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11 December 2023
Albany County Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Joshua White, age 46, of Albany County, pled guilty today to one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.
White admitted that he distributed sexually explicit images of a minor known to him to another person over text message, and that when he met with police in July 2023, he possessed child pornography on his cellular telephone depicting other victims that he obtained from the Internet and social media messaging applications.
At sentencing scheduled for April 11, 2024, before Senior United States District Judge Gary L. Sharpe, White faces a mandatory minimum imprisonment term of 5 years and a combined statutory maximum imprisonment term of 40 years for the distribution and possession offenses. Additionally, White will be required to serve a post-imprisonment term of supervised release of between 5 years and life, must register as a sex offender upon release, pay restitution to the victims of his offenses, and forfeit the device he used to commit them. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statutes the defendant violated, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
HSI and the New York State Police investigated this case, and Assistant United States Attorney Michael D. Gadarian prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Activity in the U.S. Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Child Pornography
Daniel Gumm, age 35, of Laramie, Wyoming, was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison for possession of child pornography. According to court documents, on Dec. 27, 2022, the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children received information that a user of Kik Messenger was in possession of suspected child pornography. An agent with the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force traced the email and Verizon IP addresses to Gumm and subsequently found child pornography on his devices. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Z. Seth Griswold. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Nov. 30 in Casper.
Firearms Offenses
Justin Taylor Clayburn, age 48, of Laramie, Wyoming, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and for making false statements to acquire a firearm. Carl Everette Holaday, age 46, of Laramie, Wyoming was sentenced to 18 months for false statements to acquire a firearm and the straw purchase of a firearm for Clayburn. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentences on Nov. 29 in Casper.
According to court documents, agents with the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) discovered multiple firearms and ammunition in Clayburn’s residence during the investigation of another crime. Clayburn is a convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) agents traced the purchase of firearms found in Clayburn’s residence to Holaday. Clayburn and Holiday were indicted in May and each pled guilty in September. This crime was investigated by DCI and ATF. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan C. Coppom.
Drug Trafficking
Shelby Toby Girten, age 27, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment for distribution of fentanyl. According to court documents, Cheyenne Police Department officers and a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) task force officer initiated an investigation of a suspected drug overdose and death on Feb. 6. Through the course of the investigation, officers tracked the purchase of fentanyl back to Girten. During an interview, Girten admitted to selling fentanyl pills to the victim. This crime was investigated by the Cheyenne Police Department and the DEA. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Forwood. Senior U.S. District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal imposed the sentence, which included $500 in community restitution, on Nov. 30.
Domestic Violence
Anthony Flores, age 29, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison after he waived indictment and plead guilty to domestic violence. According to court documents, on May 24, Yellowstone dispatch received a call of domestic violence at the Bitterroot dorm in the Old Faithful District of Yellowstone National Park. Interviews with the victim alleged prolonged domestic violence, including bodily injury and strangulation/suffocation. The victim had wounds consistent with the reported assault. This case was prosecuted by Z. Seth Griswold. Senior U.S. District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal imposed the sentence on Nov. 30 in Cheyenne.
Illegal Re-entry of a Previously Deported Alien
Jose Alonso Bedolla-Vasquez, age 32 of Wilson, Wyoming, was sentenced to eight months in federal prison for illegal re-entry of a previously deported alien into the United States. The defendant has been in federal custody for approximately six months and will be deported to Mexico. According to court documents, the defendant was born in Tlaxcala, Mexico, and is a citizen of Mexico. On Jan. 28, Bedolla-Vasquez was arrested by the Wyoming Highway Patrol in Teton County for driving under the influence of alcohol. He admitted to being a citizen of Mexico and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement verified that he had been previously deported four separate times. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Elmore. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Nov. 27.
About the United States Attorney’s Office
The United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. The Office is involved in several programs designed to make our communities safer. They include:
Environmental Justice
The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.
Project Safe Childhood
Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is a nationwide commitment to reducing gun and gang crime in America by networking existing local programs that target gun crime and providing these programs with additional tools necessary to be successful.
Victim Witness Assistance
The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to making sure that victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect.To report a federal crime, go to: https://www.justice.gov/actioncenter/report-crime#trafficking
9 December 2023
Three Leaders of a Violent National Gang Convicted of RICO in DetroitRead the Press Release
DETROIT – After a six-week trial in federal court, a jury convicted three high-ranking leaders of the Almighty Vice Lords Nation of RICO conspiracy, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today. Ison was joined in the announcement by James Deir, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Evidence at trial proved the Almighty Vice Lords Nation (AVLN) was a sprawling criminal enterprise which committed acts of violence, drug dealing, and other crimes, across the country. The AVLN enterprise began in Chicago, which is still considered its headquarters. The AVLN are divided into different branches, each with their own leadership that answers to a “board” in Chicago. The trial involved leaders of two branches, the Mafia Insane Vice Lords, and the Insane Vice Lords. The jury convicted:
- Martin Murff, 54, of Chicago, who had the title of “Prince” and was the highest-ranked Mafia Insane Vice Lords in the country and a member of the national leadership of the AVLN;
- Kevin Fordham, 53, of Detroit, another “Prince,” who was the highest-ranked Insane Vice Lord in Michigan and a member of the national leadership of the AVLN; and,
- Eddie Reid, 39, of Detroit, a “Chief” and the highest ranked Mafia Insane Vice Lord in Michigan.
The evidence at trial showed that these leaders worked together under the umbrella of the Almighty Vice Lord Nation and agreed that they or their enterprise members would commit acts of racketeering, including murder, narcotics trafficking, and witness intimidation. In one seizure alone, law enforcement intercepted over 2.5 kilograms of pure fentanyl destined for Detroit.
“The Almighty Vice Lords Nation is a criminal enterprise that followed its own laws rather than the laws of the United States. Through the hard work of this investigation and trial, we have said no more; we will not tolerate the violence and criminality the Vice Lords stand for and perpetuate,” United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison said. “With this verdict, we have dismantled the leadership of multiple branches of this criminal organization and disrupted their ability to operate in our neighborhoods.”
“The Almighty Vice Lord Nation is a shell of what it was. Today’s verdict against Martin Murff, Eddie Reid, and Kevin Fordham sends a strong message to gangs across the Detroit - Chicago metropolitan areas….cease and desist with poisoning and terrorizing our communities with senseless gun violence and drug trafficking. If you do not, serious consequences will come,” said, ATF Special Agent in Charge James Deir “These defendants posed as legitimate community members while overseeing an interstate criminal enterprise that killed and maimed people in both Michigan and Illinois. Their flagrant assault on our way of life ends today with this just verdict.”
The jury acquitted Kenneth Johnson, who will be returned to the Michigan Department of Corrections to serve a lengthy sentence for an unrelated conviction.
More than 20 other members of the AVLN were indicted as a result of this investigation and await trial in federal court.
Omaha Sentenced for Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that James Lee Pokorny, 53, of Omaha, Nebraska was sentenced on December 8, 2023, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for his participation in a methamphetamine drug conspiracy. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter Jr., sentenced Pokorny to 82 months imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Pokorny’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release.
On September 13, 2021, Pokorny sold a confidential source 25.02 grams of actual meth. Then, on October 4, 2021, and October 8, 2021, Pokorny met with his source of supply and then sold a confidential source 51.57 and 50.19 grams of actual meth.
Pokorny agreed with at least one other person to distribute 126 grams of actual meth in Omaha between September 13, 2021, and October 8, 2021.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.
Omaha Man Sentenced to 10 Years’ Imprisonment for Methamphetamine ChargeRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Gabriel Ramirez, 43, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced December 8, 2023, in federal court in Omaha for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter Jr., sentenced Ramirez to 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Ramirez’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release. Ramirez also gave up any right or claim he may have had in $9,140 in currency seized during the investigation.
On March 18, 2022, law enforcement conducted a controlled narcotics buy from Ramirez utilizing a confidential informant who purchased 217 grams of meth from Ramirez in the Omaha area.
On April 14, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Ramirez’s South Omaha residence and vehicle and seized 3271 grams of meth, 21 grams of cocaine, and US Currency. During a post-Miranda interview, Ramirez admitted to being a drug courier for the Sinaloa Cartel and had been receiving and selling meth for the Cartel since approximately September of 2021. Ramirez estimated that over the past he had picked up and sold between 300 and 400 pounds of meth for the Cartel.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Leader of Seven Mile Bloods Street Gang Convicted of Racketeering, Murder, and Other Related OffensesRead the Press Release
DETROIT – On Friday afternoon, following a six-week trial, a federal jury in the Eastern District of Michigan convicted a leader of the Seven Mile Bloods Street Gang of 22 counts, including racketeering conspiracy, murder, attempted murder, and related firearms offenses, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Division.
Billy Arnold, age 37, was convicted of RICO Conspiracy, two counts of Murder in Aid of Racketeering, 10 counts of Attempted Murder in Aid of Racketeering, and multiple firearm counts.
According to evidence presented during the trial, the Seven Mile Bloods operated on the east side of Detroit, between Gratiot Avenue and Kelly Road and between Seven and Eight Mile Roads. Seven Mile Bloods or “SMB” members claimed this area as their territory and referred to it as the “Red Zone.” The area is in zip code 48205, which SMB members referred to as “4-8-2-0-Die.”
Evidence presented at trial showed an ongoing gang war between the Seven Mile Bloods and an alliance of other gangs operating on Detroit’s east side stemming from a murder that Arnold committed in July 2014. Arnold, who was on parole at the time, encountered two rival gang members during a meeting at a parole office in Detroit. After the meeting, Arnold waited outside the parole office until the rival gang member left. Arnold followed the rival gang members and their two companions a short distance before opening fire, killing one of the victims and seriously injuring another. Following the murder, the Seven Mile Bloods and rival gangs began violently attacking one another and posted respective “hit lists” on social media. The violence reached a boiling point in 2015 when during a one-month span, Arnold murdered one rival gang member, and shot numerous others. One of Arnold’s victims, who was shot while taking his two young daughters for a walk, was paralyzed as a result of the shooting. Arnold shot another victim, who was only 15 years old at the time of the shooting, while the victim was at his first day of work at a banquet hall in Roseville. Arnold shot the victim while attempting to murder a rival gang member who was standing near the victim in a parking lot. The 15-year-old victim and the rival gang member survived the shooting. On September 26, 2015, Arnold and another Seven Mile Blood member were arrested following a high-speed chase in Detroit. Following the chase, law enforcement recovered an assault rifle from the vehicle that was used in one murder and several other shootings.
The investigation further resulted in the seizure of more than 20 firearms, including several high-powered assault rifles.
Arnold is the 20th member or associate of the Seven Mile Bloods to have been convicted as a result of the investigation.
This case was the result of a collaborative effort by multiple law enforcement agencies. Investigators were able to bring together separate probes into various members of this organization and its criminal activities into one encompassing investigation. Partners include the Detroit Police Department Gang Intelligence Unit, the FBI Violent Gang Task Force, which consists of representatives of Detroit Police Department, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Michigan Department of Corrections and Michigan State Police, with the cooperation of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Also assisting in the investigation were the Charleston and South Charleston Police Departments in West Virginia.
