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6 December 2023
Чотирьох пов’язаних з Росією військовослужбовців звинувачують у військових злочинах у зв’язку з вторгненням Росії в УкраїнуRead the Press Release
Сьогодні в суді Східного округу Вірджинії було оприлюднено звинувачення у військових злочинах проти чотирьох пов'язаних з Росією військових. Вони обвинувачуються в катуванні, нелюдському поводженню та незаконному ув’язненні громадянина США в Україні після повномасштабного вторгнення Росії в Україну в лютому 2022 року.
45-річному Сурену Сейрановичу Мкртчяну, Дмитру Будніку, Валерію (прізвище невідоме) та Назару (прізвище невідоме) висунуто звинувачення у незаконному затриманні громадянина США в умовах збройного конфлікту між Росією та Україною. Ці особи підозрюються в тому, що вони допитували, жорстоко били та катували потерпілого. Вони також нібито погрожували вбити жертву та влаштували імітацію страти.
«Відколи світ став свідком жахіть жорстокого вторгнення Росії в Україну, за ними також спостерігає і Міністерство юстиції Сполучених Штатів, – сказав міністр юстиції США Меррік Гарленд. – Саме тому Міністерство юстиції висунуло перші в історії звинувачення згідно зі статутом США про військові злочини чотирьом військовослужбовцям, пов’язаним з Росією, за жахливі злочини проти американського громадянина. Міністерство юстиції працюватиме стільки, скільки буде потрібно, щоб привести винних до відповідальності та відновити справедливість, яку було порушено в результаті агресивної війни Росії».
«Завдяки невтомній і безпрецедентній праці федеральних правоохоронних агентів із відділу розслідувань Міністерства внутрішньої безпеки та Міністерства юстиції, чотирьом російським солдатам, звинуваченим у неймовірних, неприйнятних порушеннях прав людини американського громадянина, висунули звинувачення у військових злочинах і їх буде притягнуто до відповідальності, – зауважив міністр внутрішньої безпеки Алехандро Майоркас. – Звинувачення, які сьогодні було оприлюднено, надсилають чітке повідомлення Росії — наш уряд не пошкодує зусиль і ресурсів, щоб притягнути до відповідальності тих, хто порушує фундаментальні права людини американських громадян».
«З початку свого неспровокованого вторгнення в Україну Росія використовувала порушення прав людини як зброю, щоб завдати людям неймовірних страждань, — заявив директор ФБР Крістофер Рей. – Сьогоднішнє обвинувачення – перше в історії згідно зі статутом США про військові злочини – чітко показує, що ФБР працюватиме у тісній співпраці з міжнародними правоохоронними органами, щоб відновити справедливість для жертв цих жорстокостей. Людські втрати внаслідок конфлікту в Україні важким тягарем лягають на серця агентів ФБР, і ми сповнені рішучості притягнути військових злочинців до відповідальності незалежно від того, де вони перебувають і скільки часу це займе».
«Катування та незаконне ув’язнення особи, яка перебуває під захистом, є серйозними порушеннями прав людини, які не повинні залишатися безкарними, – сказала виконувач обов’язків помічника генерального прокурора Ніколь Арджентьєрі з кримінального відділу Міністерства юстиції. – Ці історичні кримінальні звинувачення — перші в історії, висунуті згідно зі статутом США про військові злочини — є важливим кроком у постійних зусиллях Міністерства юстиції, спрямованих на притягнення до відповідальності тих, хто чинить військові злочини та інші жорстокі дії в Україні.
Згідно з актом обвинувачення, Мкртчян і Буднік були командирами військових частин збройних сил РФ і/або так званої ДНР, а Валерій і Назар – військовослужбовцями нижчого складу. Як стверджується, звинувачені воювали на боці Росії в Україні, коли вони скоїли військові злочини, про які було повідомлено.
У квітні 2022 року Мкртчян і солдати під його командуванням, відповідно до свідчень, викрали потерпілого, громадянина США, з його будинку в селі Милове Херсонської області на півдні України та незаконно утримували його щонайменше протягом десяти днів. Під час викрадення Мкртчян, Валерій, Назар та інші притисли голого потерпілого обличчям до землі, зв’язали йому руки за спиною, приклали до голови пістолета і жорстоко били його, в тому числі прикладами. Потім Мкртчян, Валерій, Назар та інші нібито перевезли потерпілого до імпровізованої військової бази у Миловому.
«Ці звинувачення свідчать про те, що дії обвинувачених, про які було засвідчено, є не лише серйозними порушеннями Женевської конвенції про захист цивільного населення під час війни, але й порушенням законодавства США, — заявила прокурор Східного округу штату Вірджинія Джессіка Абер. – Ми пишаємося тим, що виступаємо в авангарді зусиль Міністерства юстиції щодо притягнення до відповідальності осіб, які вчинили військові злочини в Україні, і продовжуватимемо їх переслідувати. Ми дякуємо нашим партнерам по розслідуванню цієї справи, групі аналізу військових злочинів, польовому офісу ФБР у Вашингтоні та Міністерсиву національної безпеки за їхні видатні зусилля зі збору доказів, необхідних для цих звинувачень».
В акті обвинувачення також зазначається, що Мкртчян і Буднік керували та брали участь щонайменше у двох допитах, під час яких четверо підсудних та інші катували потерпілого. На одному з допитів Мкртчян, Валерій і Назар нібито зняли з потерпілого одяг і сфотографували його. Тоді обвинувачені та інші нібито жорстоко побили потерпілого, спрямували пістолети йому в потилицю та погрожували розстріляти. Будник нібито погрожував вбити потерпілого і вимагав сказати прощальні слова. Незабаром після цього Назар та інші влаштували імітацію страти. Вони нібито змусили жертву впасти на землю, приставили пістолет до потилиці, потім відвели пістолет і випустили кулю прямо повз голову жертви.
«Ці історичні звинувачення є кульмінацією складного розслідування ФБР і наших партнерів, яке охоплює весь світ, — повідомив помічник директора ФБР і керівник вашингтонського офісу Девід Сандберг. – ФБР продовжуватиме співпрацювати з нашими внутрішніми та міжнародними партнерами, щоб досягти правосуддя та притягнути до відповідальності тих, хто вчиняє такі звірства».
«За свідченнями, діючи від імені російських збройних сил і так званої Донецької народної республіки, ці четверо осіб порушили права людини американського громадянина, – заявила виконувачка обов‘язків помічника директора з розслідувань внутрішньої безпеки (HSI) Катріна Бергер. – Згідно з обвинуваченнями, вони незаконно затримали і катували американського громадянина і навіть дійшли до імітації страти. Оприлюднення цих звинувачень у військових злочинах є важливим кроком у притягненні винних до відповідальності. HSI продовжуватиме агресивно переслідувати всіх, хто порушує права людини наших американських громадян – вдома чи за кордоном».
Зазначені особи звинувачуються у трьох військових злочинах – незаконному ув’язненні, тортурах і нелюдському поводженні – і в одному пункті – у змові з метою вчинення військових злочинів. У разі доведення вини обвинуваченим загрожує максимальне покарання у вигляді довічного ув'язнення.
Відділення ФБР та HSI у Вашингтоні (округ Колумбія), за сприяння Міжнародного відділу прав людини ФБР та Центру переслідування порушників прав людини та військових злочинців HSI, розслідували звинувачення у військових злочинах у партнерстві з Офісом прокурора Східного округу Вірджинії та Групою з питань підзвітності військових злочинів Міністерства юстиції, яка базується у Відділі прав людини та спеціального судового переслідування (HRSP) кримінального відділу Міністерства юстиції.
Справу ведуть судовий адвокат HRSP і провідний адвокат обвинувачення групи розслідування військових злочинів Крістіан Левеск, судовий адвокат HRSP Патрік Джасперс і помічник прокурора у Східному окрузі Вірджинії Олександр Бланшар за вагомої підтримки колишнього помічника прокурора Східного округу Вірджинії Томаса Тракслера. Суттєву допомогу в розслідуванні та судовому переслідуванні надали Історики HRSP та інші співробітники.
Цінну допомогу надали Офіс боротьби з комп’ютерними злочинами та порушенням прав інтелектуальної власності Кримінального відділу, Апеляційний відділ, Управління правоохоронних операцій і Управління міжнародних справ, а також Відділ національної безпеки. Міністерство юстиції висловлює вдячність Генеральній прокуратурі України за суттєву допомогу в розслідуванні.
Представників громадськості, які мають інформацію про порушників прав людини в Сполучених Штатах або місцезнаходження обвинувачених, зазначених у цьому звинуваченні, просимо зв’язатися з ФБР за номером 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) або через онлайн-форму на сайті ФБР. Посилання на інші урядові та неурядові сайти зазвичай відображатимуться разом із піктограмою «зовнішнього посилання», які вказують, що ви залишаєте веб-сайт Міністерства юстиції, коли натискаєте на посилання. Зв’яжіться з HSI за номером 1-866-DHS-2-ICE або через онлайн-форму ICE. Посилання на інші державні та неурядові сайти зазвичай відображатимуться разом із позначкою «зовнішнього посилання», яка вказуватиме на те, що ви залишаєте веб-сайт Міністерства юстиції, коли переходите за посиланням. Усі колл-центри працюють цілодобово, а інформацію можна надавати анонімно.
Обвинувальний висновок — це лише твердження. Усі обвинувачені вважаються невинуватими, доки їх вину не буде доведено в суді поза логічними сумнівами.
IndictmentЧетырем российским военнослужащим предъявлены обвинения в военных преступлениях в связи с вторжением России в УкраинуRead the Press Release
Сегодня в суде Восточного округа штата Вирджиния были оглашены обвинения в военных преступлениях, предъявленные четырем российским военнослужащим. Они обвиняются в пытках, бесчеловечном обращении и незаконном лишении свободы гражданина США на территории Украины после полномасштабного вторжения России в Украину в феврале 2022 года.
45-летнему Сурену Сейрановичу Мкртчяну, Дмитрию Буднику, Валерию (фамилия неизвестна) и Назару (фамилия неизвестна) были предъявлены обвинения в связи с незаконным задержанием гражданина США в контексте вооруженного конфликта между Россией и Украиной. Обвиняемые, как утверждается, допрашивали, жестоко избивали,пытали,угрожали убить жертву и устроили инсценировку казни.
“Сейчас, когда мир становится свидетелем ужасов жестокого вторжения России в Украину, Министерство юстиции Соединенных Штатов наблюдает то же самое, — заявил министр юстиции США Меррик Б. Гарланд. — Именно поэтому Министерство юстиции впервые в истории выдвинуло обвинения в соответствии с законом США о военных преступлениях против четырех российских военнослужащих за зверские преступления против американского гражданина. Министерство юстиции приложит все усилия , чтобы добиться привлечения к ответственности и правосудия за агрессивную войну, которую ведет Россия”.
“Благодаря неустанной и беспрецедентной работе сотрудников федеральных правоохранительных органов из отдела расследований Министерства национальной безопасности и Министерства юстиции четырем российским военнослужащим, совершившим немыслимые, неприемлемые нарушения прав человека в отношении американского гражданина, предъявлены обвинения в совершении военных преступлений и они будут привлечены к ответственности, — заявил министр национальной безопасности Алехандро Н. Майоркас. — Обнародованные сегодня обвинительные заключения ясно дают понять России: наше правительство не пожалеет усилий и ресурсов, чтобы привлечь к ответственности тех, кто нарушает фундаментальные права американских граждан”.
“С начала своего незаконного вторжения в Украину Россия использует нарушения прав человека в качестве оружия, причиняя людям невообразимые страдания, — заявил директор ФБР Кристофер Рэй. — Сегодняшнее обвинительное заключение – первое в истории в соответствии с законом США о военных преступлениях – ясно дает понять, что ФБР будет работать при полном содействии со стороны международных правоохранительных органов, чтобы добиться справедливости для жертв этих злодеяний. Человеческие жертвы конфликта в Украине тяжелым грузом ложатся на сердца сотрудников ФБР, и мы полны решимости привлечь военных преступников к ответственности независимо от того, где они находятся и сколько времени это займет”.
“Пытки и незаконное содержание под стражей являются серьезными нарушениями прав человека, которые не должны оставаться безнаказанными, — заявила исполняющая обязанности помощника Генерального прокурора Николь М. Арджентьери из Криминального управления министерства. — Эти беспрецедентные уголовные обвинения, впервые в истории предъявленные в соответствии с законом США о военных преступлениях, являются важным шагом в продолжающихся усилиях Министерства юстиции по привлечению к ответственности всех, кто совершает военные преступления и другие злодеяния в Украине”.
Согласно обвинительному заключению, Мкртчян и Будник были командирами воинских частей Вооруженных сил России и/или вооруженных формирований так называемой Донецкой Народной Республики, а Валерий и Назар были военнослужащими более низкого ранга. Обвиняемые, как утверждается, воевали на стороне России в Украине, когда они совершали вменяемые им военные преступления.
В апреле 2022 года Мкртчян и военнослужащие под его командованием предположительно похитили жертву, гражданина США, из его дома в селе Мыловое Херсонской области на юге Украины и незаконно удерживали его под стражей по меньшей мере 10 дней. Во время похищения Мкртчян, Валерий, Назар и другие предположительно бросили жертву раздетым, лицом вниз на землю, связали ему руки за спиной, приставили пистолет к его голове и жестоко избили его, в том числе прикладами автоматов. Затем Мкртчян, Валерий, Назар и другие предположительно перевезли жертву на импровизированный военный объект в Мыловое.
