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1 December 2023
변호사 자격이 박탈된 퀸스 변호사, 고객 사기에 대해 유죄 인정Read the Press Release
오늘 오전 뉴욕 브루클린의 연방법원에서 마이클 리라고도 알려진 현 W. 리(Hyun W. Lee)는 자신의 부동산 고객과 그 거래 상대로부터 변호사 에스크로 계좌에 보관된 자금을 가로챈 사기 행각과 관련한 전신 금융사기 혐의에 대해 유죄를 인정했습니다. 오늘 재판은 파멜라 K. 첸(Pamela K. Chen) 미국 지방법원 판사 앞에서 진행되었습니다. 판결이 확정되면, 이 씨는 최대 20년의 징역형을 선고받게 됩니다. 또한 이 씨는 몰수 금으로 327만 달러를 지불하기로도 합의했습니다.
뉴욕 동부 지역의 브리온 피스 변호가 유죄 인정 사실을 발표했습니다.
"오늘 유죄를 인정함으로써 이 씨는 자신의 변호사 자격이 정지되고 박탈된 후에도 변호사 자격을 유지한 것처럼 한인 사회 구성원을 속이고 그들이 맡긴 수백만 달러를 훔쳤다는 사실을 인정했습니다"라고 미국 변호사 브리온 피스는 말했습니다. "신뢰를 기반으로 하는 지위를 이용해 타인을 속이는 사람들에게 책임을 묻는 동시에 지역사회를 보호하는 것은 이 사무실의 최우선 과제이며 앞으로도 계속될 것입니다."
피스 씨는 이번 수사에 도움을 준 퀸스 카운티 지역 변호사 사무실에 감사의 뜻을 표했습니다.
법원에 제출된 서류와 변론 과정에서 제시된 사실에 따르면, 이 씨는 자신의 에스크로 계좌에 예치된 자금을 풀어줄 것이라는 허위 진술로 고객과 거래 상대가 부동산 구매를 위해 자신에게 자금을 맡기도록 유도했습니다. 그러나 이 씨는 이 자금을 유용하여 카지노에서 도박하거나 자신이 일부 지분을 소유한 식당의 비용을 지불하는 등 자신의 이익을 위해 전용했습니다. 또한 이 씨는 자신이 부동산 매매와 관련하여 고객을 대리하고 부동산 거래와 관련하여 자금을 수령하여 에스크로 계좌에 보관할 수 있는 권한을 가진 변호사라고 허위 진술했습니다. 사실, 이 씨는 뉴욕주 변호사 자격이 정지되었고 이후 변호사 자격이 박탈되었습니다. 그 결과 이 씨는 고객과 제삼자로부터 자금을 받을 자격도 없었습니다.
이 사기를 진행하면서 이 씨는 에스크로 계좌에 보관된 자금 상태에 대해 고객이 그 자금이 안전하다고 믿도록 문서를 조작하여 고객을 오도했습니다. 이 씨가 고객들에게 보여준 서류에는 자신의 에스크로 계좌 잔액이 거의 300만 달러에 달한다고 되어 있었지만, 실제로는 약 2만 5천 달러까지로 고갈된 상태였습니다. 이 씨는 에스크로 계좌에서 자금을 인출해 달라는 고객과 거래 상대의 요청을 이행하지 않았으며, 이 씨가 이미 계좌의 자금을 거의 모두 사용한 상태에서도 남은 자금을 공평하게 분배하는 방법을 모색 중이라고 거짓으로 주장했습니다.
이 씨 또는 위법 행위에 연루된 다른 뉴욕 변호사들의 행위로 인해 손해를 입은 피해자는 변호사 고객 보호 기금에 청구서를 제출하거나 전화 (800) 442-3863 또는 이메일([email protected])로 연락하면 보상 자격이 있을 수 있습니다.
이 사건은 미국 법무부 기업 및 증권 사기 부서의 히랄 메타(Hiral D. Mehta) 부검사와 브라이언 모리스(Brian D. Morris) 검사가 특수 요원 마틴 설리번(Martin Sullivan)과 법률 보조 전문가 페이튼 제퍼슨(Peyton Jefferson)의 도움을 받아 기소 중입니다.
피고:
HYUN W. LEE, 일명 "마이클 리"
나이: 51
클로스터, 뉴저지주 클로스터 거주E.D.N.Y. 적요서 번호 23-CR-465(PKC)
“Money Mule” sentenced to one year in prison for call center scheme that defrauded victims of more than $700,000Read the Press Release
Seattle – A 33-year-old SeaTac, Washington, man was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison and three years of supervised release for a money laundering conviction related to his participation in a call center scheme to defraud elderly victims across the country, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Arifkhan Pathan was arrested on January 4, 2021. Between August 2020 and January 2021, Pathan played a key role in defrauding 28 victims of more than $700,000. The restitution amount will be determined by U.S. District Judge Robert S. Lasnik at a later date.
“According to the FBI, in 2022 there was more than $1 billion in victim losses due to these call center fraud schemes. These schemers often target elderly victims and pretend to be government officials to try to build trust so they can steal their money,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. “We need to repeatedly remind people that government employees will never ask you to withdraw and send packages of cash to some other address for ‘safe-keeping.’”
According to records filed in the case, in November 2020, investigators with Homeland Security Investigation became aware of suspicious packages arriving at Seattle UPS and FedEx locations. The investigation revealed the packages were filled with cash and were sent by victims from as far away as New York, Texas, and Colorado. The packages were sent to conspirators who used fake identity documents, such as driver’s licenses, to pick-up the packages.
According to multiple victims in the case, they had received a telephone call from someone who claimed to be employed by the Social Security Administration. The caller claimed the victim’s Social Security number had been compromised, and the only way to protect the victim’s money was to withdraw thousands of dollars in cash from their bank accounts and send it via UPS or FedEx to an “agent” elsewhere in the U.S. for safe-keeping. The callers allegedly demanded the victims send packages containing as much as $30,000 in cash. The scammers used UPS and FedEx so the co-conspirators could track the packages and pick up the packages of cash using the fake identity documents. The investigation revealed the callers were connected to an Indian call center.
Pathan used false driver’s licenses in real people’s identities to pick up packages of cash sent by victims. Pathan deposited much of the money he picked up in various bank accounts that could be accessed by his co-schemers. He was paid a commission on the money of about seven percent.
In asking for a 40-month prison sentence, Assistant United States Attorney Miriam Hinman wrote to the court, “Seven of these victims have explained to the Court how severely the offense impacted them, including substantial loss of retirement savings, loss of credit, ongoing debt, and inability to afford basic items like groceries and medications. This financial hardship also caused victims to suffer from enormous anxiety, causing weight loss, migraines, and more….
Pathan participated extensively in a fraud scheme that caused enormous harm to dozens of U.S. victims, many of whom were elderly and lost their retirement savings. He did so for personal profit and should not be allowed to escape from facing the consequences of his actions ….”
The case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations Border Enforcement Security Task Force (BEST) comprised of representatives from HSI, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Seattle Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Miriam R. Hinman and Casey S. Conzatti.
York County Man Charged with Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Michael Carbaugh, age 37, of York County, Pennsylvania, was indicted on November 29, 2023, by a federal grand jury with child pornography offenses.
According to U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Carbaugh distributed child pornography from November 3-7, 2023, in York County. The indictment further alleges that Carbaugh was in possession of child pornography on November 15, 2023.
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 Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Varley is prosecuting the case.
The total maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is up to 40 years’ imprisonment, a term of up to lifetime supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Yelm, Washington, man sentenced to ten years in prison for possession of images of child sexual abuseRead the Press Release
Tacoma – A 40-year-old Yelm, Washington man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to ten years in prison for possession of images of child sexual abuse, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Scotti Jason Ortiz has been in custody since his arrest on February 9, 2021.
According to records filed in the case, a foreign law enforcement agency alerted Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Cyber Crimes Center (C3) Child Exploitation Investigations Unit that a Kik user was sharing images of child sexual abuse. Ortiz was identified as the user.
When a search warrant was served on Ortiz’ electronic devices, law enforcement determined he possessed a video showing the sexual molestation of three children under the age of 12. It does not appear that Ortiz created the images.
Ortiz has prior convictions relating to child sexual abuse. In 2005 he was convicted of third-degree rape of a child. In 2013 he was sentenced to 75-months in prison for failing to register as a sex offender and dealing and possessing depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Due to those convictions, Ortiz faced a mandatory minimum ten-year federal prison sentence.
Ortiz was released from the 75-month state sentence on June 30, 2020, and had been out of prison barely a month when he set up the Kik account in August 2020. It was through that account that he began to communicate with an undercover law enforcement agent in England about his sexual interest in children.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Zach Dillon.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Wilmington Felon with Six Prior Convictions Receives Seven Year Sentence for Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Wilmington man with six previous state felony convictions was sentenced to 85 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon after he reached for a gun during a traffic stop. On August 23, 2023, Michael Eugene Williams, age 28, pled guilty to the charge.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, on August 29, 2022, officers with the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle the defendant was driving. The defendant was the sole occupant of the vehicle and when deputies approached the vehicle, they detected an odor of marijuana emanating from the vehicle. When asked by deputies to exit the vehicle, the defendant did so hesitantly and provided deputies with a false name. While outside the vehicle, the defendant failed to comply with deputies’ orders and a brief struggle ensued, during which, the defendant resisted officers and reached towards his waistband. The defendant was eventually handcuffed and a 9mm handgun was located in the defendant’s pants. A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed approximately 62 grams of methamphetamine, digital scales, and drug paraphernalia.
Williams has six prior felony convictions in state court for burglary, selling heroin, trafficking heroin by possession, trafficking heroin by manufacturing, and conspiracy to traffic opium or heroin.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, the Wilmington Police Department’s Gun Crime Task Force, and the Wilmington Police Department investigated the case and Special Assistant United States Attorney William Van Trigt prosecuted the case. Van Trigt is a prosecutor with the New Hanover County District Attorney’s Office assigned to the United States Attorney’s Office to prosecute federal violent crimes and other criminal matters. This has been made possible by a grant funded by New Hanover County.
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. 7:23-cr-00041M-001.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, and State and Local Law Enforcement Officials Announce “Don’t Click December” Consumer Protection CampaignRead the Press Release
BOISE – During the holiday season, online criminals increasingly target Idahoans through online scams and fraud schemes. Today, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit, along with the FBI, the Idaho State Police, the Ada County Prosecutor’s Office, the Ada County Sheriff’s Office, the Boise Police Department, the Meridian Police Department, and the Garden City Police Department, announced their joint “Don’t Click December” Consumer Protection Campaign. The Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division, AARP Idaho, and the Better Business Bureau also participated in the announcement.
The campaign advises members of the public to exercise skepticism and caution when receiving unsolicited online, email, pop-up, or text communications from unknown or unverified sources. If there is any doubt about a link, message, or attachment, law enforcement cautions: “don’t click it.”
As part of the campaign, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, and their partners will release a public service announcement each week in December leading up to Christmas. In the first PSA, available here, Ada County Prosecuting Attorney Jan Bennetts, Idaho State Police Director Colonel Kedrick Wills, and U.S. Attorney Hurwit introduce “Don’t Click December” and explain some of the ways in which individuals can be targeted.
