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28 November 2023
Fargo Man Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for Murder and Manslaughter in Navajo NationRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Shilo Aaron Oldrock was sentenced to 35 years in prison. Oldrock, 30, an enrolled member of the Spirit Lake Sioux Tribe, pled guilty in federal court to second degree murder and voluntary manslaughter relating to the deaths of two victims, E.B and P.S., on August 14, 2023.
According to court documents, on the night of January 29, 2021, Oldrock and the victims were drinking and Oldrock was using methamphetamine. P.S. and E.B. got into an altercation resulting in injury to P.S. Instead of rendering aid, Oldrock decided to “finish off” P.S. and struck him in the head with a metal iron, killing him. Oldrock burned P.S.’s body in a burn barrel to cover up his crime.
P.S.’s family reported him missing when they found his abandoned car. P.S. was subsequently added to the FBI’s List of Native Americans Verified as Missing Throughout New Mexico and the Navajo Nation. P.S.’s family continued to search for him for the next two years.
On October 10, 2021, driven by paranoia from the killing of P.S. and the death of Oldrock’s grandmother, Oldrock attacked E.B., stabbing him approximately 22 times before using an ax to decapitate him. Oldrock later admitted to law enforcement that he killed both P.S. and E.B. Both murders occurred within the exterior boundaries of the Navajo Nation in New Mexico.
“It is our solemn duty to bring justice and answers to grieving Tribal communities,” said U.S. Attorney Uballez. “No amount of investigation, prosecution, or years in prison will bring back a murdered loved one. But this team of local, tribal, and federal law enforcement partners will meet the case of each missing and murdered Indigenous person with urgency, transparency, and coordination. Everyone deserves to feel safe in their community and confident that law enforcement will be vigilant in the investigation of missing community members.”
"The rationale behind the depraved violent criminal acts committed in this case may be hard to understand, but our message today is crystal clear: the FBI and its partners will vigorously investigate and prosecute those who show such a callous disregard for innocent lives,” said Special Agent in Charge Bujanda. “The investigation of Oldrock, and his 35-year sentence, stand as a testament to the collaboration and dedication of the FBI, Navajo Nation Criminal Investigators, and the United States Attorney’s Office to bring justice to victims of violent crimes in Indian County.”
The FBI’s List of Native Americans Verified as Missing Throughout New Mexico and the Navajo Nation is the first of its kind in the nation and was created in an effort to improve the reporting of missing persons throughout New Mexico and the Navajo Nation. Partners involved in the project include the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Justice Services, New Mexico Attorney General’s Office, New Mexico Department of Public Safety, New Mexico Department of Indian Affairs, Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office, and the City of Albuquerque Office of Equity and Inclusion. The FBI also receives information and support from the Navajo Nation, Native American pueblos, and local law enforcement.
The list is updated monthly and can be found at fbi.gov/mmip.
The FBI is seeking public assistance and information on these cases. If you have information, please contact your local FBI office, the nearest American Embassy or Consulate, or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations and the Gallup Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case.
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1_criminal_complaint.pdf 20_indictment.pdf 43_plea_agreement.pdf23-273
Eastern Kentucky Hospital System and Cardiologist Agree to Collectively Pay More Than $3 Million to Resolve Civil Liability for Improper Healthcare BillingsRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Appalachian Regional Healthcare, Inc. (“ARH”), a hospital system based in eastern Kentucky, and one of its cardiologists have agreed to collectively pay the United States $3,033,861.92 to settle civil allegations that they submitted, or caused the submission of, improper claims to Medicare and Kentucky Medicaid for non-covered services.
The case arises from diagnostic cardiac catheterizations and associated services performed or ordered by Padubidri Chandrashekar, M.D., a cardiologist who had admission privileges at ARH. Diagnostic catheterizations are minimally-invasive imaging procedures that can be used to evaluate heart problems. During the procedure, a thin, hollow tube is introduced into a patient’s blood vessel and then advanced to the heart, so that pressure and blood flow can be measured in the heart’s chambers or dye can be injected to allow x-ray visualization of the heart. Medicare and Kentucky Medicaid reimburse medical providers for services and procedures, such as diagnostic catheterizations, only when medically reasonable and necessary. Medicare and Kentucky Medicaid require that the patient’s records adequately document the medical need for the service provided.
The United States alleged that Dr. Chandrashekar caused ARH to bill Medicare and Kentucky Medicaid for diagnostic catheterizations performed at ARH Hazard that did not have sufficient documentation to support the medical necessity of the procedures. The United States also alleged improper billing in connection with services performed prior to the unnecessary catheterizations. Specifically, the United States contended that Dr. Chandrashekar and his practice, Mountain Heart Center, billed for medically unnecessary appointments in the days preceding patients’ diagnostic catheterizations and admitted patients to ARH Whitesburg in advance of their diagnostic catheterizations. The United States contended that ARH then submitted false claims to Medicare and Medicaid for those admissions, because the admissions did not meet Medicare and Medicaid’s requirements for severity of illness or intensity of services. Finally, the United States alleged that Dr. Chandrashekar caused the submission of improper claims for ambulance transfers for patients unnecessarily admitted to ARH Whitesburg who needed transport to their catheterizations at ARH Hazard.
In its settlement agreement with the United States, ARH agreed to pay the United States $2,884,046.50 to resolve its civil liability for improper billings, including its liability under the federal False Claims Act. In a separate settlement agreement, Mountain Heart Center and Dr. Chandrashekar agreed to pay $149,815.42 to resolve their False Claims Act liability.
This matter arose from ARH’s self-disclosure of false or non-covered claims. Because ARH self-reported the conduct to the government, it was able to resolve its False Claims Act liability for only 1.5 times the amount of monetary loss caused by its false claims. The False Claims Act establishes liability for three times the amount of loss suffered by the government.
Healthcare providers may voluntarily disclose self-discovered evidence of fraud to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office of Inspector General. More information about how to self-disclose misconduct under the Provider Self-Disclosure Protocol is available at https://oig.hhs.gov/compliance/self-disclosure-info/protocol.asp. The United States also encourages anyone with information about potential fraud, abuse, or mismanagement of Medicare or Medicaid funds to call the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ hotline at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office of Medicaid Fraud and Abuse Control, and the Affirmative Civil Enforcement section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Meghan Stubblebine, Benjamin Long, and Jennifer Williams represented the United States.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
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Dubuque Man Sentenced for Selling Crack Cocaine Within 1,000 Feet of a PlaygroundRead the Press Release
A man who sold crack cocaine near a playground was sentenced today to more than 15 years in federal prison.
Orlandis Fred Murriel, age 35, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after May 18, 2023 guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance near a protected location.
In a plea agreement, Murriel admitted that between June and November 27, 2022, while living in Dubuque, he sold over 2,400 grams of cocaine base, commonly known as crack cocaine. Many of these sales occurred from his residence which was within 1,000 feet of three Dubuque playgrounds: Orange Park, Madison Park, and Jackson Park. On November 27, 2022, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop on a car as it approached Murriel’s residence. Murriel was seated in the front passenger seat. During a search of the car, the officers found 132 grams of crack cocaine and 111 grams of cocaine which Murriel intended to sell. At the time of the offense, Murriel was on Iowa state probation for three drug trafficking felonies.
Murriel was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Murriel was sentenced to 188 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a six-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Murriel is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-1005.
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Derry Man Pleads Guilty to Passport Fraud and Hacking a Telecommunications CompanyRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Derry man pleaded guilty in federal court in Concord to passport fraud and wire fraud in connection with hacking a telecommunications company, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young and Acting U.S. Attorney Morris Pasqual announce.
Andrew Mahn, 28, pleaded guilty to one count of passport fraud and one count of wire fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Landya B. McCafferty scheduled sentencing for March 7, 2024. Mahn was charged with passport fraud by indictment in the District of New Hampshire on February 15, 2023. Mahn was charged with hacking a telecommunications company by complaint in the Northern District of Illinois on March 17, 2021, and by indictment on October 4, 2021.
Mahn previously worked as a radio technician for a telecommunications company based in Chicago. He later worked for the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport). While working for Massport, Mahn sent spear-phishing emails to several employees at his former employer and tricked them into entering their login credentials into a fake website. The defendant also sent text messages to the employees and deceived them into providing him their multi-factor authentication code. Eventually, Mahn was able to get access to the telecommunications company’s servers. He used anonymous Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, an account tied to his Massport email address, and bitcoin to help facilitate the hack.
While on release pending trial for hacking the telecommunications company, Mahn applied for a passport in a false name in Atkinson, New Hampshire. He provided false documents, including a falsely generated New Hampshire birth certificate and state identification card. Mahn wrote to a congressional office seeking to expedite the passport, stating the following:
I have just found out I need to book international travel shortly for family reasons in the coming weeks to Germany. I am trying to figure out the status of the application and when I can expect it to be processed and shipped.
The charge of wire fraud provides a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, and restitution. The charge of passport fraud provides a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The U.S. State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander S. Chen and John J. Kennedy from the District of New Hampshire and Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Bond from the Northern District of Illinois are prosecuting the case.
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Defendant Pleads Guilty Following Jury Selection to Defrauding Investors of $17 Million in Offering Fraud, Stock Manipulation and Money Laundering SchemesRead the Press Release
Richard Dale Sterritt, Jr., also known as “Richard Richman,” pleaded guilty yesterday at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn to a five-count superseding indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit securities and wire fraud, multiple counts of securities fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. A trial in the case had been scheduled to begin yesterday, and Sterritt’s plea took place immediately following jury selection before United States District Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto. When sentenced, Sterritt faces up to 75 years in prison.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the guilty plea.
“Investors trusted Sterritt with millions of dollars of their money and he repaid that trust with gimmicks and lies,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “The defendant’s guilty plea at the beginning of his trial is a testament to the hard work and commitment of this Office and our law enforcement partners to holding accountable fraudsters who deceive the investing public.”
Mr. Peace thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, New York Regional Office and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority for their invaluable assistance in the investigation.
As alleged in the superseding indictment, between March 2019 and January 2021, Sterritt and his co-conspirators defrauded investors of more than $17 million that they claimed would be used for an oil and gas venture called Zona Energy. Sterritt misappropriated the lion’s share of investor funds, which he spent on personal expenses, including luxury cars, travel and high-end clothing. Sterritt also wired investor money to other businesses he controlled, including a purported cannabis business, and to his friends and girlfriends. Sterritt used the alias “Richard Richman” when interacting with investors to conceal his prior criminal conviction for securities fraud.
