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27 November 2023
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.
Framingham Man Pleads Guilty to Operating Unlicensed Money Transmission BusinessRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Framingham man pleaded guilty today to operating an unlicensed money transmitting business.
Luiz DaSilva, 69, pleaded guilty to one count of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business before U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton, who scheduled sentencing for April 4, 2024. DaSilva was arrested and charged in December 2022.
From in or about October 2018 through in or about October 2020, DaSilva failed to comply with federal registration requirements for money transmitting businesses in operating his business, Mix Cell Phones, LLC.
The charge of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Framingham Police Chief Lester Baker made announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
Fourteen Members of Cocaine Distribution Ring Charged with Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced today the unsealing of a 21-count Superseding Indictment charging 14 individuals with drug trafficking and firearms offenses. The defendants are members of a drug trafficking group led by defendant Herbert Robinson (“Robinson DTG”).
The Superseding Indictment alleges that the defendants, several of whom had prior drug trafficking offenses, distributed hundreds of kilograms of cocaine in the Philadelphia area and elsewhere from at least February 2019 to January 2021. As alleged in the Superseding Indictment, Robinson and other high-ranking members of the DTG regularly traveled internationally to meet with drug suppliers in Mexico, Colombia, and Jamaica. During the course of the investigation, law enforcement seized approximately 169 kilograms of cocaine, $8.26 million in cash drug proceeds, and four firearms.
The individuals charged include:
- Herbert Robinson, 48, of Lower Gwynedd, PA
- Samyre Washington, 38, of Wyncote, PA
- Ross Brooks, 48, of Philadelphia, PA
- Melvin Butler, 60, of Compton, CA
- Marcus Washington, 43, of Philadelphia, PA
- Marvin Watson, 44, of Glen Mills, PA
- Randall Overton, 39, of Philadelphia, PA
- Frank Singleton, 50, of Upper Darby, PA
- James Leonard Flack, Jr., 54, of Philadelphia, PA
- Kashon Adade, 36, of Lansdowne, PA
- Antonio Simmons, 49, of Gahanna, OH
- Von Oscar Tyler, 56, of Temple Hills, MD
- Gilberto Alaniz, 34, of Mercedex, TX
- L.B. Nelson, 44, of Inglewood, CA
Thirteen defendants have pleaded guilty. The remaining defendant, a fugitive, passed away after the Superseding Indictment was returned. Several members of the Robinson DTG pleaded guilty to additional drug charges, money laundering, and tax crimes, charged via three separate Informations in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service, and Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, with assistance from Pennsylvania State Police – SHIELD Unit, Delaware State Police, New Jersey State Police, Philadelphia Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Francis A. Weber.
Former Illinois Death Row Inmate Convicted of Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A federal jury returned a guilty verdict on November 14, 2023, against Jeffrey D. Parmly, 60, of Peoria, Illinois, for attempted enticement of a minor. Sentencing for Parmly is scheduled for Wednesday, March 13, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. at the federal courthouse in Peoria.
Parmly was previously convicted of murder in Marion County, Illinois, in 1984 and given a death sentence, which was later reduced to 76 years. He was paroled in November 2021 and was on parole at the time of the current offense.
Over two days of testimony, the government presented evidence that, in December of last year, Parmly communicated with, and attempted to meet, an individual for the purpose of having sexual contact with an 11-year-old girl.
Parmly remains in the custody of the United States Marshals Service. At sentencing, he faces statutory penalties of 10 years to life imprisonment, to be followed by five years to a life term of supervised release. He will also be required to register as a sex offender and pay a mandatory $5,000 special assessment under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015.
The case investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy A. Bass and John David Hoelzer represented the government at trial.
The case against Parmly was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. 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
Former Army Soldier Charged with Sexual Assault at JBERRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment on Sept. 21, 2023, charging a former U.S. Army soldier with sexually assaulting a victim while stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.
According to court documents, Shawn May, 24, was arrested in Delaware on Nov. 22, 2023, for allegedly making a victim engage in a sexual act by force and without the victim’s consent in March 2020. The assault is alleged to have happened on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.
May is charged with one count aggravated sexual abuse, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §2241(a), and one count of sexual abuse, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §2242(3). If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska made the announcement.
The Department of the Air Force, Office of Special Investigations is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Ivers and James Klugman are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Florida Man Sentenced to 8 Years for Trafficking Methamphetamine in Bangor and Houlton AreasRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Florida man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Jared Fogg, 32, to eight years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Fogg pleaded guilty on April 25, 2023.
According to court records, between May 2018 and July 2018, Fogg was obtaining large quantities of methamphetamine from Florida and distributing it in locations around Bangor and Houlton through a group of co-conspirators. On July 12, 2018, a truck driven by a co-conspirator and in which Fogg was a passenger was stopped by law enforcement in Lincoln. A search of the vehicle revealed 30 grams of heroin and 100 grams of methamphetamine. A loaded 9mm handgun and nearly $20,000 in cash was in Fogg’s bag, and multiple grams of methamphetamine were later recovered from Fogg’s home.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency investigated this case.
