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20 November 2023
New York Men Convicted of Violent Attempted Theft of Drugs from Rangeley HomeRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: Two New York men were found guilty today of conspiring to commit Hobbs Act robbery in connection with a violent home invasion in Rangeley in 2016. The verdict came after a three-day jury trial in the U.S. District Court in Bangor with Judge Nancy Torresen presiding.
According to evidence presented during the trial, in July 2016, Andre Muller (aka “Dre Muller”), 53, and Robert Holland (aka “Kurt Holland”), 43, along with three other men, developed a plan to steal controlled substances from a Rangeley residence. On July 26, 2016, Muller traveled from New York City with two co-conspirators, meeting up with Holland and another co-conspirator at a property just outside of Rangeley. Muller, Holland and the three other co-conspirators discussed how to carry out the robbery. On July 28, 2016, two co-conspirators entered the Rangeley residence armed with knives with the intent to take the controlled substances. During the commission of the robbery, the intended target of the robbery shot and killed one of the co-conspirators.
Muller and Holland had previously been convicted following a five-day jury trial that concluded August 10, 2022. Judge Torresen granted a motion for a new trial, however, based on evidence of juror prejudgment.
Muller and Holland both face up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. They will be sentenced after the completion of presentence investigation reports by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
A third defendant in this case (Hector Munoz, 56, Florida) pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Maine State Police; the Rangeley Police Department; the U.S. Border Patrol; and the Carrabassett Valley Police Department investigated the case, with assistance provided by the Maine Office of the Attorney General.
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New Orleans Man Indicted for Distribution of Fentanyl and Weapons OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that KENTRELL HUBBARD, age 24, of New Orleans, Louisiana, was charged on November 17, 2023, in a three-count indictment for distribution of fentanyl and violations of the Federal Gun Control Act.
According to the indictment, HUBBARD is charged in Count 1 with distribution of fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C). He is charged in Count 2 with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i). He is charged in Count 3 with being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). According to the indictment, HUBBARD has a prior federal felony conviction for conspiracy to transport vehicles across state lines.
If convicted of Count 1, HUBBARD faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least three years of supervised release. If convicted of Count 2, he faces a minimum of five years up to a maximum sentence of life in prison, which must run consecutive to any other sentence, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and up to five years of supervised release. If convicted of Count 3, he faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. Each count also carries a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Neligh Woman Sentenced for Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Danelle Charf, 49, of Neligh, Nebraska, was sentenced on November 20, 2023, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for making a false, fictitious, and fraudulent statement in connection with health care services. Chief Judge Robert F. Rossiter sentenced Charf to two months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Charf’s release from prison, she will begin a three-year term of supervised release. Charf was also ordered to pay $573,337.53 in restitution to Medicare and Medicaid.
Charf previously owned Wanek Pharmacy in Neligh, Nebraska, and Tilden Pharmacy in Tilden, Nebraska. Agents began investigating in the fall of 2020 after receiving a tip. Several current and former employees were interviewed by investigators. Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians who worked at the Wanek and/or Tilden Pharmacies reported that Charf was responsible for adjusting orders from suppliers so that brands were commonly unavailable. The witnesses corroborated the complainant’s report that the pharmacies were billing for name brand while dispensing generic medications. Employees also reported that Charf was submitting claims for prescriptions where the pharmacy anticipated that the prescription would not be filled by the customer and had not, in fact, been filled.
Investigators then chose some beneficiaries at random to interview and located beneficiaries who had been prescribed a name brand medication but were dispensed a generic. Investigators were able to photograph the medications with name brand prescription labels placed on generic medications.
An invoice review was done, comparing all of the claims submitted to Medicare and Medicaid by Wanek and Tilden Pharmacies to how much of the same drugs were ordered by the pharmacies during the same time period. Even excluding claims to private insurance companies, the reconciliation showed that Wanek did not have adequate purchases to support their claims for 1,032 of the 3,676 drugs reviewed, resulting in a loss of $369,837.38. Tilden did not have adequate purchases to support their claims for 612 of 1737 drugs reviewed, resulting in a loss of $203,500.15.
This case was investigated by the HHS Office of Inspector General and Nebraska Attorney General Office.
Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Trafficker Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL– U.S. District Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell has sentenced Ja’Vion RaShard Jackson (23, Coleman) to 10 years and 5 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, 40 grams or more of fentanyl, cocaine, and promethazine with codeine, as well as three counts of distribution of controlled substances. Jackson had pleaded guilty on August 14, 2023.
According to court documents, beginning in November 2022, and on a few dates thereafter, Jackson sold an undercover officer more than 500 grams of methamphetamine, approximately 52 grams of fentanyl, and bottles of promethazine with codeine in addition to cocaine and methorphan. On January 12, 2023, agents executed search warrants at two locations associated with Jackson. At one location (261 CR 222, Oxford, Florida), agents located quantities of marijuana, MDMA, and prescription pills. On the same date, Jackson was arrested at 715 Oakdale Avenue, Unit 38 in Brooksville. Agents served a search warrant on that residence and arrested another co-conspirator after locating methamphetamine, fentanyl, promethazine with codeine, and firearms inside a vehicle.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha E. Beckman.
Man Indicted for Violating the Federal Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on Friday, November 17, 2023, KEVIN TYLER, age 46, was indicted for possession with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A).
TYLER was pulled over during a traffic stop in Lafourche Parish. As a result of the traffic stop, Louisiana State Police Troopers recovered 11.7 kilograms of cocaine hidden within the engine compartment of the sports utility vehicle that he was driving .
If convicted, TYLER faces a minimum term of ten (10) years up to a maximum term of life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000.00, at least five (5) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Louisiana State Police, and Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.