“This guilty verdict is the final chapter in the case of the Seven Mile Bloods - a gang who for years terrorized the residents living on the east of Detroit,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “The case against SMB, and against Billy Arnold in particular, is an example of what can happen when we focus on those few responsible for so much violence. With today’s verdict, and with the sentence required by law for Billy Arnold, the men and women in our community who were victimized by this group will receive some measure of justice. And with today’s verdict, and with the help of the vast majority of the residents of this neighborhood who want peace, we can once and for all put the terrible carnage of the “Red Zone” behind us.”
“While the damage and violence caused by Mr. Arnold and members of SMB cannot be undone, our hope is that this final sentence brings a sense of justice to all those impacted,” said Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of the FBI in Michigan. "We would like to commend our law enforcement partners on the Detroit Violent Gang Task Force (VGTF) for their relentless efforts in working this case for nearly a decade. No matter how long it takes, the FBI remains committed to dismantling gang networks and removing violent offenders from our streets to ensure a safe environment for all Michigan residents."
Judge Sean F. Cox presided over the trial and will sentence Arnold on April 10, 2024. Arnold faces mandatory life imprisonment.
8 December 2023
West New York Financial Advisor Convicted on 11 Counts at Trial in Multimillion-Dollar Health Care Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A West New York financial advisor was found guilty on 11 counts of defrauding public health insurance plans out of more than $4 million and transacting in the criminal proceeds, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Kaival Patel, 54, of West New York, New Jersey, was convicted on Dec. 7, 2023, of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and health care fraud, four counts of health care fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering by transacting in criminal proceeds, and five counts of money laundering by transacting in criminal proceeds following an 11-day trial before U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler.
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger“This defendant lined his own pockets by taking advantage of health insurance plans for New Jersey state and local government employees, defrauding them of millions of dollars by conspiring to obtain reimbursements for medically unnecessary compound prescription medications. Together with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to investigate and prosecute those who abuse and defraud the health care system.”
“Filing false compound medication claims and pocketing the reimbursements isn't a new scheme,” FBI – Newark Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy said. “For years now, the FBI Newark and our law enforcement partners have doggedly investigated and brought to justice dozens of others who defrauded healthcare companies, state and federal government agencies, and taxpayers. Yet, these criminals don't seem to learn the lessons of those who tried to steal what isn't theirs and get rich off the backs of the hardworking public. Our hope is anyone thinking of using a similar plan realizes they will get caught, and they will go to federal prison along with Patel.”
“The defendant enriched himself by defrauding the New Jersey public health insurance plans out of more than $4 million,” Tammy L. Tomlins, Special Agent in Charge of IRS – Criminal Investigation, Newark Field Office, said. “Today’s conviction is the result of the great investigative work of IRS-CI Special Agents and our law enforcement partners and their commitment to protect the integrity of our health care systems.”
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:
Compounded medications are specialty medications mixed by a pharmacist to meet the specific medical needs of an individual patient. Compounded medications require a prescription from a physician.
Patel created and operated a company called ABC Healthy Living LLC to market compound prescription medications. Patel and his conspirators learned that certain state and local government employees had insurance that would reimburse up to thousands of dollars for a one-month supply of certain compound medications such as vitamins, scar creams, pain creams, libido creams, and acid reflux medications. Patel and a conspirator approached Patel’s family member, a medical doctor who owns and operates a clinic in Newark, New Jersey, and convinced him to authorize prescriptions for the compound medications for patients who had no medical need for the prescriptions. Patel received commissions for the compound medication prescriptions.
Patel and his conspirators paid a group of corrections officers to go to Patel’s family member’s medical practice for the purpose of receiving fraudulent prescriptions. Patel conspired with a compounding pharmacist to add unnecessary ingredients to the compound medications to further increase their cost and augment his illicit profits. Patel engaged in a series of financial transactions to receive proceeds from the health care fraud and wire fraud conspiracy.
To date, approximately 47 people have been convicted or pleaded guilty in the overarching conspiracy.
On the count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and health care fraud, Patel faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 fine, or twice the gross pecuniary loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. On each of the remaining 10 counts, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross pecuniary gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for April 10, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI’s Atlantic City Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; special agents of IRS - Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins in Newark; and the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone, with the investigation leading to the conviction.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel A. Friedman of the Criminal Division in Camden and DeNae M. Thomas of the Health Care Fraud Unit.
U.S. Postal Inspector Charged with Mail Theft, Obstruction of Justice, and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Louisiana returned an indictment yesterday charging a U.S. Postal Inspector with mail theft, obstruction of justice, and money laundering.
According to the indictment, Michael Morse, 52, of Madisonville, Louisiana, served as a Postal Inspector in the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. In this role, Morse was responsible for investigating and preventing crime that involved the mail, including mail and package theft. Despite this duty, on Nov. 12, 2020, Morse allegedly stole a Priority Mail Express package from a U.S. Postal Service processing and distribution center and removed from the package cash and a global positioning system (GPS) tracking device. Further, Morse allegedly obstructed justice when he knowingly attempted to mislead other law enforcement officers about the package and the GPS device. Morse also allegedly engaged in money laundering when he deposited cash and pre-paid cards constituting proceeds of the mail theft in various cryptocurrency and precious metal accounts.
Morse is charged with one count of mail theft, one count of obstruction of justice, and nine counts of money laundering. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on the mail theft count and 20 years in prison on the obstruction of justice and each of the money laundering counts.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Acting Executive Special Agent in Charge Dimitriana Nikolov of the USPS Office of Inspector General’s (USPS-OIG) Special Inquiries Division made the announcement.
The USPS-OIG is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Trevor Wilmot and Jacob Steiner of the Criminal Divion’s Public Integrity Section (PIN) are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance from former PIN Trial Attorney Jolee Porter.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two McLean Companies and CEO Ordered to Pay $1.1 Million for Defrauding the Paycheck Protection ProgramRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia ordered IT Services Now LLC and O@sis Group LLC, located in McLean, and their CEO, Mustafa Khabir, 51, of Haymarket, to pay $1,052,227 for submitting fraudulent applications to obtain federally guaranteed loans through the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
The PPP offered loans to small businesses for economic relief during the COVID-19 pandemic. Each PPP loan was calculated based on the applicant’s payroll and number of employees. Applicants were required to submit supporting documents so PPP lenders and the SBA could verify the applicant’s payroll and employee count.
The government filed a complaint for violations of the False Claims Act and the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act (FIRREA), alleging that the defendants fraudulently obtained $460,300 by submitting four PPP applications to SBA-approved lenders. In each of the applications, the companies and Khabir misrepresented their payroll and employee counts. They also submitted fabricated payroll and tax documents in support of each application. The lenders ultimately issued two PPP loans to IT Services Now and one PPP loan to O@sis Group.
After the loans were issued, Khabir used the PPP funds to invest in cryptocurrency and his companies defaulted on all three loans. The court entered judgment in favor of the United States on all counts.
The outcome in this case was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia; the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of General Counsel, Litigation Unit; and the U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William Hochul III and assisted by Forensic Auditor Peter Melaragni. The scheme was uncovered by the U.S. Attorney’s Office using PPP data analytics.
The case caption is United States v. IT Services Now LLC et al., 1:23-cv-00738-LMB-WEF
(E.D. Va.). This case follows litigation to enforce a Civil Investigative Demand, which may be found at United Sates v. Khabir, No. 1:22-mc-00004-AJT-TCB (E.D. Va.).
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Two Former Nurses Indicted in Connection to the Diversion of Dangerous Narcotics by Medical ProfessionalsRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Newbury woman and Northfield woman, two former nurses, were indicted in connection to the diversion of dangerous narcotics by medical professionals, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Robin Nichols, 63, of Newbury, was indicted on one count of Tampering with Consumer Products and one count of Obtaining a Controlled Drug by Misrepresentation, Fraud, Deception, or Subterfuge. Nichols will appear in federal court in Concord on December 8, 2023.
Lisa Richardson, 47, of Northfield, was indicted on one count of Tampering with Consumer Products and one count of Obtaining a Controlled Drug by Misrepresentation, Fraud, Deception, or Subterfuge. Richardson will appear in federal court in Concord on December 8, 2023.
According to the charging documents related to Robin Nichols, on April 15, 2023, while working as a nurse at Catholic Medical Center, Nichols removed a quantity of fentanyl, a narcotic painkiller drug in liquid form, from a syringe intended for an operating room patient and which she knew was intended for that patient and replaced the fentanyl with a quantity of saline.
According to the charging documents related to Lisa Richardson, on December 30, 2022, while working as a nurse at Concord Hospital, Richardson entered the room of a patient in the Intensive Care Unit (“ICU”) and removed a quantity of fentanyl, a narcotic painkiller drug in liquid form, from an intravenous line bag attached to the patient and which she knew was being dispensed to that patient, and replaced the fentanyl with a quantity of saline.
Nichols and Richardson’s charges of tampering with a consumer product provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of obtaining a controlled drug by misrepresentation, fraud, deception, or subterfuge provides for a sentence of up to 4 years in prison, up to one year 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.
The Food & Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration jointly led these investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Ward is prosecuting the cases.
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.
Law enforcement in the District of New Hampshire has utilized resources to enforce federal laws in connection to the diversion of dangerous narcotics by medical professionals. In June 2023, the U.S. Attorney’s Office settled a $2 million civil action with Cheshire Medical Center for their failure to fulfill obligations under the Controlled Substances Act, which enabled a nurse to steal twenty-three intravenous bags of fentanyl solution from an automatic medication dispensing machine. Also in June 2023, the U.S. Attorney’s Office settled a $300,000 civil action with PillPack by Amazon, a pharmacy, to resolve allegations that they violated the Controlled Substances Act, which risked the division of drugs that are often abused in our communities.
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Three Norteño Gang Members Who Murdered Victims in San Francisco Sentenced to Decades in Prison Following Their Convictions on Racketeering Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Three San Francisco Mission District (SFMD) Norteño gang members who murdered and attempted to murder four victims in San Francisco between January 2018 and July 2019 were sentenced today to prison terms ranging from 21 to 33 years following their convictions on racketeering conspiracy charges, announced First Assistant United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp. The sentences were handed down by the Hon. William H. Orrick, Senior United States District Judge.
Fernando Madrigal, AKA “Nando,” 25; Alvaro Reina Cordero, AKA “G-Boy,” 26; and Oscar Guadron Diaz, AKA “Cutty,” 24, all of San Francisco, each pleaded guilty in February 2023 to one count of racketeering conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d), in connection with their roles in the murders and attempted murder of four victims, including a 15-year-old innocent bystander who was mistaken for a rival gang member.
In his plea agreement, Madrigal—who was sentenced today to 33 years in prison—admitted that, on July 12, 2018, he lured a victim to a parking lot near Candlestick Park in San Francisco on the pretense of purchasing marijuana from the victim. In fact, however, Madrigal admitted that he planned to rob the victim and that he and an accomplice were both armed when they arrived at the parking lot near Candlestick Park, where they met the victim around 6:20 p.m. Madrigal admitted he shot and killed the victim, disposed of the victim’s cell phone on or near the San Mateo Bridge, and dumped the victim’s body in the Oakland Hills, where it was found more than a year later.
