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Tuesday 24 October 2023
Rapid City Man Sentenced for Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Receiving a Firearm While Under Indictment. The sentencing took place on October 19, 2023.
Antonino Alvarez-Resendiz, 36, was sentenced to three years in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Alvarez-Resendiz was indicted for Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Receiving a Firearm While Under Indictment by a federal grand jury in January 2022. He pleaded guilty on July 14, 2023.
In December of 2021, in Rapid City, Alvarez-Resendiz, while knowing he was under indictment on felony charges in South Dakota state court, was in possession of a Beretta, .40 caliber Smith & Wesson, which was found after Alvarez-Resendiz came into contact with law enforcement. Alvarez-Resendiz was also found in possession of more than 50 grams of methamphetamine.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Alvarez-Resendiz was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Putnam County Man Sentenced for Making False Declaration in Bankruptcy CaseRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – William Howard Gregory, 73, of Scott Depot, was sentenced today to 30 days in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, including five months on home detention, and ordered to pay $24,662.56 in restitution for knowingly and fraudulently making a false declaration in a bankruptcy case.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 1, 2018, Gregory filed false documents in his bankruptcy case that failed to disclose the existence of five life insurance policies with the collective surrender value of approximately $235,000. Gregory admitted that he knew he was required to disclose the existence of his policies and chose not to disclose them.
The United States Trustee learned that Gregory also failed to disclose the sale of his 50 percent ownership in a hardware store for $400,000, cash deposits of $124,900 in his personal checking account on the day he filed for bankruptcy, $193,000 in accounts receivable owed to him, and a 1967 Chevrolet Corvette.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The United States Trustee’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia made the criminal referral of this case to the U.S. Attorney's Office. The United States Trustee Program is the component of the Department of Justice that protects the integrity of the bankruptcy system by overseeing case administration and litigating to enforce the bankruptcy laws.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-95.
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Post Falls Man Sentenced to 71 Months in Federal Prison for Failure to Register as a Convicted Sex Offender and Possession of a Stolen FirearmRead the Press Release
COEUR D’ALENE – Eric Lynn Heartburg, 63, of Post Falls, was sentenced to 71 months in federal prison for failure to register as a convicted sex offender and possession of a stolen firearm, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today. U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also sentenced Heartburg to five years of supervised release, which will commence upon completing his prison sentence. Heartburg continues to be required to register as a sex offender.
According to court records, Heartburg was convicted of child molestation in the first degree in Spokane County in 1992. As a result of his conviction, he was required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). However, beginning in August 2020, Heartburg absconded from sex offender registration.
In early 2023, while still an unregistered sex offender, Heartburg moved from Spokane, Washington to Post Falls, Idaho, and into a home with two women and four children. Heartburg lived in that home until he was arrested on February 25, 2023. During a search of Heartburg’s room, law enforcement found a pistol that had been stolen from one of Heartburg’s roommates.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the joint investigation of the Idaho State Police and the U.S. Marshals Service, which led to the charges.
“Cooperation between federal and state partners is critical to ensuring that sex offenders who fail to register are identified and brought to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit.
“This investigation was a great collaborative effort with the Idaho State Police and our agency,” said United States Marshal Brent Bunn for the District of Idaho. “It was sparked by proactive police work by the state police. It is our duty to protect the public and ensure out-of-state convicted sex offenders obey the law by registering and updating their sex offender registration in Idaho.”
U.S. Attorney Hurwit also thanked the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, and the Spokane County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for their assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Johnson prosecuted the case.
Heartburg was prosecuted for a violation of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) passed by Congress in 2006. The Act requires sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction where they reside. Violations of SORNA can be prosecuted in federal court.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Pensacola Man Sentenced to Thirty-Five Years in Federal Prison for Armed Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Marcus D. Flintroy, 32, of Pensacola, Florida, was sentenced to thirty-five years in federal prison after previously having been found guilty by a federal jury of two counts of distribution of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“Hundreds of individuals are killed every day in communities throughout our country due to the distribution of fentanyl,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “Each of these deaths is a tragedy, robbing individuals of their promise and crippling families left behind with unimaginable grief. We remain committed to working with our law enforcement partners to identify and aggressively prosecute those who distribute these addictive, controlled substances. This sentence serves as a significant deterrent to drug traffickers and demonstrates our resolve to hold them accountable.”
Between December 8, 2022, and January 5, 2023, Flintroy distributed and possessed with intent to distribute approximately 200 grams of fentanyl in Pensacola. The evidence against Flintroy culminated with a traffic stop conducted by law enforcement, which Flintroy tried to evade by ramming his vehicle into multiple undercover law enforcement vehicles. Flintroy then ran on foot when his vehicle became disabled, but he was caught by law enforcement officers. In his vehicle, law enforcement located approximately 100 grams of fentanyl, numerous items of drug paraphernalia, a loaded assault rifle, a loaded pistol, and over 180 rounds of ammunition.
“Illicit fentanyl is the most dangerous drug threat facing our county, and Florida is not immune to its devastating effects. We need to be doing all we can to keep our Florida communities safe and healthy, including holding those who bring this poison into our communities accountable for their actions,” said DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “The DEA, in collaboration with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, will continue to aggressively pursue and bring to justice those who distribute these deadly drugs.”
Flintroy had prior state felony convictions for offenses including aggravated assault with a firearm; sell, manufacture, deliver, or possess with intent to sell, manufacture, or deliver a controlled substance; and others. Flintroy had just been released from state prison in late 2021 before engaging in the new federal offenses.
Flintroy’s imprisonment will be followed by 8-years of supervised release.
This conviction was the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Highway Patrol, the Pensacola Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Jessica S. Etherton prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Oklahoma City Man Sentenced to Serve Life in Federal Prison After Kidnapping and Shooting Woman in Metro Parking GarageRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Today, ROBERT LEE HARRISON JR., 50, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve life in federal prison for kidnapping, carjacking, and other crimes, announced U. S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On April 6, 2022, a federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment against Harrison: Count 1 charged illegal possession of ammunition; Count 2 charged carjacking; Count 3 charged kidnapping; and Count 4 charged use and discharge of a firearm during the carjacking. On January 11, 2023, Harrison was tried by a federal jury and found guilty on all counts.
At trial, Harrison’s ex-girlfriend testified that he forced her into her car at gunpoint as she left work at the Integris Baptist Medical Center parking garage in Oklahoma City. Evidence at trial further indicated that Harrison confined her in the car and repeatedly punched her before she escaped. Harrison then caught her in the elevator lobby of the parking garage, where he shot her approximately eight times before he fled. The following day, Oklahoma City Police Department officers arrested Harrison after a brief foot chase.
At the sentencing hearing today, U.S. District Judge Stephen P. Friot sentenced Harrison to serve life in federal prison and to pay $13,907.41 in restitution. In announcing the sentence, Judge Friot noted the circumstances of the offenses, including their vicious nature. Judge Friot also noted that it was “miraculous” the victim survived.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Oklahoma City Police Department, with assistance from the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Nichols, Jr. and Jacquelyn Hutzell prosecuted the case.
This case is part of “Operation 922” and operation “Shots Fired,” the Western District of Oklahoma’s implementation of Project Safe Neighborhoods, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. “Operation 922” prioritizes prosecution of federal firearms violations connected to domestic violence. “Shots Fired” targets cases involving individuals who discharge firearms as part of their criminal activity, such as drive-by shootings or when shots are fired during robberies, domestic disputes, or other incidents. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://justice.gov/psn and https://justice.gov/usao-wdok.
Reference is made to court filings for further information.
Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Burn Down a Church that Planned to Host Drag Show EventsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – An Ohio man pleaded guilty yesterday to violating the Church Arson Prevention Act and to using fire and explosives to commit a felony, all in connection with his attempt to burn down a church because of the church’s support for the LGBTQI+ community.
According to court documents, on March 25, Aimenn D. Penny, 20, of Alliance, made Molotov cocktails and drove to the Community Church of Chesterland (CCC), in Chesterland, Ohio.
Angered by the church’s plan to host two drag events the following weekend, Penny threw two Molotov cocktails at the church, hoping to burn it to the ground. Through Penny’s guilty plea, he admitted to using force through fire and explosives, intending to obstruct CCC congregants in their enjoyment and expression of their religious beliefs.
Penny was arrested and charged earlier this year with violating the Church Arson Prevention Act, one count of using fire to commit a federal felony, one count of malicious use of explosive materials and one count of possessing a destructive device.
“Attempting to burn down the Community Church of Chesterland for their support of the LGBTQI+ community is reprehensible,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “There is no room in this country for such biasmotivated violence and terror, and the Justice Department will continue to protect all Americans in their free exercise of religious beliefs by vigorously prosecuting those who target houses of worship. Our churches should be safe havens for all people, not sites subjected to violence motivated by hate and vitriol.”
“Mr. Penny admitted to attempting to burn down a church because he did not like the way congregants chose to express their beliefs,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Such acts of extremist violence are antithetical to core American values of freedom of expression and worship and we will not tolerate those who would use force to deny our citizens the free exercise of their rights.”
“By pleading guilty, Aimenn Penny has admitted that he attempted to burn down the Community Church of Chesterland because he disagreed with a planned LGBTQI+ event,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “Violence is never appropriate to settle differences in beliefs. All members of our community are entitled to peacefully assemble, worship, and express themselves freely, without fear of violence or intimidation, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio will aggressively prosecute criminals who
threaten that right.”“The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force worked in tandem with our local law enforcement and community partners to identify and bring federal charges against a hate-fueled individual, motivated to violence by his extremist ideology,” said Executive Assistant Director Larissa L. Knapp of the FBI’s National Security Branch. “He committed these despicable acts in an effort to terrorize and intimidate a religious institution’s free expression, and he should face accountability for these crimes.”
Penny faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the violation of the Church Arson Prevention Act and a 10-year mandatory prison sentence that will run consecutively with any other prison term imposed for using fire to commit a federal felony. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Sentencing has been scheduled for Jan. 29, 2024.
The FBI Cleveland Field Office is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Deckert and Matthew W. Shepard for the Northern District of Ohio and Trial Attorneys Jacob Warren and Justin Sher of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case with assistance from Trial Attorney Eric Peffley of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.
Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Burn Down a Church that Planned to Host Drag Show EventsRead the Press Release
An Ohio man pleaded guilty yesterday to violating the Church Arson Prevention Act and to using fire and explosives to commit a felony, all in connection with his attempt to burn down a church because of the church’s support for the LGBTQI+ community.
According to court documents, on March 25, Aimenn D. Penny, 20, of Alliance, made Molotov cocktails and drove to the Community Church of Chesterland (CCC), in Chesterland, Ohio. Angered by the church’s plan to host two drag events the following weekend, Penny threw two Molotov cocktails at the church, hoping to burn it to the ground. Through Penny’s guilty plea, he admitted to using force through fire and explosives, intending to obstruct CCC congregants in their enjoyment and expression of their religious beliefs.
Penny was arrested and charged earlier this year with violating the Church Arson Prevention Act, one count of using fire to commit a federal felony, one count of malicious use of explosive materials and one count of possessing a destructive device.
“Attempting to burn down the Community Church of Chesterland for their support of the LGBTQI+ community is reprehensible,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “There is no room in this country for such bias-motivated violence and terror, and the Justice Department will continue to protect all Americans in their free exercise of religious beliefs by vigorously prosecuting those who target houses of worship. Our churches should be safe havens for all people, not sites subjected to violence motivated by hate and vitriol.”
“Mr. Penny admitted to attempting to burn down a church because he did not like the way congregants chose to express their beliefs,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Such acts of extremist violence are antithetical to core American values of freedom of expression and worship and we will not tolerate those who would use force to deny our citizens the free exercise of their rights.”
