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Wednesday 25 October 2023
Madison Man Sentenced to 9 Months for Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Jesse A. McCarty, 55, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 9 months in federal prison for failing to register as a sex offender, in violation of the Sex Offender Notification and Registration Act (SORNA). McCarty pleaded guilty to this charge on July 18, 2023.
SORNA provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States. It aims to close potential gaps and loopholes that existed under prior law and generally strengthens the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs. In particular, SORNA requires registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school.
In November 2007, McCarty was convicted of sex offenses in Tennessee state court. In June 2018, he was convicted for failing to register as a sex offender in Tennessee. After serving a period of incarceration for that conviction, McCarty absconded from Tennessee probation. He later moved to Wisconsin, but also failed to register as a sex offender here, in violation of SORNA.
At sentencing, Judge Conley noted that this was McCarty’s second conviction for failing to register and stated that there was no excuse to justify his non-compliance. Judge Conley emphasized the importance of the sex offender registry and found that McCarty had been living “off the grid” without giving those around him the required notice.
The charge against McCarty was the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anita Marie Boor prosecuted this case.
Leader of La Luz del Mundo Megachurch Charged by Federal Grand Jury with Producing and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
INDICTMENTLOS ANGELES – A federal grand jury today charged the leader of the Mexico-based La Luz del Mundo megachurch with two felony counts alleging he produced and possessed child sexual abuse material (CSAM) depicting a 16-year-old victim.
Naasón Joaquín García, 54, previously served as a minister for the church in Santa Ana and, from December 2014, led the church in Mexico. He was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in June 2019 on state child sexual exploitation charges.
In today’s two-count federal indictment, García is charged with one count of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
García is expected to make his initial court appearance and be arraigned in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles in the coming weeks.
According to the indictment, on May 6, 2019, García knowingly employed, used, persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced a minor – identified in the indictment as “Minor Victim 1,” who was 16 years old at the time – to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct.
On June 3, 2019, García allegedly possessed an iPad that contained five videos depicting Minor Victim 1 engaging in sexual activity. Law enforcement seized the iPad when García was arrested at LAX.
García has been in state custody since then and in June 2022 he pleaded guilty to two counts of forcible oral copulation on a minor and one count of committing a lewd act on a child. He is serving a 17-year prison sentence for those crimes and is incarcerated at the California Institution for Men in Chino.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted of both federal charges, García would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for the child pornography production count and a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for the child pornography possession count.
The FBI and the California Department of Justice’s Bureau of Investigation are investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Catharine A. Richmond of the Violent and Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case.
Lawrence Man Pleads Guilty in Fentanyl Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to his role in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy.
Melvin Antonio Perez Medina, 33, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue; two counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl; one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue; and one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue. U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for Jan. 18, 2024.
Perez Medina was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2022 along with alleged co-conspirators Fraily Rodriguez Morillo and Manuel Fredis Guerrero Guzman.
According to court documents, between March 2022 and August 2022 Perez Medina, and allegedly, Morillo and Guzman conspired to distribute fentanyl and a fentanyl analogue in and around the Lawrence, Woburn, Wilmington and Andover areas. As part of the conspiracy, Perez Medina distributed fentanyl on three separate occasions during the summer of 2022. At the time of Perez Medina’s arrest in August 2022, he was found in possession of nearly two kilograms of a mixture containing fentanyl and a fentanyl analogue concealed inside of a cereal box.
The charges of conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue, and of possession with intent to distribute and/or distribution of 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue, provide for a sentence of at least 10 years and no greater than life, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10,000,000. The charge of distribution and/or possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of at least five years in prison and no greater than 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release and a fine of up to $5,000,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; and John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Massachusetts Department of Correction; the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office; and the Concord, Hudson, Peabody, Reading, Waltham and Watertown Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alathea Porter of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Johnston County Resident Pleads Guilty to Murder in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Cecil Browning Higginbotham, age 32, of Mannsville, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Information charging him with one-count of Murder in Indian Country – Second Degree.
The Information alleged that on August 10, 2022, Higginbotham unlawfully killed the victim with malice aforethought. At the plea hearing, Higginbotham admitted to pushing the victim to the ground, knocking her unconscious, and dragging her inside his residence. He then repeatedly hit and kicked the victim, causing fatal blunt force trauma to her head and neck. The crime occurred in Johnston County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office, the Dickson Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Indian Affairs.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Higginbotham was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorneys T. Cameron McEwen and Caila M. Cleary represented the United States.
Jackson County Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Jackson County, Oregon man with a lengthy criminal history was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison today for distributing child pornography online using Tumblr, a microblogging and social networking website.
Thomas Ray Taylor, 50, a resident of Eagle Point, Oregon, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release. Taylor was also ordered to pay $27,000 in restitution to his victims.
According to court documents, in November 2018, officers from the Eagle Point Police Department received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that an individual residing in Eagle Point, who was later identified as Taylor, was suspected of uploading images and videos depicting child sexual abuse to Tumblr.
On March 13, 2019, investigators met Taylor at his place of employment and seized his cell phone. Taylor admitted to viewing child pornography and told police about several digital devices he possessed. Later the same day, police executed a search warrant on Taylor’s residence and seized multiple devices. A forensic examination of the devices later confirmed that Taylor possessed more than 1,000 illicit images and videos, some of which he had shared online.
On October 2, 2019, a federal grand jury in Medford returned a three-count indictment charging Taylor with possessing and distributing child pornography. On September 20, 2021, he pleaded guilty to one count of distributing child pornography.
After pleading guilty, Taylor absconded his pretrial supervision and his whereabouts were unknown to law enforcement for more than 10 months. On October 8, 2022, he was located and arrested in Lee County, Florida.
This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Eagle Point Police Department. It was prosecuted by Judith H. Harper, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Hugo Resident Sentenced for Second Degree MurderRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Ashton Boyd Smith, age 19, of Hugo, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 121 months in prison for Second Degree Murder in Indian Country relating to his role in a November 2021 robbery-homicide.
The charges arose from investigations by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the Hugo Police Department, the Choctaw County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On September 13, 2022, Smith pleaded guilty to Second Degree Murder in Indian Country. On November 15, 2021, Smith and an accomplice lay in wait for the victim outside the victim’s Hugo residence in order to rob him. During the robbery, Smith stood by, armed with a rifle, while his accomplice shot the victim several times with a .22 caliber handgun, killing him. Before fleeing the scene with the victim’s personal effects, Smith and his accomplice stopped to steal items from the victim’s vehicle.
The crime occurred in Choctaw County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw 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 hearings in Muskogee. Smith 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 Benjamin D. Traster represented the United States at the sentencing hearing.
Hillsborough County Jail Inmates, an Inmate’s Sister, and A Nurse Plead Guilty to Smuggling Narcotics into Jail, Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Seneca Dukes (42, Tampa) and David Marty (43, Tampa) have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine resulting in serious bodily injury. Dukes and Marty had pleaded guilty on October 23, 2023, immediately before their trial was to commence. Each faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 20 years, and up to life, in federal prison. Their sentencing dates have not yet been set. Co-conspirators Emmanuel Gotay Hernandez (34, Tampa), Miriam Marti-Benning (49, Tampa), and Michelle Lipinski (35, Tampa) previously pleaded guilty to the conspiracy and are also pending sentencing.
According to court proceedings and documents, in March 2021, Dukes, Marty, Gotay Hernandez, Marti-Benning, and Lipinski conspired to obtain controlled substances and smuggle them into the Hillsborough County Falkenburg Road Jail. Dukes and Marty were housed in the same pod at the jail, and Lipinski, who was a nurse at the jail, routinely visited their pod. Dukes developed a relationship with Lipinski and asked her to meet with Marti-Benning to get packages from her and bring them to him during her rounds. Marty had his sister, Marti-Benning, obtain controlled substances and give them to Lipinski.
Gotay Hernandez was one of the individuals who supplied drugs to Marti-Benning. He was also an inmate in the same jail pod as Dukes and Marty, but he was released from the jail on March 14, 2021. At Marty’s request, Gotay Hernandez met with Marti-Benning and provided her with fentanyl. Marti-Benning, in turn, met with Lipinski, who then brought multiple packages of controlled substances to Dukes during her rounds on March 29, 2021.
An inmate in the pod overdosed on the fentanyl the next morning. The inmate was found on the shower floor, motionless, and struggling to breath. A medical team arrived and moved the inmate to the jail clinic for emergency treatment. Through the administration of Narcan, the medical team revived the inmate.
Following the overdose, jail deputies searched the pod and found a bag with methamphetamine and two small blue plastic baggies that contained fentanyl hidden in a slot in a bathroom partition. During the subsequent investigation, inmates in the pod said Dukes was selling drugs in the pod, a nurse was bringing the drugs into the pod and providing them to Dukes and, the last time the nurse met with Dukes was on March 29, 2021. An inmate provided investigators with a torn piece of paper with the name “Miriam Marti Benning” written on it and said that inmates were paying for narcotics through Cash App, a payment service that allows money transfers using a cellphone application.
Videos from the pod showed that Lipinski met with Dukes for approximately five minutes on the afternoon of March 29, 2021. They met in a semi-private room within the pod. Investigators reviewed calls on the jail’s recorded call system and learned that Lipinski had received hundreds of calls from inmates and Dukes was one of her most frequent callers. In coded language during some of their calls, Dukes and Lipinski discussed Lipinski getting items from Marti-Benning and bringing them to Dukes in the jail.
Gotay Hernandez and Marti-Benning communicated with each other through texts and phone calls to arrange for a delivery of heroin. Marty called them from the jail to discuss the plans for Gotay Hernandez to meet with his sister. After he delivered narcotics to Marti-Benning on March 28, 2021, Gotay Hernandez told her the substance was fentanyl and that it was very strong. On April 2, 2021, when Lipinski reported to work, detectives arrested and questioned her. Lipinski admitted that, at Duke’s request, she had been meeting with Marti-Benning and bringing packages into the jail, most recently on March 29, 2021, and that she delivered the packages to Dukes. She suspected the packages contained narcotics, but they were wrapped in black electrical tape, and she did not know the specific drugs she was smuggling into the jail.
Investigators searched Marti-Benning’s residence on April 5, 2021, and found methamphetamine, heroin, a digital scale, ring baggies, and a roll of black electrical tape. Marti-Benning admitted that she had obtained narcotics and provided them to Lipinski, and the packages were to be brought into the jail and delivered to Dukes.
This case was investigated by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Sinacore and Samantha Newman.
Hiawatha felon sentenced for illegal firearm purchaseRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced to 37 months in prison for directing a third party to illegally purchase a firearm for him.According to court documents, Jonathan Lee Hunt, 34, of Hiawatha pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting another in providing false statements in the acquisition of a firearm.
In April 2021, Hunt instructed another person to submit false information in order to purchase a Taurus, Model G3, 9mm pistol on his behalf. Hunt is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior qualifying felony conviction.
“Purchasing firearms for prohibited people is a major source of crime guns around the country and here in Kansas,” stated Bernard Hansen, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Kansas City Field Division. “Federal firearms laws exist to keep firearms out of the hands of criminals and those who cannot lawfully possess firearms. Those who seek to evade federal law by lying to purchase guns or by getting others to do so, will be identified and prosecuted. Enforcing these laws reduces violent crime and keeps our communities safe.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Hiawatha Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag prosecuted the case.
