts. Paulo concealed her schemes as Lehman concealed hers: creating false credit transactions using the usernames and passwords of SPCU employees to simulate the payoff of the loans, which would advance the due date on the loans. Paulo also created debit entries using other people’s usernames and passwords to put the loans back on the accounts, which would often include interest accrued on the outstanding loans. The drafts needed to pay off the loan balances at each quarter grew to $1,233,201.77, excluding payments and interest, as of May 31, 2020. Paulo made $7,736.16 in legitimate payments to the loan balances.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah Couch is prosecuting this case for the Government.
South Florida law enforcement officers receive latest hate crimes trainingRead the Press Release
MIAMI – U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of FBI Miami, State Attorney Harold F. Pryor for Broward County, and State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle for Miami-Dade County addressed over 200 South Florida law enforcement officers during a day-long interactive training session on hate crimes in Pembroke Pines, Florida.
The training was jointly sponsored by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and FBI, along with the Miami-Dade County State Attorney's Office Hate Crimes Unit and the Broward State Attorney's Office Hate Crimes Taskforce Unit. Presenters addressed federal and state hate crimes statutes, recent federal cases, victim services, and held a panel discussion. Highlights included a keynote address from Judy and Dennis Shepard of the Matthew Shepard Foundation, and a presentation by the Anti-Defamation League.
This type of law enforcement training is extremely impactful and reinforces the commitment of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and FBI to combat hate crimes. Training programs also help to ensure that hate crimes are promptly and properly addressed. All law enforcement agencies within the FBI Miami area of responsibility were invited to attend the training program, along with several other agencies.
“It is our united responsibility to stand against hatred and bigotry in all its forms and protect those most vulnerable in our society,” stated U.S. Attorney Lapointe. “By facilitating and taking part in invaluable training programs, we can better serve our communities and collectively work to thwart potential threats to our diverse south Florida residents.”
“Educating the public -and law enforcement – about hate crimes is an ongoing, continuous effort that FBI Miami will always prioritize,” said Jeffrey B. Veltri, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami. “Training events like this one today are an excellent opportunity for law enforcement professionals to learn so that we are in a better position to protect our communities against bias motivated crimes and investigate incidents when they occur.”
Lapointe and Veltri recently issued a statement addressing their commitment to combat hate crimes and potential threats to the community. A copy of the statement can be found at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/pr/joint-statements-us-attorney-markenzy-lapointe-southern-district-florida-and-special.
The community is encouraged to report all suspected hate crimes to the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or tips.fbi.gov.
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SoCal Trio Charged with Armed Robberies During One-Week Spree in Which Their Flight from Police Resulted in Fatal Car CrashRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Three Southern California residents have been charged in a federal criminal complaint with allegedly committing three armed robberies of a liquor store, gas station, and convenience store – a crime spree that ended in the death of an innocent bystander in a fatal car accident while the defendants fled from police, the Justice Department announced today.
The following defendants have been charged via a criminal complaint filed last Wednesday with Hobbs Act robbery and using and carrying a firearm during an in relation to a crime of violence:
- Kaelenn Maea, 26, of Long Beach;
- Salagi Iakopo, 30, of Carson; and
- Mathew Salanoa, 23, of Placentia
Maea and Salanoa are expected to make their initial appearances this afternoon in the United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. Law enforcement continues to search for Iakopo.
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, the defendants committed three armed robberies from September 22 to September 29 in Downey, Compton, and South El Monte. In each of the robberies, one of the robbers allegedly used a short-style rifle to control the cashier and customers while another robber took full cash registers or drawers before all the robbers fled in an SUV.
Specifically, on September 27, the three defendants allegedly robbed a Compton gas station. One of the robbers, believed to be Salanoa, was caught on surveillance footage approximately 10 minutes before the robbery casing the store in preparation to rob it. The robbers left briefly before returning. Another robber, believed to be Iakopo, grabbed and detached the cash register from the counter. The final robber, believed to be Maea, pointed a rifle at the cashier and customers preventing them from exiting the store. The robbers allegedly stole approximately $1,500 inside the cash register and fled in a stolen Range Rover.
Two days later, two defendants, believed to be Maea and Iakopo, robbed a convenience store in South El Monte. One of the robbers pointed a rifle at the cashier while the other robber stole the cash register drawer. In total, the robbers stole approximately $350 to $400. The robbers then fled in the stolen Range Rover.
On October 9, Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies found the stolen Range Rover, which allegedly sped off and almost immediately hit another car, killing a civilian motorist inside. The suspects then ran away, but deputies found Iakopo hiding in a trash can in the area, the affidavit alleges. Deputies later found clothing believed to belong to Maea beside a small crawl space under a nearby house. Inside the stolen Range Rover, deputies found clothing, identification and a cellphone believed to belong to Maea, according to the affidavit.
A criminal complaint contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted of both charges, each defendant would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the Hobbs Act robbery count and up to life in federal prison for the firearm count.
The FBI and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department are investigating this matter. The Los Angeles Police Department, the El Monte Police Department, and the Downey Police Department provided assistance.
Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Butler and Jena A. MacCabe of the Violent and Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case.
Serial Bank Robber Sentenced to 110 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New Bedford man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for the July 2021 robbery of a Bristol County Savings Bank branch in Dartmouth. At the time of the robbery, the defendant was on supervised release for a 2015 federal bank robbery conviction.