Madrigal also admitted that, on July 8, 2019, he was in the Mission District in San Francisco when he used an AR-style firearm to shoot and kill a 15-year-old boy whom Madrigal mistakenly believed was a member of a rival gang. Madrigal admitted he committed these two murders in part to earn respect from other SFMD Norteños and to enhance his status in the gang. Finally, Madrigal admitted that he regularly traveled between California and Iowa to engage in drug trafficking; that he possessed two firearms, dozens of bullets, and nearly $7,000 in cash when he was arrested on August 14, 2020; and that he was on probation following a prior carjacking conviction when he committed the murders in July 2018 and July 2019.
In their plea agreements, Cordero and Guadron Diaz—who were sentenced today to 26 and 21 years in prison, respectively—admitted that, on January 23, 2018, they were driving around the Holly Park neighborhood of San Francisco when they saw a suspected rival Sureño gang member standing with a female companion at a bus stop near the intersection of Leese Street and Richland Avenue. They also admitted that, upon confirming the man’s identity in another drive-by, Guadron Diaz (who was driving) parked about two blocks away from the bus stop, where he idled while Cordero—who was, and who Guadron Diaz knew to be, armed with a loaded gun—put on a black and white skeleton mask and got out of the car.
Cordero admitted he then ran to the bus stop, approached the man and his female companion, and fired approximately nine shots, hitting the man (who died) in the body and the woman (who survived) in the face. Cordero then ran back to the parked car and he and Guadron Diaz—who admitted in his plea agreement that he knew Cordero planned to shoot the man and that he knowingly assisted Cordero commit the shooting—drove away from the scene. Guadron Diaz also admitted that law enforcement officers found ammunition consistent with the type used in the murder and attempted murder, as well as a fully automatic machine gun, in a search of his home in San Francisco two days after the shooting. Finally, both Cordero and Guadron Diaz admitted they committed and participated in the murder and attempted murder to earn respect and prestige among other SFMD Norteño gang members.
“Norteño criminal street gangs have terrorized San Francisco’s Mission District for years through a relentless campaign of shootings, robberies, gun trafficking, drug dealing, and extortion,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins. “Today’s sentences send a clear message that gang members who inflict wanton violence and harm our community will be arrested, prosecuted federally, and sentenced to lengthy prison terms.”
“The brazen acts of violence committed by these men deprived local residents of their sense of security,” said FBI San Francisco Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp. “The sentences handed down today cannot undo the harm inflicted on the victims or their families, but the defendants have been held accountable. The FBI and its partners will continue to work to eradicate violent gangs from our streets.”
In addition to the custodial sentences, Judge Orrick ordered all three defendants to spend five years on supervised release, beginning after their prison terms are completed.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Leif Dautch is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Kevin Costello. The prosecution is the result of a multi-year investigation by the FBI, with assistance from the San Francisco Police Department’s Community Violence Reduction Team and Homicide Detail.
The United States Settles with Borough of Bellefonte to Make Public Meetings Accessible to Those with Hearing DisabilitiesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that the Borough of Bellefonte has agreed under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to ensure that proper auxiliary aides and services, including qualified sign-language interpreters are made available to those with hearing disabilities at all its public meetings. When the Borough records or broadcasts its meetings, the Borough will ensure that those meetings will have an “in frame’ American Sign Language interpreter. The Borough will also identify an ADA Coordinator, provide notice to those with disabilities on how to contact the ADA Coordinator, and establish an ADA grievance procedure.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the United States Attorney’s Office received a complaint from an individual with a hearing disability that the Borough did not provide her with an auxiliary device during in-person council meeting or have an interpreter for the taped broadcast. The Borough also did not have a process by which the disabled could request accommodations or file complaints of inaccessibility, nor did it have an ADA coordinator. After an investigation, with the Borough’s cooperation, the United States Attorney’s Office found that the complaint had merit.
“The right to participate, attend, or watch public local government meetings is a fundamental right in a democracy, and those with hearing disabilities cannot be excluded” said U.S. Attorney Karam. “This agreement ensures that individuals with disabilities in the Borough will now have an ADA Coordinator who can answer questions, accept accommodations requests like auxiliary aides for council meetings, and receive disability complaints.”
This investigation was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Butler, the Civil Rights Coordinator. Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/. Anyone in the Middle District of Pennsylvania may also report civil rights violations to the Civil Rights Coordinator of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania by calling 717-614-4911 or emailing [email protected].
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Texas Mother and Son Sentenced for Sex Trafficking of a MinorRead the Press Release
A Mexican woman who legally resided in Mission, Texas, and her son, who is a U.S. citizen, were sentenced today for sex trafficking a young girl.
Rita Martinez, 65, was sentenced to 360 months in prison, ordered to pay over $840,000 in restitution and surrender her house and bar to the government. Genaro Fuentes, 41, Martinez’s son and co-defendant, was sentenced to 72 months in prison and ordered to pay $20,000 in restitution.
“The Justice Department is committed to identifying and prosecuting parasitic commercial sex traffickers, like the defendants here, who use the promise of America to lure vulnerable women and children into the United States and then coerce them into commercial sex acts,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We will focus the full force of our legal authority on preventing and punishing human trafficking and seeking restitution for the victims of these heinous crimes.”
“Martinez’s decades-long business model was simple yet evil: travel to Mexico, entice poor, young girls across the border with false promises of a better life and then force those girls to engage in sexual acts with her bar’s male patrons,” said U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas. “Martinez treated the victims like chattel, while physically and psychologically imprisoning them. Today’s sentence ensures the only person left imprisoned, for decades to come, is Martinez and sends a strong message to human traffickers moonlighting as bar owners: you’re next.”
“Today’s sentence will ensure that people like Rita Martinez are no longer able to victimize anyone in vulnerable or desperate circumstances,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Doug Olson for the FBI San Antonio Division. “We want to thank our partners in the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) for their continued assistance in bringing predators like this to justice.”
According to court documents, Martinez operated a bar known at various times as Perez Lounge, Rita’s Lounge and Rita’s Sports Bar. From the spring of 2005 to the fall of 2006, the 16-year-old young girl lived with Martinez and worked at the bar. Martinez arranged for the young girl to engage in commercial sex acts with men who were customers at the bar. Martinez also accepted money from these clients before allowing them to take the young girl out of the bar to engage in commercial sex. Martinez applied the money she received from commercial sex buyers to the smuggling debt that she imposed upon the minor victim to transport her from Mexico into the United States.
The FBI San Antonio Field Office, McAllen Resident Agency investigated the case, with the assistance of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission.
Trial Attorney Kate Hill of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura Garcia and Sherri Zack for the Southern District of Texas prosecuted the case.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
St. Petersburg Man Charged with Making Threats of A Mass ShootingRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of a criminal complaint charging Robert Trout III (19, St. Petersburg) with knowingly transmitting in interstate commerce a true threat. If convicted, Trout faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.
According to the complaint, Trout posted a video on Instagram making threats to go to New York City and “cause havoc on the subway” by shooting “anybody” that Trout sees. Trout further threatened that this shooting would occur on the evening of Thanksgiving, November 23, 2023, and stated “if you’re from New York City, do not take the train on Thursday evening.” While making these threats, Trout displayed multiple firearms, including two semi-automatic firearms with extended clips containing a total of 60 bullets while stating “that’s sixty shots - that’s sixty people dead.” Several recent postings on Trout’s Instagram account in conjunction with witness statements allowed law enforcement to identify Trout as the person responsible for making the threats.
Trout made his initial appearance in federal court, in Tampa, Florida on December 7, 2023, and was ordered detained pending further proceedings.
A criminal complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Pinellas Park Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brooke Padgett.
Springfield, Illinois, Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Firearm Possession and Covid-19 FraudRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Springfield, Illinois, man, Demetrius S. Washington, 27, was sentenced on December 6, 2023, to a total of 108 months imprisonment: 96 months for possession of a weapon by a felon and a consecutive 12 months for wire fraud. In addition to the sentence of imprisonment, Washington was ordered to serve three years of supervised release and pay $10,843.84 in restitution to the Small Business Administration.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Colleen R. Lawless, the government presented evidence that Washington, a convicted felon, was found in possession of a loaded Glock firearm with a 50 round drum magazine when he was arrested in connection with an unrelated case in March 2022. The government presented evidence that the recovered Glock firearm was test-fired and shell casings were entered into the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). The NIBIN system reported a connection between the recovered firearm and an October 2021 shooting in Springfield. That connection was confirmed by the ATF’s Forensic Science Laboratory. Additional evidence showed that during the October 2021 crime, Washington gave the firearm to a juvenile who, moments later, fired multiple shots at an occupied sedan in the parking lot of a gas station. No one was injured in the shooting. Further evidence indicated Washington was actively trying to obtain additional firearms during the six months between the shooting and his arrest on unrelated state charges. Additional evidence showed that Washington fraudulently obtained over $10,000 from the Small Business Administration Economic Injury Disaster Loan program.
During the hearing, Judge Lawless noted that, as a result of Washington’s conduct, innocent citizens of Springfield had to flee for safety. Judge Lawless further remarked that the sentence was necessary to protect the public and deter others from similar crimes.
Washington remains in the custody of the United States Marshal Service, where he has been since his federal arrest on April 26, 2022. The defendant pleaded guilty to possession of a weapon by a felon and three counts of wire fraud on April 14, 2023, before United States Magistrate Judge Karen L. McNaught.
The statutory penalties for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person at the time of Washington’s offense were up to 10 years’ imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. The statutory penalties for wire fraud are up to 20 years’ imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release.
“The ready availability of guns has caused an unacceptable spike of violence in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris. “For the protection of our community, we warn individuals contributing to such violence that federal, state, and local government agencies are working together to hold you accountable. We also will continue to prosecute COVID fraudsters and work to recover pandemic relief funds that were fraudulently obtained.”
“This case illustrates how Crime Gun Intelligence such as NIBIN helps law enforcement prioritize offenders who illegally possess firearms that were used in shootings,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Christopher Amon of the Chicago Field Division. “I commend the Central District of Illinois United States Attorney for prosecuting these felon in possession cases, holding accountable those who create such havoc in our community.”
“The Springfield Police Department is committed to preventing gun violence and holding those accountable who choose to break the law,” said Springfield Police Department Deputy Chief of Criminal Investigations Sara Pickford. “This successful prosecution is another example of the flourishing partnership that has developed between the Springfield Police Department, ATF, and the United States Attorney’s Office.”
“The U.S. Secret Service and our law enforcement partners remain committed to identifying, investigating, and pursuing those who attempt to enrich themselves through fraudulent means,” said Stephen S. Webster, United States Secret Service Resident Agent in Charge, Springfield Resident Office. “We are proud of our partnerships with the federal, state, and local agencies who work collectively to hold these individuals accountable for their actions.”
The Springfield Police Department investigated the firearms case with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case against Washington is part of a committed effort to combat gun violence in Sangamon County, Illinois, by law enforcement including the Springfield Police Department, Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office, the ATF, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The United States Secret Service investigated the wire fraud case, with assistance from the Springfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Seberger represented the government in the prosecution.
The firearms case against Washington 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.