“Эти обвинения свидетельствуют о том, что предполагаемые действия обвиняемых являются не только серьезными нарушениями Женевской конвенции о защите гражданского населения во время войны, но и нарушением законодательства США, — заявила федеральный прокурор Восточного округа штата Вирджиния Джессика Эйбер. — Мы гордимся тем, что находимся в авангарде усилий Министерства юстиции по привлечению к ответственности лиц, виновных в совершении военных преступлений в Украине, и будем продолжать преследовать их. Мы благодарим наших партнеров по расследованию этого дела, Группу по привлечению к ответственности за военные преступления, оперативный отдел ФБР в Вашингтоне и Отдел расследований Министерства Национальной Безопасности за их выдающиеся усилия по сбору доказательств, необходимых для предъявления этих обвинений”.
В обвинительном заключении также утверждается, что Мкртчян и Будник участвовали и руководили по меньшей мере двумя допросами, в ходе которых четверо обвиняемых и другие лица пытали жертву. Как утверждается , во время одного из допросов Мкртчян, Валерий и Назар сняли с жертвы одежду и сфотографировали его, жестоко избили, приставили пистолеты к его затылку и угрожали застрелить его. Будник, как утверждается, угрожал жертве смертью и требовал от него произнести последнее слово. Вскоре после этого Назар и другие лица, как утверждается, устроили инсценировку казни, повалили жертву на землю, приставили пистолет к его затылку, затем немного отвели пистолет в сторону и произвели выстрел рядом с головой жертвы.
“Эти беспрецедентные обвинения являются кульминацией сложного расследования, которое проводилось ФБР и нашими партнерами в разных странах мира, — сказал помощник директора ФБР и руководитель вашингтонского отделения Дэвид Сандберг. — ФБР продолжит тесно сотрудничать с нашими партнерами в стране и международными партнерами, чтобы добиться правосудия и привлечь к ответственности тех, кто совершает подобные злодеяния”.
“Действуя в составе российских Вооруженных сил и вооруженных формирований так называемой Донецкой Народной Республики, эти четверо обвиняемых предположительно нарушили права американского гражданина, — заявила исполнительный помощник директора Катрина Бергер из Отдела расследований Министерства национальной безопасности. — Согласно обвинениям, они незаконно задержали и пытали американского гражданина и даже устроили инсценировку казни. Обнародование этих обвинений в военных преступлениях является важным шагом в процессе привлечения виновных к ответственности. Отдел расследований продолжит активно преследовать любого, кто нарушает права наших американских граждан, будь то в США или в других странах”.
Указанные лица обвиняются в военных преступлениях по трем пунктам, которыми являются незаконное лишение свободы, пытки и бесчеловечное обращение, и по одному пункту обвинения во вступлении в сговор с целью совершения военного преступления. В случае признания виновным каждому из подсудимых грозит максимальное наказание в виде пожизненного заключения.
Вашингтонское отделение ФБР и местное отделение следственного управления Министерства национальной безопасности в Вашингтоне, округ Колумбия, при содействии Международного отдела ФБР по правам человека и Центра по борьбе с нарушениями прав человека и военными преступлениями при следственном управлении МНБ провели расследования по обвинениям в военных преступлениях совместно с окружной прокуратурой США по Восточному округу штата Вирджиния и Группой по привлечению к ответственности за преступления Министерства юстиции США, базируется в отделе по правам человека и специальным судебным преследованиям (HRSP) Криминального управления Министерства юстиции.
Уголовное преследование по этому делу ведут судебный адвокат HRSP и ведущий обвинитель Группы по привлечению к ответственности за военные преступления Кристиан Левеск, судебный адвокат HRSP Патрик Джасперс и помощник прокурора США Александр Бланчард из Восточного округа штата Вирджиния. Важное содействие им оказывают бывший помощник федерального прокурора по Восточному округу штата Вирджиния Томас У. Тракслер. Сотрудники архивного отдела HRSP и другие сотрудники оказали существенную помощь в расследовании и судебном преследовании.
Ценную помощь также оказали Отдел по расследованию компьютерных преступлений и преступлений в отношении интеллектуальной собственности Криминального управления, апелляционный отдел Управления по контролю за соблюдением законодательства и Управление международных отношений, а также Отдел национальной безопасности. Министерство юстиции благодарит Генеральную прокуратуру Украины за существенную помощь, оказанную в проведении расследования.
Представителям общественности, располагающим информацией о нарушителях прав человека в Соединенных Штатах или о местонахождении обвиняемых, названных в этом обвинительном заключении, настоятельно рекомендуется связаться с ФБР по телефону 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) или заполнив форму онлайн-оповещения ФБР, или с Отделом расследований Министерства национальной безопасности (HSI) по телефону 1-866DHS-2-ICE или заполнив форму онлайн-оповещения Иммиграционно-таможенной службы (ICE). Все они работают круглосуточно, и сообщения принимаются на условиях анонимности.
Предъявление обвинения – это еще не доказательство вины. Обвиняемый считается невиновным до тех пор, пока его вина не доказана судом вне всяких разумных сомнений.
IndictmentWhite House Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable Issues ReportRead the Press Release
Today, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and White House Counsel Ed Siskel co-chaired a convening of the Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable (LAIR) where they announced the issuance of the 2023 LAIR Report, entitled Access to Justice in Federal Administrative Proceedings: Nonlawyer Assistance and Other Strategies. The Justice Department’s Office for Access to Justice facilitated the convening, which also featured remarks from Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta, as well as the publication of the report, in accordance with the office’s directive to staff and direct the work of LAIR at the direction of the co-chairs.
“There cannot be equal justice without equal access to justice,” said Attorney General Garland. “But the complexity of administrative processes can interfere with access to government programs and services. The Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable’s 2023 Report identifies important strategies for addressing these barriers to promote just outcomes for the people and communities that federal agencies serve.”
The report highlights agency accomplishments and commitments in furtherance of LAIR’s mission to “increase the availability of meaningful access to justice for individuals and families, regardless of wealth or status.” It describes challenges individuals face in federal administrative proceedings to access government benefits or services, remedy rights violations or resolve disputes. The report also sets forth strategic solutions and highlights the work of LAIR’s 28 federal agency members to address these barriers.
“Community-focused alternative legal assistance models are an important way to augment the reach of legal aid providers,” said Associate Attorney General Gupta during the convening. “LAIR’s work reveals that many federal agencies have long utilized this type of innovative assistance — facilitating both attorney and non-attorney help to expand access to a wide range of federal government programs and resources.”
To help address these challenges, LAIR identifies two overarching strategies through the report:
- Continue to develop and implement simplification strategies in administrative proceedings, building on LAIR’s 2022 work on people-centered simplification of government forms, processes, and language to increase access to government programs and reduce the need for legal help.
- Increase representation and assistance by lawyers and nonlawyers for people in administrative proceedings.
The report provides examples of LAIR agency activities supporting nonlawyer assistance and offers ways that agencies can make assistance available to more people by addressing accreditation, providing clear guidance on the allowability of nonlawyers, conducting targeted outreach, providing training resources, and funding nonlawyer programs alongside legal service programs. The report also shares LAIR agencies’ work supporting global efforts to advance access to justice in administrative proceedings.
“The Office for Access to Justice is committed to engaging with and learning from communities that are seeking access to government programs and services, as well as working with the legal aid and community service providers as trusted intermediaries,” said Office for Access to Justice Director Rachel Rossi. “Through LAIR’s work, we can better understand where barriers exist and identify persistent or recurring problems that affect impacted, underserved, and historically marginalized communities.”
At the convening, in addition to Attorney General Garland and Associate Attorney General Gupta, remarks were provided by the Second Gentleman of the United States, Douglas Emhoff. The roundtable, moderated by Director Rossi, also featured several LAIR agency principals and high-level officials from the Departments of Defense, Education, Transportation, Interior, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Labor, State, and Veterans’ Affairs as well as the Administrative Conference of the United States, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Social Security Administration, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Office of Management and Budget, United States Digital Service, AmeriCorps, Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Communications Commission, Federal Trade Commission, National Science Foundation, Legal Services Corporation, and United States Agency for International Development.
During the convening, agency principals and high-level officials discussed their activities and recent accomplishments to address access to justice challenges experienced by the people they serve and reaffirmed their commitment to collaborative efforts to mobilize resources and develop access to justice solutions.
LAIR is co-chaired by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and White House Counsel Ed Siskel. It convenes 28 federal agencies and offices to improve coordination among federal programs and increase availability of meaningful access to justice for individuals and families, regardless of wealth and status. Through interagency collaboration and stakeholder engagement, LAIR develops policy recommendations that improve access to justice in federal, state, local, Tribal, and international jurisdictions; advances relevant evidence-based research, data collection, and analysis of civil legal and indigent defense; and promulgates best practices. Additionally, LAIR assists with implementation of Goal 16 of the United Nation’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development and provide access to justice for all. The Office for Access to Justice houses the Executive Director of LAIR, Allie Yang-Green, and staffs and directs LAIR’s work.
Waveland Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute 167 Grams of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Gulfport, MS – A Waveland man pled guilty today to possession with intent to distribute 167 grams of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, on July 12, 2023, law enforcement officials received information that Lance Ali Vaughn, age 40, was selling methamphetamine in Hancock County. Agents set up a controlled purchase and, when Vaughn arrived at the predetermined location for the drug buy, a K9 alerted to drugs in the vehicle. A subsequent search yielded 167 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine.
Vaughn will be sentenced on March 27, 2024, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of forty years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose is prosecuting the case
Waterloo Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Distributing Half of a Counterfeit Fentanyl Pill That Caused 19 Year Old’s DeathRead the Press Release
A man who distributed a fake Percocet pill containing fentanyl that killed his customer was sentenced December 5, 2023, to thirteen years in federal prison.
Tarron Lechtenberg, age 23, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 5, 2023 guilty plea to one count of distribution of a controlled substance.
Evidence at a prior hearing and information presented at sentencing showed that, in July 2020, Lechtenberg regularly sold marijuana, THC wax, and purported Xanax and Percocet pills in the North Washington, Iowa area. The purported Percocet pills, commonly referred to as “Perc 30s,” in fact contained fentanyl, and not oxycodone. In the evening of July 29, 2023, Lechtenberg distributed half of a “Perc 30” pill to a 19‑year‑old, J.C., who used the pill at Lechtenberg’s house. At approximately midnight, some friends drove J.C. from Lechtenberg’s house but returned to the house after J.C. began overdosing in their vehicle. Lechtenberg and the group put J.C. into a chair in the backyard and the friends left. One of the friends texted Lechtenberg later that night, asking if J.C. was okay. Lechtenberg responded, “No. He’s dead. JK, LOL.” J.C. was not conscious and was having snoring respirations. At around 4:00 a.m., Lechtenberg noticed that J.C. “didn’t look good” and called a friend to help him move J.C. into Lechtenberg’s vehicle so he could seek medical help. At approximately 4:45 a.m., Lechtenberg sped by a Chickasaw County Sheriff’s Deputy, slammed on his brakes, and returned to the deputy’s location to ask for help. J.C. was unresponsive and slumped over on the rear seat of Lechtenberg’s vehicle. Efforts by the deputy and first responders to revive J.C. were unsuccessful. J.C.’s death was determined to be from acute fentanyl intoxication.
Lechtenberg was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Lechtenberg was sentenced to 156 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $8,182.45 in restitution to J.C.’s family. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Lechtenberg is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Chickasaw County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Chatham and Jason Norwood.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23‑CR‑2002‑CJW‑MAR.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Violence Reduction Partnership Drive-Thru Food Distribution at Franklin ParkRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On Nov. 28, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida- Violence Reduction Partnership (VRP); Broward Parks, Recreation, and Open Spaces; Broward Sheriff’s Office; and Farm Share Inc. hosted a Free Food Drive-Thru Distribution at Franklin Park.
The Drive-Thru Distribution provided over 450 households with free food items to community residents, as well as resource materials for social and economic services. The food items distributed included: chicken, assorted produce, canned goods, orange juice, and walnuts totaling over 40 pounds of free food per household.
Office volunteers for the event included Law Enforcement Coordination/Community Outreach Section professional staff members: Keisha Bazile, Darcey Lindsley, Audrey Charles, John Hampton, Jorge Lorente, Mark McKinney, Michael Martinez, Robin McCowen, Corey Mackay, and Todd Goodman. The United States Probation Office also provided volunteers for the event.
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Vinton Man Sentenced to Eight Years for RobberyRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – A Vinton, Virginia man, who targeted and robbed a female who posted that she had marijuana for sale on social media, was sentenced today to eight years in federal prison.
Donovan Allen Carico, 21, previously pled guilty to one count of Hobbs Act Robbery, one count of brandishing and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and one count of possessing a firearm while being an unlawful user of a controlled substance. Carico will serve his 8 year sentence consecutive to a four-year sentence he is currently serving in state custody for unrelated conduct.
According to court documents, on June 7, 2020, the victim agreed to sell four ounces of marijuana to an individual with the Snapchat handle “DonnyChapo2020.” Accompanied by a friend, they traveled to Wasena Park, in Roanoke to make the transaction. At the park, Carico entered the victim’s car, sat in the back seat, and asked to see the marijuana.
After the victim showed Carico the marijuana, Carico produced a firearm, put it to the back of the victim’s head and told her to give him everything. The victim complied with his demands and Carico departed with the marijuana and other personal items.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh, Craig B. Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Roanoke City Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Coleman Adams 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.
Utah Man Pleads Guilty to Murder-for-Hire SchemeRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Christopher Pence, age 43, of Cedar City, Utah, pled guilty today to using the Internet to solicit and pay for the murders of two Rensselaer County residents.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
Pence admitted that between July 16 and August 9, 2021, from his Internet-connected computer at his home in Utah, he accessed a website on the Darknet dedicated to arranging contract killings. Through the website, Pence arranged for the murder of two residents of Hoosick Falls, New York, and paid a website administrator approximately $16,000 worth of Bitcoin to facilitate the murders. Pence then provided the website administrator with the names, address and photographs of the intended victims, instructed the administrator to make the murder look like an accident or botched robbery, and requested that care be taken not to harm any of the children who resided with the victims.