“By pleading guilty, Aimenn Penny has admitted that he attempted to burn down the Community Church of Chesterland because he disagreed with a planned LGBTQI+ event,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “Violence is never appropriate to settle differences in beliefs. All members of our community are entitled to peacefully assemble, worship, and express themselves freely, without fear of violence or intimidation, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio will aggressively prosecute criminals who threaten that right.”
“The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force worked in tandem with our local law enforcement and community partners to identify and bring federal charges against a hate-fueled individual, motivated to violence by his extremist ideology,” said Executive Assistant Director Larissa L. Knapp of the FBI’s National Security Branch. “He committed these despicable acts in an effort to terrorize and intimidate a religious institution’s free expression, and he should face accountability for these crimes.”
Penny faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the violation of the Church Arson Prevention Act and a 10-year mandatory prison sentence that will run consecutively with any other prison term imposed for using fire to commit a federal felony. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Sentencing has been scheduled for Jan. 29, 2024.
The FBI Cleveland Field Office is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Deckert and Matthew W. Shepard for the Northern District of Ohio and Trial Attorneys Jacob Warren and Justin Sher of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case with assistance from Trial Attorney Eric Peffley of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.
Off-Duty Commercial Airline Pilot Charged in Federal Court for Interfering with Flight CrewRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—An off-duty commercial airline pilot, who was arrested on Sunday after he attempted to shut down the engines of passenger plane in flight, has been charged in federal court.
Joseph David Emerson, 44, of Pleasant Hill, California, has been charged by criminal complaint with one count of interfering with flight crew members and attendants.
According to court documents, on October 22, 2023, Port of Portland police officers responded to a report of inbound aircraft that had diverted from its route between Everett, Washington, and San Francisco to Portland International Airport due to an inflight disturbance. Police dispatch reported that Emerson, an off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot seated in a cockpit jump seat, had attempted to shut down the plane’s engines during flight.
After landing, responding officers interviewed the two pilots. The pilots recounted that, approximately halfway between Astoria, Oregon, and Portland, after engaging with them in casual conversation, Emerson attempted to grab and pull two red fire handles that would have activated the plane’s emergency fire suppression system and cut off fuel to its engines. After a brief physical struggle with the pilots, Emerson exited the cockpit.
Flight attendants placed Emerson in wrist restraints and seated him in the rear of the aircraft. During the flight’s descent, Emerson tried to grab the handle of an emergency exit. A flight attendant stopped him by placing her hands on top of his.
After landing in Portland, Emerson was arrested without further incident and booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center on multiple state charges of attempted murder and reckless endangerment. He remains in custody in Multnomah County on a federal hold pending his first appearance in federal court on a later date.
This case was investigated by the FBI and Port of Portland Police Department. It is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
North Hills Man Charged in Indictment Alleging He Fraudulently Obtained Millions of Dollars by Identity Theft via Mail TheftRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A San Fernando Valley man was charged today in a federal grand jury indictment alleging he fraudulently obtained approximately $2.6 million by stealing Beverly Hills residents’ identities – often by stealing mail and packages from their homes – then using that information to open fraudulent bank accounts to which he unlawfully transferred money from the victims’ bank accounts.
Oren David Sela, 35, of North Hills, was charged in an eight-count indictment that a federal grand jury returned today. The grand jury charged Sela with three counts of bank fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, one count of possession of 15 or more unauthorized access devices, one count of unlawful possession of at least five identity documents, and two counts of possession of stolen mail.
Sela’s arraignment is scheduled for October 30. He has been in federal custody since his arrest on October 10. A federal magistrate judge has ordered him jailed without bond.
According to the indictment returned today and other court documents, from November 2021 to October 2023, Sela stole the mail of Beverly Hills residents to obtain debit cards, bank account numbers, credit cards, telephone numbers, and other personal identifying information (PII). Sela allegedly used the PII he obtained to gain unauthorized access to the victims’ bank accounts. Sometimes, to defeat two-factor authentication on a victim’s account, Sela would engage in “SIM swapping” of the victim’s telephone number to a SIM card that he would control.
“SIM swapping” is the process of fraudulently inducing a carrier to reassign a cell phone number from the legitimate subscriber’s SIM card to a SIM card controlled by another without the legitimate subscriber’s authorization. This allows the fraudster to take control of the victim’s various accounts through two-step authentication text messages sent to a victim’s cell phone.
After gaining access to a victim’s bank account, Sela allegedly would open additional fraudulent accounts in the victim’s name and transfer funds from the victim’s bank account into those accounts. Sela allegedly would then withdraw funds from the fraudulent accounts or use the fraudulent accounts to make unauthorized purchases or transfers.
Sometimes, Sela caused debit cards and credit cards linked to a victim’s account to be sent directly to him, and he then allegedly used those cards to make fraudulent unauthorized purchases.
In December 2022, Sela was arrested for allegedly driving a car reported as stolen, according to an affidavit filed with a criminal complaint in this case. On Sela’s person at the time of his arrest, law enforcement found six debit and credit cards in the names of four different victims.
Subsequent to this arrest, during a search of Sela’s then-residence in West Hollywood, law enforcement uncovered extensive stolen mail containing victims’ PII; bank statements and account information relating to at least 18 different victim accounts; five California driver’s licenses belonging to five confirmed victims of identity theft; seven debit and credit cards belonging to confirmed fraud victims; and checks and receipts for expensive retail items, including a watch worth nearly $17,000, that had been fraudulently obtained using victims’ money, the affidavit alleges.
Sela was found with approximately 33 pieces of stolen mail in December 2022 and at least 118 pieces of stolen mail on October 10, the indictment alleges.
The losses incurred by four victims are approximately $2,590,836, according to court documents, and at least 20 additional victims have been identified.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted of all charges, Sela would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each bank fraud count, up to 10 years in federal prison for the possession of unauthorized access devices count and for the unlawful possession of identity documents count, a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each possession of stolen mail count, and for the aggravated identity theft count, a mandatory two-year prison sentence consecutive to the rest of his sentence.
The Secret Service and the Beverly Hills Police Department are investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Aaron B. Frumkin of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section and Jena A. MacCabe of the Violent and Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case.
North Dakota Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Abusive Sexual ContactRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a Fargo, North Dakota, man, convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact. The sentencing took place on October 10, 2023, in Aberdeen, South Dakota.
Bryant Elliot DeCoteau, age 32, was sentenced to 10 years federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $100 as a statutorily required special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
DeCoteau was indicted for Sexual Abuse by a federal grand jury in December of 2022. He pleaded guilty to Abusive Sexual Contact on July 10, 2023.
According to court documents, in January of 2018, and continuing through December of 2019, DeCoteau knowingly engaged in and attempted to engage in sexual contact with the victim.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Sioux Tribe’s Law Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri prosecuted the case.
DeCoteau was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to continue serving his sentence.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Robbery, Firearm, and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that KING SANCHEZ, was sentenced today by the United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo for violations of the Federal Gun Control, the Federal Controlled Substances, and Hobbs Acts.
SANCHEZ previously pled guilty to Count 1 of a superseding indictment, charging him with conspiracy to possess and brandish firearms in furtherance of and during crimes of violence and drug trafficking, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(o). SANCHEZ also pled guilty to Counts 7 and 8, charging him with conspiracy to interfere and interference with commerce through robbery (Hobbs Act Conspiracy and Hobbs Act Robbery), in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1951. SANCHEZ additionally pled guilty to Count 9, charging him with possessing and brandishing firearms in furtherance of and during a crime of violence, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(ii). For Counts 1, 7, and 8, SANCHEZ was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release. As to Count 9, SANCHEZ was sentenced to an 84-months imprisonment, which must run consecutively to the sentences in Counts 1, 7, and 8, as well as five years supervised release following any term of imprisonment. Thus, SANCHEZ received a total sentence of 204 months. SANCHEZ must also pay a mandatory $100.00 special assessment fee for each count.
According to public documents, in 2019, the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated a group responsible for committing various violent crimes and illegal drug trafficking, primarily in New Orleans East and the Ninth Ward. SANCHEZ, along with nine others, were indicted in December 2021, for conspiring to possess firearms, traffic drugs and commit armed robberies of drug dealers. SANCHEZ also participated in a Hobbs Act robbery, during which he and his co-conspirators victimized a mother and her two-young children. SANCHEZ and his co-conspirators by breaking n into and ransacking their home, brandishing firearms, and tying up the mother.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New Orleans Police Department, and the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Maurice Landrieu of the Narcotics Unit and Elizabeth Privitera, Chief of the Violent Crimes Unit.
New Orleans Man Indicted for Carjacking and Weapons OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that MILTON CARTER, age 32, of New Orleans, Louisiana, was charged by a federal grand jury on October 6, 2023, in a three-count indictment for carjacking and violations of the Federal Gun Control Act.
CARTER is charged in Count 1 with carjacking, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2119(1). He is charged in Count 2 with brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(ii). He is charged in Count 3 with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).
If convicted of Count 1, CARTER faces up to 15 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000.00 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. If convicted of Count 2, he faces a minimum of seven years up to a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, which must run consecutive to any other sentence, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and up to five years of supervised release. If convicted of Count 3, he faces up to fifteen years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. As to each charged count, CARTER also faces payment of a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
New Orleans Business Owner Sentenced for Conspiracy to Defraud First NBC BankRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that KENNETH CHARITY (“CHARITY”), age 58, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on October 18, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Lance Africk to 20 months in prison for conspiring to defraud First NBC Bank (FNBC), the New Orleans-based bank that failed in April 2017.
According to court documents, from February 2007 through April 2017, CHARITY had a banking relationship with FNBC. During that time, FNBC President, Ashton Ryan, acted as the loan officer for CHARITY and certain of CHARITY’s entities. By the time FNBC failed, the balances on the loans issued to CHARITY and the entities, totaled more than $16 million. CHARITY, Ryan, and others, knowingly conspired to defraud FNBC by disguising and misrepresenting the true financial status of CHARITY and his entities, as well as the purpose of the loans issued to them.
CHARITY admitted that he, Ryan, and others carried out the conspiracy by repeatedly lying in bank loan documents about the purpose of loans that Ryan approved for CHARITY. Specifically, Ryan approved loans for CHARITY and his entities that appeared to be for legitimate business purposes. In reality, CHARITY spent loan proceeds on personal expenses, and Ryan was aware that CHARITY did not spend the loan proceeds consistent with the loans’stated purposes. For example, from in or around August 2014 through in or around December 2016, Ryan caused three loans to be disbursed to one of CHARITY’s entities for the purpose of, in part, enclosing a patio at a beignet shop. CHARITY never built the patio. Instead, the loan proceeds were used to pay CHARITY’s overdrafts, including personal expenses, and to make loan payments. Ryan was convicted at trial in February 2023, for bank fraud and other offenses related to the CHARITY loans.
In addition to prison, Judge Africk sentenced CHARITY to three years of supervised release. Judge Africk also ordered CHARITY to pay $16,502,831.55 in restitution to the FDIC, along with a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the agencies that conducted this years-long investigation: the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New Orleans Field Office; the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of Inspector General, Dallas Regional Office; and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Office of Inspector General, Miami Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew R. Payne of the Financial Crimes Unit , Nicholas D. Moses, Healthcare Fraud Coordinator, J. Ryan McLaren of the Appellate Unit , and Rachal Cassagne of the Narcotics Unit, are in charge of the prosecution.
Montgomery Man Sentenced to over 10 Years in Federal Prison for Child Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – Today, Acting United States Attorney Jonathan S. Ross announced that a federal judge sentenced 37-year-old Karnival McGhee, a resident of Montgomery, Alabama, to 125 months in prison. McGhee’s sentence follows his entering a guilty plea to the charge of sex trafficking a minor. During yesterday’s sentencing hearing, the judge also ordered that McGhee serve five years of supervised release following the prison term. Federal prisoners are not eligible for parole.