Three additional PSAs will alert the public to common online fraud schemes that Idaho law enforcement has seen affect Idahoans. These schemes are:
- “Package can’t be delivered” scam: This scam targets individuals through text messages or emails, claiming a package cannot be delivered unless they click the provided link and enter personal information or pay a redelivery fee. Often the scammer wants you to click a link to steal your money and information. Don’t click it. Instead, contact the delivery service or seller directly using a verified number or website.
- “Account subscription” scam: In this scam, you could receive an email or text message indicating a subscription has been renewed for another year. The message encourages you to click a link to verify or to receive a receipt for the subscription. The criminals on the other end could be posing as a subscription service you participate in or as one you do not actively have. If you receive an unsolicited message asking you to click a subscription link, don’t click it. Report as spam and delete any messages about auto-renewals claiming to be from a company where you don’t have a subscription. If the message appears to be from a subscription you actually have, check the email address to verify it is from the service you signed up for.
- “Phantom hacker” scam: In this scam, criminals send unsolicited messages by phone, email, text, or pop-up pretending to be “tech support” and asking you to provide access to your computer so software can be updated to “thwart hackers.” But those reaching out are actually the hackers, and once they gain access to your computer, they can install software to steal your financial information. Sometimes the scammers even pretend to be the government or law enforcement and send messages that your money is still unsafe and needs to be moved to a new “alias” account. If you get such a request, don’t click it. Government entities and legitimate businesses won’t send unsolicited messages to ask for access to your computer.
Unfortunately, these are not the only schemes affecting the public, and new schemes arise all the time. Law enforcement hopes that the “Don’t Click December” Consumer Protection Campaign will raise public awareness and encourage individuals to talk to their friends and relatives about not clicking suspicious links, texts, messages, pop-ups, or attachments.
“We have witnessed many Idahoans lose their hard-earned money or their entire retirement savings to online scams. And, sadly, this type of crime tends to spike during the holiday season,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “But, together, we can reduce the risks by talking with each other about how to avoid such scams, and I’m grateful to our law enforcement partners and the AARP for joining us in the Don’t Click December campaign. We also encourage Idahoans to report any scams as soon as possible so that law enforcement can investigate and we can bring these vicious online criminals to justice.”
“Last year, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center received 800,944 complaints about suspected internet crimes. That’s more than 2,000 complaints every single day,” said David Bodily, Supervisory Special Agent of the Salt Lake City FBI’s Boise Resident Agency. “As cyber scams continue to increase in scope and sophistication, it’s important that law enforcement and the public work together to stay ahead of the risks.”
“Online vigilance is crucial in this era of digital interconnectedness,” said Idaho State Police Colonel Kedrick Wills. “Recognizing our shared vulnerability, let's come together to combat online scams and cultivate a cyber threat-free environment. In this endeavor, awareness is our greatest ally.”
“We can all play a part in preventing scammers from targeting their next victim in our communities,” said Ada County Prosecutor Jan Bennetts. “If you do find yourself the victim of a scam, contact local law enforcement. My office works closely with our law enforcement partners to hold offenders accountable for victimizing people through scams.”
“Scammers use secrecy, urgency, and fear to manipulate victims. If at any time you are being pressured, told to keep transactions secret, or even lie to loved ones and authorities to complete a transaction, it's very likely a scam. We encourage all scam victims to know they are not alone, and they should call police for help,” said Boise Police Detective Brad Thorne.
“Sophisticated criminal organizations know how to separate consumers from their hard-earned money and they are relentless in their pursuit,” said AARP Idaho state director Lupe Wissel. “Older Idahoans are a prime target for scammers because they have accumulated resources over their lifetime. This new initiative will give Idahoans the tips and resources they need to help protect their assets.”
"At BBB, we've found a simple truth: Investing just a few minutes in choosing a trustworthy business isn't just wise, it's a powerful shield against today's cunning scams. 'Don’t Click December' isn't just a campaign; it's a wake-up call. By being selective and informed, consumers can turn the tables on fraudsters. Remember, a few minutes of smart research today can save you from the headache of a scam tomorrow,” said Dale Dixon, Chief Innovation Officer, Better Business Bureau Great West+Pacific.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and its law enforcement partners recognize that we all must work to eliminate the stigma individuals may experience if they are victimized. There is no shame to falling victim to an online scheme, which are often designed by professional criminals, sophisticated, and tested repeatedly across the country.
For this reason, the “Don’t Click December” Consumer Protection Campaign also publicizes ways to report scams and incidents of fraud to the FBI and local law enforcement.
To learn more about these and other scams targeting Americans visit FBI.gov, and if you believe you are the victim of a scam, take-action by reporting it to FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov or by contacting your local law enforcement agency.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office announces over $12.2 million in federal grant awardsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming today announced grant funding totaling $12,273,612 for Wyoming from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs.
“I’m pleased to announce these grants supporting law enforcement and victim services in Wyoming,” said U.S. Attorney Nick Vassallo. “This funding demonstrates the Department of Justice’s commitment to fighting violent crime and making sure crime victims can access support, safety, and justice in their communities.”
The grants include the following:
Albany County: $900,000
Community Courts Initiative, Albany County Court Supervised Treatment ProgramCity of Casper: $44,295
Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) ProgramCity of Riverton: $296,311
Rural and Small Department Violent Crime Reduction Program, Community Service Officer ProgramLaramie County: $77,820
Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) ProgramNorthern Arapahoe Tribe: $623,934
U.S. Department of Justice Coordinated Tribal Assistance, Reentry ServicesUniversity of Wyoming: $224,316
State Justice Statistics Program for Statistical Analysis Centers, Data on Domestic-Related HomicidesUniversity of Wyoming: $649,464
Research and Evaluation on Policing Practices, Accountability Mechanisms and AlternativesWyoming Attorney General’s Office: $2,783,406
Office for Victims of Crime/Victims of Crime Act, Victim AssistanceWyoming Attorney General’s Office: $686,000
Office for Victims of Crime/Victims of Crime Act, Victim CompensationWyoming Attorney General’s Office: $769,661
Office for Victims of Crime, Victim Sexual Assault ServicesWyoming Attorney General’s Office: $360,714
Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task ForcesWyoming Attorney General’s Office: $15,661
Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) Reallocation Funds ProgramWyoming Attorney General’s Office: $312,708
Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants ProgramWyoming Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault: $600,000
Office on Violence Against Women, Legal Assistance for VictimsWyoming Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault: $950,000
Rural Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking ProgramWyoming Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault: $350,000
Grants to Engage Men and Boys as Allies in the Prevention of Violence Against Women and GirlsWyoming Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault: $1,123,934
Transitional Housing Assistance Grants for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault and StalkingWyoming Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault: $340,618
Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Coalitions ProgramWyoming State Crime Laboratory: $650,000
DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog ReductionYouth Emergency Services: $494,674
Mentoring Programs for Youth in the Juvenile Justice SystemThe Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance, and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance equity and fairness in the administration of justice, assist victims and uphold the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
Two Defendants Plead Guilty in Scheme to Fraudulently Obtain More Than $1.8 Million in COVID-19 CARES Act Unemployment Insurance BenefitsRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Federal inmates Jason Haddox, age 40, and Jonathan Henry, age 32, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, and Henry also pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft, relating to the submission of fraudulent CARES Act unemployment insurance benefits. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was a federal law enacted in March 2020 to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The guilty pleas were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer of the National Capital Region U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General (“DOL-OIG”); and Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (“USPIS”) - Washington Division.
Financial assistance offered through the CARES Act included expanded eligibility for Unemployment Insurance (“UI”) benefits and increased UI benefits through the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program (“PUA”), Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (“FPUC”), and the Lost Wages Assistance Program (“LWAP”).
According to their plea agreements, during the time of the conspiracy, March 22, 2020 through at least June 2021, Haddox and Henry were inmates at the Federal Correctional Institution, Fort Dix (“FCI Fort Dix”). Haddox, Henry, and their co-conspirators (both inmates and outside individuals), submitted fraudulent online applications for UI benefits in Maryland and other states. Henry and other conspirators used the personally identifying information (“PII”) of identity theft victims in many of the applications. Based on the information in the fraudulent applications, the Maryland Department of Labor, which is responsible for processing applications for UI benefits in Maryland, issued prepaid debit cards in the names of the applicants and mailed them to addresses included on the applications, which were accessible to the conspirators. The defendants and their co-conspirators used the prepaid debit cards to withdraw money from ATMs and to make retail purchases.
In addition to fraudulent Maryland UI claims, Haddox submitted fraudulent UI claims in Arizona, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Louisiana, Illinois, and New York, totaling at least $292,451 in losses. Henry admitted that he used the PII of identity theft victims to submit approximately 191 fraudulent claims, the majority in Maryland but also in Washington, D.C., Virginia, and North Carolina. Of the fraudulent claims submitted, 152 claims were paid, with an actual loss of approximately $1,894,971.
Haddox faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud. U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow has scheduled sentencing for him on March 13, 2024, at 2:30 p.m.
Henry and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, they will jointly recommend that Henry be sentenced to 97 months in federal prison. Judge Chasanow has scheduled sentencing for Henry on March 22, 2024 at 9:30 a.m.
The District of Maryland Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act. The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DOL-OIG and the USPIS for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes, who is prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao/md.
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Third Defendant in Williamsburg and Virginia Beach Money Laundering and Prostitution Massage Parlor Scheme SentencedRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man was sentenced today to 37 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to engage in money laundering.
According to court documents, from approximately January 2021, through May 4, 2022, Ye Wang, 32, along with his co-defendants Si Liu, 36, and Yang Gao, 33, also of Norfolk, conspired to move and conceal proceeds obtained through prostitution. During the conspiracy, Gao, Wang, and Liu worked as operators or managers of illicit, unregistered massage parlors located in Virginia Beach and Williamsburg, which derived revenue from the prostitution of female employees. Women were recruited online to work for the defendants, and in turn performed sex acts for customers in the massage parlors in exchange for cash payments.
Gao managed the day-to-day operations of the massage parlors, including collecting money obtained via commercial sex. Gao also provided transportation to women engaged in commercial sex and maintained the facilities, unlicensed massage parlors, utilized for commercial sex. Wang assisted Gao in the operation of the illicit commercial sex business. Liu helped facilitate the exploitation of women engaged in commercial sex, collected proceeds from the illegal activity, managed the web-based advertising of the illicit massage parlors, and encouraged women to perform sex acts by providing condoms and offering financial incentives.
Gao, Wang, and Liu split the prostitution proceeds with the women engaged in prostitution. Gao, Wang and Liu traveled to the massage parlors located in Virginia Beach and Williamsburg to collect prostitution proceeds, and then deposited a percentage of profits into various bank accounts. Money was then transferred to other members of the larger enterprise through cash deliveries and via mobile banking. A combined total of $696,706.65 was laundered during the conspiracy.
Pursuant to the plea agreements the defendants agreed to forfeit four vehicles, over $130,000 in US Currency, numerous items of jewelry, a gold bar, and three personal residences, with a combined value totaling over $1,000,000.
Liu and Gao were sentenced in August to 30 months and 48 months, respectively.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Derek W. Gordon, Acting Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; Paul Neudigate, Chief of Virginia Beach Police; and Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of Virginia State Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan Montoya and Matthew Heck prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-108.
Texas National Guard Soldier Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A Fort Worth man active in the Texas National Guard was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 72 months in prison and ordered to pay a $17,000 assessment for possession of child pornography.