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Greene County Sex Offender Convicted of Child Pornography PossessionRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Gregory Kurzajczyk, age 76, of East Durham, New York, was convicted today of four counts of child pornography possession, after a 3-day jury trial.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Alfred A. Watson, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
The trial evidence showed that Kurzajczyk had prior federal convictions for receiving and distributing child pornography, and was sentenced in January 2017 to 72 months in prison and a life term of supervised release.
Kurzajczyk was released from prison in October 2021 and returned home to Greene County under the supervision of the United States Probation Office.
During a routine home visit on February 16, 2022, a United States Probation Officer saw an unauthorized laptop computer in plain view in Kurzajczyk’s bedroom, which led to the discovery of two more unauthorized laptops, and dozens of other unauthorized computer devices, many of them hidden under the covers of Kurzajczyk’s bed. Two laptops and two USB drives each contained a large amount of child pornography, including image and video files depicting the sexual abuse of small children.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 23, 2024, at which time Kurzajczyk faces at least 10 years and up to 20 years in prison, and at least 5 years and up to a life term of supervision. Kurzajczyk also faces up to 2 more years in prison for violating his supervised release conditions.
A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. Kurzajczyk will also be required to forfeit the electronic devices he used to commit his crimes, to pay restitution to victims, and to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
The United States Probation Office for the Northern District of New York initiated this investigation, and the case was also investigated by FBI Albany’s Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Colonie Police Department and the New York State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Michael Barnett is prosecuting this case as a part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Georgia Man Charged for Making Racially-Motivated Threats and Shooting at His Black NeighborRead the Press Release
A Georgia man was arrested for making racially-motivated threats and shooting at his neighbor, a Black man, in violation of the criminal provision of the Fair Housing Act, and for brandishing and using a firearm.
According to court documents, Mark Wheeler, 73, shot a .22 caliber revolver in the direction of the victim and the victim’s dwelling while yelling racial slurs.
If convicted, Wheeler faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for both the civil rights and firearm charges. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Peter Leary for the Middle District of Georgia and Special Agent in Charge Keri Farley of the FBI Atlanta Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Atlanta Field Office is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Peach and Sonja Profit for the Middle District of Georgia and Trial Attorney Anita Channapati of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
View the indictment here.
Four Utah Residents Charged with KidnappingRead 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’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced that federal grand jury in Albuquerque returned an indictment charging Seraphine Warren-Begay, also known as Seraphine Warren, 42, of Tooele, Utah, her husband Orlando Begay, 36, of Salt Lake City, Utah, her sister Josephine Bekay, 46, of Gusher, Utah, and Bekay’s husband Nelton Alex Bekay, 48, of Gusher, Utah, all enrolled members of the Navajo Nation, with kidnapping and conspiracy to commit kidnapping.
According to the indictment, on March 29, 2021, Warren-Begay used Facebook to research and locate the victim, John Doe, before the group drove to John Doe’s residence in Arizona. There, the group entered John Doe’s residence and hit him on top of the head with a blunt force object and shot him with paintball guns before handcuffing him and placing him in the back of one of their vehicles. The group then transported John Doe across state lines from Arizona to Shiprock, New Mexico. The group eventually released John Doe in Farmington, New Mexico on April 1, 2021.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Seraphine Warren-Begay, Orlando Begay, Nelton Alex Bekay, and Josephine Bekay each face up to life imprisonment and 5 years up to life of supervised release thereafter.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Navajo Nation Police Department and the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. McGinley is prosecuting the case.
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Four Charged with Fentanyl and Cocaine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Four individuals have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their alleged roles in a large-scale drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed fentanyl and cocaine in and around the Quincy and Weymouth areas.
The following individuals were charged in a nine-count second superseding indictment with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, fentanyl and fentanyl analogue: Aderito Patrick Amado, 33, of Brockton; Erica Vieira, 26, of Brockton; Neylton Fontes, 35, of New Bedford; and Chaasad Cyprien, 23, of Oxford.
The defendants were initially indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2022 and subsequently charged in a first superseding indictment in December 2022.
According to the charging documents, Amado, Vieira, Fontes and Cyprien participated in a conspiracy to distribute certain quantities of fentanyl, fentanyl analogue and cocaine in and around Quincy and Weymouth until at least January 2021. All face charges of possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances, including fentanyl, cocaine, or fentanyl analogue. Amado is also charged with possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug crime. Due to a previous felony conviction, Amado is prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 100 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue, or conspiracy to do the same, provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charge of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl or 500 grams or more of cocaine, or conspiracy to do the same, provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. The charge of possession with intent to distribute cocaine or fentanyl, or conspiracy to do the same, provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Each charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug offense provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to life in prison, to be served from and after the term of imprisonment imposed for any other count, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Weymouth and Quincy Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin R. O’Donnell of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Four Alleged Fentanyl Traffickers Arrested in Connection to Army Spouse DeathRead the Press Release
WACO, Texas– Four individuals have been arrested on criminal charges related to their alleged involvement in fentanyl trafficking resulting in the death of the dependent spouse of a Fort Cavazos soldier.
According to court documents, Julio Bonilla-Tirado aka “Falo,” 36, of Copperas Cove; Gilberto Hernandez-Marin aka “Joyto,” aka “Lento,” aka “El Viejo,” 28, of Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico; Juan Cabral aka “Juanki,” 31, of Bayamon, Puerto Rico; and Adxel Romero-Flores aka “Axel,” 31, of Bayamon, Puerto Rico were allegedly responsible for transporting more than two pounds of fentanyl pills into the Central Texas area, some of which caused the death of a U.S. Army dependent spouse.
Bonilla-Tirado was arrested by Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) and the Copperas Cove Police Department in Copperas Cove on Sept. 14. Hernandez-Marin was arrested by the Puerto Rico Police Department on Oct. 8. Cabral was captured by the United States Marshal Service Puerto Rico Fugitive Task Force on Oct. 19. Romero-Flores is currently incarcerated within the judicial system of Puerto Rico for an unrelated criminal offense and is pending transfer into federal custody.
Bonilla-Tirado, Cabral, Romero-Flores, and Hernandez-Marin are all charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute at least 400 grams of fentanyl resulting in death and unlawful communications. If convicted, each defendant faces a penalty of 20 years to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Maria Thomas for the Army CID Central Texas Field Office made the announcement.
Army CID is investigating the case with valuable assistance provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration; Homeland Security Investigations; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; the U.S. Marshals Service; the Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigation Division; the Killeen Police Department; the Copperas Cove Police Department; and the Puerto Rico Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Blanton is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Former UGA Football Player Convicted on All Counts in RaceTrac Shooting CaseRead the Press Release
ATHENS, Ga. – A federal jury today convicted a Pennsylvania resident and former University of Georgia student and football player of federal charges resulting from a lengthy investigation into the shooting death of an Oconee County, Georgia, man.
Ahkil Nasir Crumpton aka “Crump,” 26, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was found guilty of one count of interference with commerce by attempted robbery and one count of false statement during the purchase of a firearm today. Crumpton faces a maximum of 20 years in prison for attempted robbery and a maximum of ten years in prison for the firearm charge. The sentencing date will be determined by the Court. The defendant is not eligible for parole. Crumpton is facing state charges for murder and other offenses in Georgia.
The trial began on Oct. 16 before U.S. District Judge Tilman “Tripp” Self.
“No matter today’s outcome, there is no returning Elijah Wood to his family and friends, who have had to endure both the pain of his loss and many unanswered questions,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Pursing justice in this case was challenging and lengthy, but ultimately the dedicated collaboration of investigators and prosecutors prevailed. I hope that today’s verdict offers some measure of justice for Elijah Wood’s family.”
“Ahkil Crumpton’s crime was senseless, tragic, and irreversible,” said Supervisory Senior Resident Agent Robert Gibbs of the FBI’s Athens office. “This outcome reflects the commitment of the FBI to working with our law enforcement partners to hold violent offenders accountable. We hope Elijah Wood’s family can find some healing in this verdict.”
“NIBIN is proven technology used to link the criminal use of firearms with the person who pulled the trigger,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka. “In this case, NIBIN allowed investigators to successfully connect both shootings to the defendant. Working alongside our local, state and federal partners, ATF is committed to using every resource at our disposal to reduce violent crime and hold violent offenders accountable.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Crumpton was alone when he entered the RaceTrac gas station and convenience store on Macon Highway in Watkinsville, Georgia, on March 19, 2021, where Elijah Wood was working as the store clerk, filling in for a sick coworker. Crumpton’s face was covered, and he was wearing dark clothing and football gloves. There was another customer in the store; Crumpton is seen on surveillance video exiting and then returning at 1:15 a.m. Upon his return, Crumpton approached Wood, who was standing behind the counter at the cash register. Crumpton pointed a Glock 19 pistol with a weapon mounted light at Wood, firing one round at close range towards Wood, striking him in the chest. Wood’s girlfriend testified at trial that she was on a FaceTime call with Wood at the time. Crumpton ran out of the store without taking any money or merchandise. Wood died at the scene. The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) located one 9mm shell casing from the counter between two of the cash registers.
Four months later, on July 17, 2021, Crumpton was seen exiting the South Street Diner at 140 South Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at 3:18 a.m. to retrieve a Glock 43 pistol from a vehicle and was approached by Anthony Jones. Surveillance video from a nearby business captured the encounter between Jones and Crumpton. Jones brandished a silver handgun and pointed it at Crumpton, then appeared to grab the car keys out of Crumpton’s left hand. Jones forcefully removed the Glock 43 pistol from Crumpton’s right pocket while simultaneously holding him at gunpoint. When Jones turned around following the robbery and began to run away, Crumpton pulled a Glock 19 pistol from his waistband and fired 13 gunshots that ultimately struck and killed Jones. The spent 9mm shell casings ejected from Crumpton’s handgun were collected by law enforcement and later submitted to ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) for comparison testing. The analysis confirmed that the firearm used in the RaceTrac murder in Oconee County, Georgia, was the same firearm used in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, shooting.
On the morning of March 16, 2022, FBI and ATF agents arrested Crumpton in Philadelphia on a murder warrant issued out of the Superior Court of Oconee County, Georgia. Crumpton jumped out of his bedroom window to escape arrest, but he was taken into custody by FBI SWAT following a chase. Inside Crumpton’s bedroom, agents located the Glock 19 pistol that was confirmed in ballistics testing to be the one used in the shooting deaths of Elijah Wood in Oconee County and Anthony Jones in Philadelphia. The gun was found inside Crumpton’s official 2018 Rose Bowl Game backpack given to the players who competed in the football game. In addition, agents found items of clothing worn by Crumpton in both shooting deaths and a loaded AR-15 rifle.
Crumpton was a former member of the University of Georgia (UGA) football team, where he played wide receiver during the 2017 and 2018 season and attended UGA as a student from the fall of 2017 to the spring of 2021, although he did not graduate. At the time of Elijah Wood’s murder, Crumpton resided at an apartment in Watkinsville, Georgia, less than two miles from the RaceTrac, with his close friend and UGA football teammate, Juwan Taylor, who is currently a player development assistant for the team. Taylor testified at trial that Crumpton came to their apartment after the shooting holding the pistol and was visibly upset saying, “I didn’t mean to do it – I just wanted the money, I just shot him at the store, at the store.” Crumpton explained further that when he lifted the gun up, it “just went off.” Taylor said he was frightened for his own safety and did not tell anyone. In July 2021, Crumpton returned to live in his hometown of Philadelphia.