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Federal Grand Jury B Indictments Announced - November 2023Read the Press Release
United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the November 2023 Federal Grand Jury B.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Brandon Lee Cooper. Kidnapping in Indian Country; Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Suffocating in Indian Country; Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury to an Intimate/Dating Partner in Indian Country. Cooper, 27, of Tulsa, a Muscogee (Creek) Nation member, is charged with kidnapping, assaulting, and causing bodily harm to a dating partner on Oct. 28, 2023. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Brandon is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-379
Melik Deshawn Davis. Robbery in Indian Country (Counts 1, 2); Assault with Intent to Commit a Felony in Indian Country (Counts 3, 4); Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country (Counts 5, 6). Davis, 24, of Tulsa, a Muscogee (Creek) Nation member, is charged with robbing and assaulting his victims on Sep. 18, 2023. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Dunn and Stephen N. Scaife are prosecuting the case. 23-CR-376
Damon Michael Dozier. Aggravated Sexual Abuse by Force and Threat in Indian Country; Kidnapping of a Minor in Indian Country. Dozier, 40, transient, a Muscogee (Creek) Nation member, is charged with sexually assaulting a minor child under 16 years old and holding the victim against their will on Jun. 12, 2023. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen N. Scaife is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-375
Jose Juan-Lopez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien; Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of a Firearm; Use of Immigration Identification Document Not Legally Issued; False Statement on Official Document; Use of False Social Security Number; Aggravated Identity Theft. Juan-Lopez, 40, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed, illegally possessing a firearm, and possessing identification cards not belonging to him. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot P. Anderson is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-374
Christopher Lee Juanito Noear. Assault of a Spouse/Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling in Indian Country; Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Noear, 35, of Tulsa, a Muscogee (Creek) Nation member, is charged with is charged with strangling a dating partner, and being in possession of a firearm after a felony conviction. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen J. Flynn is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-372
Wyatt Douglas Miller; Kevin Ramses Rocha; Tyler Dewayne Rogers; Jonah Maxwell Fesman; Antonio Ernesto Munoz; Juan Manuel Camacho-Zarate; Cameron David Martin; Ilyess Hadri Talbi; Steven Lin; Gilbert Immanuel; Jared Chan Zi Jie; Jordan Goh Zhi Hao; Darren Khoo Zhi En; Bryan Goh Chun Hee; Cai Jin Cheng; Tan Kian Wei; Daniel Holland; Prit Patel. Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud (superseding). Miller, 24, San Marcos, CA; Rocha, 24, Littlerock, CA; Rogers, 24, Goleta, CA; Fesman, 23, Altadena, CA; Munoz, 24, Palmdale, CA; Camacho-Zarate, 25, Santa Maria, CA; Martin, 23, Winter Garden, FL; Talbi, 20, Columbus, OH; Lin, 27, Philadelphia, PA; Immanuel, 25, Lutz, FL; Zi Jie, 25, Republic of Singapore; Zhi Hao, 23, Republic of Singapore; Zhi En, 23, Republic of Singapore; Chun Hee, 25, Republic of Singapore; Cheng, 24, Republic of Singapore; Wei, 24, Republic of Singapore; Hong Wei, 25, Republic of Singapore; Holland, 24, United Kingdom; Patel, 24, Canada, are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud as a part of an international conspiracy to defraud online retailers through a variety of schemes collectively known as “refund fraud”. The cyber squads of the FBI’s Oklahoma City and Birmingham Field Offices, as well as agents from the FBI Seattle Field Office are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Nassar, Matthew P. Cyran, and Ashley Robert are prosecuting the case. 23-CR-331
Luis Armando Mendez-Matias. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Mendez-Matias, 39, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on Jan. 2, 2020, at or near Brownsville, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl L. Baber is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-373
Juan Carlos Moreno-Lopez; Samuel Ulises Ortega; Jose Ortiz-Tapia; Jorge Luis Cruz-Diaz; Jesus Roberto Lujano-Urquiza; Joseph Anthony Raniewicz; Brittany Welch. Continuing Criminal Enterprise (Count 1); Drug Conspiracy (Count 2); Distribution of Methamphetamine (Counts 3 – 6); Distribution of Fentanyl (Count 7); Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises (Counts 8 – 9); Use of a Communication Facility in Committing, Causing and Facilitating the Commission of a Drug Trafficking Felony (Counts 10 – 14) (superseding). Moreno-Lopez, 25; Ortega, 53; Ortiz-Tapia, 34; Cruz-Diaz, 29; Lujano-Urquiza, 33; Raniewicz, 42, Tulsa; Welch, 33, Claremore, are charged with drug conspiracy, and distribution of meth and fentanyl, beginning in January of 2021 through November of 2023. The Drug Enforcement Administration is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn A. McCormick is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-136
Juan Ramon Pulido Romero. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Romero, 35, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on Jan. 4, 2014, at or near Del Rio, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney David D. Whipple is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-370
Juan Ramos-Duran. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Ramos-Duran, 32, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on Jan. 18, 2016, at or near Laredo, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot P. Anderson is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-371
Daniel Ray Sanders. Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Attempting to Strangle in Indian Country; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. Sanders, 40, transient, a Cherokee Nation member, is charged with strangling and causing bodily harm to an intimate partner and on a separate occasion assaulting the same intimate partner with a dangerous weapon, both in Indian Country.
The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele W. Hulgaard is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-381Ricardo Sandoval-Chavez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Ricardo Sandoval-Chavez, 32, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on Apr. 22, 2017, at or near Laredo, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl L. Baber is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-368
Christian Sanchez-Flores. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Sanchez-Flores, 26, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on Feb. 1, 2019, at or near Nogales, Arizona. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Buscemi is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-369
Jacob Shoate. Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling in Indian Country; First Degree Burglary in Indian Country; Witness Tampering. Shoate, 22, of Tulsa, a Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma member, is charged with strangling, breaking into a residence and preventing the victim from calling 911. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Weems is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-382
Nelson Alexis Torres Leon; Roberto Quiroz Lopez; Jose Isla-Chavez. Drug Conspiracy; Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Heroin with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; Possession of Heroin with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute. Leon, 23, of The Village, Lopez, 49, of Tulsa, are charged with possessing and distributing fentanyl and heroin. Lopez is also charged with maintaining a residence for distributing fentanyl and heroin. Isla-Chavez, 29 of Tulsa, is charged with possessing and distributing fentanyl and maintain a residence for distribution of fentanyl. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn A. McCormick is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-380
Victor Vallejo-Rivera. Kidnapping in Indian Country; Witness Tampering; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Assault by Striking, Beating, and Wounding in Indian Country (Misdemeanor). Vallejo-Rivera, 33 of Tulsa, is charged with kidnapping, preventing the victim from contacting 911, and assaulting with intent to do harm. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Weems is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-367
Erie Resident Pleads Guilty to Violating Federal Laws Related to the Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal laws relating to the sexual exploitation of children, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Darren Steven George Akers, 48, of Erie, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to receiving child sexual abuse material before United States District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on or about March 9, 2023, Akers received and attempted to receive images depicting prepubescent minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Akers also possessed and accessed with intent to view child sexual abuse material from in and around May 2022, to in and around March 2023.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Judge Baxter scheduled sentencing for March 19, 2024 at 1:30 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court continued Akers on bond.Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Akers.
