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Thursday 26 October 2023
Federal Jury Finds Hartford Man Guilty of Gun OffenseRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal jury in Hartford has found DENROY FABLE, 40, of Hartford, guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. The trial before U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams began on October 23 and the jury returned its verdict this afternoon.
According to the evidence presented during the trial, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force and Hartford Police Department conducted an investigation of a business located at 136 Barbour Street in Hartford that was suspected of trafficking narcotics. The business, a purported clothing store, had an awning that read “The HOLE Ex-Con 360 the movement.” In October 2022, investigators made two controlled drug purchases of marijuana from the store.
On October 5, 2022, Fable and others were in the store when investigators conducted a court-authorized search of the store and seized quantities of suspected crack cocaine, psychedelic mushrooms, cocaine, marijuana, heroin, synthetic opioid pills, fentanyl pills disguised as oxycodone, MDMA, drug packaging and processing materials, U.S. currency, and five handguns. One of the handguns seized, a loaded .380 semiautomatic pistol, was found in a pocket of Fable’s jacket that was hanging on a shelf. Subsequent forensic testing of the firearm revealed the presence of Fable’s DNA.
Fable’s criminal history in state convictions for criminal possession of a firearm, and carrying a pistol without a permit, and federal convictions for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and crack. In March 2019, Fable was sentenced in New Haven federal court to 37 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release. He was released from prison in August 2020, and was on supervised release when he possessed the firearm in October 2022.
At sentencing, which is not scheduled, Fable faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years. He also faces additional penalties for violating the conditions of his supervised release.
Fable has been detained since October 5, 2022.
This investigation has been conducted by the DEA’s Hartford Task Force and the Hartford Police Department, with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory. The DEA Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, Windsor Locks and Willimantic Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys A. Reed Durham and Brendan J. Keefe.
Federal Jury Convicts Fort Towson Resident of MurderRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Thomas Raymond Phillips, III, age 36, of Fort Towson, Oklahoma, was found guilty by a federal jury of one count of First Degree Murder in Indian Country, one count of Use, Carry, Brandish, and Discharge of a Firearm During and In Relation to a Crime of Violence, and one count of Causing the Death of a Person in the Course of a Violation of Title 18 U.S.C. § 924(c).
The jury trial began with testimony on October 23, 2023, and concluded on October 25, 2023, with the guilty verdicts.
During the trial, the United States presented evidence that on the evening of December 19, 2020, Phillips fired multiple shots into a Fort Towson bar after being ejected by management for instigating a fight. One bullet struck a patron, killing the victim on the scene. The crime occurred in Choctaw County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The guilty verdicts were the result of an investigation by the Choctaw County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Honorable John F. Heil, U.S. District in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the trial in Muskogee, Oklahoma, and ordered the completion of a presentence report. The sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. The defendant will remain in custody of the United States Marshal until sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorneys Dean Burris and Cameron McEwen represented the United States.
Farmington Hills Psychotherapy Clinic Owner Sentenced for Health Care Fraud Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
DETROIT - A Farmington Hills clinic owner was sentenced to 7 years and 6 months in federal prison after having pleaded guilty to health care fraud and money laundering charges, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Joining Ison in the announcement were Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan, and Mario Pinto, Special Agent-In-Charge, United States Department of Health, and Human Services – Office of Inspector General.
Sentenced was Mohamed Kazkaz, 54. Kazkaz was sentenced before United States District Judge Gershwin A. Drain in Detroit. Kazkaz was also ordered to forfeit approximately $5.3 million as the gross proceeds of his unlawful conduct.
During his plea, Kazkaz admitted he owned and controlled Centre HRW, a purported psychotherapy agency in Farmington Hills, Michigan for the purpose of submitting false and fraudulent claims to Medicare, seeking reimbursement for psychotherapy services that were not provided or were otherwise not eligible for reimbursement and whose Medicare identification numbers were procured through kickbacks and bribes.
Kazkaz offered and provided kickbacks and bribes to Ziad Khalel, and others, as an inducement to refer Medicare beneficiaries to Centre for psychotherapy services, even though such services were medically unnecessary and were never rendered. Khalel would require the recruited Medicare beneficiaries to sign blank Centre sign-in sheets. Kazkaz and others, completed the sheets as if the patients had been provided psychotherapy services and relied upon them to support his fraudulent claims to Medicare, through Centre, for psychotherapy services that were never rendered.
In furtherance of the scheme, Kazkaz instructed employees to obtain information regarding the Medicare beneficiaries legitimate medical visits and or treatments to ensure Kazkaz did not submit a fraudulent claim for a psychotherapy appointment on the same date the beneficiary had a legitimate appointment with another medical provider.
Kazkaz admitted he submitted or caused the submission of approximately $11 million dollars in fraudulent claims to Medicare, and Medicare paid approximately $5.3 million dollars to Kazkaz as a result of the fraudulent submissions.
In furtherance of the conspiracy, Kazkaz would transfer the proceeds of the health care fraud scheme to various entities in an effort to conceal the proceeds. Specifically, on January 21, 2023, after his arraignment in this case, he transferred approximately $1,445,000 in a cashier’s check issued by a financial institution located in the Eastern District of Michigan to National Restaurant Chain #1 knowing the source of these funds was criminal proceeds from the health care fraud scheme.
“The actions of this defendant undermine the trust we place in our health care providers,” said United States Attorney Ison. “We hope this prosecution sends a message that we will aggressively seek to hold individuals accountable who steal from federally funded programs, such as Medicare, which are meant to help those in need.”
“Medical providers and others who unlawfully benefit from the payment of kickbacks in exchange for patient referrals, as well as bill our federal health care programs for medically unnecessary and non-rendered services, waste valuable taxpayer dollars and erode the trust that we place in these individuals,” said Mario M. Pinto, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to identify and investigate those who defraud our federal health care system.”
"Whenever the integrity of our health care programs is compromised, it erodes the trust that patients place in providers and puts everyone at risk,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. "Health care fraud is not a victimless crime. Whenever false claims are submitted to our federal health care programs, everyone bears the cost through potentially higher insurance premiums, out-of-pocket expenses, and even reduced or lost benefits. The FBI remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those who attempt to personally profit through these false claims and money laundering schemes are held accountable.”
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Regina R. McCullough and Philip A. Ross. Assistant United States Attorney K. Craig Welkener, of the Money Laundering & Asset Recovery Unit is handling related forfeiture matters. The investigation is being conducted jointly by the FBI and HHS-OIG.
Essex County Man Sentenced to 330 Months in Prison for Gunpoint Robbery of East Orange Cell Phone StoreRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man was sentenced to 330 months in prison for his role in a January 2021 gunpoint robbery of a cell phone store in East Orange, New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Kenneth Graham, 50, of Newark, was convicted of one count of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Graham was convicted following a one-week trial before Senior U.S. District Court Judge William J. Martini, who imposed the sentence on Oct. 25, 2023, in Newark federal court.
According to court documents and the evidence presented at trial:
On Jan. 18, 2021, Graham was in the cell phone store when he pulled out a gun and pointed it at a store employee. He ordered the employee to place several cell phones from the display case and cash from the register into a bag. Video surveillance footage near the store showed Graham enter a black Nissan Altima after the robbery and drive away. A witness confirmed that Graham was the person entering the Nissan Altima after robbing the store.
Historical cell phone records indicate that Graham’s cellular telephone was in East Orange near the store around the time of the robbery, and photographs on Graham’s cell phone showed Graham wearing a sweatshirt with a distinct logo. In the video surveillance footage from the robbery, Graham wore that same sweatshirt.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Martini sentenced Graham to five years of supervised release and ordered him to pay restitution of $2,773.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and task force officers of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, and members of the East Orange Police Department, under the direction of Chief Phyllis Bindi, with the investigation leading to the sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Levin and Jennifer S. Kozar of the Criminal Division in Newark.
Essex County Man Sentenced to 27 Months in Prison for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Wire Fraud in Connection with Romance ScamRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man was sentenced to 27 months in prison for conspiring to commit wire fraud and wire fraud in connection with an online romance scam, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Mahmoud Bowler, 40, of Newark, was convicted on April 13, 2023, of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud following a four-day trial before U.S. Circuit Court Judge Joseph A. Greenaway Jr., sitting by designation to hold a District Court trial within the Circuit. U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti imposed the sentence on Oct. 24, 2023, in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence presented at trial:
From February 2015 through June 2019, Bowler and a conspirator participated in an online romance scheme. Bowler’s conspirator created a fraudulent profile on an online dating site and then pretended to strike up a romantic relationship with a woman living in Florida. In the online profile, Bowler’s conspirator falsely represented that he, and a company he owned, had been awarded multimillion-dollar oil contract. After establishing a virtual romantic relationship with the victim, the conspirator repeatedly solicited alleged loans from the victim, claiming that he could not access his own accounts because a foreign government had frozen his assets.
From April 2018 to September 2018, the victim was directed to wire money to Bowler’s bank account on four separate occasions. After receiving the funds, Bowler withdrew a portion of the funds in cash, sent money to other individuals in Ghana through a money remitter, and wired some of the money to family members in Ghana.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Martinotti sentenced Bowler to three years of supervised release and ordered restitution of $44,821.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, Newark Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy; detectives from the New York City Police Department Intelligence and Counterterrorism Unit, under the direction of Chief Thomas Galati; detectives from the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens; and detectives from the Port Authority Police Department, under the direction of Superintendent of Police, Edward Cetnar, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas S. Kearney of the Special Prosecutions Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dong Joo Lee of the Criminal Division.
Eastern Shore Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Federal Prison for Stealing More Than $1.8 Million from a Salisbury CorporationRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Duane G. Larmore, age 48, of Salisbury, Maryland, yesterday to 30 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for a wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft in connection with the theft of more than $1.8 million from Shore Appliance Connection, where Larmore worked. Judge Chasanow also ordered Larmore to pay restitution in the full amount of the victims’ losses, which the parties stipulate is $1,850,488.94.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
According to his plea agreement, from mid-September 2016 through about March 2020, Larmore conspired with others to steal more than $1.8 million from a Salisbury, Maryland company, Shore Appliance Connection, owned and operated by Owner #1 and Owner #2, that sold household appliances as well as mattresses and bedding. Larmore was an employee at Shore Appliance whose duties included maintaining the books and records for the company.
