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1 December 2023
Justice Department Finds that Enforcement of Tennessee State Law Discriminates Against People with HIVRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today its finding that the State of Tennessee, including its Bureau of Investigation (TBI) and the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office (SCDAO), violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by enforcing the state’s aggravated prostitution statute against people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Today’s announcement comes on World AIDS Day, an international day dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic.
The department’s comprehensive investigation found that the state and the SCDAO subject people living with HIV to harsher criminal penalties solely because of their HIV status, violating Title II of the ADA.
“Tennessee’s aggravated prostitution law is outdated, has no basis in science, discourages testing and further marginalizes people living with HIV,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “People living with HIV should not be treated as violent sex offenders for the rest of their lives solely because of their HIV status. The Justice Department is committed to ensuring that people with disabilities are protected from discrimination.”
Tennessee’s aggravated prostitution statute elevates what would otherwise be misdemeanor conduct to a felony because the individual has HIV, regardless of any actual risk of harm. A person convicted of aggravated prostitution faces three to 15 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000, while a person convicted of a misdemeanor charge based on the same conduct is subject to a sentence of no more than six months and up to a $500 fine. While the aggravated prostitution statute applies statewide, it has been enforced most frequently in Shelby County.
Aggravated prostitution is also categorized as a “violent sexual offense” mandating registration by those convicted on the Tennessee Sex Offender Registry, in most cases for life. The state maintains the registry through the TBI. Individuals placed on the registry due to convictions for aggravated prostitution are restricted in where they may live, work and go in public, and have experienced increased homelessness and unemployment. These individuals also face public disclosure of information about their HIV status, which can lead to harassment and discrimination. The department opened this investigation in response to complaints about enforcement of the statute.
The department’s letter provides Tennessee, TBI and the SCDAO, with written notice of its findings and details the minimum remedial measures necessary to address them.
The Justice Department plays a central role in advancing the ADA’s goals of equal opportunity, full participation, independent living and economic self-sufficiency for people with disabilities. For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt. For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 (TTY 1-833-610-1264) or visit www.ada.gov.
2023.11.30_tn_hiv_lof_final.pdfJefferson Parish Man Charged with Violation of National Firearm ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that JOSEPH METZLER, III, age 44, of Gretna, was indicted on November 30, 2023 for possession of a silencer that was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
According to the indictment, on May 9, 2023, METZLER possessed a silencer that was not registered to him, in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 5861(d).
If convicted, METZLER faces a maximum penalty of ten (10) years imprisonment, followed by up to three (3) years of supervised release, up to a $10,000 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.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon Maestri of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt:
Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on Nov. 28 was:
Roxanna Rae Lewis-Stella, 59, of Lewistown, on charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. If convicted of the most serious crime, Lewis-Stella faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release on the wire fraud charge and a mandatory minimum of two years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and one year of supervised release on the aggravated identity theft charge. Lewis-Stella was released pending further proceedings. The FBI, Fergus County Sheriff Office and Montana Adult Protective Services conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 23-105.
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on Nov. 28 was:
Joshua Allen Morgan, 39, of Billings, on charges of attempted sex trafficking of a minor and commission of sex offense by a registered sex offender. If convicted of the most serious crime, Morgan faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release on the attempted sex trafficking charge and a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison, consecutive to any sentence imposed on the sex trafficking charge. The FBI, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation and Billings Police Department conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 23-137.
Tracey E. Flowers, 50, of Billings, on charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine. If convicted of the most serious crime, Flowers faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Flowers was detained pending further proceedings. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 23-134.
Shannon Tyrone Seminole, 39, of Lame Deer, on charges of possession with intent to distribute meth, distribution of meth and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. If convicted of the most serious crime, Seminole faces one year to 40 years in prison, a $2 million fine and at least six years of supervised release on the drug charges and a mandatory minimum of five years to life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on the firearm charge. Seminole was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 23-140.
Windelyn Valdo Shoulderblade, Jr. 33, a transient, on charges of failure to register as a sex offender. If convicted of the most serious crime, Shoulderblade faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release. Shoulderblade was detained pending further proceedings. The U.S. Marshals Service investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-141.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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High-Ranking Honduran Drug Cartel Member Sentenced to 21 YearsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Honduran national was sentenced today to 21 years in prison for conspiring to import cocaine into the United States.
According to court documents, Mario Rojel Urbina Miranda, 41, was one of the highest-ranking members of an international drug trafficking organization based in Honduras known as the “Los Valles” Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO), which imported multi-ton quantities of cocaine from to the United States.
For years, Urbina was responsible for coordinating the trafficking of tons of cocaine through Honduras, en route to the United States from South America, and for the collection of millions of dollars of drug proceeds. For example, during just a two-month period in 2014, the defendant was personally involved in trafficking over 2,000 kilograms of cocaine through Honduras. More broadly, the DTO bribed public officials in Honduras and relied on violence and the threat of violence to protect its extensive trafficking activity. Urbina is the thirteenth related defendant to plead guilty in this investigation.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division; and David Geist, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis, III.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip Alito and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Bibeane Metsch prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia expresses its appreciation to the Virginia State Police, FBI Sacramento Field Office, the Sacramento OCDETF Strike Force, DEA and FBI Tegucigalpa Country Offices, and the Honduran National Police for their significant assistance in this case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs also provided significant assistance.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:14-cr-135.
Guatemalan National Charged with Illegal Reentry into the United States after Vehicle Crash Results in Six DeathsRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Today, JOSE PAXTOR-OXLAJ, 43, of Guatemala, was charged by criminal complaint with illegal reentry after removal from the United States, announced United States Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to an affidavit filed in support of a criminal complaint, on November 21, 2023, Paxtor-Oxlaj was the driver of a vehicle that was involved in an accident near Elk City, Oklahoma, in which his six passengers died, and a seventh passenger was critically injured. An investigation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) revealed Paxtor-Oxlaj was ordered to be removed by an Immigration Judge on June 29, 2010, and had been removed from the United States to Guatemala on July 9, 2010. According to ICE investigators, Paxtor-Oxlaj did not have permission to reenter the United States after his prior deportation.
If found guilty, Paxtor-Oxlaj, depending on the extent of his criminal history, could face up to 20 years in federal prison.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Hale and Elizabeth Joynes.
The public is reminded that these charges are merely allegations, and that Paxtor-Oxlaj is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Grand Island Man Sentenced to 52 Years for Conspiracy to Produce Child Pornography and Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Scott Lee Meyer, 34, of Grand Island, Nebraska, was sentenced on December 1, 2023, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for conspiracy to produce child pornography and production of child pornography. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Meyer to 624 months’ imprisonment. Meyer will then serve the remainder of his life on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Meyer was additionally ordered to pay $11,250 in restitution as well as a $9,000 special assessment which will contribute to funds established for victims of these types of crimes.
This case initiated in July of 2022 with an investigation by the FBI in an attempt to identify children in a series of child pornography images which were being shared online. Through the investigation it was determined that the files were associated with Scott Meyer and Scott Simmons. Simmons was previously sentenced to 60 years in prison on July 6, 2023, regarding the same case.
On August 25, 2022, a search warrant was received to search Meyer’s and Simmons’ residence. During the search warrant, it was determined that the residence was where many of the child exploitation files were produced. Numerous electronic devices were seized from the residence. Meyer was at the residence during the execution of the search warrant. He agreed to be interviewed and admitted that he and Simmons had engaged in photographing and recording prepubescent boys in a sexually explicit manner. He admitted that these images and videos were produced at their residence and other locations to include various hotels. Four child victims were identified and interviewed by child advocate interviewers.
A forensic examination was completed of Meyer’s and Simmons’ personal cellphones. Each phone contained more than 400 files of child pornography. A large majority of these files found on the phones were original productions of the minor victims in this case.
Meyer was previously convicted in 2013, for two counts of sexual assault of a child in the 1st degree in Hall County District Court, Nebraska. Meyer and Simmons met while both were serving sentences for child-sex offenses in Nebraska. Meyer and Simmons distributed the images and videos they produced of the victims in this case on the Tor network using encrypted forms of email to further hide their identities. They additionally directly shared the files they created with at least one acquaintance they made while serving their prior sentences.
Following today’s sentencing, Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr expressed “The sentencing today of Scott Meyer and the July Sentencing of Scott Simmons reflect the seriousness of the crimes these men jointly committed. Their actions were reprehensible, unspeakable, and carefully planned for their own gratification without regard for the lives they were affecting. The sentences imposed although significant do not erase the impact their conduct will have on the children and their families for years to come.”
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.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Gloucester County Postal Employee Admits Mail TheftRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Gloucester County, New Jersey, man who worked as a postal employee admitted today stealing more than $170,000 in cash that had been sent through the mail, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Joseph Fenuto, 51, of Blackwood, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Christine P. O’Hearn in Camden federal court to an information charging him withone count of mail theft.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From November 2021 to August 2022, Fenuto was employed as a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier with delivery routes in Blackwood. Fenuto was assigned to a postal route which included the Gloucester Premium Outlets in Blackwood. Fenuto accepted parcels from numerous retail establishments, which he was required to place in the mail stream for delivery to the addresses listed on the parcels. Many of these parcels contained cash, which the retail stores had received from sales of their products and goods to customers.
Fenuto admitted he had stolen more than 50 such parcels containing cash from numerous retail stores at the Gloucester Premium Outlets. Fenuto said he stole $171,110 from parcels that he was required to ensure remained in the mail stream for their delivery to a bank in Ohio.