Elk City Man Pleads Guilty to Production and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Today, TIMOTHY STEVEN BLAYLOCK, JR., 37, of Elk City, pleaded guilty to producing child pornography and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On November 17, 2023, Blaylock was charged by Superseding Information with production of child pornography involving two victims and possession of child pornography. According to an affidavit filed in support of a criminal complaint, on July 24, 2023, an FBI Online Covert Employee (OCE) began communicating with Blaylock via a mobile messaging service. The OCE purported to be the mother of a 12-year-old girl, to whom Blaylock made several sexually explicit comments. The affidavit alleges the conversation continued for several days, during which Blaylock shared several videos with the OCE depicting himself in sexual acts with minors. Blaylock was arrested on July 28, 2023.
After his arrest, the FBI determined that Blaylock had produced child pornography with two children using his cell phone. Blaylock also downloaded other child pornography via the Internet and possessed it on his cell phone.
Today, Blaylock pleaded guilty to the Superseding Information. As part of his plea, Blaylock admitted to using two minors to engage in sexual acts multiple times, which he filmed using his cell phone, between March 17, 2021, and July 28, 2023, and possessing other child pornography on his cell phone.
At sentencing, Blaylock faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 40 years in federal prison, and fines totaling up to $500,000. Blaylock has been in federal custody since his arrest on July 28, 2023.
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office, FBI New Orleans Field Office, and Elk City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Hale is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC 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 PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
District Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Second Degree Murder While Armed in 2020 Shooting on Martin Luther King Jr. Ave.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Darquise Montgomery, 20, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 12 years in prison for the September 2020 shooting death of Anthony Lee, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). He was sentenced by the Honorable Rainey Brandt of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
Montgomery is the second of three defendants in this case. He pleaded guilty to second degree murder while armed on October 3, 2023. Co-defendant Kyrie Wells, 21, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty to the same charge on January 3, 2023, and was sentenced, on April 13, 2023, to 14 years in prison. A third and final defendant in the case, Niko Hall, pleaded guilty on October 3, 2023.
According to the government’s evidence, just before 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020, Anthony Lee, 25, of Washington, D.C., was walking south on Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. with a companion. The three defendants lined up across the sidewalk behind him. As Mr. Lee crossed Malcolm X Avenue, Hall, Wells, and Montgomery drew their handguns and opened fire, hitting Mr. Lee once in the back, and killing him.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter V. Roman and Jessica Keefer and Deputy Chief Laura Bach, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Costa Rican Man Sentenced to 46 Months for Smuggling over 4,000 Pounds of MarijuanaRead the Press Release
St. Croix, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Keyran Coto Lopez, 28, of Costa Rica, was sentenced by Judge Wilma Lewis to 46 months incarceration after pleading guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute over 4,000 pounds of marijuana on board a vessel subject to jurisdiction of the United States. Co-defendants Alonso Hernandez Hernandez and Luis Orellana-Orellana, both also from Costa Rica, are scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Lewis on November 28, 2023, and December 1, 2023, following their guilty pleas.
According to court documents, on November 7, 2022, while patroling in international waters in the Eastern Pacific, 65 nautical miles South of Boca Chica, Panama, the United States Coast Guard Cutter Campbell intercepted a go-fast vessel with no physical flag flown and no registration documents onboard. Bundles of contraband were visible on the deck of the go-fast vessel and Lopez and two other occupants were located on board. One of the three men on board claimed Colombian nationality for the go-fast vessel, but the Colombian Government neither confirmed nor denied nationality of the vessel. A search of the go-fast vessel by Coast Guard officers resulted in the recovery of 4,104 pounds of marijuana.
This case was investigated by the United States Coast Guard and Drug Enforcement Administration and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Melissa P. Ortiz. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Clay County Convicted Felon and Drug Dealer Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Shawntae Jamell Clark (45, Clay County) to 10 years and 5 months in federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The court also ordered Clark to forfeit two firearms, ammunition, and cash traceable to his offenses. He was arrested on July 6, 2022, and ordered detained. Clark pleaded guilty on August 21, 2023.
According to court documents, deputies from the Clay County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) were investigating Clark based on reports that he was selling drugs, including methamphetamine, out of a hotel room at the Stay Suites on Wells Road in Clay County. On July 2, 2021, deputies observed Clark leaving his hotel room with a backpack and getting into a car. During a subsequent traffic stop of the vehicle, a CCSO canine alerted to the car, indicating that it contained illegal narcotics. A subsequent search of the car revealed a small safe containing a loaded Beretta pistol and Taurus revolver, 7 baggies of methamphetamine, and approximately 100 small baggies. Further investigation determined that the total weight of the methamphetamine was approximately 159 grams, and that Clark had multiple prior felony convictions for armed robbery, attempted lewd or lascivious act – sexual battery, and multiple convictions for possession of cocaine. As such, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
On September 25, 2023, Judge Howard sentenced a related defendant, David Lee Rucker (35, Clay County), to six years and eight months in federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. The court also ordered Rucker to forfeit a firearm and ammunition. Rucker had pleaded guilty on May 19, 2022.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein. The forfeiture was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Mai Tran.
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.