Co-defendant Stephen Franklin was the chief operating officer of Accurate Optical, a chain of optometric shops on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and with the owners of Accurate Optical he also purchased East Coast Optometric, a chain of South Carolina optical shops. Larmore and Franklin met through the Salisbury Chamber of Commerce and became friendly.
According to court documents, Larmore and Franklin stole nearly $2 million from Shore Appliance to use for their own purposes, including to make investments and to pay business expenses for Franklin’s business, without the knowledge and consent of the owners of Shore Appliance. For example, at the urging of Franklin, Larmore invested in the following: in 2016, a $100,000 investment with T.H.; a $95,000 investment with GenFinance II, PLC, London, U.K., which then required an additional $300,000, and then additional funds for a surety bond and travel abroad; in 2018, an investment through W.S. of $35,000 and an investment of $50,000 through Gateway Capital; and in 2019 - 2020, investments and expenses through I.P. and E.P.S. to obtain U.S. currency purportedly returned to the United States from humanitarian relief projects abroad, and other similar investments. The charges included wire transfers from Shore Appliance’s account to Franklin’s business account and from there to banks in the U.K. and Hong Kong. No investment paid any return to Larmore or Franklin.
To conceal how much money had been removed from Shore Appliance and to obtain cash, Larmore used the identities of the owners to enter into factoring contracts. Factoring is a means by which businesses, like Shore Appliance, can obtain cash quickly by leveraging accounts receivable. As detailed in court documents, the factoring contracts purportedly between Shore Appliance and various factoring companies, provided cash deposits to Shore Appliance's bank accounts but encumbered the accounts receivable of Shore Appliance and required payments and interest of more than $725,000. In addition, Larmore used his position of trust with Shore Appliance and signature authority over its bank accounts to draw on Shore Appliance’s lines of credit with two separate financial institutions to obtain another $200,000 in cash to conceal his use of Shore Appliance’s funds.
To obtain contracts with factoring companies for Shore Appliance, Larmore used his own email address and cell phone number with factors but identified that email address and cell phone number as belonging to Owner #1. Larmore also provided the factors with details of the owners’ identities, including dates of birth, Social Security numbers, and Maryland drivers’ licenses, without their permission.
To conceal the fact that the owners were not aware of and had not approved the factoring contracts, the signatures of the owners were forged and the fraudulent signatures were witnessed or notarized by Franklin; and Larmore and a female employee of Franklin’s posed as the owners in telephone conversations with representatives of the factoring companies. Finally, when Franklin’s business was having financial difficulties, at Franklin’s request, Larmore provided funds from Shore Appliance for Franklin’s companies.
In all, Larmore paid $739,295.28 of Shore Appliance’s funds, without the officers and owners’ knowledge or consent, to invest in fraudulent schemes that never paid any money back. Larmore caused an additional loss of $171,548.67 by transferring funds to Franklin or Franklin’s companies. Larmore caused Shore Appliance to lose an additional $731,250.07 in fees and other payments to factors and to factoring brokers. Larmore also caused Shore Appliance to draw on its bank lines of credit and pay extra interest to those banks in the amount $208,395. Thus, the factoring arrangements and advances on Shore Appliance’s lines of credit in total caused Shore Appliance to lose in actual funds $939,645. However, Shore Appliance as of March 2020 still owed the factors almost $270,000. For all of Larmore’s conduct, actual cash losses to Shore Appliance totaled $1,850,488.94 and intended losses totaled $2,137,674.74.
On September 7, 2023, Judge Chasanow sentenced Stephen Franklin, age 54, of Salisbury, Maryland, to 66 months in federal prison on the same charges and also ordered him to pay restitution in the full amount of the victims’ losses.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI for its work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Evelyn Lombardo Cusson, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach. For more information about resources available to report fraud, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
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District Man Pleads Guilty to Series of Armed Robberies of Businesses in the Adams Morgan NeighborhoodRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Tarik Laghrib, 44, of Northwest Washington D.C., pleaded guilty today to multiple violent crime offenses arising from a series of armed and unarmed robberies and burglaries that targeted small businesses in the District’s Adams Morgan neighborhood in January and February of 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
According to court documents, MPD officers arrested Laghrib in the early hours of Feb. 19, 2023, hours after he assaulted and robbed a clerk at Metro Wine & Spirits on the 1700 block of Columbia Rd. Police tracked Laghrib to a nearby apartment building. Officers apprehended Laghrib when he later emerged with a bottle of stolen liquor. Police had been investigating several other burglaries and robberies in the community that had begun in January 2023. As a result of the investigation, police and prosecutors linked Laghrib to that crime spree, which ended with Laghrib’s arrest and pre-trial detention.
As part of his plea agreement, Laghrib admitted in D.C. Superior Court to the armed robbery of the liquor store and also admitted to an assault and second-degree theft at the Chocolate House on 18th Street on Feb. 2, 2023. In addition, he admitted that he returned to the Chocolate House the next day and robbed its owner. Minutes after that robbery, Laghrib proceeded to the Cosmo Nail Bar where he committed another robbery.
Superior Court Judge Jason Park scheduled sentencing for Jan. 12, 2024. Laghrib faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of $75,000 for the armed robbery count, and an additional 15 years in prison and $37,500 fine for each of the additional robbery counts.
This case was investigated by the MPD’s Third District Detectives Unit and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Wes Faulkner, Jr. and Joshua Hall.
Disbarred attorney arrested on charges related to using false identity to obtain jobs at law firmsRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A disbarred attorney who previously practiced law in the Cincinnati area was arrested today by federal agents for allegedly using a false identity to obtain employment with at least three law firms.
Richard Louis Crosby III, 36, of Mason, Ohio, is charged by criminal complaint with wire fraud, Social Security number fraud and aggravated identity theft.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, the Cincinnati Bar Association filed a complaint against Crosby in November 2020. In April 2021, he indicated his intent to resign from the practice of law.
In both June and November 2021, Crosby was indicted and charged in Hamilton County with crimes related to stealing client funds. After his indictments, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio entered an order disbarring Crosby.
In May 2022, Crosby was arrested in both of his Hamilton County cases. He was sentenced to probation in both cases in June 2023.
According to the federal charging document filed on Oct. 24, while Crosby’s local cases were pending, he created an email account using “richardcwilliamsesq.” Crosby used the email address and the alias Richard Williams to communicate with a law firm in Washington D.C. in June 2021. The firm briefly employed Williams.
In September 2022 – at which point Crosby had been disbarred in Ohio and arrested on the Hamilton County charges – Crosby used his alias to apply for an attorney position with a law firm based in Miami, Florida. Crosby met with a recruiter via Zoom, and represented himself as Richard Williams, a licensed attorney admitted to the bar in New York and D.C.
It is alleged Crosby then met with one of the firm’s hiring managers in Florida and was ultimately offered employment in October 2022. His starting salary was $185,000 per year with a $5,000 signing bonus. Crosby allegedly used another individual’s Social Security number, passport number and banking information to complete his onboarding paperwork at the law firm.
In April 2023, the firm received an inquiry from an investigator with the Clermont County Child Support Enforcement Office, making the firm aware of Crosby’s true identity. He was subsequently fired.
In July 2023, Crosby again used the alias to attempt to obtain employment. He allegedly interviewed over Zoom with senior management of a law firm located in Coral Gables, Florida. It is alleged that Crosby doctored a “screen shot” of the name Richard Coleman Williams Jr. in the online D.C. bar membership directory to attach with his resume.
The firm offered Crosby a starting salary of $195,000 per year with a $10,000 signing bonus, but eventually determined Crosby was using a false identity and did not hire him.
Crosby was arrested this morning in Mason and will make his initial appearance in federal court in Cincinnati at 1:30pm.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio announced the charges. The case is being investigated by the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office, Clermont County Department of Job and Family Services, United States Marshals Service, and Diplomatic Security Service. Special Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Landry is representing the United States in this case.
A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
If you have information related to this alleged conduct, please contact the Social Security OIG tip line at 1-800-269-0271.
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Diamond Bar Man Pleads Guilty to a Civil Rights Charge for Driving His Car into a Crowd of Demonstrators at a ‘Stop Asian Hate’ RallyRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Diamond Bar man pled guilty today to a federal criminal civil rights charge for disrupting a “Stop Asian Hate” rally in March 2021 by running a red light and driving through a crowded crosswalk of peaceful demonstrators while shouting racial slurs and epithets.
On the third day of trial, Steve Lee Dominguez, 57, pleaded guilty to one felony count of bias-motivated interference with federally protected activities.
“The right to political expression is a bedrock principle of this nation,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Mr. Dominguez’s decision to attack a peaceful rally meant to raise awareness of anti-Asian hate was both unlawful and un-American. My Office will remain steadfast in our commitment to safeguard civil rights against those who would seek to undermine our constitutional rights.”
“The FBI safeguards the civil rights of all Americans, including the constitutionally protected right of free speech, but that right ends where violence begins,” said Donald Alway, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “We will continue to work with our partners to address these types of violations, where individuals who were simply calling for an end to violence were senselessly attacked.”
“Hate has no place within Los Angeles County, and those that commit acts of hate and interfere with the civil rights of others will be held accountable,” said Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna. “The Sheriff’s Department is focused on combatting hate crimes and hate incidents in our diverse communities and increasing our outreach efforts to better understand the needs of the victims and educate the public on how to report such crimes.”
According to a plea agreement filed in federal court, a “Stop Asian Hate” rally occurred on March 21, 2021 in Diamond Bar. The rally was to raise awareness about the increase in hate crimes and hate incidents against members of the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community both locally and nationally – including the murders of six Asian American women five days earlier in Atlanta.
