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Monday 16 October 2023
Cleveland Man Sentenced to 204 Months in Prison for Engaging in "Sextortion" of ChildrenRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – JAVAN BAILEY, age 22, a resident of Cleveland, Ohio, was sentenced by United States District Judge Carl J. Barbier to 204 months in prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release, after previously pleading guilty to a two-count indictment charging him with producing images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of an eleven-year-old female, Victim 1, in violation of 18 U.S.C. ' 2251(a), and transmitting interstate threats for the purpose of extorting a thing of value, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 875(d), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. BAILEY will also be required to register as a sex offender and pay a $200 mandatory special assessment fee. Additionally, Judge Barbier scheduled a restitution hearing for January 4, 2024.
According to court documents, in about February 2021, BAILEY met Victim 1, a New Orleans resident born in about October 2009, in a social media service specializing in the presentation of short-form videos hosted by its users. BAILEY used username “dabratt88” and pretended to be a minor female. After communicating with Victim 1 about twerking videos, BAILEY sent Victim 1 a video of a juvenile female twerking and engaging in sexually explicit conduct. BAILEY then instructed Victim 1 to either send him a video of Victim 1 herself engaging in sexually explicit conduct or else BAILEY would post the video he sent Victim 1 on social media platforms, claiming the video was of Victim 1. Victim 1 complied. For the next three months, BAILEY directed Victim 1 to record and send him increasingly explicit content, while threatening to release the prior content if Victim 1 refused.
On or about May 27, 2021, law enforcement authorities executed a search warrant on BAILEY’s residence in Cleveland, Ohio, during which they seized BAILEY’s cellular telephone. A forensic review of the phone revealed that between about November 2019 and May 2021, BAILEY sought and obtained depictions of dozens of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct using the same extortionate scheme he used to obtain sexually explicit material from Victim 1. Additionally, BAILEY sold these sexually explicit depictions of minors by charging approximately $30 in exchange for sharing a link to the content. BAILEY sold the link dozens of times.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys= Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, is in charge of the prosecution.
Cedar Rapids Man Convicted of Methamphetamine Crimes Involving Pounds of the DrugRead the Press Release
A man who conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine was convicted by a jury on October 13, 2023, after a four-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Michael Lee Brunson, age 66, who lived in Cedar Rapids, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of distribution of methamphetamine. The jury also found that $30,540 in United Sates Currency was subject to forfeiture because the property was used or intended to be used in relationship to the drug trafficking conspiracy.
The evidence at trial showed that Brunson, who also went by the name “Jaxon,” was a methamphetamine dealer in the Cedar Rapids area. Between April 2022 and September 2022, Brunson conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine in Cedar Rapids and surrounding areas. On June 5, 2022, Brunson was traffic stopped with over 2/3 lb. of methamphetamine in his car. On January 10, 2023, Brunson sold approximately two ounces of methamphetamine to a confidential source during a controlled buy. On January 21, 2023, he was stopped for a break lights violation. He had three bags of methamphetamine in his coat pocket, one bag weighing almost ½ lb., and had two additional bags of methamphetamine in his trunk, each bag weighing just under one pound.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Brunson remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Brunson faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and a lifetime of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin and Assistant United States Attorney John H. Lammers and was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Marion Police Department, and the Belle Plaine Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-00005-CJW.
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California Man Sentenced to Prison for Straw Purchasing Firearms and Dealing in Firearms Without A Federal Firearms LicenseRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A California man was sentenced today by United States District Judge Cristina D. Silva to 63 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release for making false statements in connection with the unlawful purchase of more than 50 firearms and selling the firearms without a license.
According to court documents, from about February 17, 2020, to about October 12, 2021, Kenneth Earl Smith Jr., of Lancaster, California, bought or attempted to buy more than 50 firearms in “straw purchases” from licensed firearms dealers in Las Vegas, Henderson, and Pahrump, Nevada. During each straw purchase, Smith deliberately made false statements to the firearms dealer that he was the buyer of the firearms, when in fact he was acquiring the firearms on behalf of other persons. Smith likewise represented that he was a Nevada resident, when in fact he was a California resident. Further, Smith presented various fraudulently obtained driver’s licenses and a Concealed Firearm Permit to carry out those unlawful purchases. Smith sold more than 50 firearms he illegally purchased to other individuals. During this time, Smith was not licensed as a Federal Firearms Licensee.
Smith pleaded guilty in June 2023 to eight counts of illegal acquisition of a firearm and one count of engaging in the firearms business without a license.
United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Cicolani for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) made the announcement.
This case was investigated by ATF. Assistant United States Attorney Dan Cowhig prosecuted the case.
Anyone with information about the unlawful purchase of firearms can call ATF at 1-888-ATF-TIPS (1-888-283-8477), email [email protected], or submit information anonymously at www.reportit.com/.
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California Lawyer Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Racketeering Conspiracy, Mail Fraud, and Multiple Conspiracy Counts, Including Mail and Wire Fraud, Money Laundering, and the Illegal Distribution of $157 Million in Diverted Prescription DrugsRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – David Jess Miller was sentenced to serve 72 months in prison for his role in a variety of crimes stemming from conspiracies involving racketeering, mail and wire fraud, and money laundering, in addition to substantive mail fraud and conspiracy against the United States, announced First Assistant United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins; Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp; Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Special Agent in Charge of the Oakland Field Office Darren Lian; U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Pittsburgh Division Inspector in Charge Lesley Allison; and U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI) Special Agent in Charge of the Metro Washington Field Office George A. Scavdis. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. Charles R. Breyer, Senior United States District Judge.
A jury convicted Miller, 58, of Santa Ana, California, and his company, Minnesota Independent Cooperative (MIC), of all charges on January 26, 2023, following a two-week trial.
“Miller and his co-conspirators disregarded the health and safety of thousands of people in need of medication,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins. By putting profits over patients, Miller and his criminal enterprise undermined important safeguards designed to ensure the safety of prescription drugs in the United States. This sentence sends the clear message that the diversion of prescription drugs and the intentional circumvention of these critical regulatory requirements will not be tolerated.”
“The FDA oversees the prescription drug supply chain; when criminals breach that supply chain, patients can no longer be assured of the safety or effectiveness of the drugs they may take,” said Special Agent in Charge George A. Scavdis, FDA-OCI Metro Washington Field Office. “We will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who would put the public health at risk through their criminal actions.”
“David Miller greedily put the health and well-being of people at risk with the orchestration and implementation of his prescription drug diversion scheme. He attempted to capitalize on his disregard for people’s health by laundering money around the world,” said Special Agent in Charge Darren Lian, IRS-CI Oakland Field Office. “Let today’s sentencing be a warning to those who aspire to profit from deception against the U.S. government and innocent taxpayers: IRS Criminal Investigation and partner law enforcement agents will catch you and justice will be served.”
The trial was the result of indictments filed in two separate districts—the Northern District of California and the Southern District of Ohio. The convictions included charges handed down in a second superseding indictment by a grand jury in the Northern District of California on February 11, 2016, and by a separate indictment handed down on May 6, 2015, in the Southern District of Ohio. Both indictments involved additional defendants and charges that were not presented at the trial.
The evidence at trial established that Miller, 58, of Santa Ana, Calif., was at the center of a vast racketeering enterprise responsible for the fraudulent distribution of hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of diverted prescription drugs, including instances in which Miller and his co-conspirators distributed tampered medication that posed a health risk to consumers. The scheme targeted brand-name prescription drugs designed to treat HIV, hepatitis C, mental disorders, and various other serious conditions. Miller and MIC lied to their customers about the nature and sources of the prescription drugs being sold, falsely claiming that the drugs had been maintained in the safe, federally- and state-regulated supply chain. The evidence at trial established that Miller and his company agreed with many others, including Mihran Stepanyan, 37, and Artur Stepanyan, 45, to conduct the affairs of their wide-ranging and long-lasting criminal enterprise. The evidence established that the enterprise, operating primarily out of Southern California and Minnesota, was responsible for distributing diverted prescription drugs to unsuspecting pharmacies throughout the county. In finding Miller guilty, the jury concluded that he played a role in promoting the racketeering conspiracy. For example, as the owner and operator of MIC between 2007 and 2015, Miller bought approximately $157 million of diverted prescription drugs from co-defendants Mihran and Artur Stepanayan. Miller and MIC also knew that the Stepanyans were not licensed to sell prescription drugs and that they procured their drugs from street suppliers. Miller and MIC nevertheless purchased the diverted drugs from the Stepanyans and lied to their customers about the sources and nature of those drugs.
Further, the jury concluded Miller engaged in a money laundering conspiracy. The evidence established that Miller and others laundered hundreds of millions of dollars between approximately 2007 and 2015 to promote their criminal activities and to conceal the nature of their scheme. For example, to hide the fact Miller was paying the Stepanyans for the illegally sourced drugs they were distributing, Miller made payments to the Stepanyans’ company GC National Wholesale through companies he controlled in Puerto Rico. As to another supplier, Miller authorized payments to accounts held in the names of various front companies at banks in multiple countries. In this way, Miller and his co-conspirators sought to obscure the illicit sources of MIC drugs and to conceal the true identities of the suppliers.
