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28 November 2023
Schenectady Man Sentenced to 240 Months for Drug and Firearm CrimesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Ramel Gulley, age 28, of Schenectady, New York, was sentenced yesterday to 240 months (20 years) in prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, for possessing and intending to distribute 400 grams or more of a substance containing fentanyl and to possessing multiple firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
As part of his previous guilty plea in June 2023, Gulley admitted that on February 28, 2022, he possessed heroin-fentanyl mixtures weighing a total of 2,035 grams that he intended to distribute. Gulley also admitted that he possessed four firearms in order to protect the drugs, $12,625 in drug proceeds, and his drug trafficking business.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Capital District Safe Streets Gang Task Force, which includes FBI Special Agents and members of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin C. Segovia prosecuted the case.
Schenectady County Sex Offender Sentenced to 300 Months for Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Matthew Peters, age 49, of Schenectady, New York, was sentenced today to 300 months in prison for attempting to entice a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity and for committing a felony offense involving a minor while required to register as a sex offender. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
As part of his guilty plea, Peters admitted that between October 2 and October 7, 2020, he initiated and exchanged sexually explicit text messages with someone he believed to be a 14-year-old child. After learning the apparent child was 14 years old, Peters repeatedly asked the minor for “nudes” and “live” pictures. Peters also asked the minor to meet him on multiple occasions and discussed engaging in various sexual acts with the minor when they met. On October 7, Peters arrived at the prearranged meeting location near Albany, where he was encountered by law enforcement officers and arrested. Peters was a registered sex offender at the time of the offense; he had three prior sex offense convictions, two felony convictions in 2000 and one in 2012, each involving the sexual abuse of a child he had met online.
Senior United States District Judge Gary L. Sharpe also imposed a life term of post-imprisonment supervised release. Peters will again have to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
This case was investigated by the FBI Albany’s Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Colonie Police Department, Rotterdam Police Department and the New York State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander P. Wentworth-Ping prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
SSNDOB Marketplace Administrator Who Sold Millions of Social Security Numbers Sentenced to Eight Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle has sentenced Vitalii Chychasov (37, Ukraine) to eight years in federal prison for his administration of SSNDOB Marketplace, a series of websites that operated for years and were used to sell personal information, including the names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers belonging to individuals in the United States.
On June 7, 2022, seizure orders were executed against the domain names of the SSNDOB Marketplace—BLACKJOB.BIZ, SSNDOB.CLUB, SSNDOB.VIP, and SSNDOB.WS—effectively ceasing the website’s operation. As part of his sentence, the court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $5 million, the proceeds of the fraud, and ordered Chychasov to forfeit his interest in the BLACKJOB.BIZ, SSNDOB.CLUB, SSNDOB.VIP, and SSNDOB.WS domains.
Chychasov was arrested in March 2022 while attempting to enter Hungary. He was extradited to the United States from Hungary in July 2022.
According to court records, Chychasov and other Marketplace administrators advertised on dark web criminal forums for the Marketplace’s services, provided customer support functions, and regularly monitored the activities of the sites, including monitoring when purchasers deposited money into their accounts. The administrators also employed various techniques to protect their anonymity and to thwart detection of their activities, including strategically maintaining servers in various countries, and requiring buyers to use digital payment methods. The SSNDOB Marketplace listed for sale the personal information for millions of individuals in the United States, generating more than $19 million USD in sales revenue.
Stolen Social Security numbers, like those sold on the Marketplace, are used to commit a variety of frauds, including U.S. tax fraud, unemployment insurance fraud, loan fraud, and credit card fraud. Sales on the Marketplace skyrocketed during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, when federal and state governments began to disburse monies—through a variety of programs—to American businesses and families at a time of a national (and international) emergency.
The U.S. investigation was led by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Cyber Crimes Unit and the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Tampa Division, with assistance from the IRS-Criminal Investigation’s Tampa Field Office. Substantial assistance was also provided by the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the FBI’s Legal Attaché Offices responsible for Latvia and Cyprus, the Latvian Police, the Hungarian authorities, and the Cypriot authorities.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Jones and asset forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Nebesky.
Rockland Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Rockland man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Donald J. Caruso, 42, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for March 8, 2024. Caruso was initially arrested and charged in November 2022 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2022.
In early November 2022, Caruso used an online communication platform to send an undercover agent multiple links to videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. On Nov. 7, 2022, a laptop hard drive was seized from Caruso’s residence and his cell phone was seized from Caruso’s person. Both devices were found to contain hundreds of images and over three thousand videos depicting CSAM. Additionally, during the search, Caruso admitted to sending and receiving child pornography using his cell phone and laptop.
The charge of distribution of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in prison, a mandatory minimum of 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 provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a mandatory minimum of five years and up to a lifetime 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.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of the Homeland Security Investigation’s in New England; Rockland Chief of Police Nicholas Zeoli; and Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit 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.
River Falls Man Pleads Guilty to Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – A River Falls, Wisconsin man pleaded guilty today in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin to one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and one count of sex trafficking of a minor.
According to court documents, Austin Koeckeritz, 29, of River Falls, used force, threats of force, fraud and coercion to compel one adult victim into engaging in commercial sex acts in the River Falls area between August 2020 and August 2022. The defendant also caused a minor victim to engage in commercial sex acts in between October 2021 and January 2022.
“Sex trafficking continues to be prevalent because traffickers see the profits they can make from exploiting the vulnerable victims they target,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This type of abuse — particularly of minors — will not be tolerated. The Justice Department remains committed to prosecuting human trafficking offenses and standing up for the victims exploited by these abusers.”
“My office will continue to work with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to hold human traffickers accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea for the Western District of Wisconsin. “Sex trafficking and forced prostitution are heinous crimes and our priority is to restore freedom and dignity to the victims.”
“Sex trafficking has lasting and devastating impacts on victims and their families throughout the state of Wisconsin,” stated Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Hensle of the FBI Milwaukee Field Office. “The investigation into Koeckeritz is just one example which highlights the dedication of the men and women of the FBI who work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners across the state to hold anyone accountable who chooses to exploit and harm others for profit.”
A sentencing hearing will be scheduled on a later date. Koeckeritz faces a minimum penalty of 15 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 Milwaukee Field Office and the River Falls Police Department investigated the case, with assistance from the Pierce County District Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor Kraus of the Western District of Wisconsin and Trial Attorneys Slava Kuperstein and Julie Pfluger of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
Repeat Violent Criminal Sentenced to 22 Years in Federal Prison for Armed Robbery of an Indianapolis Gas StationRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Damon Smithson, 54, of Indianapolis has been sentenced to twenty-two years in federal prison after pleading guilty to interference with commerce by robbery, brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and unlawfully possessing a firearm.
According to court documents, on November 28, 2022, Smithson entered a Shell Gas station located on the northeast side of Indianapolis. Upon entering, he did not find anyone working, so he walked around the building until he found an employee sweeping outside. At that time, Smithson brandished a small revolver and ordered the employee to enter the business and give him all the money in the cash register. The employee complied with the demand and opened the register drawer. Smithson removed all the money from the register and fled the gas station.
On December 13, 2022, Smithson was arrested by IMPD. During the arrest, officers found a small .38 caliber revolver, which matched the revolver brandished during the robbery.
At the time of his arrest, Smithson had been previously convicted of multiple felonies, including armed robbery and two separate counts of robbery. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited under federal law from ever possessing a firearm.
“Many gun crimes are committed by repeat criminals who have no legal business having a firearm,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana “The serious prison sentence imposed here demonstrates that armed, repeat criminals will be held fully accountable in federal court when they terrorize our communities. Our community will be safe from this defendant for decades thanks to the hard work of the FBI, IMPD, and our federal prosecutor.”
“The defendant had a pattern of violent activity including armed robbery and this sentence will ensure residents of our community will no longer have to fear they may be a victim of his violence,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “This is another great example of the power of partnerships between agencies to protect our residents.”
FBI and IMPD investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson. Judge Stinson also ordered that Smithson be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for three years following his release from federal prison and pay a $700 fine.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy C. Fugate, 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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Repeat Offender Sentenced to 6 Years for Heroin TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Robert Seymour, 37, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 6 years in federal prison for distributing heroin. Seymour pleaded guilty to this charge on August 31, 2023.
In May 2023, an informant told police that Seymour was trafficking heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine from an apartment in Madison and regularly carried a firearm. This information was quickly corroborated when, on May 31, and June 23, 2023, the informant made two controlled buys of heroin from Seymour, totaling over 70 grams. The heroin from the second buy was later determined to contain fentanyl. Upon searching Seymour’s apartment, police found more heroin and three loaded firearms.
Seymour has a lengthy criminal history, including a prior federal conviction for possessing a firearm as a felon. Further, he was on state court bond for drug trafficking at the time he committed this offense.
In sentencing Seymour, Judge Peterson stated that this was a highly aggravated crime involving dangerous drugs and firearms. He further explained that armed drug traffickers, like Seymour, pose a serious risk to the community. Lastly, Judge Peterson highlighted Seymour’s recent poor performance on federal supervision as a justification for a sentence above the advisory sentencing guideline range.
The charge against Seymour was the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Reinhard prosecuted this case.
Recidivist Fraudster Sentenced to 212 Months in Prison in Connection with $40 Million Ponzi Scheme and Other FraudsRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that FRANKLIN RAY was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres to 212 months in prison for engaging in multiple fraud schemes, including a $40 million Ponzi scheme and two COVID-19 loan fraud schemes, and committing aggravated identity theft in connection with one of those schemes. RAY previously pled guilty to four counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “In the span of less than two years, Franklin Ray engaged in four separate fraudulent schemes, including a $40 million Ponzi scheme that victimized hundreds of people and schemes that stole funds intended for those in need during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ray even had the audacity to continue his Ponzi scheme while on pretrial release after his arrest in March 2022, stealing approximately $2 million from unsuspecting victims after he was charged with federal crimes. Today’s sentence shows that engaging in fraudulent conduct will have severe consequences.”