A group of rally participants assembled at the intersection of Diamond Bar Boulevard and Grand Avenue, carrying American flags and large signs in support of their cause. The demonstrators peacefully gathered and lawfully crossed the streets using the marked pedestrian crosswalk when they had the right of way.
During the rally, Dominguez was driving a black Honda Civic sedan and was stopped at a red light at the intersection. Dominguez yelled, “Go back to China!” and other racial slurs and profanities at the demonstrators. He then deliberately drove his car through the intersection’s crosswalk at the red light, made an illegal U-turn into oncoming traffic, and cut off the route of several rally participants lawfully crossing the street, primarily women and a young child.
One of the victims was an Asian woman carrying a sign that read, “Stop Asian Hate.” Another victim was a minor Black female rally participant who carried a sign that read, “End the Violence Against Asians.” Another person who was cut off in the crosswalk was a 9-year-old child, and Dominguez’s car narrowly missed her and other victims. No injuries were reported.
Dominguez then pulled his car over, got out of the car and continued to yell racial epithets – including the n-word – and threats at the demonstrators. He then called the police, identified himself as “John Doe” and falsely reported to police that the rally participants were blocking the street and he had to run a red light “because they were about to trample my car,” according to evidence presented at trial. He also requested that police “get some control out” at the intersection.
United States District Judge Otis D. Wright II scheduled a May 6, 2024 sentencing hearing, at which time Dominguez will face up to one year in prison pursuant to the terms of the plea agreement. Dominguez has remained free on a $30,000 bond since his initial arrest in May 2022 and will remain on bond until sentencing.
The FBI investigated this matter. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department initially responded to the scene and assisted in this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Frances S. Lewis of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section and Suria M. Bahadue of the Criminal Appeals Section are prosecuting this case.
Any member of the public who has information related to this incident or other hate crimes is encouraged to call the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office at (310) 477-6565 or report tips online at https://tips.fbi.gov.
Detroit Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison for Three Violent CarjackingsRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A Detroit man was sentenced today to 9 years in federal prison following his convictions for two attempted carjackings and one completed carjacking— including one where he fired an assault rifle at a teenager.
United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced the sentencing today and was joined in the announcement Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According to court records, Gregory Horsley, 20, of Detroit, Michigan, committed the carjackings on May 14, 2021, in Beverly Hills, Michigan. During each offense, Horsley targeted strangers who were inside their vehicles near the intersection of Thirteen Mile Road and Evergreen. In the first carjacking, Horsley approached the 16-year-old victim as he was seated in his car. Horsley pulled out a loaded assault rifle and pointed it at the driver. As the teenager drove off, Horsley fired his weapon, striking the vehicle.
Horsley next approached a vehicle driven by a woman. Horsley brandished his firearm and ordered her out of the car. The victim fled the driver’s seat and Horsley entered her car. But he could not drive away because the victim had the key fob in her pocket.
Horsley exited that vehicle and approached a third driver. Horsley pointed his firearm at the male driver and ordered him out of the car. The driver complied. Horsley then took the keys and drove off in the car. The carjacked vehicle was found a few days later. Horsley was identified by surveillance video and taken into custody at his home in Detroit.
“Those who seek to prey on motorists going about their business will continue to have our full attention, and we will not hesitate to pursue federal prosecution and significant penalties at our disposal,” stated U.S. Attorney Ison.
“The FBI is committed to leveraging its assets in collaboration with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to keep our communities safe from gun violence,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “We are proud of the cooperative work done by the FBI Oakland County Gang and Violent Crime Task Force. Michigan residents deserve to live in a state free from violent crime – we continue to request the public’s assistance to help us in this mission by reporting any suspicious or violent behavior to 1-800-CALLFBI (1-800-225-5324) or submitting tips online to http://tips.fbi.gov.”
The case was investigated by special agents of the FBI, the Beverly Hills Police Department, the Southfield Police Department, the Detroit Police Department, and handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Jeanine Brunson and Michael Taylor.
Detroit Man Pleads Guilty to Violating Coast Guard Order to Cease Illegal Charter OperationsRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A Detroit man pleaded guilty yesterday to a felony charge of willfully and knowingly violating the terms of a United States Coast Guard Order to cease all commercial operation of his pleasure boat until properly licensed and inspected, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Ison was joined in the announcement by United States Coast Guard Captain Richard P. Armstrong, Captain of the Port, Detroit, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Josh Packer of the Coast Guard Investigative Service Central Field Office.
Benjamin Michael Jones, 39, entered his guilty plea this afternoon, before United States District Judge Judith E. Levy.
According to court records, in June of 2021, the Coast Guard issued a Captain of the Port Order to Jones, ordering him to cease all commercial operations until fully compliant with the applicable laws and regulations for carrying passengers for hire. On or about August 10, 2021, Jones willfully and knowingly violated the terms of that Order by operating his 40’ boat, known as “PWR TOWER,” on Lake St. Clair, while carrying passengers for hire, and without having complied with the applicable Coast Guard licensing regulations and inspection requirements. During that illegal voyage, the “PWR TOWER” caught fire with its passengers on board. Jones’s passengers were rescued, and the “PWR TOWER” was towed to shore by the Coast Guard.
“The maritime laws and regulations are designed to ensure that the commercial operation of vessels on the waters of the United States is conducted safely. My office will continue to prosecute people like Jones, who knowingly and willfully violate the maritime laws and regulations and endanger the safety of others,” U.S. Attorney Ison said.
"The guilty plea in this incident highlights the Coast Guard’s unwavering dedication to maintaining maritime safety and cracking down on illegal charter operations,” said United States Coast Guard Captain Richard P. Armstrong, Captain of the Port, Detroit. “Every action we take is aimed at safeguarding the boating public from potential hazards. This case serves as a resounding reminder that we will continue to uphold maritime laws, ensuring that our waterways remain safe and enjoyable for all.”
“Mr. Jones’ repeated actions demonstrated blatant disregard for the Coast Guard’s policies and authority, which placed unsuspecting passengers at risk. This guilty plea demonstrates the aggressive posture the Coast Guard Investigative Service and U.S. Attorney’s Office have taken in the prosecution of illegal charter operations,” said Josh Packer, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Coast Guard Investigative Service, Central Field Office.
The sentencing hearing is set for February 27, 2024 at 2:30pm, at which Jones faces a statutory maximum penalty of 6 years imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Coast Guard and the Coast Guard Investigative Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy J. Wyse and Special Assistant United States Attorney Corinne M. Lambert.
Denver man convicted of conspiracy to distribute fentanylRead the Press Release
Traquevis Dewayne Hardy, age 46, of Denver, Colorado, was convicted on Oct. 25 by a federal jury for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl in Wyoming. The trial lasted two days and was held before Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl in Casper, Wyoming.
Hardy was indicted by a federal grand jury and pleaded not guilty to the charge in May. According to evidence presented at trial, detectives with the Cheyenne Police Department and agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted custodial interviews with several individuals who had recently been arrested and charged with drug crimes. The interviews, along with corroborating evidence from cellphones and Facebook, demonstrated that these individuals received at least 5,600 fentanyl pills from Hardy for distribution in Wyoming.
Sentencing has been set for Jan. 16, 2024. Hardy faces 5 to 40 years in prison, up to a $5 million fine, and no less than four years of supervised release. The judge will determine Hardy’s sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This crime was investigated by the Cheyenne Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy J. Forwood and Paige Hammer.
Case No. 23-CR-00053
Construction Firm CFO Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Employment Tax CrimeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A Louisiana man was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for willfully failing to report and pay over the IRS employment taxes withheld from employees’ paychecks.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Julian Russ of Houma, was the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Community Construction Company LLC, a pipeline-maintenance and construction company based in Hazelhurst, Mississippi. As CFO, Russ was responsible for collecting, accounting for and paying over the company’s employment taxes. From at least 2012 to 2018, Russ did not file the company’s quarterly employment tax returns or pay the IRS the taxes withheld from employees’ wages, despite knowing of his legal obligation to do so. In total, Russ caused a tax loss to the IRS of more than $6 million.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Court Senior Judge David Bramlette III ordered Russ to serve three years of supervised release and to pay $2,714,280.71 in restitution to the United States.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Todd Gee for the Southern District of Mississippi made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Curtis J. Weidler of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles W. Kirkham for the Southern District of Mississippi prosecuted the case.
Construction Firm CFO Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Employment Tax CrimeRead the Press Release
A Louisiana man was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for willfully failing to report and pay over the IRS employment taxes withheld from employees’ paychecks.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Julian Russ of Houma, was the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Community Construction Company LLC, a pipeline-maintenance and construction company based in Hazelhurst, Mississippi. As CFO, Russ was responsible for collecting, accounting for and paying over the company’s employment taxes. From at least 2012 to 2018, Russ did not file the company’s quarterly employment tax returns or pay the IRS the taxes withheld from employees’ wages, despite knowing of his legal obligation to do so. In total, Russ caused a tax loss to the IRS of more than $6 million.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Court Senior Judge David Bramlette III ordered Russ to serve three years of supervised release and to pay $2,714,280.71 in restitution to the United States.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Todd Gee for the Southern District of Mississippi made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Curtis J. Weidler of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles W. Kirkham for the Southern District of Mississippi prosecuted the case.
Cherokee Man Sentenced to 28 Months in Federal Prison for Meth ConvictionRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced on October 23, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City.