Co-defendant James North Armstrong, 35, of Commerce, Georgia, testified that Crumpton was a client of his at his tattoo studio. Armstrong testified that Crumpton asked him to purchase a gun for him. Armstrong admitted that he illegally purchased the Glock 19 for Crumpton on Feb. 8, 2021, at the Franklin Gun Shop in Athens, Georgia, by falsely claiming to be the buyer on the Firearms Transaction Record-Form 4473 when Crumpton was the actual buyer. It is a federal offense to lie on Form 4473. Armstrong pleaded guilty to one count of false statement during the purchase of a firearm on Oct. 3 and faces a maximum of ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing for Armstrong will occur at a date determined by the Court.
Crumpton was originally indicted on four federal charges (for more information, please see https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdga/pr/federal-murder-attempted-robbery-firearms-charges-filed-shooting-death-oconee-county). The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in United States v. Taylor, handed down a month and ten days after Crumpton’s federal indictment, found that attempted Hobbs Act robbery was not a crime of violence. Therefore, Counts Two and Three in Crumpton’s original indictment were dismissed prior to trial.
This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, please visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
The case was investigated by the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), FBI, GBI, the Athens-Clarke County Police Department and the Philadelphia Police Department, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mike Morrison and Daniel Peach are prosecuting the case for the Government.
Former Ottawa County Prosecutor Sentenced After Seeking Sexual Favors from Defendants in Exchange for Favorable Treatment in Court ProceedingsRead the Press Release
A former Ottawa County Assistant District Attorney pleaded guilty on July 13, 2022, in federal court after he provided drugs and performed favorable legal actions that benefitted defendants in exchange for sex, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Today, U.S. District Judge Raul Arias-Marxuach, sentenced Daniel Thomas Giraldi, 44, of Joplin, to 30 months in prison followed by 3 year term of supervision upon release. In July of 2022, Giraldi plead guilty to one count of possession of Oxycodone with intent to distribute and four counts of honest services fraud.
Per the stipulations in the plea agreement, Giraldi will relinquish and forfeit his Oklahoma Bar License and never apply for reinstatement to the Oklahoma Bar. He will also never hold any public office nor any position of public trust within the state of Oklahoma.
“As a public servant to the people of Ottawa County, Daniel Giraldi disgraced the office of Assistant District Attorney,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “He had a duty to act with integrity and competence. Instead, he violated the law and the trust placed in him by the District Attorney. Investigators were unyielding in their pursuit of justice in this case, thus ensuring Giraldi’s conviction.”
In the plea agreement, Giraldi admitted that he carried and possessed Oxycodone with intent to distribute. That he texted a defendant approximately a week earlier and agreed to bring the drug when the two rendezvoused for sex. He further admitted to defrauding the citizens of Oklahoma and the Ottawa County District Attorney’s Office of their right to honest and faithful services that he owed to them as an Assistant District Attorney, stating that he took bribes in exchange for corrupt official acts that benefitted defendants. Giraldi specifically stated that he would receive something of value, including sexual acts with multiple women, in exchange for favorable treatment that included reduction of bond amounts on criminal defendants, the dismissal of traffic violations, and other corrupt actions. The crimes occurred from approximately February 2019 through April 19, 2022.
Daniel Thomas Giraldi was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, Miami Police Department, and District Attorney’s Office-District 13 investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyle McWaters and Shannon Cozzoni prosecuted the case.
Former Mississippi Department of Corrections Officials Sentenced for Using Excessive Force Against an InmateRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Three former Mississippi Department of Corrections officials were sentenced today for using excessive force against an inmate, involving the use of dangerous weapons and resulting in bodily injury.
According to court documents, on July 11, 2019, at the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility, Corrections Officer (CO) Jessica Hill, CO LaToya Richardson and Case Manager Nicole Moore assaulted a defenseless inmate, L.C., while L.C. was in the fetal position and not resisting in any fashion. Hill struck L.C. several times with an OC cannister and then repeatedly punched her in the head. Richardson kicked the inmate four times in the head and upper torso, and Moore kicked L.C. one time in the back of the head. Hill continued to strike L.C., who was still laying on the ground in the fetal position, until fellow prison staff intervened to stop Hill’s assault.
All three defendants previously pleaded guilty to their respective roles assaulting L.C., in violation of the inmate’s Eighth Amendment right to be free from cruel and unusual punishment. Hill was sentenced to three years and one month in prison, two years of supervised release and a $1,500 fine. Richardson was sentenced to three years and one month in prison, two years of supervised release and a $1,500 fine. Moore was sentenced to two years in prison, two years of supervised release and a $1,500 fine.
“These defendants are being held accountable for their criminal abuse of their authority by using excessive force against an inmate who was not resisting them,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to prosecuting prison officials who violate the law and their oaths by subjecting inmates in their custody to cruel and unusual punishment.”
“The defendants in this case ignored their sworn duty to protect inmates and chose violence instead,” said U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee for the Southern District of Mississippi. “We will continue to prosecute those who abuse their positions of authority and violate the civil rights of inmates.”
“Our citizens serving time for their criminal acts against the public are warranted the safety and protection from harm by correctional officers responsible for their care,” said Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the FBI Jackson Field Office. “Hill’s deliberate violation of this trust is a disservice to those in the penal system, correctional officials who are honorable in their profession and citizens in general. The FBI is committed to protecting all citizens of our community.”
The FBI Jackson Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Eric Peffley of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenda Haynes for the Southern District of Mississippi prosecuted the case.
Former Mississippi Department of Corrections Officials Sentenced for Using Excessive Force Against an InmateRead the Press Release
Three former Mississippi Department of Corrections officials were sentenced today for using excessive force against an inmate, involving the use of dangerous weapons and resulting in bodily injury.
According to court documents, on July 11, 2019, at the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility, Corrections Officer (CO) Jessica Hill, CO LaToya Richardson and Case Manager Nicole Moore assaulted a defenseless inmate, L.C., while L.C. was in the fetal position and not resisting in any fashion. Hill struck L.C. several times with an OC cannister and then repeatedly punched her in the head. Richardson kicked the inmate four times in the head and upper torso, and Moore kicked L.C. one time in the back of the head. Hill continued to strike L.C., who was still laying on the ground in the fetal position, until fellow prison staff intervened to stop Hill’s assault.
All three defendants previously pleaded guilty to their respective roles assaulting L.C., in violation of the inmate’s Eighth Amendment right to be free from cruel and unusual punishment. Hill was sentenced to three years and one month in prison, two years of supervised release and a $1,500 fine. Richardson was sentenced to three years and one month in prison, two years of supervised release and a $1,500 fine. Moore was sentenced to two years in prison, two years of supervised release and a $1,500 fine.
“These defendants are being held accountable for their criminal abuse of their authority by using excessive force against an inmate who was not resisting them,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to prosecuting prison officials who violate the law and their oaths by subjecting inmates in their custody to cruel and unusual punishment.”
“The defendants in this case ignored their sworn duty to protect inmates and chose violence instead,” said U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee for the Southern District of Mississippi. “We will continue to prosecute those who abuse their positions of authority and violate the civil rights of inmates.”
“Our citizens serving time for their criminal acts against the public are warranted the safety and protection from harm by correctional officers responsible for their care,” said Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the FBI Jackson Field Office. “Hill’s deliberate violation of this trust is a disservice to those in the penal system, correctional officials who are honorable in their profession and citizens in general. The FBI is committed to protecting all citizens of our community.”
The FBI Jackson Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Eric Peffley of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenda Haynes for the Southern District of Mississippi prosecuted the case.
Former Federal Corrections Officer Sentenced for BriberyRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A former federal corrections officer from Greenville, Mississippi, was sentenced to serve 12 months and one day in federal prison for bribery.
According to court documents, from August 2017 to June 2018, Brian Jenkins, 39, accepted payment in exchange for smuggling contraband into the Federal Prison in Yazoo County, Mississippi, where he was employed as a corrections officer. Jenkins admitted receiving payments of just over four thousand dollars from inmates and others for delivering the contraband to inmates inside the facility.
Jenkins was charged by criminal information and pled guilty to accepting bribe payments in exchange for bringing contraband items into the Yazoo City Federal Corrections Complex.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Sandra Barnes of the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Inspector General.
The case was prosecuted by Deputy Criminal Chief Dave Fulcher.
Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges Related to the Sexual Exploitation of MinorsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – John W. Balch, age 76, of Jacksonville, Florida, pleaded guilty yesterday to two counts of sexual exploitation of a child and admitted to the sexual exploitation of six minor victims, including prepubescent minors. Today, co-defendant Jane Ellen Campbell, age 35, of Hagerstown, Maryland pleaded guilty to distribution of child pornography, related to one of the victims.
The guilty pleas were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Colonel Paul Joey Kifer, Chief of the Hagerstown Police Department; Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department; and Frederick County State’s Attorney J. Charles Smith, III.
According to his guilty plea, between 2017 and 2022, Balch sexually exploited six minors between the ages of 3 and 15 years old. Balch paid the victims’ mothers to produce images and videos of the victims engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The exploitation also included paying the victims’ mothers to perform sex acts on their prepubescent children, record the abuse, and send the files to Balch. Balch also admitted that he paid one of the mothers to transport her 15-year-old daughter to engage in sex acts with Balch in a hotel room.
As detailed in Campbell’s plea agreement, Campbell and Balch met in approximately 2007. In recent years, Campbell drove various women to have commercial sex with Balch in hotels when Balch traveled to Maryland from his home in Florida. In 2017, Balch asked Campbell multiple times to produce naked images of Minor Victim 1, who was nine years old at the time. Campbell admitted that she sent Balch sexually explicit images of Minor Victim 1 on three occasions between January and March of 2017. Beginning in 2021, Balch initiated conversations directly with Minor Victim 1. According to Campbell’s plea agreement, Balch paid Campbell $3,245, between November 23, 2020, and August 5, 2022.
As detailed in their plea agreements, upon their release from prison the defendants will be required to register as sex offenders in the places where they reside, where they are employees, and where they are students, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”).
Balch faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a maximum sentence of 30 years for each count of sexual exploitation of a child Campbell faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for distributing visual depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Chief U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar has scheduled sentencing for Balch on January 26, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. and for Campbell on January 23, 2024, at 11:30 a.m.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the HSI, the Hagerstown Police Department, the Baltimore Police Department, and the Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in this investigation. U.S. Attorney Barron also recognized the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Northern District of West Virginia and the Middle District of Florida, and the FBI’s Pittsburgh Field Office for their assistance in the Balch case. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Joyce King, who are prosecuting 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/project-safe-childhood and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Felon Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas man who engaged in an exchange of gunfire on Fremont Street last September pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of two firearms.
According to court documents and admissions made in court, on September 1, 2022, DaJuan Lamar Gamble, also known as “Popeye,” 40, fired at least three shots from a Smith & Wesson M&P Shield 9mm pistol from a walkway of a motel on East Fremont Street at an SUV that had stopped in the street in front of the motel. A passenger in the SUV fired at least two shots from the vehicle at Gamble. Security camera recordings at the motel captured the gunfire. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department recovered the 9mm pistol and a Norinco MAK-90 7.62 x 39mm semi-automatic rifle in a black bag hidden in the boiler room of the motel. Trace DNA found on the 9mm semi-automatic pistol matched that of Gamble.