In sum, at the conclusion of the trial, Miller was convicted of one count of racketeering conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d); one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349; one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h); ten counts of mail fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1341; and one count of conspiracy to engage in the unlicensed wholesale distribution of drugs and making a false statement to the FDA, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 331(t), 333(b)(1)(D), 353(e)(2)(A), and 18 U.S.C. § 371.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Breyer ordered Miller to pay a $250,000 fine, due immediately; to serve three years of supervised release to begin after the prison term is completed; and to pay a $1,400 special assessment. Judge Breyer also ordered MIC, currently a defunct entity, to pay a special assessment of $4,500.
Of the 38 defendants charged in the February 2016 second superseding indictment, all have either been convicted or resolved their case, and six remain to be sentenced.
Assistant United States Attorneys Claudia Quiroz, Andrew Dawson, and Chris Kaltsas are prosecuting the case, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Kevin Costello. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI, IRS-Criminal Investigation, U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Brothers Sentenced to a Total of 27 Years in Federal Prison for Armed Robbery Using OfferUpRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Jessie Dixson, 23, and his brother, Joqeis Dixson, 22 of Indianapolis, Indiana, have been sentenced to a total of 27 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to commercial robbery and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime.
According to court documents, on May 14, 2020, Jessie and Joqeis Dixson used OfferUp, an online marketplace, advertise the purported sale of a PlayStation game console. Victim N.B. agreed to purchase the console from the Dixson brothers in the vicinity of 4440 Jamestown Court, in Indianapolis. When N.B. arrived at the agreed location, Jessie Dixson pointed a shotgun in the victim’s face, and Joqeis Dixson took the victim’s cell phone and wallet. Both Dixson brothers fled the scene.
Law enforcement officers later obtained a warrant to search Dixson brothers’ residence. During the search, investigators located the gun used during the robbery in Joqeis Dixson’s bedroom.
Jessie Dixson was sentenced to 18 years and 7 months’ imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release and a fine of $500. Joqeis Dixson was sentenced to 9 years imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release. Joqeis was also ordered to pay $1,000 in restitution to the victim.
“For years, violent criminals have been using online marketplaces like OfferUp to set up armed robberies, sometimes leading to injuries and deaths,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Most local police departments will allow people to use their properties as a safe place to meet when buying and selling online, which can help keep everyone safe during these transactions. You often don’t know who is on the other end of an online communication, or what their intentions might be. I want to thank the FBI and our federal prosecutors for their work to ensure that these armed criminals were identified and held accountable.”
This case was investigated by the FBI. The sentences were imposed by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Walton Pratt.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Lawrence Hilton, who prosecuted 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.
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Baton Rouge Tax Preparer Sentenced to 33 Months for Pandemic Benefits Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced Pamela Albert, age 51, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 33 months in federal prison following her conviction for wire fraud. The Court further sentenced Albert to serve three years of supervised release following her term of imprisonment and ordered her to pay $223,180 in restitution.
Between approximately March and June 2021, Albert submitted false claims for Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans in her name and in the names of others. Albert also submitted fraudulent tax documents for her PPP loan claims, that were based on fictitious business profits and losses. Albert maintained various bank accounts in which PPP funds were deposited.
Throughout her scheme, Albert obtained the personally identifiable information of others, such as names, birth dates, and Social Security numbers in order to file her false PPP loan claims. Albert requested that PPP benefits be wired to her bank accounts, totaling over $200,000 in funds to which she and others were not entitled. Upon submitting the claims and receiving the funds, Albert either gave a portion of the funds to others or kept all the funds for herself.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Edward H. Warner.
Alexandria Man Pleads Guilty to Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
CONCORD – An Alexandria man pleaded guilty today in federal court to one count of failing to register as a sex offender in New Hampshire, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Rex Jason Sumner, 52, pleaded guilty to failure to register as a sex offender. U.S. District Court Judge Landya McCafferty scheduled sentencing for January 22, 2024. Sumner was charged on July 19, 2023.
Sumner is a Tier III sex offender with a duty to register for life. Sumner was released from prison in Oklahoma in 2018 and had been registering with Oklahoma authorities at an address in Oklahoma despite residing in New Hampshire since early 2023. Sumner would return to Oklahoma periodically to update his registration and continued to represent to authorities that he still resided in Oklahoma.
The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, a minimum of 5 years of supervised release, and a fine of $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.
United States Marshals Service led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Alexandria Police Department, the Plymouth Police Department, the Meredith Police Department, the New Hampshire State Police, the New England State Police Information Network, the Garvin County (OK) Sherriff’s Office, and the Oklahoma Department of Corrections. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kasey Weiland is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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Sunday 15 October 2023
Readout of Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco’s Trip to California to Attend MCCA and IACP Annual ConferencesRead the Press Release
Deputy Attorney General (Deputy AG) Lisa O. Monaco traveled to California this week to advance the Justice Department’s strong partnerships with state and local law enforcement, and collaboration with the private sector, to promote the public safety and security of the American people.
Deputy AG Monaco spoke at the Wing 2023 conference in northern California, which brings together senior executives across major industries to address emerging technology and cybersecurity issues for the business community and society. She stressed the indispensable role of public-private collaboration to identify and disrupt a range of threats to the homeland – from ransomware attacks to ongoing efforts by foreign adversaries to steal our data and critical technologies such as quantum computing and artificial intelligence. The Deputy AG emphasized the key role that victim reporting has played in the success of the Justice Department’s cyber-strategy pivot to prioritize near-term disruptions and victim protection. And the Deputy AG discussed the 21st century tools and techniques the Department is using to target illicit actors, harden supply chains, and protect innovation, including the Disruptive Technology Strike Force launched earlier this year.
While in California, the Deputy AG addressed the annual meetings of both the Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA) and the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) in San Diego. In her closing keynote speech at MCCA and her remarks to the IACP State Associations of Chiefs of Police, the Deputy AG discussed the Justice Department’s priorities of combatting violent crime, taking illegal firearms off the streets, and battling the flow of synthetic opioids like fentanyl into our communities. In all her engagements, she emphasized the vital role that the Department’s partnerships with federal, state, local, tribal, and international law enforcement plays in tackling the most serious threats.
She underscored that, all too often, the heaviest burden in the fight against violent crime and illegal drug and firearms trafficking rests on the shoulders of the Department’s state, local, and tribal partners, who are taking on these challenges with diminishing resources and personnel, and often at great personal risk.
The Deputy AG also called attention to the recruitment and retention issues impacting law enforcement agencies nationwide. In keeping with the Attorney General’s direction for the Justice Department to identify strategies to address these challenges, she previewed that soon the Department will release more than 50 recommendations to help police departments address recruitment and retention issues. These include ways to modernize hiring standards to align with the realities of policing in the 21st century, accelerate the hiring process, and prioritize diversity and inclusion.
As part of the Justice Department’s commitment to supporting local law enforcement, the Deputy AG highlighted the $75 million in grant funding recently awarded to state and local law enforcement agencies across the country – funding that will help law enforcement combat the distribution and trafficking of illegal drugs, increase officer access to mental health and wellness services, and ensure agencies have the resources they need to keep our communities safe.
While in California, the Deputy AG also visited the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Central and Southern Districts of California, where she met with U.S. Attorneys Martin Estrada and Tara McGrath, their leadership teams, and the dedicated prosecutors and professional staff of both offices. She thanked them for their dedication to the Department’s mission, especially the work each office is doing to tackle violent crime.
In both districts, the Deputy AG met with the leaders of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to reinforce the Department’s commitment to partnerships with their agencies and to discuss best practices and effective law enforcement initiatives. In the Southern District of California, the Deputy AG was joined by ATF Director Steve Dettelbach and DEA Administrator Anne Milgram for a series of briefings at the San Diego Imperial Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Offices on how law enforcement from federal, state, and local agencies are working together to combat the deadly fentanyl epidemic and the trafficking of firearms – including ghost guns.
Deputy AG Monaco and U.S. Attorney McGrath with the men and women of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California. Deputy AG Monaco, ATF Director Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney McGrath, and law enforcement leaders at the San Diego Imperial Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Office. Deputy AG Monaco taking questions at the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.Attorney General Statement on the Killing of Six-Year-Old Child Wadea Al-Fayoume and Severe Wounding of His Mother Hanaan Shahin in IllinoisRead the Press Release
The Justice Department issued the following statement from Attorney General Merrick B. Garland on the killing of Wadea Al-Fayoume and the severe wounding of his mother, Hanaan Shahin:
“I am heartbroken by the abhorrent killing of Wadea Al-Fayoume, a six year old child who died after being stabbed 26 times with a military-style knife. On behalf of the entire Justice Department, I want to express my deepest condolences to his family and his community as they grieve his loss.
The Justice Department has opened a federal hate crimes investigation into the events leading to the tragic death of Wadea Al-Fayoume and the serious injuries suffered by his mother, Hanaan Shahin. The Department is limited in what more it can say because this is an ongoing criminal investigation.
This incident cannot help but further raise the fears of Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian communities in our country with regard to hate-fueled violence. The Department of Justice is focused on protecting the safety and the civil rights of every person in this country. We will use every legal authority at our disposal to bring to justice those who perpetrate illegal acts of hate. No one in the United States of America should have to live in fear of violence because of how they worship or where they or their family come from.”