David A. Frates, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 77 months in prison, three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution of $20,000 to the Bristol County Savings Bank for the bank robbery. Frates was also sentenced to 33 months in prison for committing the offense while on federal supervised release for a prior bank robbery conviction. The 33-month period is to be served consecutive to the 77 months imprisonment, for a total term of 110 months in prison.On July 21, 2021, Frates was arrested and charged with the July 19, 2021 robbery of the Bristol County Savings Bank, and has remained in custody since that time. He pleaded guilty in March 2022.
On July 19, 2021, an individual – later determined to be Frates – entered a Bristol County Savings Bank branch in Dartmouth. Frates approached a teller and demanded $20,000. The teller handed Frates money from the bank’s vault and Frates exited the bank. A subsequent investigation identified Frates as the robber and he was arrested on July 21, 2021. At the time of his arrest, Frates was in possession of over $9,000 in cash.
Frates was convicted in 2015 of federal bank robbery charges for the armed robbery of a St. Anne’s Credit Union branch in New Bedford and was sentenced to 11 years in prison. In May 2020, that sentence was reduced to 81 months in prison based, in part, on changes in the United States Sentencing Guidelines.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Dartmouth Police Chief Brian P. Levesque made the announcement. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.Sequoyah County Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Bobby Laymone Sanders, age 63, of Sallisaw, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition.
The Indictment alleged that on April 13, 2023, Sanders was in possession of an Iberia Firearms Inc. (Hi-Point), Model JCP, .40 S&W caliber, semi-automatic pistol and two rounds of ammunition, which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce, despite knowing he was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition as a convicted felon. At the time of the offense, Sanders had been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and knew of such conviction.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable Judge Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea in Muskogee, Oklahoma, and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Sanders will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.
Second Man Sentenced to 10+ Years in Prison for Armed Robbery of St. Louis 7-ElevenRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig on Wednesday sentenced a second man to 10 ½ years in prison for the armed robbery of a St. Louis, Missouri 7-Eleven in 2020, U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming announced Thursday.
Harvey Cameron, 33, of Ferguson, was one of two men involved in the robbery of the 7-Eleven at 5350 Chippewa Street on June 21, 2020. One of the men entered the store and pointed a Zastava AK-47-style rifle at an employee, demanding cash from the register. The pair were caught shortly after the robbery, with the cash and the gun.
Cameron pleaded guilty in July to robbery, possession and brandishing of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and being a felon in possession of a firearm. The other man, Monte Kent, 35, pleaded guilty to the robbery and the firearm brandishing charges and was sentenced to 10 ½ years in prison in March of 2022.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI.
Schenectady County Man Sentenced for Stealing Precious Metals from VA Dental ClinicRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Arthur Hanvey, age 65, of Delanson, New York, was sentenced today to 1 year of probation and to pay restitution for his theft of government property. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Field Office of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, made the announcement.
As part of his guilty plea, Hanvey admitted that while employed as a dental technician at the Albany Stratton Veterans Affairs Medical Center, between October 2017 and May 2021, he stole and converted to his own use precious metals and noble alloys that were intended to be recycled and used to manufacture crowns, bridges and other dental prostheses, and then sold those precious metals to a third-party refinery for a profit.
United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci ordered Hanvey to pay $13,533.04 in restitution, which he paid at sentencing.
The Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander P. Wentworth-Ping prosecuted the case.
Sand Springs Man Pleaded Guilty to Assault and StrangulationRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A Sand Springs man who assaulted and strangled his victim, pleaded guilty today in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Phillip Gene Laird, 42, pleaded guilty to assault of an intimate/dating partner by strangling, suffocating, and attempting to strangle and suffocate in Indian Country. Laird is a tribal member of the Choctaw Nation.
According to the plea agreement, Laird admitted while he was intoxicated and arguing with the victim, that he pinned her to the ground. Larid further admitted that he strangled his victim.
Laird will remain in custody pending sentencing that will be scheduled at a later date. He faces a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence and restation after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI and Sand Springs Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chantelle Dial, Michael Harder and Melissa Weems are prosecuting the case.
Riverhead Resident Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Distribute Large Quantities of Narcotics Including FentanylRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Marquis Douglas, a narcotics trafficker who operated a drug business that was responsible for the distribution of large quantities of cocaine and fentanyl, along with other illicit substances throughout the North Fork of Long Island, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Joanna Seybert to conspiring to distribute controlled substances and the distribution of controlled substances resulting in death. Douglas was charged in June 2022.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced the guilty plea.
“Today, Douglas has admitted his role in a large scale narcotics distribution operation as well as his role in the distribution of fentanyl laced cocaine that led to the deaths of four men in a single day,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “We hope today’s guilty plea begins to bring a measure of solace to the victims’ families.”
Mr. Peace also extended his thanks to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office, the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, the Riverhead Police Department, the Southold Police Department, the Shelter Island Police Department, and the New York State Police for their assistance in the investigation.
According to court filings and statements made during today’s proceeding, Douglas orchestrated a years’ long conspiracy to distribute over five kilograms of cocaine, one kilogram of heroin, 280 grams of crack cocaine, 40 grams of fentanyl and a quantity of fentanyl analogues. In August of 2021, Douglas’ operation distributed a quantity of cocaine laced with a fentanyl analogue in Greenport, New York. When this cocaine was re-distributed at the street level, it ultimately led to four fatal overdoses on a single day across Greenport and Shelter Island. When apprehended in Suffolk County on May 5, 2022, Douglas was found in possession of large, sellable quantities of cocaine and fentanyl. When sentenced, Douglas faces up to life in prison.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael R. Maffei, Andrew P. Wenzel, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Dana Gremaux.