Gamble pleaded guilty Monday to felon in possession of firearms. He has prior felony convictions in Clark County including attempt discharge firearm at or into occupied structure, vehicle, aircraft or watercraft; accessory to murder; possession of stolen property; and possession of controlled substance with intent to sell. Gamble is prohibited by law to possess firearms as a result of those prior felony convictions.
Gamble faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and three years of supervised release at sentencing on January 22, 2024, before United States District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey.
United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Cicolani for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the ATF and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Cowhig and David Kiebler are prosecuting the case.
Anyone with information about the unlawful purchase of firearms can call ATF at 1-888-ATF-TIPS (1-888-283-8477), email [email protected], or submit information anonymously at www.reportit.com/.
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Edinburg, PA Resident Indicted on a Charge of Violating Federal Postal LawsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Edinburg, PA, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating federal Postal laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Brad Penwell, age 39, of Edinburg, PA, as the sole defendant.According to the Indictment, on March 13, 2023, Penwell engaged in theft of mail matter while employed by the United States Postal Service.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 5 years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000, a term of supervised release of not more than three years, or a combination thereof. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Gregory C. Melucci is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The United States Postal Inspection Services conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Domestic Abuser Sentenced to 4 Years in Federal Prison for Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
Spokane, Wash – United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke sentenced Michael Brian Ross, age 41, of Spokane, Washington to 4 years in federal prison after Ross pleaded guilty to being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Ross will also serve 3 years of supervised release after his release from confinement.
According to court documents, On February 8th, 2023, officers with the Department of Corrections (DOC) detained Ross on a DOC warrant issued for his failure to report. DOC officers then received permission to search Ross’s truck. Inside, they spotted what appeared to be a gun stashed under the dash. Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) were contacted and searched the truck. They removed a loaded 9mm caliber semi-automatic pistol.
At the time he was detained, Ross had three convictions for crimes that qualify for federal felonies, including, one count Second Degree Assault (Domestic Violence), First Degree Burglary, and seven counts of Possession of a Stolen Firearm.
This sentencing is part of the Eastern District of Washington’s Safe Homes, Safe Community initiative in Spokane, which is designed to help communities implement promising practices to protect domestic violence survivors by preventing abusers from having unlawful access to firearms in situations that are already dangerous for survivors.
“The unlawful possession of firearms by domestic violence abusers is too often deadly for victims of intimate partner violence and lethal for law enforcement officers responding to emergency calls,” U.S. Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref stated. “The Safe Homes, Safe Community initiative is making important progress in keeping firearms out of the hands of domestic abusers and in making our neighborhoods safe and strong.”
“With multiple qualifying felony convictions, Mr. Ross clearly knew he was not supposed to possess firearms, yet he did so anyway,” said ATF Seattle Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan T. McPherson. “This is a well-earned sentence and one from which he will hopefully change his ways upon release.”
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Washington State Department of Corrections. This case was prosecuted by Michael J. Ellis, Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, and Michael L. Vander Giessen, Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.
Domestic violence is a serious crime that can include both physical and emotional abuse, and it is frequently hidden from public view. Many survivors suffer in silence, afraid to seek help or not knowing where to turn. The traumatic effects of domestic violence also extend beyond the abused person, impacting family members, friends, and communities.
If you or someone you know are in immediate danger, please call 911.
If you need assistance or know someone who needs help, please contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Many communities throughout the country have also created support networks to assist survivors in the process of recovery.
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Des Moines Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for Child Exploitation, Sex Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Marijuana OffensesRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, IA – A Des Moines man was sentenced today to 40 years in prison for sex trafficking three adult females by force, fraud, and coercion and kidnapping one of the adult females; 30 years for sexual exploitation and attempted sexual exploitation of a minor female; and 10 years for conspiracy to distribute marijuana. The sentences were ordered to run concurrently for a total term of 40 years in prison.
According to public court documents, Richard Thomas Ball, 47, used deceptive and coercive tactics as well as physical assaults to compel three adult females to engage in sex acts in exchange for money. Ball trafficked the victims and received proceeds from the victims’ sex acts. Ball kidnapped one of the victims during the course of trafficking her. Ball admitted that he transported the victim against her will in a vehicle from Missouri to Des Moines so that he could physically assault her during the trip as a form of revenge against another victim.
Ball also coerced three minor females to engage in sexually explicit conduct and caused images and videos to be produced of those minor females engaged in such conduct. Ball sexually abused the three minor females, one of whom he began abusing at age 13 and continued for approximately five years. Additionally, Ball admitted to conspiring with others, including minors, to transport marijuana to Iowa and distribute it.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa Department of Public Safety, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Iowa State Patrol, and Dallas County Sheriff’s Office.
Human trafficking is a crime involving the exploitation of youth under the age of 18 for commercial sex; the exploitation of adults for commercial sex through the use of force, fraud, or coercion; and the exploitation of any individual for compelled labor. Human trafficking does not require the transportation of individuals across state lines, or that someone is physically restrained. Signs that a person is being trafficked can include working excessively long hours, unexplained gifts, physical injury, substance abuse issues, running away from home, isolation from others, or having a person in their life controlling them or monitoring them closely. Victims particularly susceptible to being trafficked include those with criminal histories, a history of physical or sexual abuse, uncertain legal status, and dependency on controlled substances. Individuals who purchase sex from minors or from those who are otherwise exploited for commercial sex are also subject to prosecution for sex trafficking under federal law, if they knew or were in reckless disregard of the fact that they were under the age of 18, or that force, fraud, or coercion was used.
Anyone who suspects human trafficking is occurring, be it a minor engaging in paid sex acts, or anyone being coerced into prostitution or labor, is urged to call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day set for October 28, 2023Read the Press Release
BILLINGS – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana joins the Drug Enforcement Administration in support of the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, Oct. 28. The biannual event will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at sites across Montana, including a DEA site in Billings. The event is an effort to rid homes of potentially dangerous, expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs.
This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in homes are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses from these drugs.
“Cleaning out medicine cabinets of expired or unused prescription drugs for drop off during DEA’s Take Back Day is an easy and effective way to help stop the epidemic of overdose deaths and addictions, especially those involving opioids. I urge all Montanans do their part to keep loved ones, friends and their communities safer,” U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
“Prevention of drug misuse must start at home, which is why for more than a decade DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day has provided our community a safe and easy way to get rid of unnecessary medications,” said DEA Montana Resident Agent in Charge Cesar Avila. “This past Spring we collected more than 2,200 pounds of unneeded medications throughout Montana and, with your help, we hope to collect even more this Saturday.”
The DEA will have a drop off location in Billings at the Billings Fire Station #5, 605 S. 24th Street W.
More than 15 sheriff’s offices, police departments and federal agencies across Montana are participating in Take Back Day. Information about collection sites and more information about event is available here: https://takebackday.dea.gov/
During the last Take Back Day held on April 22, 2023, 4,497 law enforcement participants at 4,955 collection sites across the country brought in a total weight of 663,725 pounds, or 332 tons, of drugs. This brings the total weight collected to 17.3 million pounds, or more than 8,650 tons, of prescription drugs collected in the history of the program. Collection results may include materials other than prescription drugs.
During the April event, Montanans turned in 2,255 pounds of prescription drugs at 30 collection sites. Twenty-nine law enforcement agencies participated. Total all time weight collected in Montana is 53,445 pounds.
In addition to DEA’s National Drug Take Back Day on Oct. 28, prescription drugs can be disposed of any day throughout the year at any of the 11,000 authorized collectors. For more information on collection sites, visit: https://apps2.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubdispsearch/spring/main?execution=e1s1
For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the Oct. 28 Take Back Day event, go to www.DEATakeBack.com.
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D.C. Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison for Multiple Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Lonnell Hart, 50, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today, in U.S. District Court, to 132 months in prison for multiple armed robberies committed in 2017, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (“MPD”).
Hart pleaded guilty on July 8, 2022, to four counts of interfering with interstate commerce by robbery, also known as Hobbs Act robbery. As part of the sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Tanya S. Chutkan ordered 36 months of supervised release and $14,050 in restitution.
According to court documents, between August 15, 2017, and October 25, 2017, Hart robbed four Washington, D.C. CVS pharmacies. During each of those robberies, Hart brandished a loaded firearm and pointed it at employees in order to gain their compliance with his demands. Hart then ordered the employees to provide him with cash from the pharmacies’ safes, as well as the registers. During one robbery, Hart pointed a loaded firearm at the belly of a pregnant woman when his demands were not immediately met.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory P. Rosen and James B. Nelson.
D.C. Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of a HandgunRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON -- Michael Stewart, 29, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon and one count of possession with intent to distribute N, N-Dimethylpentylone, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Acting Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and Special Agent in Charge Craig Kailimai of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
Stewart entered the guilty plea in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan scheduled a sentencing hearing for Jan. 25, 2024. Stewart has been detained since Jan. 8, 2023.
According to the government’s evidence, on Jan. 8, 2023, at about 2:35 a.m., officers observed Stewart in the area of 7th and T Streets, Northwest. As officers approached him, Stewart ran diagonally through an intersection with oncoming traffic from at least one direction. Stewart subsequently was apprehended. Officers recovered a black Ruger SR9C firearm from his person. The gun was loaded with one round in the chamber and 15 rounds in the magazine. The extended magazine in the Ruger had a total capacity of 17 rounds. A records check revealed that the firearm had been reported stolen in Atlanta. Officers also recovered two folded $1 bills with white power inside, a scale, $435 in small denomination bills, and 61.8 grams of N, N-Dimethylpentylone, a designer drug.
This case was investigated by the MPD and the ATF as part of Project Safe Neighborhood. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shehzad Akhtar and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Renaud.
Court Sentences Selma Woman in Fountain Correctional Facility Methamphetamine Smuggling SchemeRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – On October 24, 2023, United States District Court Judge, William H. Steele, sentenced Haley Fuentes, of Selma, to 35 months imprisonment for conspiring to smuggle drugs into the Fountain Correctional Facility in Atmore.
Documents filed with the Court established that on March 27, 2022, the co-defendant, Robert O’Brien Rivers, an employee of the Alabama Department of Corrections, entered state property to report for duty at G.K Fountain Correctional Facility. On this morning officers at the facility were performing searches of employees and employee vehicles as they arrived to work. During the search of Rivers’ food items, officers observed two black bowls containing frozen rice. Upon further inspection of the rice bowls, officers found black taped objects underneath the rice. The taped objects contained 244 grams of methamphetamine and 510 grams of marijuana.
Court documents showed that Rivers knowingly received the drugs from people outside the prison to smuggle into an inmate in the prison and that he had done so on multiple occasions in the past. Fuentes and a third co-defendant, Jarvis Callens, had provided drugs to Rivers in the past to smuggle into the prison. On December 25, 2021, Fuentes and Callens were stopped by a Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Deputy with 165 grams of methamphetamine they were attempting to bring to Rivers so he could smuggle it into the prison. Law enforcement did not know at the time the methamphetamine was bound for Rivers. Rivers was previously sentenced by the Court to 54 months imprisonment and Callens was previously sentenced to 168 months, for their roles in the conspiracy.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Alabama Department of Corrections, Investigations and Intelligence Division, and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney George F. May.Convicted Felon and Grape Street Crips Gang Member Sentenced to 25 Years for Selling MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A federal judge recently sentenced a Grape Street Crips gang member and convicted felon to 25 years in federal prison for selling and conspiring to sell methamphetamine. Timothy Lurry, 36, of Memphis was sentenced to 300 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute; possession with intent to distribute; and distribution of meth. U.S. District Court Judge John T. Fowlkes, Jr. also ordered Lurry to serve five years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced the sentence today. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to information presented in court, Homeland Security initiated an investigation of Lurry during which Lurry supplied and sold over 300 grams of pure methamphetamine. At the time, he was on state probation for aggravated assault. After he was arrested, Lurry also directed Paris Bradford to sell cocaine on his behalf.