The intended victims were not harmed and the FBI arrested Pence in Utah on October 27, 2021. He has remained in federal custody since that time.
Pence faces up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years when he is sentenced by United States District Judge David N. Hurd in Utica, New York, on April 2, 2024. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
The FBI investigated this case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet J. O’Hanlon is prosecuting this case.
United States Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref Testifies Before United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs about Fentanyl in Native CommunitiesRead the Press Release
Washington, D.C. – On December 6, Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, testified before the United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. The title of the hearing was “Fentanyl in Native Communities: Federal Perspectives on Addressing the Growing Crisis.” At the hearing, U.S. Attorney Waldref was joined by Adam Cohen, Deputy Director, White House Office of National Drug Control Policy; Roselyn Tso, Director, Indian Health Service for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; and Glen Melville, Bureau Deputy Director, Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services.
U.S. Attorney Waldref gave background on the fentanyl crisis in native communities, and the Department of Justice efforts to respond to it – including prevention and education efforts. One example noted by U.S. Attorney Waldref is the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Operation Engage. In the summer of 2022, Operation Engage worked with the Spokane Tribe of Indians through the Boys and Girls Club in Wellpinit, Washington, to host a day of learning and activities that focused on making healthy choices and increasing drug prevention and awareness.
In addition to prevention and education efforts, U.S. Attorney Waldref highlighted significant prosecutions in the Eastern District of Washington addressing the distribution of fentanyl on Native American reservations. For example, in January, more than 120,000 fentanyl-laced pills and 42 pounds of methamphetamine were sized in a takedown in Yakima County, Washington. In another recent case highlighted in U.S. Attorney Waldref’s testimony, the U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted a drug dealer in connection with the overdose death of a young Native American mother, who purchased drugs from the defendant on the Colville Indian Reservation.
“It was an honor to testify before the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. As I stated in my testimony, the Department of Justice’s commitment to serving Indian country goes beyond prosecution. We are public servants who want to do all we can to make Tribal communities stronger and safer,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “To accomplish that goal, we will continue to work in partnership with Tribal, federal, state, and local partners to effectuate a multi-faceted response to the fentanyl epidemic, including prosecuting those who distribute deadly fentanyl in the Eastern District of Washington.”
When asked during the hearing about examples of success in combating the fentanyl crisis in Native communities by Senator Jon Tester of Montana, U.S. Attorney Waldref further highlighted a case that involved the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Montana. In that case, more than 100 pounds of illegal drugs, including 161,000 fentanyl-laced pills were seized. A significant portion of the drugs seized were believed to be destined for the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, as well as for other Native American communities and surrounding areas in Washington and Montana.
U.S. Attorney Waldref’s testimony is available here.
A recording of the entire hearing is available here.
Uniontown Resident Pleads Guilty to Failure to Register as a Sex Offender ChargeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A former resident of Uniontown, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of failure to register as a sex offender, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Jon Leslie Williams, age 65, formerly of Uniontown, PA, pleaded guilty to one count before Chief United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Williams, who had been convicted in Michigan in 1991 for Criminal Sexual Conduct and in Florida in 2014 for sexual battery, after raping a blind and deaf woman, both offenses for which Williams was required to register as a sex offender, had absconded from his Florida residence on July 23, 2021, traveled to Pennsylvania to live, and failed to update his sex offender registration, contrary to the provisions of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). Williams is required to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life.
Judge Hornak scheduled sentencing for April 10, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than ten years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000.00, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court ordered that Williams remain detained.
Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The United States Marshal Service conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Williams.
U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, and State and Local Law Enforcement Officials Release Second “Don’t Click December” PSARead the Press Release
BOISE – During the holiday season, online criminals increasingly target Idahoans through online scams and fraud schemes. Today, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit, along with the FBI, the Idaho State Police, the Ada County Prosecutor’s Office, the Ada County Sheriff’s Office, the Boise Police Department, the Meridian Police Department, and the Garden City Police Department, released a second PSA as part of their joint “Don’t Click December” Consumer Protection Campaign. The Canyon County Sheriff’s Office, Idaho Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division, AARP Idaho, and the Better Business Bureau also participated in the announcement.
The campaign advises members of the public to exercise skepticism and caution when receiving unsolicited online, email, pop-up, or text communications from unknown or unverified sources. If there is any doubt about a link, message, or attachment, law enforcement cautions: “don’t click it.”
In the second PSA, available here, Garden City Police Chief Cory Stambaugh, Boise Police Chief Ron Winegar, and U.S. Attorney Hurwit warn the public about the “Package can’t be delivered” scam and explain some of the ways in which individuals can protect themselves.
This scam targets individuals through text messages or emails, claiming a package cannot be delivered unless they click the provided link and enter personal information or pay a redelivery fee. Often the scammer wants you to click a link to steal your money and information. Don’t click it. Instead, contact the delivery service or seller directly using a verified number or website.
As part of the ongoing campaign, two additional PSAs are planned to be released in the weeks leading up to Christmas in an effort to alert the public to other common online fraud schemes that Idaho law enforcement has seen affect Idahoans.
Unfortunately, these are not the only schemes affecting the public, and new schemes arise all the time. Law enforcement hopes that the “Don’t Click December” Consumer Protection Campaign will raise public awareness and encourage individuals to talk to their friends and relatives about not clicking suspicious links, texts, messages, pop-ups, or attachments.
“We have witnessed many Idahoans lose their hard-earned money or their entire retirement savings to online scams. And, sadly, this type of crime tends to spike during the holiday season,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “But, together, we can reduce the risks by talking with each other about how to avoid such scams, and I’m grateful to our law enforcement partners and the AARP for joining us in the Don’t Click December campaign. We also encourage Idahoans to report any scams as soon as possible so that law enforcement can investigate and we can bring these vicious online criminals to justice.”
“Our detectives see the devastating impact scams like these have on members of our community every day. It can happen to anyone,” said Boise Police Chief Ron Winegar. “By working with our partners to talk about scams and point out the red flags, we hope to not only prevent you and your loved ones from becoming victims but to also create an environment where those who have fallen victim to a scammer feel comfortable reporting.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and its law enforcement partners recognize that we all must work to eliminate the stigma individuals may experience if they are victimized. There is no shame to falling victim to an online scheme, which are often designed by professional criminals, sophisticated, and tested repeatedly across the country.
For this reason, the “Don’t Click December” Consumer Protection Campaign also publicizes ways to report scams and incidents of fraud to the FBI and local law enforcement.
To learn more about these and other scams targeting Americans visit FBI.gov, and if you believe you are the victim of a scam, take action by reporting it to FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov or by contacting your local law enforcement agency.
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U.S. Attorney's Office Hosts Fraud Awareness Seminar for SeniorsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The United States Attorney’s Office partnered with the Holland Police Department and Stop Abuse Today, Inc. to host a financial fraud awareness seminar for older adults from Brimfield, Holland, Sturbridge and Wales yesterday at the Holland Community Center.
The seminar provided education and awareness to local seniors about financial fraud and featured a number of presentations from seasoned professionals, including the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Elder Justice Coordinator, with assistance from members of the Internal Revenue Service and United States Postal Service. Topics covered included common scams directed at older adults; ways to avoid being victimized; what to do if victimized; and local, state and federal resources available. Yesterday’s event is in support of the Department of Justice’s ongoing commitment to fighting for justice for older adults and stopping elder abuse and financial fraud by actively promoting public awareness. According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center 2022 report, victims over 60 experienced an 84% increase in loss from 2021. The total loss reported was over $3 billion, including nearly 5,500 victims who lost over $100,000. Millions of older Americans fall prey to various financial scams, including tech support schemes; romance scams; and sweepstakes scams just to name a few. Perpetrators establish trust through online, phone, or mail communication, as well as indirectly through TV and radio. The financial exploitation of older adults often leads to a diminished quality of life through the potential loss of independence, declined health and psychological or emotional distress caused by the victimization.
“Protecting seniors from abuse and exploitation is one of my top priorities. Outreach activities like this are essential to raise awareness and educate communities about potential threats and how to report them, steps people can take to protect themselves from being victimized, and available resources,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Scams targeting the elderly are not just about the money lost – they also rob victims of their dignity and self-confidence. Our office will continue its strong track record of prosecuting individuals who prey on vulnerable seniors.”
“The Holland Police Department was proud to partner with such a fine group of colleagues about this very important subject. The ability to learn how to prevent from becoming a victim of fraud in the first place is a critical component to safeguarding the finances of our older adults. One of the most important responsibilities of law enforcement is to provide our community members with information pertaining to public safety and crime prevention while seeking information from them to assist us with criminal investigations. Information sharing between law enforcement personnel and the community is vital to safety, crime prevention, and to solving crimes,” said Holland Police Chief Bryan C. Haughey.
To learn more about common elder fraud schemes and ways to protect yourself, please visit: https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/elder-fraud. A free brochure with this information can be accessed here: Elder Fraud brochure. You can also visit Responding to Elderly abuse in Massachusetts to learn more about warning signs of elder abuse and reporting resources in Massachusetts. For more information and resources from the Department of Justice's Elder Justice Initiative, please visit https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice.
If you need assistance or to report elder abuse, please contact your local adult protective services agency through the Eldercare Locator or by call the helpline at 1-800-677-1116 Monday – Friday 9am – 8pm EST. To report elder fraud, please visit the FBI’s IC3 Elder Fraud Complaint Center or contact the dedicated National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833–FRAUD–11 or 833–372–8311 Monday – Friday, 10am – 6pm EST.
Two charged in $1.2 million COVID-19 relief fraud conspiracyRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A Houston area brother and sister have been indicted for submitting fraudulent COVID-19 relief loans, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Jonathan Flores, 31, Willis, and Bianca April Flores, 29, Houston, are expected to make their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christina A. Bryan at 2 p.m.
The six-count indictment, returned Nov. 29, alleges both committed one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and five counts of wire fraud.
According to the indictment, Jonathan and Bianca Flores conspired to submit nine false and fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan applications. They allegedly falsified the number of employees and the average monthly payroll expenses of the applicant businesses.
According to the charges, Jonathan and Bianca Flores fraudulently obtained approximately $1.2 million in COVID-19 relief funds.
If convicted, each face up to five years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, while wire fraud carries a possible sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin R. Martin is prosecuting the case.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Two Treasure Valley Men Sentenced for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOISE – Cosme Palomo, 60, of Boise, and Robert Dean Glenn, 48, of Nampa, were sentenced in separate cases for federal drug crimes involving methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
On December 4, 2023, Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye sentenced Palomo to 87 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court records, between March and June 2023, Palomo distributed methamphetamine to another person on seven separate occasions, totaling 1.3 pounds of methamphetamine. Law enforcement also searched Palomo’s residence as part of the investigation and located an additional 1.7 pounds of methamphetamine and 11 firearms. Palomo pleaded guilty to the charge of distribution of methamphetamine on September 13, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the investigations by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Boise Police Department, and the Boise Area Narcotics Drugs Interdiction Taskforce, which led to the charges in the Palomo case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Blackadar prosecuted this case.
In a separate case, Glenn was sentenced to 72 months in federal prison followed by four years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in connection with a January 10, 2023 incident in which he fled from a Nampa Police Officer during a routine traffic stop.
According to court records, Glenn jumped out of a moving vehicle during a traffic stop in an attempt to flee from law enforcement. After a foot pursuit through a grocery store parking lot, a Nampa Police Department patrol officer was able to apprehend Glenn. The officer searched Glenn and found nearly one pound of methamphetamine taped to his ankle. The bag holding the methamphetamine had a hole in it and spilled methamphetamine in a serpentine-like path through the grocery store parking lot when Glenn had run from police. Officers secured the scene and collected the methamphetamine scattered throughout the parking lot.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the work of the Nampa Police Department, which led to the charges in the Glenn case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Morse prosecuted this case.
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Two Men Involved in Mexico Based Drug Trafficking Organization Sent to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Two men who were involved in a large Mexico‑based drug trafficking organization were sentenced this week to significant time in federal prison.
Jesse Lax, age 38, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 8, 2023 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.
Luis Carlos Corral Lopez, age 32, from Caborca, Sonora, Mexico, received the prison term after a February 9, 2023 jury verdict finding him guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.
Evidence disclosed at Corral Lopez’s trial, Lax’s sentencing, and the sentencings of others involved in the Mexico‑based drug trafficking organization showed that, in either 2015 or 2016, Lax met a man who later moved to Mexico and became a source of supply of methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine for Lax while they were incarcerated together in the Colorado Department of Corrections. In the Spring of 2019, the source of supply directed Lax and his then‑girlfriend Sandra Deyerle to drive to Detroit, Michigan, where Lax obtained three kilograms of heroin.
In May 2019, the source of supply directed Lax and Deyerle to move to Waterloo, Iowa. After they arrived, Lax began distributing methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine, and he frequently possessed a firearm while doing so.
In June 2019, the source of supply directed Lax to travel to Cincinnati, Ohio, where Lax obtained eight kilograms of cocaine. Lax then brought all the cocaine back to Waterloo, and he distributed it to others.
In July 2019, and in August or September 2019, the source of supply directed Lax and Deyerle to travel to Bell Gardens, California, where they obtained three pounds of ice methamphetamine, which had been imported from Mexico, each time. After Lax and Deyerle acquired the ice methamphetamine, they mailed it back to Waterloo and later distributed all the methamphetamine to others.
In December 2019, the source of supply directed Lax and Deyerle to travel to Bell Gardens, California again, where they obtained at least 19 ounces of ice methamphetamine, which had been imported from Mexico.