Clarkston tax preparer sentenced for multi-year tax fraud and prohibited from preparing future returnsRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Mohamed Hersi has been sentenced to federal prison for filing false tax returns. Hersi, who owned a tax preparation business, filed false returns on behalf of unwitting clients, collected more than $1 million in preparer fees, and then failed to disclose his own income to the IRS.
“The community trusted Hersi to provide sound tax advice to comply with our tax laws,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “But Hersi betrayed his clients’ trust, pocketed their fees, and then lied on his own returns.”
“Tax return preparer fraud is a serious breach of responsibilities for themselves and on behalf of their clients, leading to degrading trust and confidence of our tax system,” said Demetrius Hardeman, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “IRS special agents and our law enforcement partners remain vigilant in upholding the integrity of the tax system and holding individuals accountable for their actions.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: Hersi owned and operated Map Wireless Inc., d/b/a “1st Tax Center,” “Metro Tax Center,” and “Investment Financial Services” in Clarkston, Georgia. Between 2016 and 2020, Hersi prepared and filed false income tax returns for his clients that claimed false Schedule C items, withholdings, education credits, expenses, and itemized deductions to obtain inflated refunds to which his clients were not entitled.
On some occasions, Hersi provided one version of the return he planned to file to his clients, then filed a different version with the IRS which included both falsely claimed items and different direct deposit information. During the scheme, Hersi collected over $1.2 million in fees from his clients, but never disclosed that income to the IRS, resulting in a loss of more than $400,000.
Mohamed Hersi, 40, of Decatur, Georgia, was sentenced to two years in prison to be followed by one year of supervised release, and he was ordered to complete 40 hours of community service and to pay restitution in the amount of $439,543. Hersi’s sentence also includes a prohibition on his preparing taxes for others in the future.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Dillingham prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Ceres Man Sentenced for Cyberstalking Two VictimsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Kevin James Strutz, 52, of Ceres, was sentenced today to three years and four months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for cyberstalking, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. In addition, Strutz was ordered to pay $1773 in restitution.
According to court documents, Strutz secretly made a video recording of an adult female who stayed as an Airbnb tenant at the residence where Strutz was living in Ceres in February 2020. The victim ended her stay at the residence when she discovered a message on a cellphone that Strutz had left in a shared bathroom. Over the next several months, Strutz continued to contact the victim through multiple Facebook accounts. The messages became increasingly aggressive, and one included an image of the victim exiting a shower at the Airbnb residence that had been taken without her knowledge or consent. Strutz sent the image to her with a demand that she send him a sexually explicit video or he would send the photo to her friends and family.
Investigators later learned that between September 2018 and December 2018, Strutz had also sent a series of electronic messages and handwritten letters to a second female victim. Strutz left 15 handwritten letters on the victim’s vehicle, many of which contained threats designed to coerce the victim into engaging in sexual acts with Strutz. He also sent messages to the victim from five different Facebook accounts and attempted to contact the victim using phone calls and messages.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Ceres Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa prosecuted the case.
Butte man admits trafficking cocaine, marijuana, mushrooms in investigation of illegally imported pill pressesRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Butte man suspected of receiving illegally imported pill presses from China and trafficking cocaine and other drugs admitted to a drug charge today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
David Jesus Tapia-Padron, 33, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Tapia-Padron faces a mandatory minimum of five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least three years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. Sentencing was set for April 10, 2024 before U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Tapia-Padron was released pending further proceedings.
In court documents, the government alleged that in September 2022, two industrial tablet presses were illegally imported from China to the United States and addressed to a warehouse in Anaconda. The Drug Enforcement Administration intercepted the presses and then had them delivered. The DEA determined that co-defendant Austin King-Terrell, of Butte, had ordered the presses for Tapia-Padron and provided them to him. Agents later searched Tapia-Padron’s residence and found large quantities of marijuana, psilocybin mushrooms and a vacuum sealed package containing one kilogram of cocaine. Agents also located distribution paraphernalia, a money counter and money bands throughout the home. In addition, the investigation determined that Tapia-Padron paid King-Terrell to buy what King-Terrell referred to as a “kief press.” Kief is a concentrated form of marijuana. Tapia-Padron regularly sold King-Terrell marijuana and offered him psilocybin mushrooms. King-Terrell pleaded guilty recently to illegal importation of a tableting machine and is pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Karla E. Painter is prosecuting the case. The DEA, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.
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Albany Man Sentenced for Failing to Update Sex Offender Registration and Violating Supervised Release ConditionsRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jason Burnash, age 43, of Albany, was sentenced today to a total of 28 months in prison for failing to update his sex offender registration information and violating his conditions of federal supervised release.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and United States Marshal David L. McNulty made the announcement.
As part of his prior guilty plea on July 28, 2023, Burnash admitted that he was required to register as a sex offender because of his prior federal conviction in 2012 for receiving child pornography. Burnash further admitted that between December 24, 2022 and March 1, 2023, he failed to advise the sex offender registry of a change in his residential address. This conduct both violated Burnash’s conditions of supervised release and was a new crime, specifically a violation of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci ordered Burnash to serve 18 months in prison for violating his supervised release conditions and an additional 10 months for the new criminal conduct. She also imposed a 5-year term of supervised release, which will start after Burnash is released from prison. Burnish will again have to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
The United States Marshals Service investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Belliss prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Ada Resident Sentenced for Making A False Statement During the Acquisition of A FirearmRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jonathan Louis Meszaros, of Ada, Oklahoma, was sentenced to three years’ probation for making a false statement during the acquisition of a firearm.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On January 28, 2022, Meszaros attempted to redeem a pawned Ruger Mark IV .22 semi-automatic pistol from D&S Pawn in Ada, Oklahoma. During his visit, Meszaros intentionally made a false written statement on the ATF Firearms Transaction Record Form 4473, asserting that he was not prohibited from possessing a firearm. In reality, Meszaros was at the time subject to a final protective order issued against him in Pontotoc County prohibiting him from gun ownership until September 18, 2024. When questioned by law enforcement about this false statement, Meszaros admitted that, at the time he filled out the form, he knew the protective order was current and active.