Jason Werner, 38, from Cherokee, Iowa, pled guilty on June 6, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed Werner’s involvement in a conspiracy that distributed at least 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine from December 2019 through May 2022. Werner assisted at least seven others in the conspiracy in obtaining about four pounds of methamphetamine and one pound of marijuana from sources in California and Nevada and transporting the drugs in a hidden vehicle compartment to Cherokee, Iowa, for further distribution.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Werner was sentenced to 28 months’ imprisonment and must serve a three-year term of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Werner remains in the custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, United States Postal Inspectors, Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Colorado State Patrol, Iowa DCI Laboratory, and Cherokee Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-4066. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Charlotte Man Is Sentenced to 14 Years on Gun Charge in Connection with Armed Robbery and Possession of A Weapon by an InmateRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Today, U.S. District Judge Frank D. Whitney sentenced Antoine Marquis Williams, 35, of Charlotte, to 14 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release, for a firearms offense in connection with an armed robbery and possession of a weapon by an inmate, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
U.S. Attorney King is joined in making today’s announcement by Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina, Terry J. Burgin, United States Marshal of the United States Marshals Service for the Western District of North Carolina, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD).
According to filed court documents and court proceedings, on February 5, 2019, at 4:37 p.m., Williams and another individual entered the NY Jewelry & Repair Store located at 6121 South Boulevard in Charlotte. Williams and his co-conspirator had their faces covered and were armed with handguns. The two men encountered the store owner who was with a customer and ordered him into the backroom with two other employees. Court documents show that Williams and his co-conspirator then went to the front of the store and began stealing jewelry. Afterwards, Williams’ co-conspirator fled the store with several items. Williams stayed behind and became involved in a struggle with the store owner. At some point during the struggle, Williams discharged his firearm two times before fleeing the store. The owner called 911 and CMPD officers located Williams hiding under a vehicle at a nearby residence. Officers also recovered the firearm Williams had used during the robbery and had attempted to discard while he was fleeing from the store.
According to court documents, on September 2, 2021, the U.S. Marshals Service received a criminal investigation concerning Williams for repeated possession of weapons and use of weapons while he was in federal custody at a local detention facility. Court documents in this case indicate that, on four different occasions, Williams was found in possession of homemade weapons, generally consisting of pieces of metal filed down to a point. On one occasion, Williams used a homemade weapon to attack another inmate. During the altercation, Williams cut the victim with the homemade weapon multiple times on the face and neck. The victim required medical treatment due to injuries sustained from the attack.
On April 28, 2021, Williams pleaded guilty to discharge of a firearm, in relation to, and in furtherance of a crime of violence, in connection with the armed robbery. Then on June 24, 2022, Williams pleaded guilty to possession of a weapon by an inmate. Williams remains in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service, and CMPD for their investigative efforts.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hess of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.
California Woman to Federal Prison for Iowa Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A woman who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced on October 25, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City.
Lauretta Payce, 62, from Fontana, California, pled guilty on June 16, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
At the plea and sentencing hearings, Payce admitted her involvement in a conspiracy that distributed at least three kilograms of methamphetamine from December 2019 through May 2022. Payce further admitted to assisting at least six others in distributing about four pounds of methamphetamine and one pound of marijuana from California and Nevada which was transported in a hidden compartment in a vehicle, to Cherokee, Iowa, for further distribution.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Payce was sentenced to 64 months’ imprisonment and a term of two years’ supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Payce remains in custody of the U.S. Marshals Service until she can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, United States Postal Inspectors, Homeland Security Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Colorado State Patrol, Iowa DCI Laboratory, and Cherokee Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-4066. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
California Woman with Five Prior Felony Drug Convictions Sentenced to Twenty Years in Federal Prison for Iowa Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A woman who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced on October 23, 2023, to 240 months’ imprisonment.
Andrea Romo, 41, from Gardena, California, pled guilty on June 16, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed Romo’s involvement in a conspiracy that distributed at least 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine from December 2019 through May 2022. Romo assisted at least seven others in the conspiracy in distributing about four pounds of methamphetamine and one pound of marijuana from California and Nevada and transporting the drugs, in a hidden compartment in a vehicle, back to Cherokee, Iowa, for further distribution.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Romo was sentenced to 240 months’ imprisonment and must serve a five-year term of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Romo remains in the custody of the United States Marshal until she can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, United States Postal Inspectors, Homeland Security Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Iowa DCI Laboratory, and Cherokee Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-4066. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Buffalo man going to prison for 12 ½ years for selling fentanyl that led to two deathsRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Reginald E. Alexander, 60, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, fentanyl and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, was sentenced to serve 150 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Adler, who handled the case, stated that in 2003, Alexander was convicted of a felony in Erie County Supreme Court, and is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition.
On December 30, 2020, Alexander called 911 to report that an individual identified as N.P. was present and unresponsive in his Moselle Street residence. When first responders and Buffalo Police Officers arrived a short time later, N.P. was pronounced dead. Prior to N.P.’s death, N.P. consumed fentanyl which Alexander possessed for distribution in his apartment. Subsequently, investigators recovered approximately 17 grams of fentanyl, drug paraphernalia, $3,798.00, and a 9mm semi-automatic pistol and ammunition from Alexander’s apartment.
On February 18, 2021, an individual identified as J.M. contacted Alexander by text message to purchase fentanyl. The two met on Main Street in Buffalo, where Alexander gave J.M. fentanyl. J.M. returned home, used the fentanyl, and was subsequently located by family members unconscious. First responders were called and administered Narcan and CPR to J.M., who was then transferred to a hospital where he later died.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia, the Hamburg Police Department, under the direction of Chief Peter Dienes, the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. DeVito, New York Field Division.
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Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Statement on Lewiston, Maine, Mass ShootingRead the Press Release
The Justice Department issued the following statement from Attorney General Merrick B. Garland on the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine:
“I am heartbroken for those who have lost loved ones, for those who have been injured, and for the entire Lewiston community.
The FBI, ATF, and U.S. Marshals are on the ground to provide investigative support and victims assistance services to our law enforcement partners in Maine.
We stand ready to provide any support that our state and local partners need.
No community should have to endure the horrific mass shootings that have become routine in our country.”
Atlantic County Felon Sentenced to 170 Months in Prison for Distributing Drugs and Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – An Atlantic County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 170 months in prison for his role in drug distribution and possession of a firearm as a felon, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Clay Brown, 30, of Pleasantville, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez to an information charging him with one count of distribution of methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm as a previously convicted felon. Judge Rodriguez imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Brown distributed methamphetamine and fentanyl on multiple occasions to a confidential informant. The day that agents arrested Brown for drug distribution, Brown possessed a backpack containing a firearm and controlled substances that Brown intended to distribute to others. Brown has multiple prior felony convictions that make it unlawful for him to possess a firearm.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Rodriguez sentenced Brown to five years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents Homeland Security Investigations Newark, Atlantic City office, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Kurtz, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. He also thanked the Drug Enforcement Administration, Newark Division, and the New Jersey State Police, Crime Suppression South Unit, for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
Alpine Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALPINE, Texas – An Alpine man was sentenced in a federal court in Alpine to 78 months in prison for possession of child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, Timothy Rey Korteland, 19, engaged in multiple conversations, sexual in nature, with a minor in another state over the messaging application Discord. An FBI agent executed a search warrant for Korteland’s Discord account, revealing multiple instances of Korteland claiming to have child sexual abuse material. Agents with Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI conducted a search warrant at Korteland’s residence, removing all electronics in his possession, and found multiple video files depicting young children engaged in sexual activity saved in an application on his cell phone.
Korteland pleaded guilty to the possession of child pornography charge on March 28.
“This defendant, by his own estimate, possessed around 2,000 videos of child sexual abuse material and other illicit sexual content, and was forming an online relationship with a minor,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “I appreciate the collaborative efforts by our federal law enforcement partners to prevent Korteland from causing any further harm to his victims. This federal prison sentence should serve as a warning to anyone who seeks out and possesses material of this nature, that we will be relentless in our pursuit of justice.”
“The FBI remains steadfast in our commitment to protect children from those who seek to exploit their innocence,” said Special Agent in Charge John S. Morales of the FBI El Paso Field Office. “These types of cases serve as a reminder of the importance for parents/caregivers to be aware of who their children are talking to when they are online and playing in group gaming platforms.”
“This sentence is a testament to the repugnant nature of child exploitation crimes which only perpetuates the trauma endured by victims,” said Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola of the HSI El Paso Division. “HSI agents make it a top priority to protect vulnerable children from victimization by working with their law enforcement partners to investigate predators involved in child sexual abuse material and ensure they are held accountable for their heinous actions.”
The FBI and HSI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Greenbaum 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 www.justice.gov/psc.
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Wednesday 25 October 2023
U.S. Attorney Will Thompson Affirms Commitment to Goals of Domestic Violence Awareness MonthRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Each October, Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) provides an opportunity to honor victims and survivors and recognize the dedication of advocates, service providers, justice professionals, law enforcement officers, and first responders who tirelessly work in support of survivors.
The prevalence of domestic, dating and intimate partner violence is alarming. Approximately one in four women and one in seven men will experience severe domestic violence in their lifetimes. Nearly 20 percent of all violent crime is categorized as domestic violence, as revealed by the 2021 National Crime Victimization Survey data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics.
“Domestic violence affects us all personally in some way, and can have long-lasting impacts and consequences,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “As federal prosecutors in the Southern District of West Virginia, it is incumbent upon us to deploy every available resource and forge strategic collaborations with local law enforcement and fellow prosecutors. We have a shared responsibility to ensure that victims have a viable path to safety and justice.”
Thompson is promoting the importance of enforcing federal firearm prohibitions as part of the observance of DVAM.
Domestic violence abusers with access to a gun are five times more likely to kill their partners. In West Virginia, 14 of the 19 domestic violence homicides reported in 2020 were committed with firearms. In addition to their lethality, firearms are used by abusers to inflict fear, intimidation, and coercive control.
The Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative helps support survivors and prevent this form of violence. PSN is a nationwide initiative that connects federal, state and local law enforcement, prosecutors, and community leaders. The result is a collaborative approach to identifying the most pressing violent crime problems in a community and developing comprehensive solutions to address them.
Under federal law, offenders with domestic violence misdemeanor and felony convictions and those subject to domestic violence protective orders are prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms. Those who violate that prohibition face felony prosecution and the imposition of a federal prison sentence.