Paris Bradford and Ivan Guevara-Cortez were also indicted in this investigation. Bradford pled guilty to conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to distribute; to aiding and abetting the possession of cocaine with intent to distribute; and to distribution of cocaine. On June 26, 2022, United States Senior District Judge John T. Fowlkes Jr. sentenced Bradford to four months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release.
Guvera-Cortez pled guilty to conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute and to aiding and abetting in the possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. On January 10, Judge Fowlkes sentenced Guevara-Cortez to 35 months in federal prison.
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Investigation; Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force; Tennessee Bureau of Investigation; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
United States Attorney Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorney Gregory Allen and Special Assistant United States Attorney Raven Icaza, who prosecuted this case, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated the case.
Convicted Felon Who Pled Guilty to Identity Theft, Property Theft, and Firearms Charges Sentenced to More than 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A federal judge recently issued a sentence of more than ten years imprisonment in the case of a Shelby County man who had pled guilty to firearms, identity theft, and mail fraud charges. Jeffery L. Ware, 40, of Memphis pled guilty in January to a four-count complaint of mail fraud, identity theft, aggravated identity theft, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. United States District Judge Sheryl H. Lipman sentenced Ware to 121 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release following his prison term. Judge Lipman also ordered Ware to pay $376,191.78 in restitution. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to information presented in court, between April 2016 and July 2021, Ware used the personal identifying information of at least 25 victims to conduct a series of mail fraud and identity theft schemes. In most instances, Ware either opened or took over victims’ bank accounts, used their information to obtain credit cards, or opened lines of credit in the victims’ names. In addition, Ware filed fraudulent quit claim deeds with the Shelby County Register’s Office to obtain 33 Memphis-area residential properties. He then sold some to innocent third-party purchasers and rented others to tenants, pocketing the rental income.
During the investigation, officers executed a search warrant of Ware’s apartment and found a 9 mm pistol. Due to his prior felony conviction, Ware was prohibited from possessing or using firearms.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Secret Service, and the Collierville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Carroll L. André III and former Assistant United States Attorney Murre Foster prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
Convicted Felon Sentenced for Pandemic Fraud and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A man who formerly resided in Hampton was sentenced today to 2 years in prison for his role in a fraud conspiracy as well as illegally possessing firearms as a convicted felon.
According to court documents, from about May 2020 through September 2021, Jovaughn E. Turner, 21, joined others to submit fraudulent claims for pandemic-related benefits and counterfeit checks stolen from the mail. Turner and his coconspirators ran the fraud operation from an apartment they rented in Hampton. The apartment – filled with proceeds of the fraud – was burglarized multiple times by a local gang. On September 26, 2021, a would-be robber approached Turner outside the apartment and brandished a firearm. Turner shot and killed the man in self-defense.
Following the shooting, police executed a search warrant at Turner’s apartment and located $28,500 in cash, a laptop computer, a special printer for counterfeiting checks, a money-counting machine, check stock paper, and a magnetic reader/writer/encoder for making credit and debit cards. Police also located approximately 20 counterfeit and stolen checks drawn against the bank accounts of businesses across the country.
In addition to check fraud, the defendant and his coconspirators submitted fraudulent claims for pandemic-related unemployment benefits during the COVID-19 public health crisis. Turner claimed to have worked at Wendy’s and Prime Now LLC and falsely represented that he lost his employment because of the pandemic. In fact, he only worked briefly for these employers and voluntarily abandoned both jobs.
In addition to illegally possessing a firearm on September 26, 2021, when he shot and killed the would-be robber, he was again found in possession of a firearm during a traffic stop in Chesapeake on December 30, 2021. Police recovered a loaded Glock .40 caliber handgun under the driver seat during a search of the vehicle Turner was driving.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Washington Division; and Jimmie Wideman, Chief of Hampton Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mack Coleman prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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. 4:23-cr-10.
Columbus Businessman Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ga. –A Columbus, Georgia, resident admitted to possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and faces a maximum of 20 years in prison resulting from an investigation by GBI.
Edward Sprouse Boyd, Sr., 49, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography before U.S. District Judge Clay Land on Oct. 24. Boyd faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison to be followed by a maximum lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. In addition, Boyd will have to register as a sex offender upon release from federal prison. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 23, 2024. The defendant is not eligible for parole.
“Our office will hold accountable those who possess, distribute or create child sexual assault material, content which profoundly harms kids,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “I want to commend the GBI for their dedicated and ceaseless efforts to protect children and bring predators to justice.”
“This case serves as a strong reminder of our commitment to protecting children from the atrocities of child sexual abuse. These acts against innocent children will not be tolerated in any capacity and our Child Exploitation & Computer Crimes Unit will continue to work with our local, state and federal partners for the protection of our children,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey.
According to court documents and evidence, the social media platform MeWe submitted several cybertips to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) concerning uploads of suspected child sexual assault material (also known as child pornography). The matter was referred to GBI, which determined that the user of the MeWe account was Boyd. A search of Boyd’s MeWe account uncovered CSAM material, including images of fully nude minor females around the age of puberty with their breasts and vaginas exposed, as well as child-centric sexually explicit chats with other users.
A search warrant was executed at Boyd’s home on Aug. 20, 2020. Eighteen electronic devices were seized during the execution of the warrant, to include a cell phone belonging to Boyd. A forensic examination of his cell phone revealed that it contained 5,047 images and 1,157 videos categorized as child abuse material plus 10,643 images and 1,013 videos categorized as child exploitative/age difficult. The images and videos were submitted by the GBI to the NCMEC to both confirm any previously identified minor victims and to enter any unidentified minor victims into their database for possible future identification. The NCMEC identified 125 image files and 30 video files, spanning 82 series.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by the GBI, with assistance from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Crawford Seals is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Cincinnati man pleads guilty to sex trafficking missing teenRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Cincinnati man pleaded guilty in federal court here today to sex trafficking a missing teen girl.
As part of his plea, Payton Jamar Brown, 26, will forfeit his home on Niagara Street in Cincinnati. Proceeds of the sale of the home will be given to Brown’s victim.
According to court documents, from June until October 2022 and again in February 2023, Brown sex trafficked the teenaged girl.
Brown met the victim online and began a relationship with her. The victim began to reside with Brown, who created prostitution advertisements of her. Brown would transport the victim to hotels for prostitution dates that he had arranged. Brown arranged at least 40 prostitution dates in this timeframe and collected the proceeds from the victim.
In October 2022, Colerain police officers responded to Brown’s residence and recovered the victim, who was subsequently taken to a juvenile facility in another state.
In February 2023, the juvenile escaped the facility and messaged Brown on Instagram to pick her up. Brown drove interstate to pick up the victim and her friend and bring them to his residence. Brown again created a prostitution advertisement of the victim and arranged sexual encounters with other men for money.
Throughout his time with the victim, Brown would regularly engage in sex acts with the minor and record those acts with a cell phone. He would then sell the photos and videos to others online.
Brown was arrested by the FBI in February 2023.
Parties involved have recommended a sentence of up to 20 years in prison. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court at a future hearing.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Colerain Township Police Chief Edwin C. Cordie III; and members of the Regional Electronics and Computer Investigations (RECI) task force announced the guilty plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Douglas R. Cole. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle J. Healey is representing the United States in this case.
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Beaver Resident Indicted on Charges of Violating Federal Firearm LawsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Beaver, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal firearm laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
The two-count Indictment named Eric Kalif Hubbard, age 41, formerly of Beaver, Pennsylvania, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on May 23, 2023, and July 14, 2023, Hubbard possessed a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Under federal law, possession of a firearm and ammunition is prohibited.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of fifteen (15) years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Beaver Falls Police Department, and New Brighton Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department 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 an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Tuesday 24 October 2023
Yon chèf gang ayisyen akize pou zak kidnaping ki lakòz lanmò yon sitwayen ameriken nan peyi Dayiti nan mwa oktòb 2022Read the Press Release
Yon ak akizasyon ki te depoze nan distri Columbia epi ki pibliye jodi a akize sitwayen ayisyen Vitel’homme Innocent, chèf gang Kraze Baryè a, pou wòl li ta sanse jwe nan pran de sitwayen ameriken kòm otaj avèk zam nan peyi Dayiti nan mwa oktòb 2022. Pandan zak sa, youn nan sitwayen yo te rive mouri.
Se pwokirè Ameriken Matye M. Graves ak Ajan espesyal ki responsab biwo FBI nan Miami, Jeffrey B. Veltri, ki anonse ak akizasyon sa.
Daprè ak akizasyon an, Vitel’homme Innocent ak gang Krazye Barye ap opere nan depatman Lwès nan peyi Dayiti, ki gen ladann zòn Dèlma, Tòsèl, ak Taba. Gang sa a patisipe nan kidnape moun pou lajan, vòlè ak vòlè machin.
Vitel’homme Innocent te bay manm nan gang nan lòd pou yo kidnape Jean Franklin ak Marie Odette Franklin lakay yo nan peyi Dayiti 7 oktòb 2022. Nan dat sa a, manm gang yo ki te gen zam nan men yo te antre nan kay Franklin yo epi eseye kidnape koup lan. Pandan kidnaping la, Marie Odette Franklin te rive pèdi lavi li. Yo te kidnape mari an epi kenbe misye nan yon kote yo sekrè nan peyi Dayiti. Pandan Jean Franklin te nan men kidnapè yo, Vitel’homme Innocent te patisipe nan negosyasyon pou lajan an echanj pou liberasyon Jean Franklin. Jean Franklin te jwenn liberasyon li nan dat 28 oktòb 2022, aprè yo te fin peye gang nan lajan nan non fanmi Franklin.
Pwokirè Ameriken Graves fè konnen : « Nou rete fèm nan misyon nou pou kenbe moun k ap komèt krim vyolan kont sitwayen ameriken nan peyi Dayiti yo responsab pou zak yo ». « Gang yo ak chèf gang nan peyi Dayiti yo dwe peye pou zak atwosite yo ap fè kont sivil inosan. Nou pral sèvi ak tout metòd nou genyen nan dispozisyon nou yo pou arete ak trennen devan lajistis moun ki fè vye zak sa yo ».
Ajan espesyal Veltri deklare : « Ak akizasyon ki pibliye jodi a montre angajman FBI pou li swiv prèv yo nenpòt kote yo mennen, epi jwenn [chache] chimen ki mennen li kote chèf konplo kriminèl yo nenpòt kote yo ye a ». « Ni tan, ni distans pap fè volonte nou febli. Nou pral sèvi ak tout zouti ki disponib epi nou prale nan tout kwen latè pou nou jwenn epi mennen devan lajistis sila kap chache fè Ameriken mal yo».
Vitel’homme Innocent toujou nan kouri. Li ta dwe ap viv nan zòn Taba, nan peyi Dayiti. Gen chans pou Vitel’homme Innocent akize de lòt move zak toujou nan distri Columbia pou sa ki gen rapò ak wòl li nan kidnape 16 sitwayen ameriken nan otòn nan 2021. Dosye sa a nan egzamen.
Si yo ta rekonèt li koupab, Vitel’homme Innocent riske jwenn yon kondanasyon pou prizon avi oswa pèn lanmò.