COVID-19 disaster relief benefits are intended to help people and businesses suffering as a result of the pandemic. If members of the public suspect that anyone fraudulently obtained or misused benefits, they should contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NDCF) Hotline at 1-866-720-5721 or submit the NCDF Web Complaint Form. The NCDF is a national coordinating agency within the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division dedicated to improving the detection, prevention, investigation, and prosecution of criminal conduct related to natural and man-made disasters and other emergencies, such as the coronavirus (COVID-19). Hotline staff will obtain information regarding complaints, which will then be reviewed by law enforcement officials. More information is available at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud.
Smith County man sentenced for using stolen valor to defraud investorsRead the Press Release
TYLER, Texas – A Tyler man has been sentenced to more than 11 years in federal prison for multiple violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today.
Derek Robert Hamm, 39, pleaded guilty to wire fraud, money laundering, violating the Stolen Valor Act, using a fraudulent military discharge certificate, and being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. Hamm was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison on Dec. 7, 2023, by U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker. Hamm’s sentence was the largest ever imposed in relation to a fraud scheme involving the Stolen Valor Act.
The Stolen Valor Act of 2013 makes it illegal to fraudulently wear medals, embellish rank, or make false claims of military service to obtain money, employment, property, or some other tangible benefit. As part of his sentence Hamm agreed to pay restitution of at least $2.3 million and forfeiture of the proceeds of his criminal conduct, including jewelry, automobiles, and cash proceeds in the amount of $1,675,000.
According to court documents, Hamm invented a persona of being a wealthy and successful war hero. Hamm held himself out to be a former member of the Army Special Forces who had served multiple tours of duty in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other countries. He claimed to have been awarded a Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Silver Star, and Distinguished Service Cross for his service. Hamm also represented that he was related to Harold Hamm, the billionaire oilman in Oklahoma, which he claimed gave him access to financial resources and oil industry expertise. Through this larger-than-life persona, Hamm created an extensive network of friends who introduced him to potential investors. Those investors believed Hamm’s claims and invested in what they expected to be worthwhile ventures spearheaded by a trustworthy and capable entrepreneur.
In reality, Derek Hamm was nothing of the sort. Hamm was not a decorated war hero. He was no oil industry tycoon. He was not related to Harold Hamm. He did not spend investors’ funds on the latest oil industry technology or new oil wells. Within hours of receiving investors’ funds, Hamm spent their money on himself and his family, including expensive jewelry, vehicles, and vacations to expensive resorts on private charter planes. All the while, Hamm represented to investors that he had invested their money in successful oil industry projects. He continued to pump investors to keep sending him money even as their investments failed to produce any returns.
“As the son of a veteran, I have a deep appreciation for the importance of military service and recognizing the valor of our servicemen and women,” said U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs. “The Stolen Valor Act protects and honors veterans and the sacrifices they’ve made to our country. When people make false claims of military heroism, they diminish the true acts of bravery and heroism that Americans celebrate and tribute. Stolen valor is an insult to all those who stood in harm’s way and earned their decorations. By using stolen valor to steal from people, Hamm preyed on the victims’ love of this country and their reverence for American heroes who earned such real military awards through their sacrifices to this country.”
“The defendant invented a successful and noble persona to disguise his failed business and dishonest intentions in order to steal millions of dollars from unsuspecting investors. In addition to pretending to be an American hero, he was found to be in possession of dozens of firearms which was prohibited due to his criminal background. Mr. Hamm could not stop breaking the law,” said Dallas FBI Special Agent in Charge Chad Yarbrough. “I am proud that we can work with our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office to uphold the Stolen Valor Act and ensure that courageous attribution stays with our nation’s bravest defenders.”
Hamm also pleaded guilty to being a prohibited person in possession of firearms and ammunition. Hamm was convicted in Smith County in 2020 for theft of property, a state felony. As a felon, Hamm is prohibited by federal law from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition. According to court documents, Hamm was in possession of dozens of firearms, including several rifles with high-capacity magazines, and ammunition for those firearms. Because of his arsenal of weapons and his trained-warrior persona, Hamm scared any investors from pressing him on his failed investments.
Through its investigation, the government learned that this was not the first time that Hamm had used stolen valor for his own personal benefit. In 2020, Hamm presented falsified military records to a Smith County, Texas District Court, which he successfully leveraged into a more lenient sentence. Hamm had used those same false documents to obtain Bronze Star license plates from the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles.
After Hamm was indicted in January 2022, more than $350,000 worth of assets, including cash, vehicles, and jewelry, were seized pursuant to the Justice Department’s asset forfeiture procedures. Those assets were sold prior to sentencing and were forfeited to the government. Because Hamm did not have enough other assets to pay anything towards the $2.3 million restitution judgment, the U.S. Attorney requested for the Justice Department’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS) to approve application of the forfeited assets to the restitution debt so that the forfeited funds could be paid to the victims. MLARS expedited the U.S. Attorney’s request and approved it in a matter of days.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of Derek Robert Hamm, please contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation at 903-594-3503. Derek Robert Hamm is also known as D. Wayne Hamm II, Wayne Hamm, D. Wayne H., DW Hamm, and RD Hamm.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative. Project Safe Neighborhoods is aimed at reducing gun and gang violence; deterring illegal possession of guns, ammunition, and body armor; and improving the safety of residents in the Eastern District of Texas. Participants in the initiative include community members and organizations as well as federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Tyler Field Office, with assistance from the Tyler Police Department, the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, the Phoenix Arizona Police Department, Smith County Adult Probation, the Texas Railroad Commission-Enforcement Division, Department of Veteran’s Affairs-Office of Inspector General, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts-Criminal Investigation Division, and the United States Army Special Operations Command. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Austin Wells and Ryan Locker.
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Seven More Defendants Charged in Prosecution of Central Indiana Dog Fighting and Drug Trafficking ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- In September of this year, 21 individuals were charged in a federal indictment alleging trafficking of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine; money laundering; illegally possessing firearms; and dog fighting.
On December 6th, 2023, execution of additional search warrants in Indianapolis and Anderson resulted in seven additional arrests related to the September indictment. Federal agents also seized 12 firearms; significant quantities of controlled substances; over $42,075 in cash; dog fighting paraphernalia; and approximately 75 dogs. The following Indianapolis/Anderson men were each charged with Conspiracy to engage in an Animal Fighting Venture:
- Ryan Hicks, 37
- Willie Lee, 47
- Marven Carswell, 71
- Ernest Young, 49
- Brent Hutchinson, 43
- Robert Hamer, 41
- Daymond Mason, 49
If convicted, each defendant charged with conspiracy to engage in an animal fighting venture faces up to 5 years in federal prison. The following investigative agencies collaborated to make this investigation and the recent warrant executions possible:
- Federal Bureau of Investigation- Indianapolis
- U.S. Department of Agriculture-Office of Inspector General
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
- Drug Enforcement Administration
- Internal Revenue Service- Criminal Investigation
- Indiana Gaming Commission
- Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department
Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Michelle P. Brady and Adam J. Eakman, who are prosecuting this case.
An indictment or criminal complaint are merely allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Schenectady Man Charged in Connection with Shots Fired Outside of Temple IsraelRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Mufid Fawaz Alkhader, age 28, of Schenectady, New York, appeared in federal court this morning on a charge of unlawfully possessing a firearm. Alkhader was arrested yesterday afternoon after he twice fired a shotgun into the air outside of Temple Israel, a synagogue in Albany.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Albany Police Chief Eric Hawkins.
According to the criminal complaint, at approximately 2 p.m. on December 7, 2023, Alkhader stood outside of Temple Israel while possessing a Kel-Tec KS7 12-gauge pump-action shotgun. Alkhader twice fired the shotgun into the air. Albany Police Officers responded to the scene and arrested Alkhader. As an unlawful user of a controlled substance (marijuana), Alkhader was prohibited under federal law from possessing the shotgun. The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Alkhader appeared today before United States Magistrate Judge Christian F. Hummel, who ordered Alkhader detained pending trial after Alkhader waived his right to a detention hearing.
If convicted of the charge alleged in the complaint, Alkhader faces up to 15 years in prison, up to 3 years of post-imprisonment supervised release, and a maximum fine of $250,000. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
This case is being investigated by the ATF, the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, and the Albany Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rick Belliss and Alexander Wentworth-Ping are prosecuting this case.
Sapulpa Man Sentenced for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A Sapulpa man was sentenced today for production of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced John Warner Hamilton, Jr, 48, citizen of the Quapaw Tribe of Indians, to 180 months of imprisonment, followed by lifetime supervision by the U.S. Probation Office. Upon his release, Hamilton will also be required to register as a sex offender.
According to court documents, Hamilton secretly recording an unclothed minor child on his cellphone. He further admitted to setting up a camera to record from another room and the videos were saved to his device for later viewing.
Hamilton will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI and Sapulpa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney George Jiang prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals, federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Saint James Parish Man Sentenced for Violating Federal Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – On December 7, 2023, United States District Judge Carl Barbier sentenced CRANDALL WASHINGTON to 168 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to two counts of the indictment pending against him for both conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and possession with intent to distribute, five hundred (500) grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, in violation of the Federal Controlled Substances Act, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
Specifically, WASHINGTON was indicted on November 4, 2021 for possessing with intent to distribute 909 grams of crystal methamphetamine. According to court documents, WASHINGTON was stopped in his vehicle by law enforcement with three different bags of crystal methamphetamine, weighing approximately two (2) pounds. Following completion of his prison sentence, WASHINGTON also faces five (5) years of supervised release and a mandatory $100 mandatory special assessment fee per count.
U. S. Attorney Duane A. Evans praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the St. James Parish Sheriff’s Office, St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office, Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office, Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rachal Cassagne and J. Benjamin Myers of the Narcotics Unit.
Round Rock Fraudster Sentenced for Stealing More Than $600,000 in Cryptocurrency Through SIM Swapping SchemeRead the Press Release
AUSTIN, Texas – A Round Rock man was sentenced in a federal court in Austin to 24 months in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
According to court documents, from August 2019 to February 2021, Daniel Akira Mills, 22, participated in a criminal wire fraud conspiracy that employed SIM swaps to defraud victims of hundreds of thousands of dollars in property. Participants in the scheme gained unauthorized access to online accounts of victims through a cyber intrusion technique referred to as “SIM swapping.”
During a SIM swap attack, cyber threat actors gain control of a victim’s mobile phone number by linking that number to a subscriber identity module (SIM) card controlled by the threat actors, resulting in the victim’s calls and messages being routed to a device controlled by the threat actors.
The threat actors then use control of the victim’s mobile phone number to obtain unauthorized access to accounts held by the victim that are registered to the mobile phone number. Among other things, scheme participants posted unauthorized messages on their victims’ social media accounts and posted private photographs stolen from the accounts of celebrities. They also stole more than
$600,000 in cryptocurrency from dozens of victims nationwide.In addition to imposing a prison sentence, the court ordered Mills to pay more than $530,000 in restitution to the victims.
“We now run much of our lives through smartphones. From social media to managing our finances, they have become essential tools. This can be very helpful, but also comes with many risks,” said
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “By ‘SIM swapping,’ or stealing the phone numbers of victims to assume their identities, Mills and his cohorts defrauded innocent members of society and caused great harm. My office will not hesitate to hold fraudsters like Mills accountable for their irresponsible destructive actions.”The U.S. Secret Service and the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office’s REACT Task Force investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney G. Karthik Srinivasan prosecuted the case.