“A crucial part of combatting domestic violence and reducing violent crimes includes enforcing federal firearm prohibitions,” Thompson said. “We want our communities to know that we are here to support victims and survivors in the Southern District of West Virginia, and not just in October but every month.”
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence or need resources, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/ovw/local-resources.
Immediate help for domestic violence victims: Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline (@ndvhofficial) at 1-800-799-7233 or Strong Hearts Native Helpline (@strongheartsdv) at 1-844-762-8483.
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.
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U.S. Attorney Hurwit Announces Federal Prison Sentences for Four Eastern Idaho Methamphetamine TraffickersRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced the results of five separate methamphetamine trafficking cases in Eastern Idaho today.
“This series of cases shows my office’s commitment to disrupting the flow of illegal drugs into Idaho,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “Through close collaboration with our state, local, tribal, and federal law enforcement partners, we continue to hold accountable those who distribute poison in our communities.”
1. Montana Man to Serve 10 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing with the Intent to Distribute 2 Pounds of Methamphetamine.
In one case, Benjamin C. Brooks, 46, of Billings, Montana was sentenced to ten years in federal for possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered Brooks to serve five years of supervised released after the completion of his prison sentence.
According to court records, in July 2021, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Brooks. After smelling the odor of marijuana coming from the car, officers conducted a search and found approximately two pounds of methamphetamine and a firearm.
2. Pocatello Woman to Serve 57 Months in Federal Prison for Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute.
In a separate case, Stacy Lynn Allen, 51, of Pocatello, was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison for possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. Chief U.S. District David C. Nye also ordered that Allen serve three years of supervised release upon completion of her prison sentence.
According to court records, in November of 2022, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Allen. Allen had a warrant for arrest and admitted she had marijuana in the car. Law enforcement searched the car and found approximately two pounds of methamphetamine. Allen admitted to intending to distribute the substance.
3. Idaho Falls Drug Dealer Sentenced to 60 Months in Federal Prison.
In a third case, Ben Reed Rubidoux, 44, of Idaho Falls, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye sentenced Rubidoux serve four years of supervised release upon completion of his prison sentence.
According to court records, in September 2022, law enforcement conducted controlled purchases of 10 pills of fentanyl from Rubidoux. In November of 2022, law enforcement found Rubidoux in possession of two firearms and over three grams of methamphetamine. In December 2022, law enforcement found Rubidoux in possession of approximately 39 grams of methamphetamine, heroin and cocaine. Rubidoux admitted that he possessed the methamphetamine with intent to distribute it to another person. Rubidoux entered his guilty plea to the charge on July 27, 2023.
4. Fort Hall Man to Serve 37 Months in Federal Prison for Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute.
In a fourth case, Arriyon Royce Meeks, 43, of Fort Hall, was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also sentenced Meeks three years of supervised release. Meeks served an additional six months in jail in Tribal jail on the same charge, for which Judge Nye gave him credit.
According to court records, in August 2021, officers with the Fort Hall Police Department saw Meeks at a residence on Fort Hall, washing a car. Officers knew that Meeks had two active Tribal Court warrants for his arrest and took him into custody. Officers conducted a search of the vehicle and found 148 grams of methamphetamine. Meeks admitted that he possessed the methamphetamine with intent to distribute it to another person. Meeks entered his guilty plea to the charge on July 19, 2023.
5. Pocatello Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute and Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine.
In another case, Thomas Schooley, 39, of Pocatello, entered a guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court records, in January 2023, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle. Schooley was a passenger in the vehicle. Also located in the vehicle was approximately 80 grams of methamphetamine. Schooley admitted he had received a quarter pound of methamphetamine and had been selling it to others. The 80 grams was what was left over from the quarter pound. Schooley is facing a term of imprisonment of at least ten years up to life in federal prison to be followed by at least five years of supervised release. Schooley is scheduled to be sentenced on January 17, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit thanked the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, the Idaho State Police, the Idaho Falls Police Department, the Fort Hall Police Department, and the Pocatello Police Department, which participated as part of the BAGES Task Force, for their investigations in these cases.
The BADGES Task force is made up of multiple federal, state, and local agencies located in the Bannock County area and focuses on drug trafficking crimes.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Blythe McLane is prosecuting the Brooks, Allen, and Schooley cases. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Paskett prosecuted the Rubidoux case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Haycock prosecuted the Meeks case.
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Two Men Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Two out-of-state men were sentenced to prison today after admitting to charges resulting from a January 5, 2022, raid on a Huntington storage unit.
Phillip Antoine Rucker, also known as “Chocolate,” 43, of Proctorville, Ohio, was sentenced to nine years and three months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
Marshall Luther Williams, also known as “Chuck” and “Chubs,” 41, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced to 12 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 5, 2022, law enforcement officers arrested Rucker on an active warrant at a Riverside Drive storage facility in Huntington. Officers found approximately $5,080 and a Taurus Model Spectrum .380-caliber pistol in Rucker’s vehicle and seized a key for a unit at the storage facility from Rucker.
Officers obtained a search warrant for the unit and during the search they found approximately 42.24 grams of a substance containing fentanyl, 27.92 grams of methamphetamine, 929 grams of a purple powder, a Glock 9mm pistol, and $8,591.
Rucker and Williams each admitted to renting the storage unit and keeping controlled substance there for distribution. Rucker and Williams further admitted that the purple powder found during the search was intended to cut or be mixed with the fentanyl prior to distribution.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Courtney L. Finney 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. 3:22-cr-34.
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Transnational criminal organization leader detained in U.S.Read the Press Release
HOUSTON - A 67-year-old naturalized citizen of the United States has made his appearance in Houston federal court and remains detained pending further criminal proceedings, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Ricardo Barrera was the leader of a transnational criminal organization operating from the Republic of Mexico, the Rio Grande Valley and Houston. He was recently extradited to the United States and is now in custody.
He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christina A. Bryan, at which time the court heard evidence outlining Barrera’s organization. The court determined he was a flight risk and ordered he remain in custody pending further criminal proceedings.
Barrera’s organization allegedly provided domestic transportation services for the Los Zetas Cartel and Cartel del Golfo to conceal the transportation of narcotics and currency through Mexico and into the United States.
The charges allege the organization utilized numerous cloned tractor trailers from various well-known retailers and businesses to conceal the transportation of narcotics.
The investigation resulted in the seizure of more than 76,795 pounds of marijuana, according to the allegations.
Barrera fled to Mexico after learning of the charges. Mexican authorities arrested him on a provisional arrest warrant in Miguel Aleman, Mexico, Oct. 23, 2021. He was extradited to the United States Oct. 10.
If convicted, Barrera faces up to life in federal prison as well as a possible $10 million fine.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) with assistance from Drug Enforcement Administration, Texas Department of Public Safety, IRS Criminal Investigation, Houston Police Department, Harris County Sheriff’s Office and Pasadena Police Department as well as the U.S. Marshals Service. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with the Mexican Attorney General’s Office to secure the arrest and extradition of Barrera. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric D. Smith is prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Thibodaux Man Charged with Receiving Child Sexual Abuse Material and Obscene Visual Representations of the Sexual Abuse of ChildrenRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that a two-count indictment was unsealed today charging SIMON PAUL ADAMS, age 27, a resident of Thibodaux, Louisiana, with receiving and attempting to receive child sexual abuse material (CSAM), in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a)(2) (Count 1) and receiving obscene visual representations of the sexual abuse of children, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1466A (Count 2). The unsealed indictment revealed that a federal grand jury returned the indictment under seal on September 29, 2023.
As to Count 1, beginning at a time unknown, but not later than on or about March 26, 2023, and continuing until on or about July 3, 2023, ADAMS, received images, including some as young as approximately three (3) years old, engaging in sexually explicit conduct as defined in Title 18, United States Code, Section 2256(2), and such visual depictions were of such conduct, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252(a)(2) and (b)(1).
As to Count 2, beginning at a time unknown, but not later than on or about March 26, 2023, and continuing until on or about July 3, 2023, ADAMS, did knowingly produce, distribute, receive, and possess with the intent to distribute, images of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1466A(a)(1) and 2252A(b)(1).
ADAMS faces a mandatory minimum of five (5) years in prison and a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty (20) years as to each of Counts 1 and 2. ADAMS also faces a lifetime of supervised release and up to a $250,000 fine, as to each of Counts 1 and 2. ADAMS may also be required to register as a sex offender.
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.
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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg , Chief of the Public Integrity Unit , is in charge of the prosecution.
- Press release has been updated for accuracy.
Texas Resident Pleads Guilty to Cares Act FraudRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – BRIA PETERS, age 38, formerly of New Orleans, LA and now residing in Houston, Texas, pleaded guilty on October 18, 2023 to a one-count bill of information for making false statements related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) before U.S. District Court Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
On March 27, 2020, The CARES Act established several new temporary programs and provided for the expansion of others to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Among these programs, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) authorized forgivable loans backed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to small businesses to retain workers and maintain payroll, make mortgage interest payments, lease payments, and utility payments. The PPP allows the interest and principal on the PPP loan to be forgiven if the business spends the loan proceeds on these expense items within a designated period of time after receiving the proceeds and uses at least a certain percentage of the PPP loan proceeds on payroll expenses.
According to the court documents, PETERS made false statements to an approved lender on or about May 27, 2021, for the purpose of fraudulently obtaining a PPP loan. As a consequence, PETERS later received a PPP loan totaling approximately $29,166.00. PETERS stated in her PPP application that in 2020, she owned a clothing business impacted by the pandemic when, in truth, she had no such business .
PETERS is to be sentenced on January 17, 2024 and faces a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to $250,000 in fines, and up to three years of supervised release for the false statements count. There is also a $100 mandatory special assessment fee due after conviction.
For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Amtrak Office of Inspector General – Criminal Investigations, in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
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Tampa Man Indicted for Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Telvin O. Wright (26, Tampa) with distribution of a mixture of cocaine and fentanyl which resulted in an overdose death, and with possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl. If convicted, Wright faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 20 years, up to life, in federal prison for the distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, and up to 20 years’ imprisonment for the possession with intent to distribute offense. The indictment also notifies Wright that the United States intends to forfeit any assets which are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense.