On September 14, 2022, Meszaros pleaded guilty to one count of Making a False Statement During the Acquisition of a Firearm.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearings in Muskogee.
Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Satter represented the United States.
26 November 2023
Statement of United States Attorney Kerest Regarding Shooting of Three Young Men in BurlingtonRead the Press Release
Nikolas P. Kerest, United States Attorney for the District of Vermont, made the following statement with respect to the shooting incident in Burlington on Saturday, November 25th:
“The Burlington Police Department, the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and other members of the Chittenden County Gun Violence Task Force are investigating the shooting of three young men of Palestinian descent on Saturday night in Burlington.
“We recognize the suffering and heartbreak that the three men who were wounded, their families, and their communities are experiencing. We offer our deepest condolences to all affected by Saturday’s events. We deplore and condemn this violence and other similar acts. We appreciate that our law enforcement partners are conducting the investigation into the identity of the shooter and the shooter’s motives in a careful and deliberate manner.
“The United States Attorney’s Office and the Civil Rights Division will assess the evidence generated to determine whether a federal crime may have been committed.”
South Dakota Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a South Dakota man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on November 20, 2023, in Aberdeen, South Dakota.
Marcus Lance Dumarce, age 54, was sentenced to 20 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $100 as a statutorily required special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Dumarce was indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender by a federal grand jury in February of 2023. He pleaded guilty on August 28, 2023.
According to court documents, Dumarce was convicted in federal court of Abusive Sexual Contact of a Minor in April of 2003. Between December 20, 2018, and June 15, 2023, Dumarce left the residence at which he had been registered in Roberts County, South Dakota, and knowingly failed to register as a sex offender. He is required to register for life due to the previous conviction.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri prosecuted the case.
Dumarce was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to continue serving his sentence.
Sisseton Man Pleads Guilty to Voluntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that Jay Adams, Jr., age 57, of Sisseton, South Dakota, appeared before U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann on November 20, 2023, and pleaded guilty to a Superseding Information that charged him with Voluntary Manslaughter.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is 10 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, and a $50 assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
In 1992, in Roberts County, Adams killed a minor victim, in the heat of passion, by inflicting fatal blunt force trauma to her head. Adams has signed documents admitting he used violent force to inflict the injury upon the victim in the early morning hours of September 4, 1992. Adams did not seek medical attention for the victim and later the same day discovered she had died. Adams feigned ignorance as to the cause of the victim’s injury. Earlier this year, new evidence came to light which implicated Adams in the death of the victim.
“Cold cases are not closed cases in the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said Alison J. Ramsdell, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota. “As this tragic case demonstrates, no matter how long it takes, we remain committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners to bring the perpetrators of these heinous crimes to justice. It is our hope that this work offers some measure of closure to victims’ families and helps honor the sacred memory of missing and murdered Indigenous persons.”
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case is part of the Department of Justice’s newly created Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Regional Outreach Program, which aims to aid in the prevention and response to missing or murdered Indigenous people through the resolution of MMIP cases and communication, coordination, and collaboration with federal, Tribal, state, and local partners. The Department views this work as a priority for its law enforcement components. Through the MMIP Regional Outreach Program, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify MMIP cases and issues in Tribal communities and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. This prosecution upholds the Department’s mission to the unwavering pursuit of justice on behalf of victims and their families despite the passage of time.
The investigation was conducted by the Sisseton-Wahpeton Tribal Police Department and the FBI.
The case is being prosecuted by MMIP Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Great Plains Region Troy R.
Morley.A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date was set for June 3, 2024, in Aberdeen
South Dakota. Adams was ordered to self-surrender to U.S. Marshals custody by 2:00 p.m. on
December 11, 2023.McLaughlin Man Sentenced for Simple AssaultRead the Press Release
ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a McLaughlin, South Dakota, man convicted of Simple Assault. The sentencing took place on November 20, 2023.
Martin Tre Black Cloud, age 20, was sentenced to six months in federal prison and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $10.
Black Cloud was indicted by a federal grand jury in September of 2022. He was convicted of Simple Assault following a two-day jury trial on August 8, 2023.
The evidence at trial showed that Black Cloud was drinking alcohol with his stepfather on June 22, 2022, in McIntosh, South Dakota. Black Cloud quarreled with his stepfather and assaulted him, resulting in his stepfather’s hospitalization. Black Cloud then apologized to his stepfather, injured himself with a knife, and fled.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.
Aberdeen Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Obstructing a Federal Court ProceedingRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced an Aberdeen, South Dakota, man convicted of Tampering with a Witness. The sentencing took place on November 20, 2023, in Aberdeen, South Dakota.
Jordan Anthony Rondell, age 36, was sentenced to three years in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $100 as a statutorily required special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Rondell was indicted for Tampering with a Witness by a federal grand jury in March of 2023. He pleaded guilty to on August 8, 2023.
According to court documents, between January 26, 2023, and continuing through February 6, 2023, Rondell intentionally harassed another person in an effort to prevent and dissuade that person from assisting in a federal court proceeding. During the relevant time period of this case, Rondell was on federal supervised release, following his federal conviction of conspiracy to steal from a tribally owned casino. In late January of 2023, Rondell filed a motion seeking release to the custody of his spouse to address a medical issue. At a hearing on February 1, 2023, the Court heard testimony from Rondell’s spouse. His spouse’s testimony was, in material part, false, and Rondell intentionally and corruptly harassed his spouse to offer that false testimony in an effort to get him released from federal custody.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri prosecuted the case.
Rondell was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to continue serving his sentence.