The mail theft charge is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a maximum $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for April 2, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents with the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Matthew Modafferi, Northeast Area Field Office, and investigators of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas Mahoney, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea. He also thanked the Gloucester Township Police Department under the direction of Chief David J. Harkins for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. McCarren of the Office’s Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.
fenuto.information.pdfFormer School Bus Driver Sentenced to Prison for Receiving Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary Scriven has sentenced Stephen Donald Kearney (61, St. Petersburg) to 7 years in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for receiving child sexual abuse material. The court also ordered Kearney to pay $13,000 in restitution to victims of the offenses. Kearney is also required to register as a sex offender. Kearney had pleaded guilty on August 14, 2023.
According to court documents, Kearney used a file sharing platform on his computer to download videos that depicted young children being sexually abused. In February 2022, the FBI executed a search warrant at Kearney’s residence and seized his computer. A forensic search of the computer revealed thousands of images and various videos of child sexual abuse material, to include depictions of children under the age of 12.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Abigail K. King and Ross Roberts.
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 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 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.
Former Pediatrician Sentenced to 7½ Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Scores of Images of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A former pediatrician was sentenced today to 90 months in federal prison for possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on dozens of DVDs as well as possessing hundreds of such images on his personal computing devices.
Gary David Goulin, 62, of the Beverly Grove neighborhood of Los Angeles, was sentenced by United States District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong, who also ordered him to pay a $50,000 fine and an additional $22,100 in special assessments. He is required to register as a sex offender and will be placed on supervised release for a period of 15 years once he is released from prison.
Goulin pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography.
In November 2021, Goulin knowingly possessed four DVDs that contained sexually explicit material involving minors who were under the age of 12 years old. Goulin further admitted in his plea agreement to knowingly possessing an additional 57 DVDs that contained CSAM. The average run time on these DVDs was three hours and 21 minutes.
In August 2021, Goulin used his cellphone to knowingly receive a video of CSAM. In total, Goulin possessed more than 600 images that he knew constituted child pornography, some of which showed children engaging in sadistic or masochistic conduct.
“[Goulin] received and possessed a large collection of child pornography materials – over 204 hours of videos and images,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “At the same time that he possessed these materials, he was entrusted with caring for children as a pediatrician at a hospital.”
Goulin was charged in Los Angeles Superior Court with possession of child pornography and sexual exploitation of a child. That case was dismissed considering the federal charges against Goulin, which a grand jury brought via indictment in October 2022.
In November 2021, the Medical Board of California prohibited Goulin from practicing medicine.
The FBI and the Los Angeles Police Department investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Sarah S. Lee of the General Crimes prosecuted this case.
Former Nashua Man Sentenced for Transporting Stolen Apple Products Worth $2 MillionRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A former Nashua man was sentenced in federal court for transporting stolen Apple products worth $2 million, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Guangwei “William” Wu, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Samantha D. Elliott to one year and one day in prison, one year of supervised release, and a $10,000 fine. Wu was also ordered to pay $2 million in restitution, which he has already repaid. On June 22, 2023, Wu pleaded guilty to the interstate transportation of stolen property.
“The defendant engaged in a sophisticated fraud scheme where he accepted a bribe of significant value, diverted shipments of stolen Apple products worth approximately $2 million, and then forged a federal agent’s signature to cover his tracks. These are serious offenses,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “The Court’s imposed sentence of incarceration in federal prison and full restitution are just consequences for his bold crimes.”
“Guangwei Wu accepted a bribe, shipped $2 million worth of stolen Apple products to Hong Kong, and then lied about it. Actions like his hurt hard-working business owners trying to make an earnest living, and today’s sentence holds Mr. Wu accountable for his crimes,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division.
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service continuously seeks to identify and stop complex fraud schemes. Guangwei Wu’s reshipping scheme of stolen Apple products resulted in millions of dollars in losses,” said Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division. “We will continue our work with our law enforcement partners to stop those who are engaged in these types of criminal activities.”
The defendant owned and operated a transshipping company in Manchester called Hai Xing Qiao. In fall 2022, the victim company purchased Apple products, including iPads, iPhones, Apple Watches, and Macbooks, and then hired Hai Xing Qiao to forward the products onto Hong Kong. However, Yongfu Huo, another Hong Kong-based company, paid a bribe of over $700,000 to the defendant to have the products shipped to Yongfu Huo instead. To cover up his tracks, the defendant claimed that law enforcement had seized the Apple products and sent the victim company a false document titled “Disclaimer of Ownership” purportedly issued by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The defendant also forged the signature of a federal agent on the document.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Postal Inspection Service led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen prosecuted the case.
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Former Marblehead Postal Worker Sentenced for Conversion of Government MoneyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former U.S. Postal Service (USPS) employee was sentenced today in federal court in Boston in connection with two schemes to convert USPS funds.
Zeon Johnson, 28, of Saugus, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to time served (one day in prison) and two years of supervised release. Johnson was also ordered to pay $18,206 in restitution to USPS. On Sept. 6, 2023, Johnson pleaded guilty to one count of conversion of government money.
Beginning in approximately August 2018, Johnson worked as a Sales and Service Distribution Associate for USPS at the Marblehead Post Office. As part of his job, Johnson sold stamps and processed money order transactions for USPS customers. From approximately July 2019 through June 2020, Johnson converted over $18,000 in USPS funds for personal use by stealing cash funds paid by customers for stamps and issuing USPS money orders payable to himself.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Northeast Area Office, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eugenia M. Carris and Elysa Wan of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit prosecuted the case.
Former LIRR Employee Pleads Guilty to Falsifying Inspection ReportRead the Press Release
Earlier today, Stuart Conklin, a former employee of the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), pleaded guilty to making a false entry in a report required to be kept by the LIRR under federal laws governing rail road safety and operations. Conklin was charged with the offense in a criminal complaint in March 2021 and subsequently indicted in April 2022. Today’s proceeding was held before United States District Judge Joanna Seybert. When sentenced, the defendant faces up to two years in prison.
Breon Peace, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Christopher A. Scharf, Special Agent-in-Charge, United States Department of Transportation; and Daniel G. Cort, Inspector General for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, announced the guilty plea.
“As dramatically evidenced by the derailment, the rail bond Conklin falsely claimed to have inspected was a critical piece of rail road equipment, essential to ensuring the safety of passengers,” said United States Attorney Peace. “While thankfully no one was seriously hurt in this accident, it is a stark reminder of the importance federal oversight plays in the safety and integrity of our transportation system.”
“Anyone choosing to intentionally ignore Federal laws and requirements put in place to ensure the safety of the traveling public will be pursed to the fullest extent of the law,” stated DOT-OIG Special Agent-in-Charge Christopher A. Scharf. “Today’s guilty plea is the result of an unwavering commitment to safety demonstrated together with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners.”
“Falsifying inspection reports puts the safety of the public and MTA employees and property at risk.” said MTA Inspector General Daniel G. Cort. “Individuals, like Conklin, who shirk their responsibilities and endanger others should be held accountable and I thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York for their partnership in doing just that.”
As set forth in the complaint and indictment, Conklin was employed by LIRR as a signalman and his responsibilities included performing regular inspections of rail bonds. Rail bonds are electronic jumpers around joints in the rails of a railroad track to ensure continuity of conductivity for signal currents. On April 26, 2019, Conklin falsely indicated in an inspection report that he had inspected a particular rail bond in Speonk, New York and that the bond had passed inspection. Video footage from a LIRR camera showed that Conklin in fact did not inspect the bond during his shift that day.
Approximately one month later, on May 23, 2019, a westbound LIRR train collided with the rear of an eastbound train in Speonk, New York. The rear of the westbound train did not register in the LIRR signal system as occupying a section of side track, causing the eastbound train to be cleared to pass on the main track when there was not enough space to do so.
A subsequent LIRR investigation determined that the rail bond that Conklin had falsely indicated he had inspected on April 26, 2019, was broken and that the broken rail bond was the cause of the signal malfunction and the derailment.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Public Integrity Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Turner Buford and Sara K. Winik are in charge of the prosecution with assistance from Special Agent Rebecca Sidhu and Paralegal Specialist Melissa Bennett.
The Defendant:
STUART CONKLIN
Age: 66
Magnolia, TXE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-171 (JS)
Former Correctional Officer Sentenced to 63 Months for Sexual Abuse of Two Female InmatesRead the Press Release
A former federal correctional officer was sentenced today to 63 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a $25,000 special assessment for his sexually abusive conduct against two female victims who were serving prison sentences at Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Dublin. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers.
John Bellhouse, 40, formerly of Pleasanton, California, was initially charged with sexual abuse of an inmate on Feb. 17, 2022. A federal grand jury issued a superseding indictment on Sept. 29, 2022, charging Bellhouse with two counts of sexual abuse of a ward and three counts of abusive sexual contact that occurred between December 2019 and December 2020. A jury convicted Bellhouse of all counts.
“John Bellhouse exploited his position of trust at the Federal Bureau of Prisons by sexually abusing multiple women in his custody – and today he has been held to account,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “The sentence of imprisonment imposed today is the latest example of the Justice Department’s continuing work to address the egregious misconduct that took place at FCI Dublin and prioritize the eradication of sexual assault from our prison system.”
“While today’s sentencing cannot undo the horrific abuse that Bellhouse’s victims endured, it sends a clear message that FBOP employees who abuse inmates in their custody and care will be brought to justice. Our investigation of sexual abuse at FCI Dublin remains ongoing, and we will continue to aggressively pursue justice for victims of sexual abuse at the hands of FBOP employees,” said Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz.
“The horrendous sexual abuse committed by convicted offender John Bellhouse is cruel and despicable,” said FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate. “As a federal corrections officer, Bellhouse sexually abused inmates under his care and attempted to cover-up his crimes. These violations are inexcusable breaches of the trust and authority granted to government officials. This sentencing is a reminder that the FBI and our partners will relentlessly pursue those who physically harm others and hold them accountable.”