According to his plea agreement and other court records, in December 2021, McGhee was in contact with a child under the age of 16 for several days. During this time, McGhee – both in person and via social media – assisted and enabled the minor to engage in sexual acts with others for money. McGhee facilitated the commercial sex by arranging for hotel rooms and using his own financial accounts for payment.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The United States Department of Homeland Security, the Montgomery Police Department, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, and the United States Marshals Service investigated this case, which Assistant United States Attorneys J. Patrick Lamb and Tara S. Ratz prosecuted.
Mississippi Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – RYAN P. MULLEN, age 42 and a resident of Jayess, Mississippi, pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering before U.S. District Judge Jane Triche-Milazzo, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court documents, MULLEN conspired with DUANE DUFRENE, DILLON ARCENEAUX, LANCE VALLO, GRANT MENARD, and ZEB SARTIN to use several shell Louisiana corporations, devoid of assets, to defraud a Georgia based merchant cash company. MULLEN and DUFRENE helped establish ARCENEAUX, VALLO, MENARD, and SARTIN as the owners of the existing shell corporations, MULLEN and DUFRENE then created fake vendor accounts for the corporations, and MULLEN, along with another person, created falsified bank records for the companies. MULLEN then used an alias and represented himself to be a broker for the shell corporations he helped create.
Through the aid of another broker, MULLEN supplied the victim merchant cash advance company with the fake vendor accounts and false bank records in order to obtain funding. The victim cash advance company approved the advances and began to electronically wire ARCENEAUX, VALLO, MENARD, and SARTIN millions of dollars in advances. ARCENEAUX, VALLO, MENARD, and SARTIN laundered a portion of the funds by paying MULLEN and DUFRENE a portion of the funds. ARCENEAUX, VALLO, MENARD, and SARTIN then closed their non-existent businesses before fully repaying the victim merchant cash advance company, resulting in overall losses to the victim of approximately $6.4 million.
DUFRENE is to be sentenced on January 17, 2024, and faces a maximum sentence of five years on the wire fraud conspiracy, and a maximum sentence of up to twenty years on the money laundering conspiracy. After imprisonment, the defendant faces up to three years of supervised release, and up to a $250,000 fine on the wire fraud count, and up to three years of supervised release, and up to a $500,000 fine on the money laundering count. Each count also carries a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
U.S. Attorney Evans commended the special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and IRS-Criminal Investigation for their handling of the matter. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Edward J. Rivera of the Financial Crimes Unit and Andre J. Lagarde of the Public Integrity Unit.
Michigan Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Willie Renard Craft, also known as “Nut,” 47, of Pontiac, Michigan, was sentenced today to seven years and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 16, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Craft’s Seventh Avenue residence. Craft told the officers there was a controlled substance in the kitchen cabinet. Officers found approximately 74 grams of fentanyl and drug packaging materials in the cabinet. Officers also found a loaded Taurus 856 .38-caliber revolver on a shelf in Craft’s bedroom, and $1,800 in Craft’s possession. Craft admitted to possessing and intending to distribute the fentanyl, and further admitted that the cash was proceeds from selling fentanyl.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force, the Huntington Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-43.
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Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that ALEJANDRO AGUILAR-RAMOS, a Mexican national, age 30, pleaded guilty as charged on October 17, 2023 to Count 1 of the indictment, charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 846. AGUILAR-RAMOS faces a minimum sentence of ten years up to a maximum of life imprisonment, up to a $10,000,000 fine, at least five years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
According to the indictment, in March of 2023, AGUILAR-RAMOS knowingly conspired and agreed with others to pick up a bag containing over 9 kilograms of methamphetamine in Dallas, Texas, then work with others to transport the bag and the narcotics within, from Texas to Kenner, Louisiana .
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at http://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
United States Attorney Evans praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Kenner Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit.
Metairie Doctor Pleads Guilty in $5,600,000 Medicare Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that DR. ALEX L. GLOTSER, age 36, a resident of Metairie, pled guilty on October 18, 2023, to defrauding Medicare out of approximately $5.6 million in connection with ordering medically unnecessary durable medical equipment (“DME”) and Cancer Genetic Testing (“CGx”).
GLOTSER pled guilty to a bill of information charging him with health care fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1347. According to court documents, GLOTSER was an independent contractor for several purported telemedicine companies. From approximately September 2017 to August 2019, GLOTSER, through the telemedicine companies, signed thousands of doctors’ orders for DME and CGx tests for Medicare beneficiaries he never saw, spoke to, or otherwise treated. As a result, GLOTSER’s orders resulted in over $5.6 million in false and fraudulent claims submitted to Medicare, of which Medicare reimbursed over $2.4 million. To conceal and perpetuate the fraud, GLOTSER made several false and fraudulent statements to support these orders, including falsely certifying, in medical records and requisition forms, that he was the beneficiaries’ “treating physician,” that he had “personally” examined patients, including performing certain in-person procedures for knee braces, and that he used the DME and CGx tests ordered for the “management” of the patients’ conditions. In exchange for electronically reviewing patient charts and ordering DME and CGx tests, GLOTSER was paid a set fee per doctor’s order, typically $30, totaling $270,570.
GLOTSER faces up to ten years in prison, up to three years of supervised release after release from prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain to GLOTSER or the gross loss to any victims, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. GLOTSER is also required to pay $2,420,100 in restitution to Medicare. Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle set the sentencing hearing for January 24, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. Trial Attorneys Kelly Walters and Samantha Stagias of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Moses, Healthcare Fraud Coordinator for the Eastern District of Louisiana, are prosecuting the case.
Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Brandishing and Discharging Firearms in Relation to Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Trenton Robinson, 28, of District Heights, Maryland pleaded guilty today to brandishing and discharging firearms in relation to drug trafficking crimes in the Congress Heights neighborhood of Southeast Washington, D.C. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 19, 2024.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, Special Agent in Charge Craig B. Kailimai, of the Washington Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and Interim Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Robinson is one of more than two dozen individuals arrested as part of a joint FBI/ATF investigation which resulted in the seizure of more than 49 pounds of marijuana, 61 grams of crack cocaine, 23 firearms including three fully automatic machineguns, and more than $497,000 in cash.
Robinson, who utilized the street nickname “Zulu,” pleaded guilty to one count of brandishing a firearm in relation to drug trafficking, and one count of discharging a firearm in relation to drug trafficking. According to the government’s evidence, beginning in approximately June 2018, and continuing through April 2021, Robinson and his co-conspirators maintained drug dealing territory on Trenton Place SE in the Congress Heights neighborhood of Washington, D.C. – a territory they defended by carrying, and discharging, firearms at perceived rivals. As part of his role in the conspiracy, Robinson distributed marijuana in bulk quantities and served as an armed defender of the co-conspirators’ drug dealing territory.
As part of his plea agreement, Robinson admitted that he conspired with others to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana, as well as oxycodone and codeine. Robinson also admitted that he conspired with others to use, carry, and possess firearms in relation to drug trafficking. Finally, Robinson admitted to carrying and brandishing firearms on multiple occasions between January 2, 2020, and May 30, 2020, when necessary to defend the co-conspirators, their drugs, or their cash. Robinson also admitted that, on April 12, 2020, he brandished and discharged a fully automatic .223 caliber AR-Pistol at the driver of a passing vehicle in the co-conspirators’ drug-dealing territory. Robinson faces a mandatory-minimum sentence of 17 years in prison.
In announcing the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Graves, Special Agent in Charge Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge Kailimai, and Interim Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI, ATF, and MPD. They also expressed appreciation to those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney James B. Nelson who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Violent Crime SpreeRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Elan David Nash, 36, of Polacca, was sentenced on September 25, 2023, by United States District Judge Steven P. Logan to 25 years in prison. Nash previously pleaded guilty to Second Degree Murder, Kidnapping, and Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury of an Intimate Partner.
During a violent crime spree in November of 2019, Nash shot and killed a woman on the Hopi Indian Reservation. Soon after that incident, Nash picked up another woman from the side of the road and forced her into his vehicle. He drove her to a remote area of the Hopi Indian Reservation, where he robbed her. After a pursuit by tribal law enforcement, Nash abandoned the vehicle he was driving, leaving behind evidence related to the murder. The investigation into these crimes also revealed that on December 3, 2019, on the Navajo Nation, Nash assaulted his then girlfriend, leaving her with substantial injuries. Nash pleaded guilty to all three charges in a single plea agreement combining three separate cases.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case, with assistance from Hopi Law Enforcement Services and the Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBERS: CR-22-8088-PCT-SPL
CR-22-8089-PCT-SPL
CR-23-8063-PCT-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-159_Nash# # #
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 Assaulting Two People with a KnifeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Lawrence Twisdale, 50, pleaded guilty today to assaulting his ex-girlfriend and her son in 2021, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves.
Lawrence Twisdale pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon (a knife). Sentencing is scheduled for January 12, 2024, before the Honorable Maribeth Raffinan.
According to the government’s evidence, on August 29, 2021, Twisdale went to 411 P Street NW at some point in the morning. This location was the residence of his ex-girlfriend, who had broken up with him a few weeks before. The victim allowed him in but quickly realized Twisdale was under the influence of PCP. An argument ensued regarding Twisdale’s drug use, at which point Twisdale pulled a black folding knife from his pocket and attacked the victim with it by swinging it at her and knocking her over. He struck her in the face, the back, and the left arm with the knife, causing multiple lacerations. When the victim’s son entered the room to intervene, Twisdale started swinging the knife and eventually stabbed the second victim in the chest. Twisdale left the victims’ residence as the ambulance was arriving. He was apprehended by MPD on that same day.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves commended the work of the Metropolitan Police Department, which investigated the case. He also expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Callie Hyde, who prosecuted the case, and AUSA Sara Hanson, who investigated and indicted the case.
Man Found Guilty of St. Louis Murder, Drug Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A jury in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on Tuesday found a man guilty of drug trafficking charges that included a 2019 murder.
Freeman Whitfield IV, 29, was found guilty of seven felonies: conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, heroin and cocaine; knowingly possessing and discharging a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes, causing the death of Antonio Boyd through premeditated murder; knowingly possessing and discharging a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes; possession with intent to distribute fentanyl; possession of one or more firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes; being a felon in possession of a firearm and being a felon in possession of ammunition.
Evidence and testimony at trial showed that Whitfield was “an enforcer for a large drug conspiracy,” Assistant U.S. Attorney John Mantovani told jurors in closing arguments. Whitfield, a convicted felon, was caught with body armor and firearms, and used multiple phones to conduct drug sales, Mantovani said. The organization brought drugs from Houston and Fort Lauderdale, Fla. to the St. Louis area. A Drug Enforcement Administration investigation that started in 2018 eventually resulted in the seizure of more than $1.5 million in drug payments, as well as 25 kilograms of cocaine, 3 kilograms of fentanyl, 10 kilograms of heroin, luxury vehicles, watches and guns.
Photo courtesy of the Drug Enforcement Administration.Boyd, who distributed drugs for Whitfield's supplier and co-conspirator, Guy R. Goolsby, was arrested on March 21, 2018. When Whitfield heard rumors that Boyd might be cooperating with investigators, “he decided to kill him for it,” Mantovani said. Boyd was fatally shot Dec. 9, 2019, outside a home in the 2500 block of West Palm Street in St. Louis. Another man was also shot and wounded.
In a related DEA investigation, Whitfield sold fentanyl to an undercover officer in March and July of 2020. Investigators also watched as Whitfield sold drugs to others. During a court-approved search of one of Whitfield’s homes, in Maryland Heights, on May 4, 2021, they found Whitfield with an AK-style pistol, ammunition and other firearms. A second home he maintained in St. Louis contained an AR-15-style pistol, a Glock pistol, thousands of rounds of ammunition, body armor, a police scanner, cash, six cell phones, digital scales and 1.2 kilograms of fentanyl.