24 November 2023
Rio Rico Man Sentenced to 40 Months in Prison for Transporting Illegal Aliens for ProfitRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Jesus Moises Ruiz, Jr., 34, of Rio Rico, was sentenced on November 9, 2023, by United States District Judge Scott H. Rash to 40 months in prison. Ruiz pleaded guilty on August 31, 2023, to one count of Transportation of Illegal Aliens for Profit.
On February 20, 2023, United States Border Patrol agents pursued Ruiz while he was traveling on State Route 90, driving a grey Chevrolet pickup truck. Ruiz accelerated to a high rate of speed and eventually merged onto Interstate-10 (I-10). Ruiz exited I-10 and was located by agents with the assistance of air support. After a lengthy pursuit, agents were able to apprehend him.
Five undocumented noncitizens exited Ruiz’s vehicle during the pursuit and were later found by agents.
Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol Agents-Sonoita Station and Homeland Security Investigations-Nogales conducted the investigation in this case. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Chamblee, United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-00385-SHR-1
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-186_Ruiz# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
23 November 2023
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Statement on the Arrest of Néstor Isidro Pérez SalasRead the Press Release
The Justice Department issued the following statement from Attorney General Merrick B. Garland on the arrest of Néstor Isidro Pérez Salas, also known as “El Nini,” by Mexican authorities:
“Yesterday, Mexican authorities arrested Néstor Isidro Pérez Salas, also known as ‘El Nini,’ who we allege is one of the Sinaloa Cartel’s lead sicarios, or assassins. Until his apprehension, El Nini led security operations for the Chapitos and we allege that he and his security forces murdered, tortured, and kidnapped rivals, witnesses, and others who opposed the Chapitos.
Shortly after the apprehension of El Nini, I spoke with Mexican Attorney General Gertz to thank him for the extraordinary efforts of the Mexican authorities who made the arrest, and to whom we are all grateful for their courage.
We are now seeking El Nini’s swift extradition from Mexico to face justice here in the United States.
Last month, in a meeting in Mexico City, I thanked our Mexican government and law enforcement counterparts for the extradition of Ovidio Guzman Lopez, a leader of the Sinaloa Cartel and one of more than a dozen cartel leaders we have indicted who have been extradited to the United States.
Earlier this year, I announced charges against 23 leaders, members, and associates of the Sinaloa Cartel. Those charges reflect the aggressive approach the Justice Department is taking to disrupting and dismantling the Sinaloa Cartel, an organization responsible for operating one of the deadliest and most prolific drug trafficking operations in the world. Among those we charged are the cartel’s drug traffickers, their money launderers, their manufacturers, their chemical suppliers, and their leaders — as well as their security forces, which engage in horrific and brutal violence.
The Justice Department is grateful to our Mexican counterparts for their work in that effort, and we remain committed to doing everything in our power to dismantle the dangerous drug trafficking cartels that are responsible for death and devastation in both the United States and Mexico.”
22 November 2023
Worcester Man Sentenced for Drug Offense and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester man was sentenced today in federal court in Worcester for possessing cocaine intended for distribution and wire fraud with respect to COVID-19 relief programs.
Augustus “Bobo” Kormah, 33, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to 131 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Kormah was also ordered to pay restitution and forfeiture of $258,705. In June 2023, Kormah pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and two counts of wire fraud.
On Sept. 11, 2020, Kormah was arrested following a suspected drug transaction. Following his arrest, a search of Kormah’s apartment resulted in the seizure of approximately 26 grams of cocaine, an un-serialized Polymer 80 9mm firearm and a black magazine loaded with 30 9mm cartridges.
A subsequent investigation revealed that, between approximately May and October 2020, Kormah used the personal identifying information of over 50 individuals to submit approximately 125 fraudulent claims for COVID-19 unemployment benefits as well as 15 fraudulent claims for COVID-19 small business loans. As a result of the fraud scheme, Kormah obtained approximately $100,000 in fraudulent unemployment benefits and approximately $170,000 in fraudulent small business loans.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Andrew Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Boston Field Office; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; and Worcester Police Chief Paul B. Saucier made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lucy Sun of the Criminal Division and Danial Bennett of the Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.Wilkes-Barre Men Charged with Drug Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Antoine Montgomery, 34, and Jamal Jenkins, 35, both of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, were indicted on November 21, 2023, by a federal grand jury for conspiracy and possession and distribution of fentanyl.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Montgomery and Jenkins conspired to distribute fentanyl since December of 2022, and possessed fentanyl on November 17, 2023, with the intent to distribute the narcotic in Luzerne County.
The case was investigated by the Wilkes-Barre City Police, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the DEA. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd K. Hinkley is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is lifetime imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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United States Files Forfeiture Action to Recover Cryptocurrency Traceable to Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The United States Attorney’s Office filed a civil forfeiture action to recover cryptocurrency alleged to be proceeds of a “pig-butchering” fraud scheme targeting Massachusetts residents and involved in money laundering. Specifically, the government seeks to forfeit 204,315.87 Tether (USDT) and 18.9649 bitcoin (BTC) seized from two accounts located at Binance.com, a cryptocurrency exchange and custodian. Collectively, this cryptocurrency has a current estimated value of approximately $900,000.
In September 2022, an investigation began into a pig-butchering scheme targeting a Massachusetts resident. In a pig-butchering scheme, scammers obtain funds from victims using manipulative tactics. The scammer establishes a level of trust with a victim in online communications and then entices the victim into investing in a fraudulent cryptocurrency scheme. Often the victim is enticed to make additional payments before realizing they are a victim of fraud.
As alleged in court documents, after targeting a Massachusetts victim and fostering an online relationship, scammers claiming to have access to profitable investment opportunities, induced the victim to invest personal funds into a fake cryptocurrency investment platform. During the investigation additional victims of the pig-butchering scheme were identified. Law enforcement traced cryptocurrency involved in the fraud and money laundering schemes to two Binance accounts, where it was seized.