As alleged in the previously filed Complaint and Indictment and other court documents:
Beginning in at least June 2021, FRANKLIN RAY began to offer investors an opportunity to invest in his trucking and logistics company, CSA Business Solutions LLC (the “Truck Investment Scheme”). Specifically, RAY and the investors entered into contracts pursuant to which CSA Business Solutions LLC would procure and operate a truck in its trucking business for each $20,000 contributed by the investor. RAY told investors that the trucks would perform delivery services for a multinational e-commerce company and/or a multinational shipping company and that the investors would be entitled to 77% of the net income of the trucks. In reality, CSA Business Solutions LLC operated few trucks and had minimal revenues from trucking activities. Instead, investors in the Truck Investment Scheme received payments from new investments into the scheme or from other sources. After the investors purchased the rights to trucks from CSA Business Solutions LLC, RAY sent them falsified spreadsheets at regular intervals, purporting to show the performance of their trucks during the relevant period. RAY ultimately persuaded approximately 275 investors to invest at least $40 million and fraudulently claimed to have purchased over 2,000 trucks with the investments.
RAY also carried out fraudulent schemes to obtain over $1.9 million in government-guaranteed loans designed to provide relief to small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic on behalf of CSA Business Solutions LLC and another Michigan-based trucking company (the “SBA Loan Fraud Schemes”). In connection with the SBA Loan Fraud Schemes, RAY submitted false information and forged documents to the Small Business Administration and commercial lenders. RAY claimed that these businesses engaged in significant trucking business, but they had minimal revenues and trucking activity. RAY also committed aggravated identity theft with respect to one of the SBA Loan Fraud Schemes.
In addition, RAY fraudulently induced a New York City-based real estate company (the “Company”) to pay $175,000 in startup costs for a joint venture (the “Joint Venture”) between the Company and CSA Business Solutions LLC. In order to persuade the Company to enter into the Joint Venture and pay the $175,000, RAY lied about his personal business experience and the trucking business conducted by CSA Business Solutions LLC. Rather than pay for startup costs, RAY spent the funds on personal expenses, including private airplane trips. The Joint Venture was never formed.
RAY was arrested in early March 2022, and a CSA Business Solutions LLC bank account was seized at that time. After his arrest, up until his Indictment in April 2022, RAY continued to operate the Truck Investment Scheme. RAY hid the fact of his arrest and the seizure of the bank account and lied to investors about why he did not make expected payments after his arrest. During the period after his arrest, RAY opened new bank accounts on behalf of CSA Business Solutions LLC and continued to solicit and accept investor funds for trucks that did not exist. In the post-arrest period alone, RAY defrauded investors into paying at least $1.9 million into his scheme.
RAY previously pled guilty to bank fraud and wire fraud in the Eastern District of Michigan. He received a two-year sentence in connection with those crimes and was released from federal custody in 2010.
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In addition to the prison term, RAY, 52, of Canton, Michigan, was sentenced to five years of supervised release and ordered to forfeit $42,128,912.00 and several assets, including a 1968 Chevy Camaro. The defendant was also ordered to pay restitution in an amount to be determined.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Weinberg is in charge of the prosecution.
Raytown Man Indicted for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Raytown, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for sexually assaulting a child victim to produce child pornography.
Cecil L. Pulluaim, 53, was charged in an 11-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo. Pulluaim was previously charged in a related case by the Jackson County, Mo., Prosecutor’s Office.
Today’s indictment charges Pulluaim with 10 counts of using a minor victim to produce videos of child pornography on 10 separate occasions from April 27 to June 15, 2023. Pulluaim is also charged with one count of possessing child pornography on June 16, 2023.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Luna. It was investigated by the Raytown, Mo., Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service.
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."
Rapid City Woman Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. Chief District Judge Roberto Lange has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine. The sentencing took place on November 27, 2023.
Carlie Wolf, 25, was sentenced to two years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Wolf was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine by a federal grand jury in April of 2023. She pleaded guilty on September 15, 2023.
Based on a previous relationship, Wolf had a source for obtaining cocaine in Colorado. Beginning late in 2022, Wolf began travelling to Colorado to purchase ounces of cocaine, which she then brought back to Rapid City. Wolf then sold the cocaine in Rapid City to others for use and further distribution. Wolf did this on at least four occasions which amounted to at least 700 grams of cocaine.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case.
Wolf was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor and Receipt of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on November 27, 2023.
Michael Douglas McKillip, 33, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for the Sexual Exploitation conviction to run consecutively to five years in federal prison for the Child Pornography conviction, followed by seven years of supervised released. McKillip was also ordered to pay $50,000 in restitution, a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund, and will be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
McKillip was indicted for Receipt of Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography by a federal grand jury in April of 2022. He pleaded guilty on August 23, 2023.
McKillip was federally indicted following a Cybertip from the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children in relation to a download of suspected child pornography on McKillip’s Microsoft account. The Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce executed a search warrant on McKillip’s residence and located multiple electronic storage devices. A forensic examination of those devices found thousands of images of child pornography, as well as multiple minors McKillip had direct communications with and from whom he sought images 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 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.
This case was investigated by the Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah B. Collins prosecuted the case.
McKillip was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - 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, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on November 27, 2023.
Eric Jaramillo, 35, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Jaramillo was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in July of 2021. He pleaded guilty on August 18, 2023.
Between March and June of 2021, in Rapid City, Jaramillo conspired with two other individuals to distribute methamphetamine by assisting in coordinating large quantities to be brought from California to South Dakota for further distribution.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Jaramillo was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Sentenced for Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - 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, man convicted of Possession of Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on November 27, 2023.
Gassem Belhage, 26, was sentenced to three years and 10 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Belhage was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in June 2023. He pleaded guilty on August 21, 2023.
In April of 2023, in Rapid City, Belhage, a previously convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms, was found in possession of a loaded Sturm, Ruger & Company Incorporated, model AR-556 caliber, semi-automatic rifle, along with two loaded 26 round magazines for the rifle, which were found after Belhage came into contact with law enforcement during a traffic stop.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Belhage was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
President of Brisbane Recycling Company and Its Former Counsel Sentenced to Prison for Tax FraudRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO - Joseph Nubla and Henry Ku were sentenced today to 36 months and 30 months in prison, respectively, following their convictions by a jury at trial in April 2023 on charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States and tax evasion, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Acting Special Agent in Charge Mark Silva of the Oakland Field Office. The sentences were handed down by the Hon. Richard Seeborg, Chief U.S. District Court Judge for the Northern District of California.
Nubla, 45, of Danville, California, is—and at all relevant times was—President of Brisbane Recycling Company, Inc. (“Brisbane”), a rock-crushing business located in Brisbane, California. Ku, 56, of Pleasanton, California, was formerly counsel for Brisbane and Nubla. Both defendants were convicted by a jury on April 7, 2023, following a two-week trial on charges that they conspired to defraud the United States from 2008 through 2016, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371. Nubla was also convicted of one count of tax evasion, in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 7201, for failing to report more than $5.8 million in income on his 2014 federal tax return.
The evidence at trial showed that Nubla ran daily operations at Brisbane and that Ku owned and controlled several businesses, including Pegasus Aggregate, Inc., Jupiter Prime Monarch, and JPM Energy, Inc. (collectively, “Ku’s entities”). Between February 20, 2009, and March 30, 2015, Ku and his entities deposited checks written by Nubla from Brisbane and totaling more than $18 million. To avoid paying corporate income taxes for Brisbane, Nubla expensed Brisbane’s payments to Ku’s entities as royalties for the use of heavy equipment purportedly owned by Ku’s entities. In fact, however, Ku had used the funds from Brisbane to purchase that equipment. Ku also returned the funds he received from Brisbane to Nubla in a variety of ways: (i) by regular money transfers from 2009 through 2016; (ii) by purchasing three homes for Nubla; and (iii) by writing cashier’s checks totaling $7 million pursuant to a fake loan. Nubla did not declare the funds given to him by Ku as personal income, even though they originated from Brisbane and thus were taxable, constructive dividends.
“These defendants skirted paying their taxes out of pure greed,” said U.S. Attorney Ramsey. “Today’s sentences send a clear message to those who try to avoid paying their fair share that our office will always marshal its resources to protect the public treasury.”
“The schemes orchestrated by Mr. Nubla and Mr. Ku seeking to defraud the United States and evade our tax system were rooted in blatant greed,” said IRS-CI Acting Special Agent in Charge Silva. “Today’s sentencing reaffirms that IRS-CI special agents are superbly motivated and equipped to disrupt, foil, and eliminate future nefarious attempts to defraud and evade our government. Just outcomes like today’s sentencing help protect responsible law-abiding business owners and taxpayers.”
In addition to the custodial sentences, Chief Judge Seeborg ordered Nubla and Ku to pay fines of $15,000 and $10,000, respectively, and $9,322,549.20 in restitution—a sum for which the defendants are jointly and severally liable.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Kassabian and Trial Attorney Christopher J. Carlberg of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Helen Yee, Veronica Hernandez, and Amala James. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by IRS-CI.
Picayune Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute 27 Grams of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Picayune man pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute 27 grams of methamphetamine.
According to court records, Conel Lamont Holloway, 40, sold 27 grams of methamphetamine for $700 during a controlled sale by the Drug Enforcement Administration in Picayune, MS. He was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 7, 2022, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Holloway is scheduled to be sentenced on March 5, 2024. He faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years with a maximum penalty of up to 40 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor- led, intelligence driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Pediatric Physician Indicted for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Overland Park, Kansas, pediatric physician faces an additional charge after being indicted by a federal grand jury today for producing and possessing child pornography.