Photo courtesy of the Drug Enforcement Administration.The trial started last week. Whitfield is scheduled to be sentenced in January. Goolsby was sentenced in 2020 to 151 months in prison.
This case was investigated by Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the St. Charles County Police Department and the Bridgeton Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys John Mantovani and Geoff Ogden are handling the case for the Eastern District of Missouri.
Madison County man sentenced to 20 years in prison for exploiting minor victims, distributing child pornographyRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Donald Adams, 52, of Mount Sterling, Ohio, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 240 months in prison for exploiting children online and sharing child sexual abuse material.
Adams pleaded guilty in May 2023 to two counts of sexually exploiting a minor and two counts of distributing child pornography.
According to court documents, between May and September 2021, Adams exploited two teenage victims. Specifically, Adams used Snapchat and Google Duo to coerce the victims into sending him images and videos of themselves engaged in sexual conduct. Adams made the minors believe they were in a legitimate romantic relationship with him.
Adams also exploited at least one of the minor victims by directing them to send the sexual content to other online predators.
The defendant drove to another state to pick up one of the victims in person and took her to a hotel room for three hours.
In September 2021, Adams sent an online undercover FBI agent videos of children 3 to 7 years old engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Upon Adams’s arrest, law enforcement recovered more than 1,500 images and 2,000 videos of child sexual abuse material. Adams possessed images and videos of victims as young as infants and toddlers being sexually abused by adults.
As part of his sentence, Adams will pay restitution to the minor victims he directly exploited, and eight other victims identified in Adams’s pornography collection through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole Pakiz and S. Courter Shimeall are representing the United States in this case.
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Líder de pandilla haitiana acusado de delitos de toma de rehenes que resultaron en la muerte de un ciudadano estadounidense en Haití en octubre de 2022Read the Press Release
Note: View the indictment, the wanted poster, and the reward poster here.
Una acusación, presentada en el Distrito de Columbia y revelada hoy, acusa a Vitel'homme Innocent, ciudadano haitiano y líder de la pandilla Kraze Barye, por su presunto rol en la retención armada de dos ciudadanos estadounidenses, uno de los cuales fue asesinado durante el evento en octubre de 2002 en Haití.
La acusación fue anunciada por el fiscal federal Matthew M. Graves y el Agente Especial a Cargo del FBI, Jeffrey B. Veltri, de la oficina regional de Miami.
Según la acusación, Vitel'homme Innocent y la pandilla Krazye Barye operan en el área de Ouest de Haití, que incluye Delmas, Torcelle y Tabarre. La pandilla participa activamente en secuestros para exigir rescate, extorsión y robo de automóviles.
Vitel'homme Innocent dio la orden a los pandilleros de secuestrar a Jean Franklin y Marie Odette Franklin de su casa en Haití el 7 de octubre de 2022. En esa fecha, pandilleros armados forzaron la entrada a la residencia de Franklin e intentaron secuestrar a la pareja a la fuerza. Durante el secuestro, Marie Odette Franklin fue asesinada a tiros por los pandilleros. Su esposo fue llevado en cautiverio y retenido en un lugar no revelado en Haití. Mientras Jean Franklin estaba en cautiverio, Vitel'homme Innocent participó en las negociaciones de rescate a cambio de la liberación de Jean Franklin. Jean Franklin fue liberado de su cautiverio el 28 de octubre de 2022, luego de los pagos de rescate realizados por su familia a la pandilla.
"Nos mantenemos firmes en nuestra misión de procesar a los responsables de crímenes violentos cometidos contra ciudadanos estadounidenses en Haití", dijo el fiscal federal Graves. "Las pandillas y los líderes de las pandillas en Haití deben rendir cuentas por las atrocidades cometidas contra la población civil. Utilizaremos todos los medios a nuestra disposición para detener y enjuiciar a quienes cometan actos tan atroces".
"La acusación revelada hoy demuestra el compromiso del FBI de seguir la evidencia dondequiera que nos lleve y de perseverar hasta dar con los líderes de los complots criminales donde sea que estén", dijo el Agente Especial a Cargo Veltri. "Ni el tiempo ni la distancia debilitarán nuestra determinación. Utilizaremos todas las herramientas disponibles e iremos a los confines del mundo para llevar ante la justicia a aquellos que buscan hacerle daño a los estadounidenses".
Vitel'homme Innocent sigue prófugo y se cree que reside en Tabarre, Haití. Vitel'homme Innocent enfrenta cargos adicionales en el Distrito de Columbia relacionados con su rol en el secuestro de 16 ciudadanos estadounidenses en el otoño de 2021, por el cual fue acusado. En el otoño de 2022, el Departamento de Estado de los Estados Unidos anunció una recompensa hasta de $1 millón de dólares por información llevando a arresto y/o conviccion de Vitel'homme Innocent. La recompensa se ofrece bajo el Programa de Recompensas contra el Crimen Organizado Transnacional.
Si es declarado culpable, Vitel'homme Innocent se enfrenta a una pena máxima de cadena perpetua o podría enfrentar la pena de muerte.
Este caso está siendo investigado por la oficina regional del FBI en Miami, con la asistencia de la oficina del Agregado Jurídico del FBI en Haití y con la valiosa asistencia del Servicio de Seguridad Diplomática del Departamento de Estado. El caso está siendo procesado por el fiscal federal adjunto Jack F. Korba.
Los cargos en una acusación son meramente acusaciones, y cada acusado se presume inocente a menos y hasta que se demuestre su culpabilidad más allá de una duda razonable en un tribunal de justicia.
Los Angeles County Trio Arrested on Complaint Alleging They Committed 10 Armed Robberies of Pharmacies in Six-Week SpreeRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Two South Bay men and one Harbor-area woman are expected to appear today in federal court after being charged in a complaint with allegedly committing 10 armed robberies of chain pharmacy stores over a six-week span, sometimes assaulting and injuring their victims.
The following defendants have been charged via a criminal complaint filed on October 6 with Hobbs Act robbery, and using and carrying a firearm during an in relation to a crime of violence:
- Makai Yusef Sanders, 22, of Hawthorne;
- Kenyatta Kamar Jones, 22, of Hawthorne; and
- Diavion Deshawna Mouton, 22, of Carson.
The defendants are expected to make their initial appearance this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, the defendants committed 10 armed robberies from August 9 to September 19 of Rite Aid and Walgreens stores in Long Beach, Bellflower, South Los Angeles, Pasadena, Whittier, Lakewood, Monterey Park, Burbank, and Glendale. Mouton allegedly served as the driver while Sanders and Jones allegedly robbed the stores, typically one hour before closing, used handguns, stole victims’ cellphones, then went to the stores’ staffing offices and took money from their safes.
Specifically, on September 19, two armed men believed to be Sanders and Jones – one wearing a black balaclava mask and the other wearing a black mask with a red logo – robbed a Walgreens store in Glendale. The suspects robbed a store customer who was at a register attempting to purchase some items, held the victim at gunpoint, and stole the victim’s iPhone.
One of the defendants allegedly then robbed a store employee, pointing a handgun at her back, telling her to take him to the store’s safe and using the barrel of the gun to push her to get her to move faster. In fear for her life, the employee began walking to the back of the store where the safe was located. Once at the back of the store, the employee noticed the robber was distracted talking to the other robber. The employee then locked herself inside the store’s staffing office and called 911.
In total, the robbers stole approximately $776 from the Walgreens cash registers, along with four iPhones belonging to the victims. The suspects then exited the store and drove away in a white Honda Civic, which law enforcement later discovered had been booked via a peer-to-peer carsharing company, and allegedly was driven by Mouton.
Using phone records and GPS data, law enforcement tracked the defendants down and arrested them on September 26. At the time of their arrests, Jones and Sanders allegedly possessed handguns consistent with the firearms used in the Walgreens robbery. Law enforcement also found clothing – including the black mask with a red logo – consistent with what one of the suspects wore during that robbery.
The defendants were in state custody until being transferred to federal custody today.
A criminal complaint contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted of both charges, each defendant would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the Hobbs Act robbery count and up to life in federal prison for the firearm count.
The FBI, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, and the Glendale Police Department are investigating this matter. The Long Beach Police Department, the Los Angeles Police Department, the Pasadena Police Department, and the Whittier Police Department provided assistance.
Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Butler and Jena A. MacCabe of the Violent and Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case.
Littleton Man Sentenced in Federal Court for Trafficking Methamphetamine in New HampshireRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Littleton man was sentenced today in federal court for trafficking methamphetamine in New Hampshire, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Eric Briggs Jr., 33 was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Steven J. McAuliffe to 42 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release. Mr. Briggs pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances on June 20, 2023.
“Federal law enforcement’s partnership with the Littleton Police Department on this case sends a strong message that there will be consequences for trafficking drugs to the North Country,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “This office will continue to aggressively prosecute those trafficking dangerous drugs in all corners of the Granite State.”
“DEA stands committed to keeping highly addictive drugs like methamphetamine off the streets of New Hampshire,” said Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. “Today’s sentence not only holds Mr. Briggs accountable for his crimes but serves as a warning to those traffickers who are contributing to the drug crisis. This investigation demonstrates the strength of collaborative law enforcement efforts and our strong partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
“The Littleton Police Department remains committed to working with our federal and state law enforcement partners in the ongoing effort to curb the trafficking of illicit drugs to the Town of Littleton and Northern New Hampshire," said Chief Paul Smith of the Littleton Police Department.
On April 1, 2021, law enforcement conducted a motor vehicle stop of Mr. Briggs while he was driving in Carol, New Hampshire. Upon a search of his vehicle, investigators located approximately 43 grams, or 1.5 ounces, of methamphetamine, which Mr. Briggs admitted he possessed.
The Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the New Hampshire State Police and the Littleton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather A. Cherniske prosecuted the case.
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Large-Scale Iranian Heroin Trafficker Sentenced to 20 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that MALEK BALOUCHZEHI, a/k/a “Malek Khan,” was sentenced to 20 years in prison for conspiring to import heroin into the United States and distributing heroin for importation into the United States. BALOUCHZEHI was convicted after a one-week jury trial in May 2023 before U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman, who imposed today’s sentence.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Malek Balouchzehi was in the business of peddling poison. His drug trafficking operations had already brought large-scale quantities of deadly narcotics around the world for at least a decade, but when he sought to expand his operation to the United States, our law enforcement allies, in partnership with the career prosecutors of this Office, swiftly put an end to his life-endangering trade.”
According to court documents and the evidence presented at the trial of BALOUCHZEHI:
BALOUCHZEHI is an Iran-based drug trafficker. In or about September 2019, BALOUCHZEHI and his associate began communicating with individuals whom BALOUCHZEHI believed were heroin traffickers interested in large quantities of heroin for importation into the United States, as well as methamphetamine for distribution in Australia. Those individuals were, in fact, a confidential source working at the direction of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) and an undercover DEA agent posing as a New York-based heroin distributor. In December 2019, BALOUCHZEHI caused a sample of approximately two kilograms of heroin to be delivered in Mozambique with the understanding that those drugs would be transported to the United States for testing and sale. Following this sample shipment, BALOUCHZEHI planned to supply larger quantities of heroin for importation to and distribution within the United States. In meetings in Nairobi, Kenya, in October 2021, BALOUCHZEHI agreed to distribute ton quantities of heroin for importation to New York and to provide the heroin via maritime routes, using a fishing company to conceal his narcotics activities, in order to make millions in profits. During these meetings in Nairobi, BALOUCHZEHI also described his prior international drug trafficking activities over the last decade, including transporting loads of thousands of kilograms of heroin, and showed photographs evidencing his large-scale trafficking operation.