The Defendants:
MARQUIS DOUGLAS
Age: 38
Riverhead, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-246 (JS)
Responsible Parties Reach Settlement for More Than $33 Million to Restore Natural Resources in Portland HarborRead the Press Release
The Justice Department lodged two proposed consent decrees yesterday in federal court among Tribal, state and federal natural resource trustees and over 20 potentially responsible parties (PRPs) at the Portland Harbor Superfund Site in Oregon. The agreements, with an estimated restoration value of approximately $33.2 million, require the PRPs to pay cash damages or purchase credits in projects to restore salmon and other natural resources that were lost due to contamination released from the responsible parties’ facilities into the Willamette River. This settlement includes more than $600,000 in damages for the public’s lost recreational use of the river, and restoration and monitoring of culturally significant plants and animals.
The settlement also includes additional funds to pay costs incurred by the Portland Harbor Natural Resource Trustee Council for assessing the harm to the injured natural resources. The Trustee Council is comprised of representatives from the Five Tribes, which includes the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon, Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon and the Nez Perce Tribe, along with representatives of the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and State of Oregon.
“This settlement represents years of hard work by the Portland Harbor natural resource trustees and responsible parties who cooperated to restore the harm caused by those parties’ contamination,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The resulting restoration projects funded by these agreements will provide permanent ecological benefits to help restore the biodiversity of the Willamette River system.”
“The Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon, Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon and the Nez Perce Tribe wholly support this settlement,” said the Five Tribes. “Contamination has uniquely affected tribal members because of their cultural use of and relationship with affected natural resources in and around the Portland Harbor Superfund Site. The Five Tribes believe the collaborative process of this settlement represents the best path forward for restoring Portland Harbor natural resources for the benefit of both current and future generations.”
“The trustees are very pleased that the responsible parties in this settlement have advanced restoration over litigation. The large-scale restoration projects facilitated by this settlement will help address the most important habitat needs of fish and wildlife injured by contamination in Portland Harbor,” said Director Curt Melcher of Oregon’s Department of Fish and Wildlife. “We will continue our settlement discussions with the remaining responsible parties who are participating in the early settlement initiative so we can achieve additional permanent restoration of natural resources. Partnering with restoration project developers has already produced on-the-ground restoration even prior to today’s settlement.”
The use of restoration credits in four natural resource projects that were developed in partnership with private developers is a novel and critical feature of the settlement. Restoration credits are like ecological “shares” in a restoration project, and the natural resource trustees decide how many “shares” each project is worth. Defendants in the settlement can purchase restoration credits from the restoration project developers instead of paying cash to resolve the ecological injury portion of their liability. Using this approach at Portland Harbor has produced on-the-ground restoration much sooner and at less cost than traditional cash-only settlements. Collectively, the restoration value in these projects is the largest natural resource credit bank at any Superfund Site in the country.
The four restoration projects selling restoration credits – Alder Creek, Harborton, Linnton Mill and Rinearson Natural Area – provide habitat for juvenile Chinook salmon listed under the Endangered Species Act and of tremendous cultural significance to the Five Tribes. The projects will also restore habitat for other fish and wildlife injured by contamination in Portland Harbor – like bald eagle, mink and lamprey – as well as Tribally significant native plants – like camas, wapato and sweetgrass. Construction is complete and habitat development is underway at all four projects, which are expected to provide ecological benefits in perpetuity, will be permanently protected from development and will receive long-term stewardship.
The agreements result from an early settlement collaboration between the natural resource trustees at the Portland Harbor Superfund Site and a group of PRPs who participated in that effort. Negotiations are continuing with other PRPs that also are participating in the trustees’ early settlement initiative. If the trustees reach agreements in those ongoing negotiations, it could include additional cash settlements or restoration credit purchases in the four restoration projects.
On behalf of the trustees on the Trustee Council, the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Enforcement Section filed the complaint and lodged the proposed consent decrees in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon.
The proposed decrees resolve the natural resource damages allegations of the United States, Oregon and the Five Tribes for releases of contamination from the PRPs’ identified facilities. Alleged violations are in connection with Section 107 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act; the Oil Pollution Act and the Clean Water Act.
The settlement is subject to a 45-day public comment period and final court approval. It is available for viewing at www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees. Please refer to the upcoming Federal Register notice for instructions on submitting any public comments on the settlement. Additional information is available on the Portland Harbor Natural Resource Trustee Council website at www.fws.gov/portlandharbor/news/two-consent-decrees-lodged.
Rapid City Man Sentenced on Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on October 24, 2023.
Jonah Burning Breast, 29, was sentenced to four years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Burning Breast was indicted for the charge by a federal grand jury in February of 2023. He pleaded guilty on August 4, 2023.
The conviction stems from Burning Breast, a previously convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms, knowingly being in possession of an O.F. Mossberg & Sons Incorporated 12 gauge, pump-action shotgun in Rapid City in January of 2023.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox prosecuted the case.
Burning Breast was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Sentenced for Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Failing to Register as a Sex Offender was sentenced on October 30, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann.
Leonard Jones, age 37, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Jones was indicted by a federal grand jury in May of 2023. He pleaded guilty on August 2, 2023.
Jones is required to register as a sex offender under federal law. Jones had registered an address in Rapid City with the Rapid City Police Department in August of 2022, following his release from prison. In January of 2023, Jones left that address without notifying the police or his probation officer. Jones did not update his registration until his arrest for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender in July of 2023.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.