Sterritt also engaged in a stock market manipulation fraud in which he conspired with others to manipulate the price and trading volume of publicly traded shares of OrgHarvest, Inc., which traded under the stock ticker “ORGH.” Sterritt, who secretly controlled the majority of ORGH shares through trusts in the name of his girlfriends, family members, and co-conspirators, sought to sell the fraudulently inflated shares to the investing public via a corrupt stock promoter, who was in reality an undercover law enforcement agent. Sterritt executed a series of matched trades with the undercover agent, after which regulators suspended trading in ORGH. Following the suspension of trading, he attempted to manipulate the price and trading volume of the shares of yet another public company—ERF Wireless, Inc., which traded under the stock ticker “ERFB.”
Sterritt is the last defendant to plead guilty in connection with the charges in the superseding indictment. Five of his co-conspirators pleaded guilty in 2022 and 2023, four of whom are currently awaiting sentencing.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorneys David C. Pitluck, Sarah M. Evans, Nick M. Axelrod, Jessica K. Weigel, and John O. Enright are in charge of the prosecution with assistance from Paralegal Specialist William Daniels.
The Defendant:
RICHARD DALE STERRITT, JR. (also known as “Richard Richman”)
Age: 67
Garland, TexasCo-Conspirators Who Previously Pleaded Guilty:
MICHAEL GREER
Age: 48
Dallas, TexasROBERT MAGNESS
Age: 54
New York, New YorkCHRISTOPHER J. PITTMAN
Age: 52
Dallas, TexasMARK ROSS
Age: 56
Parkland, FloridaROBYN STRAZA
Age: 61
Dallas, TexasE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-193 (KAM)
Davie County Man Sentenced to 50 Years for Production and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO – A Mocksville man was sentenced today to 600 months in prison after pleading guilty to production and distribution of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC).
According to court records, in September 2021 the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a cybertip that an individual in Davie County, North Carolina was uploading and distributing child pornography. Law enforcement investigated and determined Steven Tyler SMITH, age 24, was responsible. Based upon a forensic review, SMITH had a total of more than 1,500 images and videos of child sexual exploitation. The investigation further revealed that SMITH sexually abused a 15-18 month old child and shared videos and images of the abuse with others online.
SMITH was sentenced to a 600-month term of imprisonment followed by 20 years of supervised release by the Honorable Thomas D. Schroeder, United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the MDNC. In addition to prison time, SMITH was ordered to pay restitution to victims totaling $91,000 and special assessments totaling $5,200.00. He pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography on April 4, 2023.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security and the Davie County Sheriff’s Office and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys K. P. Kennedy Gates and Lindsey Freeman.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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D.C. Man Sentenced to 30-Year Prison Term for the Brutal Slaying of a Local Married CoupleRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Alonzo Lewis, 38, of Washington, D.C. has been sentenced to a 30-year prison term for two counts of second-degree murder while armed stemming from the brutal shooting of a local married couple, Venius Badgett – a school bus aide and Jaquan Helm – a youth football coach, which took place over Memorial Day weekend in 2018, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Lewis pleaded guilty in October 2023, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to two counts of second-degree murder while armed. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s, approval calls for an agreed upon 30-year prison term. Today, the Honorable Rainey Brandt approved the agreement and sentenced Lewis accordingly. Following his prison term, Lewis will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on Saturday, May 26, 2018, at approximately 10:10 p.m., Ms. Badgett and her husband, Mr. Helm, encountered Lewis’s young son riding his bike in a dark parking lot. Fearful that the child might get hit, Ms. Badgett told Lewis’s son not to ride his bike in the parking lot at night. Lewis’s son then told his mother, Lewis’s wife, about the incident, and Lewis’s wife engaged Ms. Badgett in a physical altercation. Mr. Helm was able to break up the altercation, and as he and Ms. Badgett returned home on foot, Lewis’s son called Lewis to the scene. Lewis arrived on scene and fatally shot the couple in front of a number of children who were outside playing over the holiday weekend. The couple leaves behind a number of children, some of whom were on scene that day and who witnessed the murders.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alicia Long and Emma McArthur.
Convicted Murderer Sentenced to 30 Years for Fentanyl DistributionRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Fayetteville man was sentenced today to 360 months in prison for firearms possession and his role as a kilogram-level dealer of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and other substances. On December 22, 2022, Aaron Albert Goode pled guilty to conspiring to distribute heroin, cocaine and fentanyl, possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, and possession of firearms by a convicted felon.
“Kilogram-level drug dealers often receive dangerous high-purity narcotics, such as fentanyl, from their suppliers, then mix those drugs with cutting agents in makeshift laboratories where they press the cut drugs into kilograms,” said US Attorney Michael Easley. “This dangerous process leads to unpredictable dosage amounts of potentially-deadly drugs that can kill unsuspecting drug users. We are shutting down these clandestine laboratories and prosecuting the drug traffickers who profit from them.”
“The Fayetteville Police Department’s Narcotic Vice Suppression Unit and Emergency Response Unit played a vital role during this investigation. Working collaboratively with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, we continue to aggressively combat Fayetteville's gun violence and trafficking,” said Chief Kemberle Braden.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Goode, 48, was identified by Fayetteville and Robeson County area law enforcement investigators as a significant source of drug supply dating back to at least 2016. After years of receiving information about Goode’s drug involvement, investigators with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) were able to conduct multiple controlled purchases of fentanyl from Goode during the summer of 2021. Goode conducted these fentanyl sales out of a residence on Oakview Drive in Fayetteville.
On August 5, 2021, investigators with ATF and the Fayetteville Police Department (FPD) executed a search warrant at the Oakview Drive residence. Investigators familiar with Goode’s violent criminal history, which included a 1997 murder conviction in Hoke County, surrounded the residence and demanded that he exit so that the search warrant could be served. After a delay of several minutes, Goode exited the residence. Investigators later learned that during this delay, Goode destroyed several ounces of fentanyl by flushing it down the toilet.
During the search of the Oakview Drive residence, investigators located various items used to package bulk quantities of drugs for sale to include a hydraulic press, digital scales, blenders and plastic wrap with drug residue. Investigators also located six firearms, body armor, a ballistic shield, and approximately $70,000 in U.S. Currency inside the residence.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Fayetteville and Lumberton Police Departments, and the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Webb prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-CR-334-D.
Colorado Man Sentenced for Creation and Participation in Darknet Marketplace Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky.— A Denver man, Joshua Cook, 27, was sentenced to 100 months in federal prison on Tuesday, by U.S. District Judge Karen K. Caldwell, following his convictions for conspiracy to distribute drugs and conspiracy to launder the proceeds of drug trafficking.
According to Cook’s plea agreement, he created a darknet market drug trafficking organization, called PartyCrew, to distribute controlled substances through the U.S. Postal Service. The darknet is an overlay of the internet that is only accessible through certain software, configurations, or authorization. Access to the darknet is designed to anonymize the user, and it is generally used for illicit purposes. Marketplaces on the darknet are often used to buy and sell illicit goods and services. The PartyCrew darknet marketplace post advertised the sale of multiple controlled substances, in exchange for cryptocurrencies such as Monero and Bitcoin. Cook employed his friends and co-defendants, Haleigh and Benjamin Flanigan, who lived in Lexington, to assist him in the distribution of the controlled substances.
In their roles in the conspiracy, the Flanigans fulfilled orders for controlled substances, by packaging and mailing them through the U.S. mail to customers across the United States. Haleigh Flanigan received payment for her services in cryptocurrencies, which she then attempted to conceal through the use of cryptocurrency anonymizing tools.
Benjamin Flanigan also pled guilty to drug distribution and conspiracy to commit drug distribution; he was sentenced to 18 months. Haleigh Flanigan pled guilty to conspiracy to commit drug distribution and conspiracy to commit money laundering; she was sentenced to 48 months.
The investigation and prosecution also resulted in the total dismantling of the PartyCrew drug trafficking organization.
Under federal law, Cook must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence; and upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge for the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Cincinnati Field Office, jointly announced the sentences.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn Dieruf and Emily Greenfield.
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Charlotte Man Is Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. District Judge Robert J. Conrad sentenced a local man to 11 years in prison today for receipt of child pornography, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Luis Ramirez Avila, 23, was also ordered to serve 30 years under court supervision, to register as a sex offender after he is released from prison, and to pay $15,300 in assessments.
Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to filed court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, in 2019, the FBI began an investigation that later identified that Avila had used the internet to receive and share child pornography. The FBI located Avila in Charlotte, and Avila agreed to talk to law enforcement. Court records show that Avila admitted that he used messaging applications like Snapchat and other online platforms to view, share, and receive child pornography. Avila also told law enforcement that he used Snapchat to find and communicate with minors. The investigation revealed that Avila convinced, and sometimes paid, minor victims to make sexually explicit videos of themselves and send the videos to Avila.
On November 29, 2022, Avila pleaded guilty to three counts of receipt of child pornography. He is currently in federal custody and he will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the FBI and CMPD for their investigation of this case.
The prosecution for the government was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimlani Ford of U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Carterville Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Carterville, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for possessing methamphetamine to distribute.
Cody Goucher, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 15 years and eight months in federal prison without parole. Goucher was sentenced as a career offender due to his prior felony convictions.
On May 18, 2023, Goucher pleaded guilty to one count of possessing methamphetamine to distribute.
On Oct. 7, 2022, a Carl Junction, Mo., police officer attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the gray Nissan Titan pickup truck Goucher was driving. Goucher initially stopped, but then began slowly driving away. As the officer followed the vehicle and activated his siren, Goucher increased his speed. Eventually the truck left the roadway and crashed into a ditch. Goucher was found lying in the ditch and was arrested.
The officer found a green backpack beside the vehicle that contained approximately 300 grams of methamphetamine as well as drug paraphernalia. According to court documents, Goucher was also in possession of more than 100 rounds of ammunition for two separate types of firearms.
According to court documents, Goucher’s criminal history includes six prior felony convictions and numerous misdemeanor or other convictions, including felony property crimes, felony drug crimes, and felony and misdemeanor acts of assault and violence. In one of his three convictions for domestic assault, Goucher threatened his girlfriend with a firearm, put the firearm to her chin and pulled the trigger, though a bullet was not fired. He also threatened a law enforcement officer involved in the investigation of this federal case.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron A. Beaver. It was investigated by the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Ozarks Drug Enforcement Team, and the Carl Junction, Mo., Police Department.
Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force
This case 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.
California man pleads guilty to defrauding local business out of $10 millionRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A California man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court here today to embezzling more than $10.2 from his employer and violating orders of the Court in a lawsuit against him.
Brinson Caleb Silver, 43, of Culver City, California, pleaded guilty to one count each of wire fraud and contempt of court. As part of his guilty plea, Silver agrees to pay more than $10.2 million in restitution.
According to court documents, Silver was the Chief Marketing Officer of Root, Inc., an online car insurance company. From November 2021 through November 2022, Silver entered into contracts with four vendors for marketing services. Silver directed the vendors to send a portion of their contract proceeds to bank accounts in the names of businesses that Silver owned and controlled. Those diverted payments totaled more than $10.2 million.
Silver used the millions he embezzled to buy a $1.4 million dollar yacht, a Mercedes-Benz G550 for nearly $165,000, an amphibious plane, luxury watches and other items.
As a result of his fraud scheme, in February 2023, Root sued Silver. The Court granted a motion in his civil suit that limited him to financial transactions no greater than $5,000. Silver failed to appear in court for a hearing related to his civil suit and instead spent lavishly while traveling the globe.
His expenditures in February and March 2023 violated the Court’s orders and include $20,000 on plastic surgery, more than $25,000 at Indonesian businesses (including $8,000 at a luxury resort in Bali) and in withdrawals made in Indonesia, and more than $88,000 through PayPal to individuals. Silver also withheld from the Court information about a $1.8 million house he owned in California. During this time, Silver also made two phone calls to an “international relocation” company and asked for citizenship within a country that would not extradite him to the United States, and a foreign bank account that the United States could not freeze.
Silver was charged criminally and arrested in June 2023. Parties involved in his case have recommended a sentence range of 24 to 51 months in prison in addition to the $10.2 million in restitution.
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 plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorneys Peter K. Glenn-Applegate and David J. Twombly are representing the United States in this case.
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California Man Sentenced to 52 Months in Prison for Firearms-Related CrimesRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Trajordon Svarda was sentenced to 52 months in prison for crimes related to his firearms sales—including the sale of a machinegun—to a confidential informant (CI), announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Cicolani. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. William H. Alsup, Senior United States District Judge.
Svarda, 36, of San Francisco, pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1), and one count of Illegal Possession of a Machinegun, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(o), on July 12, 2023. He was charged by Information on January 11, 2023.
According to his plea agreement, Svarda sold drugs and firearms to a CI throughout early 2021. The sales began in February 2021, when Svarda sold the CI ecstasy on two occasions. In March, Svarda added firearms to his list of goods for sale, selling the CI ecstasy and a pistol, which ATF later determined was stolen. Later in March, Svarda sold the CI ecstasy, a Smith and Wesson revolver, and a privately made, AR style, .223 caliber pistol. The AR style pistol was a “ghost gun,” meaning it was privately made and did not bear a serial number.
As court documents show, the sales continued throughout April and July. On July 22, 2023, Svarda sold the CI methamphetamine and another privately manufactured AR-style pistol. The privately manufactured AR-style pistol was capable of automatically shooting more than one shot without manual reloading, via a single function of the trigger. At the time of the sale, Svarda showed the CI how to turn the AR-style pistol into a fully automatic weapon using this function.
In total, Svarda admitted to selling to the CI over 150 grams of ecstasy, 157 grams of methamphetamine, and six firearms. In addition, Svarda admitted that he knew at the time that previously he had been convicted of at least one felony.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Alsup ordered Svarda to serve three years of supervised release to begin after his prison term is completed.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sophia Cooper prosecuted the case, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Tina Rosenbaum. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by ATF.
California Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Attempted Coercion of A ChildRead the Press Release
RENO – A Berkeley, Calif., resident was sentenced yesterday by Chief United States District Judge Miranda M. Du to 10 years in prison to be followed by lifetime supervised release for attempting to coerce a child to engage in prostitution.
Dustin Michael Joseph (41) pleaded guilty in August 2023 to one-count of attempted coercion and enticement. In addition to imprisonment, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, Joseph must register as a sex offender and keep the registration current.
According to court documents and admissions made in court, Joseph used social media to message who he believed to be a teenage girl. He asked if she would be interested in filming content for a paid subscription service where a lot of content involves sexually related activities. Between March 14, 2021 through June 24, 2021, Joseph told the girl that he would pay her a couple of hundred of dollars per video; and he was going to train her to be a working girl so that she could work the various Reno events and make money, which she would have to split with him. On June 24, 2021, Joseph traveled from Berkeley to Reno and paid for a hotel room in Carson City, so he and the girl could film a pornographic video and have sex.
United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Regional Human Trafficking and Exploitation Unit which is comprised of members from the Reno Police Department, Sparks Police Department, and Washoe County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Megan Rachow prosecuted the case.
The 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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood and for information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or https://report.cybertip.org.
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Calera Resident Sentenced to Life for Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Lance Keith Maytubby, Sr., age 55, of Calera, Oklahoma, was sentenced to life in prison after a federal jury found him guilty of three counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country and one count of Abusive Sexual Contact in Indian Country.
The charges arose from investigations by the Calera Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
During the trial, the United States presented evidence that Maytubby sexually assaulted two victims who were each under 12 years of age at the time of the crimes.
The crimes occurred in Bryan County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Scott L. Palk, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Oklahoma City. Maytubby will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorneys Anthony C. Marek and Nicole Paladino represented the United States.
Bridgeport Man Pleads Guilty to Gun and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that KENNETH JOYNER, 33, of Bridgeport, pleaded guilty today in Bridgeport federal court to firearm and drug offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 25, 2022, Bridgeport Police stopped Joyner’s car for motor vehicle violations. Joyner was arrested after he was found in possession of a loaded Polymer P80 9mm semi-automatic pistol (“ghost gun”) and several bags of marijuana that he intended to sell. A subsequent search of Joyner’s residence revealed a loaded Ruger P95 9mm semi-automatic pistol with an obliterated serial number, marijuana that Joyner intended to sell, and drug paraphernalia.
Joyner pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm with obliterated serial number, and possession with intent to distribute marijuana. He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford on February 22, 2024, at which time he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
Joyner has been detained since his federal arrest on April 13, 2023.
This matter is being investigated by the FBI’s Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force and the Bridgeport Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ross Weingarten and Karen L. Peck through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Baton Rouge Man Sentenced to 160 Months in Federal Prison for Gun and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Hakeem Allen, age 28, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 160 months in federal prison following his convictions for distribution and possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin, clonazepam, methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The Court further sentenced Allen to four years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and ordered that the firearm used be forfeited.
According to admissions made as a part of his guilty plea, between September 15, 2022, and October 2, 2022, Allen sold fentanyl and clonazepam to confidential informants in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, during controlled purchases monitored by law enforcement.
On October 4, 2022, East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office narcotics detectives executed search warrants on three residences associated with Allen’s drug activities. Upon arrival of law enforcement officers, Allen attempted to flee but was apprehended after a short foot pursuit. Agents located approximately $3,105 in U.S. currency in his pants pocket. Agents walked the route of Allen’s flight and located a Glock, model 19, 9mm handgun with an extended magazine. Agents also located a plastic bag containing approximately 7.28 ounces of marijuana, as well as a plastic bag containing 42.79 grams of a mixture and substances containing heroin and fentanyl on the route. A search of one of the residences revealed approximately 153 grams of fentanyl, 8 grams of crack cocaine, 17 grams of cocaine, 18 grams of methamphetamine, 186 grams of marijuana, and one handheld digital scale. Allen was found to be in possession of more than $84,000 in drug proceeds at the time of his arrest. Agents later determined that approximately $300 of this seized money was pre-recorded East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office funds used during the previous controlled purchases from Allen.
This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eli J. Abad.
Asheboro Man Charged with Possession of a MachinegunRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO – An Asheboro man was charged today with possession of a machinegun, announced Sandra J. Hairston, United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina.
According to publicly filed court documents, KEANDRE BARETTA LEGRAND, 23, of Randolph County, was charged with unlawful possession of a machinegun and illegal possession of a firearm by a felon stemming from an incident which occurred on September 13, 2022. If convicted, LEGRAND faces a maximum term of 15 years of imprisonment, a fine not to exceed $250,000, or both. In addition to a possible prison sentence, LEGRAND will be ordered to forfeit a firearm and ammunition.
A criminal indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the Asheboro Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Mary Ann Courtney.
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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Ardmore Resident Sentenced for Involuntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jonathan Ray Higginbotham, Jr., age 23, of Ardmore, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 33 months in prison for one count of Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country.
The charges arose from investigations by the City of Ardmore Police Department, the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On May 18, 2022, Higginbotham was found guilty by a federal jury at trial of Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country. At trial, the United States presented evidence that on January 19, 2021, Higginbotham fired a 9mm Hi-Point carbine, hitting an Ardmore resident. EMS responders transported the victim to an area hospital where he later died of his injuries. Higginbotham fled and was apprehended on September 23, 2021.
The crime occurred in Carter County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Scott L. Palk, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, sitting by assignment, presided over the trial and hearings in Oklahoma City. Higginbotham will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
27 November 2023
‘SIM Swapper’ Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Campaign of Fraud and Deception, Including Hacking into Instagram AccountsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A downtown Los Angeles man was sentenced today to 96 months in federal prison for committing a series of frauds, including one in which he “SIM swapped” victims – one of them a social media influencer – to hijack their Instagram accounts to unlawfully obtain money.
Amir Hossein Golshan, 25, was sentenced by United States District Judge Otis D. Wright II, who also ordered him to pay $1,218,526 in restitution. At today’s hearing, Judge Wright said Golshan’s crimes went “beyond just money,” and that they showed a “wanton cruelty” that caused the victims to live in a state of “constant fear and worry.”
Golshan on July 19 pleaded guilty to one count of unauthorized access to a protected computer to obtain information, one count of wire fraud, and one count of accessing a computer to defraud and obtain value.
Golshan has been in federal custody since June 2023 after he was found to have violated the terms of his pretrial release.