On January 20, 2020, Lax shot another man in the neck during a methamphetamine‑related encounter. After he was arrested for the shooting, Lax directed Deyerle to take over his role within the Mexico‑based drug trafficking organization.
After Deyerle assumed Lax’s role, Deyerle distributed all the remaining methamphetamine Lax and Deyerle had obtained from California in December 2019. The source of supply then directed Deyerle to make three or four separate trips to California, where Deyerle obtained a total of approximately 21 pounds of ice methamphetamine, which had been imported from Mexico. Deyerle then mailed the methamphetamine to Iowa, and she distributed all of it to others.
Once Deyerle had distributed the 21 pounds of ice methamphetamine she obtained from California, the source of supply coordinated the delivery of at least 150 pounds of ice methamphetamine that had been imported from Mexico to Deyerle in Iowa via rail car in the Summer and Fall of 2020. On October 30, 2020, law enforcement officers searched several places in Iowa connected to the Mexico‑based drug trafficking organization, including Deyerle’s residence and storage units. During those searches, officers seized at least 75 pounds of ice methamphetamine, over 500 grams of heroin, $23,950, and two firearms.
Following the October 30, 2020, seizures, the Mexico‑based drug trafficking organization sent Corral Lopez to Waterloo. At some point after he arrived, the organization directed Corral Lopez to travel to an unidentified city, where Corral Lopez and two others acquired approximately 22 pounds of ice methamphetamine, which had been imported from Mexico. Corral Lopez then brought the 22 pounds of ice methamphetamine back to Waterloo, and he distributed all of it to others, including Levi Dull.
In the late Spring or early Summer of 2021, the Mexico‑based drug trafficking organization sent Narciso Chinchillas Sanchez to replace Corral Lopez in Waterloo. After he arrived, Chinchillas Sanchez distributed methamphetamine to others in Waterloo and elsewhere, including Levi Dull.
On August 18, 2021, law enforcement officers searched Dull’s house in Cedar Falls, Iowa, and his storage unit in Waterloo. During those searches, officers seized almost 300 grams of ice methamphetamine, two grams of a heroin/fentanyl mixture, and two firearms, including one that was stolen.
On October 25, 2021, law enforcement officers searched Chinchillas Sanchez’s house in Waterloo. During the search, officers seized over 90 pounds of ice methamphetamine and almost 23 pounds of fentanyl, including approximately 34,380 pills containing fentanyl. Most of the methamphetamine seized from Chinchillas Sanchez’s house was hidden behind drywall in the basement.
Around the time of the October 25, 2021, search of Chinchillas Sanchez’s house, the source of supply began supplying ice methamphetamine to Andrew Surprenant. A wiretap of Surprenant’s telephone revealed that the source of supply provided Surprenant with at least 10 pounds of methamphetamine that was imported from Mexico. On January 12, 2022, law enforcement officers searched Surprenant’s house and storage unit. During those searches, officers seized over seven pounds of methamphetamine, seven firearms, and ammunition.
Lax and Corral Lopez were sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Lax was sentenced to 313 months’ imprisonment, and Corral Lopez was sentenced to 141 months’ imprisonment. They both must serve a five‑year term of supervised release after their respective prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Nine other individuals have pled guilty to their involvement with the Mexico‑based drug trafficking organization and have been sentenced:
- Sandra Ann Deyerle was sentenced to 210 months’ imprisonment;
- Jeremey Aswegan was sentenced to 262 months’ imprisonment;
- Dana John Dana was sentenced to 234 months’ imprisonment;
- Drew Scarborough was sentenced to 150 months’ imprisonment;
- Levi Dull was sentenced to 270 months’ imprisonment;
- Ruben Vasquez was sentenced to 170 months’ imprisonment;
- Narciso Chinchillas Sanchez was sentenced to 158 months’ imprisonment;
- Andrew Davis Surprenant was sentenced to 396 months’ imprisonment; and
- Gabriel Allen Pelz was sentenced to 188 months’ imprisonment.
Lax and Corral Lopez are being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until they can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force consisting of the Waterloo Police Department, Cedar Falls Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Department, Evansdale Police Department, Waverly Police Department, Hudson Police Department, La Porte City Police Department, and the Bremer County Sheriff’s Department; the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the United States Postal Inspection Service; Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Green County Sheriff’s Office; and the Elbert, County Colorado Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file numbers are 22‑CR‑02039‑CJW and 22‑CR‑02067‑CJW.
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Two Men Indicted in Federal Court in Connection with the Robbery and Murder of a Man in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — Two men have been indicted in federal court in connection with the robbery and murder of a man in Chicago last year.
JAYLAN WILLIAMS and BRANDON CUNNINGHAM conspired to rob Anthony Oliver in Chicago’s North Lawndale neighborhood on Sept. 13, 2022, according to a superseding indictment returned Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. During the robbery, Williams and Cunningham murdered Oliver, the indictment states.
The superseding indictment charges Williams, 23, and Cunningham, 21, both of Chicago, with robbery conspiracy, robbery, and firearm counts. Williams and Cunningham have been ordered detained in law enforcement custody pending trial.
The superseding indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elly M. Peirson.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The charges against Williams and Cunningham carry a maximum penalty of death. If convicted, the Court must impose reasonable sentences under federal statutes and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
Williams and Cunningham indictmentTwo Accused of Stealing Mail in ChesterfieldRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Two men have been indicted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis and accused of stealing mail from residential and businesses mailboxes in Chesterfield, Missouri.
Christopher Ali Pate, 31, and Eryk Campbell, 28, were each indicted on one count of theft of mail. The indictment accuses them of stealing mail from mailboxes on or around Chesterfield Industrial Boulevard.
Campbell was arrested Wednesday and appeared in court, where he pleaded not guilty. Pate was arrested in Georgia on November 13. He pleaded not guilty in court November 30.
The charge is punishable by up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cort VanOstran is prosecuting the case.
Suburban Chicago Man Admits Trafficking Fentanyl and Attempting to Support ISISRead the Press Release
A suburban Chicago man admitted in federal court today that he trafficked fentanyl and other drugs and attempted to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, aka ISIS.
According to court documents, Jason Brown, 41, of Lombard, Illinois, pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to provide material support to ISIS, one count of distributing fentanyl and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Brown admitted in a plea agreement that on three occasions in 2019 he provided $500 in cash to an individual with the understanding that the money would be wired to an ISIS soldier engaged in terrorist activity in Syria. Unbeknownst to Brown, the individual to whom he provided the money was confidentially working with law enforcement, and the purported ISIS fighter was actually an undercover law enforcement officer.
Brown further admitted that in 2019 he trafficked fentanyl from California to the Chicago suburbs and illegally possessed several loaded handguns in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities.
Brown faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison for the firearms charge; a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison for the drug charge; and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the terrorism charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Brown has been in law enforcement custody since his arrest in 2019. U.S. District Judge Mary M. Rowland set sentencing for May 28, 2024.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Morris Pasqual for the Northern District of Illinois and Assistant Director Larissa L. Knapp of the FBI’s National Security Branch. Special Agent in Charge Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler Jr. of the FBI Chicago Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Justin Campbell of the IRS Criminal Investigation in Chicago and Superintendent Larry Snelling of the Chicago Police Department made the announcement.
Substantial assistance was provided by the Illinois State Police, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, Lombard (Illinois) Police Department and Addison (Illinois) Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn McCarthy for the Northern District of Illinois and Trial Attorney S. Elisa Poteat of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
Suburban Chicago Man Admits Trafficking Fentanyl and Attempting to Support ISISRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago man admitted in federal court today that he trafficked fentanyl and other drugs and attempted to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, also known as ISIS.
JASON BROWN, 41, of Lombard, Ill., pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to provide material support to ISIS, one count of distributing fentanyl, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The firearm charge is punishable by a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison and a maximum of life. The drug charge is punishable by a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 40 years, and the terrorism charge is punishable by a maximum of 20 years. Brown has been in law enforcement custody since his arrest in 2019. U.S. District Judge Mary M. Rowland set sentencing for May 28, 2024, at 11:00 a.m.
Brown admitted in a plea agreement that on three occasions in 2019 he provided $500 in cash to an individual with the understanding that the money would be wired to an ISIS soldier engaged in terrorist activity in Syria. Unbeknownst to Brown, the individual to whom he provided the money was confidentially working with law enforcement, and the purported ISIS fighter was actually an undercover law enforcement officer.
Brown further admitted that in 2019 he trafficked fentanyl from California to the Chicago suburbs and illegally possessed several loaded handguns in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities.
The plea agreement was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Matthew G. Olsen, Assistant Attorney General for National Security at the U.S. Department of Justice; Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; Justin Campbell, Special Agent-in-Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division in Chicago; and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. Substantial assistance was provided by the Illinois State Police, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, Lombard (Ill.) Police Department, Addison (Ill.) Police Department, and FBI Field Offices in Atlanta, Los Angeles, and San Diego. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn McCarthy of the Northern District of Illinois and S. Elisa Poteat, Trial Attorney from the National Security Division, Counterterrorism Section.
Brown plea agreementStamford Man Admits Theft of $800K from Trust AccountRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced that CURTIS SOLSVIG, 69, of Stamford, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to a fraud offense involving his misappropriation of funds from a trust.
According to court documents and statements made in court, a married couple (the “victims”) created a trust for the primary benefit of their two children. In 1996, Solsvig, a relative of the victims, began serving as trustee of the trust. Beginning in 2011 and continuing for approximately eight years, Solsvig stole more than $800,000 from the trust and used the funds for a variety of personal expenses. By the time his scheme concluded, less than $20 remained in the trust account.
Solsvig pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. Judge Nagala scheduled sentencing for March 5, 2024.
Solsvig is released on a $250,000 bond pending sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Conor M. Reardon.
St. Charles County Man Who Obtained Child Pornography with a Hidden Camera Sentenced to 17 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Court Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Wednesday sentenced a man who captured images and videos of underage girls with hidden cameras to 17 years in prison.
Dennis J. Naumann, 56, of St. Charles County, Missouri, will be on supervised release for life after his release from prison.
Naumann produced videos and still images of underage girls by concealing video cameras in a bathroom and other places. Naumann admitted uploading at least 50 videos containing child sexual abuse material to Dropbox. He also traded the images and videos he produced with two others so he could get more child sexual abuse material.
One victim wrote in a letter to Judge Schelp that Naumann “stole my girlhood and traded it on the internet.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson said during Wednesday’s sentencing hearing that Naumann began deleting files when he learned he was being investigated, but dozens of videos and pictures were recovered, as were multiple online conversations in which he asked for images or videos containing child sexual abuse material or offered to share what he had. Naumann also searched for that material online, part of what Anderson called a “rapacious appetite for child sexual abuse material.”
Naumann pleaded guilty in June to one count each of attempted production of child pornography and one count of receiving child pornography.
The case was investigated by the St. Charles County Cybercrime Task Force, the St. Charles County Police Department and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jillian Anderson and Nathan Chapman prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Springfield Man Sentenced to 35 Years for Fentanyl Conspiracy, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for his role in a conspiracy to distribute large quantities of fentanyl and for illegally possessing firearms.
Jerry Wheeler, also known as “Love,” 48, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark on Nov. 21, 2023, to 35 years in federal prison without parole.
On Dec. 15, 2022, Wheeler pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
Wheeler admitted that he participated in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl in Christian and Greene counties from Sept. 23, 2018, to Nov. 14, 2019. Wheeler was a supplier of fentanyl to a number of other fentanyl distributors in Springfield. Wheeler also admitted that he was in possession of a Sig Sauer .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol, an Izmash .308-caliber semi-automatic rifle, and a Hi-Point 9mm semi-automatic pistol in furtherance of the drug-trafficking conspiracy.
According to court documents, Wheeler was responsible for multi-kilogram fentanyl distribution. Often, the fentanyl was sold as heroin.
Law enforcement officers stopped co-defendant Sheron Loggins, also known as “Bane,” 50, of Florissant, Mo., while he was driving on Interstate 44 toward Springfield on Sept. 8, 2019. Loggins was transporting approximately 496 grams of fentanyl (which represents over 4,000 potentially lethal doses of fentanyl). Wheeler admitted that he was the intended recipient of that fentanyl and that he intended to distribute the fentanyl in Springfield.
On Nov. 14, 2019, federal law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Wheeler’s residence. Officers found the loaded Sig Sauer pistol on top of a cabinet in the kitchen. Agents found the loaded Hi-Point pistol in a nightstand drawer in one bedroom and the Izhmash rifle underneath a mattress in another bedroom. Agents also found a small amount of cocaine and fentanyl, as well as drug paraphernalia.
According to court documents, statistics from the Centers for Disease Control indicate that Missouri was one of only nine states west of the Mississippi River with an age-adjusted rate of drug overdose deaths of more than 21.1 per 100,000 in 2020. The most recent statistics provided by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services show that, in 2022, 1,577 Missourians fatally overdosed on opioids. This means that one in every 45 deaths in Missouri in 2022 can be attributed to an opioid overdose, and potent non-heroin opioids such as fentanyl have increasingly taken over as the primary killer.
Court documents also cite a widely reported analysis of CDC data by Families Against Fentanyl that fentanyl overdoses are now the leading cause of death among adults between ages 18 and 45 in the United States.
Wheeler is the second of 14 defendants to be sentenced in this case. Marquise D. Martin, 33, of Springfield, was sentenced on June 14, 2023, to 12 years in federal prison without parole. Loggins has pleaded guilty to participating in the drug-trafficking conspiracy and awaits sentencing.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Byron H. Black. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Springfield, Missouri, Police Department; the Greene County, Missouri, Sheriff’s Department; the Phelps County, Missouri, Sheriff’s Department; the Bourbon, Missouri, Police Department; and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force
This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program. The OCDETF program is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s drug supply reduction strategy. OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
Southfield Man First to Plead Guilty to $28,000,000 Cell Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
DETROIT -- A Southfield man pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in connection with an extensive, multi-million-dollar cell phone upgrade fraud scheme, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Angie M. Salazar, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations.