According to court documents, Texas Department of Public Safety troopers conducted a traffic stop near Del Rio on Dec. 17, 2021. Jesus Gaytan III, 23, and a minor were passengers in the vehicle and, upon questioning, disclosed that they were in a sexual relationship. A review of Gaytan’s cell phone revealed video of Gaytan and the minor involved in sexual acts. Gaytan was arrested during the traffic stop and has remained in federal custody since. He pleaded guilty on March 14, 2022 to one count of possession of child pornography.
“The possession of child pornography is a serious offense and anyone in violation will be prosecuted accordingly,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “I appreciate the professionalism and dedication of our law enforcement partners at the state and federal levels in this case, which led to this six year sentence.”
“Individuals who commit heinous acts of violence against children will be found and brought to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee for the Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio Division. “I am grateful for the cooperation of our federal partners whose collaboration is vital to find these criminals and keep them off our streets.”
HSI and DPS investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rex Beasley prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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St. Paul Felon Charged in Federal Complaint for Attempted Possession with Intent to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A St. Paul man has been charged in a federal criminal complaint with attempted illegal possession with intent to distribute cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on November 18, 2023, officers with the St. Paul Police Department (SPPD) responded to a 911 call regarding an unsolicited package containing what appeared to be cocaine. They field tested the substance, determined it was cocaine, and removed and replaced it with a GPS tracking device. Special agents from Homeland Security Investigations later observed Paris Jackson, 38, picking up the package at the residence and attempted to stop him as he returned to a waiting vehicle with the package in hand. Instead, Jackson fled and was pursued by law enforcement. He ultimately crashed into an SPPD squad car at approximately 80 miles per hour, which resulted in life threatening injuries to his passenger and minor injuries to an SPPD officer. He fled from the scene and was ultimately apprehended.
The complaint charges Jackson with attempted possession with the intent to distribute cocaine. Jackson has a criminal history dating back to 2001, including multiple arrests for controlled substance offenses. He made his initial appearance on November 22, 2023, before Magistrate Judge Tony N. Leung in U.S. District Court.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the St. Paul Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allen A. Slaughter and Carla J. Baumel are prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
St. Louis Man Caught with Machine Guns Admits Drug, Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man who was caught with fentanyl, methamphetamine and two fully automatic handguns pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to three felonies Friday.
Courtlend Green, 26, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Green admitted that St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department detectives with the Mobile Reserve Unit learned that he was known to sell drugs at a supermarket in the 8300 block of North Broadway. On Jan. 3, 2023, they spotted him driving into the supermarket parking lot. Because of his history of fleeing from police, officers deployed tire deflation devices in front of Green’s Honda Crosstour before activating their lights and trying to approach Green’s car. Green sped away before crashing into another vehicle at the intersection of Broadway and Gimblin Road. Green then got out and ran. Officers caught and arrested him.
Inside Green’s Honda, officers found two Glock handguns that were equipped with illegal “switches,” or auto sears, that converted them into fully automatic weapons. One Glock, which had been stolen, had a drum magazine and the other had an extended magazine. Green, who is a convicted felon and therefore barred from the possession of firearms, admitted both possessing the firearms and buying the Glock switches for them. Officers also found about 64 grams of meth and at least 18 grams of fentanyl.
Green is scheduled to be sentenced March 8, 2024
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine Hoag is prosecuting the case.
Solicitor General Elizabeth B. Prelogar Statement on the Passing of Justice Sandra Day O’ConnorRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Justice Department issued the following statement from Solicitor General Elizabeth B. Prelogar following the passing of Justice Sandra Day O’Connor:
“On behalf of the Office of the Solicitor General, I extend my deepest sympathies on the passing of Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. Justice O’Connor lived a remarkable life and leaves an extraordinary legacy. Her decades of distinguished service as the first woman to sit on the Supreme Court showed the nation that there are no limits to what women can do and achieve in the law — and opened countless doors for those who came after her. Her opinions for the Court reflect her formidable intellect and profound wisdom; they will shape the law for years to come. And her integrity, independence, and dedication to public service will continue to inspire all those who knew and admired her.”
Seminole Resident Sentenced for Involuntary Manslaughter and Federal Drug and Firearms CrimesRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Mr Lee Benton, a/k/a Mister Lee Benton, a/k/a Lee Benton, age 39, of Seminole, Oklahoma, was sentenced to a total of 144 months in prison for involuntary manslaughter and federal drug and firearms charges.
Benton was sentenced to 84 months imprisonment on one count of Involuntary Manslaughter, one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, and one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Those sentences will be served concurrently. Benton was also sentenced to a consecutive 60 months of imprisonment for one count of Possession of Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Crime.
The charges arose from investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office.
On February 18, 2022, Benton pleaded guilty to all four charges. According to investigators, on November 24, 2020, while driving a pickup truck under the influence of methamphetamine, Benton failed to stop for a sedan signaling a left turn in the lane ahead. Benton crashed into the back of the sedan. The force of the impact propelled the sedan off the road, causing it to collide with a guardrail and overturn, killing a backseat passenger. Benton admitted to OHP troopers that he had used methamphetamine prior to the collision, and consented to a blood draw that confirmed the presence of the drug in his system. Troopers questioning Benton observed a pistol on the driver’s side floorboard and subsequently discovered 55 grams of methamphetamine intended for distribution in the vehicle. At the plea hearing, Benton, already a convicted felon at the time of the accident, admitted he had the firearm with him in the truck for the express purpose of protecting his drug business, and that on the date of the collision he knew he was prohibited from gun possession due to his prior felony conviction.
The crimes occurred in Seminole County, within the boundaries of the Seminole Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Timothy D. DeGiusti, U.S. District Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearings in Muskogee. Benton will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
San Antonio Man Sentenced to More Than 17 Years in Prison for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man was sentenced in a federal court in San Antonio to 210 months in prison and ordered to pay $45,000 in restitution to nine victims for distributing child pornography.
According to court documents, for more than two decades, Carlos Fabian Velez, 52, used a peer-to-peer file sharing system to traffic in child sexual abuse material and distribute hundreds of files depicting children as young as infants and toddlers. Velez was arrested on March 28, 2022 and, on Aug. 23, 2023, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography.
“The sexual abuse and exploitation of children have horrific effects on the victims,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “Individuals like Mr. Velez, who choose to traffic child sexual abuse images, must understand that their choices have very serious consequences beyond a lengthy prison sentence.”
“Carlos Velez victimized some of our most vulnerable citizens for decades,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Doug Olson for the FBI San Antonio Division. “This sentence is reflective of the FBI’s dedication to hold accountable predators who would exploit innocent children.”
The FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Thompson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Rostraver, PA Resident Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Conviction of Wire FraudRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Rostraver, PA has been sentenced in federal court to 30 months in prison and 1 year of supervised release on her conviction of wire fraud, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Patty Lynn Mavrakis, 65, of Rostraver, PA.
According to information presented to the court, Mavrakis was a Branch Manager for Valley 1st Community Federal Credit Union and, in September 2016, she embezzled $399,230.00 from the credit union. In order to conceal the theft, she intentionally started a fire in the credit union’s safe and claimed a faulty wire caused the fire and destroyed the missing currency. In the days following the fire, she made a fraudulent insurance claim on behalf of the credit union for the missing currency.
She further made numerous false statements to law enforcement as they investigated the embezzlement and fire. Finally, the court was advised that Mavrakis likely used the embezzled funds on gambling, as she lost approximately four times her annual salary in the months following the embezzlement and fire.
Assistant United States Attorney Lee J. Karl prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Mavrakis.
Rolling Hills Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Distributing Fentanyl-Laced Pills that Caused High School Freshman’s DeathRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A South Bay man, who in May 2020 distributed fentanyl-laced pills to a 15-year-old boy and mocked the victim online as he was dying of an overdose, was sentenced today to 240 months in federal prison.
Alexander Declan Bell Wilson, 23, of Rolling Hills, was sentenced by United States District Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha, who also ordered Wilson to pay $2,364 in restitution. Judge Aenlle-Rocha also ordered Wilson, upon his release from prison, to be placed on supervised release for 12 years.
At the conclusion of a five-day trial, a jury on May 19 found Wilson guilty of one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. Wilson has been in federal custody since May 2021.
On the evening on May 14, 2020, Wilson agreed to distribute five Percocet pills to the victim. Evidence seized from the victim’s cellphone shows he believed the pills were authentic pharmaceutical pills that contained the opioid oxycodone.
At around 11:30 p.m. that night, the victim’s 13-year-old brother met Wilson outside the family’s house to pick up the five pills. Wilson then handed a plastic bag containing the pills to the victim’s brother through the window of Wilson’s vehicle. The victim’s brother took the bag from Wilson, went back inside the house, and gave the pills to the victim. Shortly afterward, the victim posted a photograph of the pills on his Snapchat social media account and then ingested the pills.
From approximately 1:50 a.m. to 5:30 a.m. on May 15, 2020, Wilson and the victim argued on Snapchat about the proper way to consume the pills Wilson had sold to the victim. During those chats, Wilson chastised the victim for chewing the pills, and then shared screenshots of their conversation with his Snapchat followers.
On the morning of May 15, 2020, the victim’s grandmother found him dead in his bedroom. Expert testimony at trial confirmed the victim’s death was caused solely due to fentanyl poisoning.
“After [the victim’s] death, [Wilson] showed no remorse for his crimes,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “To the contrary, he lied to police about his conduct, deleted incriminating evidence from his phone, and minimized his role in the offense. Indeed, [Wilson] blamed [the victim] for his own death, boasting that [the victim] ‘did that to himself.’”
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Overdose Justice Task Force and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department investigated this matter.
The Overdose Justice Task Force is a project designed to investigate fatal fentanyl poisonings and identify the individuals who provided the fentanyl that directly caused the deaths. Under the Overdose Justice program for the DEA’s Los Angeles Field Division, DEA agents have established collaborative relationships with local law enforcement agencies across the seven counties that make up the Central District of California. Local authorities are almost always the first to respond to an overdose death, and DEA agents have provided training to dozens of local agencies to help them analyze evidence to determine if there are circumstances that might lead to a federal criminal prosecution.
Assistant United States Attorneys Ian V. Yanniello and Daniel H. Weiner of the General Crimes Section prosecuted this case.
Rochester man pleads guilty to making a false statement involving sunken vesselRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Vyacheslav S. Migitskiy, 33, a Ukrainian national living in Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Geraci to making a materially false statement. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who is handling the case, stated that on August 25, 2022, Migitskiy towed a 25-foot Bayliner boat onto Lake Ontario with the intention of sinking the abandoned vessel. Migitskiy intentionally sunk the vessel without reporting his actions. The following day, on August 26, 2022, the partially submerged boat was discovered by civilian witnesses who reported the sinking to the United States Coast Guard, which resulted in an immediate search and rescue effort by the Coast Guard, the New York State Police, and other law enforcement agencies which included deployment of surface vessels, aircraft, and SCUBA search teams. The United States Coast Guard spent $14,194 during the search and rescue effort, while the New York State Police spent $1,248.
On October 4, 2022, Migitskiy was interviewed by a Special Agent with the United States Coast Guard, during which he falsely stated that he had donated the boat to unnamed individuals. Migitskiy further provided a false description of the individuals who took possession of the vessel, false information on how they removed the vessel from his property, and false information on what they did with the vessels’ trailer.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Coast Guard Investigative Service, under the direction of Joshua Packer, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Central Region, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Miklos Szoczei III, and the Gates Police Department, under the direction of Chief Robert Long, the Rochester Fire Department, under the direction of Chief Stefano Napolitano, the Irondequoit Police Department, under the direction of Chief Scott Peters, and the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Wood.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 18, 2024 at 3 p.m. before Judge Geraci.