Biwo lokal FBI nan Miami ap mennen ankèt sou dosye sa, avèk èd biwo Atache jiridik FBI nan peyi Dayiti, ak èd Sèvis Sekirite Diplomatik nan Depatman Deta. Se pwokirè federal adjwen Jack F. Korba ki responsab Dosye a.
Akizasyon ki nan ak akizasyon sa a se jis akizasyon. Tout moun yo akize prezime inosan jiskaske yon tribinal pwouve ke li koupab san kite plas pou tout dout rezonab.
Wichita man pleads guilty to causing fentanyl related deathRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man pleaded guilty today to one count of distribution of a controlled substance which resulted in death.
According to court documents, on July 31, 2019, Tyler Ralls, 35, of Wichita gave Michael Marsalla, 35, an M30 pill while the two men were working together at a company in Park City. Ralls admits that he knew the pill contained fentanyl and knew that Marsalla didn’t have a tolerance for fentanyl. When Marsalla didn’t arrive at work the next day and couldn’t be reached, Ralls drove to Marsalla’s house in Valley Center and found him unresponsive. After calling 911, Ralls phoned his source for fentanyl pills to discuss whether anyone had ever died after taking them. Emergency responders pronounced Marsalla deceased at the scene. A subsequent autopsy determined the victim died of fentanyl toxicity.
“Because of the enormous influx of counterfeit pills into our communities, anytime a person ingests pills that they didn’t get directly from a medical professional, they are at great risk of dying of fentanyl overdose,” said U.S. Attorney Kate E. Brubacher. “Michael Marsalla accepted a pill from someone he thought he could trust. Unfortunately, that trust was misplaced, and it cost Mr. Marsalla his life.”
Ralls is scheduled to be sentenced on January 17, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Valley Center Police Department are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katie Andrusak is prosecuting the case.
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Western Washington cities, county, and three tribes awarded nearly $6 million for drug treatment and family recovery programsRead the Press Release
Seattle – The U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs has awarded more than $5.9 million in federal grants to improve drug treatment and family recovery programs, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. The funding is going to Mason County, the cities of Kirkland and Olympia, the Quinault Indian Nation, Tulalip Tribes, and the Puyallup Tribe.
“On this Red Ribbon Week when we celebrate living drug free, I am excited to see new programs aimed at ending drug addiction,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Gorman. “Each of these entities has identified ways to improve their services and help those struggling with addiction and mental health challenges. Justice Department funding will help identify best practices that can be replicated elsewhere.”
The City of Kirkland, Washington, was awarded $1,286,400 to implement an opioid and substance abuse screening and treatment program in their jail. The program will include medication assisted treatment options both in custody and for those transitioning into the community.
The City of Olympia, Washington was awarded $1,000,000 to support training for first responders and to expand the capacity and the hours of operation for a diversion program. The grant will further support the creation of an adult mental health program. A research team from Washington State University will evaluate the project’s success.
Mason County’s Family Recovery Court was awarded $890,675 to enhance its support programs. The improvements are aimed at increased parent engagement, reduced substance use, and reduced mental health issues among parents.
Both the Quinault and Puyallup tribes are receiving about a million dollars to enhance drug treatment services for tribal members. The Quinault Adult and Family Healing to Wellness court will use $1 million to expand services to assist families in recovery. The three-year initiative will provide stabilizing services for those with drug use disorders.
Similarly, the Puyallup Tribal community was awarded $999,324 to reduce barriers to treatment services and increase the length of time a person is supported in treatment. Grant funds will also be used to strengthen family education and engagement in recovery.
The Tulalip Tribes were awarded $749,828 to expand the capacity of its Health and Wellness Court program by hiring additional staff and creating an alumni support network for those who have completed treatment.
To learn more about Red Ribbon week visit: https://www.redribbon.org/about
Warsaw Militia Member Indicted for Phelps County Jail EscapeRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Warsaw, Mo., man who claims to be a member of the self-styled 2nd American Militia was indicted by a federal grand jury today for escaping from the Phelps County Jail, where he was being detained on federal charges related to his role in a conspiracy to murder Border Patrol officers following a shootout with FBI agents.
Jonathan S. O’Dell, 33, was charged with one count of escaping from custody in a superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City, Mo. This third superseding indictment includes the original charges against O’Dell and co-defendant Bryan C. Perry, 38, of Clarksville, Tennessee.
O’Dell escaped from the Phelps County Jail in Rolla, Mo., on Sept. 29, 2023. He was recaptured in Ray County, Mo., on Oct. 1, 2023, and remains in federal custody without bond.
The 45-count third superseding indictment alleges that Perry and O’Dell participated in a conspiracy to murder officers and employees of the United States government. They allegedly planned to travel to Texas to shoot at illegal immigrants crossing the United States – Mexico border. According to the indictment, they also planned to murder officers and employees of the U.S. Border Patrol who would attempt to stop them.
In addition, the indictment also alleges that Perry and O’Dell participated in a conspiracy to assault federal officers and employees and a conspiracy to injure federal officers and employees. The indictment also charges them together in seven counts of the attempted murder of FBI special agents, seven counts of assaulting FBI special agents with a deadly weapon, three counts of assaulting FBI special agents, 14 counts of using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and one count of damaging federal property.
Perry is also charged with two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, one count of possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number, one count of the possession of body armor by a violent felon, one count of possessing an explosive, and one count of threatening to injure another person. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Perry has a prior felony conviction for robbery.
O’Dell is also charged with one count of possessing a firearm while subject to a court order of protection, one count of threatening to injure another person, and one count of making a false statement to the FBI.
Throughout the spring, summer, and fall of 2022, the indictment says, Perry and O’Dell recruited and attempted to recruit other individuals to join their militia group. They advertised a recruitment event in Warsaw prior to leaving for the United States – Mexico border.
On Sept. 5, 2022, Perry traveled from Tennessee to Warsaw to live with O’Dell. They allegedly used O’Dell’s residence as a staging site as they prepared for their trip to the border and collected firearms, paramilitary gear, ammunition, and other supplies.
The federal indictment cites a series of social media posts from Perry. On Sept. 12, 2022, Perry posted a video on TikTok in which he discussed illegal immigrants coming into the United States from Mexico. Perry stated that the U.S. Border Patrol was committing treason by allowing these illegal immigrants to enter the United States, and that the penalty for treason was death. Perry posted another video on TikTok the next day in which he stated that he was “ready to go to war against this government.”
On Sept. 22, 2022, Perry posted a video on TikTok in which he stated, “we’re out to shoot to kill” and that “our group is gonna go protect this country.” On Oct. 3, 2022, Perry posted a video on TikTok in which he stated, “we were going out huntin’,” that his group was taking their “full kits,” and that they were leaving for the United States – Mexico border on Oct. 8, 2022.
On Oct. 3, 2022, Perry held a phone conversation with an unidentified individual in which Perry stated they were going to go down to the United States – Mexico border to “start a war.” Perry expressed their plan to shoot people coming across the border and to shoot “federal agents” who would oppose them. Perry also stated they would acquire gear and supplies from federal agents after they “take a couple of ’em out.”
On Oct. 7, 2022, according to the indictment, Perry and O’Dell had amassed six firearms, 23 magazines filled with ammunition, 1,770 rounds of various other ammunition, two sets of body armor with corresponding plate carrier vests, a handheld radio, two sniper rests, two gas masks, two items that appeared to be ballistic helmets, and multiple containers of a binary explosive mixture commonly sold as an exploding target.
On Oct. 7, 2022, the FBI executed a search warrant at O’Dell’s residence and took O’Dell and Perry into custody. Federal agents approached the property in vehicles with red and blue lights activated. As the FBI approached, an agent utilized a loudspeaker on one of the vehicles, stating that they were with the FBI and that they had a search warrant for the residence. The FBI agent began to repeat the announcement, again stating that they were with the FBI, when gunshots were fired from a front window at the lead FBI vehicle. Several rounds hit the lead FBI vehicle. According to the indictment, Perry fired 11 shots from his Voodoo Innovations multi-caliber rifle with an AM-15 lower receiver. FBI special agents did not return fire and, after the gunshots ceased, the FBI established a perimeter and began communicating with the persons inside the residence to come out.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey Clark and Ashley Turner. It was investigated by the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Phelps County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Ray County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Caldwell County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Urologist Charged in Superseding Indictment with Sexually Abusing Eight Patients, Including MinorsRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that a grand jury in Manhattan federal court returned a Superseding Indictment charging DARIUS A. PADUCH, a New York–area urologist, with seven counts of inducing a person to travel to engage in unlawful sexual activity and six counts of inducing a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity, relating to his yearslong sexual abuse of eight victims who were his patients, six of whom were minors during part of the period of abuse. On April 11, 2023, PADUCH was arrested after a four-count Indictment was unsealed charging him with sexually abusing two former patients who were minors during part of the period of abuse. PADUCH has been detained on his federal charges since his arrest. PADUCH’s case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams. Trial is scheduled to commence on April 22, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Darius A. Paduch was a serial sexual abuser. Purporting to provide clinical care, Paduch instead violated patients — including minors — to gratify his own sexual desires. As alleged in today’s Superseding Indictment, Paduch’s abuse was pervasive, spanning over a decade and victimizing patients inside and outside the clinical setting. With today’s additional charges, my Office seeks to hold Paduch accountable for the full measure of his reprehensible conduct.”
According to the allegations in the Superseding Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:[1]
Over the course of several years, PADUCH sexually abused multiple male patients, including minor male patients, while conducting purported urological examinations in his capacity as a medical doctor employed by a prestigious medical institution in New York, New York (“Medical Institution-1”).
From at least in or about 2007 through at least in or about 2019, PADUCH, while working as a urologist, enticed and induced multiple victims to travel to his medical offices at Medical Institution-1, so PADUCH could, among other things, sexually abuse the victims. PADUCH also induced victims to travel to New Jersey where he abused and assaulted the victims under the guise of medical care. In or about 2019, PADUCH began practicing at a different hospital located in Long Island, New York (“Medical Institution-2”), where he continued to sexually abuse patients. PADUCH used his position as a urologist at prominent medical institutions in New York to make or attempt to make the victims believe that the sexual abuse he inflicted on them was medically necessary and appropriate, when, in fact, it was not. PADUCH often directed the victims to schedule follow-up visits, and he instructed victims to return to see him again. As a result, some of the victims attended many appointments with PADUCH over the course of multiple years, at which PADUCH repeatedly abused them.
As alleged, PADUCH induced six victims to travel to New York, New York, from or through another state to engage in unlawful sexual activity — in other words, his abuse of the victims. As alleged in Count Six, PADUCH induced one victim to travel from New York to another state to engage in unlawful sexual activity. PADUCH also used a telephone and other means of interstate commerce to induce six minor victims to engage in the unlawful sexual activity.
If you have been victimized by DARIUS PADUCH in any way or have any additional information about his alleged illegal behavior, please call 1-800-CALL-FBI or reach out at www.tips.fbi.gov.