Brian Michael Aalbers, 49, of Kansas City, Mo., was charged in a two-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City. Today’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Aalbers on Nov. 15, 2023, and includes an additional charge.
Aalbers, a pediatric neurologist at Overland Park Regional Hospital in Overland Park, Kan., remains in federal custody without bond until his trial.
Today’s indictment retains the original charge of attempting to produce child pornography from Dec. 28, 2020, to Oct. 28, 2023, and includes an additional charge of possessing child pornography on Oct. 28, 2023.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen A. Brackett. It was investigated by the FBI, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Lenexa, Kan., Police Department, the Merriam, Kan., Police Department, and the Overland Park, Kan., Police Department, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Kansas.
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."
One-Time Orange County Tax Preparer Convicted of Tax Fraud Scheme that Sought over $10 Million from IRS and Dozens of State GovernmentsRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – A former Orange County tax preparer was convicted today of federal criminal charges for leading a multi-year tax fraud conspiracy that spanned three continents and claimed more than $10 million from the IRS and dozens of state tax authorities.
Stephen Jake McGonigle, 66, of Victorville, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft. A federal jury returned the guilty verdicts at the conclusion of an eight-day trial.
According to evidence presented during the trial, McGonigle recruited others, including two co-defendants who previously pleaded guilty, to help convince the IRS and dozens of state governments to issue millions of dollars in fraudulent tax refunds.
To perpetrate the massive fraud scheme that began in 2013, McGonigle sent one co-defendant to Thailand to obtain fake identification documents that used stolen victim identities, and then he directed co-conspirators to use those fake identifications to obtain prepaid debit cards, as well as numerous commercial mailboxes across Orange County and elsewhere. After having the prepaid debit cards sent to these untraceable mailboxes, McGonigle and his co-conspirators filed fraudulent tax returns using the identity theft victims’ Social Security numbers. Those fraudulent tax returns sought millions of dollars in tax refunds to be deposited into these prepaid debit cards or other bank accounts that they controlled.
With more than a decade of tax preparation experience in Southern California, McGonigle used his knowledge to lead the fraud scheme. The IP addresses used to file the fraudulent returns were traced back to various office spaces leased by McGonigle and to Costa Rica, where law enforcement surveillance and travel records showed that McGonigle and his co-conspirators opened an office and hired employees to help file additional fraudulent returns.
United States District Judge James V. Selna scheduled a March 4, 2024 hearing, at which time McGonigle will face a statutory maximum sentence of 22 years in federal prison. Prosecutors have secured guilty pleas from two co-defendants, who are also scheduled to be sentenced in the coming months.
IRS Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the United States Postal Inspection Service investigated this matter. The Missouri Department of Revenue and the U.S. Secret Service provided substantial assistance during the investigation.
Assistant United States Attorneys Sue Bai of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section and Colin Scott of the General Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.
Ohio Diesel Shop Owner Pleads Guilty to Emissions TamperingRead the Press Release
An Ohio man pleaded guilty yesterday to removing emissions control devices required by the Clean Air Act from customers’ vehicles after previously agreeing to a civil resolution with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for similar misconduct.
According to court documents, David Owens, 33, of Cleves, was previously a co-owner and operator of a diesel shop based in North Bend, Ohio. In 2020, Owens entered a consent agreement and final order with the EPA regarding allegations that he knowingly removed or rendered inoperative various emissions control devices. As part of this civil resolution, Owens agreed to cease removing these devices. Instead, Owens continued this activity through another company, this time called Cincy Diesel, at the same North Bend location.
The act of removing or disabling a vehicle’s emissions control system can increase particulate matter emissions by a factor of 40 times, nitrogen oxides by a factor of 310 times, carbon monoxide by a factor of 120 times, and non-methane hydrocarbons by a factor of 1,100 times.
Owens pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the tampering with a monitoring device required under the Clean Air Act. He will be sentenced on a future date. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) and U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio made the announcement.
The EPA, Criminal Investigation Division and Ohio Attorney General’s Office, Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Environmental Enforcement Unit are investigating the case.
Senior Trial Attorney and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Cullman of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.
Mount Airy Restaurant Owner Pleads Guilty to Employment Tax SchemeRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Francesco Illiano, a/k/a Frank Illiano, age 62, of Mount Airy, Maryland, pleaded guilty yesterday to willfully failing to pay employment taxes withheld from employees of his businesses to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division; and Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Illiano owned and operated two restaurants and a property management company which employed over 100 people. Illiano was responsible for collecting, accounting for, and paying the income and Social Security and Medicare taxes withheld from the wages of employees of the three companies he controlled. From at least April 2014 to at least July 2016, Illiano did not pay the taxes withheld from the wages of his employees to the IRS. Illiano had previously been assessed a Trust Fund Recovery Penalty for not paying more than $1.4 million in taxes withheld from employees of five Green Turtle restaurants the defendant owned in 2011 and 2012. In total, from April 2011 to July 2016, Illiano caused a tax loss to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) of approximately $1.729 million.
Illiano faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for willfully failing to pay employment taxes to the IRS. U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander has scheduled sentencing for March 6, 2024.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg commended the IRS-Criminal Investigation for its work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jefferson M. Gray and Trial Attorney Shawn T. Noud of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, who are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Mobile Man Convicted of Transmitting Interstate Threats to InjureRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A federal jury convicted a Mobile man this week for transmitting an interstate threat to injure.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, following his termination from a local construction company, Cloepha Franks sent a series of threatening text messages to his former boss threatening to kill him.
The jury heard evidence that Franks sent the messages from Alabama to the victim who was in Mississippi. Records of the text messages and cell phone records confirmed Franks’ phone transmitted the messages to the victim.
The victim testified about receiving the threats. He and other witnesses from the construction company testified about precautions taken after Franks transmitted the threats and the fear his actions caused. The FBI testified concerning the ongoing threat to life investigation and evidence obtained from Franks’ cell phone and cell phone records.
Franks faces up to 5 years in prison and will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kristi K. DuBose in March 2024.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant United States Attorneys Beth Stepan and Chris Bodnar prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Mishawaka Man Sentenced to 102 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Damone McFerren, 28 years old, of Mishawaka, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
McFerren was sentenced to 102 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, in October 2022, following a verbal argument in a South Bend residence, McFerren fired three gunshots at one of the persons inside the house. Officers who responded to the scene were able to recover the firearm McFerren attempted to hide in a discarded tire in the alley he ran to after leaving the residence. At the time of the offense, McFerren was on federal supervised release for a felony drug conviction, and he had multiple prior felony convictions, any one of which prohibited him from possessing the firearm.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the assistance of the South Bend Police Department and the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Katelan McKenzie Doyle.
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.
Mexican National Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Reentry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Mexican national was sentenced today in federal court for his illegal reentry into the United States after being deported twice, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Luis Aragon-Lara, 40 was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Steven J. McAuliffe to 24 months in prison and one year of supervised release. On August 16, 2023, the defendant pleaded guilty to one count of illegal reentry.
“The defendant was using counterfeit United States currency, which impacts our local businesses and economy. Even worse, he conducted this criminal behavior after having been removed from this country repeatedly,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “Today’s sentence sends a deterrent message that this office will vigorously prosecute individuals that are in the United States illegally and committing crimes in New Hampshire.”
“Those who seek to exploit our immigration law and engage in fraudulent financial crimes will not be allowed to use our immigration system to victimize the residents of New Hampshire,” said Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Boston. “We applaud the commitment of the U.S. Attorney for New Hampshire in prosecuting this case. Together with the great teamwork of our law enforcement partners at the Office of the U.S. Attorney for New Hampshire and the Keene Police Department we remain committed to protecting communities in New Hampshire from criminal immigration violators.”
On October 26, 2022, the Keene Police Department arrested the defendant in connection with the passing of counterfeit currency at retail stores in the area. A subsequent investigation revealed that the defendant was again illegally in the United States, after having been deported on or about June 9, 2009, and April 3, 2020.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Keene Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Ward prosecuted the case.
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Mansfield Woman Defrauds Health and Human Services Technology Solutions Company Out of $3.7 MillionRead the Press Release
A Mansfield woman pleaded guilty today to a $3.7 million wire fraud scheme, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Tanisha Adderley, 51, was charged via criminal information in September. She pleaded guilty to wire fraud before U.S. Magistrate Judge Irma Carrillo Ramirez.
“We are very proud of the work our Secret Service partners did in this investigation,” said U.S. Attorney Simonton. “No company should face the scenario that this one did, in which a trusted employee steals millions of dollars from its accounts. The Justice Department will not tolerate such breaches of trust.”
“The Secret Service has a long tradition of investigating those who aim to exploit our financial systems,” said Christina Foley, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Dallas Field Office. “Working together with our partners in the U.S. Attorney’s office, we were able to put an end to this fraud scheme and ensure that those involved will be brought to justice.”
According to court documents, Ms. Adderley worked for a health and human services technology solutions company that recovered fees paid by their clients and remitted refunds to them via wires from their funds recovery bank account. Ms. Adderley had access to the funds recovery bank account and was responsible for obtaining approvals and processing fee refunds.
Over the course of five years, from 2019 to 2023, Ms. Adderley prepared false approvals and processed wire payments to non-vendor business bank accounts that were controlled by Ms. Adderley.
Ms. Adderley fraudulently obtained $3.7 million in company funds.
She now faces up to 20 years in federal prison. Her sentencing date is slated for May 6, 2024.
The United States Secret Service Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nashonme Johnson is prosecuting the case.
Man Sentenced for Series of Firearm Thefts from Grand Haven Pawn ShopRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Casey Johnson, 29, of Muskegon, was sentenced to seven and a half years in federal prison after being convicted of three counts of Theft of Firearms from a Federal Firearms Licensee and three counts of Felon in Possession of Firearms.