Friday 13 October 2023
Worcester Man Sentenced for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Lawrence Rutherford, 42, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 78 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In March 2023, Rutherford pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
During a search of Rutherford’s residence in June 2019 two loaded .22 caliber pistols and approximately 613 rounds of ammunition was seized. Rutherford is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to several prior felony convictions punishable by more than one year in prison.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Boston Field Division; and Interim Worcester Police Chief Paul Saucier made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Greg A. Friedholm and John T. Mulcahy of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Wisconsin Man Convicted of Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, joins Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division in announcing Joseph M. Thomas, 43, of Kenosha was convicted on October 13, 2023, in federal court in the Eastern District of Wisconsin for possessing material depicting the sexual abuse of children.
According to court documents, Thomas, who was convicted in 2011 of the repeated sexual assault of a young child, saved and viewed child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on hard drives he stored in his residence from 2017 to 2021. Law enforcement uncovered Thomas’s stash of CSAM after observing that someone accessing the internet from his residence in 2021 appeared to be downloading CSAM over an online file-sharing network. The FBI then obtained a warrant to search Thomas’s residence and seized multiple hard drives and other digital devices, a forensic examination of which revealed evidence that Thomas had used these devices to save and view CSAM and to search for similar material online.
The jury convicted Thomas of one count of possessing child pornography. He is scheduled to be sentenced on February 1, 2024, and faces a mandatory minimum of ten years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan J. Paulson for the Eastern District of Wisconsin and Trial Attorney William G. Clayman of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Wenatchee Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Child Pornography on the “Dark Web”Read the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – On October 11, 2023, U.S. District Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced Michael Luis Ibarra, 36, of Wenatchee, Washington, to 12 years in federal prison for distributing images of child pornography on the “Dark Web.” Judge Rice also ordered Ibarra to serve the remainder of his life on federal supervision after he is released from prison. Ibarra was also ordered to pay a total of $114,000 in restitution to 38 individual victims of his conduct.
In January of 2021, Ibarra was identified as a user of a website on the “Dark Web” dedicated to the distribution of child pornography. Ibarra was commended at one point by website administrators for distributing a “herculean” quantity of child pornography. Ibarra communicated with undercover federal agents in chat rooms and shared with them child pornography on several occasions.
Ibarra’s electronic devices were seized at his home in Wenatchee and searched by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Agents found more than fifteen thousand child pornography files, with more than five thousand files depicting the sexual abuse of infants and toddlers.
“The FBI and the United States Attorney’s Office stand ready to respond with thorough investigations, vigorous prosecutions, and significant sentences for anyone who abuses children,” said Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District. “No sentence can give these children back their innocence; however, our community is safer with Mr. Ibarra behind bars. Today’s sentence sends a clear message to those who seek to victimize children, whether behind closed doors, through the dark web, or computer screens: the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our partners will continue to work tirelessly to seek justice, and the consequences of exploiting children will be severe.”
“Mr. Ibarra may have believed the Dark Web afforded him a level of protection from law enforcement” said Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office. “Thanks to the dedication of our investigators, we were able to bring his reprehensible activities to an end. The FBI and our partners will continue the work of protecting the most vulnerable of our citizens.”This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Michael J. Ellis, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, and Kyle P. Reynolds, Trial Attorney for the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section of the United States Department of Justice Criminal Division.
2:21-CR-00173-TORUnion County Teacher Charged with Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County, New Jersey, man was arrested today for producing a video depicting images of child sexual abuse and receiving and possessing images of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Michael Hamilton, 51, of Springfield, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count each of production, receipt and possession of child pornography. He made his initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge José R. Almonte in Newark federal court and was detained.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From February 2023 through July 2023, Hamilton, a high school teacher, began an exchange with a minor victim on a messaging platform. Hamilton and the minor victim exchanged hundreds of sexually explicit messages, pictures, and videos, many of which constituted child pornography depicting the minor victim.
The charge of production of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The charge of receipt of child exploitation material carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The charge of possession of child exploitation material carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited FBI Newark’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges. U.S. Attorney Sellinger also thanked the Springfield Police Department and the Union County Prosecutor’s Office.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Sussman of the General Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
hamilton.complaint.pdfUnited States Attorney’s Office, Virgin Islands District, Observes Domestic Violence Awareness MonthRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, VI – October marks the observance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. United States Attorney Delia L. Smith joins the U.S. Department of Justice in commemorating Domestic Violence Awareness Month, paying tribute to victims and survivors, and saluting the dedication of advocates, service providers, justice professionals, law enforcement officers, and first responders who tirelessly work in support of survivors.
One in four women and one in seven men experience severe physical violence from intimate partners during their lifetime, and over 43 million women and 38 million men have experienced psychological aggression by an intimate partner in their lifetime, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates. Such abuse invariably leaves an indelible mark on survivors and their families, manifesting in diverse ways – from physical harm and psychological distress to socioeconomic repercussions, encompassing housing, employment and education. Supporting survivors and preventing these forms of violence is our shared responsibility. Domestic Violence Awareness Month offers us a platform, in collaboration with community allies, to unequivocally proclaim our solidarity with survivors, reassuring them of our support and our intolerance for violence, be it within our homes, localities, workplaces, or wider communities.
“Domestic violence is more prevalent than many realize, and every instance is unacceptable,” said United States Attorney Delia L. Smith. “Our office recognizes and appreciates the Virgin Islands Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Council and the Family Resource Center for their service to the community. The United States Attorney’s Office has a duty to use all the tools at our disposal to ensure that victims have a viable path to safety and justice.”
The Virgin Islands Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Council encourages all to wear purple on Thursday, October 19, 2023, to show your commitment to ending domestic violence, and invites all to participate in a Domestic Violence Awareness March and Candlelight Vigil beginning at 5:00 p.m. at the Emancipation Garden in St. Thomas.
U.S. Attorney’s Offices in Ohio, Michigan reach settlement with Huntington National Bank to make online banking more accessibleRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – U.S. Attorneys in Ohio and Michigan today announced a settlement agreement with Huntington National Bank that will make its services more accessible to Social Security Representative Payees (SSRP) and their beneficiaries with disabilities.
Huntington National Bank fully cooperated with the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Southern District of Ohio, Northern District of Ohio and Eastern District of Michigan to reach a settlement that will restore access to SSRPs who use online services the bank had previously restricted on behalf of beneficiaries with disabilities.
In February 2021, Huntington terminated the ability of individuals acting as SSRPs to use Huntington’s electronic banking services. Account holders with disabilities and their authorized representatives were thereby barred from full and equal access to the numerous online banking services Huntington offers.
Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) prohibits banks like Huntington from discriminating against account holders with disabilities.
Under the terms of the agreement, Huntington must provide SSRPs with full access to its online banking system. The agreement also requires Huntington to notify both current and past account holders that it has changed its policies.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Dawn N. Ison, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan; and Rebecca C. Lutzko, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio; announced the settlement.
“This settlement shows that we will continue to staunchly enforce the ADA and give Social Security beneficiaries with disabilities equal access to online banking,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “I commend the attorneys in my office and our counterparts in Northern Ohio and Eastern Michigan for their dedication to this important issue.”
“Collaborating with our partners to ensure our civil rights laws are enforced is one of my key priorities,” said Eastern District of Michigan U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison. “Ensuring equal online banking access to those who need it most, like disabled individuals who use SSRP accounts, is crucial,” she added.
“SSRPs provide an invaluable service to disabled Social Security beneficiaries, and it is critical that we protect their right to use the same banking conveniences available to non-disabled customers to ensure that they can take care of the basic needs of disabled beneficiaries,” said Northern District of Ohio U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko.
Civil Chief Andrew M. Malek and Assistant United States Attorney Michael J.T. Downey are representing the Southern District of Ohio in this matter.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. In agreeing to the settlement terms, Huntington denied all liability under the ADA.
The public can also report potential civil rights violations in the Southern District of Ohio via the Civil Rights Referral Form on the U.S. Attorney’s Office main webpage.
Individuals can also submit complaints to the Civil Rights Division through its complaint portal at www.ada.gov/complaint. 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 800-514-0301 (TDD 800-514-0383) or visit www.ada.gov.
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U.S. Attorney’s Offices in Michigan and Ohio Reach Settlement with Huntington National Bank to Make Online Banking More Accessible to Social Security Representative Payee Account Holders and Disabled BeneficiariesRead the Press Release
Detroit, MI-- U.S. Attorneys in Michigan and Ohio today announced a settlement agreement with Huntington National Bank that will make its services more accessible to Social Security Representative Payees (SSRP) and their beneficiaries with disabilities.
Huntington National Bank fully cooperated with the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Eastern District of Michigan, Southern District of Ohio, and Northern District of Ohio to reach a settlement that will restore access to people with disabilities who use SSRP online services the bank had previously restricted.
SSRPs manage Social Security benefits for people who are unable to do so for themselves, often due to disability. Benefits are direct deposited into accounts owned by beneficiaries, but only SSRPs have access to the funds to ensure that they are used to pay for needs such as food, shelter, and medical expenses. SSRPs are not compensated for this work and are usually family members or friends who are stepping up to help a loved one.
In February 2021, Huntington terminated the ability of individuals acting as SSRPs to use Huntington’s electronic banking services. Account holders with disabilities and their authorized representatives were thereby barred from full and equal access to the numerous online banking services Huntington offers.
Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) prohibits banks like Huntington from discriminating against account holders with disabilities.