Jones was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Passaic County Lawyer Admits Fraudulently Obtaining More Than $300,000 in COVID-19 Relief FundsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Passaic County, New Jersey, attorney today admitted that he illegally obtained more than $300,000 in COVID-19 relief funds, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Morton Chirnomas, 61, of Clifton, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Christine P. O’Hearn in Camden federal court to an information charging him with wire fraud.
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
From May 2020 to September 2020, Chirnomas fraudulently obtained a $150,000 loan through the COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loans program. He also falsely obtained $200,000 in unemployment insurance benefits using the names and identities of other people without their authorization.
The charge of wire fraud is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of the greater of $250,000, twice the gross profits to Chirnomas or twice the gross loss suffered by the victims. Sentencing is scheduled for June 17, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited postal inspectors with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen, Philadelphia Division; special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, New York Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone; and special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Kogan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Cybercrime Unit in Newark.
The District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
chirnmoas.information.pdfOwner of Indian Marketing Company Admits Role in $11.5 Million Health Care Fraud and Kickback SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – The owner of a marketing company located in India admitted his role in conspiracies to commit health care fraud and to pay and receive illegal kickbacks, Attorney for the United States Vikas Khanna announced today.
Chintan Anjaria, of India, pleaded guilty on Oct. 31, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Michael E. Farbiarz in Newark federal court to an information charging him with conspiracy to violate the Federal Anti-Kickback statute and conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From February 2017 to May 2022, Anjaria participated in a kickback and bribery scheme with orthotic brace supply companies, telemedicine companies, and testing laboratories, resulting in the submission of false and fraudulent claims to Medicare. Anjaria controlled a marketing company in India through which he and his conspirators identified Medicare beneficiaries to target for orthotic braces and cancer genetic tests (CGX). Employees of the company called beneficiaries and pressured them to agree to accept orthotic braces and/or CGX, regardless of medical necessity.
Anjaria and his company paid kickbacks to telemedicine companies to obtain doctor’s orders for the orthotic braces and CGX tests. Anjaria then steered the doctor’s orders to orthotic brace suppliers and testing laboratories located in the U.S., with which Anjaria and his company had additional kickback arrangements. The orthotic brace suppliers and laboratories submitted claims for reimbursement to Medicare, and thereafter sent a portion of the proceeds to Anjaria and his company as payment for the doctor’s orders generated through the conspiracy.
In total, Anjaria and his conspirators caused a loss to Medicare of more than $11.5 million.
The conspiracy to commit health care fraud count is punishable by a maximum of 10 years in prison and the conspiracy to pay illegal kickbacks is punishable by a maximum of five years in prison. Both counts are also punishable by a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for March 12, 2024.
Attorney for the United States Khanna credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, New York Regional Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz; U.S. Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Hegarty; and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christopher F. Algieri with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Garrett J. Schuman of the Health Care Fraud Unit, Senior Trial Counsel Barbara Ward of the Asset Recovery and Money Laundering Unit, and Trial Attorney Darren Halverson of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.
anjaria.information.pdfOregon Man Sentenced for Committing Anti-LGBTQI+ AssaultsRead the Press Release
An Oregon man was sentenced today to 37 months in prison and three years of supervised release for attempting to run over three people with a car as part of a week-long crime spree targeting the LGBTQI+ community around Boise, Idaho, in October 2022.
“The defendant’s crime spree not only endangered and terrified his victims but damaged an entire community’s sense of safety in their city,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We recognize the very real threats and acts of violence faced by the LGBTQI+ community and are determined to use every tool available to preserve the life, safety and dignity of this community. Nobody should live in fear that their identity will make them a target of random, senseless violence while going about their daily lives. The Justice Department will continue to vigorously prosecute those who commit unlawful acts of hate-fueled anti-LGBTQI+ violence while seeking justice for the victims.”
“The defendant’s attacks on LGBTQI+ individuals were terrifying not only for the individual victims, but for our entire community, and that is why hate crimes enforcement is so important,” said U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit for the District of Idaho. “I am grateful to the Ada County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, the Boise Police Department and the FBI for their work in helping us to hold this defendant accountable for his hateful and violent acts.”
“The defendant went on a week-long crime spree to intimidate and harm members of the LGBTQ+ community in Boise,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Today’s sentence shows that the FBI and our law enforcement partners stand together against hate and will work to protect communities everywhere from bias-motivated attacks.”
According to court records, on Oct. 8, 2022, while at the Boise Public Library Main Branch in downtown Boise, Matthew Alan Lehigh, 31, approached a transgender library employee, called her a slur, punched her and threatened to stab her. A member of the library’s security staff intervened, and Lehigh fled into the parking lot. When the security guard attempted to speak to Lehigh in the parking lot, Lehigh got into a car and suddenly accelerated it toward the guard, intending to collide with him. The guard narrowly escaped being struck by jumping behind a concrete barricade at the last moment, and Lehigh fled the scene.
Four days later, while sitting in his car in a public parking lot elsewhere in Boise, Lehigh saw two women walking together towards another vehicle. Assuming that the women were lesbians, Lehigh began shouting threats and slurs at them, then suddenly accelerated his car toward the women, intending to collide with them. The women jumped out of the path of Lehigh’s oncoming car, which struck the other vehicle at significant speed.
On June 15, 2022, Lehigh pleaded guilty to one felony count of violating the Hate Crimes Prevention Act for the vehicular assault on the library security guard, and a second felony violation for the vehicular assault on the two women.