According to the indictment, on February 9, 2022, Wright distributed a mixture of cocaine and fentanyl to an individual who died after ingesting the substance. On February 11, 2022, Wright possessed fentanyl with the intent to distribute it.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maria Guzman.
Tampa Armed Career Criminal Convicted at Trial for Possessing A Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Ivan Lamar Vasquez (39, Tampa) has been found guilty, following a bench trial before United States District Court Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell, of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Lamar Vasquez qualifies for enhanced penalties under the Armed Career Criminal Act. He faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 30, 2024. Lamar Vasquez was indicted on February 21, 2021.
According to evidence presented at trial, on October 26, 2020, members of the Tampa Police Department (TPD) executed a search warrant at Lamar Vasquez’s residence in Sulphur Springs. TPD officers observed Lamar Vasquez flee from the residence at the time of the search and apprehended him shortly thereafter. Inside the residence, officers discovered a loaded Keltec pistol bearing a latent fingerprint belonging to Lamar Vasquez. Lamar Vasquez’s DNA was also recovered from the firearm. At the time, Lamar Vasquez had multiple prior felony convictions for delivery of cocaine and is therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A. Chee, David P. Sullivan, and Callan L. Albritton.
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.
Sumner, Washington, man charged with Aggravated Identity theft, falsely claiming to be U.S. Citizen, and using a false documentRead the Press Release
Tacoma – A Sumner, Washington man who has lived under a false identity for more than 25 years was arrested on a federal criminal complaint for Aggravated Identity Theft, falsely claiming to be a U.S. Citizen, and using a false document, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Roberto Manzano, 53, was taken into custody yesterday and appeared in U.S. District Court in Tacoma. He was detained pending additional court proceedings next month.
According to the complaint, Manzano began living under a false identity shortly after a California court issued a warrant for his arrest in 1996 on domestic violence related assault and kidnapping charges. Manzano has been using an identity that belongs to a real individual, without that person’s knowledge. He used the identity for his employment with a logistics company in the Seattle area. Manzano also used the identity to pass necessary clearance checks required by the Transportation Security Administration to perform his work at this logistics company. In evaluating his most recent application, TSA Investigations noticed some conflicting information and referred the matter to the Diplomatic Security Service for investigation.
Manzano has also used the identity to unlawfully vote in state and national elections since approximately 2004.
The charges contained in the criminal complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Aggravated Identity Theft is punishable by a mandatory minimum two years in prison on top of any other sentence imposed in the case. Falsely claiming to be a U.S. Citizen is punishable by up to three years in prison and using a false document is punishable by up to five years in prison.
The case is being investigated by the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) with assistance from the TSA.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sean Waite.
Stilwell Resident Sentenced for Federal Drug and Firearm Crimes, and Eluding Peace Officers in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Kenneth Lee Kelley, age 58, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 70 months of imprisonment for one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, 70 months of imprisonment for one count of felon in possession of ammunition, and 60 months of imprisonment for one count of eluding a peace officer in Indian country. The sentences will run concurrently.
The charges arose from investigations by the Westville Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On October 12, 2022, Kelley entered a guilty plea to the three counts. According to investigators, on April 2, 2022, while attempting to evade arrest on an outstanding warrant out of Adair County, Kelley led police officers on a high-speed chase, exceeding speeds of 70 miles per hour, and colliding with multiple police vehicles. Officers brought Kelley to a stop by deploying stop sticks and forcing him into a ditch. When officers arrested Kelley at the scene, they found him in possession of more than 300 grams of methamphetamine, over 90 rounds of ammunition, and a large sum of cash. The crimes occurred in Adair County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearings in Muskogee. Kelley will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorneys Casey Richmond, Kevin Gross, and Ryan Bondura represented the United States.
Statement of U.S. Attorney Damian Williams on the Conviction of Neil PhillipsRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Moments ago, a jury unanimously found that Neil Phillips intentionally manipulated the Foreign Exchange, or ‘FX’ market — the world’s largest decentralized financial market — in order to trigger a $20 million windfall for his hedge fund under a barrier option. The policing of the financial markets is critical to the health and sanctity of our economy. I commend the Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force of this Office for continuing to be a global law enforcement leader in ensuring fair market activity for investors at every level.”
St. Petersburg Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Controlled Substances with Intent to Distribute and Possessing A Firearm as A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Erik Barner (44, St. Petersburg) has pleaded guilty to four counts of possessing a controlled substance with the intent to distribute it and one count of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Barner faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment on each of the drug offenses. He faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison on the firearm offense. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, on February 22, March 1, and March 10, 2023, Barner sold cocaine to a confidential informant working with the St. Petersburg Police Department. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Barner’s home and vehicle. Officers seized four firearms and various ammunition that was dispersed throughout Barner’s home. In Barner’s vehicle, law enforcement located 176 grams of cocaine. Barner has prior felony convictions for possession of cocaine, throwing a deadly missile at or into an occupied vehicle, possession of cocaine with intent to sell, and two trafficking in cocaine convictions. He is therefore prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. Petersburg Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman.
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.
Shiprock Man Sentenced to 105 Months in Prison for AssaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Christopher Kee was sentenced to 105 months in prison. A federal jury convicted Kee, 49, of Shiprock, and an enrolled member of Navajo Nation, on June 17, 2022, of assault with a dangerous weapon.
According to court records, Kee was in an intimate relationship with Jane Doe from 2019 to 2020. Throughout the relationship, Kee physically and emotionally abused Jane Doe. On April 19, 2020, during an argument at the home he shared with his parents in Shiprock, Kee threw Jane Doe onto a bed and stabbed her in the wrist with a pocketknife. When Jane Doe fought back, Kee stabbed her multiple times in the abdomen, thighs, behind her ear and the back of her head. Kee also punched and kicked Jane Doe several times. When he saw how badly Jane Doe was bleeding from a stab wound to her abdomen, Kee poured sugar in her wound and applied pressure. When Jane Doe cried out in pain, Kee slapped her. Later, when Kee was distracted, Jane Doe fled from the home shirtless and flagged down a motorist who took her to Northern Navajo Medical Center for treatment.
Upon his release from prison, Kee will be subject to three years of supervised release.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations, and New Mexico State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph M. Spindle is prosecuting the case.
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Seminole Resident Sentenced for Murders in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announces that Kadetrix Devon Grayson, age 30, of Seminole, Oklahoma, was sentenced to two concurrent terms of 324 months imprisonment in connection with two homicides that took place in 2015.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Seminole Police Department, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On April 14, 2022, Grayson pleaded guilty in federal district court to two counts of Murder in Indian Country – Second Degree. At the plea hearing, the defendant admitted to unlawfully killing two individuals with a firearm and with malice aforethought. According to investigators, on March 19, 2015, Grayson shot and killed two victims, leaving their bodies to be discovered by law enforcement officers in a parked SUV behind a shopping center in Seminole, Oklahoma. Both victims suffered a single gunshot wound to the head fired from a .22 caliber gun. DNA evidence recovered at the scene matched an existing sample belonging to Grayson.
The crimes occurred in Seminole County, within the boundaries of the Seminole Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable John C. Coughenour, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, sitting by assignment, presided over the sentencing hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Grayson will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.
Salt Lake City Man Accused in a String of Convenience Store RobberiesRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment today charging a Salt Lake City, Utah man in multiple 7-Eleven robberies that took place in Salt Lake County last month.
According to court documents, Andrew Armani Deionte Rowe, 27, of Salt Lake City, allegedly entered a 7-Eleven on Sept. 12, 2023, at 2917 South Highland Drive, in Salt Lake City and locked the doors behind him. Rowe handed the clerk a note that stated, “Do as I say, or you will lose your life.” The clerk complied and gave Rowe the money from the register. In a separate robbery, also on Sept. 12, 2023, Rowe allegedly threatened and robbed a 7-Eleven employee at 480 West 3900 South in Millcreek, Utah. On Sept. 14, 2023, Rowe allegedly threatened and robbed a 7-Eleven employee at 895 East 4500 South, in Salt Lake City. On Sept. 27, 2023, Rowe allegedly threatened and robbed a 7-Eleven employee at 911 East 3300 South in Millcreek.
As a result of an investigation, Rowe was taken into custody on October 11, 2023. During an execution of search warrant on Rowe’s apartment and vehicle, items observed in the robberies, including clothing and a handgun, later identified as a replica Glock 45 pistol, were seized as evidence. Rowe was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail.
Rowe is charged with four counts of interference with commerce by robbery. His initial court appearance on the indictment is scheduled for Oct. 27, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement.
An FBI Task Force Officer with the Salt Lake City Police Department is investigating the case.
An Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Utah 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.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.Recidivist Fraudster Sentenced for Scheming Victims out of Almost $90,000Read the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Portsmouth man was sentenced today to 2 years in prison for defrauding nearly 20 victims across the United States of almost $90,000 in several mail fraud schemes.
According to court documents, between 2020 and 2022, Richard Edward Hardy, 55, conspired with others to use the U.S. postal service and other mail carriers to defraud victims in romance, real estate, and other fraud schemes. In the real estate scheme, victims responded to a property that was listed for rent online. The victims were instructed to send a security deposit and first month’s rent to Hardy at his home in Portsmouth. Unbeknownst to the victims, the properties were not actually for rent, and Hardy cashed the money orders and shared the proceeds with his coconspirators.
Hardy defrauded nearly all the victims after being convicted in Portsmouth General District Court of similar conduct in December 2020. Further, after federal law enforcement executed a search warrant at his home in September 2022, Hardy continued to defraud additional victims in a change-of-address scheme.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; and Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Mark S. Davis.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Gantt prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-54.