Under the terms of the agreement, Huntington must provide SSRP account holders, and their beneficiaries, full access to its online banking system. The agreement also requires Huntington to notify both current and past account holders that it has changed its policies.
Dawn N. Ison, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan; Rebecca C. Lutzko, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio; and Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio announced the settlement.
“Collaborating with our partners to ensure our civil rights laws are enforced is one of my key priorities,” said Eastern District of Michigan U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison. “Ensuring equal online banking access to those who need it most, like disabled individuals who use SSRP accounts, is crucial,” she added.
“SSRPs provide an invaluable service to disabled Social Security beneficiaries, and it is critical that we protect their right to use the same banking conveniences available to non-disabled customers to ensure that they can take care of the basic needs of disabled beneficiaries,” said Northern District of Ohio U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko.
“This settlement shows that we will continue to staunchly enforce the ADA and give Social Security beneficiaries with disabilities equal access to online banking,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “I commend the attorneys in my office and our counterparts in Northern Ohio and Eastern Michigan for their dedication to this important issue.”
The full and fair enforcement of the ADA is a priority of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, the Northern District of Ohio, and the Southern District of Ohio.
This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nedra Campbell from the Eastern District of Michigan, Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Downey from the Southern District of Ohio, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Heyer from the Northern District of Ohio.
Individuals who believe they have been subjected to discrimination or experienced a civil rights violation in the Eastern District of Michigan can submit a complaint with its U.S. Attorney’s Office by email at [email protected] or by phone at (313) 226-9151. For more information on the Office’s civil rights efforts, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-edmi/programs/civil-rights.
Individuals can also submit complaints to the Civil Rights Division through its complaint portal at www.ada.gov/complaint. 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 800-514-0301 (TDD 800-514-0383) or visit www.ada.gov.
U.S. Attorney’s Offices in Ohio and Michigan Reach Settlement with Huntington National Bank to Make Online Banking More Accessible to Social Security Representative Payee Account Holders and Disabled BeneficiariesRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – United States Attorneys in Ohio and Michigan today announced a settlement agreement with Huntington National Bank that will make its services more accessible to Social Security Representative Payees (SSRP) and their beneficiaries with disabilities.
Huntington National Bank fully cooperated with the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Northern District of Ohio, Southern District of Ohio and Eastern District of Michigan to reach a settlement that will restore access to SSRPs who use online services the bank had previously restricted on behalf of beneficiaries with disabilities.
In February 2021, Huntington terminated the ability of individuals acting as SSRPs to use Huntington’s electronic banking services. Account holders with disabilities and their authorized representatives were thereby barred from full and equal access to the numerous online banking services Huntington offers.
Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) prohibits banks like Huntington from discriminating against account holders with disabilities. Under the terms of the agreement, Huntington must provide SSRPs with full access to its online banking system. The agreement also requires Huntington to notify both current and past account holders that it has changed its policies.
Rebecca C. Lutzko, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio; Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Dawn N. Ison, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan announced the settlement.
“SSRPs provide an invaluable service to disabled Social Security beneficiaries, and it is critical that we protect their right to use the same banking conveniences available to non-disabled customers, to ensure that they can take care of the basic needs of disabled beneficiaries” said Northern District of Ohio U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko.
“This settlement shows that we will continue to staunchly enforce the ADA and give Social Security beneficiaries with disabilities equal access to online banking,” said Southern District of Ohio U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “I commend the attorneys in my office and our counterparts in Northern Ohio and Eastern Michigan for their dedication to this important issue.”
“Collaborating with our partners to ensure our civil rights laws are enforced is one of my key priorities,” said Eastern District of Michigan U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison. “Ensuring equal online banking access to those who need it most, like disabled individuals who use SSRP accounts, is crucial,” she added.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. In agreeing to the settlement terms, Huntington denied all liability under the ADA. Individuals can submit complaints to the Civil Rights Division through its complaint portal at www.ada.gov/complaint. 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 800-514-0301 (TDD 800-514-0383) or visit www.ada.gov.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Recognizes Outstanding Law Enforcement OfficersRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On Oct. 5 and 11, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida held the 2021-2023 Outstanding Law Enforcement Officer (OLEO) Award Ceremony, in Miami-Dade County and Broward County, respectively. Approximately 200 award recipients, from various federal, state, and local law enforcement organizations, were recognized for having distinguished themselves by virtue of the work they performed in a criminal prosecution.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida handles some of the most important and impactful cases in the nation. The stellar investigative work by the office’s law enforcement partners, in particular the award nominees, makes it possible for the district’s Assistant U.S. Attorneys to file cases charging the gamut of federal crimes. Collectively, the U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecutes human trafficking, narcotics trafficking, civil rights violations and hate crimes, violent crime, illegal firearms offenses, bank robbery, public corruption, environmental crimes, national security threats, the broad landscape of financial fraud that plagues our district, and more.
As U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida stated, “It takes a village to carry out the mission of the U.S. Department of Justice - to uphold the rule of law, to keep our country safe, and to protect civil rights. The office’s prosecutors cannot do their jobs alone.” The U.S. Attorney’s Office relies on the dedicated men and women in law enforcement who work tirelessly to identify the criminals so that they can be held accountable in a court of law. The honorees hard work often comes with tremendous personal sacrifice. The award recipients’ commitment to the pursuit of justice is worthy of special recognition. “They are having a direct impact on our quality of life, safety, and security,” said Lapointe.
Law enforcement partnerships and collaboration are invaluable crime-fighting tools. The honorees represent agencies and departments from across the district that work together to protect and serve the public. Lapointe noted that the South Florida award recipients are “some of our nation’s most talented, effective, and impactful public servants.”
Honorees were recognized from agencies and departments to include: Biscayne Park Police Department, Boca Raton Police Department, Broward Sheriff’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), City of Miami Police Department (MPD), FBI, Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG), Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General (FHFA-OIG), Florida Office of Financial Regulation, Fort Lauderdale Police Department (FLPD), Hialeah Police Department, Homestead Police Department, Hollywood Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Lauderhill Police Department, Martin County Sheriff’s Office, Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD), Miami Gardens Police Department, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, Palm Springs Police Department, Sunny Isles Police Department, Sweetwater Police Department, U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS), U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) and CBP-Office of Intelligence, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), and U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (DOT-OIG).
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U.S. Attorney Lapointe Speaks with Students and the Community at his Alma Mater Miami Edison Senior High SchoolRead the Press Release
MIAMI — Recently, U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida took a trip down memory lane when he hosted a community engagement meeting where he graduated high school.
Miami Edison Senior High School Principal James Dominique and the school’s staff graciously welcomed Lapointe back to his alma mater. As Principal Dominique’s message reads on the school’s homepage, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Lapointe acknowledged the impact of those words by adding that our united “village is called upon to raise, educate, serve, and protect our children. For many, education starts at home but not everyone has that opportunity. For our youth to grow into successful and productive citizens, we must all come together to offer our support and mentorship. We need to safeguard the youth of today so that, hopefully, they never become a victim or commit a crime.”
The auditorium of Miami Edison Senior High School was full of both students and community stakeholders who listened intently as Lapointe gave his opening remarks. Afterward, audience members lined up in the aisle to ask questions of the Edison graduate who was appointed by President Joe Biden to serve as the Chief Law Enforcement Officer for the District. Lapointe is the first African American to lead the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida and the first Haitian-born individual to serve as a U.S. Attorney in any office across the Nation.
One question directed at Lapointe during the community program was what advice he would give young adults.
“Understand from the get-go that education is your only way out,” he said. “You can’t count on a trust fund. When I was growing up we didn’t have a choice—we knew it was education. That’s the core element of success and how we made it through.”
One of the primary missions of the United States Attorney's Office is to ensure that federal crimes affecting the people in the Southern District of Florida are investigated and that the perpetrators are prosecuted, convicted, and punished. Common sense and experience have taught us, however, that we cannot prosecute, arrest, and punish our way out of the problems that illegal drug use, violent crime, and criminal gangs visit upon our community. Prosecution alone will not eliminate the threat they pose to our way of life. Every sector and member of our community, including Edison High School students, has an important role to play in our efforts to put an end to these problems.
Lapointe recounted what it was like growing up in the Miami Edison Senior High School area.
“I lived right over there on 12th and 59th,” he said. “[I] Had pots and pans all over the apartment floor to catch rain because the roof leaked. I know what you’re going through because I have lived it. And if I can make it, then you all can make it too.”
During his high school years, Lapointe used visualization to help him remain focused and in a positive mindset.
“I would sit on top of our building on 12th Street and from there I could see an outline of downtown in the distance,” he said. “And I would say to myself, ‘This is where I should be.’ And that helped me.” Years later, Lapointe found himself exactly where he envisioned one day being–in downtown Miami, working as a lawyer.
Lapointe encouraged the students to stay the course, to make smart decisions, to read as much as possible, and to seek the guidance of others in their time of need.
The program at Miami Edison Senior High School was put together by the Law Enforcement Coordination and Community Outreach Section (LEC/COS) of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Markenzy Lapointe speaks to a group of community members and Miami Edison Senior High School students during a recent community engagement event. Lapointe, an Edison graduate himself, stressed the importance of education and making good decisions.