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Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to 10 Years for Possession of Child Sex Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Jeffrey Grant Cruikshank (43, Orlando) to 10 years in federal prison for possessing child sex abuse material after a prior conviction for possession of child sex abuse material. The court also ordered Cruikshank to forfeit a cellphone and GoPro camera that he had used to commit the offense. Cruikshank pleaded guilty on September 7, 2023.
According to court documents, the investigation began with CyberTips from multiple platforms. Ultimately agents found depictions of child sex abuse material on electronic devices that belonged to Cruikshank. They also found evidence of Cruikshank searching for child chat rooms. Cruikshank was previously convicted for similar behavior and is a registered sex offender.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Courtney D. Richardson-Jones.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Readout from United States Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez’s Listening Session with New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault ProgramsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Aja N. Brooks, Executive Assistant United States Attorney, met with representatives from the New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs (NMCSAP). Alexandria Taylor, Executive Director, Virginia Pérez-Ortega, Director of Community Collaborations, Kim Benally, Director of Tribal Sexual Assault Services, and Rachel Cox, Director of Technical Assistance, presented statements. The listening session focused on building a partnership between NMCSAP and the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) and how that partnership could benefit tribal and rural communities in New Mexico.
NMCSAP is a network of 15 sexual assault programs and 11 sexual assault nurse examiner programs which provide education, support, and advocacy to survivors, service providers, the media, non-profit and governmental organizations that prevent and respond to sexual violence in New Mexico. In October, NMCSAP received a $950,000 grant from the Department Of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women.
Alexandria Taylor opened the session by speaking about NMCSAP’s recent accomplishments, including advocating for increased funding for sexual assault programs, tribal research, and a statewide sexual assault hotline. Taylor also highlighted expanded services to Alamogordo, Hobbs, Carlsbad and Grants, and the integration of the New Mexico Children’s Alliance, which supports eleven children’s advocacy centers around New Mexico, into the coalition.
Speaking to his office’s priorities, USA Uballez explained that the USAO had developed a Tribal Liaison Program. Under the program, an Assistant United States Attorney from the Indian County Crimes Section is assigned as a liaison to each of the 23 Tribes in New Mexico and tasked with building and maintaining government-to-government relations. USA Uballez hopes that building relationships with tribal communities will decrease instances of domestic violence and sexual assault. USA Uballez also expressed that he hoped a partnership with NMCSAP would expand the USAO’s outreach, prevention, training and coordination efforts, specifically in relation to crimes against children, sexual assault and domestic violence in tribal communities.
Taylor and Benally shared that prior to 2021, there was no funding for sexual assault services available to tribal communities. Over the course of one year, NMCSAP is supporting 6 different tribal communities that received Federal funding for sexual assault services and are now focused on mobilizing the systems around these services and also helping to secure funding for the 17 remaining tribes in New Mexico. Taylor and Kim expressed a need for training on the investigation and legal process and how to facilitate communication between the agencies and the victims and their families.
Pérez-Ortega and Cox brought attention to the lack of services available to human trafficking victims and shared that New Mexico’s unique position on the border makes our state a promising national leader in developing programs. NMCSAP offered to use their expertise and relationships to help the USAO build initiatives and projects that support victims and connect them to expert witnesses who have insight into both the trauma experienced by human trafficking victims and the unique perspectives of New Mexican communities.
Taylor explained that Victim of Crime Act Awards (VOCA) funding is currently at the lowest level since 2006 and may face more reductions in FY2025. VOCA funds programs that provide an array of services to victims of crimes, and reductions in funding would result in fewer direct services, and possibly a closure of multiple programs. Taylor requested assistance from USA Uballez to ensure funds are being directed to VOCA, explaining that statewide coalitions across the country are also asking the United States Attorneys in their district to do the same. USA Uballez responded he would be willing to fight for more funding and seek other funding resources.
USA Uballez closed the session by expressing that he was excited to partner with NMCSAP and that his office looks forward to working with them to facilitate connections, relationships and training.
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Quinton Resident Sentenced for Federal Firearm CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Eugene Lee Dozier, age 46, of Quinton, Oklahoma, was sentenced for unlawfully transferring a handgun to an out-of-state resident. Dozier was sentenced to 6 months in prison, 18 months of supervised release, and 30 hours of community service.
The charges arose from investigations by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On December 6, 2022, Dozier pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on June 29, 2021, Dozier, who did not possess a Federal Firearms License, transferred a handgun to a person he knew was not an Oklahoma resident, a violation of federal law.
The Honorable Bernard M. Jones, II, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearings in Oklahoma City.
Assistant United States Attorney Jarrod Leaman represented the United States.
Postal Service Employee Indicted for Mail TheftRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that TIMOTHY MCMILLAN, JR., age 43, of New Orleans, was indicted on November 30, 2023 for Theft of Mail by a Postal Service employee, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1709.
According to the indictment, on October 11, 2023, MCMILLAN stole and removed money from a letter entrusted to him, while performing his assigned duties as an employee of the United States Postal Service.
If convicted, MCMILLAN faces a maximum penalty of five (5) years imprisonment, followed by up to three (3) years of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
United States Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Office of the Inspector General in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon Maestri is in charge of the prosecution.
Parker Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Domestic Violence AssaultRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Ryan Niles Ameelyenah, 29, of Parker, was sentenced on Monday by United States District Judge Steven P. Logan to 120 months in prison on count one and 60 months in prison on count two, to run concurrently, followed by three years of supervised release. Ameelyenah was convicted of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury (count one) and Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury of an Intimate Partner (count two) by a Phoenix jury on August 17, 2023.
On July 9, 2022, Ameelyenah, an enrolled member of the Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT), assaulted the victim, who was an intimate partner, causing her to sustain serious and substantial bodily injury. The assault occurred on the CRIT Indian Reservation and the victim is an enrolled member of the White Mountain Apache Tribe.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and CRIT Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christina J. Reid-Moore and W. Vinnie Lichvar, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-01296-PHX-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-191_Ameelyenah# # #
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.Paralegal Pleads Guilty to Embezzling over $2 Million from Employer's ClientsRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Jennifer Elaine Roarke, 54, of Hickory, N.C., appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge David C. Keesler today and pleaded guilty to wire fraud, for embezzling more than $2 million from the clients of the law firm that employed her, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in North Carolina joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to court documents and today’s plea hearing, from 2007 to 2021, Roarke, who is also known as Jennifer Claveria, was employed as an assistant and a paralegal for a law firm in Hickory, North Carolina. The law firm handled, among other things, the administration and management of trusts for clients, including the trusts’ bank accounts. As part of her duties, Roarke was responsible for opening mail, depositing checks into trust bank accounts, and processing invoices. As Roarke admitted in court today, from 2015 to September 2021, Roarke executed the embezzlement scheme by causing at least 190 fraudulent and unauthorized bank wires, totaling more than $2 million, from the law firm’s clients’ trust bank accounts to bank accounts controlled by Roarke. Roarke used the embezzled funds to pay for personal items, make mortgage, car, and credit card payments, and to fund an extravagant lifestyle.
Roarke was released on bond following the plea hearing. A sentencing date has not been set.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the FBI for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassye Cole with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is in charge of the prosecution.
Pair Sentenced to 45 Months Incarceration on Cocaine Conspiracy ConvictionRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Jose Solano, 53, and Andrew Wilson, 49, were sentenced by Chief District Judge Robert Molloy to 42 months incarceration after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine.
According to court documents, on October 13, 2021, a Drug Enforcement Administration confidential source arranged for the purchase of 25 kilograms of cocaine at a cost of $312,000.00 from Solano. On October 14, 2021, agents and the confidential source arrived at the Havensight Mall, St. Thomas, the location of the exchange. Solano, Wilson, Matthew Hazel, Lodwin Ashton and Cesar Thomas-Leveret later arrived at Havensight to complete the cocaine sale and were arrested. Agents recovered approximately 25 bricks of cocaine from the trunk of Solano’s G35 Infiniti and one loaded semi-automatic Walther Arms handgun from the driver’s seat. An additional loaded Glock firearm was also recovered. The suspected cocaine was laboratory tested and determined to be cocaine with a net weight of approximately 25.11 kilograms. Ashton and Thomas-Leveret also pleaded guilty to the drug conspiracy and are await sentencing.
This case was investigated by Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations Air Marine Operations, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Virgin Islands Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Melissa Ortiz. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
On World AIDS Day, Justice Department Reaffirms Commitment to Protecting Civil Rights of People Living with HIV and AIDSRead the Press Release
On World AIDS Day 2023, the Justice Department reaffirms its commitment to safeguarding the civil rights of people living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) more than 30 years ago, the department has worked vigorously to protect and advance the rights of the more than one million Americans living with HIV and AIDS.
“The Justice Department strives to defend the rights of all Americans, including people living with HIV and AIDS,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “On World AIDS Day, we recognize our responsibility and reaffirm our commitment to prevent discrimination against people living with HIV and AIDS. We continue our fight to stop the spread of stereotypes and misinformation about the disease to remove senseless burdens and to ensure that those living with HIV and AIDS are treated fairly. We carry out this work with a commitment to racial equity given that Black and Latino communities are disproportionately affected by HIV.”
Over the past year, the Civil Rights Division has prioritized enforcement of the ADA and other laws to seek equal opportunity for and to combat discrimination against people living with HIV and AIDS.
For example, today, the Justice Department announced its finding that Tennessee, including the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office violated the ADA by enforcing the State’s aggravated prostitution statute against people living with HIV. The Tennessee aggravated prostitution statute elevates misdemeanor conduct to a felony based on an individual’s HIV status and mandates registration on the Tennessee Sex Offender Registry.
In addition, in August, the Justice Department and the Department of Health and Human Services secured a settlement resolving allegations that a home healthcare provider discriminated against a person with HIV. The agreement requires the home healthcare provider to ensure that people with disabilities, including those who have or are perceived as having HIV, receive equal opportunities to obtain the provider’s services. The provider will also train its employees and pay damages to the person who experienced this discrimination.
The department also continues to monitor recent settlement agreements and consent decrees that involve alleged discrimination against people with HIV, including:
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A consent decree resolving a lawsuit against the Town of Clarksville, Indiana. The lawsuit alleged that the town’s police department prevented a qualified applicant from becoming a police officer based on his HIV diagnosis. The agreement requires Clarksville to pay monetary damages to the complainant, revise its policies and train its personnel;
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A settlement agreement with an in-home caregiving agency in Wisconsin that allegedly refused to provide in-home services to an individual with HIV. The agreement requires the agency to pay monetary damages to the individual, adopt a non-discrimination policy and train its staff;
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Two settlement agreements with tattoo studios in California and Colorado that allegedly refused services to clients who informed the studios of their HIV-positive status. The agreements require the tattoo studios to pay monetary damages to the complainants, develop a non-discrimination policy and train their employees;
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Two consent decrees resolving cases alleging that doctors in California refused to provide routine medical care to a patient because of her HIV status. One lawsuit alleged that when the patient tried to make an appointment, she was told that the doctor could not see her because she had HIV, and the second lawsuit alleged that another doctor denied the patient a Pap smear, a regular preventative procedure, because he found her a “high risk” patient. The consent decrees require each doctor to pay monetary damages to the complainant and a civil penalty to the United States, to receive training on the ADA and the care of patients with HIV and to implement a non-discrimination policy; and
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A settlement agreement with the Nevada Department of Corrections to resolve systemic discrimination in its correctional practices. The department’s investigation found that the state impermissibly isolated and segregated inmates with HIV, failed to keep their HIV status confidential and denied them equal employment opportunities as well as classification and housing at lower custody levels. The agreement requires Nevada to develop or amend policies and procedures to ensure equal and integrated housing, classification and employment opportunities, to train staff on the ADA and to implement an ADA grievance procedure.