Man Indicted for Fake Bomb ThreatsRead the Press Release
DENVER—The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Matthew Cook, age 33, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on two counts of 18 U.S.C. § 1038(a)(1) for falsely conveying on two occasions that there was a bomb at a store in Parker, Colorado.
According to the indictment, on or about July 26, 2023, Cook falsely conveyed that there was a bomb at a grocery store in Parker, Colorado. Then, on or about August 17, 2023, Cook falsely conveyed that there was a bomb at a big box store in Parker, Colorado.
This case is the result of investigative coordination between the Parker Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Cramer-Babycz.
The charges contained in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Case Number: 23-cr-0448-CNS
Lodge Grass man admits assaulting dating partnerRead the Press Release
BILLINGS —A Lodge Grass man today admitted to assaulting and injuring his girlfriend on the Crow Indian Reservation, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Brian Allen Kruger, 61, pleaded guilty to assault of a dating or intimate partner resulting in substantial injury. Kruger faces a maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The court set sentencing for March 20, 2024. Kruger remains detained pending further proceedings.
In court documents, the government alleged that on Feb. 28, 2021, Kruger assaulted his girlfriend, identified as Jane Doe, while at a house in Lodge Grass, on the Crow Indian Reservation. Kruger and Jane Doe were drinking and talking and got into an argument. The argument escalated, and Kruger punched Jane Doe in the face and knocked her off the chair where she was sitting. Kruger continued hitting Jane Doe as she headed down a hallway. While Kruger went to the kitchen to get some more vodka, Jane Doe escaped out of a window and ran to a neighbor’s house. The neighbor called 911, and Jane Doe was treated for injuries at the Indian Health Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda L. Myers and Lori Harper Suek are prosecuting the case. The Bureau of Indian Affairs conducted the investigation.
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Lincoln Woman Sentenced for Theft of Mail and Mail KeyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Rockie Dubray, 35, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced November 20, 2023, in federal court in Lincoln for stealing a Post Office mailbox key and theft of mail. United States District Court Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Dubray to five years of probation.
Between March and September 2022, the United States Postal Inspection Service received numerous complaints from customers not receiving packages supposed to be delivered to lockers in several USPS locations in Lincoln. On August 3, 2022, the Post Office received similar complaints from customers not receiving their packages at the College View Station branch in Lincoln, Nebraska. Investigators installed a surveillance camera in the lobby.
On August 8, 2022, packages were stolen from the parcel locker at College View Station. Surveillance video from the night before captured a white female using a master key to open mail lockers and take packages. The female had a large, distinctive tattoo on her right leg.
On September 3, 2022, video surveillance captured the same white female using a master key to access the lockers, but on this occasion, she was unable to remove the key from the lock. The female was still able to open the locker, however, and she stole packages.
Still photos from the video surveillance were processed using facial recognition technology. Rockie Dubray was identified as the female in the surveillance videos. On September 27, 2022, Dubray was interviewed by a United States Postal Inspector and admitted to stealing packages from the parcel lockers on a couple occasions using a master key given to her. She admitted that she still had the contents of one of the stolen packages at her home.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service.
Lincoln Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Jesse Cervantes, Jr., 52, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on November 20, 2023, in federal court in Lincoln for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual (pure) methamphetamine. Senior United States District Court Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Cervantes to 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Cervantes’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
In March and May of 2022, an undercover investigator made a total of eight purchases of meth, totaling approximately nine ounces, from Cervantes in Lincoln. On May 19, 2022, investigators served a search warrant on Cervantes’s Lincoln residence and vehicle. In the vehicle, they found two bags of meth weighing a total of just under one pound. One of the two bags, weighing 224 grams, was tested by the Nebraska State Patrol Crime Laboratory for purity, and was found to be 100% pure.
Cervantes agreed to talk to law enforcement officers and said he obtained about 100 pounds of meth from a source in Omaha in about March of 2022. He got five pounds from a second source in Omaha. He said he had about five customers who were buying pound or multiple-pound quantities of meth. He also sold smaller amounts to a few people. Cervantes said the meth found in his vehicle belonged to him.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Drug Task Force.
Lexington Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for Role in Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Jonathan Beale, 23, of Lexington, Nebraska, was sentenced November 20, 2023, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. The Honorable John M. Gerrard, Senior United States District Judge, sentenced Beale to 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Beale’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
Operating from at least June 2021 until October 2022, Beale and others were responsible for trafficking in meth brought into the state. Officers from a variety of local, state, and federal agencies pieced the conspiracy together using eyewitness information, electronic evidence, surveillance, and search warrants.
On February 23, 2022, officers obtained a search warrant for Beale’s residence in Lexington. Located in the search was another co-defendant, who appeared to be living in Beale’s basement. In addition, the search located nearly eleven ounces of meth, items consistent with narcotic packaging, and over two thousand dollars. Searches at additional locations in the Lexington area netted additional meth and currency from other co-defendants.
This case was investigated by the CODE Drug Task Force, Lexington Police Department, Dawson County Sheriff’s Office, the Nebraska State Patrol, the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Justice Department Secures Agreement with Tennessee Trucking Companies to Resolve Allegations of Hiring DiscriminationRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has secured a $700,000 agreement with Covenant Transport Inc. (Covenant), as well as the affiliated entity Transport Management Services LLC (Transport), two transportation logistics and long-haul trucking companies headquartered in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The agreement resolves the department’s determination that the company violated the anti-discrimination provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) by routinely discriminating against non-U.S. citizen workers when checking their permission to work in the United States.
“Employers cannot discriminate against non-U.S. citizens by demanding specific or unnecessary documents from them to prove their permission to work,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to ensuring compliance with our federal civil rights laws so that non-U.S. citizens with permission to work can contribute their talents to our workforce.”