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Truck Driver Charged in Attempt to Smuggle Half-a-Ton of Cocaine into the United StatesRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Oswaldo Lopez-Escobar, of Mexico, was charged by complaint on October 5, 2023, for Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine.
The complaint alleges that, on October 4, 2023, Lopez-Escobar, driving a semi-truck, applied for admission into the United States from Mexico at the Mariposa Port of Entry in Nogales. During a customs inspection of the vehicle, Customs and Border Protection Officers found 155 packages of cocaine concealed in the floor of the trailer. The total weight of the packages was approximately 587 kilograms, or about 1294.2 pounds. The cocaine has an estimated value of between $10.7 and $12.5 million.
A conviction for Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine carries a maximum penalty of up to life in prison with a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison, a fine of $10,000,000.00, or both; and a term of between five years and lifetime supervised release.
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.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the interdiction and subsequent investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 23-00747MJ
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-154_Lopez-Escobar# # #
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.Three Orange County Gang Members Found Guilty of Murdering Gangster at Behest of Imprisoned Mexican Mafia MemberRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – Three Orange County street gang members were found guilty by a federal jury today of the August 2017 murder in Orange of a gangster who had fallen afoul of a member of the Mexican Mafia prison gang.
Mike Escobar, a.k.a. “Risky,” 40, a member of the Little Hood gang in Anaheim; James Mendez, a.k.a. “Buck,” 44, a Sureño gang member from Garden Grove; and Kevin Trejo, a.k.a. “Minor,” 36, a member of the Jeffrey Street gang in Anaheim, each were found guilty of one count of violent crime in aid of racketeering.
According to evidence presented at the eight-day trial, on August 21, 2017, the defendants murdered the victim, a member of a Costa Mesa street gang. At the time of his murder, the victim trafficked drugs and collected “taxes” from gangs in Orange County for imprisoned Mexican Mafia member Johnny Martinez, a.k.a. “Crow,” 47, a co-defendant in this case who has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him and who is scheduled to go to trial on June 25, 2024.
The defendants tricked the victim into driving with them just before midnight from his home in Anaheim to a residential neighborhood in Orange, where they shot him seven times in the back and once in the head. Escobar, Mendez, and Trejo were acting on orders from Martinez, who issued the order to kill the victim because the victim on two occasions stole drugs and money controlled by Martinez, the jury found.
United States District Judge Cormac J. Carney scheduled March 25, 2024 sentencing hearings for the defendants, each of whom faces a mandatory sentence of life in federal prison.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
The FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office; the Orange Police Department; the Santa Ana Police Department; the Anaheim Police Department; the Fullerton Police Department; the Placentia Police Department; the Orange County Sheriff’s Department; the Orange County Probation Department; the Orange County District Attorney’s Office; and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Greg Staples and Gregory Scally of the Santa Ana Branch Office and Trial Attorneys Grace Bowen and Christopher Matthews of the Justice Department Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section are prosecuting this case.
Three Hartford Residents Charged with Robbing Victims Who Advertised Goods on Internet MarketplacesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division, today announced that a federal grand jury in Hartford has returned an indictment charging JOHN VILLEGAS, 25, also known as “Kirby,” JALEN LASALLE, 19, and VALERIE MENESES, 23, all of Hartford, with offenses related to a series of gunpoint robberies targeting individual sellers of luxury goods over online marketplaces last year.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, ATF, the Hartford Police Department, and the Middletown Police Departments investigated a series of gunpoint robberies of individuals who advertised items for sale on internet marketplaces, such as Facebook Marketplace and OfferUp. At an arranged meeting place to sell their items, which included cell phones and luxury sneakers and accessories, the purported purchaser would brandish a firearm, force the victim to hand over the luxury goods, and flee. The investigation revealed that Villegas and Meneses committed one armed robbery on August 20, 2022, in Middletown, and that Villegas and Lasalle subsequently committed five armed robberies in Hartford in late August and early September 2022.
The indictment, which was returned on September 27, 2023, charges Villegas with six counts and Lasalle with five counts of interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act robbery), an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count. The indictment also charges Villegas with three counts and Lasalle with two counts of carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, an offense that mandatory consecutive term of imprisonment of at least seven years.
The indictment charges Meneses with one count of aiding and abetting Hobbs Act robbery and one count of aiding and abetting the carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
Villegas and Lasalle appeared yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert A. Richardson in Hartford and pleaded not guilty to the charges. Villegas has been detained since his arrest on December 14, 2022, and Lasalle, who was arrested on February 3, 2023, is released on a $50,000 bond. Meneses was arrested on October 5, 2023, and is released on a $25,000 bond.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Hartford Police Department, and the Middletown Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie T. Levick and A. Reed Durham.
U.S. Attorney Avery encouraged those who sell and purchase items online, and need to meet an individual in person to complete the sale, to use a visible, monitored location. Contact your local police department to see if it offers a monitored meeting location, or search online for a nearby monitored location.
Three Gang Members Convicted of Racketeering MurderRead the Press Release
A federal jury in Santa Ana, California, convicted three Orange County men today of murder in aid of racketeering as part of their association with the Mexican Mafia, a prison gang.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on Aug. 21, 2017, Mike Escobar, aka Risky, 40, a member of the Little Hood gang in Anaheim; James Mendez, aka Buck, 44, a Sureño gang member from Garden Grove; and Kevin Trejo, aka Minor, 36, a member of the Jeffrey Street gang in Anaheim, murdered their victim in Orange, California. Escobar, Mendez, and Trejo tricked the victim into driving with them from the victim’s home in Anaheim to a residential neighborhood near Orange, where they shot him seven times in the back and once in the head. Escobar, Mendez, and Trejo were acting on orders from co-defendant Johnny Martinez, aka Crow, 47, a member of the Mexican Mafia. Martinez issued the order to kill the victim because he stole drugs and money controlled by Martinez on two occasions.
The jury convicted Escobar, Mendez, and Trejo of murder in aid of racketeering. They are scheduled to be sentenced on March 25, 2024, and each face a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney E. Martin Estrada for the Central District of California, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Assistant Director in Charge Donald Alway of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Los Angeles Field Office, Orange County Resident Agency; Orange Police Department; Santa Ana Police Department; Anaheim Police Department; Fullerton Police Department; Placentia Police Department; Orange County Sheriff’s Department; Orange County Probation Department; Orange County District Attorney’s Office; and California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Grace Bowen and Christopher Matthews of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Greg Staples and Gregory Scally for the Central District of California are prosecuting the case.
Terrebonne Man Sentenced for Trafficking Fentanyl and Firearms ViolationRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – United States District Judge Barry W. Ashe sentenced JOSHUA PICOU, age 30, of Houma, Louisiana, to 78 months imprisonment for violating the Federal Gun Control and Federal Controlled Substances Acts, announced United States Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court documents, PICOU distributed a substance containing fentanyl and cocaine on May 27, June 2, and June 22, 2021. Later, on June 24, 2021, he possessed forty (40) grams or more of fentanyl, twenty-eight (28) grams or more of cocaine base, and a quantity of cocaine, with the intent to distribute those substances. On that same date, he was in possession of two firearms, a Glock Model 17 handgun and a Springfield Armory Model XDM-9, which he was prohibited from possessing due to his criminal history.
Judge Ashe sentenced PICOU to 78 months on each of the five counts to which he pleaded guilty, with the time to run concurrently, to be followed by four years of supervised release. PICOU was also ordered to pay a mandatory special assessment fee of $100 per count for a total of $500.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Homeland Securities Investigations and the Terrebonne Parish Sherriff’s Office in investigating this matter. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Haller of the Violent Crime Unit.
Swift Bird, SD Man Sentenced for AssaultRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Swift Bird, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury was sentenced on October 11, 2023, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.
Cody Dean High Elk, age 40, was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison, three years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
High Elk was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2023. He pleaded guilty on July 11, 2023.
On the evening of July 3, 2022, High Elk and his wife were arguing while walking to their home in the Swift Bird Community. High Elk threw his wife to the ground and punched her. High Elk’s wife fled to their home. High Elk followed and continued to strike her until shortly before law enforcement arrived. High Elk’s wife incurred a separated shoulder and bruising on her face, shoulder and forearm in the assault.
This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.
High Elk was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Staged Reading of the Laramie Project Set for October 17 and 18Read the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA – The University of South Carolina School of Law, the Richland County Bar Association, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina are proud to present a staged reading of The Laramie Project, in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of Matthew Shepard's murder. Directed by Abigail Lee McNeely and featuring actors from the community and the University of South Carolina, the staged reading will take place in the Karen Williams Courtroom at the University of South Carolina School of Law on Oct. 17 and 18 at 7:00 p.m.
The Laramie Project, written by Moisés Kaufman and the Tectonic Theatre Project, is a documentary play written in the aftermath of Matthew Shepard's death. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the death of Shepard, who succumbed to injuries after a violent hate crime committed against him. Shepard was a gay student who attended the University of Wyoming when he was beaten and left to die near Laramie, Wyoming in Oct. 1998. Through the voices of those who lived in Laramie, Wyoming, the play offers a thought-provoking reflection on the importance of tolerance and understanding in civil society.
Performing in the show are University of South Carolina students Gracie Auld, Bradley Gittens, Avery Williams, and Griffin Wilson, as well as Columbia theatre locals Julian Deleon, Ezri Fender, Mary Jeffcoat, and Ripley Thames. The cast of eight will perform over 40 different characters, including Laramie locals and members of the Tectonic Theatre Project.