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PADUCH, 56, of North Bergen, New Jersey, is charged as follows:
Count
Charge
VICTIM
Minimum/Maximum Penalties
1
Inducement of a Victim to Travel to Engage in Unlawful Sexual Activity
MINOR VICTIM-1
20 years in prison
2
Inducement of a Victim to Travel to Engage in Unlawful Sexual Activity
MINOR VICTIM-2
20 years in prison
3
Inducement of a Victim to Travel to Engage in Unlawful Sexual Activity
MINOR VICTIM-3
20 years in prison
4
Inducement of a Victim to Travel to Engage in Unlawful Sexual Activity
MINOR VICTIM-4
20 years in prison
5
Inducement of a Victim to Travel to Engage in Unlawful Sexual Activity
MINOR VICTIM-5
20 years in prison
6
Inducement of a Victim to Travel to Engage in Unlawful Sexual Activity
VICTIM-6
20 years in prison
7
Inducement of a Victim to Travel to Engage in Unlawful Sexual Activity
VICTIM-7
20 years in prison
8
Inducement of a Minor to Engage in Unlawful Sexual Activity
MINOR VICTIM-1
Life in prison
Mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison
9
Inducement of a Minor to Engage in Unlawful Sexual Activity
MINOR VICTIM-2
Life in prison
Mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison
10
Inducement of a Minor to Engage in Unlawful Sexual Activity
MINOR VICTIM-3
Life in prison
Mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison
11
Inducement of a Minor to Engage in Unlawful Sexual Activity
MINOR VICTIM-4
Life in prison
Mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison
12
Inducement of a Minor to Engage in Unlawful Sexual Activity
MINOR VICTIM-5
Life in prison
Mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison
13
Inducement of a Minor to Engage in Unlawful Sexual Activity
MINOR VICTIM-8
Life in prison
Mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison
The minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marguerite B. Colson, Elizabeth A. Espinosa, and Jun Xiang are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Superseding Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the descriptions of the Indictment set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
University City High School Teacher Charged with Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – October 24, 2023
SAN DIEGO – Sean Stevenson, a high school science teacher at University City High School, was arrested today by the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force and charged in federal court with Attempted Enticement of a Minor.
Stevenson is scheduled to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mitchell Dembin on October 25, 2023, at 2 p.m.
Stevenson’s alleged illicit activity was discovered during another sex trafficking investigation. According to a criminal complaint, a review of messages from that investigation identified Stevenson as interested in paying for sex with a minor.
An undercover law enforcement officer began text messaging with Stevenson via the Pinger application. The officer claimed to be sex trafficking her 16-year-old cousin.
The complaint states that on October 23, 2023, Stevenson messaged the undercover officer and negotiated a price of $140 for oral sex from a 16-year-old girl. Stevenson and the undercover officer agreed to meet early on October 24, 2023, on El Cajon Boulevard for the “date” with the minor. Stevenson arrived at the location around 7 a.m. and was arrested.
The complaint states that $140 was found in Stevenson’s car.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Derek Ko and Andrew Sherwood.
Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact San Diego County Crime Stoppers (888-580-8477) and the National Human Trafficking Hotline (888-373-7888).
DEFENDANTS Case Number 23MJ3854
Sean Stevenson Age: 58 San Diego, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Attempted Enticement of a Minor– Title 18, U.S.C., Section 2422(b)
Maximum penalty: Life in prison, 10-year mandatory minimum
AGENCY
Homeland Security Investigations
San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force
The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
United States Attorney's Office Releases 2023 Third Quarter Immigration Enforcement StatisticsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office announced its immigration enforcement statistics for July 1, 2023, to September 30, 2023. These cases are prosecuted in partnership with the Tucson and Yuma Sectors of the Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol, along with Homeland Security Investigations, and assistance from other federal, state, and county agencies. In the three-month period ending September 30, 2023, the United States brought criminal charges in Arizona against 1,219 individuals who illegally entered or re-entered the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States also filed 254 cases against individuals responsible for smuggling undocumented noncitizens to and within the District of Arizona. In this time period, the United States also prosecuted 82 reactive drug cases arising out of immigration ports of entry and checkpoints.
Reducing migrant smuggling and mitigating the risk to communities impacted by these offenses continues to be a priority for the Office and its law enforcement partners. Some of these prosecutions are directed against leaders and coordinators of alien smuggling organizations. Other prosecutions are aimed at deterring young adult drivers, often recruited over social media platforms, from engaging in this dangerous activity. Prosecutions against young drivers include four cases brought against juvenile smugglers during this time period.
These statistics represent United States Attorney’s Office prosecutions only. The numbers do not include individuals apprehended by immigration enforcement officials and subjected solely to administrative process.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-157_2023 Third Quarter Immigration Enforcement Statistics
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. Announces Selection of First Assistant and Counsel to the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of LouisianaRead the Press Release
Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announces the selection and appointment of April Leon Johnson to First Assistant United States Attorney. Mrs. Johnson is the first woman and African American woman appointed to this title. The former First Assistant United States Attorney Ellison C. Travis is now Counsel to the United States Attorney.
Mrs. Johnson has served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana where she is assigned to the Special Matters Division. She also served as the criminal civil rights coordinator and human trafficking coordinator for the Middle District. Previously, she clerked for the Honorable Benjamin Jones and Honorable Carl Van Sharp of Louisiana’s 4th Judicial District Court before joining the East Baton Rouge District Attorney's Office as an Assistant District Attorney in 2009. During her tenure at the East Baton Rouge District Attorney’s Office, Mrs. Johnson earned an administrative position as Section Chief of Section IV Trials and has the distinction of being the first African American woman in the Parish to obtain such status.
Since joining the Department of Justice in April of 2022, Mrs. Johnson has had the distinction of representing the Middle District at the Federal Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Judicial Conference. She also served on the United States District Court’s Merit Selection Panel to consider the reappointment of United States Magistrate Judge Erin Wilder-Doomes, and the host committee for the 28th Annual African American Heritage Celebration. She participated in piloting “United Against Hate” outreach programs across the district in a nationwide effort by the Department of Justice to combat hate crimes and encourage discussion between representatives of law enforcement, community organizations, and members of the public.
Mrs. Johnson obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree, magna cum laude, from Howard University in 2004 where she studied Communications and Rhetoric. She then obtained her Juris Doctor from Southern University Law Center. During her law school tenure, she was selected by the faculty as a member of the moot court and mock trial competition teams. Mrs. Johnson externed as a law student at East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney's Office as a Special Assistant Rule XX Prosecutor and tried her first case as a prosecutor before graduating.
Mrs. Johnson’s accolades include an appointment by Governor John Bel Edwards to the Louisiana Women's Incarceration Task Force as well as a Writing Fellow for Southern University Law Center where she assists recent graduates with preparation and passage of the Louisiana State Bar Examination. Her involvement in the legal community consists of mentoring with Louisiana State Bar Association’s “Transition Into Practice” Program, and memberships in the National Black Prosecutors Association, Louis A. Martinet Legal Society, Federal Bar Association, and Louisiana State Bar Association. She is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.
Mr. Travis has served as First Assistant United States Attorney in the Middle District of Louisiana since 2018. He was appointed and sworn in as the Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana from March 2021 to December 2021, following the resignation of Brandon J. Fremin who had served as the United States Attorney since 2018.
Previously, Mr. Travis was with the Louisiana Department of Justice for over twenty years. During his tenure with the Louisiana Department of Justice, he served as the Director of the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Criminal Division (2017-2018), as an Assistant Attorney General in the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (2002–2017), and as an Assistant Attorney General in the Criminal Division (1997–2002). Mr. Travis also served as an Assistant District Attorney (1990–1996). During his thirty years in public service, he has prosecuted all manner of criminal matters, including violent crimes, financial crimes, and public corruption. Mr. Travis helped author and pass legislation to penalize those who commit electronic abuse of persons with infirmities and those who commit public program fraud. He also represented the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit in the state Legislative Task Force on Medicaid Fraud Prevention.
Mr. Travis received his Juris Doctor from Louisiana State University, Paul M. Hebert Law Center, and his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Louisiana State University.
U.S. Attorney’s Eastern Washington COVID-19 Strike Force Announces Indictment of Spokane Valley Couple in Connection with Fraudulent COVID Relief LoanRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – Vanessa R. Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that a federal grand jury has indicted a Spokane Valley couple for fraud in connection with COVID-19 relief funding. The Indictment is the most recent announced by the Eastern Washington COVID-19 Strike Force, which has brought criminal charges against numerous individuals and recovered millions of dollars in fraudulently obtained COVID relief funding.
On March 27, 2020, the President signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The CARES Act provided a number of programs through which eligible small businesses could request and obtain relief funding intended to mitigate the economic impacts of the pandemic for small and local businesses. One such program, the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, provided low interest loans that could be deferred until the conclusion of the pandemic to provide “bridge” funding for small businesses to maintain their operations during shutdowns and other economic circumstances caused by the pandemic. The EIDL program have provided billions of dollars in aid, the vast majority of which have not been paid back, including hundreds of millions of dollars disbursed within Eastern Washington.
The Indictment announced today charges Raymond and Jennifer Hilderbrand, ages 53 and 52, of Spokane Valley, Washington, with eight counts of fraud in connection with a fraudulently-obtained EIDL loan. The Indictment alleges that Raymond Hilderbrand applied for and received $363,000 in EIDL funding on behalf of his company, Hilderbrand Auto Service, with the intent to defraud, steal, and convert the proceeds of the EIDL loan for the couple’s use in Powerline Enterprise LLC, a purported business that was not eligible to receive EIDL funding. The Indictment also alleges that Defendant Jennifer Hilderbrand made false and fraudulent representations on an application for EIDL funding on behalf of Powerline Enterprise LLC, a purported business that was not eligible to receive EIDL funding. The SBA denied that application.
“We created the Eastern Washington COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force because combatting pandemic-related fraud and holding those accountable who abused these programs is critical to the strength and safety of our community in Eastern Washington, stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “My Office will continue to lead the effort to prosecute those who stole money intended for those in legitimate need.”
In February 2022, U.S. Attorney Waldref and the U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) began working with federal law enforcement agencies to create and launch a COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force that would leverage partnerships between different agencies to aggressively investigate and prosecute fraud against COVID-19 relief programs in Eastern Washington. The Strike Force consists of agency representatives from the USAO, Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Inspector General (OIG), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Department of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs OIG, General Services Administration OIG, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) OIG, Internal Revenue Service, Department of Energy OIG, and others.
The fraud charges carry sentences of up to 20 years in federal prison as well as restitution for fraudulently-obtained funds. This case was investigated by the Eastern District of Washington COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force and by TIGTA, SBA OIG, and IRS-CI. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Frieda K. Zimmerman and Jeremy J. Kelley.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two Tulsa Men Indicted for Introducing Misbranded Drugs into Interstate CommerceRead the Press Release
Two Tulsa men were indicted for introducing misbranded drugs into interstate commerce and were arrested today, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Aaron Michael Thomas, 41, and Darren Doils Means, 68, were both charged in a three-count indictment for introducing misbranded drugs into interstate commerce, in violation of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act.
“A federal grand jury indicted Aaron Thomas and Darren Means for their alleged criminal actions associated with drugs, like gabapentin, xylazine, and pregabalin,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “This United States Attorney’s Office will continue to pursue cases against healthcare providers who skirt FDA regulations developed to ensure the safety of individuals receiving prescription drug treatments.”
“The distribution of misbranded drugs in the U.S. marketplace puts all consumers’ health at risk. FDA will remain vigilant in our efforts to protect the U.S. public health from potentially dangerous products,” said Special Agent in Charge Ronne G. Malham, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Chicago Field Office.
According to court documents, Thomas and Means are alleged to have introduced misbranded gabapentin, xylazine, and pregabalin into interstate commerce. Thomas and Means are alleged to have been running a business on the dark web where they were selling prescription drugs without prescriptions, or appropriate branding or labelling.