“My office is committed to being part of the solution to keep illegal guns off our streets and out of the hands of felons,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “Today’s sentence reflects the joint commitment of law enforcement to hold Mr. Johnson accountable for the theft of guns from Michigan Pawn Brokers and to keep our communities safe from gun violence.”
Police were investigating a series of thefts from multiple businesses, including three break-ins at Michigan Pawn Brokers, when their investigation led them to Casey Johnson. Investigators executed a search warrant at a motel room at which Johnson was staying and recovered two of the 11 firearms that Johnson stole.
“In the end, the moral of this case is simple: Crime does not pay. Casey Johnson decided to steal firearms from a federally licensed firearms dealer, because as a prior convicted felon it was easier than passing a background check,” said ATF Detroit Special Agent in Charge James Deir. “Casey will have a lot of free time to reflect on his poor choices while serving time in a federal prison. If you choose to illegally possess an illegal firearm, you should pack your bags for prison.”
This case was investigated by the Grand Haven Department of Public Safety, the Muskegon Police Department, the Norton Shores Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Roosevelt Park Police Department, and the Michigan State Police.
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MS-13 Gang Leader Sentenced to Life in Prison for Racketeering Charges Including the Murder of 16-Year-Old Victim in Alley Pond Park in QueensRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Melvi Amador-Rios, a leader of the Centrales Locos Salvatruchas (CLS) clique of La Mara Salvatrucha, also known as MS-13, a transnational criminal organization, was sentenced by United States District Judge Rachel P. Kovner to life in prison for murder in-aid-of racketeering. The defendant was also sentenced to 80 years in prison for four Hobbs Act robberies, 40 years in prison for ordering a non-fatal shooting and 38 years in prison for firearms charges, to run consecutive to the sentences on all other counts. Amador-Rios was convicted of racketeering, murder in-aid-of racketeering in connection with the May 16, 2017 fatal stabbing of 16-year-old Julio Vasquez in Queens, attempted murder in-aid-of racketeering, assault-in aid-of racketeering, firearms offenses and four counts of Hobbs Act robbery after a three-week jury trial in July and August 2023.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Edward A. Caban, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the sentence.
“The defendant will deservedly serve a life sentence for the murder, attempted murder and armed robberies he committed on behalf of MS-13,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Today’s sentence reflects justice for the heinous and senseless nature of the defendant’s crimes and the terror he inflicted on his victims, their families and the community.”
“This is the culmination of another thorough, intelligence-led investigation of a violent gang member who will thankfully never have the opportunity to victimize another New Yorker,” stated NYPD Commissioner Caban. “I commend our NYPD investigators and law enforcement partners, whose tireless efforts on this important case ensured today’s meaningful prison sentence. We vow to remain relentless in identifying, arresting, and holding to full account everyone responsible for driving crime and disorder in our city.”
Murder of Julio Vasquez
As proven at trial, beginning in fall 2016, the CLS clique, led by Amador-Rios, decided to kill a CLS chequeo, or low-level MS-13 member (referred to in the superseding indictment as John Doe 3) who had been violating the clique’s rules, including by associating with members of the rival 18th Street gang. Amador-Rios ordered Julio Vasquez, also an MS-13 chequeo, to carry out the killing of John Doe 3. Vasquez was tasked with killing John Doe 3 because he too had been violating the clique’s rules and was suspected of cooperating with law enforcement. After Vasquez failed to kill John Doe 3, Amador-Rios ordered Vasquez be killed. On May 16, 2017, Vasquez was lured to a wooded area of Alley Pond Park where co-conspirators Josue Leiva and Luis Rivas stabbed him more than 30 times, killing him. Vasquez’s body was discovered by a bird watcher in the park on May 21, 2017. Leiva and Rivas pleaded guilty on July 14, 2023 to racketeering charges, including Vasquez’s murder. They are awaiting sentencing.
2016 Attempted Murder
In October 2016, Amador-Rios ordered a CLS chequeo to kill a member of the rival 18th Street gang. The chequeo targeted a boy that he believed to be a member of the rival 18th Street gang (referred to in the superseding indictment as John Doe 1). In the early morning hours of October 23, 2016, in the vicinity of 179th Street and 90th Avenue in Jamaica, Queens, the CLS chequeo, accompanied by two others, confronted John Doe 1, who was 16 years old at the time. At Amador-Rios’s direction, the chequeos beat John Doe 1, shot him in the head, and attempted to shoot him a second time as he lay on the ground. The gun malfunctioned, but, as a result of the gunshot wound, John Doe 1 was permanently paralyzed. Following the arrests of the chequeos for the shooting, Amador-Rios informed them in a prison call that “you guys already have the pass, you know, to be homeboys, you know,” indicating that they would be promoted in the gang for committing the attempted murder. The three chequeos have each pleaded guilty to their participation in the assault and attempted murder of John Doe 1, including variously assault in-aid-of racketeering, attempted murder in-aid-of racketeering and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
Amador-Rios also participated in the armed robbery of a money transfer business during which an employee was pistol whipped, three armed robberies of convenience stores in Jamaica, Queens, one during which a four-year-old child was present, and related firearms offenses.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF
Today’s sentencing is the latest in a series of federal prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York targeting members of the MS-13. The MS-13’s leadership was based in El Salvador and Honduras, but the gang has thousands of members across the United States. Since 2003, hundreds of MS-13 members, including dozens of clique leaders, have been convicted on federal felony charges in the Eastern District of New York. A majority of those MS-13 members have been convicted on federal racketeering charges for participating in murders, attempted murders, and assaults. Since 2010, this Office has obtained indictments charging MS-13 members with carrying out more than 45 murders in the district and has convicted dozens of MS-13 leaders and members in connection with those murders. These prosecutions are the product of investigations led by our law enforcement partners including the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force, comprising agents and officers of the FBI and NYPD.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Nadia E. Moore, Anna L. Karamigios, and Raffaela S. Belizaire are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Emily Moosher.
The Defendant:
MELVI AMADOR-RIOS (also known as “Letal” and “Pinky”)
Age: 32
Briarwood, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-398 (S-3) (RPK)
Local Magician Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Sutton man who worked as a magician for over 20 years pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place and transportation of child pornography.
Scott Jameson, 46, pleaded guilty to one count of illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place and one count of transportation of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for March 7, 2024. Jameson was charged by criminal complaint in October 2022.
In early 2022, Action Pour Les Enfants (APLE), a Cambodian Non-Governmental Organization founded to prevent child sexual abuse and exploitation, contacted federal authorities to report that Jameson engaged in inappropriate behavior with minors in Cambodia.
In September 2022, authorities in the United States were notified that Jameson, a dual citizen of the United States and Ireland, had again traveled from Boston to Cambodia in August 2022. Upon his return to the United States on Oct. 19, 2022, Jameson was stopped at Logan Airport. During a search of his belongings, a video was discovered which he produced during his most recent trip to Cambodia, depicting the genitals of a young boy, 5-7 years old.
During a subsequent interview with law enforcement, Jameson stated that he worked as a magician for over 20 years, regularly performing at libraries and private and family events across New England, usually for children as young as kindergarten age and up to the eighth grade. He admitted to creating the video and transferring it from his camera to a hard drive that he possessed when he was stopped at Logan Airport.
The charge of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of transportation of child pornography provides for a sentence of not less than five years and not more than 20 years, up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Sutton Police Chief Dennis J. Towle made the announcement today. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by United States Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations and the Littleton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen M. Noto of the Worcester Branch Office 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.
Lewiston Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Exchanging Cash/Drugs for Illegal Firearms PurchasesRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Lewiston man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for his role in an illegal straw purchasing conspiracy and for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Abdullahi Issak, 26, to 10 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Issak pleaded guilty on April 13, 2023.
According to court records, between December 2021 and July 2022, Issak conspired to have 36 firearms straw purchased for him at federal firearms dealers throughout central and southern Maine. Issak directed the purchasers where to buy the firearms, what firearms to buy, and provided them cash or drugs in return for engaging in the illegal transactions. Issak took possession of the firearms from the straw purchasers following each sale. He was also sentenced for knowingly possessing one of the firearms which was purchased for him at a federal firearms dealer in Jay. A 2019 New York felony conviction precluded Issak from possessing firearms.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.
Straw Purchasing: A straw purchase is an illegal firearm purchase where the actual buyer of the gun, being unable to pass the required federal background check or desiring to not have his or her name associated with the transaction, uses a proxy buyer who can pass the required background check to purchase the firearm for him/her.
Project Safe Neighborhoods: This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. To learn more information about Project Safe Neighborhood, visit www.justice.gov/psn.
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Lead Inspectors for City of Trenton Admit Receiving Illegal Overtime PaymentsRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Mercer County, New Jersey, man and a Bucks County, Pennsylvania, man today admitted participating in a conspiracy to obtain overtime payments from the city of Trenton for work they did not perform by fraudulently inflating the overtime hours they claimed to have worked conducting residential lead inspections, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Michael Ingram, 71, of Trenton, and William Kreiss, 40, of Yardley, Pennsylvania, each pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton federal court to informations charging them with one count of conspiracy to embezzle, steal, and obtain by fraud more than $5,000 in funds from the city of Trenton.
According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Trenton’s Department of Health and Human Services (Trenton HHS) was required to provide services to identify lead sources in homes in Trenton where children had tested positive for elevated levels of lead in their blood. Beginning in approximately 2018, a New Jersey State grant funded inspections of Trenton properties identified with children with elevated blood lead levels. Trenton’s Bureau of Environmental Health (BEH), a subdivision of Trenton HHS, was responsible for performing these residential lead inspections.