As part of his plea agreement, Lehigh also admitted that he was responsible for three other instances of anti-LGBTQI+ vandalism and violence that occurred in Boise during early October 2022. Specifically, he admitted to setting fire to a rainbow-striped “pride” flag attached to a residential property in North Boise, breaking several windows at a commercial building jointly occupied by an LGBTQI+ community organization and an LGBTQI+-affirming religious congregation and punching a grocery store customer after calling him an anti-LGBTQI+ slur.
The Boise Resident Agency of the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office and the Boise Police Department investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Horwitz for the District of Idaho and Trial Attorney Alec Ward of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
If members of the public have information concerning hate crimes or wish to report a similar crime, they should contact the FBI at (208) 344-7843 or the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (208) 334-1211.
Oregon Man Sentenced for Committing Anti-LGBTQI+ AssaultsRead the Press Release
BOISE – An Oregon man was sentenced today to 37 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release for attempting to run over three people with a car as part of a week-long crime spree targeting the LGBTQI+ community around Boise, Idaho, in October 2022.
According to court records, on Oct. 8, 2022, while at the Boise Public Library Main Branch in downtown Boise, Matthew Alan Lehigh, 31, approached a transgender library employee, called her a slur, punched her, and threatened to stab her. A member of the library’s security staff intervened, and Lehigh fled into the parking lot. When the security guard attempted to speak to Lehigh in the parking lot, Lehigh got into a car and suddenly accelerated it toward the guard, intending to collide with him. The guard narrowly escaped being struck by jumping behind a concrete barricade at the last moment, and Lehigh fled the scene.
Four days later, while sitting in his car in a public parking lot elsewhere in Boise, Lehigh saw two women walking together towards another vehicle. Assuming that the women were lesbians, Lehigh began shouting threats and slurs at them, then suddenly accelerated his car toward the women, intending to collide with them. The women jumped out of the path of Lehigh’s oncoming car, which struck the other vehicle at significant speed.
“The defendant’s crime spree not only endangered and terrified his victims but damaged an entire community’s sense of safety in their city,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We recognize the very real threats and acts of violence faced by the LGBTQI+ community and are determined to use every tool available to preserve the life, safety and dignity of this community. Nobody should live in fear that their identity will make them a target of random, senseless violence while going about their daily lives. The Justice Department will continue to vigorously prosecute those who commit unlawful acts of hate-fueled anti-LGBTQI+ violence while seeking justice for the victims.”
“The defendant’s attacks on LGBTQI+ individuals were terrifying not only for the individual victims, but for our entire community, and that is why hate crimes enforcement is so important,” said U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit. “I am grateful to the Ada County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, the Boise Police Department, and the FBI for their work in helping us to hold this defendant accountable for his hateful and violent acts.”
“I extend my appreciation to the Boise Police Department, FBI Salt Lake City Office and United States Attorney’s Office for pursuing justice in this case,” said Ada County Prosecuting Attorney, Jan Bennetts. “My office worked in cooperation with the United States Attorney’s Office to determine which office would handle this case. This case underscores to all Idahoans that hate crimes will be taken seriously whether handled at the federal or local level and that we will work together to ensure public safety and justice for the community.”
“The First Amendment clearly protects freedom of speech, but crossing the line into violence is against the law and will not be tolerated,” said Special Agent in Charge Shohini Sinha with the Salt Lake City FBI. “No one should have to live in fear because of who they are, and the men and women of the FBI are committed to protecting the civil rights of all.”
On June 15, 2022, Lehigh pleaded guilty to one felony count of violating the Hate Crimes Prevention Act for the vehicular assault on the library security guard, and a second felony violation for the vehicular assault on the two women.
As part of his plea agreement, Lehigh also admitted that he was responsible for three other instances of anti-LGBTQI+ vandalism and violence that occurred in Boise during early October 2022. Specifically, he admitted to setting fire to a rainbow-striped “pride” flag attached to a residential property in North Boise, breaking several windows at a commercial building jointly occupied by an LGBTQI+ community organization and an LGBTQI+-affirming religious congregation and punching a grocery store customer after calling him an anti-LGBTQI+ slur.
The Boise Resident Agency of the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office and the Boise Police Department investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Horwitz for the District of Idaho and Trial Attorney Alec Ward of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
If members of the public have information concerning hate crimes or wish to report a similar crime, they should contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation at (208) 344-7843 or the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (208) 334-1211.
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Operation Smoke and Mirrors Update: Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jeremy Rayshad Walker, 35, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Walker admitted to his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that operated in the Charleston area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between January and March 2023 Walker obtained cocaine from several individuals that he re-distributed to customers as part of the DTO conspiracy. Walker also admitted to conspiring to distribute other controlled substances.
Walker communicated with his drug suppliers by cell phone. On February 1, 2023, Walker spoke with one supplier by cell phone about obtaining methamphetamine and sought advice about how much he should charge customers. Walker admitted that he also discussed the price he was charging customers for cocaine during a cell phone call with an associate on February 15, 2023. Walker further admitted to additional cell phone conversations with a drug supplier to obtain quantities of cocaine in March 2023.
Walker is scheduled to be sentenced on March 4, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
Walker is among 32 individuals indicted as a result of Operation Smoke and Mirrors, a major drug trafficking investigation that has yielded the largest methamphetamine seizure in West Virginia history. Law enforcement seized well over 400 pounds of methamphetamine as well as 40 pounds of cocaine, 3 pounds of fentanyl, 19 firearms and $935,000 in cash.