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In addition to the prison term, BALOUCHZEHI, 40, of Iran, was sentenced to five years of supervised release.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding efforts of the DEA’s Special Operations Division, Bilateral Investigations Unit, and New York Field Division; the DEA’s Nairobi, Maputo, Pretoria, Bucharest, and Jakarta Country Offices; the Kenyan National Police; the Mozambique National Criminal Investigation Services; and the Western Australia Police Force. Mr. Williams also thanked the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs for its assistance.
The case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaylan E. Lasky, Michael J. Lockard, Kimberly J. Ravener, and Elinor L. Tarlow, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Kayla Collins, are in charge of the prosecution.
Kansas Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Meth Trafficking, Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Galena, Kansas, man has been sentenced in federal court for illegally possessing methamphetamine to distribute and a firearm.
Carlos Joseph Blake Gandy, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool on Monday, Oct. 23, to 20 years in federal prison without parole. Gandy was sentenced as an armed career criminal due to his prior felony convictions.
On Oct. 18, 2022, Gandy pleaded guilty to one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
Gandy was arrested on Aug. 30, 2021, when a law enforcement officer saw him driving a motorcycle in Joplin, Mo., although his driver’s license was revoked. Gandy pulled into a restaurant parking lot and carried a black backpack with him into the restaurant. Gandy placed the backpack in a booth while he waited in line with other customers to order. A Joplin police officer placed Gandy under arrest for driving with a revoked license. When the officer asked him about the backpack, Gandy denied having a bag.
Officers found the backpack in a booth. Inside the backpack, officers found a plastic baggie that contained approximately 33.86 grams of methamphetamine, another baggie that contained approximately 3.2 grams of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, and a loaded Rock Island Armory .45-caliber pistol.
Gandy committed this federal offense while on parole or probation for two robbery convictions and a conviction for stealing a car. Gandy also has two prior felony convictions for robbery, two prior felony convictions for tampering with a motor vehicle, and prior felony convictions for possessing methamphetamine, manufacturing methamphetamine, resisting arrest, possessing a chemical with the intent to create a controlled substance, and possessing a stolen vehicle.
This case was prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Randall D. Eggert. It was investigated by the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Joplin, Mo., Police Department.
KC Man Sentenced for Meth Trafficking, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man who was injured when his ATV flipped over while making a turn on an Independence, Mo., street was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing firearms and methamphetamine.
Melvin L. Carter, 48, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 13 years and nine months in federal prison without parole.
On May 30, 2023, Carter pleaded guilty to one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Independence police officers were called to an address on S. Overton Avenue on Oct. 14, 2022, after Carter was ejected from his ATV as it flipped over while making a turn. Prior to the officers’ arrival, the Independence Fire Department responded to an earlier 911 call and informed officers that Carter had been armed when they arrived at the scene of the accident. They retrieved his firearm, a Keltec 9mm pistol, which they turned over to the police officers. Officers found the ATV flipped on its side when they arrived at the scene. Carter was bleeding from his head and being treated by paramedics.
Police officers checked Carter’s jacket and found a plastic baggie that contained approximately 105 grams of methamphetamine.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Carter has prior felony convictions for robbery, possession of a controlled substance, sale of a controlled substance, trafficking, and resisting arrest.
After Carter was federally indicted, Independence police officers located him and placed him under arrest on March 22, 2023. Carter was in possession of a loaded Glock .40-caliber handgun with an extended magazine and approximately 215 grams of methamphetamine.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Q. McCarther. It was investigated by the Independence, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
Jeannette City Resident Pleads Guilty to Violating a Federal Narcotics LawRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Jeannette City, PA pled guilty in federal court to a charge of violating a federal narcotics law, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Mr. Axton also acknowledged responsibility for violating conditions of supervised release related to a separate previous conviction.
Tristin Bradley Axton, 25, of Jeanette City, PA, pled guilty to a one-count Information before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon. In connection with the guilty plea, attorneys for the United States advised the Court that on or about March 27, 2023, Mr. Axton possessed approximately 139 grams of cocaine with the intent to distribute it. In connection with his supervised release, Mr. Axton acknowledged responsibility for violations resulting from criminal charges in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania filed against him in November 2021, January 2022 and twice in July 2023; and for the conduct that led to his federal charges.
Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing and a final supervised release revocation hearing for February 20, 2024. In connection with the Information, the law provides for a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $1,000,000, or both. In connection with the supervised release violations, the law provides for a maximum sentence of 2 years in prison and a term of supervised release of up to life. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the defendant’s prior criminal history.
The Court ordered the Mr. Axton’s supervised release to be revoked and ordered him to be remanded to the custody of the United States Marshals for detention until his sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorneys Ross Lenhardt and Benjamin C. Dobkin are prosecuting these cases on behalf of the United States.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigations that led to the prosecution of Mr. Axton.
Jackson County Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute HeroinRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Jackson County man pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing heroin.
Bradford Thompson, Jr., 39, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to court documents and information presented to the Court, in May of 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on the residence of Bradford Thompson, Jr. During the execution of the warrant, agents found suspected cocaine, fentanyl, and heroin, over $30,000.00 in cash, and a firearm. Laboratory tests subsequently confirmed that the controlled substances included 100 grams or more of a substance containing heroin. Field tests also confirmed the presence of fentanyl and cocaine.
Thompson pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. He is scheduled to be sentenced on February 15, 2024. He faces a minimum sentence of 5 years imprisonment and a maximum sentence of 40 years imprisonment. 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 and Special Agent in Charge Brad Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, investigated the case.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Buckner.
Jackson Center, PA Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Narcotics and Firearm ViolationsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – Michael Love pled guilty to conspiring to distribute fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and crack, and to receiving and transporting a firearm while under a felony indictment, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Love, age 46, of Jackson Center, Pennsylvania, pled guilty before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon. Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing to occur on February 21, 2024, at 2:30 p.m.
The law provides for up to 25 years in prison and a fine of up to $1,250,000, for the crimes of conviction. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentences imposed are to be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorneys Benjamin C. Dobkin and Craig W. Haller are prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Lawrence County Drug Task Force, the Mercer County Drug Task Force, the New Castle Police Department, the Sharon Police Department, the Hermitage Police Department, and the Farrell Police Department led the investigation resulting in the convictions in this case.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Harrah Man Sentenced to Serve 15 Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Firearm Possession Following High-Speed ChaseRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Yesterday, HUNTER EUGENE BERRY, 23, of Harrah, was sentenced to serve 180 months in federal prison, the statutory maximum, for illegally possessing a firearm after a previous felony conviction, announced U. S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On March 9, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment against Berry, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm and for possessing a stolen firearm. On May 17, 2023, Berry pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
On January 5, 2023, public records reflect that law enforcement responded to reports of a reckless driver in northeast Oklahoma County. After Berry refused to stop the vehicle, he led law enforcement on a high-speed chase that reached speeds of more than 100 miles per hour. Helicopters with the Oklahoma City Police Department and local news media observed Berry drive into oncoming traffic and run several vehicles off the road. A school bus was also run off the road. During the pursuit, Berry also stole a firearm from a vehicle parked in the driveway of a residence in Oklahoma County, and he later shot at law enforcement with that firearm. The vehicle driven by Berry had been reported as stolen earlier that day.
At the sentencing hearing yesterday, U.S. District Judge Patrick R. Wyrick sentenced Berry to serve 15 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, Judge Wyrick noted that Berry’s egregious conduct put members of the public in grave danger and described the high-speed chase as “horrifying and frightening.” Judge Wyrick also noted Berry’s criminal history. Public records reflect that Berry holds a felony conviction for burglary in the first degree in Oklahoma County District Court case number CF-19-336.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Oklahoma City Police Department, the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office, the Jones Police Department, the Harrah Police Department, and the Luther Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Gridley prosecuted the case.
This case is part of operation “Shots Fired," the Western District of Oklahoma’s implementation of Project Safe Neighborhoods, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. “Shots Fired” targets cases involving individuals who discharge firearms as part of their criminal activity, such as drive-by shootings or when shots are fired during robberies, domestic disputes, or other incidents. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://justice.gov/psn and https://justice.gov/usao-wdok.
Reference is made to public record for more information.
Harford County Man Pleads Guilty to Using a Hidden Camera in His Bathroom to Produce Sexually Explicit Images of Five Minor Female VictimsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Charles F. Wheat, III, age 38, of Bel Air, Maryland, pleaded guilty yesterday to producing sexually explicit images of five minor girls while they used a bathroom in his home, using a hidden camera.
The guilty plea 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; and Sheriff Jeffrey R. Gahler of the Harford County Sheriff’s Office.
According to his plea agreement, between April and November 2020, Wheat used a hidden camera to produce sexually explicit images of five minor girls while they used a bathroom in his home. During that same time, Wheat was in communication with three female sex traffickers in the Philippines to whom Wheat provided payment in exchange for them sending Wheat images and videos of minors being sexually exploited.
As detailed in the plea agreement, Wheat sent sexually explicit images he produced of three of the minor female victims to two Filipino women. One of the women who received the images was also depicted in several videos found on Wheat’s phone engaged in sexual conduct with a prepubescent boy. Some of the videos also depict a prepubescent girl whom the woman encourages to engage in sex acts with the boy.
Wheat faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a maximum of 30 years in federal prison for production of child pornography. Chief U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar has scheduled sentencing for January 17, 2024, at 10:30 a.m.
As detailed in the plea agreement, upon his release from prison, Wheat will also be required to register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the HSI and the Harford County Sheriff’s Office for its work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam K. Ake, who prosecuted the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-childhood and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Halifax County Man Convicted on Federal Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. – A federal jury convicted a Halifax County man last week on a charge of distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Taj’ma De’yong Ussery, also known as “Pop Off,” age 25, distributed 5 grams or more of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance on December 21, 2022. The sale was a hand-to-hand transaction with a confidential informant.
The offense was the result of a drug investigation conducted by the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics unit which utilized a confidential informant to make a controlled purchase of methamphetamine from Ussery. Ussery was identified as a regular dealer of fentanyl and methamphetamine in the community who worked within a network of others to distribute these dangerous drugs throughout Halifax County. This indictment resulted as part of a larger effort to combat dangerous drugs and gang-related violence in Halifax County North Carolina and was the result of coordination between the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the United States Attorney’s Office.
“Drug traffickers are pushing high-purity meth and fentanyl, driving addiction and overdoses in some of North Carolina’s most vulnerable communities,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “We are partnering with law enforcement in all corners of Eastern North Carolina to dismantle dangerous drug organizations. The Halifax County Sheriff’s Office should be commended for their work and their commitment to keeping their community safe.”
“I want to thank our dedicated drug agents along with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their great job,” said Halifax County Sheriff Tyree Davis. “The Halifax County Sheriff’s Office will not tolerate people terrorizing our county or taking actions that cause citizens to live in fear. We will continue to work together with local, state, and federal partners to keep our community safe.”
Ussery faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years and up to 40 years in prison when sentenced in January 2024.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle accepted the verdict. Halifax County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashley Foxx and Phil Aubart prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:23-cr-00034-BO-RJ-1.
Haitian Gang Leader Charged with Hostage Taking Offenses that Resulted in the Death of a U.S. Citizen in Haiti in October 2022Read the Press Release
Note: View the indictment, the wanted poster, and the reward poster here.
An indictment, filed in the District of Columbia, was unsealed today charging Vitel’homme Innocent, a Haitian national and leader of the Kraze Barye gang, for his alleged role in the October 2022 armed hostage taking, in Haiti, of two U.S. citizens, one of whom was killed during the event.