Delano Bush, 34, entered his guilty plea this afternoon, before United States District Judge Terrence G. Berg.
According to court records, beginning at least as early as June 2017 and continuing through at least September 2019, the defendant and others fraudulently obtained the personally identifiable information (PII) of other people to purchase cellular devices on credit, by charging those devices to accounts opened in the names of ID-theft victims, without the victims’ authorization. In total, the scheme involved more than 26,000 fraudulent transactions and resulted in a loss of more than $28,000,000.
“Today’s guilty plea marks a significant event in a years-long investigation and prosecution. As this case shows, identity theft is constantly evolving, and fraudsters continue to find new ways to use and abuse their victims’ personal information,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “My office remains committing to unraveling sophisticated fraud schemes such as this one, and to bringing the perpetrators of these schemes to justice.”
“Cooperation between federal, state and local partners is essential to successfully investigating and prosecuting these complex fraud operations,” said HSI Detroit Special Agent in Charge Angie M. Salazar. “By putting a stop to these schemes, HSI special agents and our partners help protect the livelihoods of hard-working Americans both here in Michigan and across the country.”
Bush faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment on the charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Bush’s plea agreement also requires him to pay restitution to AT&T in the minimum amount of $1,500,000. Sentencing is set for April 25, 2024.
The case was investigated by agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with assistance from the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General (SSA-OIG), the Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General (DOL-OIG), the Detroit Metro Airport Police Department, the Taylor Police Department, and the Wayne State University Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Particka.
Southern Oregon Woman Sentenced for Using Deceased Husband's Identity to Obtain Federal Student Aid FundsRead the Press Release
MEDFORD, Ore.—A Southern Oregon woman was sentenced in federal court Monday for using her deceased husband’s identity to unlawfully obtain more than $36,000 in federal student aid.
Cynthia Pickering, 56, of Central Point, Oregon, was sentenced to 36 months’ probation and ordered to pay $36,341 in restitution to the U.S. Department of Education.
According to court documents, beginning in September 2017 and continuing through April 2019, Pickering devised a scheme to use her deceased husband’s personally identifiable information to submit multiple applications for federal student aid and enroll her former husband at three different colleges and universities in Oregon. These fraudulent applications caused the three colleges and universities—Eastern Oregon University, Rogue Community College, and Western Oregon University—to disperse $36,341 in federal student aid into Pickering’s personal checking account.
To conceal her scheme, Pickering attended online classes pretending to be her former husband so that her husband would remain eligible for the student aid. Pickering did what was necessary to pass first term courses at each institution and collect the funds.
On October 6, 2022, a federal grand jury in Medford returned a nine-count indictment charging Pickering with wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and student loan fraud, and, on November 15, 2022, she was arrested at her residence in Central Point. On August 21, 2023, Pickering pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud and three counts of student aid fraud.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Inspector General (ED-OIG). It was prosecuted by John C. Brassell, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Southern Oregon Man Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in Federal Prison After Boobytrapped Home Injures Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
MEDFORD, Ore.—A former resident of Williams, Oregon, was sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison today after he boobytrapped a southern Oregon home and injured a federal officer.
Gregory Lee Rodvelt, 72, was sentenced to 150 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release.
“Fueled by anger and bitterness, this defendant boobytrapped a property in southern Oregon with intent to seriously injure someone. Unfortunately, his trap worked, and he injured an FBI bomb technician,” said Nathan J. Lichvarcik, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Eugene and Medford Branch Offices. “We are fortunate Greg Rodvelt’s actions did not kill a law enforcement officer or community member. Today’s sentence is a just punishment for a serious crime.”
“This individual went through great efforts to set intricate and deadly concealed traps to prevent FBI agents from doing their job. These were no joke,” said Kieran L. Ramsey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Portland Field Office. “Mr. Rodvelt knew he was breaking the law and his reprehensible actions are what landed him this sentence. We are thankful that our agent and other law enforcement officers survived this vicious attempt and we are thankful for our partners at the U.S. Attorney's Office for their diligent work in bringing justice to this case.”
“It is clear that his emplacing multiple layers of boobytraps were intended to hurt or kill a person or multiple people,” said ATF Seattle Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan T. McPherson. “We are thankful that the FBI bomb technician wasn’t more seriously injured and hope that this sentence sends a strong message to not only Mr. Rodvelt but anyone who would contemplate doing something like this.”
“I’m thankful this incident didn’t result in more critical or fatal injuries, said Sergeant Kevin DelGrande of Oregon State Police, “This case highlights the dangers explosive devices present to responding law enforcement officers.”
According to court documents, on September 7, 2018, bomb technicians from Oregon State Police (OSP) and the FBI went to a property in Williams formerly owned by Rodvelt that he had lost in lawsuit. After Rodvelt learned that a receiver had been appointed to sell the property, he proceeded to boobytrap it.
When the bomb technicians arrived at the property, they observed a minivan blocking the gate. The technicians found steel animal traps affixed to a gate post and under the hood of the minivan. They also located homemade spike strips, which the receiver had previously run over. As the technician neared the residence, they observed a hot tub that had been placed on its side and rigged in a manner that when a gate was opened it would activate a mechanical trigger causing the spa to roll toward the person who had opened the gate.
The technicians further observed that the windows of the residence had been barred from the inside and there were security doors at the front and rear of the residence. The front door also had what appeared to be bullet holes from shots fired inside. In the garage, they found a rat trap modified to accept a shotgun shell. Though the trap was unloaded, it was connected to the main garage door so it would be tripped when the door was opened.
The technicians and two other law enforcement officers gathered near the front of the residence and used an explosive charge to breach the front door. The group carefully entered the residence, looking for traps, and found a wheelchair in the center of the front entryway. When the wheelchair was bumped, it triggered a homemade shotgun device that discharged a .410 shotgun shell that struck the FBI bomb technician below the knee. The group administered first aid to the wounded technician and transported him to a local hospital.
On June 2, 2023, a federal jury in Medford found Rodvelt guilty of assaulting a federal officer and using and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from OSP and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). It was prosecuted by Judith R. Harper and Jeffrey S. Sweet, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.
Sixty Foreign Nationals Charged with International Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Eight indictments were unsealed in the District of Columbia, Southern District of California, Central District of California, and Northern District of Illinois charging 60 Mexican and foreign nationals with international heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl, and marijuana trafficking.
The unsealing of the indictments comes at the same time that the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions against 12 of the defendants linked to the Beltran Leyva Organization (BLO).
“The eight indictments unsealed today charging 60 defendants are the latest installments in the Justice Department’s relentless pursuit of drug trafficking organizations that smuggle illicit narcotics into the United States,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “Together with our partners — across the U.S. government and around the world — we will use every tool at our disposal and target every link in the supply chain to dismantle the organizations that flood our communities with deadly narcotics.”
“The indictments unsealed today, charging 60 defendants that threatened our communities, are indicative of the FBI’s everlasting commitment to serving justice and dismantling criminal activities and networks,” said FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate. “We work alongside our federal, state, and local partners to work hand in hand to disrupt and ultimately triumph over the shadow of drug trafficking, ensuring a safer and more secure future for all.”
One defendant, Oscar Manuel Gastelum Iribe, aka Salgado and Musico, 49, is indicted in the District of Columbia, Southern District of California, and Northern District of Illinois. As alleged in court documents, Gastelum Iribe coordinated deliveries of multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine and heroin into the United States and deliveries of millions of dollars of cash narcotics proceeds from customers in the United States for the BLO.
District of Columbia
Three indictments were unsealed in the District of Columbia charging five Mexican nationals with international drug trafficking.
As alleged in the indictments, Jose Gil Caro Quintero, aka Pelo Chino and El Chino, 55, conspired to import large quantities of cocaine from Mexico into the United States from 1994 to January 2022. Francisco Abraham Flores Ortiz, aka Panchito, 46, and two now-deceased co-conspirators, allegedly conspired to import large quantities of heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana from Mexico into the United States for distribution from January 2008 to January 2018. Gastelum Iribe allegedly conspired to import large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine from Mexico into the United States for distribution from January 2009 to December 2015.
Caro Quintero, Flores Ortiz, and Gastelum Iribe are all charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances for unlawful importation into the United States. Gastelum Iribe is also charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. If convicted, Caro Quintero and Flores Ortiz face a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. Gastelum Iribe faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison.
The FBI Washington Field Office is investigating the case, with assistance from the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Diego Field Office for the investigation of Caro Quintero.
Trial Attorneys Kate Naseef and Samantha Thompson of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the cases, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Martin for the Southern District of California for the prosecution of Caro Quintero.
Southern District of California
Three indictments were unsealed in the Southern District of California charging 29 individuals with international drug trafficking offenses.
“These indictments have neutralized dozens of alleged maritime traffickers and prevented addictive, harmful, and increasingly often deadly drugs from reaching American shores and streets,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath for the Southern District of California. “Cases like this are critical for disrupting, disabling, and dismantling the sinister and deadly operations of foreign drug trafficking organizations in the United States.”
The first indictment returned in September 2019 charges Gastelum Iribe, Servando Lopez Lopez, 49, and another individual with allegedly conspiring to distribute cocaine knowing it would be imported into the United States and a maritime drug conspiracy. If convicted, they each face a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison.
The second indictment returned in April also charges Juan Pablo Bastidas Erenas, 43, Bogar Soto Rodriguez, aka Ricardo Colmenarez, 49, Juvenal Leon Rodriguez, 47, Mario German Beltran Araujo, 31, Ulises Franco Figueroa, 36, Oscar Aleman Meza, 61, and 17 others with conspiring to distribute cocaine knowing it would be imported into the United States and a maritime drug conspiracy. If convicted, they each face a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison.
“The defendants charged in these cases threatened the safety and health of the American people by trafficking fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other deadly drugs into the United States and by using violence to further their criminal acts,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “DEA remains committed to our important work with our law enforcement partners to protect our communities and bring to justice criminal organizations like the Beltran Leyva Organization and others.”
The third indictment returned in April charges Josue De Jesus Estrada Gutierrez and two others with conspiring to import cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl. If convicted, they each face a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and maximum penalty of life in prison.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Coast Guard Investigative Service is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua C. Mellor and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison B. Murray for the Southern District of California are prosecuting the cases.
Central District of California
An indictment was unsealed in the Central District of California charging Amberto Beltran, aka Amembertito, 34, for allegedly conspiring with 26 co-conspirators to distribute and possess with intent to distribute at least 500 grams of methamphetamine, at least five kilograms of cocaine, and at least one kilogram of heroin.
“International drug traffickers profit off the suffering of others and, in the process, devastate families and undermine communities,” said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada for the Central District of California. “Our office is committed to bringing to justice those who cause so much pain to our people.”
Beltran is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine, and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison on each count and a maximum penalty of life in prison.
The DEA investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher C. Kendall and Skyler F. Cho for the Central District of California are prosecuting this case.
Northern District of Illinois
An indictment unsealed in the Northern District of Illinois charges Gastelum Iribe for allegedly conspiring with others to traffic distribution quantities of cocaine and heroin into Chicago in 2007 and 2008. As part of the conspiracy, Gastelum Iribe allegedly acted as a logistical coordinator for Arturo Beltran Leyva’s drug trafficking organization, coordinating deliveries of multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine and heroin into the United States from Mexico.
“The charges announced today make clear that the Department of Justice remains focused on dismantling transnational criminal organizations,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Morris Pasqual for the Northern District of Illinois. “We will continue to investigate and hold accountable members of drug cartels who seek to traffic narcotics in our communities.”
“This joint effort is emblematic of the federal government’s commitment to combatting the scourge of illegal narcotics in our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Justin Campbell of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS:CI) Chicago Field Office. “We understand that combatting drug trafficking requires a multifaceted approach and IRS:CI is proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our law enforcement partners in this endeavor.”
If convicted, Gastelum Iribe faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. The indictment also seeks $885 million in forfeiture from Gastelum Iribe.
The DEA Chicago Field Division, IRS:CI Chicago Field Office, and Chicago Police Department are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erika Csicsila and Andrew Erskine for the Northern District of Illinois are prosecuting the case.
The cases in the District of Columbia, Southern District of California, Central District of California, and Northern District of Illinois are supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs also provided significant assistance.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Silver Spring Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Charges Related to a Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Lydia K. Griggsby sentenced William Reyes Garcia, a/k/a “Will,” age 33, of Silver Spring, Maryland, yesterday to 15 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute cocaine, for possession with intent to distribute cocaine, as well as for being a felon in possession of ammunition.
The sentence was 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; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Division; Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
According to Reyes Garcia’s plea agreement and other court documents, between September 2020 and January 2022, Reyes Garcia and his co-conspirators participated in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed at least five kilograms of cocaine. Based on chats, phone calls, and other intercepted communications and evidence, Reyes Garcia was a manager or supervisor of the DTO.
As detailed in the statement of facts, during the investigation four packages containing approximately 15.65 kilograms of cocaine were seized by law enforcement. The packages were shipped from Brownsville, Texas to an address associated with the DTO, Business 1 in Beltsville, Maryland. Reyes Garcia’s fingerprints were obtained from one of the lids on the cocaine containers in the packages. Law enforcement identified three additional packages, which investigators believe also contained narcotics, that were sent to Business 1 and to a co-conspirator’s residence. Tracking information obtained from the shipping company revealed that an IP address associated with Reyes Garcia tracked the seized packages containing cocaine as well as the additional packages. In October 2021, law enforcement seized an approximately two-kilogram package of cocaine that was sent to Reyes, Jr. Intercepted communications following the seizure allegedly showed that this package of cocaine was intended for distribution by the DTO.