“This conduct was a disturbing deviation from the expectations and requirements of all federal correctional officers,” said U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey for the Northern District of California. “Bellhouse violated his oath and abused the power given to him, all to victimize the people he was supposed to protect. This sentence makes clear that the sexual abuse of inmates by guards will not be tolerated.”
Bellhouse was employed as a correctional officer at the FCI Dublin, California, an all-female low security federal correctional institution. Trial evidence showed that, beginning December 2019 through October 2020, Bellhouse sexually abused and committed abusive sexual contact against a victim incarcerated and serving a prison sentence at FCI Dublin under Bellhouse’s custodial, supervisory, and disciplinary authority. Bellhouse engaged in oral sex with the victim in the prison Safety Warehouse and Safety Office and touched the victim’s vagina and breasts in the prison Safety Office.
Evidence presented at trial also demonstrated Bellhouse committed abusive sexual contact against a second victim between October and December of 2020. Trial evidence showed that the acts occurred in the Safety Office at the FCI Dublin Camp.
The trial evidence further showed that Bellhouse sexually abused another inmate in 2020 and 2021 when he reached through a window in her cell and grabbed her breast, and on another occasion put his finger in her vagina without her consent while she was in her cell after showering.
In a memorandum filed in connection with Bellhouse’s sentencing, the government provided additional information regarding Bellhouse’s criminal conduct while he was a correctional officer. In the memorandum, the government argued that in addition to the three women who testified at trial about Bellhouse’s sexual abuse of them, Bellhouse also abused other women. Further, the government’s memorandum describes how Bellhouse used his ability to access everyday items such as Starbucks coffee, yarn, jewelry, and cleaning supplies, to get his victims both to acquiesce in the abuse and to keep them quiet about his conduct. For example, according to the memorandum, Bellhouse would provide items to coax compliance with his demands. Because these items were considered contraband at FCI Dublin, mere possession of them exposed inmates to potential punishments such as solitary confinement and loss of good time credits.
Bellhouse was convicted of two counts of sexual abuse of a ward and three counts of abusive sexual conduct. Bellhouse must surrender by Feb. 2, 2024. His restitution hearing is set for Feb. 1, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. ET.
The Justice Department’s Office of Inspector General and the FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Molly Priedeman and Andrew Paulson for the Northern District of California prosecuted the case, with the assistance of Madeline Wachs, Sara Slattery, Leeya Kekona, and Kay Konopaske.
Five People Charged for Their Roles in Drug Trafficking Organization Controlled by Sex, Money, Murder Street GangRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Five people have been charged for their respective roles in a drug trafficking organization that distributed fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine in Essex County, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger announced today.
The original complaint was filed on Nov. 1, 2023, and on Nov. 9, 2023, a superseding complaint was filed charging certain defendants with gun offenses based on the recovery of multiple firearms during searches that occurred when the defendants were arrested.
Fuquan Williams, 33; Dwight Dixon, 52; Nafee Patterson, 41; Jabriel Mason, 20; and Daqwuan Barkley, 29, all of Essex County, New Jersey, are charged by superseding complaint with one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine. Williams, Patterson, Mason, Barkley and Dixon made their initial court appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge James B. Clark III in Newark federal court. Mason, Patterson, and Barkley have been ordered released on bail, while Williams, and Dixon remain detained pending trial.
Patterson is also charged with one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, and Williams is charged with one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
The defendants are members of a drug trafficking organization that operated an open-air narcotics market in the area of Kent and Brenner streets in Newark. The drug trafficking organization is affiliated with, and the defendants are members and associates of, the Sex, Money, Murder subset of the Bloods street gang. When the defendants were arrested, law enforcement officers recovered multiple loaded firearms and additional quantities of narcotics.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI under the supervision of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked detectives of the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Theodore N. Stephens, II; officers of the New Jersey State Department of Corrections; detectives of the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan; officers of the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Armando B. Fontoura; police officers and detectives of the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Fritz G. Fragé; and police officers and detectives of the East Orange Police Department, under the direction of Chief William C. Robinson, for their assistance with the investigation.
The investigation was conducted as part of the Newark Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The Newark VCI was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Newark. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New Jersey Division, the U.S. Marshals, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, Union County Jail, New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, New Jersey Department of Corrections, the East Orange Police Department, and the Irvington Police Department.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samantha C. Fasanello and Jason Goldberg of the Criminal Division in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
williamsetal.scomplaint.pdfFelon Indicted and Arrested for the Illegal Possession of a Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Manchester man was indicted and arrested in connection with his possession of a firearm and ammunition, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Eric Edmondson, 45, was indicted with one count of illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition by a previously convicted felon on November 15, 2023. Edmondson appeared in federal court on November 28, 2023, and was detained.
On September 11, 2023, Edmondson was found in possession of a privately manufactured 9mm firearm (also known as a ghost gun) and 5 rounds of commercially available ammunition after a motor vehicle stop. As a previously convicted felon, Edmondson is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law.
The charge provides for a maximum sentence of up to 15 years in prison, up to a three-year term of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The New Hampshire State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles L. Rombeau is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Federal grand jury indicts Frewsburg sex offenderRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that a federal grand jury gas returned an indictment charging Jeffrey Paden, 57, of Frewsburg, NY, with receipt and possession of child pornography, which carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, and a maximum of 40 years.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment and previously filed complaint, the New York State Police (NYSP) received a report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that an individual in Frewsburg, NY, uploaded images of child pornography on the internet. Subsequent investigation traced the images to Paden, who is currently on federal supervised release following a 2015 conviction for possession of child pornography. Paden was sentenced to serve 57 months in prison and ordered to register as a sex offender upon release. On September 12, 2023, the FBI executed a search warrant on 12 electronic devices seized earlier in the investigation by the NYSP and recovered multiple images of child pornography.
Paden was arraigned today before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, and the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Eugene Staniszewski.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Federal Inmate Charged with Attempted Murder and Other OffensesRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – On December 1, 2023, the United States Attorney’s Office filed a criminal complaint charging attempted murder, assault with intent to commit murder, assault with a dangerous weapon, and assault resulting in serious bodily injury against John Turscak, 52.
The complaint alleges that while incarcerated at Federal Correctional Institution Tucson, Turscak stabbed another inmate, D.C., who had previously been convicted of federal crimes in another district, approximately 22 times with an improvised knife.
A complaint is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Attempted murder and assault with intent to commit murder violations each carry maximum penalties of 20 years’ incarceration, while assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury each carry maximum penalties of 10 years’ incarceration.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution is being handled by the United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-192_Turscak
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Federal Grand Jury Indicts Ute Fish and Wildlife Officer in 2022 Shooting on Tribal Land in Uinta CanyonRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Waneka Rosebud Cornpeach, age 40, of Fort Duchesne, Utah, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Utah for assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury, both while within Indian Country.
According to the indictment, on or about July 17, 2022, the defendant allegedly fired her weapon at two different victims, resulting in serious bodily injury. The indictment charges the defendant with four counts: two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon while within Indian Country in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 113(a)(3) and 1153, and two counts of assault resulting in serious bodily injury while within Indian Country in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 113(a)(6) and 1153.
The defendant made her initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Daphne A. Oberg on November 30, 2023.
The FBI’s Salt Lake City Field Office conducted the investigation. Special Assistant United States Attorney Kelly Churnet from the District of Colorado is handling the prosecution of the case in the United States District Court for the District of Utah.
The charges in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Essex County Convicted Felon Admits Involvement in Two Shootings, Possessing Firearm with Extended Magazine, and Possessing Heroin with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man admitted his involvement in two shootings, as well as illegally possessing a handgun and possessing heroin he intended to distribute, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Antoine Hawkins, 31, of Newark, pleaded guilty on Nov. 28, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Katharine S. Hayden to an indictment charging him with two counts of possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Aug. 18, 2020, video surveillance footage depicted Hawkins as he fired a gun on a Newark street, striking a victim, who survived the shooting. Hawkins was also identified as the perpetrator of another shooting in Newark on Aug. 13, 2020, and cartridge casings from the locations of both shootings were a ballistics match.
On Sept. 16, 2020, law enforcement encountered Hawkins and observed what appeared to be a firearm in Hawkins’s jacket. A subsequent search of Hawkins revealed a 9-millimeter pistol, which was loaded in an extended magazine containing 19 rounds of ammunition.
A search warrant executed at Hawkins’s residence revealed, among other items, 626 glassine envelopes containing heroin and three 9-millimeter magazines.
The firearm and ammunition offenses carry maximum potential penalties of 10 years in prison, and fines of $250,000. The count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime carries a statutory mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison – which must run consecutively to any other sentence Hawkins receives – and a maximum potential penalty of life in prison. The narcotics offense carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $1 million. Sentencing is scheduled for April 2, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II; members of the Newark Department of Public Safety, under the direction of Director Fritz G. Fragé; members of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz; and special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso, with the investigation leading to the charges.
This investigation is part of the Violent Crime Initiative (VCI) in Newark. The Newark VCI was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around the Newark. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI includes the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the DEA, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Marshals, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole Board, New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, and New Jersey Department of Corrections.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Levin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office National Security Unit in Newark.
hawkins.indictment.pdfDulce Man Pleads Guilty to Domestic AssaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Patrick Maestas pled guilty to assault of a spouse, intimate partner, and dating partner, by strangling, suffocating, and attempting to strangle and suffocate. Maestas, 34, of Dulce, and an enrolled member of the Jicarilla Apache Nation, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
According to court records, on July 8, 2022, Maestas had consumed a large quantity of alcohol and began an argument with Jane Doe, the mother of his child and intimate partner. During the argument, Maestas punched a TV and pinned Jane Doe to the bed in the presence of their child. Maestas then used the collar of Jane Doe’s shirt to strangle her, causing Jane Doe to black out and causing serious bodily injury.