Walker and 21 other defendants have pleaded guilty. Indictments against the other defendants are pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia National Guard Counter Drug program, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and the Raleigh County Sheriff's Office. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-31.
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Omaha Man Sentenced for Aiming Laser Pointer at OPD HelicopterRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Richard C. Detty, 34, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on November 1, 2023, in federal court in Omaha for aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Detty to 15 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Detty’s release from prison, he will begin a 2-year term of supervised release.
At about 9:30 pm on October 23, 2021, Detty was outside his workplace in Omaha when he aimed a laser pointer at a helicopter flying overhead. It was the Omaha Police Department helicopter, which was on patrol at the time. The beam illuminated the helicopter’s cockpit. The pilot was startled but maintained level flight, and neither the pilot nor the observer in the helicopter were injured.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Omaha Police Department.
Northern District of Oklahoma Granted Funding for Investments in Public SafetyRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today several new commitments as part of its Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime. Instituted by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in May 2021, the strategy focuses on harnessing federal resources, intelligence, and expertise as a force-multiplier with state, local, and Tribal law enforcement.
Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco and Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta highlighted the more than $334 million in critical grant funding to law enforcement agencies and stakeholders awarded today by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office).The COPS grants announced today include funding to help law enforcement agencies hire over 1,730 new law enforcement officers across the country while also providing critical funding to support school safety and continue to advance community policing nationwide
“I am pleased to announce that the Department’s Office of Justice Programs has awarded more than $5 million to combat violent crime and maintain public safety in our district,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “These grants will help fund and enhance public safety and deepen law enforcement’s connections to the communities we serve.”
- 2023 COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) awarded Quapaw Nation $238,037.00. The SVPP provides funding directly to states, units of local government, Indian tribes, and public agencies to improve security at schools and on school grounds in the jurisdiction of the grantee through evidence-based school safety programs.
- 2023 COPS Hiring Program (CHP) awarded City of Bixby $125,000.00; City of Sand Springs $119,329.00; Muscogee Creek Nation $2,000,000.00 and City of Pryor Creek $125,000.00. The CHP awards provide funding directly to law enforcement agencies to hire or rehire career law enforcement officers for the advancement of public safety through an increase in their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts.
- 2023 COPS Office Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS) awarded Muscogee Creek Nation $899,537.00; Quapaw Nation $738,793.00; and Wyandotte Nation $665,551.00. The TRGP award provides funding directly to federally recognized tribes and tribal consortia consisting of two or more federally recognized Indian tribes. TRGP was designed to expand the implementation of community policing and meet the most serious needs of law enforcement in tribal communities through a broadened comprehensive program.
- 2023 Community Policing Development (CPD) Program awarded Tulsa Community College $160,000.00. This program is used to develop the capacity of law enforcement to implement community policing strategies by providing guidance on promising practices through the development and testing of innovative strategies; building knowledge about effective practices and outcomes; and supporting new, creative approaches to preventing crime and promoting safe communities.
“Law enforcement officers across the country are showing up every day to protect their communities in the face of unprecedented challenges,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “These grants, which support the hiring of more than 1700 new officers and make critical investments in school safety and crisis intervention efforts, will help provide local law enforcement agencies with the resources they need to keep their communities safe, support officers, and build public trust.”
Lastly, the Deputy Attorney General and Associate Attorney General announced that this December 11-13, in Indianapolis, the Justice Department’s will bring together 1,500 local and federal partners from across the country, including representatives from the more than 50 PSP jurisdictions and from Project Safe Neighborhoods for a Violent Crime Reduction Summit, to be hosted by OJP BJA.
Complete lists of all program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here.
- 2023 COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) awarded Quapaw Nation $238,037.00. The SVPP provides funding directly to states, units of local government, Indian tribes, and public agencies to improve security at schools and on school grounds in the jurisdiction of the grantee through evidence-based school safety programs.
Norfolk Man Sentenced to more than 11 Years’ Imprisonment for Possession of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Rafael Hernandez, 30, of Norfolk, Nebraska, was sentenced on November 1, 2023, in federal court in Omaha for possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Hernandez to 140 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Hernandez’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
On August 27, 2022, a Platte County Sheriff's Deputy saw a vehicle driving southbound on Highway 81 in Platte County Nebraska with a defective headlight. A traffic stop was initiated and while the deputy spoke to the driver, he detected the odor of burnt marijuana and conducted a search of the vehicle. Prior to the search, the passenger was identified as Rafael Hernandez and registered owner of the vehicle.
As the search moved to the trunk, Hernandez stated that the vehicle was his, everything in it was his, and that the driver had no knowledge of it. It was at this time that a drawstring backpack was located in the trunk containing 1.14 kilograms of meth.
Both the driver and Hernandez were transported to the Platte County Detention Facility where Hernandez said the driver had nothing to do with the drugs and that Hernandez didn't want to get him in trouble. The driver was not charged.
This case was investigated by the Platte County Sheriff's Office and Columbus Police Department.
Nigerian National Pleads Guilty to Multi-Million Dollar Cyber Fraud Scheme Targeting Tulsa Company and Four Other CompaniesRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A Nigerian national pleaded guilty Tuesday to wire fraud and transportation of stolen property in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Sunday Daniel Ganyo, 37, pleaded guilty to four separate counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy, and transportation of stolen property.