Ingram, a public health investigator for BEH, and Kreiss, a registered environmental specialist for BEH, conducted residential lead inspections with other members of BEH from February 2018 through May 2022. The BEH employee to whom Ingram and Kreiss reported began directing them to bill overtime hours for work they did not perform. Ingram and Kreiss submitted their fraudulent and inflated overtime claims to this BEH employee, who then authorized overtime payments to each of them.
Ingram and Kreiss each admitted submitting claims for overtime work as directed by the BEH employee, including for work they had not performed. The two defendants also admitted they had inflated claims for overtime hours worked in connection with a meal delivery program administered by the city. Through this fraudulent overtime scheme, Ingram admitted he received $22,144 in overtime payments to which he was not entitled, while Kreiss separately admitted he received $32,806 in overtime payments to which he was not entitled.
Ingram and Kreiss each face a maximum penalty of five years in prison and maximum fine of $250,000. Sentencing for both defendants is scheduled for April 24, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; special agents of the Environmental Protection Agency, under the direction of Special Agents in Charge Tyler Amon, Criminal Investigation Division, and Nic Evans, Office of Inspector General; and special agents of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Janine Rocheleau, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric A. Boden, Attorney-in-Charge of the Trenton Branch Office, under the supervision of the Special Prosecutions Division.
kreiss.information.pdf
ingram.information.pdfLaredo salesman sent to prison for fraud conspiracy costing HUD $1M in lossesRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 38-year-old man was sentenced for his role in a complex mortgage fraud scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Edmundo De La Torre pleaded guilty April 19 to orchestrating a mortgage fraud scheme in which he altered hundreds of documents to get otherwise unqualified buyers’ approval for government-backed mortgages.
U.S. District Judge Marina Marmalejo has now ordered De La Torre to serve 36 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. De La Torre was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1.17 million. In handing down the sentence, Judge Marmolejo noted the sophistication and persistence of De La Torre’s crime and remarked on the profound effects it has on potential first-time and low-income homebuyers seeking homes, and instead ending up entangled in legal and finances issues.
From 2018 to 2020, De La Torre admitted he was working as a salesman for a Laredo area homebuilder. De La Torre used his position to attempt to get potential customers approved for Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)-backed mortgages. He forged various documents, including financial statements, bank statements, paycheck stubs and letters of reference for at least 38 otherwise unqualified homebuyers.
De La Torre then submitted these fake and forged documents to a Laredo area bank on behalf of the potential homebuyers. He admitted he was receiving a commission for each sale and personally profiting over $200,000 from the scheme. In addition, more than three dozen known loans in this scheme ultimately defaulted or had to be restructured, costing HUD roughly $971,310.10 at the time of his plea in April.
De La Torre was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
HUD - Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation with assistance from the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Carter prosecuted the case.
Lapwai Man Arrested Following Indictment for Second Degree Murder and Use of a Firearm During a Crime of ViolenceRead the Press Release
COEUR D’ALENE – William O. Eyle, 20, of Lapwai, was arrested by the United States Marshals Service on November 27, 2023, in Pendleton, OR, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to a previously unsealed indictment, on October 17, 2023, Eyle was charged in U.S. District Court with one count of murder in the second degree and one count of use of a firearm during a crime of violence after he allegedly killed E.A. by shooting him repeatedly on or about May 12, 2023, on the Nez Perce Indian Reservation.
Eyle’s mother, Jacinta Wheeler, 43, also of Lapwai, was charged in the same indictment with accessory after the fact to murder. Wheeler allegedly cleaned out Eyle’s car, disposed of evidence, and assisted Eyle in leaving the Nez Perce Indian Reservation. Wheeler’s trial is scheduled for March 25, 2024.
If convicted on the murder count, Eyle faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the excellent coordination between tribal, state, and federal partners, including the Nez Perce Tribal Police, Umatilla Tribal Police, Yakama Nation Police, the Moscow Police Department, Oregon State Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the United States Marshals Service, which led to the arrest of Eyle.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Lame Deer woman admits distributing meth on Crow Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Lame Deer woman today admitted to methamphetamine trafficking charges, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Jacklyn Marcel Garcia-Littlebird, 58, pleaded guilty to distribution of meth. Garcia-Littlebird faces a mandatory minimum of five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release. Garcia-Littlebird was detained pending further proceedings.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. A sentencing date will be set before U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The government alleged in court documents that in August 2022, Garcia-Littlebird sold approximately one ounce of meth to an individual at a location on the Crow Indian Reservation. Garcia-Littlebird was indicted as part of large-scale narcotics trafficking investigation on the Crow and Northern Cheyenne Indian reservations and elsewhere in Montana.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Bureau of Indian Affairs, Drug Enforcement Administration and FBI conducted the investigation.
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Lake St. Louis Woman Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding Ailing UncleRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Tuesday sentenced a woman from Lake St. Louis, Missouri to 15 months in prison for stealing from her elderly, ailing uncle.
Judge Autrey also ordered Jessica Medrano, 42, to repay $79,827. Medrano pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in May to five felony counts of wire fraud and one felony count of access device fraud and admitted defrauding her uncle in two ways.
Medrano’s uncle, who is now 73 and suffers multiple health issues, entrusted Medrano with his debit card so she could make purchases on his behalf. Medrano instead used the card to make online and in-store purchases totaling more than $12,000 at Walmart for herself and other relatives between Jan. 21, 2022 and May 16, 2022, her plea agreement says.
Between Jan. 24, 2022 and June 6, 2022, Medrano also transferred a total of $57,950 from her uncle’s bank account to her own account via Cash App and her uncle’s debit card.
An investigation began when the victim’s bank alerted the Warren County Sheriff’s Department, according to testimony during the sentencing hearing.
In a sentencing memorandum, Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry said Medrano’s “financial exploitation of vulnerable individuals and her family members has escalated” since she stole and forged two checks from her stepfather’s relative while he was hospitalized in 2009.
Medrano’s used her uncle’s debit card to buy clothing and food at Walmart, but also jewelry, electronics, candy, beer, furniture, art supplies, home décor, phone cards, cat food, cat treats, fashion accessories, dishes, warranty protection plans and party supplies, the memo says. Medrano also nearly drained her uncle’s bank account with Cash App, with her final transfer leaving $88 in an account that once exceeded $71,000.
The Warren County Sheriff’s Department and Homeland Security Investigations handled the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry prosecuted the case.
KC Man Sentenced to 16 Years for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for distributing child pornography over the internet.
Daniel J. Street, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 16 years and six months in federal prison without parole. The court ordered Street to pay $15,000 in restitution to three victims.
The court also sentenced Street to spend the rest of his life on supervised release following incarceration. Street will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.
On April 17, 2023, Street pleaded guilty to distributing child pornography over the internet. Street admitted that he possessed a MEGA account, a cloud storage and file-hosting service, that was used to distribute thousands of videos of child pornography.
Street sent links to his MEGA account to online covert employees of the FBI on three occasions in 2022. In February 2022, he sent a MEGA link to an online covert employee in the Oklahoma City FBI division, with whom he was communicating on a social media platform, to more than 2,000 videos and images of child pornography. In July 2022, Street communicated with an online covert employee in the Jacksonville FBI division using the Kik application and sent at least two videos of child pornography via Kik as well as a MEGA link to hundreds of videos of child pornography. In July 2022, Street engaged in a group chat message conversation, which included an online covert employee of the San Francisco FBI division using the Kik application. Street posted several videos of child pornography during the group chat.
On Aug. 26, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Street’s residence. Officers seized Street’s cell phone, which contained hundreds of videos of child pornography. Following his arrest, Street told investigators he had sexually abused a minor female on several occasions.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth W. Borgnino. It was investigated by 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."
Justice Department Announces New Surge of Resources to Fight Violent CrimeRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – The Justice Department, together with numerous law enforcement partners, met today at the Memphis Police Department’s (MPD) Real Time Crime Center to announce a new initiative to surge law enforcement tools and resources to target gangs and other violent groups who are threatening and upending the safety and security of communities in Memphis.
“Violent crime deprives communities of a fundamental sense of security in their own homes and neighborhoods,” said Acting Assistant Attorney Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This violent crime initiative will bring additional tools and resources used to investigate and prosecute violent crime and apply those tools to gangs and groups who are harming and disrupting communities here in Memphis.”
The new initiative includes federal prosecutors from the Violent Crime and Racketeering Section, the nation’s foremost experts in charging federal racketeering (RICO) crimes, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorneys already working in Memphis and dedicated investigative agents, analysts, and forensic experts from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the MPD.
“Through data-driven, targeted, and focused enforcement against the worst-of-the-worst violent criminals and organized groups, coupled with a strong focus on crime prevention, intervention, and reentry, I believe all of us, working together, can make an incredible difference and secure a safer future for all of Memphis,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Argentieri.
“As U.S. Attorney and a lifelong Memphian, I know the citizens of this city are sick and tired of gun violence and violent crime,” said U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz for the Western District of Tennessee. “I am too. The threat from organized criminal enterprises requires that we bring significant resources to bear. These additional prosecutors, working hand-in-hand our office’s experienced Assistant U.S. Attorneys and law enforcement partners, will build cases against gang members, trigger-pullers, and shot-callers.”
The initiative will also include efforts to invest in prevention and intervention, and the department will work with the Western District of Tennessee’s innovative Reentry Court Program and community organizations to assist offenders in reentering and reintegrating into their communities. As part of the announcement, Acting Assistant Attorney General Argentieri and U.S. Attorney Ritz met with community members to hear directly from them about the violence and gang activity in their neighborhoods.
“Initiatives like this are not about one takedown – they’re about working in partnership to build a long term and sustainable plan to fight gun crime. ATF Memphis does that every day,” said ATF Director Steven M. Dettelbach. “This summer, with the MPD and other state, local, and federal partners, we focused efforts here, using crime gun intelligence to help protect the people of this great city. Now we are here with additional partners both locally and nationally to continue that work -- that impact. By combining traditional investigative techniques with advancements in technology, ATF is creating data-driven investigations that turn into evidence-driven prosecutions of the most dangerous offenders.