At sentencing, Maestas faces up to ten years in prison followed by 3 years of supervise release.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Jicarilla Apache Police Department. Special Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly Bell is prosecuting the case.
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23-276
Drug Supplier Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III sentenced Clarence Coby, age 48, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 14 years in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Division; Acting Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Anne Arundel County Police Chief Amal E. Awad; and Annapolis Police Chief Edward Jackson.
According to his guilty plea, in November 2019, the DEA received information about a number of drug trafficking organizations operating in and around the Annapolis, Maryland area and identified Orland Ray Coleman, Sr. as a drug trafficker responsible for distributing drugs to those organizations. Additional investigation revealed that Clarence Coby was a source of supply to Coleman, specifically providing Coleman and other Annapolis-areas drug traffickers with fentanyl and cocaine.
In mid-May 2021, several search warrants were executed on houses and vehicles associated with Coby. Investigators recovered at Coby’s house, a total of 5 guns and ammunition, more than a kilogram of cocaine and approximately 62 grams of fentanyl pills, and approximately $109,941 in drug proceeds. Investigators also executed search and seizure warrants on Coby’s vehicles and recovered approximately seven kilograms of fentanyl, 947 grams of cocaine and 264 grams of heroin hidden in secret compartments in one of Coby’s vehicles.
On October 10, 2023, Orlando Ray Coleman, Sr., age 48, of Millersville, Maryland pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. Coleman is expected to be sentenced to eight years in federal prison at his sentencing on January 19, 2024, at 2:00 p.m.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This prosecution is part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The specific mission of the Baltimore Strike Force is to reduce violent, drug-related, and gang crime in the Baltimore area and surrounding region. The Baltimore SF is comprised of agents and officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Secret Service, the Baltimore Police Department, the Baltimore City Sheriff’s Office, the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office, the Anne Arundel County Police Department, the Baltimore County Police Department, the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, the Maryland National Guard, the Maryland State Police, and the Maryland Transportation Authority, and the prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Maryland.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DEA, the FBI, the Anne Arundel County Police Department, and the Annapolis Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney LaRai Everett, 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 https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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District Man Sentenced to Sixteen Years in Prison for Armed Carjacking at Gas StationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Andrew Patrick, 38, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 16 years of incarceration for the September 2022 armed carjacking at a southeast gas station, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Pamela Smith, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Patrick was found guilty at trial on September 27, 2023, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, of armed carjacking, and related firearm offenses. According to that evidence, on September 22, 2022, the victim had driven her 2005 Chevy Suburban to the Good Hope Road gas station in Washington, DC when the defendant approached her and demanded her car keys at gunpoint. The victim begged Patrick not to hurt her. In response, Patrick pushed the victim into her vehicle, grabbed her keys, and drove off in her car. The victim called 911 and immediately reported the crime. Police apprehended Patrick in the victim’s car later that day, after a license plate reader detected the victim’s tags when he drove it through Northeast DC. Police officers also found a black and grey Glock 37 inside the vehicle.
At the sentencing hearing, the victim gave a powerful and moving statement to the Honorable Lynn Leibovitz in which she explained how the defendant’s crimes had impacted her life, hurt her deep “in her soul,” and made her fear for her life. The victim specifically thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory J. Evans and Omeed A. Assefi and Victim/Witness Advocate Christie Bloodworth for their hard work and continued support throughout the investigation and trial process.
At the conclusion of the hearing, Judge Leibovitz sentenced the defendant to 16 years’ incarceration for the armed carjacking offense, which carries a 15-year mandatory-minimum sentence. Patrick was also sentenced to five years for possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, three years for unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, fourteen months for carrying a pistol without a license, one year for possession of an unregistered firearm, and one year for unlawful possession of ammunition. The judge also ordered that defendant serve five years of supervised release after he completes his sentence.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office including Assistant U.S. Attorney Noah N. Simmons, Paralegal Specialist Renee Prather, Victim/Witness Advocate Christie Bloodworth, and Litigation Technology Specialist Charlie Bruce.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory J. Evans and Omeed A. Assefi, who investigated, prosecuted, and tried the case.
Disbarred Queens Attorney Pleads Guilty to Defrauding His ClientsRead the Press Release
Earlier today, Hyun W. Lee, also known as Michael Lee, pleaded guilty at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, New York to wire fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud his real estate clients and their counterparties of funds held in his attorney escrow account. Today’s proceeding took place before United States District Judge Pamela K. Chen. When sentenced, Lee faces up to twenty years in prison. Lee has also agreed to pay $3.27 million dollars in forfeiture.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced the guilty plea.
“With today’s guilty plea, Lee has admitted that he preyed upon members of the Korean-American community by holding himself out as a licensed attorney after his suspension and disbarment, only to steal millions of dollars entrusted to him for safekeeping,” stated United States Attorney Breon Peace. “Protecting the community while holding accountable those who use their positions of trust to defraud others is, and will remain, a priority of this Office.”
Mr. Peace expressed his appreciation to the Queens County District Attorney’s Office for their assistance in this investigation.
According to court filings and facts presented during the plea proceeding, Lee induced clients and counterparties to entrust funds to him for the purchase of real estate based on misrepresentations that Lee would release the funds deposited into his escrow account. Instead, Lee misappropriated these funds and used them for his own benefit, which included gambling at casinos and to pay expenses at a restaurant that he partially owned. Lee also misrepresented that he was an attorney authorized to represent clients, including in connection with the purchase and sale of real estate, and to receive and hold funds in his escrow account in connection with real estate transactions. In reality, Lee had been suspended and was subsequently disbarred from engaging in the practice of law in the State of New York. As a result, Lee was not permitted to accept funds from clients and third parties.
In furtherance of the scheme, Lee misled clients about the status of funds held in his escrow account by fabricating documents leading them to believe their funds were secure. While documentation Lee showed to clients reflected a balance in Lee’s escrow account of nearly $3 million, in reality Lee had depleted the escrow account down to only approximately $25,000. Lee then failed to honor requests by clients and their counterparties to release funds from his escrow account, falsely claiming that he was in the process of working out an equitable way to distribute funds that remained when Lee had already spent virtually all of the funds in the account.
Victims who suffered losses as a result of the conduct of Lee, or other New York lawyers who engage in misconduct, may be eligible to receive compensation by filing a claim with the Lawyer’s Fund for Client Protection, which may be reached at (800) 442-3863 or e-mailing [email protected].
The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Hiral D. Mehta and Brian D. Morris of the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section with assistance from Special Agent Martin Sullivan and Paralegal Specialist Peyton Jefferson.
The Defendant:
HYUN W. LEE, also known as “Michael Lee”
Age: 51
Closter, New JerseyE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-465 (PKC)
D.C. Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Carrying Out Conspiracy to Impersonate Federal Law Enforcement OfficersRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Arian Taherzadeh was sentenced today to 33 months in prison for pretending to be a federal law enforcement officer to curry favor with members of the U.S. Secret Service, and to lease several luxury apartments for which he then failed to pay rent.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves; Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division; Inspector General Dr. Joseph V. Cuffari, of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security; and Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood, of the Washington Division, U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
On Aug. 1, 2022, Taherzadeh, 41, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty to conspiracy, a federal offense, and unlawful possession of a large-capacity ammunition feeding device and voyeurism, both District of Columbia offenses, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. In addition to the prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ordered 36 months of supervised release and restitution of $706,218.
According to court documents, Taherzadeh and a co-conspirator, Haider Ali, 36, of Springfield, Va., operated a business called United States Special Police LLC (USSP), which was described as a private law enforcement, investigative, and protective service based in Washington, D.C. The two men represented themselves to law enforcement as investigators and/or special agents and claimed that their unit was part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The company was not associated in any way with the U.S. government or the District of Columbia and had never done business with the federal or D.C. governments.
As the scheme unfolded, Taherzadeh falsely claimed at various times to be, among other things, a Special Agent with the DHS, a member of a multi-jurisdictional federal task force, a former U.S. Air Marshal, and a former U.S. Army Ranger. He used these false claims to recruit others to USSP, under the guise that it was part of a covert federal law enforcement task force, to defraud owners of three apartment complexes into providing him with multiple apartments and parking spaces for his supposed law enforcement operations, and to ingratiate himself with members of federal law enforcement and the defense community. Both Taherzadeh and Ali used these false claims to recruit others to join their “task force” or “unit,” which these individuals believed to be part of DHS and federal law enforcement.
In furtherance of the scheme, Taherzadeh and Ali ingratiated themselves with employees of the U.S. Secret Service because it provided them with cover and aided in their scheme. Beginning as early as the spring of 2020, Taherzadeh began falsely identifying himself as a Special Agent to employees of the United States Secret Service. In one instance, he falsely claimed to two Secret Service employees that he was in a gang unit. He told another that he was part of a covert task force. Taherzadeh also provided these Secret Service employees with tangible and intangible gifts. For instance, Taherzadeh provided one employee and his wife with a generator and a doomsday/survival backpack. He provided another employee with a rent-free penthouse apartment for approximately one year, worth approximately $40,200. He provided a third employee with a rent-free apartment for approximately one year, worth an estimated $48,240, as well as a drone, a gun locker, and a Pelican case.