The department’s investigation found that from January 2020 through at least August 2022, Covenant and Transport routinely discriminated against non-U.S. citizens by requiring lawful permanent residents to show their Permanent Resident Cards (known as green cards) and by requiring other non-U.S. citizens to show documents related to their immigration status.
Federal law allows all workers to choose which valid, legally acceptable documentation to present to demonstrate their identity and permission to work, regardless of citizenship status, immigration status or national origin. The INA’s anti-discrimination provision prohibits employers from requiring specific or unnecessary documents because of a worker’s citizenship status, immigration status or national origin. Indeed, many non-U.S. citizens, including lawful permanent residents, are eligible for several of the same types of documents to prove their permission to work as U.S. citizens are (for example, a state ID or driver’s license and an unrestricted Social Security card). Employers must allow workers to present whatever acceptable documentation the workers choose and cannot reject valid documentation that reasonably appears to be genuine and to relate to the worker.
Under the terms of the agreement, Covenant and Transport will pay $700,000 in civil penalties to the United States, train their employees on the INA’s anti-discrimination requirements, revise their employment policies and be subject to monitoring by the department.
The Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. The statute prohibits discrimination based on citizenship status and national origin in hiring, firing or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices; and retaliation and intimidation.
Find more information on how employers can avoid discrimination when verifying someone’s permission to work on IER’s website. Learn more about IER’s work and how to get assistance through this brief video. Applicants or employees who believe they were discriminated against based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin in hiring, firing, recruitment or during the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify); or subjected to retaliation, may file a charge. The public can also call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); email [email protected]; sign up for a live webinar or watch an on-demand presentation or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites. Subscribe for email updates from IER.
covenant-final_settlement_agreement.pdfJustice Department Secures Agreement with City of Blaine, Minnesota, to Resolve Discrimination Claim Involving Alcohol Use DisorderRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it filed a complaint and proposed consent decree with the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota to resolve allegations that the City of Blaine, Minnesota, discriminated against an employee with alcohol use disorder (AUD) in violation of Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA prohibits employers from discriminating against employees with disabilities in the terms, conditions and privileges of their employment.
The lawsuit alleges that the city discriminated against an employee with alcohol use disorder who voluntarily disclosed that he was to undergo treatment by requiring him to pay for alcohol and controlled substances testing and evaluation based on his disability. This is the Justice Department’s first ADA settlement resolving a claim of employment discrimination based on alcohol use disorder.
“Close to 30 million Americans in our country have had an alcohol use disorder and many are entitled to protections under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Employees with alcohol use disorder, or other disabilities, should not have to pay for employer-required health assessments to document information about their disabilities,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department remains committed to ensuring that people with alcohol use disorder and other disabilities have equal opportunities in the workplace.”
Under the proposed consent decree, which the court must approve, the city will implement policies and procedures regarding non-discrimination in employment and train personnel on the requirements of Title I of the ADA. The city will also pay out-of-pocket losses and compensatory damages to the employee.
In 2022, 48.7 million people aged 12 or older (or 17.3%) had a substance use disorder (SUD) in the past year, including 29.5 million who had AUD, 27.2 million who had a drug use disorder (DUD), and 8 million people who had both an AUD and a DUD. AUD is a medical condition that is characterized by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) as “a problematic pattern of alcohol use leading to clinically significant impairment or distress” that can be mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the number of symptoms experienced in the prior 12 months.
This matter is based on a referral from the Minneapolis Area Office of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which conducted the initial investigation.
For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (TTY 1-833-610-1264) or visit www.ada.gov. For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt. If you believe you’ve been discriminated against based on disability, please submit a report online at www.civilrights.justice.gov.
11_20_23_complaint_u.s._v_city_of_blaine.pdf 11_20_23_consent_decree_u.s._v_city_of_blaine.pdfJury Convicts Three Men in Murder for Hire SchemeRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – A federal jury returned guilty verdicts against three men indicted in a murder-for-hire scheme, announced United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis for the Middle District of Tennessee.
Erik Maund, 48, and Bryon Brockway, 48, both of Austin, Texas and Adam Carey, 32, of Richlands, North Carolina were convicted of murder-for-hire with death resulting after a two-and-a-half-week jury trial. Brockway and Carey were also convicted of conspiracy to commit kidnapping and kidnapping with death resulting. A fourth member of the conspiracy, Gilad Peled, 49, of Austin, Texas had previously pleaded guilty to the same charges and agreed to cooperate with the United States by testifying at trial.
According to evidence admitted at the trial, Maund had previously had an extramarital affair with Holly Williams of Nashville. In March of 2020, William Lanway, also of Nashville, attempted to extort Maund about his affair with Williams. At that time Maund was an executive for his family’s automobile dealerships in Austin, Texas.
Maund hired Peled to respond to the extortion attempt. Peled, in turn, hired Brockway and Carey to go to Nashville to investigate Lanway and Williams. Peled testified at trial that when Lanway’s efforts to extort Maund persisted, Maund agreed to pay Brockway and Carey $100,000 each to murder Lanway and Williams.
The evidence showed that Maund wired Peled, who acted as the middleman for the scheme, $150,000 on March 12, 2020, the day the murders occurred. On the same day, Brockway and Carey kidnapped Williams and Lanway from outside of Williams’ apartment complex in West Nashville and drove them to a nearby construction site where they were murdered. The victims’ bodies were found on the morning of March 13, 2020 inside Williams’ vehicle. Over the course of the next year, Maund wired Peled an additional $900,000 as payment for the scheme and Peled withdrew cash to pay Brockway and Carey for their roles.