“This violent crime initiative serves as a force multiplier to empower law enforcement, our partners, and communities to proactively fight against violent crime in big cities and small towns across our nation,” said Executive Assistant Director Timothy Langan of the FBI’s Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch. “The FBI, in close collaboration with the Justice Department and our law enforcement partners, is committed to tackling violent crime threats in a methodical and effective approach to dismantle the roots of crime and reclaim our communities, for a promising future for our neighborhoods.”
“FBI Memphis, our dedicated special agents, task force officers, intelligence analysts, and professional staff are ready to join our partners in supporting this new initiative to disrupt and dismantle the criminal enterprises that are threatening our communities," said Special Agent in Charge Douglas DePodesta of the FBI Memphis Field Office. “Together we not only investigate and enforce the law, but we also live in, and are a part of the communities affected by the violent crime that is overwhelmingly the result of violent gangs. It is only together that we will be able to target and bring to prosecution the gang members and others who are driving violence in Memphis and throughout the area.”
“I am excited about the announcement by our U.S. Attorney Kevin Ritz regarding an increased focus on violent crime in the city of Memphis,” said MPD Chief Cerelyn “C.J.” Davis. “This new initiative is a positive step in the right direction, which fosters a since of renewed hope for improved quality of life for our citizens and visitors.”
Joining Acting Assistant Attorney General Argentieri and U.S. Attorney Ritz in the press conference today were ATF Director Dettelbach, MPD Assistant Chief Shawn Jones, and FBI Special Agent in Charge DePodesta.
Justice Department Announces New Surge of Resources to Fight Violent CrimeRead the Press Release
The Justice Department, together with numerous law enforcement partners, met today at the Memphis Police Department’s (MPD) Real Time Crime Center to announce a new initiative to surge law enforcement tools and resources to target gangs and other violent groups who are threatening and upending the safety and security of communities in Memphis.
“Violent crime deprives communities of a fundamental sense of security in their own homes and neighborhoods,” said Acting Assistant Attorney Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This violent crime initiative will bring additional tools and resources used to investigate and prosecute violent crime and apply those tools to gangs and groups who are harming and disrupting communities here in Memphis.”
The new initiative includes federal prosecutors from the Violent Crime and Racketeering Section, the nation’s foremost experts in charging federal racketeering (RICO) crimes, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorneys already working in Memphis and dedicated investigative agents, analysts, and forensic experts from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, and MPD.
“Through data-driven, targeted, and focused enforcement against the worst-of-the-worst violent criminals and organized groups, coupled with a strong focus on crime prevention, intervention, and reentry, I believe all of us, working together, can make an incredible difference and secure a safer future for all of Memphis,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Argentieri.
“As U.S. Attorney and a lifelong Memphian, I know the citizens of this city are sick and tired of gun violence and violent crime,” said U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz for the Western District of Tennessee. “I am too. The threat from organized criminal enterprises requires that we bring significant resources to bear. These additional prosecutors, working hand-in-hand with our office’s experienced Assistant U.S. Attorneys and law enforcement partners, will build cases against gang members, trigger-pullers, and shot-callers.”
The initiative will also include efforts to invest in prevention and intervention, and the department will work with the Western District of Tennessee’s innovative Reentry Court Program and community organizations to assist offenders in reentering and reintegrating into their communities. As part of the announcement, Acting Assistant Attorney General Argentieri and U.S. Attorney Ritz met with community members to hear directly from them about the violence and gang activity in their neighborhoods.
“Initiatives like this are not about one takedown – they’re about working in partnership to build a long term and sustainable plan to fight gun crime. ATF Memphis does that every day,” said ATF Director Steven M. Dettelbach. “This summer, with the MPD and other state, local, and federal partners, we focused efforts here, using crime gun intelligence to help protect the people of this great city. Now we are here with additional partners both locally and nationally to continue that work – that impact. By combining traditional investigative techniques with advancements in technology, ATF is creating data-driven investigations that turn into evidence-driven prosecutions of the most dangerous offenders.
“This violent crime initiative serves as a force multiplier to empower law enforcement, our partners, and communities to proactively fight against violent crime in big cities and small towns across our nation,” said Executive Assistant Director Timothy Langan of the FBI’s Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch. “The FBI, in close collaboration with the Justice Department and our law enforcement partners, is committed to tackling violent crime threats in a methodical and effective approach to dismantle the roots of crime and reclaim our communities, for a promising future for our neighborhoods.”
“FBI Memphis, our dedicated special agents, task force officers, intelligence analysts, and professional staff are ready to join our partners in supporting this new initiative to disrupt and dismantle the criminal enterprises that are threatening our communities," said Special Agent in Charge Douglas DePodesta of the FBI Memphis Field Office. “Together we not only investigate and enforce the law, but we also live in, and are a part of the communities affected by the violent crime that is overwhelmingly the result of violent gangs. It is only together that we will be able to target and bring to prosecution the gang members and others who are driving violence in Memphis and throughout the area.”
“I am excited about the announcement by our U.S. Attorney Kevin Ritz regarding an increased focus on violent crime in the city of Memphis,” said MPD Chief Cerelyn “C.J.” Davis. “This new initiative is a positive step in the right direction, which fosters a since of renewed hope for improved quality of life for our citizens and visitors.”
Joining Acting Assistant Attorney General Argentieri and U.S. Attorney Ritz in the press conference today were ATF Director Dettelbach, MPD Assistant Chief Shawn Jones, and FBI Special Agent in Charge DePodesta.
Johnstown, PA Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Possess CocaineRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Johnstown, PA, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of attempting to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Clinton Dudley, age 36, of Johnstown, PA pleaded guilty to Count One of the Indictment before Senior United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on or about August 11, 2021, Dudley knowingly, intentionally, and unlawfully, attempted to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. According to facts presented to the court, Dudley attempted to possess a United States Postal Service parcel found to contain 622 grams of cocaine.
Judge Gibson scheduled sentencing for March 27, 2024. The law provides for a total maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, a fine of $5,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Arnold P. Bernard, Jr. is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The United States Postal Inspection Service and FBI Safe Streets Task Force conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Dudley.
Indian National Sentenced for Money Laundering Conspiracy Related to Government Impersonator ScamRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew has sentenced Jignesh Purshottambhai Vekaria (30, Tampa) to four years and three months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering. As part of his sentence, the court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $372,000, the proceeds of the offense. Vekaria had pleaded guilty on July 20, 2023.
According to court documents, India-based conspirators working in call centers placed calls to United States residents. The conspirators falsely and fraudulently identified themselves as federal law enforcement officers, such as Social Security Administration officials, FBI agents, or IRS officers. They provided “official” titles and/or “badge numbers,” and threatened their victims with imminent arrest, a lawsuit, and/or other economic consequences—usually based on alleged drug trafficking or money laundering crimes supposedly committed using the victims’ identities. The conspirators told victims, the majority of whom were older adults, that they could avoid these consequences by mailing checks or cash equivalents to conspirators in the United States.
From April 2018 through at least September 2018, Vekaria laundered money that had been extorted from these victims in the United States. Specifically, Vekaria acted as an intermediary between other U.S.-based conspirators who had a direct line of communication to the foreign call centers and the “runners” who received and cashed the victims’ checks. Vekaria’s intermediary role involved relaying information regarding the arrival of packages containing the victims’ checks to the runners, driving the runners to pick up the checks and cash them, and retrieving the fraudulently obtained funds from the runners. Once he retrieved the fraud proceeds, Vekaria provided them to his coconspirators and was paid for his role in obtaining the funds.
“Every day, countless Americans receive annoying spam calls from imposters pretending to be with the IRS. Today’s sentencing of Jignesh Vekaria serves as reassurance that IRS-CI agents will answer the call to bring justice to those who extort money and defraud hard-working citizens,” said Tara K. Reed, IRS-CI Acting Special Agent in Charge. “Putting dishonest fraudsters like Vekaria behind bars reinforces that the IRS is committed to ensuring the safety and trust of Americans throughout every community we serve.”
This case was investigated by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General (SSA/OIG), the Tampa Police Department, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Huyler.
German Man Admits Traveling to New Jersey to Engage in Sexual Activity with MinorRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A German man today admitted traveling from Germany to New Jersey in order to engage in illicit sex acts with a minor, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Christian Stefan Walther, 39, of Erfurt, Germany, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Law enforcement authorities have been investigating Walther since January 2023 for child exploitation offenses. Two undercover officers communicated with Walther via email, phone, and an encrypted messaging app concerning Walther’s desire for sexual encounters with young children. During the investigation Walther sent an undercover officer two videos, each of which depicted children being sexually abused. Walther also expressed his desire to engage in sexual conduct with children aged 8 to 12. On March 23, 2023, Walther traveled from Germany to New Jersey to meet the undercover officers in advance of what he believed would be a sexual encounter with one or more children at a hotel.
The charge of interstate travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct carries a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for April 10, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea. He also thanked the New Jersey State Police, under the leadership of Col. Patrick J. Callahan, for its assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Specht of the Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit in Newark.
walther.information.pdfFormer Virginia Police Officer Sentenced for Sexually Assaulting MinorRead the Press Release
Former Portsmouth, Virginia, Police Department (PPD) Officer Cleshaun A. Cox, 31, was sentenced today in federal court to 18 years in prison and five years of supervised release and required to register as a sex offender under the Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act for violating the civil rights of a minor victim by forcibly sexually assaulting her while on duty.
“The defendant abused the public's trust and exploited his authority as a law enforcement officer in one of the most egregious ways imaginable,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Sexual assaults perpetrated by police officers are heinous crimes, especially when children are the targets, and particularly deplorable when facilitated by the sheer power and authority that police wield over the public. We commend this brave young survivor and her family for having the courage to come forward. We will continue to seek justice for victims of sexual misconduct by law enforcement officers and others who abuse their authority.”