In July, Ganyo was extradited from South Africa pursuant to a 2020 federal criminal complaint alleging his involvement in a cyber fraud scheme targeting a Tulsa company that almost succeeded in stealing nearly half a million dollars’ worth of computers and shipping them to South Africa. Investigators were able to intercept the shipment in route and track it to a warehouse in South Africa controlled by Ganyo, leading to his arrest by the South African Police Service. It was later determined that Ganyo had engaged in a wide range of similar schemes targeting at least four companies in California, Illinois, and New York with a total loss amount of nearly 3 million dollars.
According to Ganyo’s plea agreement, from January of 2017 through January of 2021, he conspired to commit wire fraud in the Northern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere. He specifically created email addresses that appeared to be employees of well-known businesses. He would use those false email address to impersonate employees and place large orders of computer equipment. Ganyo would then use the fictious email accounts to redirect the orders and send other conspirators to pick up the various equipment and ship the stolen goods to South Africa.
Sunday Ganyo will remain in custody pending a later sentencing date that is yet to be scheduled. He faces a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence and restitution after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners of the South African Police Service to secure the arrest and extradition of Ganyo. The FBI is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Nassar and Thomas Buscemi are prosecuting the case.
If you would like to report fraud, please contact the appropriate investigative agency as follows: https://www.justice.gov/criminal/criminal-fraud/report-fraud
New York man sentenced to federal prison for sexual enticement of Georgia minorRead the Press Release
BRUNSWICK, GA: A New York man was sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to enticing a Georgia minor and persuading her to travel from Georgia to New York with him.
Jordan Harris, 25, of Queens, N.Y., was sentenced to 127 months in prison after pleading guilty to Coercion and Enticement of a Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood also ordered Harris to register as a sex offender and to serve 15 years of supervised release after completion of his prison term.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“A nightmare scenario for every parent is the prospect of their child being persuaded by a predatory adult to leave home,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “The community is safer with Jordan Harris behind bars.”
As described in court documents and testimony, a Chatham County woman approached the Garden City Police Department in December 2021 for help in locating her missing minor daughter. A few days later, the mother received information that her daughter was in New York and retrieved her to return to Georgia.
Interviews with the victim revealed Harris had used online messaging applications to communicate with the minor for nearly a year before persuading her to leave with him via Greyhound bus to travel back to New York, instructing her along the way to remove the SIM card from her phone to prevent them from being tracked.
Harris was arrested in November 2022 when he again traveled to Savannah to make contact with the minor. Investigators seized Harris’ phone and found evidence of at least seven other minors with whom he had similarly communicated.
“Homeland Security Investigations and our law enforcement partners remain committed to protecting our children from online predators,” said Acting Special Agent in charge Travis Pickard who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in Georgia and Alabama. “This sentence sends a clear message that we will not tolerate the exploitation of our children. We will continue to work tirelessly to keep our communities safe from those who seek to harm our most vulnerable members.”
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Garden City Police Department, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tania D. Groover.
Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678, or https://report.cybertip.org/.
New York man pleads guilty to using explosive device near victim’s Butler County homeRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A New York man pleaded guilty in federal court here today to possessing an unregistered incendiary device.
Farhan Jami, 28, of East Meadow, New York, admitted to placing and lighting an explosive device on top of a car at a victim’s residence in Butler County.
According to court documents, in May 2023, Jami flew from New York to Ohio and brought thermite (an explosive powder) and sparklers with him on the flight.
In the early morning hours of May 16, Jami traveled to a residence in Butler County and constructed an incendiary device using the thermite, sparklers and a ceramic pot. He placed the device on the hood of a car at the home and lit the sparklers. He left as the fire began.
Home security footage shows Jami wearing a hat, surgical mask and gloves while placing and lighting the device before walking away.
While responding to the scene, officers located Jami in a vehicle nearby. His shirt and pants had red residue on them consistent with thermite. Officers also discovered the lighter, hat, mask and gloves used during the crime, as well as a bag of thermite.
Possessing an unregistered destructive device is a federal crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Congress sets the maximum statutory sentence. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); announced the guilty plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Matthew W. McFarland. Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy S. Mangan and Ryan A. Keefe are representing the United States in this case.
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New Orleans Man Sentenced to 180 Months Imprisonment for Violations of Federal Controlled Substances and Federal Gun Control ActsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on, October 26, 2023, United States District Judge Carl J. Barbier sentenced DEREK NOLAN, a/k/a “Pop,” age 28, a resident of New Orleans, to 180 months imprisonment, following NOLAN’s guilty plea to an eleven-count superseding bill of information.
According to court documents, a confidential source working with law enforcement identified NOLAN as a drug distributor. Law enforcement officers used the confidential source to conduct numerous controlled purchases of fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine from NOLAN. During the investigation, a search warrant was executed at NOLAN’s residence. Two firearms, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia were recovered. Since NOLAN is a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms.
In Count 1, NOLAN was charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of heroin, a Schedule I controlled dangerous substance, a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled dangerous substance, and a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled dangerous substance, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C); all in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846.
In Counts 2 and 3, NOLAN was charged with distribution of a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled dangerous substance, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C).
In Counts 4 and 5, NOLAN was charged with distribution of a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of heroin, a Schedule I controlled dangerous substance, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C).
In Counts 6, 8, and 9, NOLAN was charged with distribution of a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of heroin, a Schedule I controlled dangerous substance, and distribution of a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled dangerous substance, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C).