“We are committed to aggressively prosecuting violent crime in Middle Tennessee and I am very pleased that the men responsible for these murders have finally been held accountable for their deplorable actions,” said United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis. “I want to commend the detectives of the Metro Nashville Police Department and agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation whose thorough investigation made this outcome possible.”
“Those who devalue life need to know that when you break the law, you will be brought to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Douglas DePodesta of the FBI Memphis Field Office. “This conviction should send a clear message that the FBI and our law enforcement partners are dedicated to keeping our citizens safe, and nothing will stop us from accomplishing that mission. We will continue to combine our resources and share our expertise to target those who hope to commit similar heinous acts.”
“This investigation began with the discovery of two murder victims, Holly Williams and William Lanway, inside a vehicle off a construction road in West Nashville on Good Friday 2020,” Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake said. “Months of outstanding investigative work, led by Detectives Patrick Cuthbertson and David Willover, provided multiple leads that drew our attention to other states. Realizing that this elaborate criminal case reached far outside of Nashville, our team enlisted the help of the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. It is that partnership that brought justice for the victims in federal court last week, and a partnership that will continue to hold violent criminals accountable in the future.”
Maund, Brockway, and Carey all face a mandatory life sentence in federal prison. They will be set for separate sentencing hearings sometime in 2024. Peled will also be sentenced in 2024 where U.S. District Judge William L. Campbell, Jr. will take his cooperation into consideration as part of his ultimate sentence.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Metro Nashville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert McGuire and Brooke Farzad prosecuted the case.
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Illegally Armed Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to a Decade in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Larry Scott, 49, of Indianapolis has been sentenced to ten years in federal prison after pleading guilty to illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, on February 23, 2023, investigators executed a search warrant at Scott’s residence following a months-long investigation into his ongoing drug trafficking activities. During the search, investigators located approximately 40.1 grams of fentanyl, two digital scales, a box of baggies, a spoon, a box of razor blades, and $1,309 in U.S. currency. Additionally, investigators located a Smith & Wesson M&P 45 handgun and a Del-Ton, AR-style pistol.
Scott was already a felon at the time of his most recent crimes, with a lengthy criminal history including a prior conviction for illegal gun possession. As a convicted felon, is prohibited under federal law from ever possessing a firearm.
“Again and again, we see illegally armed criminals pushing fentanyl into our neighborhoods. Deadly weapons and deadly drugs cause immense harms and end far too many lives far too soon,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Our office is prioritizing prosecution of criminals like this defendant, whose crimes pose such a danger to our communities. This defendant will now serve a decade in federal prison, a serious sentence that demonstrates that these crimes will not be tolerated.”
DEA, IMPD, and the Hamilton/Boone County Drug Task Force investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. Judge Pratt also ordered that Scott be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 4 years following his release from federal prison and pay $500 in restitution.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy C. Fugate, who prosecuted this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Illegal Possession of a Firearm Results in Federal Prison Sentence for Lake Charles ManRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that a Lake Charles man with a lengthy criminal history, was sentenced today for illegally possessing a firearm. United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. sentenced Dewayne Eugene Miller, 42, to 72 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. Miller pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person on May 23, 2023.
On June 2, 2022, officers with the Lake Charles Police Department were dispatched to a residence on 12th Street in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Upon arrival, the officer observed Miller walking away from the residence and toward another one on the same street while holding a handgun. The officer ordered Miller to drop the gun. Miller tossed the gun under the porch of another residence and put up his hands and was taken into custody. At the guilty plea hearing, Miller admitted to knowingly possessing the Charter 2000, Model Undercover .38 caliber handgun even though he had previously been convicted of numerous felony crimes.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Lake Charles Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel J. McCoy.
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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
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Hurricane Man Pleads Guilty to Bank FraudRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Paul Richard Spurlock, 66, of Hurricane, pleaded guilty today to bank fraud. Spurlock admitted that he embezzled approximately $106,500 from a fraternal organization’s historic charitable care home by using his position as its board’s treasurer.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the Grand Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows - West Virginia had operated the Odd Fellows and Rebekah Home in Elkins beginning in the early 1900s. Over its history, the institution provided housing and care for orphans, widows, seniors and people with disabilities.
Spurlock had been the treasurer of the home’s board of directors for several years when he lost his seat on the board in October 2018. Spurlock admitted that from on or about July 8, 2015, to on or about January 22, 2019, he embezzled approximately $106,500 from the Odd Fellows Home. Spurlock falsely told his wife, who was acting as the home’s bookkeeper, that the home’s board of directors had approved a loan for their family.
Spurlock admitted that as part of his scheme, he caused an unauthorized check for $4,000 from the Odd Fellows Home’s account to be issued to his wife on January 22, 2019, and deposited into their shared Huntington bank account. Spurlock further admitted that he signed at least 33 unauthorized Odd Fellows Home checks made payable to his wife and deposited into their joint account, and used an authorized signatory’s signature stamp on each check without his wife’s knowledge.
The Odd Fellows Home closed and was auctioned off in 2022 because of financial difficulties.
Spurlock is scheduled to be sentenced on March 18, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. Spurlock also owes $106,500 in restitution.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage is 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-172.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Aaron Zachary Slash, 22, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute heroin.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 5, 2023, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Slash on the 700 block of Sixth Avenue in Huntington. Officers searched the vehicle and found approximately 92 grams of heroin, a loaded Glock 17 9mm pistol and approximately $1,717 in the vehicle. Slash admitted that he possessed the seized heroin and intended to distribute it. Slash further admitted that the cash was proceeds from selling heroin.
Slash 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 Violent Crime and Drug Task Force and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney is 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-173.