From at least April 2019 to February 2023, Golshan knowingly executed multiple online schemes to defraud hundreds of victims through various online scams and unauthorized intrusions into victims’ digital accounts, including social media account takeovers, Zelle payment fraud, and impersonating Apple support. In total, Golshan’s entire scheme caused approximately $740,000 in losses to hundreds of victims over several years.
“[Golshan’s] crimes demonstrate an utter lack of respect for the law and basic human dignity,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “He showed little remorse for his victims or being caught during his years of crime, believing that he could hide behind the anonymity of online screennames or VPNs, and that his victims – who were on the other side of the computer – would never find him. Indeed, defendant continued to commit these crimes, becoming more sophisticated and brazen in his actions, up until the FBI arrested him.”
SIM swapping and social media account takeovers
“SIM swapping” is the process of fraudulently inducing a carrier to reassign a cell phone number from the legitimate subscriber’s SIM card to a SIM card controlled by another without the legitimate subscriber’s authorization. This allows the fraudster to take control of the victim’s various accounts through two-step authentication text messages sent to a victim’s cell phone.
Golshan’s SIM swapping and social media account takeovers targeted both the account owners and their online friends, duping them into sending him money.
For example, in December 2021, a Los Angeles-based model and influencer with more than 100,000 followers on social media, received a direct message on Instagram from her friend’s account, stating, “Can you do me a favor? What’s your number?” The victim provided her phone number to the person whom she believed was her friend, but who really was Golshan.
Golshan then logged into the victim’s Instagram account without authorization, impersonated the victim to her friends, and requested the victim’s friends send him money through Zelle, PayPal and other online payment platforms. Several of the victim’s friends sent Golshan money, totaling thousands of dollars, believing they were sending money to the victim. During the time that Golshan locked the victim out of her accounts, he sent her messages demanding $2,000 for the return of her accounts and threatening to delete her accounts if she did not pay him.
Zelle merchant fraud
Golshan also fraudulently advertised fake and non-existent Instagram services to individual victims for several hundred dollars each. In August 2019, for example, Golshan falsely represented on Instagram that he could provide a verified Instagram badge for one victim’s teenage daughter in exchange for $300. Golshan knew this statement was false and that only Instagram could provide such a badge. Nevertheless, Golshan induced the victim to send an electronic payment of $300 to him, which he deposited in his bank account.
During Golshan’s SIM swapping and Zelle fraud schemes, Golshan fraudulently received approximately $82,000 in payments from approximately 500 victims, usually in increments of $300 to $500 per victim.
Apple Support fraud and NFT/cryptocurrency theft
Golshan impersonated Apple Support personnel to gain unauthorized access to several victims’ Apple iCloud accounts to steal NFTs, cryptocurrency, and other valuable digital property. Through this conduct, Golshan defrauded five victims of amounts between $2,000 and $389,000 each.
For example, in August 2022, Golshan called a victim from Apple Support’s official telephone number and pretended to be an Apple Support employee. Golshan told the victim that Apple Support wanted to give the victim an advanced security protocol to protect the victim’s iCloud account. Golshan then caused a two-step authentication code to be sent to the victim’s phone.
Through these misrepresentations, Golshan fraudulently induced the victim to tell him this six-digit security code, which allowed Golshan to gain access to the victim’s iCloud account. Golshan then changed the email address on the victim’s iCloud account to an email address that he controlled. Golshan then stole valuable digital property from the victim, including an NFT valued at approximately $319,000 and approximately $70,000 worth of cryptocurrency. Later that same day, defendant sold the stolen NFT for $130,000 in cryptocurrency on a NFT marketplace.
The FBI investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Andrew M. Roach of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section prosecuted this case. Assistant United States Attorney Tara B. Vavere of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section is handling asset forfeiture matters in this case.
Wife of Ocean View Couple Sentenced to Incarceration for Distribution of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that Melanie Mitchell, age 35 and an Ocean View resident, was sentenced last week to 42 months in prison for distribution of methamphetamine. The Honorable Colm F. Connolly, Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware, pronounced the sentence, permitting the defendant to self-report to the designated prison on January 8, 2024.
On September 9, 2023, Chief Judge Connolly sentenced Melanie Mitchell’s husband, Vincent Mitchell, age 35, to 48 months incarceration for the same offense.
According to court documents, in July 2022 investigators executed a search warrant at the Mitchells’ Ocean View home and seized one pound of methamphetamine and $6,000 in cash. The investigation demonstrated that, on a monthly basis, the Mitchells drove from Ocean View to Philadelphia where they bought a pound of methamphetamine which were they then sold in the Ocean View area.
U.S. Attorney Weiss stated, “Far too many people and their families suffer from substance abuse. This sentence puts an end to the Mitchells’ drug distribution business. I commend the Ocean View Police Department and DEA for working together to keep our communities safe.”
“Methamphetamine is a dangerous and powerful stimulant drug that has destroyed countless lives,” said Thomas Hodnett, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Philadelphia Field Division. “I would like to thank U.S. Attorney David Weiss and the Ocean View Police Department for their participation in and support of this case.”
The case was investigated by the Ocean View Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edmund Falgowski prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 23-cr-02 and Case No. 23-cr-03.
Wayne County movie theater owner agrees to improve access for patrons with disabilitiesRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: The owner of a movie theater in Wayne County, Ga., has agreed to obtain equipment to assist patrons with disabilities as part of a settlement reached under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney Jill E. Steinberg announced the settlement between the United States and Austin Hickox Legacy LLC (AHL), owner of the Historic Strand Dinner Cinema in Jesup, Ga. Under the terms of the settlement, the company agrees to provide closed-captioning and audio description devices for patrons of the Strand’s three auditoriums.
“This settlement helps to ensure that all patrons of the Strand’s theaters can participate fully and equally in the entertainment offered to the community, regardless of their abilities,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “Just as importantly, this settlement should remind all places of public accommodation that our office will work under federal law to remove barriers to access and equal opportunity for all citizens.”
Under federal law, private entities that own or operate places of “public accommodation,” including movie theaters, are prohibited from discriminating on the basis of disability. The ADA authorizes the Justice Department to investigate complaints and undertake periodic reviews of compliance of covered entities. The Department is also authorized to commence a civil lawsuit in federal court in any case that involves a pattern or practice of discrimination or that raises issues of general public importance, and to seek injunctive relief, monetary damages, and civil penalties.
The investigation was the result of a complaint from a mother on behalf of her child with visual impairments that the Strand did not have audio description devices available for use by patrons with limited vision. After an investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office verified the complaint, AHL agreed to acquire six captioning devices and two audio description devices, and develop a plan to make the devices available by training its staff and posting instructions for operating the adaptive equipment. AHL also agreed to pay the complainant $1,500 as part of the settlement.
The settlement was negotiated on behalf of the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradford C. Patrick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia.
Any member of the public who wishes to file a complaint alleging that any place of public accommodation or public entity in the Southern District of Georgia is not accessible to persons with disabilities may do so at www.ada.gov. Additional information about the ADA can be found by calling the Justice Department’s toll-free information line at 800-514-0301 and 800-514-0383 (TTY).
Waterbury Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Cocaine Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CHADDIEL FERRER, 29, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 60 months of imprisonment, followed by eight years of supervised release, for trafficking cocaine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, an investigation led by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force and the Waterbury Police Department determined that Ferrer was the primary runner for a drug trafficking organization that was coordinating the shipment of parcels containing kilogram-quantities of cocaine from Puerto Rico. Ferrer regularly picked up parcels of cocaine that were mailed to the Waterbury area and then delivered them to an associate. A total of approximately 18 kilograms of cocaine were seized during the investigation.
Ferrer was arrested on state charges on October 20, 2022. On that date, investigators conducted court-authorized searches of three locations in Waterbury and seized approximately six kilograms of cocaine; nine firearms, including an AR-15 rifle; high-capacity magazines and numerous rounds of ammunition; and $132,365 in cash.
On June 1, 2023, Ferrer pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.
Ferrer, who is released on a $100,000 bond, is required to report to prison by January 16, 2024.
This matter has been investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force (“NBCTTF”) and the Waterbury Police Department, with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police Violent Crimes Task Force. The NBCTTF includes members from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service – Office of the Inspector General, the Connecticut Army National Guard, and the Hartford, New Britain, Meriden, and Town of Groton Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Konstantin Lantsman and Natasha M. Freismuth.
Ventura County Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Federal Prison for Making Death Threats to a Nonprofit and Reproductive Health CentersRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Ventura County man was sentenced today to 18 months in federal prison for making threatening telephone calls last year, including to a Planned Parenthood office on the day the United States Supreme Court overturned its Roe v. Wade decision.
Nishith Tharaka Vandebona, 34, of Oxnard, but who lived in Camarillo when he committed the crimes, was sentenced by United States District Judge R. Gary Klausner, who described the threatening phone calls as “egregious.”
Vandebona has been in federal custody since June 12, when he pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of threatened forcible intimidation regarding the obtaining and provision of reproductive health services under the federal Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act and one felony count of transmitting threatening communications in interstate commerce.
“Seeking to intimidate others through death threats is unacceptable,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Today’s sentence shows that there will be consequences for those who threaten violence against workers at reproductive health facilities in violation of federal law.”
“Mr. Vandebona crossed the line from protected speech to criminal activity when he terrorized his ideological adversaries with death threats,” said Donald Alway, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The FBI safeguards the rights of all citizens and, as today's sentencing makes clear, will hold accountable those who threaten or violate the civil rights of others.”
In February and June of 2022, Vandebona used an internet application to create anonymous telephone numbers to make the threatening calls.
During the spring of 2022, there was news coverage that the Supreme Court was considering overturning Roe, its 1973 decision that recognized a constitutional right to abortion, after an initial draft of the new opinion was leaked.
On June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court published a decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned Roe and ruled that the Constitution does not confer a right to abortion.
On the same day, using an anonymous number, Vandebona left a voicemail message containing death threats with Planned Parenthood California Central Coast, a Santa Barbara-based reproductive health services organization.
On June 25, 2022, Vandebona called Planned Parenthood Los Angeles and spoke with a call center specialist. Vandebona said, “I’m calling to let you know that I’m going to come in there and kill all of you, including your staff and your security. You got it? You’re overdue for an attack.”
Within an hour, Vandebona telephoned Planned Parenthood Los Angeles again and made several death threats, including “I’m gonna come in there and murder your staff.”