Taherzadeh and others used assumed law enforcement personas and the business to maintain leases for multiple apartments and parking spaces for supposed law enforcement operation at three luxury apartment complexes in the District of Columbia. At one luxury apartment complex in Southeast D.C., Taherzadeh and Ali maintained several units including a penthouse where Taherzadeh and Ali possessed, among other things, a Glock handgun registered to Ali that was loaded with a large-capacity ammunition feeding device, surveillance equipment, law enforcement tactical gear and a machine capable of programming Personal Identification Verification (PIV) cards used to create false credentials. Within his own apartment, Taherzadeh possessed a Sig Sauer P229 handgun with five, fully loaded large-capacity ammunition feeding devices, containing 61 rounds of ammunition. They also used their false identification with law enforcement to obtain security footage in the building as well as a list of the building’s residents as well as their apartment numbers and contact information.
Throughout their tenancies at the three luxury apartment complexes, no rent was paid on the leased apartments or parking garage spaces. This resulted in a loss to the buildings of $698,363 and to the garage of $7,854.
Finally, Taherzadeh installed surveillance cameras outside and inside his apartment in one of the complexes. Among other places, he installed, maintained, and utilized cameras in his bedroom. He used these cameras to record women engaged in sexual activity. Taherzadeh then showed these explicit videos to third parties.
Taherzadeh and Ali, were arrested on Apr. 6, 2022. Ali pleaded guilty on Oct. 5, 2022, to a conspiracy and bank fraud, both federal offenses, and unlawful possession of a large-capacity ammunition feeding device, a District of Columbia Offense. On Aug. 8, 2023, Ali was sentenced to 68 months of incarceration followed by 36 months of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the Office of the Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Aloi and Joshua S. Rothstein of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section.
Valuable assistance was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Tortorice and Paralegal Specialists Quiana Dunn-Gordon, and Lisa Abbe and former Paralegal Specialist Chad Byron of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, and Trial Attorneys Kathleen Campbell and Evan Turgeon of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division.
Cozad Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Christopher P. Twohig, 45, of Cozad, Nebraska, was sentenced on December 1, 2023, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more methamphetamine (actual) and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Twohig to 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Twohig’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
On March 22, 2023, officers in Cozad, Nebraska, attempted to arrest Twohig on a state arrest warrant. Twohig was located and apprehended in a parking lot at a convenience store. Approximately 47 grams of meth was found in Twohig’s coat, along with multiple empty baggies. A firearm was also found in his vehicle with over 100 rounds of ammunition. The suspected meth was sent to the lab, and the lab determined that there was about 45.24 grams of meth, of which at least 41 grams was actual meth.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Nebraska State Patrol, and Dawson County Sheriff’s Office.
Costa Rican Man Sentenced to 37 Months for Smuggling over 4,000 Pounds of MarijuanaRead the Press Release
St. Croix, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Luis Orellana-Orellana, 59, of Costa Rica, was sentenced by Judge Wilma Lewis to 37 months incarceration after pleading guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute over 4,000 pounds of marijuana on board a vessel subject to jurisdiction of the United States.
According to court documents, on November 7, 2022, while patrolling in international waters in the Eastern Pacific, 65 nautical miles South of Boca Chica, Panama, the United States Coast Guard Cutter Campbell intercepted a go-fast vessel with no physical flag flown and no registration documents onboard. Bundles of contraband were visible on the deck of the go-fast vessel and Orellana-Orellana, Keyran Coto-Lopez and Alonso Hernandez-Hernandez were found on board. One of the three men on board claimed Colombian nationality for the go-fast vessel, but the Colombian Government neither confirmed nor denied nationality of the vessel. A search of the go-fast vessel by Coast Guard officers resulted in the recovery of 4,104 pounds of marijuana. Coto-Lopez was sentenced by Judge Lewis to 48 months following his guilty plea, and Hernandez-Hernandez awaits a sentencing date.
This case was investigated by the United States Coast Guard and Drug Enforcement Administration and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Melissa P. Ortiz. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Convicted Felon on Supervised Release Charged with Possessing a Machinegun in Furtherance of Fentanyl and Heroin TraffickingRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A former resident of Homestead, Pennsylvania, has been charged in a superseding indictment by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh for possession of a machinegun in furtherance of drug trafficking and other offenses, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
The three-count Superseding Indictment named Erik Addison, age 27, as the sole defendant.
According to the Superseding Indictment, on May 8, 2023, Addison possessed with intent to distribute a quantity of fentanyl and heroin, possessed a machinegun in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime, and also possessed a Glock pistol equipped with a part commonly referred to as a “Glock Switch,” designed to convert a semiautomatic Glock-style handgun into a machinegun capable of fully automatic fire.
As to the most serious offense, possession of a machinegun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, the law provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years of imprisonment with a maximum possible sentence of life, as well as a maximum possible fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
At the time of the new alleged offenses, Addison was serving a term of supervised release following his conviction for a prior federal firearm offense in 2021. As a result, he is now the subject of separate federal court proceedings to revoke his supervised release. According to court records in the supervised release matter, it is alleged that Addison was the subject of an attempted traffic stop on May 8, 2023. Rather than complying with law enforcement, Addison allegedly fled from the traffic stop—striking multiple law enforcement vehicles as he did so—and proceeded at a high rate of speed across the Homestead Grays Bridge from Pittsburgh to the Boroughs of Homestead and West Homestead. Addison’s vehicle was subsequently located, heavily damaged and abandoned. Multiple officers from various jurisdictions responded. One officer saw Addison fleeing on foot, and while that officer pursued him, multiple shots allegedly were fired. Addison was then apprehended and found to be in possession of the firearm that is the subject of the new federal charges contained in the Superseding Indictment.
In addition to the charges returned by the federal grand jury and the alleged supervised release violations, Addison is also facing charges in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, including aggravated assault and attempted murder of a law enforcement officer stemming from his alleged conduct on May 8, 2023.
“Glock switches turn handguns into machineguns,” said United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan. “Erik Addison allegedly possessed one such machinegun in furtherance of his fentanyl and heroin dealing—a lethal combination of staggering proportions. This office and our dedicated partners in law enforcement will continue our ceaseless pursuit of violent offenders in order to protect the community and ordinary citizens who just want to walk down the street without fear of deadly gunfire.”
“The conduct allegedly committed by the defendant was reprehensible, reckless and extremely dangerous to the community. Stopping individuals who utilize machineguns to facilitate the illegal drug trade is one of ATF’s highest priorities,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Eric DeGree. “We want to thank our local partners for their diligence and courage in his apprehension, as well as the support of the United States Attorney’s Office as we continue to work to take illegal weapons off the streets.”
“This was a violent incident involving a dangerous, illegal weapon,” said Allegheny County Police Superintendent Christopher Kearns. “This arrest is a perfect example of how our work with our local and federal partners allows us to target dangerous individuals and weapons to keep our communities safe.”
Assistant United States Attorneys Douglas C. Maloney and Brendan T. Conway are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Allegheny County Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Superseding Indictment in this case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A superseding indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Violations of the conditions of supervised release must be proven by the government by a preponderance of the evidence.
Colombian National Extradited from Colombia to the United States to Face Charges of Murder Conspiracy and Attempted Murder of U.S. Army SoldiersRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A five-count indictment, lodged against Andres Fernando Medina Rodriguez, 39, was unsealed today during the defendant’s initial appearance in federal court in Miami. Medina Rodriguez was extradited from Colombia to the United States to face federal charges. Medina Rodriguez was indicted by a Miami federal grand jury in 2022 for charges that include conspiring to murder members of the United States Uniformed Services and attempted murder of members of the United States Uniformed Services.
According to the indictment, Medina Rodriguez, in concert with other co-conspirators, planned a bombing attack against U.S. Army soldiers present at the Colombian 30th Army Brigade Base in Cucuta, Colombia. Medina Rodriguez used his status as a medically discharged Colombian Army Officer to gain access to the base where he conducted surveillance. As part of the surveillance, Medina Rodriguez took photographs and video of the areas where the U.S. Army soldiers were primarily located.
One of Medina Rodriguez’s co-conspirators instructed Medina Rodriguez to find and purchase a vehicle suitable for conducting a vehicle borne improvised explosive device (“VBIED”) attack at the base. Medina Rodriguez purchased a white SUV and Medina Rodriguez and his co-conspirators drove the vehicle to Venezuela where it was outfitted with the explosives.
On June 15, 2021, Medina Rodriguez drove the vehicle with the VBIED to the 30th Army Brigade Base in Cucuta, Colombia, where he parked it in front of the location where U.S. and Colombian military personnel were located. Medina Rodriguez pulled the detonation pin on the explosive and left the area on foot before fleeing on a motorcycle driven by a co-conspirator. As a result of the detonated VBIED, three U.S. Army soldiers were injured.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI’s Miami Field Office announced the unsealing of the charges.
The FBI investigated the case. The FBI, including the FBI Legal Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Bogota, was assisted by the Colombian National Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy A. Hummel, Assistant U.S. Attorney Andy Camacho, and the Justice Department’s National Security Division Trial Attorneys David C. Smith and Michael Dittoe are prosecuting the case.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of the Judicial Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Bogota worked with Colombian authorities, including the Colombian Attorney General’s Office, to secure the arrest and extradition of Medina Rodriguez.
An indictment contains mere allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 22-20054-CR-SCOLA/GOODMAN.
22-20054-CR-SCOLA###
Clive Man Pleads Guilty to Wire FraudRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – On November 29, 2023, a Clive man pleaded guilty to wire fraud.