It is a violation of federal law to use wire communications as part of a scheme to defraud or to obtain money or property by means of false or fraudulent pretenses. It is also a violation of federal law to conduct, or attempt to conduct, a financial transaction involving property which is known to represent the proceeds of some form of unlawful activity, knowing that such transaction is designed to conceal or disguise the nature, location, source, ownership, or control of those proceeds of unlawful activity. The complaint alleges that the cryptocurrency is traceable to proceeds of wire fraud and was involved in money laundering. A civil forfeiture action allows third parties to assert claims to property, which must be resolved before the property can be forfeited to the United States and returned to victims.
This is one of several civil forfeiture actions the U.S. Attorney’s Office has filed seeking to forfeit cryptocurrency traced to fraud schemes targeting Massachusetts victims.
Members of the public who believe they are victims of a cybercrime – including cryptocurrency scams, romance scams, investment scams and pig-butchering fraud scams – should contact [email protected].
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Andrew Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. The civil forfeiture action is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Raquelle L. Kaye of the Asset Recovery Unit.
The details contained in the civil forfeiture complaint are allegations. The United States Attorney’s Office has not filed a corresponding criminal action on the matter.
U.S. Attorney’s Office and FBI Seeking to Identify Potential Victims in Connection with Online Child Exploitation CaseRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. - United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) are seeking to identify potential victims of an online child exploitation scheme which originated in Suffolk County, New York, and in Northwest Louisiana in 2022.
The defendant in this investigation, Stephen Andrew Cipkin, has been charged by federal indictment with traveling to engage in illicit sexual activity, under 18 U.S.C. § 2423(b); production and receipt of child pornography, under 18 U.S.C. § 2252A(a)(2); possession of child pornography, under 18 U.S.C. § 2252A(a)(5)(B); and enticement of a minor, under 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b).
The defendant may also be known by the following online usernames: “sac8635,” “ArabellaC.,” “Human no-more,” “numb little bug,” “Swiffer1,” “@onlygoodguy,” and “Ur_Perfect_Daddy.” The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
If you, your family member, or anyone that you know has had contact with this individual or any of the above-listed usernames while being tutored in Suffolk County, New York, or while using the online applications Snapchat, Pinterest, YesIChat, Y99, or Instagram between 2020 and 2023, and would like to report a crime, please contact the FBI via email at: [email protected].
For additional resources and information, please visit: https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/safety-resources/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/sextortion.
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Two men sentenced for their roles in Jamestown drug ringRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Jarrod Adams, 43, Erie, PA, and Michael Murphy, 31, of Jamestown, NY, were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara for their roles in a Jamestown area drug ring. Adams, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more methamphetamine, was sentenced to serve 108 months in prison. Murphy, who was convicted of narcotics conspiracy, was sentenced to serve 192 months in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that between June 2019, and October 2020, defendant Murphy bought, sold, and distributed quantities of methamphetamine for profit, utilizing Facebook to conduct his drug trafficking operation. On July 16, 2019, the United States Marshal’s Service and other law enforcement officers went to a Bishop Street residence in Jamestown to apprehend Murphy, a federal fugitive at the time. Murphy was taken into custody along with co-conspirator Jarrod Adams. A search warrant was executed at the residence, during which investigators seized a quantity of methamphetamine $1,476 in cash, and drug paraphernalia. During the conspiracy, Murphy, who received his supply from co-conspirators Adams and Rocco Beardsley, also supplied large quantities of methamphetamine to other co-conspirators. On November 29, 2019, investigators executed a search warrant at Murphy’s Newland Avenue residence and recovered methamphetamine, illicit mushrooms, other drug paraphernalia, two firearms, ammunition and $1,642 in cash.
Rocco Beardsley is scheduled to go to trial in March 2024.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The sentencings are the result of an investigation by the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson, the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. DeVito, New York Field Division, and the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone.
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Two men sentenced for their roles in Jamestown drug ringRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Jarrod Adams, 43, Erie, PA, and Michael Murphy, 31, of Jamestown, NY, were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara for their roles in a Jamestown area drug ring. Adams, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more methamphetamine, was sentenced to serve 108 months in prison. Murphy, who was convicted of narcotics conspiracy, was sentenced to serve 192 months in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that between June 2019, and October 2020, defendant Murphy bought, sold, and distributed quantities of methamphetamine for profit, utilizing Facebook to conduct his drug trafficking operation. On July 16, 2019, the United States Marshal’s Service and other law enforcement officers went to a Bishop Street residence in Jamestown to apprehend Murphy, a federal fugitive at the time. Murphy was taken into custody along with co-conspirator Jarrod Adams. A search warrant was executed at the residence, during which investigators seized a quantity of methamphetamine $1,476 in cash, and drug paraphernalia. During the conspiracy, Murphy, who received his supply from co-conspirators Adams and Rocco Beardsley, also supplied large quantities of methamphetamine to other co-conspirators. On November 29, 2019, investigators executed a search warrant at Murphy’s Newland Avenue residence and recovered methamphetamine, illicit mushrooms, other drug paraphernalia, two firearms, ammunition and $1,642 in cash.
Rocco Beardsley is scheduled to go to trial in March 2024.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The sentencings are the result of an investigation by the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson, the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. DeVito, New York Field Division, and the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone.
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Two Connecticut Men Arrested for Drug Offenses; Fentanyl and Cocaine SeizedRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Brendan Salmon, 30, also known as “Nice,” of Hartford, Connecticut, and Lincoln Anthony Robinson, Jr., 28, of Windsor, Connecticut, were arrested on Thursday, November 16, 2023 in Hardwick, Vermont. Salmon was charged by criminal complaint with distributing fentanyl on five different occasions, as well as aiding and abetting possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. Robinson was charged by criminal complaint with one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Both men appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle on November 18. Salmon was detained pending further proceedings; his next court appearance is currently set for December 1, 2023, at 10:30 a.m. before Magistrate Judge Doyle. Robinson was released on conditions.