Along with its enforcement efforts, the department continues to engage in outreach to educate people living with HIV and AIDS, businesses, state and local governments and other covered entities on their rights and responsibilities under the ADA. The department also provides technical assistance and responds to questions from individuals and covered entities through our ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (voice) or 833-610-1264 (TTY).
To learn more about the Civil Rights Division’s work, please visit Civil Rights Division | Department of Justice and ADA.gov.
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Omaha Man Sentenced for Firearms ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Clyde Lamar Pace, 38, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on December 1, 2023, in federal court in Omaha for a firearms conspiracy and possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Pace to 90 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Pace’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release.
A drug trafficking investigation in the Omaha area revealed Pace was using social media to communicate the sale of controlled substances and firearms between January 2021 and April 2022. Pace used his social media account to make arrangements to sell controlled substances and weapons to other account users. Pace also posted photos of firearms and controlled substances from within his residence on his social media account. On May 2, 2022, law enforcement searched Pace’s Omaha residence and seized a weapon and a pound of marijuana.
Co-defendant Braniff was sentenced on October 27, 2023, to 21 months’ imprisonment for drug user in possession of a firearm.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bellevue Police Department.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Mark P. Nielson, 44, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on December 1, 2023, in federal court in Omaha for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Nielson to 130 months’ imprisonment for the drug distribution and a consecutive 60-month term for the firearm possession. There is no parole in the federal system. After Nielson’s release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release. Additionally, Nielson forfeited $1,914 of U.S. currency to the United States.
On July 17, 2022, Omaha police officers saw a 2002 Dodge Stratus parked at the gas pumps of Casey’s located at 3435 S. 42nd Street, Omaha. Officers saw the driver of the car, later identified as the Nielson, asleep in the driver’s seat. Containers of alcohol were seen inside the car as well as a handgun on the floorboard behind the driver’s seat.
The firearm behind the driver’s seat was a Sig Sauer P320 9mm handgun. DNA testing showed that Nielson’s DNA was on the firearm. Officers also located 83 grams methamphetamine, $1,914.00, and an additional handgun magazine next to the Sig Sauer in the car.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Omaha Police Department.
Northampton County Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for His Role in A Fentanyl Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Tyrell Donta Ravenell, a/k/a “Beast,” age 36, of Wind Gap, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on November 28, 2023, by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion to a term of 14 years’ imprisonment for his role in a fentanyl drug trafficking conspiracy.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Ravenell previously pleaded guilty to a drug trafficking conspiracy on August 9, 2023, and admitted that beginning in 2018 and continuing to the time of indictment in June 2023, he conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute at least 400 grams but less than 1.2 kilograms of fentanyl throughout Northampton and Monroe Counties. Ravenell’s sentence was also enhanced because he unlawfully possessed firearms in relation to his drug trafficking.
Judge Mannion also ordered Ravenell to serve a term of five years of supervised release following release from custody.
This case was jointly investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Scranton and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Olshefski prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin and other opioids. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin and opioid traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Nicholasville Man Convicted of Armed Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Nicholasville, Ky., man, Billy J. Wilkins, 43, was convicted late Thursday, by a federal jury sitting in Frankfort, after a three-day trial, of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of a firearm by convicted felon.
According to evidence at trial, on November 4, 2021, officers with the Jessamine County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at a residence occupied by Wilkins. During the search of the residence, officers located significant quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine, as well as two loaded firearms, one of which had an extended magazine attached.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; J. Todd Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Louisville Field Division; and Sheriff Kevin Grime, Jessamine County Sheriff’s Department, announced the conviction.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA and Jessamine County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Francisco Villalobos prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Wilkins is scheduled to appear for sentencing on March 6, 2024, and he faces not less than 10 years, up to life, in prison. However, the Court must consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the applicable federal sentencing statutes before imposing its sentence.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Eastern District of Kentucky, U.S. Attorney Shier coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
New York Woman Sentenced to 12 Months and One Day in Prison for Bribing Mail Carriers to Steal Postal Arrow KeysRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A New York woman was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison for her role in a scheme to bribe mail carriers to steal postal arrow keys in order to unlock mail receptacles and to use stolen items from the mail to obtain funds fraudulently from banks, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Halimatou Ndiaye, 28, of the Bronx, New York, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton to an information charging her with one count of bribery of U.S. Postal Service mail carriers and one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Judge Wigenton imposed the sentence on Nov. 28, 2023, in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Ndiaye schemed to bribe mail carriers in East Orange and Newark by offering them cash, typically $5,000, in exchange for the mail carriers giving her and another individual a postal arrow key, which could be used to access a variety of postal service mail receptacles. Ndiaye and others sought USPS arrow keys so that they could steal mail. For example, from June to July 2021, Ndiaye and the other individual drove to various locations in East Orange and Newark, where they stopped mail carriers and handed them a note indicating they would give $5,000 to the mail carrier in exchange for an arrow key.
In addition, from January 2021 to July 2021, Ndiaye conspired with others to obtain funds fraudulently from banks by using stolen checks and bank cards to draw funds from bank accounts linked to the stolen items and using the identification of others to fraudulently obtain funds.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Wigenton sentenced Ndiaye to three years of supervised release and ordered her to pay restitution of $6,361.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark under the direction of Postal Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen, Philadelphia Division, with the investigation leading to the sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jihee G. Suh of the Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.
Nevada Man Admits to Distributing Fentanyl via MailRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A Nevada resident pleaded guilty today to the distribution of fentanyl via the U.S. Mail, which resulted in serious bodily injury after the fentanyl nearly killed a Park City, Utah resident.
According to court documents, and admissions made during his change of plea hearing, Colin Andrew Shapard, 22, of Las Vegas, Nevada, mailed a package containing numerous fentanyl pills on Feb. 1, 2022, to a Park City resident. Shapard admitted that he knew fentanyl was a controlled substance and illegal to distribute. On Feb. 10, 2022, the recipient of the package suffered serious bodily injury after he ingested the pills, which caused him to lose consciousness. The victim’s father found him unconscious and called 911. Upon arrival, emergency medical personnel administered Narcan to the victim. Narcan is a drug that reverses the effects of opioids, including fentanyl, and is effective only on opioids. The victim was hospitalized and survived. The following day, DEA agents discovered that the victim overdosed on blue M30 fentanyl pills, which were purchased from Shapard.
The investigation also revealed that Shapard mailed opioids to Utah multiple tunes. See former press release here.
Shepard pleaded guilty to distribution of a controlled substance that resulted in serious bodily injury. He is scheduled to be sentenced Apr. 4, 2024, at 3:00 in courtroom 7.3 before a U.S. District Court Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
The case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Task Force Officers from the United States Postal Inspector Service (USPIS), Park City Police Department, and the Summit County Sheriff’s Office.
The United States Attorney’s Office of the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
Naturalized U.S. Citizen Charged with Fraudulently Obtaining Citizenship by Failing to Disclose Role in Abuse of PrisonersRead the Press Release
A naturalized U.S. citizen from Bosnia and Herzegovina, and former resident of Connecticut, was arrested yesterday in Morgantown, West Virginia, on criminal charges related to allegations that she lied to obtain U.S. citizenship.
According to the indictment, Nada Radovan Tomanic, 51, of West Virginia, allegedly served with the Zulfikar Special Unit of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina during the armed conflict in that country in the 1990s. Along with other Zulfikar Special Unit soldiers, Tomanic allegedly participated in the physical and mental abuse of Bosnian Serb prisoners targeted on the basis of their ethnicity, religion, and membership in a particular social group. The indictment alleges that, when applying for naturalization, Tomanic falsely represented that she had not persecuted anyone because of their religion, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion and had never committed a crime for which she had not been arrested.
“Nada Tomanic has enjoyed the privileges of U.S. citizenship for more than 10 years – privileges she allegedly obtained by lying to cover up human rights abuses she committed in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Justice Department will vigorously enforce our nation’s immigration laws to ensure that the United States does not serve as a safe haven for persecutors.”
“It is alleged that this defendant shielded her past abuse of human rights and repeatedly lied during the immigration and citizenship processes to gain entry into this country and become a U.S. citizen,” said U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery for the District of Connecticut. “I thank our investigative partners both here and in Bosnia and Herzegovina for ignoring the passage of time to ensure that justice is done.”
“Nada Tomanic allegedly participated in the abuse of Bosnian Serb prisoners and lied about it to the U.S. government decades later,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI, our international partners, and the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center are fervently committed to investigating human rights abuses no matter where or how long ago the atrocity occurred.”
Tomanic is charged with two counts of unlawful procurement of naturalization. If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each count. A conviction would also result in the automatic revocation of Tomanic’s U.S. citizenship.
The FBI is investigating the case, with coordination provided by the Department of Homeland Security’s Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ Office of Fraud Detection and National Security (FDNS), along with the FBI’s International Human Rights Unit. The Justice Department thanks the Ministry of Justice of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Serbia, and the United Nations International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, which were instrumental in furthering the investigation.
Trial Attorney Elizabeth Nielsen of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Angel Krull for the District of Connecticut are prosecuting the case, with assistance from HRSP historians. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs also provided assistance.
Members of the public who have information about human rights violators in the United States are urged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALLFBI (1-800-225-5324) or through the FBI’s online tip form at www.tips.fbi.gov/, or Homeland Security Investigations at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE (1-866-347-2423) or through ICE’s online tip form at www.ice.gov/webform/ice-tip-form.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Naturalized U.S. Citizen Charged with Fraudulently Obtaining Citizenship by Failing to Disclose Role in Abuse of PrisonersRead the Press Release
A naturalized U.S. citizen from Bosnia and Herzegovina was arrested yesterday in Morgantown, West Virginia, on criminal charges related to allegations that she lied to obtain U.S. citizenship.
According to the indictment, Nada Radovan Tomanic, 51, of West Virginia, allegedly served with the Zulfikar Special Unit of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina during the armed conflict in that country in the 1990s. Along with other Zulfikar Special Unit soldiers, Tomanic allegedly participated in the physical and mental abuse of Bosnian Serb prisoners targeted on the basis of their ethnicity, religion, and membership in a particular social group. The indictment alleges that, when applying for naturalization, Tomanic falsely represented that she had not persecuted anyone because of their religion, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion and had never committed a crime for which she had not been arrested.
“Nada Tomanic has enjoyed the privileges of U.S. citizenship for more than 10 years – privileges she allegedly obtained by lying to cover up human rights abuses she committed in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Justice Department will vigorously enforce our nation’s immigration laws to ensure that the United States does not serve as a safe haven for persecutors.”
“It is alleged that this defendant shielded her past abuse of human rights and repeatedly lied during the immigration and citizenship processes to gain entry into this country and become a U.S. citizen,” said U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery for the District of Connecticut. “I thank our investigative partners both here and in Bosnia and Herzegovina for ignoring the passage of time to ensure that justice is done.”