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Romance Scammer Convicted at Trial of Money Laundering, Wire Fraud ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
An Aubrey woman was convicted at trial Thursday of defrauding elderly victims in romance schemes, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
After 7 days of trial and 10 hours of deliberation, a jury convicted Ijeoma Okoro, 33, of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
“I am so proud of the federal agents and our office’s prosecutors in this case, who worked diligently to hold the defendants accountable for conspiring to defraud these innocent victims of money and then conspiring to launder that money,” said U.S. Attorney Simonton. “Such schemes are especially despicable because the perpetrators prey on the emotions of the people they are victimizing. Our U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to aggressively seek to bring such criminals to justice.”
“Ms. Okoro and her coconspirators stole money from retirement accounts, pensions and other sources as part of several romance scams,” said Christopher J. Altemus Jr., special agent in charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation’s Dallas Field Office. “These individuals preyed on unsuspecting women and men, gaining their trust and confidence, in order to ultimately empty their bank accounts. This verdict should send a clear message to those who would consider conducting or participating in these types of fraudulent financial schemes.”
According to evidence presented at trial, the fraudsters assumed fake names and trolled dating sites like Match.com and Zoosk, searching for targets.
Once the fraudsters had ingratiated themselves to their often divorced or widowed victims with promises of long-term commitment, the fraudsters concocted elaborate stories about why they needed financial assistance. A common story was that the fraudster had to travel overseas for work and was unable to access a bank account. To solve a work-related crisis or pay for urgent medical treatment for a family member, the fraudster asked the victims to send money to cover the expenses, promising to repay them in the near future. The trusting victims sent thousands of dollars to bank accounts opened by the defendant and her coconspirators in the Northern District of Texas. The defendant then distributed the fraudulent proceeds to coconspirators and claimed a cut for herself.
The defendant now faces up to 20 years in federal prison on the wire fraud conspiracy count, up to 10 years in federal prison on the money laundering conspiracy count, and an order to repay the victims the losses that she and her coconspirators caused the victims.
IRS – Criminal Investigation led the investigation with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Frisco Field Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and Department of Labor Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mary Walters, Jenna Rudoff and Elyse Lyons prosecuted the case.
Rienzi Man Sentenced in Drug Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
Oxford, MS – A Rienzi man was sentenced today to twelve and a half years in prison for distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, William Leonard, 40, of Rienzi, Mississippi, pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Leonard was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Glen Davidson to 151 months for the conspiracy as a career offender. He was further sentenced to 3 years of supervised release following his release from prison.
Leonard was involved in a drug trafficking organization responsible for transporting large quantities of methamphetamine from Texas and distributing it throughout the Northern District of Mississippi. Leonard participated in the conspiracy by making multiple purchases of methamphetamine from the head of the drug trafficking organization for distribution throughout North Mississippi. The investigation of this drug trafficking organization and its participants spanned more than one year. Leonard was indicted along with sixteen (16) other individuals.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics investigated the case as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program in partnership with state and local law enforcement. Agencies assisting with the investigation included the United States Marshal’s Service, the United States Postal Inspector’s Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly M. Hampton and Feleica L. Wilson prosecuted the case.
Portsmouth Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing a Machine GunRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Portsmouth man pleaded guilty yesterday to illegal possession of a machine gun.
According to court documents, on June 9, 2022, Portsmouth Police Department received a 911 call about two men with firearms. In response, officers were dispatched to a BP gas station located on George Washington Highway in Portsmouth, Virginia. When officers arrived on scene, two men immediately fled on foot. Officers observed Brian Levarr Perry, Jr., 24, seated in a van and another man standing near the van. The other man fled on foot. Officers arrested Perry and conducted a pat down of Perry’s person. During the pat down, the officers found a Glock Model 33 firearm in the defendant’s waistband. The Glock firearm had an auto sear attached to it.
Perry is scheduled to be sentenced on May 15, 2024. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Stephen Jenkins, Chief of Portsmouth Police; and Paul Neudigate, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after U.S Magistrate Judge Robert J. Krask accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Montoya is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-22.
People’s Republic of China Citizens Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Saipan, MP – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that Chun Yang and Yurong Wang, citizens of the People’s Republic of China, were sentenced by the District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands for Conspiracy to Possess Over 50 grams of Methamphetamine with the Intent to Distribute, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846 and 841(a)(1).
CHUN YANG (age 46) - Sentenced to 70 months incarceration, five years of supervised release following release, 100 hours of community service in lieu of a fine, and a $100 special assessment fee. Yang was also ordered to report to U.S. immigration officials for deportation proceedings upon release from prison.
YURONG WANG (age 50) - Sentenced to 46 months incarceration, five years of supervised release following release, 100 hours of community service in lieu of a fine, and a $100 special assessment fee. Wang was also ordered to report to U.S. immigration officials for deportation proceedings upon release from prison.
On June 21, 2022, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) Customs and Biosecurity Agents discovered 1,809.80 grams of methamphetamine inside of a mail parcel during a routine inspection at the U.S. Post Office on the island of Saipan. The parcel was mailed from California. Upon discovery of the methamphetamine, agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) joined the investigation. On June 22, 2022, DEA and the CNMI Department of Public Safety (DPS) Drug Enforcement Task Force (DETF) conducted surveillance while the parcel was claimed from the post office, transported after exchanges between multiple persons and vehicles, and ultimately delivered to Wang. After receiving the package, Wang brought it to an apartment where she met Yang and Xing Rui Gao (also a PRC citizen). The three individuals intended to distribute the drugs on Saipan. They were promptly arrested after opening the package.
Gao was charged separately and pled guilty on October 4, 2023. Sentencing is scheduled for February 23, 2024. None of the defendants had lawful immigration status at the time of the offense.
“This case demonstrates the effectiveness of partnerships among Commonwealth and federal law enforcement,” stated United States Attorney Shawn N. Anderson. “A substantial amount of methamphetamine was kept out of our communities. I applaud the efforts of all involved in bringing these defendants to justice.”
“Operation Cloudy Day” was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
This investigation was led by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration with cooperation from the CNMI Customs and Biosecurity Agency, the CNMI DETF, and prosecuted by Albert S. Flores, Jr., Assistant United States Attorney in the District of the Northern Mariana Islands.
Parents Sentenced to a Combined 90 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Abusing and Exploiting their 18-Month-Old BabyRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Tristan Mullins, 27, and Desley McLemore, 27, of Indianapolis have been sentenced to decades in federal prison for their roles in sexually exploiting and assaulting their approximately 18-month-old child.
According to court documents, McLemore and Mullins were the parents of an infant. From at least 2019 through January 2022, Mullins and McLemore were in an on-again, off-again dating relationship. In June of 2020, McLemore gave birth to a child. The baby primarily lived with McLemore; however, Mullins had periodic visits with the baby, both at his residence and at McLemore’s.
Beginning in December 2021, during times when each defendant had physical custody of the baby, McLemore and Mullins sexually abused the baby and produced more than 98 videos and images depicting sexually explicit conduct.
On January 18, 2022, IMPD officers received a tip from Google alerting them to McLemore and Mullins’ uploads of files depicting their sexual abuse and exploitation of their child. Both parents were immediately located and arrested by law enforcement officers.
Mullins and McLemore admitted their conduct, and Mullins admitted to sharing the child sexual abuse material with others via Kik, Facebook, Snapchat and on adult pornography websites. Mullins wrote extremely graphic and crude captions and commentary for the videos he sent to others.
Both Mullins and McLemore pleaded guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a Child, Sexual Exploitation of a Child, by a Parent or Guardian, and Transportation of Child Sexual Abuse Material.
Tristan Mullins was sentenced to 60 years’ imprisonment followed by 15 years of supervised release. Desley McLemore was sentenced to 30 years’ imprisonment followed by supervised release for life.
“Babies are precious and vulnerable, and most parents have an instinctual desire to protect them from harm. Tristan Mullins and Desley McLemore’s instead chose to exploit their baby in the most cruel and unimageable ways before she was even old enough to walk or speak,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “The people responsible for these monstrous crimes will now spend decades in federal prison where they cannot exploit another child. Our community is safer thanks to the dedication and talents of our ICAC task force, law enforcement partners, and federal prosecutors, who responded immediately to stop the abuse and save this child.”
“The pursuit of those who choose to victimize children is some of the most important work we are doing as an agency,” said Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey R. Adams, of the U. S. Secret Service’s Indianapolis Field Office. “The Secret Service is a proud member of the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and want to thank the FBI and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department for their partnership in this investigation.”
“The Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force remains vigilant and dedicated to protecting society’s most vulnerable victims, our children. Parents and caretakers who violate the sanctity of trust by failing to protect their children and sexually exploiting them for their benefit will be aggressively investigated and prosecuted,” said Christopher Cecil, Commander of the Indiana ICAC.
The FBI, U.S. Secret Service, IMPD, and the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force investigated this case. The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson. Judge Stinson also ordered Mullins to pay $30,500 to the victim and others, and McLemore to pay $20,000 in restitution to the child.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Tiffany J. Preston and former Assistant United States Attorney Kristina M. Korobov who prosecuted this case.
This investigation was conducted by the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, a multiagency task force led by the Indiana State Police that investigates and prosecutes persons who use the internet to sexually exploit or entice children. Each year, Indiana ICAC investigators evaluate thousands of tips, investigate hundreds of cases, and rescue dozens of children from ongoing sexual abuse. Visit https://www.in.gov/isp/icactf/ to learn more about their efforts.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.
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Operation Smoke and Mirrors Update: Kanawha County Man Sentenced to Prison for Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Ryan Keith Kincaid, 46, of South Charleston, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Kincaid 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, in March 2023, Kincaid conspired with other individuals to distribute quantities of cocaine in the Charleston area. During a search of Kincaid’s apartment, approximately 11 ounces of cocaine, used drug packaging consistent with approximately 26 kilograms of cocaine, a loaded pistol, and over $400,000 in cash were seized. Kincaid was ultimately responsible for trafficking 112 kilograms of cocaine which would have earned him over 3 million dollars.
Kincaid 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.
Kincaid and 24 other defendants have pleaded guilty. Indictments against the other defendants are pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia National Guard Counter Drug program, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and the Raleigh County Sheriff's Office. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe 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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Oneida Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances and the Unlawful Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on December 7, 2023, Gerald B. Diamond II (age: 26), a former resident of Green Bay and an enrolled member of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin, received a total sentence of 12 years in federal prison following convictions for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and prohibited possession of a firearm. Diamond previously pled guilty to these offenses on August 21, 2023.
According to court documents, law enforcement stopped the defendant on March 6, 2023, while he was driving a vehicle east of Keshena on the Menominee Indian Reservation. Diamond was arrested on an outstanding warrant related to previous probation violations. A search of the vehicle revealed over two pounds of marijuana, 14.23 grams of a mixture of methamphetamine and fentanyl, 6.69 grams of fentanyl, 2.1 grams of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl, other controlled substances, numerous items of paraphernalia consistent with the use and sale of drugs, .22 caliber ammunition, and a Ruger .22 caliber revolver. Additionally, $566 in U.S. Currency was recovered from the vehicle. The other occupants of the vehicle stated that Diamond was traveling to a nearby mobile home court to supply drugs to a known drug dealer. Diamond later admitted the drugs, cash, firearm, and paraphernalia belonged to him. At the time, Diamond was prohibited from possessing firearms due to previous convictions in Brown and Sawyer County Circuit Courts.