Director Abigail Lee McNeely, a 2017 alumna of South Carolina’s Department of Theatre and Dance and staff member at Columbia’s Trustus Theatre, expressed her enthusiasm. "We are honored to bring The Laramie Project to the University of South Carolina School of Law. This production serves as a tribute to Matthew Shepard's memory and begs us to ask the question of what more can we do to prevent acts of hate against the LGBTQ+ in our community." Joining McNeely is associate director and dramaturg Elizabeth Houck-Zozaya.
The show is produced by theatre artist and University of South Carolina adjunct professor Patrick Michael Kelly. Citing the collaboration between local organizations, actors and artists from Columbia’s theatre community, and the involvement of various law organizations, Kelly calls the production “a true community effort, fitting for a play about community and how it bands together in a time of tragedy.”
This special production is made possible through the generous sponsorship of the University of South Carolina School of Law and the Richland County Bar Association, in collaboration with the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina. U.S. Attorney Adair Boroughs said, “Out of the senseless beating death of Matthew Shepard came the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act. Enforcing this hate crimes law and other civil rights protections is central to the mission of the Department of Justice. Through the nationwide Department of Justice initiative, United Against Hate, and working with the USC School of Law and the Richland County Bar Association, our goal in offering this production is to foster dialogue in the community and promote tolerance, which aligns with the themes of The Laramie Project. More practically, our goal is to improve reporting of hate crimes by teaching community members how to identify, report, and, most importantly, prevent acts of hate.”
U.S. Attorney Boroughs will be moderating a talkback between the audience and a panel of subject matter experts and actors after each show. Audience members are encouraged to stay after the show to engage in conversation with these community leaders and creatives from the production.
The Laramie Project is a testament to the enduring power of theatre that invites audiences to reflect on the impact of Shepard's death and the importance of tolerance and understanding in civil society. This special event has only two performances. For more information about the production and to reserve your free tickets, please visit https://forms.office.com/r/YERBhJTbQF.
Event Details:
Date: Oct. 17 and 18, 2023
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Venue: Karen Williams Courtroom, University of South Carolina School of Law
Admission: FREE to the public, registration required at https://forms.office.com/r/YERBhJTbQF.
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Springfield Bus Driver Sentenced to 17 Years for Child Sexual ExploitationRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for taking sexually explicit photos of a young child and sharing the images in an internet chat group.
Gordon Wesley Roughton II, 42, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool on Thursday, Oct. 12, to 17 years in federal prison without parole.
On Sept. 22, 2022, Roughton pleaded guilty to the sexual exploitation of a minor. At the time of his arrest, Roughton was employed as a seasonal bus driver for a children’s program for the Springfield-Greene County Park Board, as he had been every summer from 2014 to 2019. Roughton also had been employed as a substitute teacher at schools in the Springfield area, and in the past had worked as a bus driver for Springfield Public School District and a Springfield Catholic school.
The investigation began on June 15, 2021, when a detective with the Springfield, Mo., Police Department received a CyberTip Report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. MeWe, a social media and social networking service, had discovered images of child pornography uploaded by Roughton.
On June 16, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Roughton’s residence. Roughton admitted he had participated in a chat group on MeWe where the group members traded child pornography. Roughton explained that he had no images of child pornography to trade and needed some to remain in the chat. Roughton took photos of the child victim to trade in the chat group and uploaded the images to MeWe.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department and the FBI.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Slidell Woman Sentenced to 18 Months for Misappropriating Veteran’s FundsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that SLOANE SIGNAL-DEBOSE, Ph.D., age 52, a resident of Slidell, was sentenced on October 11, 2023 to 18 months in prison for misappropriating funds from a veteran.
SIGNAL previously pled guilty to misappropriation by a veteran’s fiduciary, in violation of Title 38, United States Code, Section 6101. According to court documents, from 2016 until 2018 SIGNAL was a fiduciary for a veteran who needed assistance with the management of his affairs, and she had control over the veteran’s finances and bank accounts. During that time, SIGNAL took over $100,000 from the veteran’s accounts, and routed it through bank accounts in her own name. SIGNAL ultimately used the money as the down payment on a home for which she was the sole legal owner. SIGNAL also used additional funds from the veteran to pay contractors working on SIGNAL’s home. SIGNAL then submitted false records to the Department of Veteran’s Affairs to hide her misuse of the veteran’s funds.
The United States District Judge Sarah S. Vance sentenced SIGNAL to eighteen months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. Judge Vance ordered a restitution hearing to be set at a future date.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas D. Moses, Health Care Coordinator, is in charge of the prosecution.
Slidell Man Pleads Guilty to Violations of the Federal Gun Control ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that RODERICK WILLIAMS, age 27, of Slidell, Louisiana, pleaded guilty on October 12, 2023, to two counts of an indictment charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1).
According to court documents, on April 9, 2023, members of the New Orleans Police Department initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle being driven by WILLIAMS. After stopping WILLIAMS, officers obtained a search warrant for the vehicle and located a Glock Model 19, 9-millimeter semi-automatic handgun in the trunk of the vehicle. This handgun was loaded, with one bullet in the chamber and carried an extended, twenty-five (25) round magazine.
On April 28, 2023, investigators conducted video surveillance of the intersection of Chef Menteur Highway and Werner Drive. Officers noted an unknown black male hold a firearm as he entered a convenience store. New Orleans Police Officers were notified, entered the store and encountered WILLIAMS. As the officers approached, WILLIAMS moved his body away to conceal the firearm that he possessed. As WILLIAMS did so, the officers observed the outline of a firearm in WILLIAMS’s waistband, officers detained and searched him. Officers then located and seized a Glock Model 26, 9-millimeter semi-automatic handgun from WILLIAMS.
WILLIAMS was previously convicted of felonies, which prohibited him from possessing firearms.
As to each count, WILLIAMS faces a maximum term of imprisonment of fifteen (15) years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to three (3) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment as well as payment of a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 1, 2024.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Rayburn of the Violent Crimes Unit.
Sioux Falls Woman Sentenced for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that District Court Judge Lawrence Piersol has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota woman convicted of Possession of a Firearm by Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on September 25, 2023.
Ashley Garcia, 36, was sentenced to twelve months and one day in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Garcia was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in February of 2023. She pleaded guilty on June 27, 2023.
On December 21, 2022, Garcia was walking in the area of West 12th and Interstate 29 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota with a rifle. A concerned party called the police department about a woman walking outside, as it was during a blizzard, and the temperature was -9 degrees. When officers arrived, Garcia had the rifle in her left hand, but attempted to discard it upon being approached by law enforcement.
This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Ebert prosecuted the case.
Garcia was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Shipbuilding Company CEO Charged with Witness Tampering and ObstructionRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Honolulu returned a superseding indictment yesterday charging a Hawaii man with obstruction, witness tampering, and structuring, while awaiting trial on previous charges of securities fraud, conspiracy, mail fraud, and wire fraud.
According to the superseding indictment, on Jan. 4, Curtiss Jackson, 70, of Honolulu, allegedly obstructed an official proceeding for fleeing the United States’ territorial waters aboard the Semisub One, a semisubmersible vessel controlled by Jackson’s company, Semisub Inc. Semisub One was the subject of forfeiture proceedings in the District of Hawaii in connection with Jackson’s pending criminal case. On the day before his flight, Jackson also allegedly withdrew more than $24,000 in cash from multiple checking transactions in a manner designed to avoid federal bank reporting requirements.
Additionally, Jackson allegedly sent a death threat to a co-conspirator during the grand jury’s original investigation. The text message contained a link to an online video entitled “Death of FBI Informants” containing clips from a television series depicting the deaths of several characters on the show who had cooperated with the FBI.
Jackson’s case is pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii. Each count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, except for the structuring charge, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Jackson is charged with committing obstruction and structuring while on pre-trial release, which carries an additional consecutive sentence of up to 10 years in prison.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Clare E. Connors for the District of Hawaii, Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Criminal Investigations Group, and Special Agent in Charge Adam Jobes of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Seattle Field Office made the announcement.
The USPIS and IRS-CI are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Matthew Reilly and Christopher Fenton of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Aislinn Affinito for the District of Hawaii are prosecuting the case.
If you believe you are a victim in this case, please contact the USPIS victim hotline at (202) 305-6736.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Superseding IndictmentShakopee Man Sentenced to Prison for $3.1 Million Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Shakopee man has been sentenced to 51 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $3.1 million in restitution for operating a fraudulent investment scheme, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents and his guilty plea, between 2014 and 2021, Jason Dodd Bullard, 59, and others working at his direction solicited funds from individuals, entities, and trusts purportedly to invest in a foreign currency investment program. In reality, Bullard was operating a Ponzi scheme. The funds collected from investors over time were used to fund other entities owned or controlled by Bullard, which were not part of the purported investment plan, and to make payments back to investors to falsely portray the appearance of actual returns. Bullard also used investor funds to support his and his family’s lifestyle. Bullard lied to investors in reports and statements sent to investors that purposed to describe the balances and activity in investors’ accounts. These statements were meant to encourage further investment and to keep investors from learning the truth and to allow Bullard to continue the fraudulent scheme. In total, Bullard defrauded approximately 100 victims in several states, including Minnesota, out of $3,108,312.24 over the course of the scheme.