According to the indictment, Innocent and the Kraze Barye gang operate in the Ouest department of Haiti to include Delmas, Torcelle, and Tabarre. The gang actively participates in kidnappings for ransom, extortion, and car thefts.
Innocent ordered gang members to kidnap Jean Franklin and Marie Odette Franklin from their home in Haiti on Oct. 7, 2022. On that date, armed gang members forced entry into the Franklin residence and attempted to kidnap the couple by force. During the kidnapping, Marie Odette Franklin was shot and killed by the gang members. Her husband was taken into captivity and held at an undisclosed location in Haiti. While Jean Franklin was in captivity, Innocent participated in ransom negotiations in exchange for Jean Franklin’s release. Jean Franklin was released from captivity on Oct. 28, 2022, following ransom payments made to the gang on behalf of his family.
“As alleged in the indictment, Vitel’homme Innocent, a leader of the Kraze Barye gang in Haiti, directed gang members to kidnap two American citizens for ransom, ultimately resulting in the death of one of the victims,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department is vigorously pursuing those who harm or endanger Americans living in Haiti.”
“We remain steadfast in our mission to hold those responsible for violent crimes committed against U.S. citizens in Haiti,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves for the District of Columbia. “The gangs and gang leaders in Haiti must be held accountable for their atrocities committed against innocent civilians. We will utilize all methods at our disposal to apprehend and prosecute those who commit such heinous acts.”
“The indictment unsealed today demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to follow the evidence wherever it leads and to work our way up to the leaders of criminal plots wherever they are,” said Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI Miami Field Office. “Neither time nor distance will weaken our resolve. We will use all tools available and go to the farthest reaches of the globe to bring to justice those who seek to harm Americans.”
Innocent remains at large and is believed to reside in Tabarre, Haiti. Innocent faces additional charges in the District of Columbia related to his role in the kidnapping of 16 U.S. citizens in the Fall of 2021, for which he was indicted. In the fall of 2022, the U.S. State Department announced a reward offer of up to $1 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Vitel’homme Innocent. The reward is being offered under the Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program.
If convicted, Innocent faces a maximum penalty of life in prison or could face the death penalty. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Miami Field Office investigated the case, with assistance fromthe FBI Legal Attaché Office in Haiti and the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack F. Korba with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Michael Watts for the District of Columbia.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendant are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Haitian Gang Leader Charged with Hostage Taking Offenses that Resulted in the Death of a U.S. Citizen in Haiti in October 2022Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – An indictment, filed in the District of Columbia and unsealed today, charges Vitel’homme Innocent, a Haitian national and leader of the Kraze Barye gang, for his alleged role in the October 2022 armed hostage taking, in Haiti, of two U.S. citizens, one of whom was killed during the event.
The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and FBI Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri, of the Miami Field Office.
According to the indictment, Vitel’homme Innocent and the Kraze Barye gang operate in the Ouest department of Haiti to include Delmas, Torcelle, and Tabarre. The gang actively participates in kidnappings for ransom, extortion, and car thefts.
Vitel’homme Innocent ordered gang members to kidnap Jean Franklin and Marie Odette Franklin from their home in Haiti on October 7, 2022. On that date, armed gang members forced entry into the Franklin residence and attempted to kidnap the couple by force. During the kidnapping, Marie Odette Franklin was shot and killed by the gang members. Her husband was taken into captivity and held at an undisclosed location in Haiti. While Jean Franklin was in captivity, Vitel’homme Innocent participated in ransom negotiations in exchange for Jean Franklin’s release. Jean Franklin was released from captivity on October 28, 2022, following ransom payments made to the gang on behalf of his family.
“As alleged in the indictment, Vitel’homme Innocent, a leader of the Kraze Barye gang in Haiti, directed gang members to kidnap two American citizens for ransom, ultimately resulting in the death of one of the victims,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department is vigorously pursuing those who harm or endanger Americans living in Haiti.”
“We remain steadfast in our mission to hold those responsible for violent crimes committed against U.S. citizens in Haiti,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “The gangs and gang leaders in Haiti must be held accountable for their atrocities committed against innocent civilians. We will utilize all methods at our disposal to apprehend and prosecute those who commit such heinous acts."
“The indictment unsealed today demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to follow the evidence wherever it leads and to work our way up to the leaders of criminal plots wherever they are,” said Special Agent in Charge Veltri. “Neither time nor distance will weaken our resolve. We will use all tools available and go to the farthest reaches of the globe to bring to justice those who seek to harm Americans.”
Vitel’homme Innocent remains at large and is believed to reside in Tabarre, Haiti. Vitel’homme Innocent faces additional charges in the District of Columbia related to his role in the kidnapping of 16 U.S. citizens in the Fall of 2021, for which he was indicted. In the Fall of 2022, the U.S. State Department announced a reward offer of up to $1 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Vitel’homme Innocent. The reward is being offered under the Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program.
If convicted, Vitel’homme Innocent faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment or could face the death penalty.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Miami Field Office, with the assistance of the FBI Legal Attaché Office in Haiti and with valuable assistance from the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack F. Korba with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Michael Watts for the District of Columbia.
Charges in an indictment are merely allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Guilty on All Counts, Jury Convicts Utah Woman in Online Romance Scam that Cost Victims over $6MRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY – A federal jury convicted the final defendant involved in an online romance scheme that cost dozens of victims more than $6 million. On Oct. 19, 2023, a Utah County woman, was found guilty of one count of money laundering conspiracy and two counts of money laundering.
According to court documents and the evidence presented at trial, Nelly Idowu, 39, of Provo, Utah, participated in an online romance scheme from 2017 to 2019 that involved creating fake online dating profiles to befriend and romance victims. These victims were primarily single women over 65-years-old who were led to believe the fake persona they were engaging with had an urgent financial need. Some of the bogus financial needs included helping family members with emergency medical costs, helping a United States military member stranded overseas, or claims of unique investment opportunities. None of these financial needs were legitimate. Victims sent money to Idowu and her codefendants for these false purposes. Idowu and her codefendants then sent a significant amount of the victim funds to overseas accounts in China and Nigeria.
At trial, the United States presented evidence that Idowu’s personal and business accounts received more than $1 million from 2017 to 2019, and that additional amounts were received by Idowu’s coconspirators. Victims testified they were victims of scams involving fictitious online romance partners. They testified they sent the money to Idowu or her coconspirators as a result of the scam involving fictitious online romance partners.
Idowu’s sentencing is scheduled for January 30, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. in courtroom 3.4 before Senior U.S. District Court Judge, Ted Stewart at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. Codefendants Emmanuel Osaigbovo Adesotu, Nnamdi Joel Chukwu, and Julius Omene Fredrick were each previously convicted by guilty plea to a money laundering conspiracy. Adesotu was sentenced to a term of 36 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $6.3 million in restitution jointly with codefendants. Fredrick was sentenced to a term of 46 months’ imprisonment. Chukwu’s sentencing is set for January 16, 2024.
U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins for the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office.
Assistant United States Attorneys Carl LeSueur and Mark Woolf of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah presented the case at trial.The FBI encourages those engaged in online relationships to review and become familiar with information about romance scams on its website FBI.gov. Additionally, if you or someone you know has been a victim of elder fraud, help is available at the National Elder Fraud Hotline 833-FRAUD-11 or 833-372-8311 and online at the Office for Victims of Crime.
Four Men Charged for Their Roles in $21 Million Catalytic Converter Theft RingRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Four Minnesota men have been indicted for their roles in a multi-million dollar scheme to transport stolen catalytic converters across state lines, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, from May 2020 through October 2022, John Charles Kotten, 41, of Hutchinson, Justin Tyme Johnson, 32, of St. Paul, Soe Nye Moo, 31, of St. Paul, and James Dillon Jensen, 34, of Minneapolis, and others knowingly participated in a lucrative scheme in which they acquired stolen catalytic converters and transported them across state lines to buyers who paid large sums of money for the stolen car parts. Catalytic converters are emission control devices that contain valuable, precious metals—including palladium, platinum, and rhodium—in their center or “core” to reduce the toxic gas and pollutants from a vehicle’s engine and filter them into safer emissions.
As part of the conspiracy, individuals who operated as street-level cutters stole catalytic converters from vehicles throughout the state of Minnesota and transferred them to Kotten or Johnson. At times, Kotten and Johnson met with cutters directly to buy stolen catalytic converters, other times they instructed cutters to transfer the catalytic converters to intermediary buyers acting on their behalf, such as Jensen and Moo. After receiving stolen catalytic converters, the defendants concealed and stored the inventory in preparation for shipment across state lines. After sorting, categorizing, and pricing out the anticipated loads, the defendants transported the stolen catalytic converters across state lines using rented U-Haul trailers and personal vehicles. Payments for the stolen catalytic converters were typically in the form of wire transfer, cash, check, or a combination thereof.
In order to conceal their scheme, Kotten and others purchased scrap or junk cars from individual sellers or at auction to make it appear as though they were involved in a legitimate automotive scrapping and recycling business in the event they were audited or investigated.
In total, the conspiracy yielded approximately $21 million in payments to the defendants, most of which came from a small number of high-volume buyers based in New Jersey, Oklahoma, Colorado, and New York.
The indictment charges Kotten, Johnson, Moo, and Jensen with conspiracy to transport stolen property interstate. Kotten and Johnson are charged with interstate transportation of stolen property, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and false statements to a financial institution. Johnson was also charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering – concealment, and Moo was charged with possession of a machinegun. All four defendants made their initial appearances earlier today in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Cowan Wright.
This case is the result of a joint investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, IRS – Criminal Investigations, Minnesota Commerce Fraud Bureau, Minnesota Department of Public Safety, St. Paul Police Department, Anoka County Sheriff’s Office, Blaine Police Department, Blue Earth County Sheriff’s Office, Brown County Sheriff’s Office, Carver County Sheriff’s Office, Coon Rapids Police Department, Eagan Police Department, Fridley Police Department, McLeod County Sheriff’s Office, Montevideo Police Department, Plymouth Police Department, Roseville Police Department, and Sleepy Eye Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsey E. Middlecamp and Emily A. Polachek are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Craig Baune and Quinn Askew are handling the forfeiture of assets.
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former deputy sent to prison for second time on child pornography convictions that began via online gameRead the Press Release
GALVESTON, Texas – A 29-year-old Beeville resident has been sentenced for producing and possessing child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Pasquale Salas was a former deputy with the Matagorda County Sheriff’s Office at the time of his crimes. He pleaded guilty June 6.
U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Brown has now ordered him to serve 360 and 24 months for the production and possession convictions, respectively. They will run consecutively for a total 384-month-term of imprisonment. In handing down the prison terms, the court noted that the fact Salas was a law enforcement officer weighed heavily on him. Salas was further ordered to serve 15 years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
He was previously sentenced to 220 months in prison in a related case in the District of Massachusetts. The term imposed today will run concurrently to that sentence for a total federal prison term of 384 months.
“Salas used Minecraft, a child’s game, to lure some of his victims inside his vicious web,” said Hamdani. “Not only did he exploit young girls, but he also violated the public trust. He was a law enforcement officer who was sworn to protect and serve. Instead, he chose to manipulate and exploit young girls for his own deviant sexual gratification. The sentence handed down today will make sure he can’t access the places our children play online or have contact with them in person for decades to come.”
“For years, Pasquale Salas controlled, manipulated, sexually assaulted, and remotely monitored his underage victims,” said FBI Houston Acting Special Agent in Charge David Martinez. “Salas disgracefully used his status as a Texas lawman to threaten young girls into sending hundreds of sexually explicit photos and videos. Thanks to the bravery of his victims who came forward, Salas now sits behind bars unable to ever again target, threaten, or molest other children.”
The investigation began after authorities learned Salas had been communicating with a minor in Massachusetts for years, beginning when she was just 12 years old. Salas met her and another minor female online while playing Minecraft.