Prior to the threats to the Planned Parenthood facilities, Vandebona called in a bomb threat in February 2022 to the office of Californians for Population Stabilization (CAPS), a Ventura-based non-profit organization that advocates for “zero population growth,” primarily through immigration restrictions.
Vandebona used anonymous numbers he obtained from the internet to make threatening phone calls to CAPS. In one of the calls, he said, “I’m gonna come in there and kill all of you, dude. Be careful.”
In another call to CAPS in February 2022, Vandebona said, “I’m gonna come in there, plant a bomb, and kill as many white Americans as possible. You understand that? Servicemen, families, everybody.”
The FBI investigated this matter. The Santa Barbara Police Department, the Santa Monica Police Department, and the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office assisted in this investigation.
Assistant United States Attorney Frances S. Lewis of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section prosecuted this case.
Anyone who has information about incidents of violence, threats, and obstruction that target a patient or provider of reproductive health services or damage and destruction of reproductive health care facilities, should report that information to the FBI at https://tips.fbi.gov.
For more information about clinic violence, and the Department of Justice’s efforts to enforce FACE Act violations, please visit www.justice.gov/crt/national-task-force-violence-against-reproductive-health-care-providers.
United States Postal Service Worker Sentenced to 42 Months on Drug ConvictionRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Dean Thompson, 54, of St. Thomas, was sentenced by Chief District Judge Robert A. Molloy to 42 months incarceration after a federal jury found him guilty of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Marijuana and of Using an Electronic Device to Facilitate the Commission of a Felony.
According to court documents, from July 2016 to March 2017, Thompson and others conspired to deliver and did deliver over 100 kilograms of marijuana to St. Thomas through the United States Postal Service. As a postal employee, Thompson had both knowledge of and access to the inner workings of the postal service, and he used this knowledge and access to facilitate several shipments of marijuana to St. Thomas. Specifically, Thompson monitored packages containing marijuana as they arrived on St. Thomas and identified which PO boxes should be used to store the marijuana. Thompson also alerted co-conspirators when law enforcement was scheduled to inspect packages and later notified co-conspirators when they could safely pick up the packages containing marijuana. In exchange for his involvement in the drug conspiracy, Thompson was paid in both cash and marijuana.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kyle Payne and Yasir Sadat.
U.S. Attorney Will Thompson to Join with Huntington Leaders to Discuss $1,872,987 in New Federal GrantsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson will join with Huntington leaders on Tuesday, November 28, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. at the Huntington Police Department to discuss $1,872,987 in U.S. Department of Justice grants awarded to the City of Huntington.
WHO: U.S. Attorney Will Thompson
Huntington Mayor Steve Williams
Huntington Police Chief Phil Watkins
WHAT: Press Conference
WHEN: Tuesday, November 28, 2023, at 1:30 p.m.
WHERE: Huntington Police Department, 675 10th Street, Huntington
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
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U.S. Attorney Reminds Skilled Nursing Facilities Not to Refuse Treatment to People with with Substance Use DisorderRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont announced that United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest sent a letter to all skilled nursing facilities in Vermont warning that refusing to provide care for persons with opioid use disorder (OUD) violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and that the U.S. Attorney’s Office will enforce these federal civil rights protections.
The ADA, which prohibits discrimination based on disability, protects individuals with OUD. Across the country, the Department of Justice has entered into numerous settlement agreements with skilled nursing facilities for refusing to admit individuals who are prescribed medications for opioid use disorder, including buprenorphine (Suboxone), vivitrol and methadone. Skilled nursing facilities are required to conduct an individualized assessment of each applicant’s admissibility and may not simply prohibit all individuals taking medications for OUD. Courts may impose civil penalties for ADA violations, which could be as high as $111,614 for a first violation, and potentially double that amount for subsequent violations.
“No person should be forced to choose between receiving the skilled nursing care they require and taking their prescribed medications to support their recovery,” said U.S. Attorney Kerest. “People living with OUD deserve to access healthcare without facing illegal barriers.”
The Civil Rights Program of the U.S. Attorney’s Office enforces federal civil rights protections in Vermont. Assistant United States Attorney Julia “Jules” Torti serves as the Civil Rights Coordinator for civil matters, and Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Stendig serves as the Office’s Criminal Civil Rights Coordinator. For more information on the Office’s civil rights efforts, or to file a complaint, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-vt/civil-rights-program.
Two South Carolina Men Charged with Hate Crimes for Bias-Motivated Armed Robberies Targeting Hispanic VictimsRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Columbia, South Carolina, returned an indictment today charging two South Carolina men with hate crimes in connection with a string of bias-motivated armed robberies targeting Hispanic victims.
According to court documents, beginning in January 2021 and continuing through February 2021, Charles Antonio Clippard, 26, and Michael Joseph Knox, 28, both of Columbia, conspired to target people the defendants identified as Mexican or Hispanic at places of public accommodation, including gas stations and grocery stores. After identifying these targets, the defendants would rob their victims at gunpoint. The indictment alleges that the defendants committed three armed robberies as part of the conspiracy, including one carjacking, because of the victims’ race and national origin and because those individuals were using places of public accommodation.
Clippard and Knox are charged with three hate crime counts, one count of conspiracy, one count of carjacking and three firearms offenses. If convicted, each faces a minimum penalty of 21 years in prison for the firearms offenses, a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each hate crime count and a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison on the carjacking count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs for the District of South Carolina and Special Agent in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the FBI Columbia Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Columbia Field Office is investigating the case, with the cooperation of the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, Town of Lexington Police Department and Columbia Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Garner for the District of South Carolina and Trial Attorney Andrew Manns of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
clippard_and_knox_superseding_indictment.pdfThree New York Residents Convicted for Fraud and Money Laundering Using Funds from Elderly Lottery Scam VictimsRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Caron Pitter, age 47, Rohan Lyttle, age 49, and Charlene Marshall, age 44, lawful permanent residents of the United States and originally from Jamaica, were found guilty of all charges against them following a two-week jury trial that concluded on November 17, 2023. The indictment charged the defendants with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. In addition to the conspiracy charges against all defendants, Caron Pitter was charged with several counts of mail fraud, and Rohan Lyttle was charged with multiple counts of mail fraud, wire fraud, and interstate transportation of goods taken by fraud. A fourth defendant, Rohan Lytle, Jr., age 26, was charged with some of the same offenses, and he remains a fugitive.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the defendants received funds from victims of a Jamaican lottery scam between 2017 and 2020. The evidence at trial showed that an individual based in Jamaica posing as a representative of Publisher’s Clearing House used “lead lists” containing the names and personal information of elderly Americans to contact potential victims. These individuals were contacted by phone and email and falsely told that they had won multimillion-dollar prizes through Publisher’s Clearing House but needed to prepay taxes and other fees in order to claim their supposed prizes. These elderly individuals were then directed to make payments in various ways, including by sending packages containing tens of thousands of U.S. dollars through the U.S. Postal Service, UPS, and Federal Express. In addition to cash packages sent by mail, the victims transmitted funds through bank-to-bank wire transfers, Zelle, MoneyGram, and Western Union. Victims were also defrauded in other ways. For instance, fraudsters gained access to victims’ credit cards and Amazon accounts and used those accounts to purchase goods, such as mobile phones and televisions. They also obtained debit cards for victims’ checking accounts and used those cards to make cash withdrawals at ATMs located in Jamaica.
Several victims testified at trial. They included a 78-year-old former resident of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, a 70-year-old resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and a 90-year-old resident of Walterboro, South Carolina. Collectively, these victims lost over $1.1 million in connection with this fraud scheme.
All of these victims testified that they were contacted by a representative of Publisher’s Clearing House and directed to send money to claim their respective prizes. All of them sent money to the defendants charged in this case, as well as other locations. The victim from Mechanicsburg, PA and the victim from Philadelphia, PA collectively sent in excess of $200,000 in cash packages just to these defendants. In some cases, victims were also directed to receive funds from third parties that they didn’t know and send those funds to other individuals that they were led to believe were also Publisher’s Clearing House representatives.
Evidence at trial also showed that the defendants operated an auto body shop in Queens, New York known as Rocars Auto and an affiliated used car dealership based in Kingston, Jamaica known as Rolcam Company Limited. The defendants used the proceeds of the lottery scam to purchase and repair salvage vehicles from online vehicle auctions and ship those vehicles to Rolcam Company Limited for sale to customers in Jamaica.
The victim from Mechanicsburg, PA was also told that he had won a new Range Rover, in addition to his cash prize. He was directed to pay for and ship over $15,000 in parts from a Land Rover car dealership to Rocars Auto in Queens, New York, under the false pretense that his vehicle was in need of upgrades before it could be sent to him. The evidence at trial showed that the defendants used these parts to repair a 2019 Land Rover that they purchased from a salvage vehicle auction house. After repairing the vehicle, they shipped it from Rocars Auto to Rolcam Company Limited in Kingston, Jamaica, where it was sold to an unidentified buyer believed to be associated with the lottery scam.
The defendants used various means to disguise their receipt of victim funds, including distributing the money among each other so that the funds could be deposited in a variety of bank accounts and exchanged for cashier’s checks so that they would not appear in bank accounts at all. The defendants also regularly broke up larger amounts of cash into smaller amounts to make their deposits look smaller in size, which had the effect of evading banks’ reporting requirements for large cash transactions.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ravi Romel Sharma and Assistant U.S. Attorney David C. Williams prosecuted the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for mail fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering is 20 years for each offense. The maximum penalty for interstate transportation of goods taken by fraud is 10 years. The Court may also impose on each defendant 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.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of a lottery scam, help is available at the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (372-8311). The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available. You may also contact the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at 1-800-372-8347 or online at www.uspis.gov/report.
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Telemedicine Nurse Practitioner Pleads Guilty to $7.8 Million Durable Medical Equipment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Virginia-based nurse practitioner pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston in connection with a $7.8 million telemedicine fraud scheme involving medically unnecessary durable medical equipment (DME), including orthotics such as back and knee braces.
Daphne Jenkins, 64, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for April 10, 2024. Jenkins was charged on Oct. 6, 2023.
Between December 2018 and April 2020, Jenkins worked with a telemedicine company to sign orders for medically unnecessary durable medical equipment. These orders signed by Jenkins were pre-populated based on telemarketing calls made to Medicare beneficiaries, that Jenkins never had any contact with the beneficiaries herself and had no medical relationship with the beneficiaries, and that she generally signed these orders without even reading them. Once Jenkins signed these orders, the telemarketing company sold the orders to DME suppliers and laboratories, which then submitted claims to Medicare. As a result of Jenkins’ participation in this conspiracy, over $7.8 million in claims were submitted to Medicare for DME that was medically unnecessary, based on false documentation, and tainted by kickbacks.