Senior United States District Judge William C. Griesbach sentenced Diamond to concurrent 12-year sentences on each count and imposed a three-year term of supervised release to be served upon his release from prison. In sentencing the defendant, Judge Griesbach noted the serious nature of the crime, the need to deter those who might consider similar actions and the need to protect the community from the destructive effects of abuse of controlled substances.
The Menominee Tribal Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case, which Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Maier prosecuted. The Sawyer County District Attorney’s Office and Wisconsin State Crime Lab provided valuable assistance.
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For additional information contact:
Public Information Officer
Kenneth B. Gales at 414 297-1700
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Ohio Woman Pleads Guilty to Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act Violation for Damaging Pregnancy CenterRead the Press Release
An Ohio woman pleaded guilty today to a misdemeanor charge under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, which prohibits a person from intentionally damaging or destroying the property of a facility because that facility provides reproductive health services.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 15, Whitney M. Durant, aka Soren Monroe, 20, of Worthington, intentionally damaged the property of HerChoice, a pregnancy center located in Bowling Green, Ohio, by defacing the clinic’s building, spray painting the words, “LIARS,” “Fund Abortion,” “Abort God,” and “Jane’s Revenge.” Durant was a Bowling Green State University student at the time of the incident.
“Defacing facilities that provide reproductive health services will not be tolerated in our society,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to enforcing the FACE Act to protect all patients who seek reproductive health services and all persons and facilities that provide such services.”
“As reflected by today’s guilty plea, the United States will enforce federal laws that protect uninterrupted access to all clinics providing reproductive health services, whether they provide women with options that include abortion care or whether they solely encourage women to consider non-abortion alternatives,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “Here, the vandalized clinic did not provide abortion care, but that did not give the defendant license to deface the clinic’s property in protest, violating federal law in the process.”
“The First Amendment provides a constitutional right to peacefully protest, but Ms. Durant’s actions of defacing a reproductive health care center crossed a line,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Nelsen of the FBI Cleveland Field Office. “The FBI and our partners will continue to aggressively investigate FACE Act violations and protect every American’s access to reproductive health care services.”
A sentencing hearing will be scheduled for April 9, 2024. Durant faces a maximum penalty of one year in prison for the misdemeanor charge. A federal Magistrate Judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Cleveland Field Office, Toledo Resident Agency and Bowling Green Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Angelita Cruz Bridges and Wood County Prosecutor and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Dobson for the Northern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.
Anyone who has information about incidents of violence, threats and obstruction that target a patient or provider of reproductive health services or damage and destruction of reproductive health care facilities, should report that information to the FBI at https://tips.fbi.gov/.
Ohio Woman Pleads Guilty to Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act Violation for Damaging Pregnancy CenterRead the Press Release
An Ohio woman pleaded guilty today to a misdemeanor charge under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, which prohibits a person from intentionally damaging or destroying the property of a facility because that facility provides reproductive health services.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 15, Whitney M. Durant, aka Soren Monroe, 20, of Worthington, intentionally damaged the property of HerChoice, a pregnancy center located in Bowling Green, Ohio, by defacing the clinic’s building, spray painting the words, “LIARS,” “Fund Abortion,” “Abort God,” and “Jane’s Revenge.” Durant was a Bowling Green State University student at the time of the incident.
“Defacing facilities that provide reproductive health services will not be tolerated in our society,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to enforcing the FACE Act to protect all patients who seek reproductive health services and all persons and facilities that provide such services.”
“As reflected by today’s guilty plea, the United States will enforce federal laws that protect uninterrupted access to all clinics providing reproductive health services, whether they provide women with options that include abortion care or whether they solely encourage women to consider non-abortion alternatives,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “Here, the vandalized clinic did not provide abortion care, but that did not give the defendant license to deface the clinic’s property in protest, violating federal law in the process.”
“The First Amendment provides a constitutional right to peacefully protest, but Ms. Durant’s actions of defacing a reproductive health care center crossed a line,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Nelsen of the FBI Cleveland Field Office. “The FBI and our partners will continue to aggressively investigate FACE Act violations and protect every American’s access to reproductive health care services.”
A sentencing hearing will be scheduled for April 9, 2024. Durant faces a maximum penalty of one year in prison for the misdemeanor charge. A federal Magistrate Judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Cleveland Field Office, Toledo Resident Agency and Bowling Green Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Angelita Cruz Bridges and Wood County Prosecutor and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Dobson for the Northern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.
Anyone who has information about incidents of violence, threats and obstruction that target a patient or provider of reproductive health services or damage and destruction of reproductive health care facilities, should report that information to the FBI at www.tips.fbi.gov.
For more information about clinic violence, and the Justice Department ’s efforts to enforce FACE Act violations, please visit www.justice.gov/crt/national-task-force-violence-against-reproductive-health-care-providers.
Notice to Victims in United States v. Charles Edwards, Sonal Patel, and Murali VenkataRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Charles Edwards and Murali Venkata are charged in United States District Court for the District of Columbia case number 20-cr-66 and Sonal Patel is charged in case number 19-cr-81. Charles Edwards, Sonal Patel, and Murali Venkata, who were then employed at the Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General, engaged in an unlawful scheme to convert government property for private gain between October 2014 and April 2017. They stole valuable code and databases belonging to the government. Their plan was to use the stolen property to develop a commercial software product, which they intended to sell back to the government at a profit. They hired a software development company in India to build the purported commercial product. To facilitate the Indian developers’ work, they gave the developers access to vast amounts of sensitive information contained within the stolen databases, including law-enforcement records, information regarding witnesses and confidential informants, and the Personally Identifying Information (“PII”) of hundreds of thousands of government employees. Upon learning that he was under investigation, Venkata deleted incriminating text messages, call records, and emails in an effort to obstruct the investigation.
Sonal Patel and Charles Edwards both pled guilty and agreed to cooperate with the government. On April 4, 2019, Sonal Patel pled guilty pre-indictment to one count of conspiracy to commit theft of government property, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371. On March 5, 2020, a grand jury returned Indictment charging defendants Charles Edwards and Murali Venkata with conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371 (count one); theft of government property, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 641 & 2 (count two); wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1343 & 2 (counts three through eleven); and aggravated identity theft, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1028A & 2 (counts twelve through fifteen). The Indictment also charged Venkata with destruction of records, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1519 (count sixteen). On January 14, 2022, Charles Edwards pled guilty to count one and count two. Murali Venkata decided to go to trial, which began on March 28, 2022. On April 11, 2022, the jury returned a verdict finding Venkata guilty of all counts on which they deliberated: Counts one, two, eleven, thirteen, and sixteen. The Court subsequently dismissed counts twelve through fifteen.
Sentencing dates have now been scheduled for all three defendants. The sentencing for Murali Venkata is currently scheduled for January 4, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. EST. The sentencing for Charles Edwards is currently scheduled for January 12, 2024 at 9:00 a.m. EST. The sentencing for Sonal Patel is currently scheduled for January 26, 2024 at 9:00 a.m. EST. All of the sentencings will be held before Judge Randolph D. Moss in Courtroom 8 of the U.S. District Courthouse. The courthouse address is 333 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC, 20001.
If you believe you were a victim of Edwards, Patel, and Venkata’s unauthorized disclosure of PII, please find more information here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/us-v-edwardspatelvenkata.
New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Cars Stolen from Norfolk Southern RailyardRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – MATHEW MAYE, age 25, a resident of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on December 7, 2023 before U.S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey to two counts of possessing goods stolen from an interstate shipment, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 659.
According to court documents, on March 29, 2023, MAYE and others stole a 2023 Ford F-150 and 2023 Ford Bronco Sport Outer Banks, from the Norfolk Southern Automotive Distribution Facility. The cars were moving as part of an interstate shipment of freight and destined for Ford dealerships in Louisiana and Mississippi when MAYE and his accomplices stole them. During the following week, MAYE was seen on surveillance video driving the stolen F-150 and riding as a passenger in the stolen Bronco Sport.
As to each count of possessing the stolen cars, MAYE faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release and a 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 Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the Louisiana State Police, 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 Indicted for Federal Weapons OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that CHRIS ROBERTSON, JR., age 24, of New Orleans, was indicted on December 1, 2023, for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).
According to the indictment, ROBERTSON, JR. has previous convictions for possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number and attempted illegal carrying of weapons while in possession of a controlled substance.
If convicted, ROBERTSON, JR. faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
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. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
New Braunfels Man Indicted for Alleged Role in Multimillion-Dollar Firearm Trafficking SchemeRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A federal grand jury in San Antonio returned a superseding indictment charging a New Braunfels man with eight counts related to the smuggling of firearm parts into Mexico and a conspiracy to commit money laundering.
According to court documents, Chandler Britain Bradford, 34, allegedly engaged in a multimillion-dollar scheme to illegally provide thousands of semi-automatic rifles to a Mexican citizen who resided in the Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico area. Bradford is alleged to have supplied enough firearm parts to arm the recipient with approximately 4,800 semi-automatic rifles, despite not having a license to export firearm parts from the United States to Mexico. Court documents allege that Bradford provided his co-conspirator with the parts, tools, and counsel needed to facilitate a full firearm manufacturing enterprise in northern Mexico, and that Bradford received more than $3.5 million from his co-conspirator.
Bradford is charged with one count of conspiracy to smuggle goods from the United States; one count of conspiracy to traffic firearms; one count of conspiracy to transfer firearms for use in a felony; four counts of aiding and abetting the smuggling of goods from the United States; and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the case with assistance from the Department of Commerce Office of Export Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant U.S. Attorney William Calve is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Missoula woman admits felony for stealing U.S. Forest Service truckRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Missoula woman accused of stealing a $40,000 pickup truck from the U.S. Forest Service admitted to a theft crime today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Kasey Nichol Hugs, 39, pleaded guilty to theft of government property. Hugs faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. Sentencing was set for April 10, 2024 before U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Hugs was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that on Dec. 26, 2020, a white Dodge Ram 2500 crew cab pickup truck, valued at approximately $40,000, was stolen from the Missoula Forest Service Fire Sciences Laboratory. Surveillance footage showed a female, later determined to be Hugs, walking among the parked vehicles attempting to gain access to them. Hugs eventually opened the driver door of the Dodge and drove it off the lot. On Jan. 19, 2021, the truck was located on the side of Highway 200 in Lincoln. Law enforcement searched the vehicle and found documents bearing the name, Kasey Hugs, a gray backpack that Hugs appeared to be wearing the night she stole the truck and several receipts from Missoula businesses. Surveillance video on the dates and times listed on the receipts depicted Hugs at those businesses.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Karla E. Painter is prosecuting the case. The U.S. Forest Service and Missoula Police Department conducted the investigation.