“Nada Tomanic allegedly participated in the abuse of Bosnian Serb prisoners and lied about it to the U.S. government decades later,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI, our international partners, and the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center are fervently committed to investigating human rights abuses no matter where or how long ago the atrocity occurred.”
Tomanic is charged with two counts of unlawful procurement of naturalization. If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each count. A conviction would also result in the automatic revocation of Tomanic’s U.S. citizenship.
The FBI is investigating the case, with coordination provided by the Department of Homeland Security’s Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ Office of Fraud Detection and National Security (FDNS), along with the FBI’s International Human Rights Unit. The Justice Department thanks the Ministry of Justice of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Serbia, and the United Nations International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, which were instrumental in furthering the investigation.
Trial Attorney Elizabeth Nielsen of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Angel Krull for the District of Connecticut are prosecuting the case, with assistance from HRSP historians. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs also provided assistance.
Members of the public who have information about human rights violators in the United States are urged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALLFBI (1-800-225-5324) or through the FBI’s online tip form at www.tips.fbi.gov/, or Homeland Security Investigations at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE (1-866-347-2423) or through ICE’s online tip form at www.ice.gov/webform/ice-tip-form.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Multiple Individuals Charged for Armed Robberies of Postal Letter CarriersRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the filing of two federal complaints charging five individuals with armed robberies of United States Postal Letter Carriers.
According to the first criminal complaint, on September 5, 2023, Jordan Michelle Brown (20, Tampa), Jordan Murray (19, Tampa), and Darine Underwood (18, Tampa) robbed a U.S. Postal Service Letter Carrier at gunpoint as the carrier was delivering mail at a Temple Terrace apartment complex. Brown, Murray, and Underwood held the mail carrier at gunpoint while demanding his keys and attempting to remove the keys that were hooked to the mail carrier’s pants. The individuals then grabbed the mail carrier’s cellphone and smashed it on the ground, before running to their getaway vehicle. Brown, Murray, and Underwood have been charged with armed robbery and aiding and abetting the armed robbery of a United States Postal Mail Carrier.
According to the second criminal complaint, on September 21, 2023, Christopher Raymond (20, Miramar) and Andre Hylton (19, Miramar) robbed two Postal Letter Carriers as the carriers were delivering mail on their routes in South Tampa. Raymond and Hylton pointed a firearm at one of the carriers and demanded his serialized keys. Raymond and Hylton were ultimately identified through GPS data from their vehicle which revealed that they had traveled from Miramar to Tampa for the purpose of committing the armed robberies. Raymond and Hylton have been charged with armed robbery and aiding and abetting the armed robbery of a United States Postal Mail Carrier and brandishing a firearm and aiding and abetting the brandishing of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
In another separate case, last month, Jahiem Faison (19, Tampa) was sentenced to nine years and three months in federal prison for armed robbery of a United States Postal Mail Carrier and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. According to court documents, on July 23, 2022, Faison and a juvenile co-conspirator approached a U.S. Postal Letter Carrier as he was delivering mail at a Riverview apartment complex. Faison brandished a firearm, pressing the firearm into the mail carrier’s chest while demanding his keys. Faison kept the firearm pressed against the mail carrier while the carrier removed his keys and handed them to Faison’s juvenile co-conspirator.
These cases were investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Tampa Police Department, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the State Attorney’s Office for the 13th Judicial Circuit. They will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa Spergel.
A criminal complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
Monroe County Man Sentenced to 7 Years’ Imprisonment for His Role in A Fentanyl Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jonathyn White, a/k/a “Jay,” age 28, of Tobyhanna, Monroe County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion to a term of 7 years’ imprisonment for his role in a fentanyl drug trafficking conspiracy.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, White pleaded guilty to a drug trafficking conspiracy on May 30, 2023, and admitted that beginning in 2019 and continuing to July of 2021, he conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute at least 40 grams but less than 160 grams of fentanyl throughout Monroe County. His sentence was also enhanced because he maintained a premise for the purpose of storing and distributing fentanyl.
Judge Mannion also ordered White to serve a term of 8 years of supervised release following release from custody.
This case was jointly investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Scranton and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Olshefski prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin and other opioids. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin and opioid traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Military Lawyer Indicted for Attempted Sexual Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – On November 30, 2023, a federal grand jury indicted Ross Andrew Brown, 42, of Kailua, for attempted sexual enticement of a minor. Brown is a lawyer serving as a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Air Force Judge Advocate General’s Corps and is stationed in Hawaii. Brown will be arraigned on the one-count Indictment on December 20, 2023.
Brown was originally charged by Criminal Complaint on April 17, 2023. The Complaint alleges that during April 12 to 16, 2023, Brown communicated via social media platforms Whisper and Telegram with an undercover law enforcement agent posing as a 14-year-old girl. During the communications, Brown allegedly discussed the sexual activity in which Brown and the fictious girl would engage. On April 17, Brown drove to Schofield Barracks allegedly to meet the fictitious girl and was arrested by federal law enforcement agents. After arrest, a United States Magistrate Judge denied the government’s motion to detain Brown pending trial and released him on conditions.
If convicted, Brown faces a term of imprisonment between ten years and life, a fine of up to $250,000, and supervised release for a term of up to life. The charge in the Indictment is merely an accusation, and Brown is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. In the case of conviction, any sentence would be imposed by a United States District Judge based on the statutory sentencing factors and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
The charge is the result of a joint investigation conducted by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations and the Army Criminal Investigation Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig S. Nolan is handling the prosecution.
Massachusetts Commercial Fisherman Sentenced to Prison for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
A Massachusetts man was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for evading taxes on income he earned as a commercial fisherman.
According to court documents, Joaquin Sosa, of New Bedford, worked as a commercial fisherman and deckhand operating primarily out of the Port of New Bedford. Despite receiving approximately $1.9 million in income between 2012 and 2021, Sosa did not file tax returns reporting the income and did not pay the substantial income taxes owed on the income he earned. Sosa also worked under false identities over the years. To further conceal the source and disposition of his income, Sosa cashed his paychecks from fishing companies at check-cashing businesses, at times using false identities, and used the cash to fund his personal lifestyle. In total, Sosa caused a tax loss to the IRS of $520,415.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani for the District of Massachusetts ordered Sosa to serve three years of supervised release and to pay $520,415 in restitution to the United States.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy for the District of Massachusetts made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Ezra Spiro and Acting Section Chief John Kane of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Victor Wild for the District of Massachusetts prosecuted the case.
Maryland MS-13 Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Participating in a Racketeering Conspiracy, Including a MurderRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Oscar Efrain Zavala Urrea, age 23, an El Salvadoran national residing in Silver Spring, Maryland, pleaded guilty to his participation in a racketeering conspiracy, including a murder, related to his activities as part of the MS-13 gang.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations Baltimore; Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department and Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy.
According to court documents, La Mara Salvatrucha gang, also known as “MS-13,” is an international criminal organization composed primarily of immigrants or descendants of immigrants from El Salvador, with members operating in the State of Maryland, including Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, Frederick County, and throughout the United States. In Maryland and elsewhere, MS-13 members are organized in “cliques,” smaller groups that operate in a specific city or region. MS-13 members are required to commit acts of violence, both to maintain membership and discipline within the gang and against rival gangs. One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, known as “chavalas,” whenever possible. Participation in criminal activity by a member, particularly in violent acts directed at rival gangs or as directed by gang leadership, increases the respect accorded to that member, resulting in that member maintaining or increasing his position in the gang, and opens the door to promotion to a leadership position.
As detailed in the plea agreement, from at least January 2020, Zavala Urrea was a member or associate of the MS-13 Fulton Locos Salvatruchas (“FLS”) clique and agreed with members of MS-13 to conduct and participate in the gang’s affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity that included murder, conspiracy to commit murder, extortion and drug distribution.
In the Spring of 2020, a MS-13 member, who was a former roommate of Victim 20, was assaulted by Victim 20 and others because they believed that MS-13 member had stolen property from Victim 20. After being told of the assault, MS-13 members indicated that the gang would have to retaliate against Victim 20 to maintain its standing. MS-13 gang members also believed that Victim 20 was associated with the rival 18th Street gang, which was another sufficient reason to kill him.
According to the plea agreement, over the course of several weeks Zavala Urrea and other MS-13 members met to plan the murder of Victim 20, including discussing what role each participant would play, conducted surveillance to determine when Victim 20 left the apartment, and obtained guns to be used in the murder. The night of May 25, 2020, Zavala Urrea and other MS-13 gang members gathered in a park in Silver Spring, Maryland and Zavala Urrea met with each gang member to discuss the plan to murder of Victim 20, which was to happen the next morning.
As detailed in court documents, on May 26, 2020, at approximately 7:05 a.m., two FLS MS-13 gang members approached Victim 20 as he left his apartment in Silver Spring, Maryland and fired handguns at him repeatedly, hitting him eight times. Victim 20 died as a result of the gun shots.
Following the murder, Zavala Urrea and a co-conspirator traveled to Annapolis where they met a third MS-13 gang member. Zavala Urrea and the co-conspirator changed their clothes and disposed of the old clothing. They gave the third gang member a backpack containing two firearms for safe keeping. A few days later, Maryland State Police stopped the third gang member who had the backpack containing the two firearms.
Zavala Urrea admitted that, to assist the gang to raise money, he also participated in the sale of marijuana and the collection of extortion money from brothels and other businesses, providing the proceeds to gang leadership.
The government and the defendant have agreed to recommend that, if the Court accepts the plea, Zavala Urrea should be sentenced to between 20 and 25 years in federal prison. Chief U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar has scheduled sentencing for March 19, 2024 at 2:00 p.m.
Anyone with information about MS-13 is encouraged to provide their tips to law enforcement. The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations both have nationwide tiplines that you can call to report what you know. You can reach the FBI at 1-866-STP-MS13 (1-866-787-6713), or you can call HSI at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE.
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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN, an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime, is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is also 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 Barron commended the FBI, HSI, Montgomery County Police Department, and the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth S. Clark and Anatoly Smolkin, who are prosecuting 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 https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Marshall Man Sentenced to 41 Months in Prison for Making Bomb Threat to Edgar County BusinessRead the Press Release
BENTON, Ill. – A district judge sentenced a man from Marshall, Illinois, to spend more than three years in federal prison after he called in a bomb threat to a company in Paris, Illinois.
Justin L. Switzer, 29, pleaded guilty to one count of willfully threatening the use of explosives.
According to court documents, Switzer called in a bomb threat to North American Lighting Company, Inc. in Paris, Illinois on Nov. 2, 2022. He admitted to calling the business and stating “two minutes to detonation”.
In response to the bomb threat, North American Lighting evacuated personnel, which caused the company to lose approximately $456,000 in gross revenue. In addition to his prison sentence, Switzer was ordered to pay $456,000 in restitution.
FBI Springfield Field Office and Homeland Security Investigations contributed to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Burke and Liam Coonan prosecuted the case.
Man Pleads Guilty to Firebombing Madison BuildingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – A Madison, Wisconsin man pleaded guilty today to the May 2022 firebombing of a Madison office building. Hridindu Sankar Roychowdhury, 29, pleaded guilty to attempting to cause damage by means of fire or an explosive.