The charge of conspiracy to commit health care fraud provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross pecuniary gain or loss, whichever is greater. 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; Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge, Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Boston Division; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; Carol S. Hamilton, Regional Director, Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor; and Patrick Hegarty, Special Agent in Charge, Defense Criminal Investigation Service, North East Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Graber and Howard Locker of the Health Care Fraud Unit and Alexandra Brazier and Lindsey Ross of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Units are prosecuting the case.
Sherman Oaks Man Receives over 7 Years in Prison for $7 Million Ponzi Scheme He Ran with His Brother Out of Their Parents’ HouseRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – A San Fernando Valley man was sentenced today to 87 months in federal prison for scheming with his brother to fraudulently obtain more than $7 million from at least 40 investors – their fellow members of the Valley’s Orthodox Jewish Israeli community – through an investment company they ran out of their parents’ house.
Sassi Mizrahi, 58, of Sherman Oaks, was sentenced by United States District Judge Cormac J. Carney, who also ordered him to pay $4,477,720 in restitution.
At the conclusion of six-day trial, a jury on February 14 found Mizrahi guilty of five counts of wire fraud.
His brother, Motty Mizrahi, 51, of Encino, pleaded guilty on January 6 to six counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. Motty Mizrahi is scheduled to be sentenced on December 18.
Motty Mizrahi falsely portrayed himself as a licensed broker, a certified public accountant, and an experienced trader who employed sophisticated financial option- and insurance-hedging strategies through the brothers’ business, MBIG Company. Both Mizrahi brothers operated MBIG out of their parents’ home in Encino.
“For years…Sassi Mizrahi and his brother, co-defendant Motty Mizrahi… operated a Ponzi scheme that targeted victims they knew had reason to trust them: fellow members of the close-knit, Orthodox Jewish Israeli community of the San Fernando Valley,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “Exploiting the goodwill engendered by such affinity, defendants scammed millions of dollars from their victims with false promises of risk-free investments and guaranteed returns.”
From June 2012 until March 2019, the Mizrahi brothers raised more than $7 million from investors, promised them “guaranteed” returns between 2% and 3% per month, promised annual rates of return ranging from 30% to 102%, and assured them that their funds could be withdrawn after an initial holding period on an on-demand basis.
Neither Mizrahi brother ever invested any victim-investor funds in an account under MBIG’s name. Instead, Motty Mizrahi transferred most of the victim-investor funds into his personal trading accounts at E*TRADE and TD Ameritrade, in which he accumulated persistent and extensive losses. As a result of their investments with MBIG, victim-investors sustained losses of at least $3.3 million. Sassi Mizrahi received hundreds of thousands of dollars of investor money, and helped his brother conceal the truth about the scheme from MBIG’s investors.
Sassi Mizrahi and his brother submitted phony monthly account statements that purported to show consistent monthly gains and falsely showed that MBIG’s account balances were between $6 million and $9 million. However, Motty Mizrahi instead lost the investors’ money – losses he and Sassi Mizrahi denied when confronted by victims who unsuccessfully demanded their money back.
“When victims asked for their money back, [Sassi Mizrahi] gaslit them with lies about the safety of their investments, promises of repayment he knew could not be honored, threats of retaliation, and forged documents meant to corroborate his increasingly baroque excuses for why the money was unavailable,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum.
In October 2020, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission obtained a judgment of more than $3 million against Motty Mizrahi and MBIG for perpetuating the fraud.
The FBI investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Morgan J. Cohen and David Y. Pi of the Major Frauds Section are prosecuting this case.
Severn Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Coercion and Enticement of a Minor to Engage in Illegal Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland - U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman today sentenced Carey Lee Sackmann, age 62, of Severn, Maryland, to 10 years in federal prison, followed by seven years of supervised release, for coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity, related to his online sexual exploitation of multiple minor victims overseas. Judge Boardman also ordered that, as detailed in his plea agreement, Sackmann must pay a total of $50,000 in restitution, to be divided between the victims of his offense. In addition, upon his release from prison, Sackmann must register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”).
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Special Agent in Charge Ryeshia Holley of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Baltimore Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) Baltimore.
According to his guilty plea, beginning no later than 2015, Sackmann engaged in video chats with facilitators in the Philippines and Madagascar who sexually exploited minor children in exchange for payment. Sackmann paid facilitators to produce sexually explicit videos of minor children and to see livestream videos of minor children performing sexual acts with adults, other children, or alone, and on more than one occasion took screen captures of the livestreams.
On September 24, 2020, FBI agents executed a search warrant on Sackmann’s residence and seized several electronic devices. Forensic examinations completed on several of the devices revealed that Sackmann’s internet activity consisted of multiple visits to livestream pornography websites and online money remitters, and his devices contained approximately 15 images and 1 video of suspected child pornography. Sackmann’s phone and other accounts also contained numerous chats about child pornography production.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and HSI for their work in the investigation and thanked the Philippine National Police for its assistance Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam K. Ake and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Joyce King, who prosecuted the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-childhood and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Second Gunman Sentenced for Drug-Fueled Shooting at Greenville-Spartanburg International AirportRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE, S.C. --- The second of two men whose attempt to rob marijuana traffickers led to a gun battle at the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport has been sentenced to more than 19 years in federal prison.
Twenty-one-year-old Kendrick Naveed Corbin, of Columbia, was sentenced to 231 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to armed robbery, conspiracy to distribute marijuana, and possessing and discharging a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. In Sept., Corbin’s co-defendant, Dequadry Kendrick Razor, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for his role in the robbery and shooting.
Evidence presented to the court showed that on Jan. 25, 2022, two drug traffickers flew into GSP from Los Angeles carrying approximately 50 pounds of marijuana in two suitcases. The traffickers exited the terminal with the marijuana, where they were picked up by two associates in a Dodge Challenger. Unbeknownst to them, Razor and Corbin were sitting in a car outside the terminal, waiting to rob them.
After loading their suitcases into the trunk of the Challenger, the traffickers pulled into a parking garage adjacent to the terminal, where they planned to transfer some of the marijuana into another vehicle. As they began to get out of the car, Razor and Corbin rushed in with pistols drawn, and a gunfight broke out. One of the traffickers was shot, and Razor and Corbin fled without the suitcases, as the traffickers returned fire. Multiple vehicles parked in the garage were struck in the crossfire.
The wounded trafficker was rushed to a nearby hospital with life-threatening injuries, but ultimately survived. The driver of the Challenger, Jaondre Collier, chased Corbin and Razor to the exit of the garage. As Corbin attempted to feed a ticket into the kiosk to exit the garage, Collier pulled up behind them and opened fire again. An innocent bystander was trapped in her vehicle behind the fleeing robbers as Collier fired over her car, striking the kiosk. Razor and Corbin were able to exit the garage and fled back to Columbia.
Responding officers found the suitcases of marijuana in Collier’s trunk and two pistols in his glovebox. In Sept., Collier was sentenced to 68 months in prison for conspiring to distribute marijuana, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and discharging a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The robbers’ vehicle was traced to a home where Razor was staying, and law enforcement discovered marijuana and firearms in his bedroom. One of the guns was forensically linked to shell casings recovered from the garage at GSP. Razor was arrested and indicted for the robbery.
After considerable investigation, the FBI identified Corbin as the second shooter in the GSP robbery, and he was federally indicted. On Jan. 3, 2023, investigators learned that Corbin was once again headed to GSP, and the FBI and local law enforcement responded to the airport to arrest him. They found Corbin and another man, Anthony Brown, sitting outside the terminal, and both were armed. Officers also arrested Maurice Deon Bynum, who had just flown into GSP from California and was attempting to load a suitcase full of marijuana into the vehicle Corbin was driving. Brown and Bynum were also recently sentenced to prison terms for their roles in the conspiracy.
Senior United States District Judge Henry M. Herlong, Jr. sentenced the defendants in this case. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the FBI, the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, and the GSP Airport District Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Schoen is prosecuting the case.
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Portland Man Who Claimed to be a Foreign Exchange Currency Trader Indicted for Wire FraudRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland man, who for more than a decade claimed to be a successful foreign exchange currency trader to solicit millions of dollars in investments, has been indicted in federal court for wire fraud.
William Bennington, 52, a resident of Portland, has been charged with five counts of wire fraud.
According to the indictment, from March 2012 until at least October 2022, Bennington is alleged to have knowingly and intentionally devised and carried out a scheme wherein he purported to be a wealthy foreign exchange currency trader to solicit investments in WBFX LLC, a foreign currency investment company Bennington incorporated in Oregon in 2010. Bennington promised his investors annual returns of up to 80 percent and repayment terms as short as six months. He further falsely claimed to have written a proprietary trading algorithm, which he alleged was the source of his wealth.
Over the course of his scheme, Bennington is alleged to have caused at least five individual victims to pay him more than $2 million. Instead of investing his victims’ money in foreign exchange currency markets as promised, Bennington spent it on various personal expenses.
Bennington appeared in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. He was arraigned, pleaded not guilty, and released pending a five-day jury trial scheduled to begin on January 9, 2024.
Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison per count of conviction.
This case was investigated by the FBI. It is being prosecuted by Robert S. Trisotto, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Owner of Orange County Auto-Repair Businesses Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax Returns that Omitted Nearly $3 Million in IncomeRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – The owner of three Orange County auto-repair businesses pleaded guilty today to a federal criminal charge for deliberately failing to report nearly $3 million in income to the IRS over a seven-year period, causing a tax loss to the United States of almost $1 million.
Chung Ku Sin, 68, of Garden Grove, pleaded guilty to a single-count information charging him with filing a false tax return.
According to his plea agreement, Sin owns and operates three auto-repair companies in Orange County: Golden Auto Body, Tops Auto Body, and Victory Auto Body. During the tax years 2015 through 2021, Sin received payments for services from these companies, including in the form of checks. During this period, Sin used a check-cashing business in Garden Grove to cash checks for services performed by these companies.