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Man Indicted for Trafficking Methamphetamine, FentanylRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington - Today, Vanessa R. Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that a federal grand jury has indicted Charles Lee Dickerson on one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 Grams of Actual Methamphetamine and one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute 40 Grams of Fentanyl.
According to court documents, On November 20, 2023, Kalispel Tribal Police (KTP) Officers received a call from the Tribal Gaming Authority team monitoring surveillance cameras at Northern Quest Resort and Casino. The Tribal Gaming Authority team reported security camera video showing an alleged drug transaction between two people in two vehicles in the Casino Parking lot.
KTP Officers reviewed the video and observed a man, later identified as Charles Lee Dickerson, smoking off a foil while seated in the driver seat of a red Jeep Trackhawk. Officers also saw what appeared to be a hand-to-hand exchange between Dickerson and another man in the parking lot.
KTP Officers detained and read Dickerson his Miranda warnings which Dickerson confirmed he understood. Officers then asked for consent to search him for an ID and search a satchel he was wearing at the time of the stop. Officers found approximately 12 grams of cocaine. Dickerson also had 136 “skittles” (multi-colored pills suspected to contain fentanyl) in his pants pocket. Officers also found $18,000 in U.S. Currency in the satchel.
During questioning at the Spokane DEA District Office, Dickerson stated a man had given him a quantity of meth and 10,000 pills from Mexico and that it would be found in the Jeep Trackhawk. Agents searched the vehicle and found one pound of meth, thousands of multi-color pills believed to contain fentanyl, and a quantity of cocaine.
“Illegal drugs and fentanyl have become a scourge across the United States and especially in Native Communities. My office is committed to aggressively stopping, and bringing to justice, those who peddle this deadly poison in Indian country”, stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “I am grateful for our Tribal and law enforcement partners who work together to protect our communities and make them safer and stronger.”
This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Man Convicted of Firearms Trafficking SentencedRead the Press Release
Fort Worth man who trafficked firearms from Texas to California to convicted felons was sentenced today to 9 years in prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Justin Douangmala, 41, was charged via criminal complaint in July and pleaded guilty in August to conspiracy to traffick in firearms, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 933(a)(3). He was sentenced today to 9 years in federal prison.
Mr. Douangmala is among the first defendants in the Northern District of Texas to plead guilty to an offense outlined in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, signed into law by President Biden in June 2022.
According to court documents, during a search warrant at Mr. Douangmala’s residence several firearms and drugs were located in his Fort Worth residence. Cell phone conversations further revealed Mr. Douangmala and others discussing silencers and firearms. In one of those messages, an individual asked Mr. Douangmala to send him pictures of firearms he had access to (as seen in the image below). Mr. Douangmala admitted to sending multiple firearms from Texas to California to a convicted felon. At the sentencing hearing, it was shown that Mr. Douangmala was also receiving large quantities of drugs from this individual in California that he was trafficking the firearms to in exchange.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division and Fort Worth Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Levi Thomas prosecuted the case.
Madison Man Sentenced to 4 Years for Illegal Gun Possession & Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Messiah A. Fleming, 21, Madison, Wisconsin was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 48 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon and possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute. The prison term will be followed by 4 years of supervised release. Fleming pleaded guilty to these charges on September 1, 2023.
In October and November 2022, Fleming was intercepted over a wiretap speaking with a drug trafficker in Madison who was selling fentanyl pills which were designed to appear like commercially manufactured oxycodone pills. Fleming was often ordering hundreds of fentanyl pills at a time and believed to be distributing them in the Madison area.
On November 24, 2022, a Madison Police Department officer observed a vehicle parked at a grocery store in Madison shortly after midnight with non-matching registration plates. The officer made contact with the driver, Fleming. The officer could smell a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle and observed a large quantity of cash at Fleming’s feet. When asked to see paperwork for the vehicle, Fleming stepped out of the car and shut the door. When the officer attempted to detain Fleming over a fear he would run, Fleming physically resisted and ordered his brother, who was also in the car, to grab a bag and the keys and leave. His brother did so while Fleming struggled with the officers.
Once Fleming was detained, officers searched his car and found a loaded Glock 9mm handgun with an extended magazine and bullet in the chamber, in the glove box. Officers also found multiple unlabeled pill bottles containing the fentanyl pills and labeled as oxycodone, additional handgun magazines, and over $6,000 in cash. A forensic analyst later determined that Fleming’s DNA was on the Glock handgun.
At the time of these incidents, Fleming was on probation for a state case involving possession of a machine gun and possession of narcotic drugs. His probation was revoked and he was sentenced to one year in state prison.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson noted that Fleming received a significant break in his last case by receiving probation and immediately engaged in similar conduct resulting in the current federal case. He added that Fleming was dealing with a dangerous drug, fentanyl, as well as a dangerous weapon, a handgun with an extended magazine, and the sentence imposed was meant to protect the public from his conduct.
The charges against Fleming were the result of an investigation conducted by the Dane County Narcotics Task Force, Madison Police Department, United States Postal Inspection Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation. The Dane County District Attorney’s Office also provided assistance in the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department 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.
Kentucky Woman Sentenced to Two Years for Forgery of Federal Judge's SignatureRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On December 8, 2023, Sunshine Ann Miller, 44, currently of Whitley City, Kentucky, was sentenced to two years imprisonment by the Honorable Katheryn A. Crytzer, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville.
As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Miller agreed to plead guilty to an indictment charging her with forging the signature of a United States District Judge in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 505. Following her imprisonment, she will be on supervised release for two years.
According to court filed documents, in August 2019, Miller sought to extort money from an elderly, bedridden resident of Scott County, Tennessee. While serving as the victim’s caregiver, Miller provided him with a counterfeit federal warrant, upon which she had forged the signature of Pamela L. Reeves. Prior to her passing on September 10, 2020, Reeves had been a United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Tennessee.
Miller’s conviction was the result of an investigation by the Tennessee Highway Patrol, U.S. Secret Service, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. The investigation was led by Secret Service Task Force Officer Jonathan Scott.
Assistant United States Attorney Frank M. Dale, Jr. represented the United States.
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Jury Convicts Denver Man of Fentanyl, Meth Trafficking, Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Denver, Colorado, man has been convicted at trial for transporting fentanyl and methamphetamine through Kansas City, Mo., aboard a bus and for illegally possessing a firearm.
Ahmad Rashad Rhodes, 44, was found guilty on Thursday, Dec. 7, of one count of possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Officers with the Missouri Western Interdiction and Narcotics Task Force (MoWIN) were conducting interdiction activities at a Kansas City, Mo., bus station on March 20, 2023, when Rhodes arrived on a bus that originated in Los Angeles, California. As passengers disembarked, a police drug-sniffing dog alerted to the scent of illegal drugs in a suitcase in the undercarriage of the bus as well as a backpack in the passenger compartment of the bus. Officers determined both items belonged to Rhodes and contacted him.
After a brief struggle, Rhodes was taken into custody when he admitted to officers he had a gun in the crossbody bag he was wearing. Officers searched Rhodes and found a key chain in his coat with two metal pill holders attached; one pill holder contained 61 blue counterfeit oxycodone hydrochloride pills that contained fentanyl and the other contained 33 blue counterfeit oxycodone hydrochloride pills that contained fentanyl.
In the crossbody bag Rhodes was wearing, officers discovered 3,200 blue counterfeit oxycodone hydrochloride pills that contained fentanyl, a clear plastic baggie that contained 60 grams of methamphetamine, and a loaded Smith & Wesson .38-caliber pistol. Officers searched the rest of Rhodes’s luggage and found a digital scale, over 100 unused small, plastic baggies and marijuana.
Rhodes was taken into custody when he admitted to officers that he had a gun inside the fanny pack he was wearing. Officers searched Rhodes and found a key chain in his coat with two metal pill holders attached; one pill holder contained 61 blue counterfeit oxycodone hydrochloride pills that contained fentanyl and the other contained 33 blue counterfeit oxycodone hydrochloride pills that contained fentanyl.
Rhodes told officers he was enroute to Louisville, Kentucky, and was fleeing from Colorado due to a pending drug-trafficking case in which he was set to be sentenced.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Rhodes has eight prior felony convictions related to the use or trafficking of illegal drugs, including two convictions in Colorado for which he pled guilty and then failed to appear for sentencing, and a prior felony conviction for illegally possessing a firearm.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for less than an hour before returning guilty verdicts to U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough, ending a trial that began Wednesday, Dec. 6.
Under federal statutes, Rhodes is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing is scheduled on April 11, 2024.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan A. Baker and Gregg R. Coonrod. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Jefferson County Felon Sentenced to over 16 Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A Jefferson County man was sentenced yesterday to 16 years and 8 months in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm after having previously been convicted of a felony.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
Timothy Lewis, 53, was found guilty by a federal jury on March 13, 2023, for being a felon in possession of firearm. He was sentenced yesterday to 16 years and 8 months in federal prison, followed by a 5-year term of supervised release.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to evidence presented at trial, on June 25, 2018, Lewis illegally possessed a Smith & Wesson, Model M&P 40 PRO Series, .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol and ammunition. Lewis had previously been convicted of the following felonies.
On January 31, 2018, in Jefferson Circuit Court under case number 16-CR-2203, Lewis was convicted of burglary in the third degree, receiving stolen property under $10,000, theft by unlawful taking over $500, and tampering with physical evidence.
On July 29, 2015, in Jefferson Circuit Court under case number 14-CR-1604, Lewis was convicted of complicity to burglary in the second degree.
On September 7, 2012, in Jefferson Circuit Court under case number 12-CR-0775, Lewis was convicted of complicity to receiving stolen property under $10,000 and theft by unlawful taking (two counts).
On October 19, 2007, in Jefferson Circuit Court under case number 06-CR-3183, Lewis was convicted of receiving goods by fraud, burglary in the second degree (three counts), theft by unlawful taking over $300 (twelve counts), theft by unlawful taking over $300 – auto (two counts), receiving stolen property over $300 (three counts), receiving stolen property over $300 - vehicle, criminal possession of forged instrument in the second degree, fraudulent use of a credit card (three counts), tampering with physical evidence, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The case was investigated by the ATF and the Louisville Metro Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia P. Gomez prosecuted the case with the assistance of paralegal Julie Mason.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Inmate Sentenced to Prison for Possessing Weapon at FCI BeckleyRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Chase Higgins, 26, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Beckley, was sentenced today to one year in prison to run consecutively to his current prison term, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a weapon by an inmate at a federal prison.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 21, 2023, Higgins told an FCI Beckley staff member during a search of his person that he had a handcrafted weapon commonly known as a “shank” in his pants. The staff member found the shank in a leg of Higgins’ pants. The shank was a piece of plastic about six inches long, with one end sharpened to a point. Higgins admitted to possessing the shank, and further admitted that it was designed and intended to be used as a weapon.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-71.
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Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt:
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on Dec. 5 was:
Daniel Mark Miller, 60, of Tucson, Arizona, on charges of conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted of the most serious crime, Miller faces a mandatory minimum of five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release. Miller was detained pending further proceedings. The U.S. Postal Service and Billings Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-128.
Jamicca Yvonne West, aka Charlie, 24, of Tacoma, Washington, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin, possession with intent to distribute heroin, distribution of heroin and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. If convicted of the most serious crime, West faces a mandatory minimum of five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release on the drug charges and a mandatory five years to life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on the firearm charge. West was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-92.