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Honduran National Indicted for Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – ALEX SALOMON REYES-CHAVEZ, age 43, was indicted on November 17, 2023 for illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to the indictment, ALEX SALOMON REYES-CHAVEZ, (“REYES-CHAVEZ”) reentered the United States after being previously deported on March 5, 2012. On October 24, 2023, federal authorities arrested REYES-CHAVEZ in Gretna, Louisiana as he was leaving the courthouse.
If convicted, REYES-CHAVEZ faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years, a maximum fine of up to $250,000, a maximum term of supervised release of up to one year, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Former co-owners of Matanuska Diesel charged with Clean Air Act violationsRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment charging two Wasilla men and their auto shop with conspiring to violate the Clean Air Act.
According to court documents, Mackenzie Spurlock, 28, and Brendan Trevors, 26, through their business Matanuska Diesel LLC, conspired to remove required air pollution control equipment and tamper with federally mandated monitoring devices on diesel vehicles in violation of the Clean Air Act from July 2020 to June 2022.
The indictment explains that Spurlock and Trevors performed illegal “deleting” and “tuning” as part of the conspiracy. The act of removing emission control systems is known as “deleting” and the act of reprogramming the on-board diagnostic systems is known as “tuning.” These unlawful modifications result in a significant increase in pollutants emitted by the vehicle.
Spurlock, Trevors and Matanuska Diesel LLC are charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371, and nine counts of tampering with a Clean Air Act monitoring device, in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 7413(c)(2)(C). The defendants will make their initial court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kyle F. Reardon of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of five years 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 EPA Criminal Investigation Alaska Division are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Ivers and EPA Regional Criminal Enforcement Counsel Karla Perrin 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.
UPDATE: A previous version of the story stated the grand jury returned the indictment "today" on Nov. 20, 2023. That is inaccurate and the word "today" has been deleted.
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Former San Mateo Resident Pleads Guilty to Embezzling More Than $1.1 Million from San Francisco Law FirmRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Jairo Tomas Santos pleaded guilty in San Francisco federal court today to bank fraud, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp. The plea was accepted by the Honorable William Alsup, U.S. District Judge.
In pleading guilty, Santos, 42, formerly of San Mateo, Calif., admitted to embezzling more than $1.1 million from his employer, a San Francisco-based law firm, where Santos worked as the office manager. According to his plea agreement, Santos began embezzling from his employer in March of 2016 and continued with his scheme through February 2023. As part of the scheme, Santos obtained checks from the victim law firm, filled out the payee line of those checks, addressing them to “Jairo Santos,” and signed each check with the signature of the law firm’s senior partner even though Santos was not authorized to do so. Santos then deposited these checks into his personal checking accounts at Wells Fargo Bank. Santos admitted to depositing approximately 806 fraudulent and unauthorized checks from the victim law firm made payable to Santos into his personal checking accounts. The total value of these unauthorized deposits was approximately $1,191,683. Santos deposited these checks from the victim law firm knowing that the payments were not authorized by the firm or its senior partner.
A federal grand jury indicted Santos on July 25, 2023, charging him with three counts of bank fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1344. Under the plea agreement, Santos pleaded guilty to one count. If Santos complies with the plea agreement, the remaining counts of bank fraud will be dismissed at sentencing.
Santos is currently free on bond. Judge Alsup scheduled Santos’s sentencing hearing for March 12, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. The maximum statutory penalty for the 18 U.S.C. § 1344 violation is 30 years in prison and a fine of $1,000,000. The court may also ordered Santos to serve an additional term of supervised release and may order restitution, if appropriate. However, any sentence will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christiaan Highsmith is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Aarian Beiti. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.
Former Bangor Man Sentenced to 4 Years for Role in Penobscot and Aroostook County Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A former Bangor man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for his role in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.
U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Christopher Coty, 43, to 48 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
According to court records, between January 2018 and December 2021, Coty and others trafficked methamphetamine and fentanyl in Penobscot and Aroostook counties and elsewhere. Coty knowingly and intentionally joined and participated in the conspiracy.
Coty is the ninth participant involved in the northern Maine conspiracy to be sentenced. Eight of the remaining 12 defendants have pleaded guilty:
BANGOR, Maine: A former Bangor man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for his role in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.
U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Christopher Coty, 43, to 48 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
According to court records, between January 2018 and December 2021, Coty and others trafficked methamphetamine and fentanyl in Penobscot and Aroostook counties and elsewhere. Coty knowingly and intentionally joined and participated in the conspiracy.
Coty is the ninth participant involved in the northern Maine conspiracy to be sentenced. Eight of the remaining 12 defendants have pleaded guilty:
Sentenced:
- Andrew Adams (32, Aroostook County) – 10 years
- Wayne Smith (33, Bangor) – 85 months
- Danielle McBreairty (33, Glenburn) – 20 years
- Blaine Footman (37, Bangor) – 5 years
- Nicole Footman (40, Holden) – 3 years
- Dwight Gary, Jr. (53, Medway) – Time served
- Matthew Catalano (37, Penobscot County) – 165 months
- Thomas Hammond (25, Charleston) – 84 months
- Christopher Coty (43, Bangor) – 4 years
Pleaded Guilty:
- Sarah McBreairty (35, Dixmont)
- John Miller (22, Caribou)
- Shelby Loring (28, Bangor)
- Joshua Young (48, Presque Isle)
- Joshua Jerrell (29, Orrington)
- Carol Gordon (53, Bangor)
- Jason Cunrod (42, Caribou)
- James King (54, Caribou)
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and Maine Drug Enforcement Agency investigated the case. Assistance was provided by the police departments in Orono, Bangor, Brewer, Caribou, Presque Isle and Houlton. U.S. Attorney Darcie McElwee also recognized the cooperation and coordination provided by the Maine State Attorney General’s Office and the Aroostook County District Attorney’s Office.
Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces: This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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Five Sentenced to Prison for Trafficking Methamphetamine from California to Southern MinnesotaRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Five individuals have been sentenced to prison for trafficking methamphetamine that was shipped through the mail from California to Austin, Minnesota, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, between the fall of 2021 and the summer of 2022, Michael Anthony Ortiz, 44, of San Jose, California, Esteban Ambriz, Jr., 22, of Austin, Lori Beth Luna, 32, of Austin, Angela Dawn Martin, 26, of Austin, and Kyria Idarmis Bautista Roldan, 34, of Albert Lea, engaged in a conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine from California to Austin, Minnesota. Ortiz, who was based in California, would send packages of high purity methamphetamine to Ambriz, Luna, Martin, Roldan, and other members involved in the conspiracy, to distribute throughout the Austin area.
All five defendants pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Roldan was sentenced on November 16, 2023, to 100 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Ortiz was sentenced on October 18, 2023, to 180 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Martin was sentenced on September 27, 2023, to 96 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Ambriz and Luna were sentenced on August 22, 2023, to 120 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release and 108 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, respectively. U.S. District Judge Ann D. Montgomery imposed the sentences.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Southeast Minnesota Violent Crime Enforcement Team, South Central Drug Task Force, Cannon River Drug Task Force, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S Marshals Service, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office, Austin Police Department, and San Jose Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas M. Hollenhorst prosecuted the case.
Felon Sentenced to More Than 6 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Heroin, Fentanyl, Firearms, and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Lebanon man was sentenced in federal court today for possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances, namely, heroin and fentanyl, as well as two firearms charges, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Marshall Dimick, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Landya McCafferty to 78 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release. On July 17, 2023, the defendant pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and one count of carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.
“The defendant was prohibited from having firearms and ammunition as a previously convicted felon, yet he continued to carry a loaded gun while also in possession of dangerous drugs he intended to traffic into our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “New Hampshire law enforcement is committed to pursuing and incarcerating individuals like the defendant that use gun violence to distribute drugs.”
"ATF will continue to work with our federal, state and local law enforcement counterparts to vigorously combat drug traffickers and the threat they pose to the citizens of New Hampshire by illegally possessing firearms in furtherance of their illegal drug trade,” said James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division.
On July 9, 2020, an officer of the Lebanon Police Department conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle being driven by the defendant. A search of the vehicle revealed a handgun in the center console with a loaded magazine, 540 small bags containing 10 grams of a mixture containing heroin and fentanyl, over $2,000 in cash, and a cell phone. The phone contained texts of drug activity between the defendant and others, as well as a conversation between the defendant and his mother referencing the gun in the car.
The Lebanon Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms led the investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Gingrande.
Federal Grand Jury Indictments - November 2023Read the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that a federal grand jury returned the following unsealed indictments for November 2023.
Beard, Steven DeWayne - Murder in Indian Country - 18 U.S.C. §§ 1111(a), 1151 & 1153; Use, Carry, Brandish and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence - 18 U.S.C. §§ 924(c)(1)(A)(i), (ii) & (iii); Causing the Death of a Person in the Course of a Violation of Title 18 U.S.C. § 924(c) - 18 U.S.C. § 924(j); Forfeiture Allegation - 18 U.S.C. § 924(d) & 28 U.S.C. § 2461(c).
Coleman, Warren Allen, a/k/a Warren Antonio Coleman - Felon in Possession of Firearm - 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) & 924(a)(8); Forfeiture Allegation - 18 U.S.C. § 924(d) & 28 U.S.C. § 2461(c).
Fincher, Russell Richard - Engaging in the Business of Dealing Firearms without a License - 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(a)(1)(A), 923(a), & 924(a)(1)(D); Selling Ammunition to a Prohibited Person - 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(d)(1) & 924(a)(8); Making False Entry in Records by Federal Firearms Dealer - 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(m) & 924(a)(3)(B); Forfeiture Allegation - 18 U.S.C. § 924(d) & 28 U.S.C. § 2461(c).
Hunter, Wesley Wayne - Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country - 18 U.S.C. §§ 2241(a), 2246(2)(A), 1151 & 1153.
Knight, Christopher Joe - Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine - 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) & 841(b)(1)(C); Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl - 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) & 841(b)(1)(C); Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Crime - 18 U.S.C. § 924(c); Felon in Possession of Firearm - 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) & 924(a)(8); Forfeiture Allegation - 18 U.S.C. § 924(d), 21 U.S.C. § 853 & 28 U.S.C. § 2461(c).
Scarborough, Nicholas Lapez - Murder in Indian Country - 18 U.S.C. §§ 1111(a), 1151 & 1153; Murder in Indian Country - 18 U.S.C. §§ 1111(a), 1151 & 1153.
Walker, Raheem Travon - Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition - 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) & 924(a)(8); Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition - 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) & 924(a)(8); Forfeiture Allegation - 18 U.S.C. § 924(d) & 28 U.S.C. § 2461(c).
An indictment is merely an allegation; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Federal Charges Filed After "Fentanyl Press" Found in Gladstone ApartmentRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—An 18-year-old drug trafficker with ties to a recent fatal overdose is facing federal charges after he was caught transporting several packages of powdered fentanyl and a 20-ton shop press used to manufacture fentanyl bricks was found in his apartment.
Cristhian Martinez, 18, of Gladstone, Oregon, has been charged by criminal complaint with possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, in September 2023, members of the Clackamas County Interagency Task Force (CCITF) were called to investigate a fatal overdose in Clackamas County. While processing the scene, investigators discovered numerous counterfeit M30 Oxycodone pills believed to be manufactured with fentanyl. Martinez was soon identified as the person who sold fentanyl to the deceased victim’s dealer.