According to public court documents, Zachary James Flaherty, 47, used his position as an insurance agent and annuity salesperson to defraud elderly individuals out of their retirement savings and other monies. Flaherty admitted to engaging in a scheme to defraud some of his insurance clients, specifically, that he intended to defraud some of his clients by making false statements to those clients to obtain financial benefits for himself to the detriment of his clients. For example, Flaherty told one of the victims, referred to in court documents as Victim #10, that he would invest proceeds from the sale of her house on her behalf and for her benefit, even though Flaherty knew that his representations to Victim #10 were false. As a result of Flaherty’s false representations, Victim #10 wrote two checks, totaling $170,000, to a company Flaherty owned and/or operated. Flaherty used the proceeds of his fraudulent scheme to acquire various assets, including a boat and automobiles.
Flaherty is scheduled to be sentenced on April 12, 2024, and faces a potential sentence of up to twenty years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence Flaherty will receive after considering the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other sentencing factors.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case, with assistance from the Des Moines Police Department, Clive Police Department, and the Iowa Department of Public Safety’s Division of Criminal Investigation.
Cleveland Man Sentenced to more than 39 Years for Selling Cocaine and Fentanyl that Caused an Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND - U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko announced that Willie Pratt, 35, of Cleveland, Ohio, was sentenced to 470 months in prison by U.S. District Judge John R. Adams after a jury earlier convicted Pratt of distributing cocaine and fentanyl that caused the death of a 42-year-old North Olmstead, Ohio resident.
According to court documents and trial testimony, on October 30, 2021, Pratt sold the victim cocaine and heroin, which was actually fentanyl. This transaction was witnessed by the victim’s friend. The victim consumed the narcotics which caused the victim’s death in Rocky River, Ohio. Authorities used the victim’s phone to identify and arrest Pratt through setting up a controlled purchase of the same narcotics. When Pratt was arrested, he had cocaine and fentanyl in his possession, as well a phone which the victim called to purchase narcotics from Pratt. In addition, Pratt was wearing a GPS ankle monitor, which confirmed that Pratt was at the location of the fatal distribution on October 30, 2021.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Rocky River Police Department and DEA. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Payum Doroodian and Yasmine Makridis.
Cleveland Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Possession with Intent to Distribute Narcotics and Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND - U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko announced that David Powell, 67, of Cleveland, Ohio, was sentenced to 240 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Patricia A. Gaughan after earlier pleading guilty to possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, on October 5, 2021, detectives executed multiple search warrants on residences associated with Powell, where they uncovered several kilograms of narcotics and firearms. Powell was incarcerated for a parole violation before returning to the community. Then on October 25, 2022, detectives executed another search warrant on Powell’s residence which resulted in the seizure of three kilograms of narcotics and a firearm. Powell has prior felony convictions, including a 1980 murder conviction in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, which prohibited him from possession of a firearm.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Southeast Area Law Enforcement Narcotics Task Force and the FBI. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Payum Doroodian.
Clayton Man Pleads Guilty to Drug and Firearms CrimesRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Adam Cook, age 33, of Clayton, New York pled guilty yesterday to possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm in connection with a federal drug trafficking crime, and manufacturing and transferring illegal “ghost gun” rifles, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and Kristyna Mills, Jefferson County District Attorney
As part of his guilty plea yesterday, Adam Cook admitted that he possessed 285 grams of cocaine for distribution that was recovered during a search warrant executed at his Clayton, New York residence in September 2020. He also admitted that he possessed a 12-gauge shotgun in connection with his drug trafficking crime. In pleading guilty, Cook also admitted to manufacturing and transferring illegally short-barreled unregistered .223 caliber “ghost guns.” The guilty pleas stemmed from an investigation conducted by the Metro-Jefferson Drug Task Force and ATF into drug and firearms trafficking in the Watertown, New York area.
Sentencing is scheduled April 2, 2023, in Syracuse, at which time Adam Cook faces up to 20-years in prison for his conviction for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, a mandatory consecutive sentence of at least 5-years and up to life imprisonment for his conviction for possession of a firearm in connection with a drug trafficking crime, and up to 10-years imprisonment for making and transferring unregistered illegally short-barreled .223 caliber “ghost gun” rifles. He will also be sentenced to a term of at least 3-years of post-incarceration supervised release and may also be sentenced to fines of up to $1 million dollars. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
The case was investigated by the ATF and the Metro-Jefferson Drug Task Force, consisting of Special Agents from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Detectives from the City of Watertown Police Department and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department, Investigators from the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office, and U.S. Border Patrol Agents. Assistance was also provided by the City of Watertown Police Department, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department, and the Village of Clayton Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Southwick.
This case was brought as 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 U.S. Department of Justice 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.
Charlotte Man Arrested for Possession of A Machinegun and Possession of A Firearm by A Felon Appears in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Joshua Michael Jenkins, 20, of Charlotte, appeared in court today after he was arrested on federal charges for possession of a machinegun and possession of a firearm by a felon, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Jenkins was arrested on Thursday and his initial appearance was scheduled today before U.S. Magistrate Judge David C. Keesler. A grand jury returned a criminal indictment against Jenkins on November 14, 2023.
According to allegations in the indictment, on October 30, 2022, Jenkins possessed a machinegun, that being a Glock model 23, .40 caliber pistol, with an affixed machinegun conversion device, commonly referred to as a “Glock Switch.” The indictment further alleges that on July 26, 2022, Jenkins illegally possessed a Glock model 23, .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol, knowing he had previously been convicted of a crime punishable by a prison term exceeding one year.
Jenkins remains in federal custody. If convicted, he faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the charge of possession of a machinegun. The charge of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The charges against Jenkins are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the North Carolina Highway Patrol, the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department, and the Huntersville Police Department for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Regina Pack of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Central Ohio men plead guilty to 4 armed robberies of Postal carriers, face minimum of 20 years in prisonRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Two Central Ohio men pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to four armed robberies of Postal carriers.
Theirno S. Bah, 20, of Columbus, was arrested in August 2023 after being charged with co-defendant Cameron D. Newton, 20, of Westerville. As part of Bah’s plea, the parties are recommending a sentence of 20 to 25 years in prison. Newton faces a minimum of 20 years and up to life in prison.
The two men are the latest of at least a dozen defendants charged in the Southern District of Ohio in 2022 and 2023 with crimes related to Postal robberies. For example, in Columbus, in August 2022, Brandon J. Campbell was sentenced to 78 months in prison for two previous armed Postal carrier robberies. Mahad S. Jama, Da’Mon D. May and Cody N. Beasley have been convicted of crimes for an April 2023 armed Postal robbery in Dublin.
According to Bah’s plea agreement, he used firearms and robbed Postal carriers of their U.S. Postal Service keys on four occasions between December 2022 and May 2023. Newton aided and abetted the aggravated robberies of mail and the use of a firearm during the crimes of violence.
Bah, who is also known as “Wopo” and “Wopoonese,” and Newton worked with others to steal service keys, which are then used to steal mail from USPS receptacles (a process known as “fishing”). Individuals then “cook” the mail by washing personal and business checks and other financial instruments to reflect new payees and new payment amounts. The defendants would then recruit third parties to deposit the newly washed checks in their own accounts and split the profit.
The alleged thefts occurred in Central Ohio on:
- Dec. 29, 2022
- Jan. 3, 2023 (two separate robberies on this date)
- May 11, 2023
Bah admitted to using a handgun to rob a Postal carrier in German Village on Dec. 29, 2022. Bah pointed the handgun at the victim’s stomach and demanded his vehicle and service keys. Newton, who was on probation and consequently wearing a GPS ankle monitor at the time, recruited two juveniles to assist with the robbery. Newton also arranged for Bah to use the handgun.
On Jan. 3, Bah pushed a Postal carrier into her mail truck while she was sorting mail in the back of the truck on East Columbus Street. He then pushed a gun into the victim’s side before stealing her keys. At this robbery, Newton provided surveillance from his vehicle nearby, using the cover of making DoorDash deliveries to evade his home confinement.
Later that day, Bah committed another armed Postal robbery, this time in Whitehall. Bah approached the victim and pushed the handgun into her stomach before stealing her personal car keys and the USPS service keys. Newton again provided surveillance in the vicinity. He also worked to arrange buyers for the stolen Postal keys.
On May 11, Bah robbed a Postal worker at the Post Office Retail Store on West Broad Street. Bah approached the victim while she was outside on a break. Bah asked the victim for her keys, and when she asked, “What keys?” he pistol-whipped her in the head with his handgun. Bah forcibly accompanied the victim into the post office to retrieve her service keys. Newton obtained another firearm for Bah to use during this robbery and picked up Bah and others near Goodale Park following the robbery. Newton then paid the robbers several hundred dollars via CashApp.
On May 18, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Newton’s residence and discovered $22,000 in cash, hundreds of washed and altered checks, two Postal keys and hundreds of pieces of stolen mail.
Congress sets minimum and maximum statutory sentences. Sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at future hearings.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Lesley Allison, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant; Westerville Police Chief Charles Chandler; and Whitehall Police Chief Mike Crispen announced the guilty pleas entered this afternoon before Chief U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorney Noah R. Litton is representing the United States in this case.
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Cedar Rapids Man Who Produced Child Pornography Sentenced to over 15 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
A Cedar Rapids man who sent gift cards to minors in exchange for sexually explicit videos from the minors was sentenced to more than 15 years in prison today.
Andrew Kyte, age 53, from Cedar Rapids, received the prison term after a June 22, 2023, guilty plea to one count of sexual exploitation of children.
Evidence established that from 2017 until 2019 defendant received depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct on two electronic devices. Defendant would send minors gift cards to encourage the minors to make sexually explicit videos and send those videos to him. Defendant also secretly recorded a minor through a hidden spy camera. Six minor victims were awarded restitution based on defendant’s criminal conduct.