According to court records, Salmon is alleged to have distributed fentanyl at various locations in Lamoille and Caledonia counties on multiple occasions in 2022 and 2023. Salmon is also alleged to have directed a shipment of drugs into Vermont from Connecticut containing approximately 670 grams of fentanyl, 570 grams of powder cocaine, and 160 grams of crack cocaine, which police intercepted and seized on September 25, 2023.
Robinson is alleged to have been in possession of approximately 85 grams of crack cocaine in the residence where both men were arrested. While searching the residence on November 16, law enforcement also recovered approximately 350 grams of suspected powder cocaine, approximately 270 grams of suspected crack cocaine, approximately 500 glassine bags of suspected fentanyl, approximately 100 counterfeit Xanax, a Glock 9mm pistol with two magazines of ammunition, an armored vest, and approximately $11,875 in U.S. currency.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that criminal complaints contain only allegations and both Salmon and Robinson remain presumed innocent until and unless they are convicted of a crime. Each of the six counts Salmon faces carries a maximum penalty of 20 years of imprisonment. The single count Robinson faces carries a maximum penalty of 20 years of imprisonment.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Morristown Police Department, the Vermont State Police Narcotics Investigation Unit, the Lamoille County Sheriff’s Office, the Stowe Police Department, and the Hardwick Police Department.
The prosecutors are Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Van de Graaf and Ray Sun. Salmon is represented by Richard Goldsborough, Esq. Robinson is represented by Robert Behrens, Esq.
Three Men Charged with String of Violent Armed Robberies in Passaic CountyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Three New Jersey man were charged in connection with their respective roles in a series of armed robberies in Passaic County, New Jersey, in August 2022, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Kareem Powell, 30, of Willingboro, New Jersey, is charged by superseding indictment with two counts of Hobbs Act robbery and two counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Following his arrest on Nov. 21, 2023, Powell made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cathy L. Waldor in Newark federal court and was detained.
Powell’s co-defendants, Carlos Diaz, 30, and Edward Porter, 30, both of Paterson, New Jersey, previously were charged by indictment with three counts of Hobbs Act robbery and three counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. The superseding indictment charges Diaz and Porter with an additional count of Hobbs Act robbery as well as an additional count of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On the evening of Aug. 22, 2022, Powell, Diaz, and Porter robbed a Passaic bodega of several thousand dollars while pointing their guns at a victim and threatening to kill him. Later that same evening, Powell, Diaz, and Porter also robbed a Paterson business of several thousand dollars. During both robberies, Powell, Diaz, and Porter menaced customers with handguns and ordered them to lie on the ground.
On the evening of Aug. 23, 2022, Diaz and Porter robbed a Passaic liquor store of several thousand dollars at gunpoint. While inside the store, Porter used his gun to pistol-whip a victim on the face. Later that evening, Diaz and Porter committed an additional gunpoint robbery of a business in Paterson. While inside the store, Porter pushed one victim and wrestled with a different victim, dragging the victim to the floor while attempting to take the victim’s handbag.
Each count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence carries a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison, which must be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed. Hobbs Act robbery carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller; the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Richard Berdnik, the Passaic Police Department, under the direction of Police Chief Luis A. Guzman, and the Paterson Police Department, under the direction of Officer in Charge Isa Abbassi, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Garrett Schuman of the Criminal Division in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the superseding indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
powell.sindictment.pdfSpokane Valley Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison on Drug Charges and Violation of Federal Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington - United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced Justin Richard Byers, 39, of Spokane Valley, Washington, to 130 months in federal prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute 40 Grams or More of Fentanyl. U.S. District Judge Rice also sentenced Byers to an additional 14 months for violating his term of supervised release.
According to court documents, in February of 2023, the Moses Lake Police Department’s Street Crimes Unit developed information that Byers was selling fentanyl pills and had a federal warrant for his arrest stemming from multiple violations of his term of federal supervised release. Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) tracked Byers to an RV at a campground in North Spokane. When Byers exited the RV, Agents approached Byers in an effort to arrest him. In response, Byers ran back inside the RV and, despite repeated commands, refused to come out. After approximately 30 minutes, Byers exited his trailer, and surrendered to agents without further incident. Byers was arrested on the federal warrant.
Agents obtained a search warrant for the RV and located 1,000 fentanyl-laced pills as well as a scale with drug residue.
In the sink, Agents located fentanyl pills as well as liquid, indicating Byers had attempted to flush the pills to avoid them being seized by Agents. Unfortunately for Byers, as there was no water in the RV. Byers attempted to pivot; however, unsuccessfully attempted to flush the pills down the sink with a carbonated soda. Agents ultimately removed the p-trap to the sink and located many additional fentanyl pills. Agents also located about 500 fentanyl pills strewn about the RV. Agents also located two handguns, one of which had been stolen.
Agents also learned Byers was connected to two storage units in Spokane. During a search, agents located a variety of ammunition, a loaded magazine, more suspected fentanyl-laced pills and a quantity of methamphetamine.
“Mr. Byers is a repeat offender, who, when released from prison, picked up right where he left off -- pedaling poison in our neighborhoods. Holding individuals accountable who are dealing drugs and removing these narcotics from our streets will make all our neighborhoods and communities safer and stronger,” stated U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref. “I’m grateful for the dedication of our law enforcement partners, who worked to bring Mr. Byers to justice.”
“One would hope that prison would be a deterrent for a convicted felon from pursuing additional illegal actions on release,” said ATF Seattle Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan T. McPherson. “In this case, Mr. Byers was not deterred. ATF will always work tirelessly to investigate those whose actions are a continuing danger to our communities.”
“We are proud of the work done by our Street Crimes Detectives on this case, and grateful for the relationship we have with our ATF partners to bring this to a successful conclusion, ” stated Moses Lake Police Chief David Sands.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Moses Lake Police Department’s Street Crimes Unit. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin Baunsgard.