Over the years, he developed a controlling, manipulative and sexually exploitive relationship with the victim. He knew her true age, but still had a virtual, but sexually-explicit relationship with the child. During that time, he made her send hundreds of nude photos and videos of herself, required her to follow specific strict rules and to wear only clothing he approved. He also tracked her location. Sales threatened the victim’s well-being and that of her family if she left him.
In July 2019, authorities executed a search warrant in Southern District of Texas as part of the Massachusetts investigation. At that time, they found incriminating evidence on his phone, including child pornography of several minor females, including that of minor female relative.
Forensic analysis revealed he produced those images of the relative. She identified herself and the hands of Salas in the images/videos. In one video, he appears to be fondling the victim. She is asleep in all of the images and videos he produced.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined on the near future.
FBI Texas City conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Matagorda County Sheriff’s Office and Pearland Police Department as well as FBI in the Boston/Worcestor area and Worcestor Police Department in Massachusetts.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherri L. Zack is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.
Former St. Bernard Parish Assistant District Attorney and Co-Defendants Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding First NBC BankRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on October 19, 2023, U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo sentenced GLENN E. DIAZ, age 72, to 87 months in prison, for his role in leading a scheme to defraud First NBC Bank (FNBC), the New Orleans-based bank that failed in April 2017. DIAZ, along with codefendants PETER J. “PETE” JENEVEIN, age 58, of Panama City, Florida; and MARK S. GRELLE, age 68, of Chalmette, were convicted in April 2023, of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and substantive bank fraud charges. DIAZ previously worked as an assistant district attorney for St. Bernard Parish for over thirty years. Between June and December 2016, the defendants defrauded FNBC of over $550,000.
In addition to his sentence of incarceration, DIAZ was also ordered to pay a $10,000 fine, and restitution in an amount to be determined at a later hearing. Further, Judge Milazzo sentenced DIAZ to two years of supervised release, and payment of a mandatory $1000 special assessment fee.
Citing JENEVEIN’S substantial health issues, Judge Milazzo sentenced JENEVEIN to 6 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release, 18 months of which must be spent in home confinement. JENEVEIN is also required to pay restitution and a mandatory special assessment fee of $3,100.
Judge Milazzo sentenced GRELLE to 24 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release, 6 months of which must be spent in home confinement. GRELLE also is required to pay restitution and a mandatory special assessment fee of $1,900.
According to the evidence at trial, from at least April 2016 through December 20, 2016, DIAZ, JENEVEIN, and GRELLE conspired to defraud FNBC through a series of false invoices and other fake documents for work purportedly done at a Florida warehouse owned by DIAZ.
DIAZ was a customer of FNBC from 2006 through the bank’s closure in 2017. By late 2015, DIAZ had been overdrawing his checking account for purported business expenses. In actuality, DIAZ was depositing these overdrafts into his personal account at another bank. In June 2016, FNBC officers began requiring invoices from DIAZ to prove that he was spending bank funds to improve the Florida warehouse, that had served as collateral for DIAZ’s loans at FNBC Bank.
In response to the FNBC’s requirement, DIAZ had JENEVEIN and GRELLE provide fake invoices for improvements on the Florida warehouse that were purportedly performed by GRELLE’s company, Grelle Underground Services LLC. FNBC officers approved the overdrafts based on these invoices. However, after DIAZ wrote the check to GRELLE’s company, GRELLE would then write a check back to DIAZ, that DIAZ deposited into his personal account at JPMorgan Chase bank, to hide it from FNBC. DIAZ then used the money for expenditures unrelated to the Florida warehouse project including, vintage automobiles, plastic surgery, precious metals, and online shopping. In total, DIAZ, JENEVEIN, and GRELLE executed 17 round-trip transactions through GRELLE’s accounts. Evidence at trial also showed that DIAZ and JENEVEIN created other false invoices and credit card itemizations claiming false business expenses, and fabricating business names to make DIAZ’s personal expenses look like legitimate construction expenses.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the agencies that conducted this years-long investigation: the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Office of Inspector General, Miami Field Office; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New Orleans Field Office; and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of Inspector General, Dallas Regional Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew R. Payne of the Financial Crimes Unit, Nicholas D. Moses, Healthcare Fraud Coordinator, J. Ryan McLaren of the Appellate Unit, and Rachal Cassagne of the Narcotics Unit are in charge of the prosecution.
Former Reality Show Cast Member and St. Louis DJ Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison for Multiple FraudsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Tuesday sentenced a former “Basketball Wives” reality show cast member and St. Louis, Missouri area radio personality to four years in prison for committing $564,000 worth of frauds, including tax fraud, bank fraud, insurance fraud and three separate pandemic fraud schemes.
Brittish Cierrah Williams, 33, pleaded guilty in May to 15 felonies: five counts of misuse of a Social Security number, four counts of bank fraud, three counts of making false statements to the IRS and three counts of wire fraud.
Assistant United States Attorney Diane Klocke called Williams’ conduct part of a roughly decade-long series of frauds during Tuesday’s sentencing hearing. Her crimes continued after she was initially contacted and interviewed by federal agents and even after she was indicted, Klocke said.
Judge Autrey told Williams, “You knew what you were doing. You knew it was wrong and you did it anyway.” Williams will be on supervised release for five years after her release from prison and Judge Autrey ordered her to pay $564,069 in restitution.
“The defendant launched a scheme that led to a variety of financial crimes including tax fraud, bank fraud, COVID loan fraud and identity theft,” said IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) Special Agent in Charge Thomas F. Murdock, St. Louis Field Office. “Ms. Williams displayed a blatant disregard for the victims of her deceit. Financial crimes of this magnitude deserve to be punished to the fullest extent of the law.”
“Brittish Williams was getting paid to portray her celebrity lifestyle on “Basketball Wives” when in fact she was a typical fraudster,” said Special Agent in Charge Jay Greenberg of the FBI St. Louis Division. “After today’s sentencing, her reality is now a life of a felon.”
“This sentence demonstrates our commitment to hold accountable those who intentionally misuse Social Security numbers for their own personal gain,” said Gail S. Ennis, Inspector General for the Social Security Administration. “Ms. Williams’ criminal actions brought financial harm upon individuals, businesses, and government programs, damages the integrity of Social Security numbers. I thank the FBI and the IRS-CI for their investigative efforts, and I thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Special Assistant United States Attorney Diane Klocke for prosecuting this case.”
In her plea agreement, Williams admitted under-reporting her income on tax returns for 2017-2019 and falsely claiming a niece and nephew as dependents, thereby avoiding $29,366 in tax.
She fraudulently used Social Security numbers not assigned to her to open accounts with credit card companies and banks. When she failed to pay on the accounts, victim companies lost $28,537.
Williams also used those Social Security numbers to open bank accounts and commit bank fraud. She deposited thousands of dollars’ worth of checks taken from other peoples’ accounts without their knowledge and then withdrew the money, causing another $23,850 in losses.
Williams admitted submitting nine applications for Economic Injury Disaster Loans, intended to help struggling business during the pandemic. The applications contained false information about business income and payroll, as well as her criminal history. She used the $144,400 that resulted from two of the applications to fund her personal lifestyle, her plea agreement says.
Williams also received $52,647 from four Paycheck Protection Program loans.
After her indictment, Williams on Jan. 3, 2022, applied for the California COVID-19 Rent Relief program, falsely claiming that she was a state resident with a total annual household income of $50,000 and that she couldn’t pay her rent due to a “Reduction in hours of work” due to the pandemic, her plea agreement says. She received $27,801. She had stopped paying rent in July of 2021 and she failed to disclose that her $3,803 rent was more than reimbursed by a $4,000 payment from the network that produces “Basketball Wives LA.” Her work hours and pay were not reduced by the pandemic.
Williams submitted fake medical bills to at least one insurance company, resulting in $139,479.92 paid to her, co-conspirators or both.
Finally, Williams has not filed annual tax returns since her indictment in October of 2021. She listed herself as “exempt” on a form with her radio station employer resulting in no taxes being withheld from her $90,000 salary, her plea says. Williams is no longer employed by the station.
The total known actual and intended losses from all the frauds and schemes, including the relevant conduct listed in the plea agreement, is $564,069.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, the Social Security Administration and the FBI. Special Assistant United States Attorney Diane Klocke is handling the case for the Eastern District of Missouri.
Former Owner of Drug Paraphernalia Store Sentenced to Federal Prison After Pleading Guilty to a Conspiracy to Import, Transport and Sell Drug Paraphernalia and to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III sentenced Sean Weston, age 56, of Windsor Mill, Maryland, yesterday to 15 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, after Weston pleaded guilty to federal charges of conspiracy to import, transport, and sell drug paraphernalia and to tax evasion.
The sentenced was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) - Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation (“IRS-CI”), Washington, D.C. Field Office; and Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department.
According to his guilty plea, from January 2015 through at least July 2019, Weston operated the Northwest Variety store, where he sold empty gel capsules, colored plastic tops, dust masks, metal strainers, electric weighing scales, razor blades, and mannite and quinine, which are used as drug cutting agents. Weston admitted that he purchased hundreds of kilograms of quinine from China. Quinine’s only approved use is a prescription medication for the treatment of uncomplicated malaria. Importation of quinine for any other use is illegal. To conceal his purchase of quinine, Weston communicated with his foreign supplier and requested that the quinine be labelled as something else, such as “beta glucan.”
As detailed in his plea agreement, Weston also failed to file federal income tax returns with the IRS for tax years 2016 through 2018. In addition to owning the Northwest Variety Store, which had significant profits during that time, Weston was on the payroll of a water treatment facility. To conceal his income from the IRS, Weston conducted his finances substantially in cash. For example, from 2016 through 2018, Weston paid $29,835 in cash for the monthly rent for the Northwest Variety Store and deposited $352,026 in cash into two personal bank accounts. In 2016 and 2017 Weston paid cash down payments of $25,000 and $15,000, respectively, for the purchase and lease of Bentley automobiles, with fair market values of more than $117,000 and $139,000. In 2016, Weston signed a credit application stating that his annual income was $180,000 and in 2017, he had an individual prepare his 2016 tax return, which reflected a gross income of $358,984. Instead of submitting the return to the IRS, Weston submitted it to the car dealership. By failing to report his income for tax years 2016 through 2018, Weston caused a tax loss to the United States of more than $98,000.
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 and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg commended the DEA, the IRS-CI, and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron and Mr. Goldberg thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth S. Clark and Senior Litigation Counsel John E. Sullivan of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, 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 https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Federal jury convicts member of transnational organized crime group of money laundering, migrant smuggling, trafficking stolen property, and bribery of public officialsRead the Press Release
MIAMI –Following a one-month trial, a federal jury convicted a Miami Beach man for his role in a violent transnational organized crime group operating in Cuba, Mexico, Spain, and South Florida since as early as 2009.
Javier Hernandez, 50, of Miami Beach, Florida, was convicted on Oct. 18, following a jury trial of conspiracy to commit alien smuggling, conspiracy to transport stolen vessels, conspiracy to traffic in certain motor vehicles, trafficking in certain motor vehicles, and conspiracy to launder money to promote stolen property trafficking, and the bribery of public officials.
According to evidence introduced at trial, Hernandez and his codefendant, Ramon Reyes Aranda, 38, of Naples, Florida, stole vessels from the west coast of Florida. Reyes Aranda would identify the vessels, and Hernandez transported them to Mexico, where they would be used to fund and facilitate the enterprise’s illegal activities. Prior to the trial, Reyes Aranda pleaded guilty to participating in a money laundering conspiracy to promote stolen property trafficking and the bribery of public officials.