On November 16, 2023, investigators located Martinez traveling north from California into Oregon, followed his vehicle and conducted a traffic stop in Gladstone. During a K-9 sweep of Martinez’s vehicle, investigators found multiple concealed packages containing more than 1,000 grams of compressed fentanyl.
Later the same day, investigators executed a federal search warrant on Martinez’s Gladstone apartment where they located a fentanyl manufacturing and distribution operation. They seized additional quantities of fentanyl, a 20-ton shop press used to produce bricks of fentanyl powder, ten handguns, an AR-15 style assault rifle, ammunition, and other materials consistent with drug trafficking.
Martinez made his first appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. He was ordered detained pending further court proceedings.
This case was investigated by the FBI, CCITF, and Westside Interagency Narcotics team (WIN). It is being prosecuted by Scott M. Kerin, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
CCITF, led by the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, works to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations operating in and around Clackamas County, and reduce illegal drugs and related crimes throughout the community. The task force is comprised of members of the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, Canby Police Department, Oregon State Police, FBI, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
WIN is a Washington County-based interagency drug interdiction task force that includes members from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Beaverton and Hillsboro Police Departments, Oregon National Guard Counter Drug Program, FBI, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and HSI.
A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 12 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle has sentenced Joseph Paul (30, Cordele, Georgia) to 12 years in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Paul had pleaded guilty on July 31, 2023.
According to court documents, on January 17, 2022, Pasco County Sheriff’s deputies conducted a traffic stop and subsequent search on a car being driven and occupied by Paul. During the search, deputies found a scale, 187.2 grams of pure methamphetamine, and 19.72 grams of fentanyl.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha E. Beckman.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Maurice Devonte Beckham, 22, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to a federal firearms offense stemming from his possession of a loaded firearm on Jan. 30, 2023, while driving a stolen vehicle in Northeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Beckham pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. The Honorable Reggie B. Walton scheduled sentencing for Feb. 26, 2024.
According to plea documents, shortly after 2 a.m. on Jan. 30, 2023, MPD officers were on patrol in the 1100 block of Raum St. Northeast when they observed Beckham walk quickly toward a running Honda CR-V and enter its driver’s seat. The officers recognized Beckham from prior interactions and knew him to have outstanding arrest warrants.
An officer approached the Honda—which was later determined to have been stolen—and Beckham accelerated, nearly striking the officer, and crashing into an occupied, marked police cruiser and a citizen’s parked vehicle. Officers opened the driver’s door and removed Beckham. Beckham attempted to flee on foot. Officers apprehended Beckham and detained him in handcuffs. They then observed in plain view on the driver’s seat floorboard—the same area from which they had just removed Beckham—a semi-automatic firearm. The recovered weapon was a Micro Draco 7.62x39mm caliber firearm, with one round in the chamber and 20 rounds in its 30-round capacity magazine.
Beckham was arrested on Jan. 30, 2023, and has remained in custody since.
Federal law prohibits Beckham from possessing a firearm because he has a prior conviction in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for unauthorized use of a vehicle, which is a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.
Beckham faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentence imposed in this case will be determined by the court after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of the officers of the Metropolitan Police Department. Valuable assistance was provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Washington Field Office.
The case was investigated and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul V. Courtney.
Deming Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Federal Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Manuel Lucero III was sentenced to the statutory maximum of 120 months in prison. Lucero, 42, of Deming, pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition on March 21, 2023.
According to court records, on Jan. 31, 2022, Lucero came to the attention of law enforcement when his former romantic partner reported him for harassment. The woman stated that she had been driving down a road earlier that day with her mother and two children in the vehicle when she noticed that another vehicle was following her. The woman pulled over and recognized Lucero as the driver. Lucero approached the car and pulled a firearm from his waistband and pointed it at the woman. Lucero then moved to the passenger side of the vehicle and pointed the gun at the woman’s mother. The woman fled the scene, but Lucero continued to follow her until she pulled into the parking lot of a local police station. The woman was able to describe the firearm Lucero threatened her with to law enforcement as a 9mm Beretta.
Early the following morning, Lucero contacted law enforcement and stated he was feeling depressed and upset and wanted to speak to an officer. When law enforcement arrived at his home, Lucero was holding a loaded magazine. When officers asked Lucero if he had a weapon, Lucero stated it was not on the property. Officers left the home and returned the next day, Feb. 2, with a search warrant for Lucero’s residence. During the resulting search, officers located the 9mm Beretta, a loaded magazine, a pistol holster and one round of .45 ammunition.
Lucero had multiple prior felony convictions, mostly related to incidents of domestic violence, and was most recently convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, resulting in great bodily harm in 2016. As a previously convicted felon, Lucero could not possess a firearm or ammunition.
Based on the circumstances of the incident on Jan. 31, the United States requested a sentencing enhancement from a range of 57 to 71 months to 84 months. On Nov. 16, 2023, the sentencing judge sentenced Lucero to the statutory maximum of 120 months.
Upon his release from prison, Lucero will be subject to 3 years of supervise release.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Deming Police Department. The Las Cruces Bureau Office of the District of New Mexico is prosecuting the case.