Search warrants were executed at locations associated with Reyes Garcia’s residence on January 20, 2022, and law enforcement recovered: more than 139 grams of cocaine and more than 101 kilograms of marijuana; a privately manufactured 9mm semi-automatic handgun, commonly known as a “ghost gun”; a magazine loaded with 22 rounds of 9mm ammunition; 53 rounds of .40-caliber ammunition; 42 rounds of .45-caliber ammunition; 50 rounds of .380-caliber ammunition; firearms parts, including a frame, slide, barrel, barrel spring, and magazine; and drug paraphernalia, including digital scales with drug residue and a money counter.
Reyes knew that he had a previous felony conviction and was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
Co-defendants Fabricio Alexis Rivera, a/k/a “Breeze,” age 32, of Rockville, Maryland and Rodney Ricky Rivera, a/k/a “Rodney,” age 29, of Beltsville, Maryland previously pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Fernando Josue Garcia, a/k/a “Nando,” age 32, of Glenn Dale, Maryland and Noel Reyes, Jr., a/k/a “June,” age 30, of Bowie, Maryland, pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy and were sentenced to 63 months and 72 months in federal prison, respectively. Charges remain pending against three other co-defendants.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended HSI, the DEA, the Montgomery County Police Department, and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Maryland State Police, the ATF, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy and Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy and their offices for their assistance in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joel Crespo and Elizabeth Wright, 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 and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Sheldon Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Henry Araica-Gonzalez, age 22, from Sheldon, Iowa, plead guilty in federal court on December 5, 2023, to Distribution of Child Pornography.
At the plea hearing, Araica-Gonzalez admitted that he distributed and attempted to distribute child pornography, using a means and facility of interstate and foreign commerce. Araica-Gonzalez further admitted in a plea agreement that he engaged in a sexual relationship with a minor, that he knew the age of the minor at the time, and that he filmed several of the assaults on both his and the victim’s phones. Araica-Gonzalez also admitted the videos of exploitative material contained displays of sadistic and masochistic conduct.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Araica-Gonzalez was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the guilty plea and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Araica-Gonzalez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and five years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Sergeant Bluff Police Department, and Sheldon Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-4031.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
San Francisco Resident Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Manufacturing and Dealing FirearmsRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Craig Bolland was sentenced today to 72 months (six years) in prison after pleading guilty to manufacturing and dealing firearms without a license and several other firearms-related offenses, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Jennifer L. Cicolani. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. Vince Chhabria, United States District Judge.
Bolland, 40, of San Francisco, was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 2, 2023, on four charges: (i) manufacturing and dealing firearms without a license, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(a)(1)(A); (ii) being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1); (iii) possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(k); and (iv) possession of a machinegun, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(o). He pleaded guilty to all four charges on September 13, 2023.
In the plea agreement, Bolland admitted, among other things, that, despite not having a license to do so, he was in the business of manufacturing and selling firearms—including hard-to-trace “ghost guns” he manufactured himself using a 3-D printer and parts he had shipped to him—from at least June 2021 through May 30, 2023, the date of his arrest. Bolland admitted he sold at least five of these privately manufactured “ghost guns” (both pistols and rifles), as well as dozens of commercially manufactured firearms—some of which Bolland admitted he modified by installing “switches” that turned semi-automatic weapons into fully automatic weapons—to buyers he knew or had reason to know were criminals who were not legally allowed to possess firearms and who paid Bolland for the guns in cash, cryptocurrency, and/or narcotics.
According to the plea agreement, Bolland, who had previously been convicted of a felony, possessed five firearms on the date of his arrest, including four handguns and a fully automatic AR-15 style rifle with no serial number. He also possessed hundreds of rounds of ammunition of varying calibers. Finally, Bolland admitted in the plea agreement that, in addition to his own firearms dealing, he brokered multiple sales of firearms and ammunition between other sellers and buyers and that he received a commission for brokering such deals.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Chhabria ordered Bolland to serve three years of supervised release to begin after his prison term is completed.
Assistant U.S. Attorney George O. Hageman is prosecuting the case with assistance from Amala James. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by ATF and the San Francisco Police Department.
Redondo Beach Woman Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Leading $24 Million Scam that Billed Medicare for Unneeded Wheelchair FixesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A South Bay woman has been sentenced to 180 months in federal prison for billing Medicare more than $24 million by submitting fraudulent claims for medically unnecessary durable medical equipment – mostly power wheelchairs (PWC) – and PWC repairs, many of which were never performed, the Justice Department announced today.
Tamara Yvonne Motley, 55, a.k.a. “Tamara Ogembe,” of Redondo Beach, was sentenced Tuesday by United States District Judge Stanley Blumenfeld Jr., who also ordered her to pay $13,107,422 in restitution as well as an additional $2,300 in special assessments.
At the conclusion of a five-day trial, a jury on June 27 found Motley guilty of 20 counts of health care fraud, two counts of aggravated identity theft, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Judge Blumenfeld ordered her remanded into federal custody that same day after the verdict was read.
From July 2006 to August 2014, Motley was the de facto owner of the Hawthorne-based Action Medical Equipment and Supplies. From January 2013 to November 2016, Motley was the de facto owner of the Ventura-based Kaja Medical Equipment & Supply. Both companies were enrolled with Medicare in the names of Motley’s out-of-state relatives.
Motley orchestrated a scheme in which she paid marketers for patient referrals and then directed them to take patients to corrupt physicians, who prescribed medically unnecessary durable medical equipment, such as PWCs, that Motley’s companies used to submit fraudulent bills to Medicare.
In January 2011, when Medicare changed the reimbursement rules for PWCs to make the upfront payments less lucrative to suppliers, Action switched to billing Medicare for PWC repairs, and continued that scheme at Kaja once Action was shut down. These repairs were not medically necessary not only because the patients did not need the PWCs to begin with, but also because those repairs were not needed to make the PWCs serviceable in any event and often were never performed. These repairs were expensive – often billed for $3,000 to $4,000 each – and accounted for nearly half of Action’s billings and almost all of Kaja’s.
Over an eight-year period, Action billed Medicare more than $18.2 million for DME – most for PWCs, but also for PWC accessories, knee braces and back braces – and the repair or replacement of PWCs. Medicare paid Action nearly $10.3 million.
Between July 2013 and November 2016, Kaja billed Medicare $6.3 million, primarily for PWC repairs. Medicare paid Kaja approximately $2.8 million for those claims.
“[Motley] manipulated those around her to serve her criminal ends,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “She used relatives and employees to conceal her role in the scheme, and even used her infant’s caretaker to carry out the illegal activities of her scheme. She took advantage of vulnerable Medicare beneficiaries in far-flung places like Calexico who were elderly and often non-English speaking. She deceived inspectors to preserve her companies’ accreditation with Medicare.”
Two other defendants were convicted in this case:
- Cynthia Karina Marquez, 48, of Paramount, who worked as an office manager at both Action and Kaja, pleaded guilty in December 2019 to two counts of making false statements affecting a health care program. She received a time-served sentence, was placed on supervised release for three years, and was ordered to pay $9,886,646 in restitution.
- Juan Roberto Murillo, 47, of Montebello, who worked at both medical supply companies as a repair technician, pleaded guilty in November 2019 to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. He was sentenced to three years’ probation and was ordered to pay $2,504,119 in restitution.
The United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; the FBI; and the California Department of Justice investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Kristen A. Williams of the Major Frauds Section and David H. Chao of the General Crimes Section prosecuted this case.
Prolific Whatcom and Skagit County drug dealer sentenced to 8 years in prisonRead the Press Release
Seattle – The key source of drugs for a drug distribution ring operating in Skagit and Whatcom counties was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to eight years in prison, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Enoc Martinez Lopez, aka “Victor,” 28, of Marysville, Washington, was the main supplier of drugs to other co-conspirators and drug redistributors. He distributed fentanyl pills, fentanyl powder, heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine in areas that have seen an increase in overdose deaths. At Martine Lopez’s sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Lauren King said, “You chose to enrich yourself by perpetuating the cycle for others whose lives and families have been impacted by the drug epidemic."
“We know that fentanyl trafficking has led to increased fatal overdoses in the Lummi Nation and Whatcom County,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Gorman. “Feeding addiction in our communities leads to increased deaths. Fentanyl pills have even resulted in the deaths of children who mistake a colorful pill for a piece of candy.”
Records in the case detail how various defendants interacted with supplier Martinez Lopez and other drug customers. In April 2022, investigators initially saw Martinez Lopez meeting a drug customer and co-defendant at the Silver Reef Casino in Whatcom County. That person was later arrested with more than 1,000 fentanyl pills, fentanyl powder, and a firearm. Communication between Martinez Lopez and other coconspirators show he was supplying members of the ring with as many as 2,000 fentanyl pills at a time.
On November 30, 2022, when Martinez Lopez was arrested and his residence was searched, law enforcement seized, $177,710 in cash, 8.7 kilos of fentanyl pills, 2.3 kilos of fentanyl powder, more than 5 kilos of cocaine, a kilo of heroin, and more than 6 kilos of methamphetamine.
In asking for a ten-year sentence, Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Hobbs wrote to the court, “When arrested, Martinez Lopez was in possession of significant quantities of fentanyl pills, fentanyl powder, methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin. The ability for Martinez Lopez to access the quantity of drugs found in his possession is particularly concerning and likely demonstrates the ability to connect with cartel-level narcotics sources-of-supply. This quantity of drugs represents a significant amount of misery and suffering.”
In all in this case, law enforcement has seized: 11.5 kilos of fentanyl pills, 2.8 kilos of fentanyl powder, 5.7 kilos of cocaine, 1.6 kilos of heroin, and 8.7 kilos of crystal meth, more than $186,000 in cash and nine firearms.
“This defendant profited from the misery of some of the most vulnerable members of our community,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “This investigation reflects the seriousness with which DEA and our partners take fentanyl trafficking in Whatcom and Skagit counties.”
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bellingham Resident Office (DEA), working with the Whatcom County Drug and Gang Task Force, the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, the Skagit County Interlocal Drug Enforcement Unit, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Bureau of Indian Affairs, Washington State Patrol, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Snohomish Regional Drug Task Force, the CBP Air & Marine Operations, the Lummi Police Department, the Everson Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Hobbs.
Pittsburgh Resident Sentenced for Violating Federal Firearms LawsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Pittsburgh has been sentenced in federal court on a charge of violating federal firearms laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Chief United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak sentenced Isaac Akwasi Duku, Jr., age 23, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to 34 months in prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release.
According to information provided to the court, Duku Jr. has several prior convictions for firearm offenses, some of which involved drugs and indications of drug trafficking. On May 28, 2022, Duku Jr. unlawfully possessed a privately made .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol that was loaded with an extended magazine and 20 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition. Law enforcement observed and recorded Duku Jr. possessing this pistol in Pittsburgh’s North Side using the city’s surveillance system shortly before locating the pistol and ammunition near his person. Under federal law, a convicted felon is prohibited from possessing ammunition.
Assistant United States Attorney Carl J. Spindler prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
City of Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Pierce County based drug trafficking organization indicted for distributing cocaine, fentanyl, and marijuanaRead the Press Release
Seattle – Ten members of a South Puget Sound drug trafficking organization were indicted following a lengthy investigation that uncovered the trafficking of marijuana to East Coast locales, and the importation and distribution of fentanyl and cocaine in Western Washington. Multiple search warrants were served this morning and eight people were arrested. Seven will appear in U.S. District Court in Tacoma today, and one will appear in U.S. District Court in San Diego today.
“Unfortunately, these defendants were all young- under the age of 30, but the quantity of drugs they were dealing was staggering” said Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. “They communicated via social media, and they advertised their drugs on social media using codes and emojis. They not only put their lives on a negative path, but they sold dangerous drugs that are harming so many other young people in our community.”
Since the beginning of this investigation in 2022, the Drug Enforcement Administration and partner law enforcement agencies have seized nearly 52 kilos of cocaine, more than 23 kilos of fentanyl pills, and 131 kilos of marijuana. One drug shipment seized by law enforcement contained 37 kilos of cocaine and more than a kilo of fentanyl pills. In June 2023, a traffic stop on Interstate 5 resulted in the seizure of 200,000 fentanyl pills that had been hidden in the vehicle.
Those arrested today for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances include:
Joel Adrian Valencia Rosas, 27, of Lakewood, Washington
Scott Bud Burrows, Jr., 26, of Spanaway, Washington
Jesus Emmanuel Cardenas Gonzalez, 22, of Chula Vista, CA
Silias Kapone Hale, 19, of Federal Way, Washington
Ronnie Kendrick, 24, of Lakewood, Washington
Alyson Marie Pyles, 20, of Port Orchard, Washington
KeShaun Marcus Tremper, 18, of Federal Way, Washington
Corey Earl Huff, 39, of Lakewood, Washington, was arrested today for the unlawful possession of a firearm.
“These defendants are accused of trafficking over 150,000 lethal doses of fentanyl to communities in Western Washington and beyond,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “This poison will never reach its potential victims because of the cooperation between DEA and our law enforcement partners in this investigation.”
“This operation will make a sizable dent in the drug trade over multiple states,” said ATF Seattle Special Agent in Charge Jonathan T. McPherson. “In addition, the participants’ use of firearms as part of this scheme makes these actions even more dangerous to our communities.”
“Illegal drugs continue to have horrific effects on our communities,” said Bonney Lake Police Chief Mark Berry. “Collaborative investigations partnering federal and local law enforcement agencies are a crucial element in reducing the flow of illegal narcotics into our community.”
“Fentanyl is impacting communities all across the country, including here in Lakewood,” said Assistant Chief John Unfred, Lakewood Police Department. “It is for this reason we have partnered with the DEA on this investigation. We hope that this operation will make a big impact in the distribution of this deadly drug. We look forward to continuing this positive working relationship and assisting with cases of this magnitude that impact Western Washington.”