Cole Two Moons, 24, of Lame Deer, on charges of assault resulting in serious bodily injury and strangulation. If convicted of the most serious crime, Two Moons faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Two Moons was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-126.
Appearing on a criminal complaint was:
Brent Michael Waller, 42, of Joliet, on charges of felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Waller faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Waller was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Carbon County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-160.
Paul Franklin, 41, of Billings, on charges of felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Franklin faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Franklin was detained pending further proceedings. Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 23-157.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Houston Man Charged with Making False StatementsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JIAQIN YE, age 28, a resident of Houston, Texas, was indicted on December 7, 2023, for making false statements to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) related to a government imposter scam.
According to the charging documents, YE traveled from Houston, Texas, to a residence in Covington, Louisiana, for the purpose of picking up approximately $34,500.00 from the victim of a government imposter scam. When YE arrived, he was arrested by the FBI and made false statements relating to his prior involvement in similar schemes.
YE faces up to five years in prison, up to $250,000 in fines, and up to three years of supervised release. There is also a $100 mandatory special assessment due after conviction. U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
For more information on how to prevent being the victim of fraud, please visit the Federal Trade Commission website at https://www.ftc.gov/. You can also report internet crime on the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center website found at https://www.ic3.gov/.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the FBI in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Former San Francisco Department of Building Inspection Engineer Pleads Guilty to Honest Services Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO - Rodolfo “Rudy” Pada pleaded guilty in federal court in San Francisco today to participating in an honest services fraud conspiracy, announced Criminal Division Deputy Chief Matthew Yelovich and FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp. The plea was accepted by the Hon. Susan Illston, U.S. District Judge.
In pleading guilty, Pada, 68 of Millbrae, CA, admitted that he accepted bribes from individuals seeking building and construction permits from the San Francisco Department of Building Inspection. Pada worked as a plan checker at DBI from 1984 to September 2017, reviewing and approving construction plans and providing builders with the permits necessary for residential and commercial construction projects in San Francisco.
According to the plea agreement, the bribes to Pada, which began in 2003 and continued until September 2017, consisted of cash, free meals, drinks, and other benefits, paid by executives at a construction planning and design firm. Pada accepted the bribes in return for expediting and approving permits for their building and construction plans. In addition, Pada solicited and accepted an interest-free $85,000 loan facilitated by one of the executives.
DBI is a regulatory city agency in San Francisco responsible for overseeing enforcement of building, electrical, plumbing, and housing codes for the City of San Francisco’s more than 200,000 commercial and residential buildings. Contractors and builders submit construction plans to DBI for approval and permitting; the plans are required to be reviewed and approved by DBI to insure that the proposed construction and building meets city codes and regulations.
Pada, was initially charged by a criminal complaint in May 2022. On Nov. 3, 2023, Pada was charged by Information with one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349. Under the plea agreement, Pada pleaded guilty to the single count in the Information.
Judge Illston scheduled Pada’s sentencing hearing for March 29, 2024. The maximum statutory penalty is 20 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. However, any sentence will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Ward is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Aarian Beiti. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Former Lumentum Executive Sentenced to 24 Months for Insider TradingRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that AMIT BHARDWAJ, the former Chief Information Security Officer at Lumentum Holdings Inc. (“Lumentum”), was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gregory H. Woods to 24 months in prison for his participation in a scheme to commit insider trading based on material, non-public information (“MNPI”) that BHARDWAJ misappropriated from his employer, Lumentum. BHARDWAJ previously pled guilty to 13 counts relating to the insider trading scheme.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Amit Bhardwaj violated the trust placed in him by his employer by tipping his associates with valuable, non-public information regarding Lumentum’s planned corporate acquisitions. Today’s sentence should serve as a stark reminder to corporate executives regularly entrusted with confidential business information that if you try to illegally profit from this information, you will pay a stiff price.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment and statements made in public court proceedings:
In approximately December 2020, BHARDWAJ learned that Lumentum was considering acquiring Coherent, Inc (“Coherent”). Based on this information, BHARDWAJ purchased Coherent stock and call options, then tipped three associates –– his friend Dhirenkumar Patel, another friend, and one of BHARDWAJ’s close family relatives –– and these individuals all traded in Coherent securities as a result. BHARDWAJ and Patel agreed that Patel would pay BHARDWAJ 50% of the profits that Patel earned by trading in Coherent based on the MNPI provided by BHARDWAJ. When Coherent’s stock price increased substantially following the announcement of the Lumentum acquisition, BHARDWAJ, his close family member, his friend Patel, and another friend closed their positions in Coherent securities and collectively profited by nearly $900,000.
In or about October 2021, BHARDWAJ learned that Lumentum was engaged in confidential discussions with Neophotonics Corporation (“Neophotonics”) about a potential acquisition. BHARDWAJ provided this information to Srinivasa Kakkera, Abbas Saeedi, and Ramesh Chitor, and these individuals all subsequently traded in Neophotonics securities. In connection with Chitor’s trading, BHARDWAJ and Chitor agreed that Chitor and BHARDWAJ would split the profits equally. When Neophotonics’s stock price increased substantially following the announcement of the Lumentum acquisition in November 2021, Kakkera, Saeedi, and Chitor closed their positions in Neophotonics securities and collectively made approximately $4.3 million in realized and unrealized profits.
After they were interviewed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) voluntarily and served with federal grand jury subpoenas on approximately March 29, 2022, BHARDWAJ took steps to obstruct the federal investigation of their conduct. On the day of the March 29, 2022, FBI interviews, BHARDWAJ drove to the homes of certain of his co-conspirators to encourage them not to tell the federal authorities the truth about their insider trading scheme. BHARDWAJ and his associates subsequently met in person on multiple occasions and discussed, among other things, potential false stories that would conceal their insider trading scheme. They also created false documents to buttress lies regarding payments that were, in reality, related to the insider trading scheme.
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In addition to the prison sentence, BHARDWAJ, 49, of San Ramon, California, was ordered to forfeit $547,286 and pay a fine of $975,000.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the FBI. He also acknowledged the assistance of the Securities and Exchange Commission, which separately initiated civil proceedings against BHARDWAJ.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Hobson and Noah Solowiejczyk are in charge of the prosecution.
Florida Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Carrollwood Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung has sentenced John Kennedy Braun (51, Brandon) to 20 years in federal prison for robbing a bank in the Carrollwood neighborhood of Tampa, Florida. Braun’s co-defendant, Timothy Paul Longworth (44, Tampa), was previously sentenced to 6 years and 8 months in federal prison for his role in the bank robbery.
According to statements made in court, on the morning of August 8, 2022, Longworth entered a bank in Carrollwood, jumped over the teller’s counter, and demanded cash. While doing so, Longworth carried a black airsoft pistol. Longworth left the bank with $4,172 in cash and proceeded to a shopping center where Braun was waiting to pick him up. In addition to serving as the getaway driver, Braun had cased other banks with Longworth, assisted in planning the escape route, and helped to hide evidence of the bank robbery. Braun had previously been convicted of robbing two banks in Indiana.
This case was investigated by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David P. Sullivan.
First of two defendants sentenced to prison for Christmas Day 2022 attack on power substationsRead the Press Release
Tacoma – One of two Pierce County men who vandalized electrical substations as part of a burglary scheme, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma, to 18 months in prison, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Jeremy Crahan, 40, pleaded guilty in September 2023, admitting he joined co-defendant Matthew Greenwood in a conspiracy to knock out power so they could rob ATM machines. At the sentencing hearing Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo said, “Power stations are a key part of our community, and they are key infrastructure. Our reliance on this infrastructure cannot be overstated, especially in the dead of winter. . . Causing damage to key infrastructure is not tolerable.”
“These defendants launched a scheme that left thousands of people in the cold and dark in the middle of winter, A scheme that was dangerous – for them and for the workers that had to make repairs to the high voltage equipment,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. “Their motivation was greed – but all they got was a small amount of money from a restaurant cash register while doing more than $235,000 in damage.”
According to the facts in the plea agreement, Greenwood and Crahan hatched the scheme to disrupt power so they could break into ATMs and businesses and steal money. On December 25, 2022, they damaged four substations:
- Hemlock Substation in Puyallup, Washington, owned by Puget Sound Energy. Here, the two cut through a fence and Greenwood manipulated a switch damaging equipment and cutting power for 8,000 customers.
- Elk Plain substation in Spanaway, Washington, owned by Tacoma Power. The men cut padlocks on the gate and Greenwood manipulated breakers to damage equipment and cause an outage.
- Graham substation in Graham, Washington, operated by Tacoma Power. The men cut through a perimeter fence and Greenwood manipulated a switch to damage equipment. This outage, combined with the Elk Plain substation outage, caused more than 7,500 customers to lose power.
- Kapowsin Substation in Graham, Washington, operated by Puget Sound Energy. The men cut through a fence and Greenwood tampered with a switch causing sparks, flame, and a power outage.
Crahan shared in the planning and primarily served as a lookout during the attacks on the substations.
Following the December 25, 2022, substation vandalism, the men spent time looking for additional ways to cause power outages by felling trees. The goal was to cut power so that they could burglarize businesses and steal from ATMs. Law enforcement arrested them before they could put the tree plan into action.
Matthew Greenwood has pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced in January 2024.
The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), the Tacoma Police Department, the Washington State Department of Corrections, and the Federal Protective Service.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg.
Federal inmate convicted in death of inmateRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Stephen C. Crawford, age 44, a federal inmate formerly housed at United States Penitentiary Hazleton, was found guilty of the death of a fellow inmate.
After a five-day trial, a jury found Crawford guilty of voluntary manslaughter, assault with a dangerous weapon, and assault resulting in serious bodily harm. According to court documents and statements made in court, Crawford used a prison-made weapon to stab another inmate multiple times. The inmate later died of his injuries.
Crawford faces up to 15 more years in federal prison for the manslaughter charge and faces up to 10 years for each of the assault charges. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Flower and Andrew Cogar prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Federal Jury Finds Minneapolis Man Guilty of Receipt, Distribution, and Access with Intent to View Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A federal jury found a Minneapolis man guilty of receipt, distribution, and access with intent to view child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to the evidence presented at trial, beginning on or about August 2, 2020, through January 25, 2022, Michael Francis Hamer, 56, knowingly and frequently obtained, distributed, and accessed child pornography online. On multiple occasions, he used Facebook and Gmail to directly message self-identified minor victims, some as young as 11 years old, to request and distribute images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of minors. Hamer also joined Facebook Messenger group chats that were named “Boys sex video,” “Kids Video Sex,” and “#Good Boy?,” among others, to solicit and access child sexual abuse images.
Hamer was previously convicted in Minnesota state court for solicitation of a child to engage in sexual conduct. Hamer admitted to possessing child pornography during his 2012 conviction.
Following a two-day trial before Judge Katherine M. Menendez in U.S. District Court, Hamer was found guilty yesterday on one count of receipt of child pornography, one count of distribution of child pornography, and two counts of access with intent to view child pornography. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, with assistance from the Minneapolis Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations. It was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Hillary A. Taylor and Emily A. Polachek tried this case.