Sin used the check-cashing business to cash approximately $2,927,265 in checks made payable to his auto-repair businesses. Sin willfully and intentionally withheld from his tax preparer the business receipts and income these companies received in the form of checks. Instead, he only provided to his tax preparer and reported on his tax returns the business receipts and income that he had deposited into his business bank accounts.
For example, in October 2017, Sin willfully made and subscribed to a materially false federal individual income tax return for the calendar year 2016, which was verified by a written declaration that it was made under the penalties of perjury and was filed with the IRS. Sin knew that this tax return falsely reported that his total income for 2016 was $180,124 when, in fact, he knew the number he provided to the government omitted approximately $580,351 in income.
Sin further admitted in his plea agreement to willfully making and subscribing to materially false federal individual income tax returns for the years 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021.
The total tax loss Sin deliberately caused to the United States Treasury for these years was $977,807. He has agreed to pay to the IRS this sum plus penalties and interest.
United States District Judge John W. Holcomb scheduled a May 10, 2024 sentencing hearing, at which time Sin will face a statutory maximum sentence of three years in federal prison.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Brett A. Sagel of the Corporate and Securities Fraud Strike Force is prosecuting this case.
Ocean County Felon Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking, Firearm Possession, and Possessing Firearm in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – An Ocean County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 240 months in prison for his conviction on drug and weapon charges, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Dyshawn Moss, 42, of Manchester, New Jersey, was convicted on Oct. 27, 2022, following a four-day trial before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp on five charges: possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute heroin, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Judge Shipp imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court.
According to documents in this case and evidence at trial:
On May 24, 2019, law enforcement agents went to arrest Moss outside of his apartment building in Manchester, New Jersey. Inside his apartment, Moss possessed over 1,000 grams of fentanyl, over 1,300 grams of heroin, and over 2,600 grams of cocaine; drug-packaging materials; over $150,000 in cash; and a 9mm Taurus handgun loaded with 10 rounds of ammunition.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Shipp sentenced Moss to 10 years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited members of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz; and the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago, with the investigation leading to the conviction.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vera Varshavsky and Olta Bejleri of the Criminal Division in Newark.
New York Man Admits Tax Evasion over Several YearsRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A New York man today admitted evading personal income taxes for the tax years 2016 through 2018, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Khuram Raja, 37, of Locust Valley, New York, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi in Trenton federal court to an information charging him with one count of tax evasion.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
During tax years 2016, 2017, and 2018, Raja owned and operated a company that provided construction and building services. Raja earned income from the company, and filed business tax returns for the company for tax years 2016 and 2017 that materially understated the company’s income. Raja failed to report certain taxable income that the company received in cash and checks cashed at check-cashing facilities, and deducted expenses from the company’s reported income that included certain personal expenses that were not, in fact, expenses of the company. Raja failed to file business tax returns for tax year 2018 by the applicable deadline. Raja did not file personal income tax returns for tax years 2016, 2017, and 2018 by the applicable deadlines, and failed to report the income from the company that would have flowed through to his personal income tax returns. As a result of this conduct, Raja evaded $543,815 in personal income taxes for tax years 2016, 2017, and 2018.
The charge of tax evasion carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, or twice the gross pecuniary gain or loss, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for April 16, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine M. Romano of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Health Care Fraud in Newark.
rajainformation.pdfMaryland Pizza Parlor Owner Pleads Guilty to Employment Tax SchemeRead the Press Release
A Maryland man pleaded guilty today to willfully failing to pay employment taxes withheld from his employees’ wages.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Francesco Illiano, of Mount Airy, owned and operated two restaurants and a property management company that 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 July 2016, Illiano did not pay the withholdings 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 he owned in 2011 and 2012. In total, Illiano caused a tax loss to the IRS of over $1.7 million.
Illiano is scheduled to be sentenced on March 6, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Shawn Noud of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jefferson Gray for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case.
Man Who Robbed Multiple New Castle County Tobacco Stores Sentenced to 53 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that Donald Gladden, 57, of New Castle, Delaware, was sentenced last week to 53 months in prison for a string of tobacco store robberies committed during a 10-day crime spree. At the time he committed these robberies, Mr. Gladden was on supervised release – a form of post-incarceration probation in the federal system – for an earlier series of robberies he committed in Maryland. The Honorable Colm F. Connolly, Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware, pronounced the sentence, which included 12 months for the violation of Mr. Gladden’s supervised release and 41 months for the Hobbs Act robberies.
According to Court documents, Mr. Gladden committed robberies on May 27, May 31, and June 5, 2022, using a fake gun—that appeared to be real—to obtain cash and Newport cigarettes during each incident. The total amount of cash and cigarettes taken exceeded $10,000.
U.S. Attorney Weiss stated, “Mr. Gladden’s use of a fake gun to commit these violent acts does not minimize the terror his victims suffered. His sentence serves as a warning to others that my office will continue to seek stiff prison sentences for those, like Mr. Gladden, who prey upon Delaware citizens.”
“The FBI remains steadfast in routing out threats to the community in any form. The heinous acts of Mr. Gladden are not reduced by an inoperable firearm, as it inflicted the same level of fear to those in the community who expect to remain safe from harm,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ryeshia Holley of the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office. “The citizens of Delaware can rely on the continued collaborative efforts of law enforcement partners to maintain their public safety.”
This case was investigated by the Delaware State Police Robbery Unit out of Troop 2 in Bear, Delaware, and the FBI’s Delaware Violent Crime and Safe Streets Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eli H. Klein prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:22-cr-096.
Maine Woman Who Traded Use of Her Avon Residence to Traffickers for Drugs Sentenced to 2 ½ YearsRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Franklin County woman was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for using and maintaining a drug premises, possessing fentanyl and cocaine base with intent to distribute, and aiding and abetting.
U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Brandice Dotolo, 41, to 30 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Dotolo pleaded guilty on August 3, 2023.
According to court records, between March 2020 and July 2020, Dotolo allowed her Avon residence to be used for the use and distribution of heroin and cocaine base, commonly known as “crack,” in exchange for drugs. During the execution of a search warrant at the residence, law enforcement seized approximately 85 grams of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl and 40 grams of crack along with digital scales, drug paraphernalia and a large amount of cash. Dotolo told investigators that the drugs would be transported from out-of-state, an individual would stay at her residence to monitor the drugs and sell them and that she would answer calls from customers. In exchange for allowing them to use and stay at her residence, Dotolo would receive a set amount of heroin each week.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Maine State Police, Farmington Police Department and Franklin County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
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Kansas man charged with assault at a U.S. Army installationRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A Kansas man has been charged through criminal complaint in Topeka, Kansas, following an incident on a federal military installation.
According to court documents, Jordan Thompson, 24, of Galena is charged with two counts of assault with a deadly weapon for allegedly assaulting two people on November 24, 2023, while at Fort Riley in Junction City, Kansas.
The defendant made his initial court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Rachel E. Schwartz of the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each count.
The Department of Army Criminal Investigation Division, Fort Riley Department of the Army Civilian Police, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Butler County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Hunting and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Robin Graham are prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###Indianapolis Man Sentenced to over 20 Years in Federal Prison After Being Found Guilty of Trafficking Methamphetamine and Fentanyl; Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Steven Lamar Brown, 42, of Indianapolis has been sentenced to 246 months in federal prison. In June of 2023, a federal jury found Brown guilty of seven felony charges: five counts of trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl, one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents and evidence introduced at trial, between September 2020, and February of 2021, Brown was observed and recorded on video and audio selling more than fifty grams of methamphetamine on three separate occasions. On the recordings Brown can be clearly seen and heard weighing drugs and counting the money he received in exchange.
On February 23, 2021, IMPD officers attempted to stop Brown in his car to arrest him, but Brown refused to comply. Officers eventually stopped Brown, searched his vehicle, and found a loaded .380 caliber pistol in the glove box.
Later that day, law enforcement, including Task Force Officers with the Drug Enforcement Administration and IMPD officers, conducted a court-authorized search of Brown’s residence. Inside, throughout the house, they found a trove of illegal drugs, tools of the drug trade, Brown’s personal documents, and eight firearms, including three assault rifles, four handguns, and a shotgun:
Master Bedroom & Closet
- 52.1 grams of a mixture containing fentanyl and heroin.
- 26.3 grams of fentanyl
- 100.96 grams of heroin
- 165.5 grams of methamphetamine
- 117 Xanax pills
- 10.7 grams of cocaine base (“crack cocaine”)
- 3 loaded semi-automatic assault-style rifles
- A loaded shotgun
- A loaded 9mm semi-automatic handgun
- Brown’s birth certificate and social security card
On and Under the Bed
- 1.2 kilograms of synthetic marijuana in gallon-size bags
- 28.0 grams of synthetic marijuana
- A loaded .38 Special caliber revolver
- 2 loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistols
Bedroom #2
- A metal kilo press
- Loaded magazines
- A box of ammunition behind a standalone mirror
Kitchen
- A black digital scale with drug residue
- 407.1 grams of synthetic marijuana
Brown has multiple prior convictions for felony offenses, including robbery, for which he was on parole when he committed these federal crimes. As a result of those convictions, Brown is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
“This violent felon sold fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other drugs in our community—all while illegally armed to the teeth,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Every neighborhood deserves to be safe from criminals dealing deadly drugs and armed with deadly weapons. I commend the DEA, IMPD, and our federal prosecutors for their efforts to hold this defendant accountable and take him off our streets. The two-decade prison sentence imposed here demonstrates that these very serious crimes carry very serious consequences.”
U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers, Michael Gannon, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Indianapolis Field Office, and Chief of IMPD, Randal Taylor, made the announcement.
The DEA and IMPD investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge James R. Sweeney II. Judge Sweeney also ordered that Brown be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years following his release from federal prison and pay a $500 fine.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Pamela S. Domash and Jayson W. McGrath, 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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Illegal Firearm Possession Leads to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Oklahoma City ManRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Last week, LEQUEVIN KELLEY, 23, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve 144 months in federal prison for being a drug user in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On September 20, 2022, a federal grand jury returned a one-count Indictment against Kelley, charging him with being a drug user in possession of a firearm. According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, on August 25, 2022, law enforcement was actively seeking Kelley due to multiple arrest warrants out of Oklahoma County. The affidavit alleges Kelley was spotted leaving an Oklahoma City motel by members of the United States Marshals Service, who surveilled Kelley as he drove his motorcycle onto Interstate 35. Soon after, Kelley led law enforcement on a high-speed chase until he wrecked his motorcycle and continued to flee on foot, when he was observed throwing a silver revolver onto the ground. During the foot pursuit, Kelley fled across I-44, causing officers to chase after him down an active highway. He was taken into custody shortly after, and Oklahoma City Police recovered the firearm. According to the complaint, Kelley admitted that he had used PCP, a controlled substance, earlier that day.