Due to the quantity of drugs involved in this case, some defendants face mandatory minimum ten-year prison terms.
The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) IRS- Criminal Investigations, TNET (Tacoma Narcotics Enforcement Team), TNT (Thurston Narcotics Task Force), Lakewood PD, Puyallup PD, Bonney Lake PD, Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office, Tacoma PD, Pierce County Sheriff’s Department, and Metro Cities SWAT.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Marci L. Ellsworth and Crystal Correa.
Philadelphia Pharmacy Pays $165,000 to Resolve Allegations of Failing to Maintain Proper Inventory and Documentation of its Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Fountain Hill Pharmacy will pay $165,000 to resolve allegations that it failed to comply with various record-keeping requirements for controlled substances.
Fountain Hill Pharmacy, a Philadelphia pharmacy wholly owned by pharmacists Nicholas Chaffier and Tracy Chaffier, is a registered retail pharmacy authorized to purchase and dispense Schedule II-V controlled substances. The settlement announced today resolves allegations that between October 2019 and November 2022, Fountain Hill Pharmacy failed to maintain complete and accurate records of controlled substances and failed to take a biennial inventory in violation of the Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”), and specifically, 21 C.F.R. §§ 1304.21(a) and 1304.11(d). Specifically, the settlement resolves allegations that Fountain Hill Pharmacy failed to maintain appropriate inventories of controlled substances including Oxycodone 5mg, Oxycodone 15mg, Oxycodone 30mg, Oxycodone APAP 5mg, Oxycodone APAP 7.5 mg, and Oxycodone APAP 10 mg.
In addition to the $165,000 penalty, Fountain Hill Pharmacy is also now subject to a number of monitoring requirements, including the reporting of controlled substance purchasing, dispensing, and prescribing to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), as well as sharing Standard Operating Procedures pertaining to all aspects of purchasing, storing, and distributing controlled substances. In addition, Fountain Hill Pharmacy is responsible for initiating and conducting appropriate training pertaining to DEA regulations for all current and newly hired employees responsible for handling and/or having access to controlled substances.
“Controlled substances, especially opioids, pose extraordinary risks to communities in this district,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “When pharmacies are granted the privilege of purchasing controlled substances, they also accept the significant responsibility of ensuring that controlled substances are used for a legitimate, medical purpose. As a result, they must maintain the records necessary for accountability and transparency. When this does not happen, we will work with our law enforcement partners, and use all available enforcement tools, to hold these pharmacies responsible.”
“Pharmacies are entrusted with the dispensing of powerful prescription painkillers such as oxycodone. With that responsibility comes the obligation to properly safeguard and keep proper inventory over these same drugs,” said Thomas Hodnett, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Philadelphia Field Division. “Civil settlements and the monitoring requirements imposed against Fountain Hill Pharmacy help to ensure that these safeguards are met.”
This investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Philadelphia Field Division. For the United States Attorney’s Office, Assistant United States Attorney Deborah W. Frey, and Auditor Andrew Schobert.
Owners of Brooklyn Plumbing Company Indicted for Evading Taxes on More Than $10 Million in IncomeRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed earlier today in federal court in Brooklyn charging Alexander Figliolia, Jr., and Kenneth Sutherland, the owners of Liberty Water & Sewer (Liberty Water), a Brooklyn-based plumbing company which they operate as a partnership, with tax evasion and conspiracy to defraud the United States. Figliolia, Jr., and Sutherland were arrested earlier today, and their initial appearances are scheduled for this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge James R. Cho.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Thomas Fattorusso, Special Agent-in-Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI), James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Jocelyn E. Strauber, Commissioner, New York City Department of Investigation (DOI), announced the arrests and charges.
“Business owners like everyone else have an obligation to pay their fair share of taxes,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “As alleged, the defendants made millions of dollars repairing water and sewer lines for New York City residents, but instead of dutifully paying the taxes they owed, they improperly classified more than $10 million of personal expenses as business expenses. Their greed drained the government’s coffers of nearly $4 million in tax revenue.”
“Figliolia and Sutherland were living the lavish life while allegedly failing to report more than ten million dollars in income. The yachts, jewelry and family trips were all paid for with money owed to the federal government. Today’s indictment is a message to all those who choose to evade taxes, one day your extravagant lifestyle on the taxpayer dime will come to an end, and you will be prosecuted for your actions,” stated IRS-CI Special Agent-in-Charge Thomas Fattorusso.
“The defendants, as charged, evaded taxes on millions of dollars of income from the business they conducted in New York City, by misclassifying lavish personal expenses as business expenses to reduce their tax burden. I thank our federal law enforcement partners for their commitment to hold corrupt contractors in this City accountable,” stated DOI Commissioner Strauber.
"The alleged greed and abuse of trust here are unconscionable. Pocketing funds to support an extravagant lifestyle is an afront to hardworking taxpayers who depended on these men to do honest work," said James Smith, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI New York Field Office. “The FBI is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate allegations of significant financial crime and holding the people behind them accountable for their actions.”
As alleged in the indictment and other court filings, between January 2017 and June 2020, the defendants evaded personal income taxes by issuing checks and wiring money from Liberty Water’s bank account to pay for personal expenses. The defendants classified these payments of their personal expenses as business expenses of Liberty Water, thereby reducing Liberty Water’s profits and reducing the defendants’ personal income tax burdens. For example, Figliolia, Jr., and Sutherland classified more than $1.75 million of personal credit card expenses, including home renovations, a family trip to Disney World, jewelry, clothing and veterinary expenses, as business expenses. As another example, Figliolia, Jr., and Sutherland obtained loans of more than $2.8 million on personal life insurance policies, and repaid the loans using Liberty Water funds, allowing them to siphon that money out of the business without paying taxes. As still another example, Figliolia, Jr., issued more than $4 million in checks from Liberty Water’s bank account to a law firm for the payment of personal expenses, including the purchase of multiple properties and a yacht, but classified them as business expenses of Liberty Water.
In total, Figliolia, Jr., and Sutherland intentionally diverted approximately $10,225,213 from Liberty Water between tax years 2017 and 2019, resulting in the evasion of approximately $3,933,046 in federal taxes.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum sentence of five years’ imprisonment on each count.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section. The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Philip Pilmar and Dana Rehnquist.
The Defendants:
ALEXANDER FIGLIOLIA, JR.
Age: 50
Staten Island, NYKENNETH SUTHERLAND
Age: 62
Staten Island, NYE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-498
Operation Smoke and Mirrors Update: Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. Karl Lamont Funderburk, 37, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, conspiracy to distribute a quantity of cocaine, and conspiracy to distribute a quantity of fentanyl. Funderburk admitted to his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that operated in the Charleston area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between November 2022 and March 22, 2023, Funderburk conspired with several other people to distribute more than 50 grams of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, and quantities of cocaine and fentanyl while living in Charleston. Funderburk had several regular customers who would purchase each controlled substance from him. Funderburk used runners who would deliver the controlled substances to these customers, collect money or other compensation from them, and return the proceeds to Funderburk.
Funderburk is scheduled to be sentenced on March 25, 2024, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 80 years in prison, at least four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $5 million fine.
Funderburk is among 32 individuals indicted as a result of Operation Smoke and Mirrors, a major drug trafficking investigation that has yielded the largest methamphetamine seizure in West Virginia history. Law enforcement seized well over 400 pounds of methamphetamine as well as 40 pounds of cocaine, 3 pounds of fentanyl, 19 firearms and $935,000 in cash.
Funderburk and 24 other defendants have pleaded guilty. Indictments against the other defendants are pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia National Guard Counter Drug program, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and the Raleigh County Sheriff's Office. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-31.
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Ohio Man Transported 27 Kilos of Meth Through KC Aboard BusRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Akron, Ohio, man was charged in federal court today with transporting more than 27 kilograms of methamphetamine through Kansas City, Mo., aboard a bus.
Rogeric Romone Clark, 39, was charged in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., with one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. Clark remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing, which has not yet been scheduled.
More than 27 kilograms (60 one-pound bundles) of methamphetamine was seized by law enforcement officers at a Kansas City, Mo., bus station.According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, members of the Missouri Western Interdiction and Narcotics Task Force (MoWIN) were conducting interdiction activities at a Kansas City, Mo., bus station on Tuesday, Dec. 5. As passengers disembarked from a bus that originated in Los Angeles, California, officers used a police drug-sniffing dog, which alerted to a suitcase later identified as belonging to Clark. Investigators later identified another suitcase that belonged to Clark.
A detective contacted Clark, who confirmed a suitcase belonged to him and gave officers consent to open it. As the detective opened the suitcase, Clark fled on foot through the rear parking area. Clark fell during the chase and was taken into custody.
Officers searched both of the suitcases and found 30 one-pound bundles in each suitcase that contained a total of 27.2 kilograms of methamphetamine.
Clark told investigators he was supposed to receive $10,000 to transport the illegal drugs to Akron, Ohio.
The charge contained in this complaint is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashleigh Ragner. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Ohio Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Federal Hate Crimes Against Haitian NationalsRead the Press Release
A Springfield, Ohio, man was sentenced in U.S. District Court yesterday to 20 years in prison for committing federal hate crimes targeting and attacking Haitian nationals residing in the area.
Izaye Eubanks, 22, pleaded guilty in August to both federal and local crimes. He admitted to committing hate crimes against at least eight Haitian nationals.
“This defendant is being held accountable for repeatedly assaulting and robbing members of the Haitian community in Springfield, Ohio, because of their national origin,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Attacks like these, where a group of individuals is targeted for violent abuse and robbery because of who they are, will not be tolerated. The Justice Department will continue to enforce our federal criminal civil rights laws to protect all people in this country, and we will prosecute predators who commit violent, bias-motivated crimes.”
“Hate and discrimination have never had a place in our society. As today’s significant prison sentence shows, they have no place today,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio. “We will continue to prosecute hate crimes to the fullest extent of the law.”
“The hate crimes committed by Izaye Eubanks threatened and intimidated the immigrant community throughout the region,” stated Special Agent in Charge J. William Rivers of the FBI Cincinnati Field Office. “Because hate crimes have such a wide-ranging impact, investigating these crimes is a top priority for the FBI.”
According to court documents, in January and February, Eubanks committed various assaults, robberies and a carjacking of Haitian individuals because of the victims’ actual and perceived national origin. Eubanks would travel throughout Springfield looking for individuals he believed were from Haiti and then attack the individuals, usually by punching them and knocking them to the ground before robbing them of their money, cell phones, a vehicle and/or other personal belongings.
On Jan. 29, Eubanks assaulted and robbed a victim while the victim was walking to wire $300 in cash to his mother in Haiti. Eubanks punched the victim in the back of the head and neck, causing him to briefly black out, then robbed the victim of his cash, cell phone and ATM cards. That same day, Eubanks assaulted a victim as he left a Haitian market. Eubanks grabbed the victim by his shirt, pulled him out of his vehicle and punched him in the face before stealing the victim’s vehicle.
On Feb. 1, Eubanks directed juveniles to help him complete four separate attacks on five additional victims.
The FBI Cincinnati Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy M. Smith and Ryan A. Saunders for the Southern District of Ohio prosecuted the case.
Naval Commander Pleads Guilty to Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material and Retaining Classified National Defense InformationRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, FL – Gregory Edward McLean, 39, of Jacksonville, Florida, today pleaded guilty to one count of distributing videos depicting the sexual assault of children and one count of unlawful retention of classified national defense information.
According to the plea agreement, state law enforcement in Rhode Island received a cyber tipline report that a user of a particular messaging application had shared videos depicting the sexual abuse of young children. The investigation identified the user as McLean, who was at that time an active-duty officer in the U.S. Navy, with the rank of Lieutenant Commander and serving as the Executive Officer of a ship stationed aboard Naval Station Mayport in Florida. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) continued the investigation and identified additional instances where McLean had distributed child sexual abuse material. On Nov. 4, 2021, agents executed a federal search warrant at McLean’s residence, during which they seized numerous electronic devices and storage media. A forensic review revealed that several of these items contained files depicting the sexual abuse of minors.
The forensic review also identified a flash drive – which had been recovered from McLean’s kitchen counter – that contained approximately 150 documents containing national defense information classified at the Secret level and 50 documents containing national defense information classified at the Confidential level. An investigation by NCIS and the FBI revealed that throughout his service as a naval officer, McLean had access to classified information and held a Top-Secret security clearance. McLean had entered into various agreements with the United States regarding the protection and proper handling of classified information and was aware that his home was not an authorized location to store classified national defense information. In particular, the criminal information and plea agreement identify two documents McLean unlawfully retained which contained national defense information related to foreign governments and their combat aircraft and naval capabilities. Disclosure of this information could reasonably be expected to cause damage and, in some instances, serious damage to the national security of the United States.
McLean faces a minimum mandatory penalty of five years and up to 20 years in prison for the child exploitation offense and up to 10 years in prison for the retention of classified information offense. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.
NCIS, FBI, and Rhode Island State Police are investigating the case, with assistance from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys David B. Mesrobian and Kirwinn Mike for the Middle District of Florida and Senior Trial Attorney Heather Schmidt of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Naval Commander Pleads Guilty to Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material and Retaining Classified National Defense InformationRead the Press Release
Gregory Edward McLean, 39, of Jacksonville, Florida, today pleaded guilty to one count of distributing videos depicting the sexual assault of children and one count of unlawful retention of classified national defense information.