If convicted, Thomas and Means each face up to 3 years in prison, per count.
The Food & Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathan E. Michel and Aaron M. Jolly are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two Men Indicted in Austin for Robbing U.S. Postal CarriersRead the Press Release
AUSTIN, Texas – A federal grand jury in Austin returned an indictment charging two men with crimes related to the robberies of postal carriers.
According to court documents, Camren Hamilton, 22, of Saint Louis, Missouri, and Jonathan Rangel, 26, of Austin, allegedly robbed two postal carriers in Round Rock on Sept. 30. The affidavit in a filed complaint alleges that Rangel also assaulted multiple letter carriers with the intent to rob them in Georgetown and Austin in the days prior. The affidavit alleges that in each incident, the assailant demanded that the carriers give him their Arrow Key, which enables the carrier to access mail receptacles on their route.
Hamilton is charged with two counts of robbery of mail matter, money or other property of the United States and two counts of receipt, possession, concealment and disposal of stolen mail matter and property of the United States. Rangel is charged with four counts of robbery of mail matter, money or other property of the United States and two counts of receipt, possession, concealment and disposal of stolen mail matter and property of the United States.
The defendants made their initial court appearances on Oct. 2 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dustin M. Howell of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. If convicted, they each face up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas; and Inspector in Charge Scott Fix of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Houston Division made the announcement.
The USPIS is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Guess is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Tucson Woman Sentenced to 10 Years for Fatal Crash While Transporting Illegal AliensRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Sunshine Michelle Betters, 47, of Tucson, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 120 months in prison for Transportation of Illegal Aliens Resulting in Death. Betters also was sentenced to an additional 11 months imprisonment for violating her federal supervised release for a prior conviction for Transportation of Illegal Aliens.
On June 3, 2021, the Tohono O’odham Police Department (TOPD) responded to a two-vehicle collision on State Route 86 on the Tohono O’odham reservation. TOPD officers and detectives determined Betters was driving a vehicle which sideswiped an oncoming truck, which caused the vehicle to leave the roadway and strike a tree. There were two occupants in Betters’ vehicle, both undocumented noncitizens illegally present in the United States. One of those undocumented noncitizens, a citizen of Guatemala, died at the scene. Given the death of a foreign national, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Border Patrol responded.
Through further investigation, HSI agents determined Betters was transporting the two undocumented noncitizens for financial gain. They also discovered that prior to the collision Betters, who was severely intoxicated, falsely believed she was being followed by Border Patrol and thus increased her speed. The combination of intoxication and speed were contributing factors to the collision and death.Betters, who was on federal supervision for a previous conviction for Transportation of Illegal Aliens, pleaded guilty on October 17, 2022. She also admitted that her conduct violated the conditions of her supervised release.
Homeland Security Investigations, Customs and Border Protections U.S. Border Patrol, and the Tohono O’odham Tribal Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR 21-01526-TUC-JGZ
CR 18-02003-TUC-JGZ
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-158_Betters# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.St. Louis County Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Dealing Fatal Dose of Heroin and FentanylRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS –U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Tuesday sentenced a man to life in prison for selling the heroin and fentanyl that killed a Florissant, Missouri man in 2018.
Wyland Kinney, 50, of St. Louis County, was convicted by a jury in May distribution of a controlled substance that resulted in death, two counts of distributing fentanyl and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Evidence and testimony at trial showed that Kinney sold the victim, who had been battling heroin addiction and had just been in the hospital for treatment, heroin and fentanyl at 2:30 p.m. on August 16, 2018. The victim was living with his grandmother, who found him dead at about 8 p.m. An autopsy and toxicology results showed that the quantity of heroin and fentanyl individually was enough to kill him.
During the subsequent investigation of the death, officers had a confidential informant purchase a mix of fentanyl and ketamine twice from Kinney, on October 11 and 12. A court-approved search of Kinney’s home found six handguns, five shotguns, two rifles, an AK-style pistol, ammunition and $6,443 in cash. They also found text messages regarding drug sales on his phone.
“Everyone is well aware illegal drugs can harm the people who find themselves dependent on these substances,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Colin Dickey, lead of Drug Enforcement Administration investigations in Eastern Missouri. "But families are also victims of the terrible criminal activity of drug dealing, as the grandmother of Kenney’s victim must know. The powerful narcotics available today destroy lives and families. DEA makes it a priority to ensure the destruction is shared by the dealers by putting them in prison.”
The case was investigated by the Florissant Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyle Bateman and Tiffany Becker are prosecuting the case.
Six Defendants Indicted for $240,000 Covid Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Six defendants have been indicted for their roles in a conspiracy that resulted in more than $240,000 in fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans being issued under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Renetta Golden-Larimore, 54, Tajona Manning, 31, and Tashawn Mayfield, 24, all of Kansas City, Mo., Camonte Henderson, 25, of Raytown, Mo., Quinniece Smith, 33, of Dallas, Texas, and Dannisha Taylor 32, of New Orleans, Louisiana, were charged in a seven-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Wednesday, Oct. 18. That indictment was unsealed and made public today.
The federal indictment alleges that each of the six defendants participated in a conspiracy to submit false and fraudulent applications for PPP loans from March 2021 to January 2022. The scheme allegedly caused more than $240,000 in fraudulent PPP loans to be issued to ineligible borrowers, some of which were forgiven even though the funds were not used for the purposes specified in the PPP.
According to the indictment, Golden-Larimore prepared and filed fraudulent PPP loan applications on behalf of the other co-conspirators. She allegedly received payments between $2,000 and $7,000 from the loan proceeds for her assistance in filing false and fraudulent PPP loan applications. Golden-Larimore created counterfeit IRS forms for nonexistent businesses, the indictment says, and inflated income for existing businesses in order to qualify the borrower for a PPP loan.
Manning, Mayfield, Henderson, Smith, and Taylor each received a PPP loan of $20,832.
In addition to the conspiracy, Manning, Mayfield, Henderson, and Taylor each are charged with one count of wire fraud. Smith is also charged with two counts of wire fraud.
The indictment also contains forfeiture allegations, which would require Golden-Larimore to forfeit to the government at least $75,833, which represents the proceeds she obtained from the conspiracy, and each of the remaining defendants to forfeit to the government $20,832, which represents the proceeds they obtained from the conspiracy.
In a separate case, Golden-Larimore was also charged in an April 26, 2023, federal indictment for her role in a similar conspiracy that resulted in nearly $250,000 in fraudulent PPP loans being issued to a dozen Kansas City metropolitan area residents.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Senior Executive Pleads Guilty to Defrauding International Cargo Airline EmployerRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced the guilty plea today of ROBERT SCHIRMER in connection with a massive scheme to defraud Polar Air Cargo Worldwide, Inc. (“Polar”), a leading cargo airline, of tens of millions of dollars in revenue and the honest services of its employees. SCHIRMER pled guilty today to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and honest services fraud before U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Polar senior executive Robert Schirmer admitted his guilt in a scheme to defraud his employer that lasted more than a decade. Today’s plea reflects our Office’s longstanding commitment to rooting out corporate fraud.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment and statements made in public filings and in public court proceedings:
From at least in or about 2009 through in or about July 2021, ROBERT SCHIRMER and nine other individuals participated in a massive scheme to defraud Polar. At all relevant times, SCHIRMER and three codefendants were senior executives of Polar (the “Executive Defendants”), and six codefendants (the “Vendor Defendants”) owned and operated various Polar vendors and customers. The Executive Defendants agreed to accept millions of dollars in kickbacks from the Vendor Defendants, and also reaped substantial financial benefits as a result of their secret ownership interests in certain Polar vendors, in exchange for ensuring that those vendors received favorable business arrangements with Polar. The fraud they perpetrated — which involved a substantial portion of Polar’s senior management and at least 10 customers and vendors of Polar — led to pervasive corruption of Polar’s business, touching nearly every aspect of the company’s operations, for over a decade.
As a result of the scheme, the Executive Defendants, along with two co-conspirators who also worked as senior executives at Polar, received unlawful payments, either directly or through various limited liability companies they controlled, in excess of approximately $23 million in kickback payments or disbursements as a result of their ownership of conflicted companies.
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SCHIRMER, 58, of Port Jefferson Station, New York, pled guilty to one count of conspiring to commit wire fraud and honest services wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. SCHIRMER also agreed to pay forfeiture in the amount of $983,759.32 and to make restitution to Polar in the amount of $9,340,729.
The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. SCHIRMER is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Furman on February 13, 2024, at 3:00 p.m.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Reilly, Danielle Kudla, Kevin Mead, and Qais Ghafary are in charge of the prosecution.
Sacramento Area Tax Preparer Convicted of Presenting False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — After a five–day trial, a federal jury found Leticia Tyshalle Marie Reed, 47, of Sacramento, guilty Monday of six counts of making false claims to the Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. The trial was held before U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta.
According to evidence presented at trial, Reed was a paid tax preparer who was registered with the IRS. In 2014 and 2015, Reed prepared and submitted federal income tax returns for Sacramento-based clients, relating to tax years 2013 and 2014. These tax returns requested tax refunds to which the clients were not entitled. Reed deliberately manipulated the reported income on each tax return by either inflating it or fabricating it altogether, in order to qualify her clients for the maximum refundable tax credits available. Based on these falsehoods, each return that Reed submitted sought thousands of dollars in tax refunds from the IRS. At times, the refunds requested were almost half of the annual income claimed. Reed would then take a substantial portion of any tax refunds that issued as compensation for preparing her clients’ Form 1040s.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shelley D. Weger and Kristin F. Scott are prosecuting the case.
Reed is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Calabretta on Feb. 1, 2024. Reed faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each of the six counts. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the Court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Richmond Man Who Led Officers on High-Speed Car Chase Pleads Guilty to Southside Plaza CarjackingRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man pleaded guilty today to a carjacking.
According to court documents, on August 6, 2022, Keith Travers, 37, and an accomplice met with the victim at Southside Plaza in Richmond, purportedly to sell the victim a catalytic converter. However, Travers and his accomplice had driven to the meeting with no catalytic converters to sell. When the victim realized this and turned to leave, Travers’s accomplice stated, “you know what this is, give me your wallet, keys and your phone.” In response, the victim reached for the gun he was carrying on his right hip. As the victim was doing so, Travers pointed a gun at the victim’s head and exclaimed, “don’t lose your life over this.”
Fearing that Travers was about to shoot him, the victim turned his gun over to Travers’s accomplice, who then pointed it at the victim. The victim also handed over his business wallet, car keys, and work cell phone. There was between $5,000 and $6,000 in the wallet when he handed it to Travers’s accomplice. Travers’s accomplice then drove off in the victim’s car and Travers left in the car he had driven to the carjacking.
On August 19, 2022, officers of the Richmond Police Department attempted to arrest Travers for the carjacking. He was in the same car he had driven to the Southside Plaza robbery. When Travers saw the officers, he accelerated suddenly, leading the officers on a pursuit for nearly an hour. Eventually, Travers abandoned his car and fled on foot. As the officers were closing in on him, Travers threw a Taurus 9mm semi-automatic pistol under a nearby vehicle. The gun was the same firearm Travers used during the carjacking on August 6, 2022.
Travers is scheduled to be sentenced on March 20, 2024. He faces a maximum penalty of 15 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; Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; and Rick Edwards, Chief of Richmond Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge David J. Novak accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Miller is prosecuting 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. 3:23-cr-38.