Psychiatrist Convicted of Billing Medicare and Private Insurance Companies for Services Never RenderedRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Natick psychiatrist was convicted by a federal jury yesterday of billing Medicare and private insurance companies for over $11 million in treatments he did not provide and obstructing justice in an attempt to conceal his crimes.
Gustavo Kinrys, 52, of Wellesley, was convicted of seven counts of wire fraud, six counts of false statements relating to health care matters and one count of obstructing a criminal health care investigation. U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for Jan. 31, 2023. Kinrys was arrested and charged in December 2020.
“Dr. Kinrys shamelessly billed for over $11 million in treatment from Medicare and private insurers – treatments he never provided. He exploited our healthcare system and showed callous disregard for patient well-being,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “This conviction should send a stern message: healthcare fraud will not go unpunished, and those who exploit our vital healthcare system for personal gain will face the full extent of the law.”
“Through his scheme to defraud the Medicare program, the defendant stole taxpayer funds and violated the public’s trust in his position as a physician,” said Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. “This conviction sends a clear message that we will hold accountable those who exploit our federal health care system for personal gain, and we will not tolerate attempts to obstruct our pursuit of justice.”
“This conviction is a big win for taxpayers who were cheated when Dr. Kinrys fraudulently billed Medicare and private insurance companies for more than $11 million for medical treatments he never provided and then obstructed our investigation in an attempt to conceal his crimes,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “Healthcare fraud is not a victimless crime. It can raise health insurance premiums, expose patients to unnecessary medical procedures, and increase taxes. Anyone involved in, or entertaining similar activity, should know the FBI and our partners will not hesitate to pursue those trying to steal from our country’s vital health care system.”
“This matter illustrates the commitment of all agencies to combat medical billing fraud which affects all citizens. The Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts places a high priority on fighting this type of insurance fraud. Our continuing collaboration with our partners is critical to successfully fight insurance fraud,” said Anthony M. DiPaolo, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Insurance Fraud Bureau.
Kinrys was a licensed psychiatrist who owned and operated Advanced TMS Associates, located in Natick, Mass. Among other services, Kinrys offered transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy and psychotherapy to patients suffering from depression. TMS therapy is a noninvasive method of brain stimulation that uses rapidly alternating or pulsed magnetic fields to induce electrical currents directed at a patient’s cerebral cortex.
Between January 2015 and December 2018, Kinrys engaged in a variety of fraudulent billing schemes in which he sought and received reimbursement for services he did not render. For example, Kinrys billed Medicare and private insurers $10.6 million for thousands of TMS sessions he never provided, including over 8,000 sessions he claimed were provided to 74 patients who, in fact, never received a single session of the therapy. Kinrys billed Medicare and private insurers for hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of psychotherapy sessions he never provided, including over 900 face-to-face sessions he falsely claimed he provided while he was on vacation in locations like the Bahamas, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, and the Czech Republic. On 382 occasions, Kinrys billed Medicare and private insurers for having provided more than 24 hours’ worth of psychotherapy services in a single day, including one day in July 2017 when he claimed he had provided hour-long psychotherapy sessions to 70 different patients – all while outside the United States on vacation.
To further his fraudulent billing scheme, Kinrys made numerous false statements to his patients, the billing company with which he worked and the insurers to whom he submitted claims seeking reimbursement. When Medicare, private insurers and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) sought records from Kinrys pertaining to certain of his claims, he took steps to conceal his fraudulent conduct by making false representations and creating false documentation purporting to show that he had provided thousands of treatments he had billed for, but never rendered. For example, in response to a July 2018 subpoena from the HHS’s Office of Inspector General seeking medical records for 10 of his patients, Kinrys created documents – and ordered his office workers to create documents – falsely stating that those patients had received dozens of treatments they had never been provided and falsely representing that the condition of those patients was improving.
The wire fraud charges provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charges of false statements relating to health care matters and obstruction of a criminal investigation of a health care offense each provide for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.Acting U.S. Attorney Levy, HHS-OIG SAC Coviello, FBI Boston SAC Cohen and MA IFB Director DiPaolo made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick M. Callahan and Christopher R. Looney of the Health Care Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case.
Pharmacist and Clinic Owner Sentenced for $6M Pill Mill SchemeRead the Press Release
A Houston pharmacist and clinic owner were sentenced today for their roles in a pill mill scheme.
Sokari “Momma” Bobmanuel, 63, was sentenced to 14 years in prison following her conviction at trial for conspiracy to unlawfully distribute and dispense controlled substances. Alantha Stewart, 42, was sentenced to 10 years in prison following her guilty plea to conspiracy to unlawfully distribute and dispense controlled substances.
According to court documents, from May 2018 to August 2019, Bobmanuel was the owner and pharmacist-in-charge of Cornerstone Rx Pharmacy (Cornerstone), which illegally distributed nearly 160,000 opioid pills, including oxycodone and hydrocodone, often based on prescriptions issued by co-conspirator Jonathan Rosenfield, M.D., and others from Sunnyside Medical, which consisted of two Houston-area pill-mill clinics. Bobmanuel, through Cornerstone, distributed controlled substances outside the scope of professional practice, and without a legitimate medical purpose, to individuals who brought prescriptions in the names of other people. These individuals then sold the pills they bought from Cornerstone on the illegal market. Bobmanuel charged exorbitant prices for the pills – often $1,200 for a single oxycodone prescription – generating over $1 million from the scheme.
Stewart, who co-owned and co-operated the Sunnyside Medical pill-mill clinics, doing business as Sunnyside #1 and Sunnyside #2, and her co-conspirators issued prescriptions for opioids, including approximately 752,000 pills of oxycodone and 419,000 pills of hydrocodone, under co-owner and co-conspirator Rosenfield’s name, outside the usual course of professional practice, and not for a legitimate medical purpose. The prescriptions often were issued to individuals paid by drug dealers to pose as patients, and the pills ultimately were diverted to the illegal market. From May 2018 to August 2019, the Sunnyside Medical clinics made approximately $5.4 million from the sale of the prescriptions of these drugs.
Co-defendants Rosenfield and Elmer Taylor pleaded guilty to conspiracy and are scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 15.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Administrator Anne Milgram of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Acting Special Agent in Charge David Martinez of the FBI Houston Field Office made the announcement.
The DEA Houston Division and FBI Houston Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Monica Cooper, Ariel Glasner, and Courtney Chester of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Emily Petro, formerly of the Fraud Section and currently an Assistant U.S. Attorney of the Middle District of Tennessee, prosecuted the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,000 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $24.7 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Pearl River Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Pearl River man pled guilty to possessing child pornography in the Pearl River Community of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.
William Henry, 25, pled guilty on October 24, 2023, in U.S. District Court in Jackson.
According to court documents, Henry possessed in excess of 400 images of child pornography, with 20 of the images positively identified as specific children.
On September 20, 2022, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment against Henry.
Henry will be sentenced on January 22, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Todd Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Choctaw Police Department of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin J. Payne and Special Assistant United States Attorney Brian K. Burns.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Oklahoma Woman Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
ALPINE, Texas – An Oklahoma woman was sentenced in a federal court in Alpine to 168 months in prison for importing and possessing methamphetamine and fentanyl with intent to distribute.
According to court documents, Cherakee Lee Perez, 33, provided a negative declaration during a Customs and Border Patrol vehicle inspection at the Presidio Port of Entry from Mexico into the U.S. A narcotic detection canine discovered more than three dozen packages hidden in the vehicle. 29 of packages contained approximately 4.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, while the other 13 contained seven kilograms of fentanyl. Perez admitted to transporting the drugs for a drug trafficking organization.
“The sentencing of Perez should serve as a warning to drug trafficking organizations and the individuals who attempt to transport drugs into the U.S. on their behalf,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas. “Along with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to disrupt and dismantle these organizations.”
“This HSI investigation demonstrates that we stand ready to aggressively investigate criminals who profit from distributing dangerous drugs, contributing to the devastating opioid epidemic in our country,” said Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola of the Homeland Security Investigations El Paso Division. “This sentence ensures one fewer person is out on the streets poisoning our community.”
HSI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Greenbaum prosecuted the case.
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Notice to Potential Victims in Securities Fraud Case Involving Stocks ONPH & FPWMRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Joseph A. Padilla, of Carlsbad, Calif. and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston in August 2023 to his involvement as the principal stock trader in a sophisticated securities fraud scheme involving stock in the companies Oncology Pharma, Inc. (ticker symbol ONPH) and Charlestowne Premium Beverages Inc. (ticker symbol FPWM). Individuals who believe they may be potential victims of the scheme are encouraged to reach out to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Massachusetts.
Between in or about January and July 2021, Oncology Pharma, Inc. was a thinly traded company that traded on the over-the-counter securities market. In January 2021, Padilla engaged in manipulative trading in ONPH designed, at least in part, to artificially drive up the company’s stock price. Thereafter, Padilla facilitated the sale of approximately three million ONPH shares – which were under undisclosed common control – to investors during a promotional campaign.
Between January 2020 and April 2021, Padilla participated in a similar scheme involving the shares of Charlestowne Premium Beverages Inc., a thinly traded company that traded on the over-the-counter market. Padilla similarly orchestrated an effort designed, at least in part, to artificially increase Charlestowne’s stock price and then facilitated the sale of millions of Charlestowne’s shares during a promotional campaign.Individuals who traded in ONPH and/or FPWM during the time periods indicated above, and who believe that they may be potential victims of this fraud, should contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at [email protected]. In the email, please indicate the security traded and the transaction details for the trade(s): date(s), number of shares, price, whether it was bought or sold and an assessment of gains or losses. Please indicate whether there is supporting documentation and a representative from the government will assist you in transferring it in a secure manner, as well as contact you with additional verification questions.
Email submissions are due by Dec. 1, 2023. For more information, visit the U.S. Attorney’s Office website: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/victim-and-witness-assistance-program/united-states-v-padilla-et-al
Padilla is scheduled for sentencing on Nov. 1, 2023, at 3:00 pm in U.S. District Court in Boston, Courtroom 21, One Courthouse Way, Boston, Mass.