According to the plea agreement, state law enforcement in Rhode Island received a cyber tipline report that a user of a particular messaging application had shared videos depicting the sexual abuse of young children. The investigation identified the user as McLean, who was at that time an active-duty officer in the U.S. Navy, with the rank of Lieutenant Commander and serving as the Executive Officer of a ship stationed aboard a Naval Station Mayport in Florida. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) continued the investigation and identified additional instances where McLean had distributed child sexual abuse material. On Nov. 4, 2021, agents executed a federal search warrant at McLean’s residence, during which they seized numerous electronic devices and storage media. A forensic review revealed that several of these items contained files depicting the sexual abuse of minors.
The forensic review also identified a flash drive – which had been recovered from McLean’s kitchen counter – that contained approximately 150 documents containing national defense information classified at the Secret level and 50 documents containing national defense information classified at the Confidential level. An investigation by NCIS and the FBI revealed that throughout his service as a naval officer, McLean had access to classified information and held a Top-Secret security clearance. McLean had entered into various agreements with the United States regarding the protection and proper handling of classified information and was aware that his home was not an authorized location to store classified national defense information. In particular, the criminal information and plea agreement identify two documents McLean unlawfully retained which contained national defense information related to foreign governments and their combat aircraft and naval capabilities. Disclosure of this information could reasonably be expected to cause damage and, in some instances, serious damage to the national security of the United States.
McLean faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years and up to 20 years in prison for the child exploitation offense and a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for the retention of classified information offense. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida, and Assistant Director Larissa L. Knapp of the FBI’s National Security Branch made the announcement.
NCIS, FBI and Rhode Island State Police are investigating the case, with assistance from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys David B. Mesrobian and Kirwinn Mike for the Middle District of Florida and Senior Trial Attorney Heather Schmidt of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Muskegon Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing A Firearm Linked to A HomicideRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten announced that Ricky Jaimal Meeks, 41, of Lansing, Michigan, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm that was used in a Muskegon-area homicide. U.S. District Judge Paul L. Maloney also ordered Meeks to spend 3 years on supervised release after his confinement.
“Armed domestic abusers are far more likely to inflict serious bodily harm on partners, and potentially create dangerous situations for innocent bystanders and responding law enforcement officers,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “The serious sentence imposed here shows that violent and illegally armed criminals will face serious consequences in federal court.”
Meeks was previously convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm at a jury trial in May 2023. At trial, evidence showed Meeks possessed the firearm on September 11, 2022, in connection with a domestic assault that occurred at a residence in Lansing. When police responded to the scene, Meeks fled in a vehicle, leading officers in a high-speed pursuit until he lost control, crashed into a residence, and attempted to flee on foot before he was apprehended. Judge Maloney increased Meeks’ sentence because Meeks obstructed justice when he fled from police.
At sentencing, the United States presented additional incriminating evidence about the firearm Meeks illegally possessed. Investigators compared ballistics evidence from the firearm that Meeks possessed in Lansing to shell casings located at the scene of the October 5, 2021, homicide of Earnest Hardy, which occurred in the City of Muskegon. Mr. Hardy was pronounced dead at the scene after being shot 10 times. Further analysis and ballistics testing confirmed the shell casings recovered at the homicide scene were fired from the firearm Meeks illegally possessed as a previously convicted felon.
"The FBI is relentless in our pursuit of ensuring safety for families and communities from gun violence," said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. "We are thankful to our large network of law enforcement partners for their support in combatting violent crimes. The FBI continues to request the public's assistance by calling 1-800-CALLFBI (1-800-225-5324) or submitting tips online to http://tips.fbi.gov if anyone believes they may have information that could help save a life from gun violence."
“Ricky Meeks chose to illegally possess an illegal crime gun to commit domestic abuse. Everyone deserves to live in peace without the threat of gun and or domestic violence,” said Detroit Special Agent in Charge James Deir. “Meeks will have significant time to reflect about his poor life choices in federal prison. The message should be clear to everyone: If you choose to carry an illegal firearm, you need to pack your bags for prison.”
Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategy. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Federal Investigation (FBI), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Lansing Police Department (LPD), and the City of Muskegon Police Department (MPD). Assistant United States Attorneys Erin K. Lane and Lauren F. Biksacky prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) played a pivotal role in the evaluation of the firearm and shell casing evidence. 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, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
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Missouri Man Sentenced to 50 Years in Prison for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge John A. Ross on Wednesday sentenced a man who produced and received child pornography involving three victims to 50 years in prison.
After a bench trial in May, Judge Ross found William Dahl, 39, of Audrain County, Missouri, guilty of one count of producing child pornography and two counts of receiving child pornography. Judge Ross’ findings of fact said Dahl photographed himself having sex with a 14-year-old girl. He later emailed those images to others. Dahl also received a video of a 16-year-old and a pornographic image of a 7-year-old, the ruling says.
On Wednesday, Judge Ross told Dahl the evidence was “clear, convincing and overwhelming about your guilt.”
The investigation began one of the victims and her family contacted authorities. A subsequent investigation by the Missouri State Technical Assistance Team uncovered more victims.
Dahl met the first victim when she was 13 and he was nearly 23. A second victim met Dahl when he was 36 and she was 16. He bought her a cell phone, alcohol and vaping pods and they exchanged nude pictures. The third victim was 7 at the time of the offense. Dahl’s co-defendant, Jennifer Huddleston, admitted taking photographs of herself sexually abusing the sleeping girl and sending them to Dahl. Huddleston and Dahl were in an on-and-off relationship since 2008.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lang said during the hearing that 18 years have passed since Dahl began to prey on female children, and he has been “consistent in trying to seek out and sexually exploit children” during that time.
Judge Ross ordered Dahl’s prison sentence to run consecutive to any sentence he receives for six pending cases in Audrain County Circuit Court and Randolph County Circuit Court.
Judge Ross sentenced Huddleston, 35, in October to 179 months in prison. Huddleston pleaded guilty in May to one count of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
The cases were investigated by the Missouri State Technical Assistance Team and Donya Jackson, an investigator with the U.S. Attorney’s office at the time. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Colleen Lang and Amy Sestric prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Meth trafficking sends Billings man to prison for 15 yearsRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Billings man convicted by a federal jury of trafficking methamphetamine after investigators intercepted a package containing the drug hidden in false bottom cans was sentenced today to 15 years in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
After a two-day trial that began on July 10, the jury found Shane Edward Johnson, 54, guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth, possession with intent to distribute meth and prohibited person in possession of ammunition.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
In court documents and at trial, the government alleged that from about April 2020 until October 2021, Johnson, who has a prior federal drug conviction, conspired to distribute meth in the Laurel and Billings communities. In October 2021, law enforcement intercepted a package shipped through the U.S. Postal Service from California to Laurel. Officers executed a search warrant on the package and found two pounds of meth inside four plastic candles. A co-defendant took possession of the package in a controlled delivery. Law enforcement converged on the residence to execute a search warrant and encountered Johnson and the co-defendant. Agents located a backpack, belonging to Johnson, that contained baggies of meth, a digital scale, approximately $1,000 and two loaded handgun magazines. Johnson was prohibited from possessing ammunition because of his prior felony conviction.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie R. Patten and Zeno B. Baucus prosecuted the case. The U.S. Postal Service, FBI West, Billings Police Department and Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Melrose Man Sentenced for $375,000 Bank FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A bank teller supervisor was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Worcester for his role in defrauding his employer out of $375,000.
Pablo Rocha, 32, of Melrose, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to six months in prison and two years of supervised release. Rocha was also ordered to pay restitution and forfeiture of $375,000. In July 2023, Rocha pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud.
Between July 2022 and December 2022, Rocha worked as a bank teller supervisor at a federally insured bank in Massachusetts. Rocha used his access to the bank’s vault to steal cash. Rocha then covered his tracks by writing false entries in the bank’s records and by processing fake transactions in the electronic records system to make it appear that the cash had been shipped to the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. In total, Rocha stole approximately $375,000.
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. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Markham of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Marion Man to Serve 25 Years for Role in Large-Scale Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A Marion, Virginia man, who trafficked multiple pounds of methamphetamine into Southwest Virginia since 2021, was sentenced to 25 years in prison this week for his role in the conspiracy.
Brian Cory Hoover, 34, pleaded guilty in September 2023 to one count of conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute and distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, and one additional count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, twice a month, Hoover transported up to 10 pounds of methamphetamine from Atlanta, Georgia into Southwest Virginia. That methamphetamine was redistributed in Southwest Virginia by Hoover and his co-conspirators Amanda Wain, Travis Farmer, Larry Whittaker, Borve Fisher, and others. Wain, Farmer, Whittaker, and Fisher were all previously convicted for their roles in the conspiracy.
Shortly after law enforcement learned of Hoover’s activities, Hoover fled, leaving Virginia and eventually the United States. He was apprehended in Mexico in June 2023.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh and Special Agent in Charge Stanley M. Meador of the FBI’s Richmond Division made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Virginia State Police’s Holston River Regional Drug Task Force, the Smyth County Sheriff’s Office, the Bristol, Tennessee Police Department, the Wythe County Sheriff’s Office, and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Whit D. Pierce is prosecuting the case.
Marion County tax preparer charged with filing false tax returnsRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Jack Lee Oliver, age 55, of Rivesville, West Virginia, has been charged with filing false tax returns.
Oliver was indicted on 32 counts involving the preparation and filing of false tax returns. According to court documents, Oliver is the owner of an insurance sales and tax return preparation business, Insurance Depot, in Fairmont, West Virginia. Oliver is accused of making false claims on his personal tax returns and tax filings for customers, resulting in overpayments of more than $800,000 from the Internal Revenue Service.
Oliver is facing up to three years in federal prison for each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Wagner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The Internal Revenue Service investigated.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Man Sentenced to Prison for Assault of a Federal Officer After Illegally Entering the United StatesRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Adbiel Martinez-Barrera, 21, of Guerrero, Mexico, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Scott H. Rash to 13 months and 1 day in prison. Martinez-Barrera pleaded guilty to Assault of a Federal Officer and Improper Entry by an Alien on September 6, 2023.
On May 5, 2023, a United States Border Patrol agent responded to a call from a Border Patrol camera operator who had spotted two suspected undocumented non-citizens in Douglas. The agent went to the area and located the two subjects, a male and a female, hiding in the brush. The agent was in the process of arresting the female when the male, Martinez-Barrera, who was bigger and heavier than the agent, mounted the agent from behind causing them both to fall to the ground. Martinez-Barrera tried to suffocate the agent by placing his hand over her mouth and nose, restricting her ability to breathe. Martinez-Barrera finally released the agent and fled the area but was later apprehended by other agents who arrived to assist. Martinez-Barrera had illegally crossed into the United States earlier that night.
Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Serra M. Tsethlikai, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-00777-TUC-SHR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-195_Martinez-Barrera# # #
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.Man Pleads Guilty to Shooting Federal Agents in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A man has pleaded guilty in federal court to shooting two federal agents and a task force officer who were conducting a covert investigation in Chicago.
EUGENE MCLAURIN, 31, of Chicago, pleaded guilty Tuesday to three counts of assaulting a federal officer and two counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence. Each firearm count is punishable by a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in federal prison and a maximum of life. Each assault count is punishable by up to 20 years. McLaurin has been detained in federal custody since his arrest in 2021. U.S. District Judge Manish S. Shah set sentencing for March 13, 2024, at 1:30 p.m.
The shootings occurred on the morning of July 7, 2021, when two agents from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and an ATF Task Force officer were driving in an unmarked law enforcement vehicle while conducting a covert federal investigation on the South Side of Chicago. McLaurin admitted in a plea agreement that he had mistakenly suspected the officers were members of an opposing gang. After following the officers’ vehicle, McLaurin pulled alongside it as the vehicle reached an on-ramp to the I-57 expressway and fired several shots at the officers. The two agents and task force officer were wounded and suffered serious injuries.
Shortly after the shooting, McLaurin disposed of his handgun in a sewer drain and hid the key to his vehicle in the basement of his residence in order to conceal evidence of his involvement in the shootings.
The guilty plea was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of ATF, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. Valuable assistance was provided by the Illinois State Police. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared Jodrey, Jasmina Vajzovic, and Elizabeth Pozolo.
Man Charged in Federal Court with Conspiring to Rob Armored Trucks and ATMs in Chicago SuburbsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A man was charged in federal court today with conspiring to rob armored trucks and ATMs in Chicago suburbs this year.
BRIAN SNYDER, 24, of Chicago, is charged with conspiracy to commit robbery in a criminal complaint filed today in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Snyder is currently detained in law enforcement custody.
According to the complaint, Snyder conspired with others to rob two armored trucks in the Chicago suburbs of Country Club Hills and Chicago Heights, and three ATMs in the Chicago suburbs of Lansing, Blue Island, and Homewood. The conspirators also later attempted to rob a second armored truck in Country Club Hills but did not obtain any money.
In the armored truck robberies, two to five robbers armed with handguns took cash from the truck drivers as they were servicing ATMs or stores, the complaint states. The conspirators often drove stolen vehicles to the robbery locations and abandoned the vehicles afterward, the complaint states.
The complaint was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elie Zenner, Simar Khera, and Kirsten Moran.
The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The robbery conspiracy charge is punishable by a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Snyder complaintLuzerne County Man Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Omar Vargas, age 32, of Drums, Pennsylvania, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani to a term of two years’ imprisonment for trafficking methamphetamine.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Vargas pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on August 21, 2023. The conviction was the result of an encounter between Vargas and law enforcement officers on January 4, 2021, when officers initiated a traffic stop of a car in which Vargas was a passenger. Vargas fled from the scene and entered a third-party residence where he was arrested having been found hiding in the attic. Officers located a baggie containing approximately 56 grams of methamphetamine lying next to the front tire of one of the vehicles that Vargas ran between as he was attempting to flee.
This case was jointly investigated by the DEA in Scranton and the Hazleton (Pennsylvania) Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Todd K. Hinkley 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.
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