On Sunday, May 8, 2022, at approximately 6:06 a.m., law enforcement responded to an active fire at an office building located in Madison. Once inside the building, police observed a mason jar under a broken window; the jar was broken, and the lid and screw top were burned black. The police also saw a purple disposable lighter near the mason jar. On the opposite wall from the window, the police saw another mason jar with the lid on and a blue cloth tucked into the top; the cloth was singed. The jar was about half full of a clear fluid that smelled like an accelerant. Outside of the building, someone spray painted on one wall, “If abortions aren’t safe then you aren’t either” and, on another wall, a large “A” with a circle around it and the number “1312.” During the investigation, law enforcement collected DNA from the scene of the attack.
In March 2023, law enforcement identified Roychowdhury as a possible suspect. Local police officers observed Roychowdhury dispose of food in a public trash can; the officers recovered the leftover food and related items, and law enforcement collected DNA from the food. On March 17, 2023, law enforcement advised that a forensic biologist examined the DNA evidence recovered from the attack scene and compared it to the DNA collected from the food contents. The forensic biologist found the two samples matched and likely were the same individual.
In March 2023, Roychowdhury travelled from Madison to Portland, Maine, and he purchased a one-way ticket from Boston, Massachusetts to Guatemala City, departing March 28, 2023. Law enforcement arrested Roychowdhury at Boston Logan International Airport that day.
“I am deeply grateful to our local and federal law enforcement partners for their dedication and persistence in solving this crime,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea for the Western District of Wisconsin. “In our shared American experiment, conflicting views must be resolved through discussion, the courts, and the ballot box. Arson and other acts of domestic terrorism are crimes that will be punished and have no place in a healthy democracy.”
“There is no place in our society for flagrant disregard for safety through firebombing a place of business, and today’s change of plea is one step further to closure for the victims,” said ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge Bradley Engelbert, of the St. Paul Field Division. “This was a complicated investigation. I am proud of the work our agents put into this and am appreciative of the tremendous team effort that went into this investigation.”
“The firebombing was an unacceptable attack on the safety and constitutionally protected rights of every citizen in the state of Wisconsin,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Hensle of the FBI Milwaukee Field Office. “I commend the thorough and exhaustive investigative efforts of the FBI with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners whose efforts led to the identification and subsequent guilty plea. Let this be a warning to anyone who seeks to use intimidation through threats or committing acts of violence, the FBI along with our partners will work together to ensure that those who break the law are held accountable.”
Roychowdhury faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years and a maximum of 20 years in prison. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 14, 2024. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The charge against Roychowdhury is the result of an investigation by the Madison Police Department, Wisconsin State Capitol Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, Dane County Sheriff’s Office, with the assistance of the FBI Boston Field Office, Boston Police Department, Massachusetts State Police, U.S. Coast Guard, Federal Air Marshal Service, and Transportation Security Administration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman for the Western District of Wisconsin and Trial Attorney Justin Sher of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Beck for the District of Massachusetts handled the defendant’s appearance in Boston following his arrest.
Man Pleads Guilty to Firebombing BuildingRead the Press Release
A Wisconsin man pleaded guilty today to the May 2022 firebombing of a Madison office building.
According to court documents, Hridindu Sankar Roychowdhury, 29, of Madison, pleaded guilty to attempting to cause damage by means of fire or an explosive. On Sunday, May 8, 2022, at approximately 6:06 a.m., law enforcement responded to an active fire at an office building located in Madison. Once inside the building, police observed a mason jar under a broken window; the jar was broken, and the lid and screw top were burned black. The police also saw a purple disposable lighter near the mason jar. On the opposite wall from the window, the police saw another mason jar with the lid on and a blue cloth tucked into the top; the cloth was singed. The jar was about half full of a clear fluid that smelled like an accelerant. Outside of the building, someone spray painted on one wall, “If abortions aren’t safe then you aren’t either” and, on another wall, a large “A” with a circle around it and the number “1312.” During the investigation, law enforcement collected DNA from the scene of the attack.
In March 2023, law enforcement identified Roychowdhury as a possible suspect. Local police officers observed Roychowdhury dispose of food in a public trash can; the officers recovered the leftover food and related items, and law enforcement collected DNA from the food. On March 17, law enforcement advised that a forensic biologist examined the DNA evidence recovered from the attack scene and compared it to the DNA collected from the food contents. The forensic biologist found the two samples matched and likely were the same individual.
In March, Roychowdhury travelled from Madison to Portland, Maine, and he purchased a one-way ticket from Boston to Guatemala City, departing March 28. Law enforcement arrested Roychowdhury at Boston Logan International Airport that day.
Roychowdhury faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Feb. 14, 2024. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The charge against Roychowdhury is the result of an investigation by the Madison Police Department, Wisconsin State Capitol Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations and Dane County Sheriff’s Office, with the assistance of the FBI Boston Field Office, Boston Police Department, Massachusetts State Police, U.S. Coast Guard, Federal Air Marshal Service and Transportation Security Administration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman for the Western District of Wisconsin and Trial Attorney Justin Sher of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Beck for the District of Massachusetts handled the defendant’s appearance in Boston following his arrest.
Man Charged in $148M Medicare and Medicaid Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Baton Rouge returned an indictment today charging a Louisiana man for his role in a scheme to defraud Medicare and Medicaid of over $148 million in medically unnecessary definitive urine drug testing services.
According to court documents, Brad Paul Schaeffer, 48, of Zachary, was a co-owner and chief executive officer of MedComp Sciences, LLC (MedComp), a diagnostic laboratory located in Zachary. From approximately January 2013 through approximately August 2022, MedComp, at the direction of Schaeffer, allegedly billed Medicare and Medicaid for definitive testing of at least 15 substances in urine specimens it received, regardless of the patient’s treatment plan and history, or the request of the referring provider. To perpetuate the fraud, Schaeffer, through MedComp, allegedly took several actions, among them, writing off patient co-pays, directing MedComp staff to fill out and submit order forms on providers’ “behalf,” concealing the true nature, permissibility, and extent of testing from providers, orchestrating a pass-through billing scheme using hospitals, and paying kickbacks to physicians disguised as laboratory ownership interests. Schaeffer then allegedly used the fraudulent proceeds for his own benefit, including spending thousands of dollars to renovate a pool and on a pool house in his backyard, and to restore a truck.
Schaeffer is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, five counts of health care fraud, and three counts of engaging in unlawful monetary transactions. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each count.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Gathe Jr. for the Middle District of Louisiana, Special Agent in Charge Jason E. Meadows of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Special Agent in Charge Douglas A. Williams Jr. of the FBI New Orleans Field Office, and Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry made the announcement.
HHS-OIG, the FBI, and the Louisiana Medicaid Fraud Control Unit are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Kelly Z. Walters and Samantha E. Usher of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth E. White for the Middle District of Louisiana are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,400 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $27 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Luzerne Man Convicted of Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that John Vincent Watson, age 47, of Luzerne, Pennsylvania, was convicted after a jury trial of production of child pornography.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the evidence at trial proved that between October 23 and 24, 2021, Watson produced four videos and one still image of child pornography in Wilkes-Barre. The videos and image showed Watson having sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old girl, posing her in the nude for the camera, and giving her alcohol. Following two days of testimony, the jury found Watson guilty on all counts after a deliberation of less than 30 minutes.
“One of HSI’s primary missions is to protect children from dangerous predators who seek to exploit them for their own greed or self-gratification,” said Special Agent in Charge of HSI Philadelphia William S. Walker. “Watson’s conviction sends a clear message that HSI and our partner agencies will devote every resource available to investigating, prosecuting and convicting those who prey upon our most vulnerable citizens.”
United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani has tentatively set sentencing for April 2024.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, Plains Township Police Department, Kingston Police Department, the Pennsylvania State Police Computer Crime Lab, and the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jenny P. Roberts and Sean A. Camoni are prosecuting the case.
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 Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is 15 to 150 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
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Lowell, Michigan Resident Pleads Guilty to Charges Related to the Sexual Exploitation of MinorsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Lowell, Michigan pleaded guilty in federal court to charges related to the sexual exploitation of minors, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Frank Davis, age 30, pleaded guilty to three counts before United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on August 9, 2022, Davis induced a minor during an online chat to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing any visual depiction of the conduct and to send the sexually explicit material to Davis. On the same date, Davis knowingly received videos of the minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. On August 18, 2022, as well as on other dates in August 2022, Davis sent to the minor obscene videos depicting himself engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Judge Schwab scheduled sentencing for April 16, 2024, at 8:45 a.m. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 15 years and up to 60 years in prison, a fine of $750,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, Davis remains detained.
Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
Homeland Security Investigations-Pittsburgh, the Pennsylvania State Police, Homeland Security Investigations-Grand Rapids (Michigan), and the Lowell Police Department (Michigan) conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Davis.
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 Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Longtime Employee of Harford County Manufacturer Sentenced to 42 Months in Federal Prison for a $20 Million Kickback SchemeRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Elliott Dennis Kleinman, age 69, of Bel Air, Maryland, yesterday to 42 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and tax evasion, in connection with a kickback scheme that defrauded his employer of more than $20 million. Judge Chasanow also ordered Kleinman to pay restitution of $19,300,757 and to forfeit $2,038,997.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office.
According to his guilty plea, Kleinman was a longtime employee of Company 1, a family-owned global business headquartered in New York, but with manufacturing facilities in Belcamp and Abingdon, Maryland, both in Harford County. Beginning in 2012, Kleinman and another employee, Eugene DiNoto, began to use their management positions at Company 1 to execute a fraudulent billing scheme whereby they would get illegal kickbacks from various drum vendors doing business with Company 1, which used drums to store and transport its products. As the facility managers, Kleinman and DiNoto oversaw the purchasing and storing of drums for use at the Harford County manufacturing facilities. They also had authority to review drum invoices and authorize payments to the drum vendors.
Anthony P. Urcioli, Sr., is the owner and President of Tunnel, Barrel & Drum Co, Inc. (TBD), located in Carlstadt, New Jersey, and of another drum supply company called Hartford Fibre Drum, Inc. ( Hartford), both of which did business with Company 1. After TBD became a drum supplier to Company 1, Kleinman and DiNoto entered into arrangement with Urcioli whereby TBD could continue selling drums to Company 1 if Urcioli agreed to fraudulently invoice Company 1 for more drums than TBD actually sold and delivered to the company. If Urcioli agreed to falsify its invoices in this way, Kleinman and DiNoto said that they and TBD could split the extra money Company 1 paid TBD for the made-up drum deliveries 50/50. DiNoto told Urcioli that he would split his share of the kickbacks with Elliot Kleinman 75/25. Urcioli agreed to participate in the false billing scheme. In December 2013, Urcioli told DiNoto about Hartford, the other drum supply company Urcioli owned. After receiving records that proved that Hartford was a legitimate company, DiNoto and Urcioli agreed to expand the kickback scheme to include Hartford.
From approximately January 2012 to January 31, 2020, DiNoto contacted Urcioli at least once a week to discuss the number and type of drums that DiNoto actually wanted delivered to Company 1’s Maryland facilities. During the same conversation, DiNoto told Urcioli how many additional drums to charge, but not deliver, to Company 1. After Urcioli created the invoices that fraudulently billed Company 1 for both delivered and undelivered drums, DiNoto approved the invoices and sent them to Company 1’s headquarters to be paid. In addition, Urcioli created a handwritten purchase order ticket that summarized the breakdown of actual and bogus drum orders and how the kickback amounts were calculated. Urcioli placed a copy of the purchase order ticket in an envelope along with DiNoto’s and Kleinman’s share of the kickback amount payable via checks from TBD and Hartford, and then sent the envelope to DiNoto’s and Kleinman’s personal residences.