On February 9, 2023, Kelley pleaded guilty to the Indictment. As part of his plea, Kelley admitted to possessing the firearm, knowing he was an unlawful user of a controlled substance.
At the sentencing hearing on November 20, 2023, U.S. District Judge Stephen P. Friot sentenced Kelley to serve 144 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing his sentence, the court noted Kelley’s long history of violent criminal behavior, including using firearms in several armed robberies and fleeing from law enforcement on multiple occasions.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the United States Marshals Service, and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chelsie A. Pratt and David McCrary prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a Department of Justice program to reduce violent crime. In October 2017, the Department announced the reinvigoration of Project Safe Neighborhoods and directed U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop crime-reduction strategies that incorporate lessons federal law enforcement has learned since the program’s launch in 2001. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://justice.gov/psn and https://justice.gov/usao-wdok.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Darrail Antoine Pulley, 24, of Huntington, was sentenced today to one year and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 17, 2023, Pulley sold a quantity of fentanyl to a confidential informant in an alley behind a residence on the 1800 block of Ninth Avenue in Huntington. Pulley admitted to the transaction, and further admitted that he had arranged the transaction with the confidential informant by phone earlier that day.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-41.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Christopher D. Spaulding, also known as “Casino,” 32, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 4, 2019, Spaulding was at an Eighth Street bar in Huntington when two individuals approached him and asked if he had cocaine for sale. Spaulding accompanied the individuals from the bar to a vehicle parked outside. Spaulding admitted that while in the vehicle, he distributed a substance containing cocaine and fentanyl to both individuals.
Spaulding further admitted that shortly after one of the individuals nasally inhaled the substance, she began to exhibit signs of an overdose. Later that evening, Spaulding drove the individual to Cabell Huntington Hospital in her vehicle. The individual was not responsive or breathing when they reached the hospital, and hospital staff physically removed her from the vehicle. The individual was later pronounced dead by medical staff.
Spaulding also admitted that he later learned that the other individual had exhibited signs of an overdose after nasally inhaling the substance. This individual received naloxone from Cabell County Emergency Medical Services before being transported to Cabell Huntington Hospital where he recovered.
Toxicology testing confirmed that the substance distributed by Spaulding to both individuals contained fentanyl and cocaine. Spaulding admitted that the cause of death of the individual who died was due to alcohol, fentanyl and cocaine intoxication. Spaulding further admitted that this individual would not have died but for the fentanyl he distributed to her.
Spaulding is scheduled to be sentenced on March 18, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Police Department and the West Virginia State Police.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Courtney L. Finney and Stephanie Taylor are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-18.
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Hiding meth in batteries lands Texan in prisonRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 51-year-old Edinburg resident has been ordered to federal prison for attempting to import more than 20 kilograms of meth into the country, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Richard Nares pleaded guilty May 2, 2022, to importation of 500 grams or more of meth.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now sentenced him to 60 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court considered the volume and purity of the meth. In handing down the sentence, the court noted how the large quantity of narcotics were being stored in vehicle batteries, which contradicted Nares’ claim he thought he was just trafficking marijuana.
On Dec. 20, 2021, Nares attempted to enter the United States from Mexico via the Hidalgo Port of Entry in a Dodge Ram 2500. Law enforcement observed two commercial vehicle batteries in the rear row of the truck to which a K-9 alerted to the presence of narcotics. Once they dismantled the batteries, authorities discovered two rectangular shaped bundles in each battery. Upon the search of the connected batteries under the hood of the vehicle, they found four additional bundles.
Laboratory testing confirmed the eight bundles contained meth and had a total weight of 20.34 kilograms.
Nares subsequently admitted that he traveled to Mexico earlier in the day and intended to turn the vehicle over to another individual after entering the United States with the narcotics.
He was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to the U.S. Marshal in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee Fry prosecuted the case.
Georgia Gang Member on Bond for Murder Sentenced to Nearly 6 Years for Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Kendaryl Rogers a/k/a “Elajuwon Rogers,” 30, of Columbus, Georgia, was sentenced to 71 months – nearly six years – in federal prison for the possession of a firearm and ammunition recovered by the U.S. Marshals when Rogers was arrested in South Carolina for pending murder charges in Georgia. Rogers was a felon and therefore prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition.
On March 11, 2021, the U.S. Marshals determined that Rogers was at a hotel in Columbia, South Carolina. At the time, Rogers was on bond for state charges in Georgia for kidnapping, battery, and obstructing a person making an emergency call in an incident where Rogers is alleged to have struck a female victim with a closed fist in the face. He was also wanted for arrest on 18 additional felony charges out of Georgia, including malice murder, two counts of felony murder, six counts related to a Georgia gang statute, two counts for discharge of a firearm during a felony, four firearm possession counts, three aggravated assaults counts, two terroristic threats counts, and battery, among other charges.
According to evidence presented in Court, the U.S. Marshals observed Rogers carrying a large black bag to a vehicle in the parking lot of a Holiday Inn Express in Columbia. When agents approached to arrest him, they observed an American Tactical, Omni Hybrid, Multi-Caliber Pistol sitting in the trunk in plain view on top of the bag with a stock attached. The firearm also had a spent shell casing catcher attached so that spent casings would not be left behind when the firearm was shot. Agents also found a bucket, rubber gloves, and bleach inside Rogers’ hotel room. Inside the car was distribution quantity marijuana and a magazine loaded with 31 rounds of .223 ammunition.
The FBI recovered a video broadcast by Rogers on social media the day before pointing that firearm at the camera lens numerous times, and the FBI determined that Rogers left his DNA and his fingerprints on the firearm. The FBI also recovered a recorded jail call where Rogers said to the other caller that the gun was “brand new, it wasn’t ever used in nothing, the gun was brand new.”
At sentencing, evidence was presented that Rogers was the member of a street gang. The Court found that Rogers used the firearm in connection with drug distribution, and social media content recovered by federal search warrant showed dozens of additional firearms possessions.
State charges remain pending against Rogers in Georgia for shooting incidents and firearm brandishes in Columbus, Georgia on Aug. 6, 2020 (a murder and attempted murder incident that is being prosecuted by the Gang Prosecution Unit at the Georgia Attorney General’s Office); Aug. 8, 2020, Dec. 30, 2020; and Jan. 22, 2021. Rogers is presumed innocent on all charges that have not been adjudicated. State courts in Georgia granted Rogers a bond on pending charges; he was ordered detained in the federal system in South Carolina.
United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Rogers to 71 months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of Court-ordered supervision – both at the top end of the advisory federal sentencing guidelines. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was investigated by the FBI in South Carolina and Georgia, and the U.S. Marshals’ Fugitive Task Force, with critical assistance from the Columbia (S.C.) Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliott B. Daniels prosecuted the case.
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Media: attached is an exhibit from Court showing the recovered firearm and other items as well as two screengrabs from Rogers’ social media broadcast.
us_v._rogers_-_sentencing_exhibit_0.pdfFresno Sex Offender Sentenced to Lengthy Prison Term for Child Pornography ConvictionRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Gary Lee Briggs, 66, of Fresno, was sentenced today to 30 years in prison, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for receipt and distribution of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Jan. 3, 2020, a concerned citizen reported to law enforcement that Briggs appeared to be trying to lure an eight-year-old boy into Briggs’s apartment in Fresno. When officers confronted Briggs, he reported that he planned to test his ability to withstand urges that attracted him to the boy. Briggs also admitted that Facebook recently had terminated his account for having transmitted sexually explicit material on that platform. Facebook separately had notified the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children that Briggs’s Facebook account had been used to transmit sexually explicit images of minors from August through December 2019.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Central Valley Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, specifically the Fresno Police Department, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
Fresno Resident Sentenced to Prison for Counterfeit Treasury Check Conspiracy and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Jeffrey Michalk, 44, of Fresno, was sentenced today to three years and nine months in prison for conspiracy, theft of public money, and aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between June 2020 and January 2022, Michalk worked with Fresno residents Steve Gomez, 41, and Michael Dugan, 49, to cash counterfeit U.S. Treasury checks throughout the Central Valley. The criminal conduct included approximately 264 fraudulent checks, and a loss amount of over $500,000. The trail of counterfeit checks spanned different counties and involved checks forged to be made payable to the defendants and others.
“Today’s sentence is a reminder that the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration is committed to aggressively investigating those who commit financial crimes impacting the tax administration and victimizing the citizens of our communities,” stated Special Agent in Charge Rod Ammari. “This case demonstrates the investigative capabilities and dedication of Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration special agents. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration is committed to protecting the financial infrastructure of the United States by pursuing individuals that abuse the tax administration to further their identity theft schemes.”
This case is the product of an investigation by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Henry Z. Carbajal III is prosecuting the case.
Gomez and Dugan have also pleaded guilty and are scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 29, 2024, and Feb. 26, 2024, respectively. They face a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the conspiracy charge, a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the theft of money charge, and a mandatory minimum consecutive two years in prison for the aggravated identity theft charges.
Fresno Man Pleads Guilty to Actual and Attempted Coercion of a MinorRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Christopher Contreras, 29, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to one count of attempted coercion of a minor and one count of enticement of a minor, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Contreras used the messaging application Skout, text messages and Snapchat to engage in sexually explicit communications for approximately one week with a person he believed to be a 13-year-old female. He then traveled to a location in Fresno on July 31, 2020, to meet the purported minor for sexual activity. He was actually communicating with undercover law enforcement investigators. They arrested Contreras and booked him into the Fresno County Jail where he was released on bail.
On Oct. 13, 2020, law enforcement officers responded to a call about a missing juvenile. An investigation confirmed that Contreras picked the juvenile up at a location in Fresno after making arrangements through messages on the Meet Me application. Contreras was arrested for numerous felony violations of California law and booked again at the Fresno County Jail. He was later charged federally in this case and has been in federal custody since June 10, 2021.
Contreras is scheduled to be sentenced on April 1, 2024. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and up to a life term of supervised release for each of the two counts. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Central California Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, specifically Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David L. Gappa is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.