“There are no words to describe Cox’s breach of our public trust,” said U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia. “The pain that he inflicted on the victim and the community is incalculable, but I hope this resolution can bring some measure of peace to those affected.”
“Sworn police officers are entrusted with safeguarding and protecting our community. Cleshaun Cox broke that trust when he, while acting under color of law, physically assaulted a teenage girl and violated her rights to bodily integrity,” said Special Agent in Charge Brian Dugan of the FBI Norfolk Field Office. “I hope today’s sentence brings some semblance of justice to the victim and her family, as well as sends a message that officers who abuse their positions of power to commit abhorrent acts will be held accountable.”
According to court documents, Cox admitted that on or about May 27, 2019, while he was in uniform and working in his official capacity as an officer with PPD, he encountered Victim 1, a 17-year-old female, during a call for a noise complaint. After a more senior officer told Victim 1 to drive home, Cox followed Victim 1 in his marked police vehicle and instead Cox instructed Victim 1 to drive to a parking lot. There, he offered her a “deal” whereby he would not charge her for fabricated traffic offenses if she would perform a sexual act. Victim 1 stated that she did not want to engage in any sexual acts with Cox. Nevertheless, he instructed her to get into his vehicle as he drove to an isolated area. Victim 1 complied because she feared Cox and believed that she had no other choice. There, he raped Victim 1. Cox admitted that he knew that Victim 1 was only 17 years old and that he knew that she did not want to have sex with him. Cox also admitted to lying to state investigators about his actions that night.
The FBI Norfolk Field Office investigated the case.
Special Litigation Counsel Kathryn E. Gilbert of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney E. Rebecca Gantt for the Eastern District of Virginia prosecuted the case.
Former Scranton Police Officer and Police Union President Charged with Overtime FraudRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Paul Helring, age 47, a former Scranton police officer and the former elected police union president, was charged yesterday by Criminal Information with the offense of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds.
According to the United States Attorney’s Office, the Information alleges that Helring, while serving as the coordinator of Scranton Police Department’s extra duty overtime program, knowingly obtained by fraud over $5,000.00 in compensation paid to him for extra duty patrol shifts at several local, lower-income housing complexes that Helring claimed to work but did not in fact work.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Public Corruption Task Force with assistance from the Office of Inspector General within the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Assistant United States Attorneys Jeffery St John and Philip J. Caraballo are prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The charges contained in a criminal information are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Former Portsmouth Police Officer Sentenced for Sexually Assaulting MinorRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A former Portsmouth Police Department (PPD) officer was sentenced today in federal court to 18 years in prison, and required to register as a sex offender under the Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act for violating the civil rights of a minor victim by forcibly sexually assaulting her while on duty.
“There are no words to describe Officer Cox’s breach of our public trust,” said Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “The pain that he inflicted on the victim and the community is incalculable, but I hope this resolution can bring some measure of peace to those affected.”
“The defendant abused the public trust and his authority as a law enforcement officer in one of the most egregious ways imaginable,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We commend this brave victim and her family for coming forward. We will continue to seek justice for victims of sexual misconduct by law enforcement officers and others who abuse their authority.”
“Sworn police officers are entrusted with safeguarding and protecting our community,” said Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office. “Cleshaun Cox broke that trust when he, while acting under color of law, physically assaulted a teenage girl and violated her rights to bodily integrity. I hope today’s sentence brings some semblance of justice to the victim and her family, as well as sends a message that officers who abuse their positions of power to commit abhorrent acts will be held accountable.”
According to court documents, Officer Cleshaun A. Cox, 31, admitted that on or about May 27, 2019, while he was in uniform and working in his official capacity as an officer with PPD, he encountered Victim 1, a 17-year-old female, during a call for a noise complaint. After a more senior officer told Victim 1 to drive home, Cox followed Victim 1 in his marked police vehicle and instead Cox instructed Victim 1 to drive to a parking lot. There, he offered her a “deal” whereby he would not charge her for fabricated traffic offenses if she would perform a sexual act. Victim 1 stated that she did not want to engage in any sexual acts with Cox. Nevertheless, he instructed her to get into his vehicle as he drove to an isolated area. Victim 1 complied because she feared Cox and believed that she had no other choice. There, he raped Victim 1. Cox admitted that he knew that Victim 1 was only 17 years old and that he knew that she did not want to have sex with him. Cox also admitted to lying to state investigators about his actions that night.
In August 2021, Cox pleaded guilty in Portsmouth Circuit Court to charges of carnal knowledge and abduction and was sentenced to serve 5 years in prison. He completed his state sentencing pending federal sentencing and served approximately 4.5 years in state custody.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Kristen Clarke, Assistant Attorney General of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division; and Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth W. Hanes.
Assistant U.S. Attorney E. Rebecca Gantt for the Eastern District of Virginia and Special Litigation Counsel Kathryn E. Gilbert of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section 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-84.
Former Petersburg FCI Bureau of Prisons Lieutenant Sentenced for Violating Civil Rights of an Inmate Resulting in the Inmate’s DeathRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – Former Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Lieutenant was sentenced today to 36 months in prison for violating the civil rights of an inmate by showing deliberate indifference to the inmate’s serious medical needs, resulting in the inmate’s death.
“This inmate’s death was not the result of inadvertence or a lapse in judgment.” said Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “His death was the completely preventable result of the deliberate choices made by the defendant, who knew he had the constitutional duty to provide medical care. Inmates are entitled to basic human dignity.”
“Inmates entrusted to the care and custody of a correctional facility rely on correctional officials for basic healthcare, especially in a medical emergency,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to hold correctional officials who blatantly disregard inmates’ serious medical needs accountable.”
According to court documents, Lieutenant Michael Anderson, 52, admitted that on January 9 and 10, 2021, he was working in his official capacity as a BOP lieutenant at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) at Petersburg. In that capacity, Anderson was the second-highest ranking officer at the prison and was responsible for the care of inmates. On January 9, 2021, a correctional officer notified Anderson that a 47-year-old inmate, W.W., was experiencing symptoms of an apparent medical emergency and asked the defendant to help W.W. obtain medical care. Anderson personally observed W.W.’s symptoms and stated that he would get medical help for W.W. The defendant nevertheless failed to notify medical staff, obtain a medical assessment, contact the facility’s on-call physician, or notify any other staff members of W.W.’s condition.
The next day, a correctional officer notified Anderson that W.W. had fallen to the ground in his cell. Even with this information, Anderson failed to obtain any assistance for W.W. whatsoever. W.W. then laid on the ground, dead or dying, for over an hour and a half before any correctional or medical staff entered his cell. By the time correctional and medical staff entered the cell, life-saving efforts failed, and W.W. was later pronounced dead.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Kristen Clarke, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; Michael E. Horwitz, Inspector General of the Justice Department, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Garnett and Special Litigation Counsel Kathryn E. Gilbert and Trial Attorney Matthew Tannenbaum of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
The Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General investigated 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. 3:23-cr-80.
Former Insider at Major Financial Services Organization Admits Involvement in Multimillion-Dollar Insider Trading RingRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today the guilty plea of LAWRENCE BILLIMEK in connection with his participation in a multimillion-dollar insider trading scheme. BILLIMEK was arrested in December 2022 and pled guilty to securities fraud based on insider trading before U.S. District Judge Paul G. Gardephe.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “For more than five years, Lawrence Billimek abused his trusted position in a major financial services organization to illicitly generate tens of millions of dollars in profits through insider trading. Billimek knew his actions were wrong, using burner phones and lies to try to cover his scheme, but he continued to undermine the integrity of the market anyway. Insider trading is a serious crime, and Billimek now faces substantial prison time.”
As alleged in the Indictment and statements made during court proceedings:
Through his employment at TIAA-CREF, BILLIMEK had advance access to certain of TIAA-CREF’s anticipated trades. Due to the size of certain of these TIAA-CREF trade orders, they often caused market movement in the securities they traded. From at least 2016 through his arrest in December 2022, BILLIMEK misused his insider access and provided inside information about these trades to his co-conspirator (“CC-1”) who then bought or sold the same securities in advance of the TIAA-CREF trading. CC-1 then provided BILLIMEK with a portion of the profits on these trades.
BILLIMEK and CC-1 engaged in these front-running trades on over a thousand occasions between in or about 2016 and December 2022. In an effort to hide their scheme, BILLIMEK used prepaid, unregistered “burner” phones to communicate with CC-1 throughout the trading day. BILLIMEK and CC-1 also lied to various financial institutions about the source of funds they received during the scheme, claiming that they were, among other things, gifts. In total, BILLIMEK and CC-1 generated tens of millions of dollars in profits.
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BILLIMEK, 52, of Hailey, Idaho, pled guilty to one count of securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. BILLIMEK will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Paul G. Gardephe.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Mr. Williams also thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which has filed a parallel civil action.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason A. Richman is in charge of the prosecution.
Former Federal Bureau of Prisons Lieutenant Sentenced for Civil Rights Violation Following Failure to Address Medical Needs of Deceased InmateRead the Press Release
Former Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP) Lieutenant Michael Anderson, 52, was sentenced today to 36 months in prison for violating the civil rights of an inmate by showing deliberate indifference to the inmate’s serious medical needs, resulting in his death.
“People held in jails and prisons are at the mercy of correctional officials when it comes to fair treatment and basic necessities like healthcare, especially when they are experiencing a medical emergency,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Correctional officials have a constitutional duty to ensure that those experiencing a health crisis or medical emergency are not ignored but instead are treated like human beings and provided basic life-sustaining care. The Justice Department will not stand by idly when officials inside jails and prisons deny people confined in their custody access to basic healthcare, leaving them to suffer grave injury or death. We will hold correctional officials accountable when their callous actions, or failure to act, violate our federal civil rights laws or the Constitution.”