Urcioli wanted to pay the kickbacks to Kleinman and DiNoto by check so the payments would look like payments to drum wholesalers and be deductible as a cost of goods sold on TBD’s tax returns. Kleinman wanted his kickback checks payable to a company he formed called “EDK Management, LTD.” Urcioli agreed, and in addition to making the kickback checks drawn on TBD and Hartford accounts payable to that company, Urcioli wrote the word “drums” on the checks to further the pretense of legitimate purchases.
Between January 2012 and January 31, 2020, Urcioli falsely invoiced Company 1 a total of $20,300,757 and Kleinman’s share of the kickbacks was approximately $2,307,121. Kleinman opened and maintained two commercial bank accounts for EDK, one in the name of “EDK Management Ltd,” and the other in the name of “EDK Management Ltd t/a Main Street Cigars,” a retail store he owns, located in Bel Air, Maryland. Kleinman deposited the drum vendor’s checks into EDK’s business account, where it was withdrawn as cash, used to pay personal expenses, or transferred to the bank account for Main Street Cigars.
For the period of 2017 through 2019, TBD paid Kleinman a total of approximately $1,034,911 in kickbacks for his role in the fraudulent billing scheme. Kleinman’s 2017 through 2019 income tax returns filed with the IRS did not report those kickback payments as personal or business income, resulting in a loss to the U.S. government of approximately $291,143.
Eugene Andrew DiNoto, age 53, of Bel Air, Maryland, and Anthony P. Urcioli, Sr., age 78, of Park Ridge, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the scheme.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and IRS-CI for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Martin J. Clarke and Harry M. Gruber, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud .
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Lodge Grass man admits meth trafficking in large-scale operation on Crow Indian Reservation and assaulting a womanRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Lodge Grass man suspected of being a leader in a large-scale methamphetamine trafficking operation based on the Crow Indian Reservation and of beating a woman with a weapon admitted to charges on Nov. 30 in two separate cases, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
Wendell Monroe Lefthand, 54, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute meth. Lefthand faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. In a separate case, Lefthand pleaded guilty to assault of a spouse resulting in substantial bodily injury and assault with a dangerous weapon. Lefthand faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. A sentencing date will be set before U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Lefthand was detained pending further proceedings.
In court documents in the drug trafficking case, the government alleged that federal law enforcement, in a collaborative effort with local and tribal law enforcement, conducted a large-scale investigation centered on multiple properties on the Crow Indian Reservation. The properties, including one referred to as Spear Siding, were a source of supply of meth for both the Crow and Northern Cheyenne Indian reservations. Lefthand is one of the individuals affiliated with the investigation.
The government further alleged that Lefthand and other family members occupied the Spear Siding property. The investigation determined that Lefthand was the source of supply for others until his arrest in June 2022. The investigation also determined that Lefthand was a leader of the operation at the property and had amassed a significant drug debt. After his arrest on an unrelated matter, Lefthand continued to influence the operation by directing individuals to provide others with marijuana and meth.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the drug trafficking case. The Bureau of Indian Affairs, Drug Enforcement Administration and FBI conducted the investigation.
In the assault case, the government alleged that on April 4, 2021, Lefthand and his wife, along three of his wife’s relatives, were staying in a camper near Lodge Grass. Lefthand and his wife verbally argued throughout the day and the argument turned physical. Lefthand’s wife grabbed an item to defend herself because Lefthand had abused her before. Lefthand’s wife ended up on the ground, and Lefthand hit her with a metal bar or piece of wood. Lefthand’s wife and the relatives fled on foot and hid in a ditch by the highway before flagging down a ride. Lefthand’s wife was treated for injuries a few days later.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Harper Suek is prosecuting the assault case. The Bureau of Indian Affairs and FBI conducted the investigation.
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Lafayette Firearms Store Owner and Wife Found Guilty on Federal Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that two individuals from Broussard, Louisiana, have been found guilty on all counts after a jury trial that began in federal court on Monday, November 27, 2023, and ended Thursday evening, November 30, 2023. The couple was originally indicted for conspiring to deal firearms without a license, making false statements in records required to be kept by a licensed firearms dealer, and failing to file sales reports in connection with their firearms business located in Lafayette.
Jeremiah Micah Deare, 37, Sarah Elaine Fogle, 30, were found guilty of conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing in firearms without a license, after the jury heard from over 20 witnesses and numerous trial exhibits demonstrating the illegal sale and attempted illegal sale of hundreds of firearms out of their residence and at gun shows as an unlicensed business. The couple was found to have engaged in the business of dealing firearms without following applicable laws, including the required background checks on their customers. The 246 firearms seized from the couple’s home, many with price tags, were brought into court for the jury to inspect, and the indictment also seeks forfeiture of a total of 619 firearms which were involved in the commission of these offenses.
Trial testimony and evidence revealed that Deare was the owner of Dave’s Gunshop, LLC (Dave’s) and the responsible party for Dave’s Federal Firearms License, which was located in Lafayette, Louisiana. Deare and Fogle did not hold a Federal Firearms License in their individual capacities. On or about August 13, 2019, a compliance inspection was conducted at Dave’s by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). At a warning conference on September 19, 2019, in Baton Rouge, Deare and Fogle were warned for numerous violations, including failing to complete a background check form ATF-4473 (one time), failing to accurately keep acquisition and disposition records for dispositions (67 times), failing to accurately keep acquisition and disposition records for acquisitions (62 times), transferring firearms without having a final response from the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (two times), inaccurate completion of ATF-4473 forms (111 times), and for missing firearms. Trial evidence confirmed that, on that same day, the ATF investigator provided an Acknowledgement of Federal Firearms Regulations to inform Deare of their responsibilities as a Federal Firearms License holder, and about laws relating to engaging in the business of selling firearms at gun shows. Trial documents further proved the acknowledgment was signed by Deare acknowledging that he understood he was responsible for familiarizing himself with the laws and regulations.
During trial, testimony and evidence showed that Deare and Fogle, after being warned, willfully engaged in the business of dealing in firearms without a license by buying and selling firearms without complying with the recordkeeping and background check requirements required by federal law. Deare and Fogle acquired large quantities of firearms and ammunition from estate sales and other means but would not document the firearms in Dave’s Acquisition & Disposition Book as required by federal law. In addition, firearms brought to Dave’s to be sold on consignment were not logged into Dave’s Acquisition & Disposition Book and were not placed for sale at Dave’s, but rather were brough to gun shows to sell off of Dave’s A&D book and without background checks.
The jury trial revealed that Deare and Fogle kept firearms at their residence without logging them out of Dave’s store inventory and would travel with the firearms to gun shows conducted at various locations in Louisiana and several other states. Deare and Fogle sold firearms at gun shows to non-Louisiana residents for which no ATF-4473 or background checks were ever completed. Their failure to conduct background checks resulted in the sales of firearms to persons prohibited by law from possessing or purchasing firearms. Additionally, the sales of firearms at gun shows outside the State of Louisiana were not done through a dealer licensed in the state where the gun show was conducted as required by law. The proceeds from the out-of-state gun sales of firearms were not included as revenue for Dave’s, but instead, evidence and testimony revealed Deare and Fogle used it for their own personal gain to avoid any record of these profits with Dave’s, which at the time was in litigation with the previous owner.
Following the trial, a detention hearing was held and Deare was remanded into custody, where he will remain until the sentencing on April 2, 2024. Fogle will remain out on bond, with a restriction prohibiting her from traveling outside the State of Louisiana.
Deare faces a sentence of not more than 5 years in prison on Counts 1 and 2, and not more than 1 year on Count 3 of the Indictment. Fogle faces a sentence of not more than 5 years in prison on Count 1 of the Indictment. Each defendant also faces up to 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000 on each count.
The ATF conducted the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren L. Gardner and Myers P. Namie prosecuted the case.
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Lab Owner Pleads Guilty to $1.7 Million COVID-19 Test Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A Plano man pleaded guilty Thursday to orchestrating a fraudulent scheme to obtain approximately $1.7 million from Medicare, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Damon Heath Roberts, 55, was charged via criminal information in September 2023 and pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to solicit or receive kickbacks for referrals to a federal health care program. He will be sentenced March 28, 2024 and faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison.
According to court documents, Roberts, owner of JDS Labs, admitted that he and others, including medical providers and others with access to patient information, began sharing Medicare beneficiary information so that JDS Labs could bill Medicare for over-the-counter COVID-19 tests. Roberts, in exchange for the patient information, would pay a kickback based on the reimbursement from Medicare to the medical providers or other individuals.
Roberts tried to conceal the kickback payments through the use of passthrough arrangements and cash payments.
Roberts submitted nearly $4 million in claims for the over-the-counter COVID-19 tests and received approximately $1.7 million in reimbursement for the claims. In addition, Roberts paid approximately $149,066 in bribes and kickbacks.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation's Dallas Field Office, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Office of Inspector General, and the Texas Office of the Attorney General – Medicaid Fraud Control Unit – DFW are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Renee Hunter is prosecuting the case.
Kasilof couple charged with federal regulations violations for illegal commercial game transportation in Noatak National PreserveRead the Press Release
KOTZEBUE, Alaska – A Kasilof couple were charged with multiple federal regulation violations related to alleged illegal commercial transportation of game hunters in Alaska following a multi-year investigation by National Park Service (NPS) rangers.
According to court documents, Matthew Owen, 66, illegally transported caribou hunters in the Noatak National Preserve, located in northwest Alaska, in 2019 and 2020. The transportation was connected to a commercial entity and violated multiple federal regulations regarding commercial activity on NPS land.
Mr. Owen is charged with one count false information, in violation of 36 CFR §2.32(a)(3)(ii); 10 counts of engaging in business without a permit, in violation of 36 CFR §5.3; and three counts failure to follow a lawful order, in violation of 36 CFR §2.32. Additionally, Julie Owen, 60, is charged with one count false information, in violation of 36 CFR §2.32(a)(3)(ii) and one count of violation of provisions of a permit, in violation of 36 CFR §5.3.
If convicted, the defendants face six months’ imprisonment and a $5,000 fine for each charge. The defendants could also be required to pay all costs of the legal proceedings as part of their sentence. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
“Hunting is critical to subsistence and is a key piece of Alaskan culture. Hunting, and all associated activities, must be done legally and in accordance with regulations,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska. “Our office will continue to work closely with the National Park Service and our other wildlife law enforcement partners to uphold the relevant rules and regulations related to hunting on public land.”
“Caribou are a vital species in the ecosystem and for communities in Northwest Alaska,” said Western Arctic National Parklands Superintendent Ray McPadden. “Caribou are protected within Noatak National Preserve. Our team takes all possible hunting violations seriously and goes to great lengths to make sure folks are doing the right thing.”
NPS is responsible for managing natural resources and permitting all commercial activity within Noatak National Preserve; NPS Law Enforcement Rangers actively patrol park lands and investigate suspected violations of Federal laws and regulations. The NPS takes all suspected violations seriously and encourages the public to report potential crimes and suspicious activity to the NPS Crime Tip Line at 1-888-653-0009 or online at go.nps.gov/SubmitATip or by email at [email protected].
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Vosacek is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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