The stolen property, which included boats and vessels, were transported to a coconspirator in Mexico, who would then use the stolen property to facilitate and promote the organization’s activities. For example, evidence introduced at trial showed that Hernandez transported a vehicle to Mexico for use in bribing a foreign official so that the organization could continue conducting migrant smuggling without interference from law enforcement.
An extensive multi-national operation, led by American and Mexican law enforcement authorities, was formed to combat the activities of a violent transnational organized crime group known collectively in Mexico as La Mafia Cubana en Quintana Roo, or the Cuban Mafia in Quintana Roo. Through this operation, law enforcement officials learned that Jose Miguel Gonzalez Vidal, 36; Reynaldo Abreu Garcia, 56; Yohismy Perez Gonzalez, 40; Yosvani Carbonel Lemus, 43; Reynaldo Crespo Marquez, 44, and Jancer Sergio Ramos Valdes, 37, all Cuban citizens residing in Mexico at the time of the charges, along with Maikel Antonio Hechavarria Reyes and Monica Susana Castillo, both of Mexico, were part of an organized crime group that profited from various schemes, including the smuggling and extortion of Cuban migrants held hostage in Mexico for the payment of smuggling fees (United States v. Vidal, et al., Case No. 21-cr-20050-CMA).
According to evidence contained in the court record, Gonzalez Vidal introduced Hernandez to Reyes Aranda so that they could work together to transport stolen vessels for the organization. Both Hernandez and Reyes Aranda were paid by Gonzalez Vidal and other members of the organization for their transportation of the stolen property.
The members of the migrant extortion racket required the victims to provide contact information of a family member from whom they would later demand a $10,000 USD ransom fee. The men contacted the victims’ relatives, some of whom were in Miami, and threatened to torture, starve, and kill the victims if the relatives refused to pay. If a victim’s relative was able to pay the ransom, the organization released the victim and sent them by bus to the United States-Mexico border with instructions to seek political asylum. The victims whose relatives were unable to pay the fee were beaten, threatened with knives and guns, and shocked with stun guns until they were finally rescued by Mexican authorities. Members of the organization also sought to profit from drug trafficking and fraud schemes.
Further, once the defendants were charged in the United States and detained pending trial, they continued operating the organization by seeking to obstruct justice, violating court orders, and distributing contraband in a federal detention center. As part of their prison racket, the organization paid bribes to a federal employee to introduce contraband and controlled substance for distribution into the Federal Detention Center (FDC), in Miami.
For their participation in the criminal scheme, Gonzalez Vidal, Crespo Marquez, Abreu Garcia, Perez Gonzalez, Carbonel Lemus, and Ramos Valdes previously pleaded guilty to Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) conspiracy and migrant smuggling. Their sentencing hearings have been scheduled for November and December in Miami.
Reyes Aranda’s sentencing hearing is set for Dec. 15, at 10:00 a.m. in Miami. Hernandez’s sentencing hearing is set for Jan. 5, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. in Miami.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami; Acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew J. Margelot, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS), Southeast Region; Warden Gio Ramirez of the Federal Detention Center (FDC), Bureau of Prisons (BOP);; Interim Director Stephanie V. Daniels of the Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD); Chief of Police Tracy Frazzano for the Marco Island Police Department, and Interim Police Chief Matt Fletcher of the Naples Police Department, made the announcement.
The prosecution of this organization has involved significant support from the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, FBI’s International Violent Crimes Unit, and the Justice Department’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section.
These multinational prosecutions are the result of ongoing efforts of the Operation Sisyphus Task Force, a multi-agency partnership established by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Priority Transnational Organized Crime Program. Since 2012, Operation Sisyphus Task Force participants have secured the conviction of over thirty members and associates of the criminal organization.
The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, and other priority transnational criminal organizations that threaten the citizens of the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence driven, multi-agency approach to combat transnational organized crime. The OCDETF program facilitates complex, joint operations by focusing its partner agencies on priority targets, by managing and coordinating multi-agency efforts, and by leveraging intelligence across multiple investigative platforms.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Arielle Klepach and Brian Dobbins prosecuted U.S. v. Hernandez, et al., Case No. 22-cr-20557.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Manolo Reboso, Quinshawna Landon and Ignacio J. Vázquez, Jr. prosecuted U.S. v. Vidal, et al., Case No. 21-cr-20050. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Davis conducted collateral litigation regarding obstruction of justice activities in the Vidal, et al. prosecution.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Annika Miranda handled asset forfeiture.
If you believe you are a victim of migrant coercion or extortion, or know someone who is, you are encouraged to call 1-800-CALLFBI (225-5324).
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under the case numbers referenced above.
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Dover Man Pleads Guilty to Two Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Dover man pleaded guilty in federal court to possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Evan Gadarowski, 29, waived indictment and pleaded guilty to an information charging one count each of possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material. U.S. District Court Judge Samantha Elliott scheduled sentencing for February 2, 2024.
Between 2018 and 2021, Gadarowski solicited, received, and disseminated sexually explicit images and videos depicting numerous minor survivors. Gadarowski posed as a teenage girl using sexually explicit images and videos of one minor survivor and adopting them as part of a fictious online persona, a practice sometimes referred to as “catfishing.” Using this fictious persona, Gadarowski posed as a bisexual female and pursued online relationships with high-school aged girls. Gadarowski sent sexually explicit images and videos depicting one minor survivor to others and induced unsuspecting minor survivors to send him sexually explicit images and videos of themselves in return. The investigation also revealed that Gadarowski sold collections of sexually explicit images depicting some of the minor survivors to others online.
The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, a minimum of 5 years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 and mandatory restitution. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Nashua Police Department and the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kasey Weiland is prosecuting 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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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District Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Julian Wesley Gentry, 33, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to a federal firearms charge stemming from his possession of a loaded firearm on May 1, 2022, in the 600 block of H Street Northwest, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Gentry pleaded guilty in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. Judge Timothy J. Kelly scheduled a sentencing hearing for January 12, 2024.
According to the government’s evidence, on May 1, 2022, shortly after 1:00 a.m., a security guard who was working at a bar in the 600 block of H Street Northwest, in the District’s Chinatown neighborhood, called 911 to report that a man wearing a white dress shirt—later identified as Gentry—had displayed a firearm that he was carrying in his underwear. The 911 caller provided a detailed description of armed suspect and his two companions, and he stated that the suspect was sitting on the steps of a closed restaurant just across the street. Officers of the Metropolitan Police Department located and approached Gentry, who ran into the middle of the street, where he was stopped seconds later. During a protective pat down, officers recovered a loaded semi-automatic firearm from the Gentry’s waistband, consistent with the 911 caller’s report. During a search of Gentry’s person following his arrest, an additional, loose round of ammunition was found in his pants pocket.
Gentry was arrested on May 1, 2022, and has remained in custody ever since.
Federal law prohibits Gentry from possessing a firearm because he has previously been convicted of crimes punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, including a 2019 conviction for reckless endangerment in Montgomery County, Maryland, for which he was on probation at the time of this offense.
Gentry faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentence imposed in this case will be determined by the Court after considering the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves and Acting Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department.
Finally, they commended the efforts of Assistant United States Attorney Paul V. Courtney, who prosecuted the case.
Convicted Ponzi schemer arrested in Florida after failing to show up for sentencingRead the Press Release
Seattle – A federally convicted Ponzi schemer was arrested today in South Florida following an hours-long stand-off with FBI Miami, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. In December 2022, Volodimyr Pigida, a Miami area resident who previously resided in Bellevue, Washington, was found guilty by a jury in the Western District of Washington of 26 felony counts, including conspiracy, wire fraud, mail fraud, and bankruptcy fraud, among other crimes.
In his $11 million Ponzi scheme Pigida defrauded thousands of victims. Pigida and his wife operated a ‘work-at-home’ email scheme named Trend Sound Promoter that ultimately crashed – but not before the two raided the company’s accounts to purchase homes, expensive cars, and a yacht.
On August 4, 2023, Pigida failed to appear at his sentencing hearing before the district court in Seattle. A warrant was issued for his arrest. Pigida is a naturalized U.S. Citizen who was born in Ukraine.
Pigida will appear in U.S. District Court in Fort Lauderdale tomorrow. Prosecutors will ask that he be detained and transferred to the Western District of Washington by the U.S. Marshals Service.
The FBI wanted poster is here: https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/wcc/volodimyr-pigida
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Philip Kopczynski.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to 15 Years for Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Cameron Dain Gillilan, 31, of Navarre, Florida, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“This sentence ensures that our community will be safer and sends a message that there are real and severe consequences for federal firearm offenses,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. "Thanks to the outstanding work of our law enforcement partners, this armed felon has been called to account for his continued criminal conduct."
During the evening hours on October 25, 2022, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a structure on Mobile Highway in Pensacola, Florida. Bail bondsmen of Billy Clark Bail Bonds were executing a warrant service on Gillilan, who had failed to appear for court in Santa Rosa County. The failure to appear warrant related to a case against Gillilan involving trafficking of methamphetamine and fentanyl. After the bail bondsmen handcuffed Gillilan behind his back and walked him outside, Gillilan pulled a loaded and chambered firearm out of his backside waistband. Fortunately, the bail bondsmen quickly seized the firearm, cleared it, and set it aside. Gillilan had previously been convicted of several felony offenses to include three drug trafficking convictions, an additional conviction for carrying a concealed firearm, and a prior misdemeanor crime of domestic violence battery involving strangulation. Such prior convictions prohibited Gillilan from possessing firearms. Gillilan was well-known to the law enforcement community as a drug dealer who often carried weapons on his person.
“This is a huge public safety win for residents of Northwest Florida,” said ATF Tampa Field Division Special Agent in Charge Kirk Howard. “It’s also a reminder of the risks law enforcement officers face every day to protect their communities.”
This conviction was the result of an investigation conducted by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Callahan prosecuted the case.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Chester Man Indicted for Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — A federal grand jury in Columbia returned a single-count indictment against Montell De’Angelo Cousar, 32, of Chester, for felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
The indictment alleges that on May 5, 2023, Cousar unlawfully possessed a loaded Glock 9mm pistol after having been convicted of a previous felony.
Cousar faces a maximum penalty of 10 years and is currently detained pending trial.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, 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.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Rock Hill Police Department (RHPD). Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher D. Taylor is prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs stated that all charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Charleston Man Sentenced for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office stated that on October 20, 2023, Daniel Blow, 41, of Charleston, Vermont was sentenced to a 10-year term of imprisonment, following his guilty plea to possessing child pornography, also referred to as child sexual abuse material. The 10-year sentence was the mandatory minimum required by law due to Blow’s prior felony conviction in New York State related to possession of child sexual abuse material. United States District Judge Christina Reiss also ordered Blow to serve an eight-year term of supervised release following his release from prison.
According to court records, a social media company reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that a user had uploaded 41 files of suspected child sexual abuse material. NCMEC referred the tip to the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Records from the social media company provided IP address information for the user which corresponded to the residence of Daniel Blow in Charleston. A check of Blow’s criminal history revealed his prior conviction in New York. Agents with Homeland Security Investigations conducted additional investigation and obtained a federal search warrant for Blow’s residence. During the execution of the search warrant, a Vermont State Police forensic examiner discovered images of child sexual abuse material on Blow’s cellular phone and his desktop computer. On a small video recording device, agents discovered a covertly recorded video of a teenage child changing clothes, with Blow visible at the beginning of the video while hiding the camera, and at the end of the video while retrieving the camera. In addition, agents seized multiple rifles and shotguns from Blow’s residence, including an M-4 style Colt rifle.
U.S. Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory and collaborative efforts of Homeland Security Investigations, the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Vermont State Police.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan Ophardt. Blow is represented by the Assistant Federal Public Defender Mary Nerino.
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 Child Exploitation Obscenity Section, Criminal Division (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.