In Count 7, NOLAN was charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, that is, distribution of a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of heroin, a Schedule I controlled dangerous substance, and a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled dangerous substance, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 924(c)(1)(A) and 924(c)(1)(A)(i).
In Count 10, NOLAN was charged with being a felon in possession of firearms, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2).
In Count 11, NOLAN was charged with possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking offense, that is, conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of heroin, a Schedule I controlled dangerous substance, a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled dangerous substance, and a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled dangerous substance, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 924(c)(1)(A) and 924(c)(1)(A)(i).
As it relates to Counts 1 through 6, 8, 9, and 10, NOLAN was sentenced to 60 months imprisonment. As to Counts 7 and 11, NOLAN was sentenced to 60 months for each count, to run consecutively with each other, resulting in a 120 month sentence. Additionally, the 60-month sentence imposed for Counts 1 through 6, 8, 9, and 10, was ordered to run consecutive to the 120-month sentence. NOLAN will be placed on supervised release for 3 years following his term of imprisonment. NOLAN must also pay a mandatory special assessment fee of $1,100.00.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Public Integrity Unit.
New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Violating Federal Gun Control ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – MICHAEL WILLIAMS, age 29, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, pleaded guilty on October 31, 2023 to being a felon in possession of a firearm in violation Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8), before U.S. District Judge Darrel J. Papillion.
According to court documents, on January 10, 2023, WILLIAMS and three other individuals were standing near the intersection of North Broad and Hope streets at the edge of the Seventh Ward. When NOPD detectives drove by in an unmarked vehicle, the individuals backed up and clutched at their waistbands, indicating to the detectives that they possessed concealed firearms. Marked NOPD units were called to the area and, upon seeing the police vehicles, WILLIAMS ran down North Broad Street and across St Bernard Avenue. While WILLIAMS was being pursued by an NOPD officer he removed a Glock Model 43 handgun that was concealed on his person and discarded it on the ground.
WILLIAMS faces a maximum term of imprisonment of fifteen years, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit.
New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Murder, Drug, Firearm, and Hobbs Act Robbery ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Today, JULIUS ALEXANDER, a/k/a “Juju,” a/k/a “O’Block,” a/k/a “O,” a/k/a “Baldhead,” a/k/a “topgoon,” pled guilty on November 1, 2023 before U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo to Counts 1, 2, 3 and 4 of a superseding bill of information charging him with murder, as well as to various violations of the Federal Controlled Substances Act, the Federal Gun Control Act, and Hobbs Act robbery, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. Sentencing is scheduled for March 20, 2024.
Count 1 charged ALEXANDER with conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, and a quantity of cocaine hydrochloride and heroin, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 84l(a)(l), (b)(l )(B), (b)(1)(C), and 846. For this charge, ALEXANDER faces a minimum sentence of five years and a maximum sentence of 40 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $5,000,000.00, at least four years supervised release, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee.
Count 2 charged ALEXANDER with conspiring to use firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and a crime of violence, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(o). For this charge, ALEXANDER faces a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee.
Count 3 charged ALEXANDER with conspiring to commit Hobbs Act Robberies, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1951. ALEXANDER faces a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee.
Count 4 charged ALEXANDER with causing death through the use of a firearm, stemming from his role in a murder on January 31, 2020, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(j)(1). ALEXANDER faces a sentence of any number of years up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to five years of supervised release, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to court documents, in 2019, the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated a group for committing various violent crimes and illegal drug trafficking, primarily in New Orleans East and the Ninth Ward section of New Orleans. As a result, ALEXANDER, and nine others, were indicted for conspiring to possess firearms, traffic drugs and commit armed robberies of drug dealers. ALEXANDER’s plea documents detail his role as a drug trafficker, ALEXANDER often possessed firearms, both as a robber of drug dealers, and as a participant in two murders, that occurred on December 2, 2019 and January 31, 2020.
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.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New Orleans Police Department, and the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Maurice Landrieu of the Narcotics Unit and Elizabeth Privitera, Chief of the Violent Crime Unit, are in charge of the prosecution.
New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Trafficking and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – On November 1, 2023, TORY DUNCAN, age 28, pled guilty to Counts 4 and 5 of a superseding indictment charging him with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and Oxycodone, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 841(b)(1)(C) (Count 4) and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c) (Count 5), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
As to Count 4, DUNCAN faces a term of imprisonment between five and forty years, up to a $5,000,000 fine, at least 4 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. As to Count 5, DUNCAN faces a term of imprisonment between five years and life, up to a $250,000 fine, up to 5 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. DUNCAN is set for sentencing on February 28, 2024.
According to court records, on March 24, 2022, members of the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) responded to an anonymous tip of a man carrying a firearm in the St. Thomas Housing Development. Upon arrival at the 1900 block of St. Thomas Street, officers observed DUNCAN who, at the sight of the officers, fled. DUNCAN jumped a fence with a black semi-automatic firearm in hand and ran to a nearby parking lot where he was apprehended by police. The officers recovered the firearm, a Glock Model 29, 10 mm caliber pistol; $2,029 in U.S. currency; and a vehicle key fob from DUNCAN. The vehicle key fob corresponded to a gray Infiniti sedan in the parking lot where officers initially encountered DUNCAN. A search of that vehicle led to the seizure of 78.66 grams of fentanyl, 1002 multi-colored pills found to contain methamphetamine, 35 pills of Oxycodone, a digital scale, razor blades, loose plastic bags, and paperwork bearing DUNCAN’s name.
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.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Dawkins of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.