Padilla’s co-defendant, Kevin C. Dills, has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled for trial on Feb. 12, 2024, in in U.S. District Court in Boston, One Courthouse Way, Boston, Mass. Dills is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
New Orleans Man Indicted for Violations of the Federal Controlled Substances and Gun Control ActsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DAYSHAWN BROWN, age 39, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, was charged on October 13, 2023 in a previously sealed ten-count indictment, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. The case was unsealed on October 16, 2023.
According to the indictment, Counts 1 and 8 charge BROWN with distribution of quantities of fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C). For these offenses, he faces up to 20 years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000, and at least 3 years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
Count 2 charges BROWN with distribution of controlled substances – a quantity of a mixture and substance containing detectable amounts of fentanyl and methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C). For this offense, he faces up to 20 years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000, and at least 3 years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
Counts 3 and 5 charge BROWN with distribution of fifty (50) grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B). For these offenses, he faces a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years, up to 40 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $5,000,000, and at least 4 years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
Counts 4, 6, and 10 charge BROWN with being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). For these offenses, he faces up to 15 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
Count 7 charges BROWN with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i). For this offense, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years imprisonment, up to life, to run consecutive with any other sentence, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to five years supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
Count 9 charges BROWN with distribution of quantities of cocaine hydrochloride, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C). For this offense, he faces up to 20 years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000, and at least 3 years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. As to each of the ten charged counts, BROWN also faces payment of a $100 mandatory 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.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charging document and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Troy Bell of the General Crimes Unit.
New Orleans Man Indicted for Distribution of FentanylRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that on September 29, 2023, JOSHUA HOGAN, was indicted in a previously sealed indictment on four counts of distribution of fentanyl, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 841(b)(1)(C). The indictment was unsealed on October 18, 2023.
In Counts 1 and 2, HOGAN was charged with distribution of fentanyl in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1)and 841(b)(1)(C). If convicted of these counts, HOGAN faces, per count, up to twenty years imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000, at least three years of supervised release and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. In Counts 3 and 4, HOGAN was charged with distribution of 40 grams of more of a mixture or substance containing fentanyl. If convicted of these counts, HOGAN faces, per count, from five up to forty-years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $5,000,000, at least four years of supervised release and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Dawkins of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
New Jersey Man Admits to Conspiring with India-Based Company to Mail Illicit Pharmaceutical Meds to U.S. CustomersRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A New Jersey man admitted guilt in a U.S. District courtroom in southern Illinois Tuesday to acting as a middleman between an India-based pharmaceutical distribution company and customers in the United States.
Moises A. Sanabria, 32, of Bloomfield, New Jersey, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and one count of money laundering conspiracy.
“To help ensure safe consumption, pharmaceutical drugs must be prescribed by a licensed medical professional,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “This illicit narcotic operation was a threat to consumers, and I commend the investigators for interrupting this destructive chain.”
Indian nationals Aashish K. Jain, 37, and M. Eshwar Rao, 40 are named co-defendants also charged in the conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and launder drug proceeds. In addition, Jain is charged with one count of distribution of a controlled substance.
An indictment is merely a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
According to court documents, Sanabria received pills containing furanyl fentanyl and tapentadol to New Jersey from the pharmaceutical drug distribution center in India and then shipped orders directly to U.S. customers between January 2018 and March 2021.
On multiple occasions, Sanabria shipped orders to undercover agents for the Drug Enforcement Administration working in the Southern District of Illinois. Regulated federally under the Controlled Substances Act, furanyl fentanyl is on Schedule I and tapentadol is on Schedule II.
“DEA often speaks of the international scope of the world of illicit drug trafficking," said Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Rehg, head of Drug Enforcement Administration enforcement operations in southern Illinois. "This man fooling people into thinking that pharmaceutical medications can be purchased without a prescription and mailed from India is not someone to buy anything from. Laundering his illegal proceeds back to India is just another example of how these international criminal organizations illegally profit off Americans.”
To exchange currency between the U.S. and India for drug proceeds, Sanabria established a limited liability company based in New York to transfer money. The LLC held and concealed $114,334 in drug proceeds from January to October 2021.
“Since making money is the primary goal of a drug trafficking organization, the act of money laundering is as important to them as the drug distribution itself,” said IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) Special Agent in Charge Thomas F. Murdock, St. Louis Field Office. “That’s one reason CI is proud to lend the expertise of our special agents to help bring those involved to justice.”
Money laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and distribution of a controlled substance are all punishable by up to 20 years imprisonment.
Agents with DEA and IRS CI contributed to the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Kapsak is prosecuting the case.
Montgomery Man Arrested for Armed Robbery of a U.S. Postal CarrierRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A Montgomery man was arrested in Huntsville on Tuesday on charges stemming from the robbery of a U.S. Postal carrier, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and U.S. Postal Inspection Service Inspector-in-Charge Scott D. Fix, Houston Division.
A three-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Anthony Darryl Barber, Jr., 23, of Montgomery, Alabama, with robbery of a U.S. Postal carrier, unlawful possession of U.S. Postal Service Keys, and brandishing a firearm during a violent crime. The incident occurred in Madison County on May 3, 2023.
To report United States Postal Service mail theft or other crimes committed through or towards the United States Postal Service, please contact the United States Postal Inspection Service at 1-877-876-2455 or https://www.uspis.gov/report.
U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case along with the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office and Huntsville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Davis Barlow is prosecuting the case.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Mexican national sentenced for possessing child pornographyRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 34-year-old resident of Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas, Mexico, has been sentenced for possessing child pornography found on his cell phone as he tried to enter the country, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Juan Jesus Banda-Olivo pleaded guilty Jan. 25.
U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera has now ordered Banda-Olivo
to serve 97 months in federal prison. Garza was further ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution to a known victim and will serve eight years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
On Aug. 15, 2022, Banda-Olivo attempted to make entry into the United States through the Veterans Port of Entry. Authorities believed he was in the country illegally and sent him to secondary inspection.
There, law enforcement conducted a consensual search of Banda-Olivo’s cell phone and discovered multiple photographs and videos of child pornography. The investigation revealed Banda-Olivo possessed 1,223 unique images and videos of child pornography on his cell phone and his cloud storage account. Some of the images included images of the sexual abuse of toddlers and prepubescent minors. The images found on the seized cell phone were submitted to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children for victim identification.
Banda-Olivo has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ana C. Cano prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.
Maryland Woman Pleads Guilty to Real Estate Bank FraudRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Ft. Washington, Maryland, woman pleaded guilty today to bank fraud.
According to court documents, from at least August of 2012 through April 2019, Maria Esperansa Salgado, 64, devised a scheme to defraud a mortgage lender into agreeing to a short sale, or pre-foreclosure sale, of a residential property in Alexandria that was pending foreclosure for non-payment of the mortgage. The defendant and her brother had purchased and lived in the property for about ten years.
After filing a Chapter 7 petition for bankruptcy to discharge her debts in 2013, Salgado used the identity of an unsuspecting victim to obtain a home mortgage from a lender. Salgado then entered into fraudulent sales contracts with straw purchasers and the victim to make it appear as if she was selling the property to third parties as part of an arms-length transaction. A straw purchaser is someone who buys a property on behalf of another person when the real buyer cannot complete the transaction. The fraudulent sales contracts made it appear as if the straw purchasers and the victim were buying the house on behalf of themselves. In truth, Salgado’s intention was to retain ownership of the property and the proceeds from the fraudulent short sale.
In 2015, Salgado executed a fraudulent refinance of the property using the name of straw purchasers and kept the proceeds. The victim was unaware of the re-finance. In 2019, Salgado used a nominee owner to sell the property to a third-party buyer. Salgado and the nominee owner received the proceeds of the fraudulent sale and paid off the remaining loan balance and used a portion to purchase a new property in Ft. Washington, Maryland.
To date, the victim has been unable to qualify for a loan to purchase her own home because of the fraudulent mortgage taken out in her name. The scheme also resulted in $146,188 of loss to the mortgage lender. As part of her plea agreement, Salgado agreed to pay restitution to the victim and to forfeit the proceeds of the bank fraud.
Salgado is scheduled to be sentenced on February 21, 2024. She faces a maximum penalty of 30 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, and Javan Wilson, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Treasury, Office of Inspector General, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston, Jr. accepted the plea.
The Fairfax County Police Department, the Arlington County Police Department, the Prince William County Police Department, the City of Hyattsville (MD) Police Department - Criminal Investigations Section, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations also provided significant assistance in this investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Riley Pedersen is prosecuting the case. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Carina Cuellar provided significant assistance to the investigation and prosecution of this case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-154.
Maine Recidivist Sex Offender Sentenced for Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A recidivist sex offender was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for failing to register as a sex offender when he moved from Haverhill, Mass. to Fryeburg, Maine.
Frank Boyd, 54, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to two years in prison and five years of supervised release. On March 27, 2023, Boyd pleaded guilty to one count of failure to register as a sex offender, in violation of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. Boyd was charged by complaint in August 2022 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2022. He has remained in state custody on unrelated charges since his arrest in July 2022.
Boyd was a Level 3 Sex Offender who had been convicted of sex offenses against children in 2001 and 2009 and was required to register as a sex offender and update his registration any time he moved or changed employment.
In 2020, Boyd registered and listed a Haverhill, Mass. address as his residence. On or around March 23, 2021, it was determined that Boyd was no longer living at the Haverhill residence he had listed on his registration form and was found to have moved to Fryeburg, Maine. He did not register as a sex offender in Maine nor update his sex offender registration in Massachusetts at any point prior to his arrest on state charges on July 27, 2022. Boyd has three prior state court convictions in 2006, 2008 and 2015 for failure to register as a sex offender.Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Brian Kyes, U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; and Kevin Neal, Acting U.S. Marshal for the District of Maine made the announcement today. The Haverhill and Fryeburg (Maine) Police Departments provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna J. Nuzum of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.