“This inmate’s death was not the result of inadvertence or a lapse in judgment,” said U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia. “His death was the completely preventable result of the deliberate choices made by the defendant, who knew he had the constitutional duty to provide medical care. Inmates are entitled to basic human dignity.”
“Anderson’s appalling indifference resulted in the needless loss of life,” said Special Agent in Charge Russell W. Cunningham of the Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General Mid-Atlantic Region. “Today’s sentencing sends a clear message that correctional officers who disregard their responsibility to provide a humane environment for inmates will be held accountable.”
According to court documents, Anderson admitted that on Jan. 9 and 10, 2021, he was working as an FBOP lieutenant at the Federal Correctional Institution at Petersburg, Virginia. In that capacity, Anderson was the second-highest ranking officer at the prison and was responsible for the care of federal inmates. On Jan. 9, 2021, a correctional officer notified Anderson that a 47-year-old inmate, W.W., was experiencing symptoms of an apparent medical emergency and asked the defendant to help W.W. obtain medical care. Anderson personally observed W.W.’s symptoms and stated that he would get medical help for W.W. The defendant nevertheless failed to notify medical staff, obtain a medical assessment, contact the facility’s on-call physician or notify any other staff members of W.W.’s condition.
The next day, a correctional officer notified Anderson that W.W. had fallen to the ground in his cell. Even with this information, Anderson failed to obtain any assistance for W.W. whatsoever. W.W. laid on the ground, dead or dying, for over an hour and a half before any correctional or medical staff entered his cell. When they finally did so, life-saving efforts failed, and W.W. was later pronounced dead.
The Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General investigated the case.
Special Litigation Counsel Kathryn E. Gilbert and Trial Attorney Matthew Tannenbaum of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Garnett for the Eastern District of Virginia prosecuted the case.
Former Blackfeet Tribal operations manager suspected of stealing tribal COVID-19 relief funding arraigned on chargesRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — The former operations manager for the Blackfeet Tribe was arraigned today on charges accusing him of stealing federal COVID-19 relief funding the tribe received, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
James Cameron McNeely, 43, of Browning, pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging him with theft from an Indian tribal government receiving federal funding, wire fraud and theft from an Indian tribal organization. If convicted of the most serious crime, McNeely faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston presided. McNeely was released pending further proceedings.
The indictment alleges that the Blackfeet Tribe received federal grant funding from the American Rescue Plan Act to aid public health and economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. As alleged, from about October 2021 to October 2022, while working as the tribe’s operations manager in Browning, McNeely stole more than $5,000 from the tribe by fraudulently submitting requests for repayment to the tribe after falsely claiming to purchase COVID-19 supplies on behalf of the tribe from Amazon.
An indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan G. Weldon is prosecuting the case. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation.
PACER case reference. 23-106.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl
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Florida man and woman plead guilty to stealing bank customers’ information through phone scamsRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Two defendants pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to conspiring to commit bank fraud through a phone scam that compromised 11 bank accounts and more than $108,000.
Deon O. Noel, 28, and Diamond Bezada, 25, both of Miami, Florida, admitted to a scheme to defraud Fifth Third Bank and multiple individuals in the Southern District of Ohio with Fifth Third Bank accounts.
According to court documents, in August and September 2019, Noel and Bezada would call bank customers and fraudulently represent themselves as employees of the bank. These calls were used to obtain the bank account and security information of the customers.
Coconspirators would then use the stolen information and contact the bank pretending to be the bank customer and get the bank account information added to a pay app.
Noel and Bezada received more than $108,000, which they used to purchase goods, services and money orders, primarily in Las Vegas, Nevada. As part of their plea agreements, they agree to pay the total funds in restitution.
Conspiracy to commit bank fraud is a federal crime punishable by up to 30 years in prison. Congress sets the maximum statutory sentence. Sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; announced the guilty pleas entered today before Senior U.S. District Judge Michael R. Barrett. Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy S. Mangan and Ryan A. Keefe are representing the United States in this case.
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Felon Sentenced to 20 Years for Illegally Possessing Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – James D. Brunson, 26, of Orem, Utah, was sentenced today to 240 months’ imprisonment, after a federal jury found him guilty of being a previously convicted felon in possession of stolen firearms and ammunition.
According to court documents, and the evidence presented at trial in July 2022, Brunson was found guilty of possession of firearms and ammunition as a convicted felon, and possession of stolen firearms. In March 2020, Brunson stole a duffle bag containing nine firearms, and ammunition for the weapons from a residence in Orem. Brunson, a convicted felon at the time of the offense, knew he could not possess firearms or ammunition. The duffle bag contained two shotguns; three handguns; one revolver; two .22 caliber rifles; an AR-15 rifle; and three boxes containing ammunition for the weapons. After obtaining search warrants, law enforcement officers tracked Brunson to an apartment complex in West Jordan, Utah. Prior to his arrest, officers witnessed Brunson remove a stolen 9mm handgun from his waistband and discard it in a nearby grassy area. Officers then arrested Brunson and recovered the discarded stolen handgun and six other stolen firearms from a nearby vehicle. Two of the firearms stolen by Brunson have not been located, and officers established that Brunson attempted to sell the firearms for cash to others prior to his arrest. The six stolen firearms and ammunition affected interstate commerce.
“Brunson’s criminal acts reflect a brazen disregard for the law and demonstrate why restricted persons having firearms is illegal,” said U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah. “This case also highlights the valuable and ongoing relationship between the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Utah County Attorney’s Office, and our law enforcement partners as we continue to seek justice for federal offenders.”
The case was investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, Provo Resident Agency and was initially investigated by the Orem Police Department and the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force.
“Instead of learning from his past, Mr. Brunson chose to continue a life of crime and put our community at risk of potential gun violence,” said Special Agent in Charge Shohini Sinha of the Salt Lake City FBI. “The FBI and our partners are committed to keeping firearms out of the hands of felons so that our streets are safer for everyone.”
Assistant United States Attorneys Sam Pead and Angela J. Clifford of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case, which was originally filed by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) Kelsy Young working as a Deputy Utah County Attorney.
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.
Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing AmmunitionRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Derbie Michel, age 32, formerly of Troy, New York, pled guilty today to illegally possessing ammunition as a convicted felon.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
Michel, who has three prior felony convictions, admitted that he possessed five rounds of ammunition on October 15, 2022. According to court documents filed by the Government, Michel threw these rounds of ammunition from a car while fleeing from members of the Troy Police Department on October 15, 2022. According to court documents, he also threw a privately made firearm, or “ghost gun,” from the car during the same pursuit.
Michel faces up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of up to 3 years when he is sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Frederick J. Scullin, Jr., on June 20, 2024. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
The FBI’s Capital District Safe Streets Gang Task Force, which includes FBI Special Agents and members of state and local law enforcement agencies, including the Troy Police Department, investigated the case. The U.S. Marshals Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) assisted in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua R. Rosenthal and Allen J. Vickey are prosecuting the case.
Federal Prisoner Charged with Escape Returned to Middle District of GeorgiaRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A recently convicted felon facing a federal charge alleging his participation in a Bibb County, Georgia, jailbreak on Oct. 16 had his initial appearance today at the U.S. Courthouse in Macon.
Johnifer Dernard Barnwell aka “Whoop” aka “Malixe,” 37, of Macon, had his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles Weigle for the Middle District of Georgia; Barnwell had a prior initial appearance in the Southern District of Georgia on Nov. 13 after he was taken into custody in Augusta, Georgia, on Nov 12. Today, Barnwell was ordered to continue to be held in federal custody without bond. Barnwell’s arraignment is expected to occur later this week.
Barnwell is charged by indictment with one count of escape from custody. Co-defendant Janecia Green, 30, of Macon, is charged by indictment with one count of aiding and abetting Barnwell’s escape from custody and one count of assisting escape of a person committed to custody. Each charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
According to the indictment, Barnwell was being held in the Bibb County Jail on behalf of the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) after he was convicted by a federal jury on Oct. 2 of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine and heroin; and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine and cocaine base for which Barnwell faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $10,000,000 fine. A sentencing date has not been scheduled by the Court. In the indictment, Barnwell is alleged to have escaped the custody of the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office with the assistance of Green.
Green had her initial appearance in Macon on Nov. 15 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles Weigle of the U.S. Court for the Middle District of Georgia. On Nov. 21, Green had a detention hearing where she was ordered to remain in federal custody pending trial.
The case is being investigated by the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service and the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joy Odom is prosecuting the case. Deputy Criminal Chief Will Keyes represented the Government at today’s initial appearance.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Federal Charges Filed Against Nashville Woman for Making Violent Threats OnlineRead the Press Release
BENTON, Ill. – Alexia N. Willie, also known as Jason L. Willie, 47, of Nashville, Illinois, is facing 14 felony counts of interstate communication of a threat to injure. The crime is punishable by up to 5 years’ imprisonment per count.
“Law enforcement agencies take threats against children seriously and will extensively investigate adults who threaten to endanger them,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe.
According to court documents, Willie allegedly made threatening statements while on video in online chatrooms with victims across the country. The indictment highlights 14 alleged instances in which the defendant threatened to walk into schools or public restrooms to shoot or sexually abuse children.
“This indictment is a result of the public’s vigilance in reporting threats to law enforcement. The FBI will diligently investigate reports of threats, especially when directed at our most vulnerable,” said FBI Springfield Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge Joe Rodriguez. “As always, we continue to ask the public to report immediately any online activity or behavior that appears suspicious.”
A district judge ordered Willie to be detained pending trial, which is currently scheduled for Jan. 16, 2024.
An indictment is merely a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
The FBI Springfield Field Office is conducting the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Burke is prosecuting the case.