Kyte was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Kyte was sentenced to 240 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $24,000 in restitution to six minor victims. He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Kyte is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by former Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth Dupuich and Assistant United States Attorney Matthew J. Cole and investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-4.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Casa Grande Drug Smuggler Sentenced to 10 Years for Smuggling Methamphetamine into the United StatesRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. –Jesus Vega Perez, 22, of Casa Grande, was sentenced on Monday by United States District Judge Dominic W. Lanza to 10 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Perez was convicted by a federal jury on January 19, 2023, of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Importation of Methamphetamine.
On April 2, 2022, Perez drove a 2018 BMW sedan into the United States through the San Luis Port of Entry (POE) in San Luis, Arizona. At the POE, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 30 packages hidden throughout the vehicle. The packages contained a white crystal-like substance that tested positive for methamphetamine. The combined weight of the packages was over 30 pounds. Perez presented, and the jury rejected, a duress defense at trial.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-00388-PHX-DWL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-190_Perez# # #
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.Carriere, Mississippi Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute 56 Grams of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Carriere man was sentenced to 204 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute 56 grams of methamphetamine.
Calvin Deshun Vaughn, 48, was sentenced on November 30, 2023, in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to court records, in 2015, an investigation began into a large-scale drug trafficking organization, located largely in Picayune, MS (Pearl River County). In 2019, Calvin Deshun Vaughn was identified as being part of the conspiracy. Federal agents used a confidential source to begin making purchases of methamphetamine from Vaughn. On January 30, 2019, a confidential source purchased 56 grams of 98% pure methamphetamine from Vaughn in Carriere, MS.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. 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.
Canadian Man Admits Cross-Country Crime SpreeRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from Canada pleaded guilty Friday and admitted using sleight-of-hand and other ruses to steal more than $109,000 from retailers in at least 11 states during a nearly six-month crime spree.
As part of his guilty plea to wire fraud and interstate transportation of stolen property, Mohsen Akbari, 38, admitted entering the U.S. on March 1, 2023 from South Korea on a visitor visa. He then traveled to Missouri, Illinois and at least 11 other states, where he would target Walmart stores and other retailers. After making a small purchase, Akbari would use a ruse to trick store employees into handing over cash. Akbari sometimes claimed that he and his family collected $100 bills and would ask the cashier to show him those from the cash register so he could examine them. Akbari would then surreptitiously place some of the bills into his sleeve or pocket.
Locally, Akbari stole a total of $2,420 from a Walmart in St. Peters, Missouri on June 12, 2023, $6,900 from a Granite City, Illinois store on June 13, $420 from an O’Fallon, Missouri store on June 14 and $900 from a store in Warrenton, Missouri the same day. He stole $580 from a Walmart in Eureka, Missouri and $5,100 from an Arnold, Missouri Walmart on June 15.
Akbari was arrested Aug. 22, 2023 in Connecticut with $5,388 in U.S. currency and 150 Australian dollars derived from the scheme. Akbari admitted stealing a total of $109,452. Authorities seized $69,864 from two of Akbari’s bank accounts. Akbari also wired some money to Canada.
Akbari is scheduled to be sentenced March 1, 2024. The wire fraud charge carries a potential penalty of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both. The interstate transportation of stolen property charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and the same fine.
Homeland Security Investigations, the Eureka Police Department and the Arnold Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman is prosecuting the case.
Cambria County Area Agency on Aging Agrees to Pay over $122,000 to Resolve False ClaimsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced today that Cambria County Area Agency on Aging (CCAAA) has agreed to pay $122,461.53 to resolve claims arising from CCAAA’s administration of community service grants funded through AmeriCorps.
In 2016 and 2017, CCAAA administered an AmeriCorps Foster Grandparent Program (FGP) grant, which places seniors in school and community settings to serve alongside youth with exceptional needs. This program provides a small hourly stipend, based on the hours served, to the volunteers providing valuable community services to underserved children. AmeriCorps awards CCAAA grant funds to pay the stipends as well as some or all of the grantee’s administrative costs to operate the program.
From 2016 to 2017, CCAAA allegedly failed to properly administer the AmeriCorps grant by directing its FGP staff to double or triple volunteer hours on timesheets and thus pay inflated, unearned stipends to volunteers. Volunteers were also allegedly awarded “bonus” hours for service activities that they did not perform.
In addition, CCAAA allegedly charged unrelated, unsupported, and misallocated costs to the grant and inflated travel (mileage) costs attributable to grant funds. After receiving a complaint, CCAAA engaged its auditors to review the expenditures, and that review identified some of the above improper practices that diverted AmeriCorps funds. Nevertheless, CCAAA failed to timely notify AmeriCorps of the findings or return the misspent funds, as required.
“It is important for participants in federally funded programs to be transparent and honest about how those funds are used. When a grant recipient misuses funds, the beneficiaries in need, such as underserved youth here, are deprived of the opportunities those funds are meant to provide,” said U.S. Attorney Romero.
“CCAAA’s decision to use its grant to pay Foster Grandparent volunteers for hours that they did not serve deprived the community of services intended for its benefit. The non-profit’s inability to account for federal funds violated the trust that the public places in AmeriCorps Seniors grantees,” said Stephen Ravas, AmeriCorps’ Acting Inspector General. “We thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for its partnership in protecting the integrity of national service.”
This investigation was conducted jointly by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and AmeriCorps’ Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorneys Anthony St. Joseph and Paul W. Kaufman handled the investigation and settlement.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
California Men Sentenced for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute 54 Grams of Fentanyl and 206 Grams of Fentanyl AnalogueRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Two Irvine, California men were sentenced to federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
David Quinonez, 23, was sentenced to 87 months in prison, and Aaron Torres, 24, was sentenced to 64 months in prison.
According to court records, in March of 2022, law enforcement agents were made aware that David Quinonez was sending pills containing fentanyl to the Southern District of Mississippi. Undercover agents began communicating with Quinonez and were then able to determine that Aaron Torres was Quinonez’s source of supply. The agents arranged to purchase fentanyl pills from Quinonez in California. When they met with Quinonez, Torres was also present in the car and the pair had pills containing fentanyl that they intended to sell. The overall conspiracy involved 54 grams of fentanyl and 206 grams of a fentanyl analogue.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune of Homeland Security Investigations made the announcement.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.
California Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute 1342 Grams of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Los Angeles, California man was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 1342 grams of methamphetamine.
According to court records, on October 31, 2019, an anonymous tipster alerted the DEA to a PODS container being shipped by Shaun Patrick Fuller, 41, to Jackson County, Mississippi. The tipster said the PODS contained drugs that were being sent from California to Mississippi to be trafficked. A canine alerted on the container and a search warrant was obtained. The search revealed 1342 grams of meth that tested at 100% purity. A controlled delivery of the PODS container took place and it was determined that the container was sent to the Jackson County residence by Fuller.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.
CEO of Charity for Veterans Charged with Federal Fraud CrimesRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment earlier this month charging a Myrtle Beach, South Carolina man with devising and executing a scheme to defraud the public through his registration and operation of a charity that purported to provide services and support to homeless and destitute veterans.
According to the indictment, James W. Arehart, 45, was a Virginia resident, and employed full-time as a government contractor, when he registered a 501(c)(3) organization in April 2018 with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) named “Providing Hope VA.” Arehart also registered this entity in South Carolina as a charitable organization, and thereafter established a social media and online presence for the charity—including a Facebook page and website. Arehart allegedly described Providing Hope to the public as a charity whose “direct mission” was to help homeless and destitute veterans by establishing the “Providing Hope Center,” which was to be a freestanding facility that offered housing, job training, and other support to veterans. Providing Hope’s fundraising method is alleged to have involved the advertisement and sale of raffle tickets for high-end vehicles. Arehart allegedly purchased these vehicles, then raffled them off in livestreamed videos on Facebook.
Between 2018 and August of 2021, it is alleged that Arehart’s raffle sales generated more than $9 million in proceeds—all of which flowed into and through Providing Hope’s bank account, over which Arehart had complete and sole control. Arehart was Providing Hope’s president and sole board member during this time period.
In seeking to induce the public to financially support Providing Hope, Arehart allegedly made numerous and repeated false statements to the public promoting his charity. These included alleged misrepresentations regarding Arehart’s compensation and salary from Providing Hope, misrepresentations about Providing Hope’s purportedly segregated and steadily growing “Building Fund”—it is alleged that no such fund exists— and alleged misrepresentations about the purportedly tax-deductible nature of Providing Hope’s raffle ticket purchases. Arehart also allegedly used the charity’s funds for his own benefit on numerous occasions, including paying for his pet’s veterinary bills, and miscategorized those and other expenditures in Providing Hope’s tax filing in 2019 with the IRS. When confronted by federal agents investigating his activities, Arehart is alleged to have made false statements consistent with the false claims he had advanced to the public in the months and years prior.
Arehart made his initial appearance in court on Wednesday.
Arehart is charged with mail fraud, wire fraud, money laundering, and making false statements to federal agents investigating his conduct. If convicted, Arehart faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; and Daniel Brubaker, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s New York Division, made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas A. Garnett and Kashan K. Pathan are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23cr154.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Buffalo man sentenced for posting social media threat against local stores days after Tops shootingRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Rolik Walker, 25, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of transmitting an interstate threat, was sentenced to a term of 3 years’ probation, by United States District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. One of the conditions of probation is that Walker must abide by the terms of an electronically monitored curfew for a period of one year.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy C. Lynch, who handled the case, stated that on May 16, 2022, two days after the mass shooting at the Tops Market on Jefferson Avenue in Buffalo, Walker downloaded the IPVanish application onto his cell phone in order to mask his IP address. Walker, using IPVanish, then created a Twitter account with the handle @ConklinHero, and posted a threat about “targeting” several stores in the Western New York area and “Only looking to kill blacks.” Soon after the threat was posted, local, state, and federal law enforcement diverted resources to the stores to ensure the safety of the community, which resulted in one of the stores closing early. Although he attempted to conceal his IP address, the FBI linked the Twitter account to Walker’s residence in Buffalo.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia.