Bullard pleaded guilty on April 25, 2023, to one count of wire fraud. Bullard was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court before Judge Katherine M. Menendez.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert M. Lewis prosecuted the case.
Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A registered sex offender pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston in connection with receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) via multiple groups on a messaging app.
Angel Figueroa, 51, of Fall River, pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for Jan. 26, 2024. In December 2021, Figueroa was arrested and has been in federal custody since that time.
Figueroa was identified as an active member of at least four messaging applications where CSAM was being disseminated. A forensic examination of Figueroa’s cell phone revealed approximately 523 images and 72 videos of CSAM depicting children as young as infants. At least one image depicted bondage of a child under two years old. During an interview with law enforcement, Figueroa admitted that he downloaded, saved and viewed CSAM using apps on his cell phone and had been doing so for one or two years. Figueroa is a registered sex offender based upon a 2013 Massachusetts state court conviction for indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 years old.
The charge of receipt of child pornography after a prior conviction provides a sentence of at least 15 years and up to 40 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession of child pornography after a prior conviction provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations, in New England; and Fall River Chief of Police Paul Gauvin made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Soto, Meghan C. Cleary, and J. Mackenzie Duane of the Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
St. Thomas Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute 87 Kilograms of CocaineRead the Press Release
ST. THOMAS, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced that Yefri Martinez Herrera, 30, of St. Thomas, pleaded guilty before United States Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller to conspiracy to possess cocaine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
According to court documents, in January 2022, Martinez Herrera brokered 200-kilogram cocaine deal with individuals later revealed to be a confidential source and an undercover Drug Enforcement Administration agent. On February 2, 2022, Martinez Herrera agreed to sell the undercover agent 86 kilograms of cocaine, as part of that 200-kilogram deal. Federal agents later executed a search warrant on Martinez Herrera’s home in Frenchtown where 87 kilograms of cocaine and a Glock pistol were seized. Martinez Herrera was taken into custody after agent found him hiding inside a bedroom closet.
This case is being investigated by Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigation Air Marine Operations, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, United States Postal Inspection Service, Puerto Rico Police Department and Virgin Islands Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith Edwards.
Repeat Federal Fraudster Sentenced for Wire Fraud and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Portsmouth man was sentenced today to 57 months in prison for a wire fraud and identity theft scheme.
According to court documents, in March 2021, Dominique M. Avery, 29, assumed the identity of another person and secured incorporation documents for a business that claimed to provide technology services, Home Technology Innovations, LLC (HTI). Avery used those fraudulently obtained documents, as well as a forged check and the personal identifying information (PII) of several other individuals, to cause an out-of-state payroll services company to make more than $150,000 in direct deposits into various bank accounts. These fraudulently obtained funds were purportedly for the salaries of HTI’s employees. In reality, HTI had no employees, and Avery was able to access and spend a substantial portion of the funds deposited into each account before the scheme was discovered.
Avery was previously convicted of similar federal fraud offenses. Avery’s recent offense occurred only months after he completed his prior federal sentence. Avery used the PII of several of the victims in the prior case to commit these new crimes.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Mozzi prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-017.
Rapid City Woman Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on October 11, 2023.
Jessica Grant, a/k/a Jessi Grant, age 46, was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison, five years of supervised release, a $1,000 fine, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Grant was indicted by a federal grand jury in December of 2021. She pleaded guilty on July 11, 2023.
The conviction stemmed from a drug conspiracy beginning in June 2019 and continuing until December 2021. Grant was involved in a conspiracy with numerous other individuals to distribute methamphetamine in multiple communities in South Dakota, including Eagle Butte, Pierre, Rapid City, and Rosebud. Grant received large amounts of methamphetamine and re-distributed it to various individuals. Methamphetamine is a Schedule II controlled substance.
This case was investigated by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, the South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.
Grant was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
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Progreso official charged for drug traffickingRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 40-year-old assistant city manager and school board president is now in custody on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute control substances, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Authorities arrested Francisco aka Frank Javier Alanis today. He is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ignacio Torteya Oct. 16 at 9 a.m.
A federal grand jury returned the three-count superseding indictment Oct. 3.
From January 2020 to March 20, 2022, Alanis allegedly conspired with Jose Rosbel Salas and others to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, mainly cocaine.
If convicted, Alanis faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years up to life in federal prison as well as a possible $10 million maximum fine. The indictment also includes a notice of forfeiture related to the charges.
Salas, 42, Weslaco, has pleaded guilty for his role and is awaiting sentencing. Also charged are David Gomez Ramos, 34, and Gregorio Salinas, 52, both of Mercedes, and Juan Pablo Serrata, 48, Santa Rosa. They are currently in custody pending further criminal proceedings.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration, High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area task force, Border Patrol, Texas Department of Public Safety and Texas Rangers. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alejandra Andrade is prosecuting the case.
The investigation is part of the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Forces which 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 on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Port Townsend, Washington, man arrested for creating images of child sexual abuseRead the Press Release
Tacoma – A 32-year-old Port Townsend, Washington man was arrested yesterday on a criminal complaint charging him with production of images of child sexual abuse, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Matan Liyor Goodman is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in Tacoma at 2:00 PM today.
According to records filed in the case, the investigation began with a report to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that a user of Kik Messenger had uploaded suspected images of child sexual abuse. Review of the computer records indicated the person uploading the images resided in Western Washington and the information was forwarded to the Internet Crimes against Children Task Force at the Seattle Police Department.
An agent with Homeland Security Investigations connected the computer information with Goodman at an address in Port Townsend. Further investigation revealed that Goodman is a registered sex offender due to convictions in California.
Law enforcement obtained a judicially approved search warrant to search Goodman’s home and person, including any electronic devices belonging to him.
Following the search, Goodman was taken into federal custody on probable cause.
The charges contained in the complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Due to his prior convictions, Goodman faces a mandatory minimum 25 years in prison if convicted of Production of child pornography.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations in partnership with the Seattle Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), with assistance from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Victoria Cantore and Matthew Hampton.
Pine Ridge Man Convicted of Three Counts of First-Degree MurderRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted Elijah West, 26, of Pine Ridge, South Dakota, of three counts of First Degree Murder, three counts of Discharge of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence, and one count of Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Prohibited Person following a five-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on September 22, 2023.
The convictions carry a mandatory sentence of life in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine and a $700 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
West was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2022. That same month, West killed three people by shooting them at a residence near Wounded Knee, South Dakota.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State Court.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigation Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah B. Collins and Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered, and a sentencing date will be scheduled. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. ###
Puerto RICO Couple Charged with Smuggling Cocaine Through Cyril King AirportRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced that Pedro Negron-Rodriguez, 21, and Emma Mueses-Dilone, 19, both of Puerto Rico, were charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. United States Magistrate released both Negron-Rodgriguez and Mueses-Dilone on $25,000.00 unsecured bonds pending trial in this matter. If convicted, both face a maximum sentence of 40 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $5,000,000.00.
According to court records, on September 29, 2023, Negron-Rodgriguez and Mueses-Dilone were ticketed passengers on Spirit Airlines departing St. Thomas to Orlando, FL, with a final destination of Philadelphia, PA. During inspection by Customs and Border Protection, officers recovered eight kilograms of cocaine from Mueses-Dilone’s suitcase. Prior to the search, Dilone confirmed that she personally packed the suitcase and that the suitcase belonged to her. Negron-Rodriguez and Mueses-Dilone also confirmed that they were traveling together.
This case is being investigated by Department of Homeland Security Investigation and Customs and Border Protection and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kyle Payne.
United States Attorney Delia L. Smith reminds the public that a complaint is merely an allegation, and that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Orlando Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Entice A 15-Year-Old Child to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Ocala, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Victor Aguilar (31, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Aguilar faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, and up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, in May 2023, Aguilar responded to a social media posting from an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a 15-year-old child. Aguilar engaged in sexually oriented conversation, detailing for the undercover officer what he planned to do with the minor. The two discussed meeting locations, including a mall in the Ocala area. A few hours later, Aguilar told the undercover officer he had arrived at the mall in Ocala to meet with the minor. As Aguilar was waiting, deputies arrived and arrested him.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the United States Secret Service, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the Ocala Police Department, the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Belkis H. Crockett and Tyrie K. Boyer.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Oklahoma City Man Sentenced to Serve Seven Years in Federal Prison for Three Separate Incidents of Illegal Firearm Possession in Six MonthsRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Yesterday, EFRAIN URIAS, 37, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve 84 months in federal prison for illegally possessing a different firearm on three separate occasions after a previous felony conviction, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On September 29, 2022, Urias was charged by a Superseding Information with three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Specifically, the Superseding Information alleged Urias possessed a different firearm on three separate dates—October 24, 2021, March 19, 2022, and April 8, 2022. On October 18, 2022, Urias pleaded guilty to the three-count Superseding Information.
At the sentencing hearing yesterday, U.S. District Judge Charles Goodwin sentenced Urias to serve 84 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, the court noted the fact that the dates of his firearm possession were within a six-month time frame. The court also noted Urias’ significant criminal history. Public records reflect that Urias holds multiple felony convictions, including burglary in the second degree in Oklahoma County District Court case number CF-2005-6838, and possession of methamphetamine and assault and battery on a police officer in Kingfisher County District Court case number CF-2015-31.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary E. Walters prosecuted the case.