- Baton Rouge Woman Sentenced to 48 Months in Federal Prison for Defrauding the PPP and EIDL Loan Programs and Laundering the Fraudulent Proceeds
Baltimore Man Sentenced to 19 Years in Federal Prison for His Role in the Robbery and Murder of a Drug DealerRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Maddox sentenced Deron Johnson, a/k/a “DJ,” age 52, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 19 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit a Hobbs Act robbery and for committing the robbery.
The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Acting Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department.
According to their plea agreements, on September 29, 2020, Johnson and co-defendants George Felds and Joseph Williams conspired to rob a 16-year-old of drugs and drug proceeds. Specifically, at approximately 4:24 a.m., Johnson and the victim pulled into the parking lot of a hotel in the 6500 block of Frankford Avenue in Baltimore, where Williams had been staying for several months, selling drugs under a fictitious name. Johnson was working as a “hack” driver and gave the victim a ride to the hotel on the ruse that the victim would be selling drugs to Williams and Fields.
As detailed in the plea agreements, Williams and Fields approached Johnson’s van and Fields held out money as though he was ready to make a purchase. Williams and Fields then began robbing the victim while Johnson walked to the rear of the van and smoked. Fields admitted that he pinned the victim down in the front passenger seat of the van and went through his pockets. The victim struggled, flailing his arms and legs. Williams admitted that he then pulled out a handgun and fired a single shot into the victim’s chest at close range. The victim stumbled away from the van and collapsed on the ground. Johnson, Williams, and Fields and then got into the van and Johnson drove away. A hotel surveillance camera captured the entire incident. The victim died later that day after being taken to the hospital. No drugs, money, or cell phone were recovered from the victim’s personal effects.
Later that morning, the conspirators returned to the hotel in Johnson’s van, while police were still processing the scene. Johnson, Williams, and Fields entered the hotel together. Police recognized the van from the hotel surveillance footage and towed the van and detained Johnson. A search warrant was executed on the van and law enforcement recovered a single bullet from the front row carpet. On October 1, 2020, Johnson’s phone was searched and was found to contain evidence of the plan to rob the victim, including: text messages between Johnson and Williams; a record of phone calls between Johnson and the victim; several calls exchanged between Johnson and phone numbers used by Williams in the hours before and after the murder; a photograph of Johnson with Williams and Fields; and Fields’ contact information was in Johnson’s contacts.
A cell phone seized from Williams at the time of his arrest revealed that Williams had been staying at the hotel, where he was also dealing drugs and that he was in dire need of money. The phone also contained messages immediately following the murder in which Williams made plans to dispose of the murder weapon and directed another individual to destroy evidence.
Co-defendants Joseph Williams, a/k/a “Blue,” age 33, and George Fields, a/k/a “Chin,” age 49, both of Baltimore, pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy and were sentenced to 26 years and 25 years in federal prison, respectively.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Hagan, 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 https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Statement on the Passing of Justice Sandra Day O’ConnorRead the Press Release
The Justice Department issued the following statement from Attorney General Merrick B. Garland following the passing of Justice Sandra Day O’Connor:
“I was saddened to learn of the passing of my friend, Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.
“Justice O’Connor was a person of outstanding judgment, integrity, and intellect, and a jurist of great common sense, practicality, and vision. As a Justice, she insisted on focusing on how the law and the Court’s decisions would affect people in their everyday lives. Her pathbreaking career was marked not only by her own incredible achievements, but by the way in which those achievements created space for so many others who, like her, were not represented in the legal community.
“She will be remembered by generations to come, both for her historic achievement of becoming the first woman to sit on the Supreme Court and for her many contributions to the law as a Justice.
“For those of us fortunate to have known her, she will also be remembered for her infectious wit, her unfailing kindness, and her devotion to her loved ones.
“My thoughts are with all those who loved and admired Justice O’Connor. I join them in honoring her extraordinary legacy.”
Armed Gunmen Sentenced for Attempted Carjacking in GreenvilleRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – Two Greenville men were each sentenced to 92 months in prison for an attempted carjacking. On August 23, 2023, Alterrik Laquan Parker aka “Al-Terrick Parker” and Gabriel Zachary Harris, both age 19, pled guilty to the charges. Previously, a third accomplice, a juvenile, was sentenced in Pitt County Superior to 80 to 108 months for attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon and 16 to 29 months custody, consecutive, for possession of a weapon of mass destruction.
“According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, carjackings increased more than 8 percent in 2022 and nine out of ten cases involve the use of a weapon,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “And, just like this case, we are seeing more cases of carjackings that involve juveniles. Carjackers in Eastern North Carolina should be on notice that we are working with our state and local partners to investigate and prosecute these cases to hold all involved in the crime – regardless of age – accountable.”
"I am happy that we have been able to help bring closure to this investigation and for the victim. The men and women of the Greenville Police Department work tirelessly to investigate crimes that occur in our city. We strive to provide the highest service possible to those who suffer at the hands of those wishing to do harm. Violence of this kind is not tolerable, and it goes without saying that anyone committing these offenses will be held accountable to the highest level," said Greenville Police Department Chief, Ted Sauls.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, on February 23, 2023, Parker and a juvenile accomplice, wearing ski masks and armed with handguns, approached a store patron as he left an ABC store in Greenville and got into his vehicle. Parker and his accomplice told the victim, “give us everything or we’ll kill you,” while pointing their firearms at the victim. The victim exited the vehicle and dropped his phone and wallet in the parking lot. At that time, Harris approached the scene and retrieved the victim’s items from the ground and then tried to drive away in the victim’s vehicle but was unable to start the car because the key fob was still in the victim’s pocket, outside the car. The victim offered to let the three carjackers have the car in exchange for his wallet and phone. The situation escalated and multiple shots were fired at the victim by Parker and the juvenile. The victim, who was armed with a firearm, returned fire on the three assailants, striking Parker. The three assailants fled the scene, and the victim retrieved his belongings and called authorities. Responding officers from the Greenville Police Department were able to locate the suspects fleeing in a Kia. Following a high-speed chase, all three assailants were arrested, and a search of the vehicle resulted in the recovery of a 9mm handgun, multiple shell casings, and approximately three ounces of marijuana.
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. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Greenville Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Phil Aubart prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:23-CR-00030-M-RN.
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Area Man Charged in Federal Court for Overdose Death of Portland 15-Year-OldRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A local man is facing federal charges today for distributing counterfeit Oxycodone pills containing fentanyl that caused the overdose death of a Portland teenager.
Nasir Overton, 20, a resident of Portland, has been charged by criminal complaint with one count each of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, resulting in death, and distributing and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, resulting in death.
According to court documents, on September 20, 2023, a detective from the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) responded to a local hospital after receiving a report of a 15-year-old who had fatally overdosed on fentanyl. The detective learned that the day prior, the teenager had ingested a single counterfeit Oxycodone pill containing fentanyl and overdosed. The teenager was pronounced dead four days later. Further investigation revealed that the teen received the fatal pill from a friend who had purchased two pills from Overton, who went by the alias “Noni.”
Overton was arrested Thursday without incident in Portland and made his first appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. He was ordered detained pending further court proceedings.
If convicted, Overton faces a maximum sentence of life in federal prison.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), PPB, and the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Interdiction Task Force (HIT). It is being prosecuted by Scott M. Kerin, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Ardmore Resident Sentenced for Felony Assault and Federal Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jeremy Kurt Lewis, Jr., age 26, of Ardmore, Oklahoma, was sentenced to concurrent terms of 108 months in prison for assault with a dangerous weapon and 108 months in prison for possessing a firearm after a felony conviction.
The charges arose from investigations by the Chickasaw Nation Lighthorse Police, the Ada Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On October 12, 2022, Lewis pleaded guilty to the charges. According to investigators, on May 6, 2021, Lewis beat the victim with his hands and a belt and obstructed the victim’s airway with a rag. While investigating the assault, officers found Lewis, a convicted felon, in possession of a firearm.
While in custody for the May 6th assault, Lewis assaulted a jail officer during a failed escape attempt. Lewis subsequently pleaded guilty to one count of assault with intent to commit a felony in that separate case and was sentenced to 63 months imprisonment. The terms of imprisonment in the separate cases will be served consecutively.
The crimes occurred in Pontotoc County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
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. Lewis will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Gross represented the United States at the sentencing.
Ardmore Resident Sentenced for Felony AssaultRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jeremy Kurt Lewis, Jr., age 26, of Ardmore, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 63 months in prison for assault with intent to commit a felony. This sentence will run consecutively to a separate sentence of 108 months for felony assault and a firearm offense imposed in another case.
The charge arose from investigations by the Murray County Sheriff’s Office, the Sulphur Police Department, the Chickasaw Nation Lighthorse Police Department, the National Park Service Rangers, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On October 12, 2022, Lewis pleaded guilty to one count of assault with intent to commit a felony. According to investigators, on May 29, 2021, while in custody for an unrelated felony assault and federal firearm offense, Lewis assaulted a jail officer during a failed escape attempt.
Lewis subsequently pleaded guilty to the prior felony assault and federal firearm offense and has since been sentenced in that case. The terms of imprisonment in the separate cases will be served consecutively.
The crime occurred in Murray County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
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. Lewis will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Gross represented the United States at the sentencing.