This case is part of the Western District of Oklahoma’s implementation of Project Safe Neighborhoods, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://justice.gov/psn and https://justice.gov/usao-wdok.
Reference is made to public filings for more information.
Northern Neck Convicted Felon Sentenced for Possession of an AR-Style Firearm After Police ChaseRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Lancaster County man was sentenced yesterday to 9 years in prison for possessing a firearm after having been previously convicted of a felony.
According to court documents, on August 8, 2022, Kendrick Lamar Diggs, 32, was in possession of a high-capacity firearm and thirty rounds of ammunition. Law enforcement responded to a call for assistance after Diggs was reportedly brandishing a firearm. When Diggs was located, he was in a vehicle and initially pulled over. However, as law enforcement officers approached, Diggs put the car in drive and fled, driving at speeds in excess of 80 mph for approximately two miles on Beanes Road, a two-lane roadway in the Browns Store area. As Diggs rounded a bend in the road, he nearly collided with a law enforcement vehicle. His car then spun out of control, and he hit a culvert, flipping the car several times.
An Anderson Manufacturing high-capacity AR-style firearm, as well as 30 rounds of ammunition, were ejected from the car and scattered throughout the debris field. Diggs fled from the car, running on foot into a wooded area. He was apprehended by law enforcement shortly thereafter. Diggs had previously been convicted of attempted murder in the second degree and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jason Miyares, Virginia Attorney General; and Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge David J. Novak.
Significant assistance was provided by the Chesapeake Bay Narcotics and Gang Task Force, the Northumberland County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lancaster County Sheriff’s office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela Mastandrea-Miller and Special Assistant United States Attorney Devon Schulz prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-180.
North Dakota Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Washington, D.C. Man Sentenced for Misprision of a FelonyRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Mandan, North Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on October 10, 2023. Chief Judge Lange also sentenced a Washington, D.C., man conviction of Misprision of a Felony. The sentencing took place on August 11, 2023.
Abdul Vann, age 48, was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison, seven years of supervised release, a $1,000 fine, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Samuel Vann, age 22, was sentenced to time served of seven months of custody, one year of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Abdul, his son Samuel, and two other co-defendants were indicted by a federal grand jury in February of 2023. Abdul pleaded guilty on June 22, 2023. Samuel pleaded guilty on June 30, 2023.
The convictions stemmed from a drug conspiracy in December 2022 wherein Abdul Vann knowingly and intentionally agreed with others to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Abdul, and his three co-defendants were arrested while at a gas station in Oacoma. Their vehicles were searched and approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine was found in vacuum sealed bags wrapped as Christmas presents. Abdul and the co-defendants were transporting the methamphetamine from a source in Law Vegas, Nevada, to North Dakota for further distribution. Samuel Vann had actual knowledge of the conspiracy; however, he did not do anything to stop it. Methamphetamine is a Schedule II controlled substance.
This case was investigated by the South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the Northern Plains Safe Trains Drug Enforcement Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case. The two remaining co-defendants will be sentenced later this month.
Samuel Vann was released following his sentencing. Abdul Vann was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
North Carolina Man and Woman Plead Guilty to Roles in Counterfeit Currency ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Crystal Wilks, 23, and Jamarcus Harris, 32, both of Lenoir, North Carolina, each pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States. Wilks and Harris admitted to their roles in a conspiracy to create and pass counterfeit United States currency in the Southern District of West Virginia.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 12, 2022, Wilks and Harris traveled with two of their co-conspirators from North Carolina to West Virginia. Wilks and Harris admitted that they passed counterfeit $100 bills at businesses in Beckley, Fayetteville and Summersville.
Wilks, Harris and their co-conspirators rented a room that evening at a Summersville hotel, where they attempted to create new counterfeit United States currency. Wilks and Harris admitted that their counterfeiting process involved bleaching $1 bills, scanning a genuine $100 bill, and printing the resulting image on the bleached bills.
Wilks and Harris are scheduled to be sentenced on January 26, 2024. Each faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Wilks and Harris also owe restitution.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Secret Service.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander A. Redmon and Ryan Blackwell are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-54.
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Newcomb Man Charged with Assaulting Two Federal Officers, Seriously Injuring OneRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Kenneth Lee Begay appeared in federal court on an indictment charging him with two counts of assault upon a federal officer inflicting bodily injury and one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Begay, 59, of Newcomb, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain in custody pending a detention hearing set for Monday, October 16, 2023.
According to the indictment, on June 4, 2023, Begay assaulted John Doe and Jane Doe, both officers with the Navajo Nation Police Department who were also specially commissioned by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, while the officers were attempting to arrest Begay following threats he made to tribal officials during a chapter-house meeting. The assault resulted in serious bodily injury to Jane Doe.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of the most serious allegation, Begay faces up to 20 years imprisonment and up to three years of supervised release thereafter.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary C. Jones is prosecuting the case.
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New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Hobbs Act RobberyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on October 12, 2023, KADEEM ROMAIN, age 23, of New Orleans, pleaded guilty to Count 1 of a superseding indictment for attempted Hobbs Act robbery, in violation of Title 18 U.S.C § 1951(a).
The maximum penalty is up to 20 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to 3 years of supervised release, as well as a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
According to public records, ROMAIN, who was inside a vehicle with at least one other individual, struck an armored car carrier as he exited a Popeyes restaurant after delivering/picking up money. The carrier dropped a bag of money when he was struck, however before anyone in ROMAIN’s vehicle could exit to retrieve the bag, Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Deputies, who witnessed the attack, responded to the scene. The two assailants fled in their vehicle, but it became disabled only a short distance away. ROMAIN was finally apprehended by an NOPD detective approximately a mile from the Popeyes.
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 track violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department, Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Trummel of the Violent Crime Unit handled the prosecution.
Mt. Pleasant Man Sentenced for Aggravated Sexual Abuse on Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
BAY CITY - A 39-year-old resident of Mt. Pleasant, Michigan was sentenced yesterday to 30 years in federal prison on charges of aggravated sexual abuse, announced U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Jason Morris Pego was sentenced by United States District Judge Thomas L. Ludington. He pleaded guilty to the charges on June 28, 2023.
According to court records, in 2016 or 2017 Pego, engaged in sexual acts with a 7-year-old child that was in his care. Pego took photographs of the victim during his sexual assaults and kept them on his cell phone. Pego also threatened the victim and the victim’s sibling that he would hurt them and their family if they told anyone about the assaults. The crimes occurred on the Isabella Reservation in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan.
“The deplorable acts committed by this defendant justify the 30-year sentence imposed in this case,” stated U.S. Attorney Ison. “My office is dedicated to protecting our tribal communities from sexual violence, especially our children, and ensuring that the perpetrators of these horrific crimes are held accountable.”
“Protecting children from dangerous predators is a top priority for our office," said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “While the harm Mr. Pego is alleged to have inflicted cannot be undone, our hope is that the sentencing brings a sense of justice to the victim and their family. “
The case was investigated by the Saginaw Chippewa Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Roy Kranz.
The FBI investigates the most serious crimes in Indian Country, including child sexual and physical abuse, and requests the help of the public by reporting these violations to 1-800-CALLFBI (1-800-225-5324) or submitting tips online to http://tips.fbi.gov.
Minnesota Man Pleaded Guilty to the Theft of the “Ruby Slippers” from the Classic 1939 Film “the Wizard of Oz”Read the Press Release
Fargo – United States Attorney Mac Schneider announced that Terry Jon Martin, age 76, of Grand Rapids, MN, pleaded guilty before Chief Judge Patrick J. Schiltz, U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota, Duluth, MN, to one count of theft of major artwork, an object of cultural heritage from the care, custody, or control of a museum.
Investigation revealed that in 2005, Martin stole an authentic pair of ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in the 1939 film, “The Wizard of Oz,” from the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. At the time of theft, the slippers were ensured for $1 million but current fair market appraisal value the slippers at $3.5 million. The ruby slippers, which were recovered by the FBI and Grand Rapids Police Department in July 2018, are one of the four remaining pairs and are widely viewed as among the most recognizable memorabilia in American film history.
Sentencing date for Terry Martin has not been scheduled, as a result, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of North Dakota will have no additional comment or statements until sentencing has been completed. A press release announcing the sentencing is forthcoming.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Grand Rapids, MN, Police Department, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Greenley, District of North Dakota.
This matter was assigned to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of North Dakota pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 515(a).
Previous News Release for this investigation can be seen at: https://www.justice.gov/usao-nd/pr/fbi-recovers-stolen-ruby-slippers-wizard-oz
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Milbank Man Sentenced to 12 1/2 Years in Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that District Court Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a Milbank, South Dakota man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on October 2, 2023.
Travis Thiele, 41, was sentenced to twelve years and six months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Thiele was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in April of 2022. He pleaded guilty on June 20, 2023.
Beginning on an unknown data and continuing until April of 2022, Thiele regularly obtained methamphetamine from a co-conspirator and distributed it to others in Northeastern South Dakota. He is believed to have been involved in the distribution of approximately 17 pounds of methamphetamine during his involvement in the conspiracy.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
Thiele was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.