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Colorado Man Pleads Guilty to Charges in Wire Fraud and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, the Department of the Interior (DOI) Office of Inspector General, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Inspector General announced today that James Matison pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. Matison, 46, of Pueblo, Colorado, will remain on conditions of release pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
According to the plea agreement, Matison was the Program Director for Restoration Programs at WildEarth Guardians, a not-for-profit which relies on funding from federal agencies, the State of New Mexico and other not-for-profit organizations. As Program Director, Matison was responsible for approving all Restoration Program project invoices submitted by contractors for payment. One such contractor was Timberline Environmental, LLC, a Colorado based environmental company owned and operated by Matison’s co-defendant, Jeffrey Ham. In 2015, Matison was experiencing financial difficulties and asked Ham for help with a fraudulent scheme to obtain money from WildEarth Guardians. Ham agreed to allow Matison to generate fraudulent invoices from Timberline for submission to and payment from WildEarth Guardians, which Matison would approve for payment. Matison would collect the checks and deposit them into Timberline’s bank account. Ham provided Matison with pre-signed blank Timberline checks which Matison would use to write checks to an entity called Euro-American Development, an Arizona company under Matison’s control. In this manner, Matison obtained $242,210 from WildEarth guardians between Feb. 2015 and Feb. 2019 when Ham put a stop to the scheme.
By the terms of his plea agreement, Matison faces up to twenty years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines.
Jeffrey Ham pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud on July 17, 2023. At sentencing, Ham faces up to twenty years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines.
The Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General and the Department of the Interior Office of Inspector General investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy Peña is prosecuting the case.
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Coffeyville Resources Refining & Marketing Will Pay More Than $23 Million to Address Clean Air Act Violations and Offset Environmental Harm Related to Its Kansas RefineryRead the Press Release
The Justice Department and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced a settlement with Coffeyville Resources Refining & Marketing LLC and its affiliated companies (CRRM) for violations of the Clean Air Act and a previous consent decree related to operation of its petroleum refinery in Coffeyville, Kansas. These violations resulted in illegal emissions of various pollutants including an EPA estimate of over 2,300 excess tons of sulfur dioxide (SO2), a pollutant that can make breathing more difficult, from the refinery’s flares from 2015 to 2017.
The United States and the State of Kansas allege that CRRM violated numerous provisions of a 2012 consent decree and the Clean Air Act. Under the settlement, CRRM will spend at least $1 million on a project to benefit the public and environment of Kansas and implement measures costing up to $9 million to prevent future violations and redress the environmental harm caused by their unlawful conduct. The company will also pay more than $13 million in penalties to the United States and Kansas.
“This settlement demonstrates that the United States will take decisive action to address Clean Air Act violations, to enforce the terms of consent decrees and to promote environmental justice,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “The emissions reductions achieved under this settlement will result in healthier air for a community disproportionately affected by air pollution.”
“The settlement with Coffeyville delivers on the promise of EPA’s new climate enforcement strategy by reducing greenhouse gas emissions in amounts equal to taking 10,000 cars off the road every year,” said Assistant Administrator David M. Uhlmann for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “In addition, the actions we are taking alongside our state partners in Kansas will reduce harmful air pollution that makes breathing more difficult and causes smog, acid rain and tree and plant damage.”
“We are committed to protecting people and families in the communities where they live,” said EPA Region 7 Administrator Meg McCollister. “In addition to the emission controls provided in the settlement, this order requires CRRM to invest $1 million in an environmental project to be approved by the state of Kansas, which will directly benefit the citizens of the state.”
Since the United States and Kansas began investigating CRRM’s alleged non-compliance in 2016, CRRM’s efforts to come into compliance with Clean Air Act requirements have already eliminated more than 39,000 tons per year of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from excessive flaring of waste gas, equivalent to using nearly 4 million fewer gallons of gasoline per year. In addition, EPA estimates that the flare gas recovery system required by the consent decree lodged today will further reduce yearly emissions of greenhouse gases by 12,888 tons, equivalent to using 1.3 million fewer gallons of gasoline annually, and will also reduce yearly emissions of SO2 by 1.7 tons and nitrogen oxide (NOx) by 9.57 tons. NOx is a primary contributor to the formation of smog.
In 2020, the United States and Kansas sought more than $6.8 million in stipulated penalties from CRRM because of the company’s alleged violations of the 2012 consent decree – primarily regarding its failure to properly monitor SO2 emissions from flaring. Various refinery processes lead to flaring or burning of waste gases which emit various pollutants into the atmosphere, including carbon dioxide, methane, and SO2. The U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas held CRRM liable for the stipulated penalties and the company appealed the decision.
Also in 2020, the United States and Kansas alleged additional Clean Air Act violations at the refinery, resulting in excess emissions of SO2 in a community already disproportionately impacted by air pollution. Exposure to SO2 can harm breathing and particularly affects those with asthma, children, and older adults. High concentrations of SO2 can lead to formation of other sulfur oxides and ultimately small particles, which can contribute to particulate matter pollution, acid rain and tree and plant damage.
The consent decree, which the United States filed today, resolves the stipulated penalties demand and violations identified in the complaint. CRRM must:
- Pay more than $6.8 million in stipulated penalties awarded by the court and $183,000 in stipulated penalties for additional violations of the 2012 consent decree;
- Pay more than $6.2 million in additional penalties for Clean Air Act violations alleged in the complaint;
- Spend at least $1 million on an environmentally beneficial project to be approved by the State of Kansas;
- Undertake various measures to facilitate future compliance with the Clean Air Act;
- Reduce NOx emissions from refinery heaters; and
- Build an approximately $9 million flare gas recovery system to reduce the refinery’s flaring.
EPA Region 7, EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment investigated the case.
Attorneys from ENRD’s Environmental Enforcement Section and the State of Kansas prosecuted the case.
The consent decree, lodged in the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas, is subject to a 30-day public comment period and final court approval. The consent decree will be available for viewing at www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees.
Chandler Man Sentenced to over 7 Years for Voluntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Walter Lee Riggins, Jr., 28, of Chandler, Arizona, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Michael T. Liburdi to 87 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. The defendant pleaded guilty on August 21, 2023, to Voluntary Manslaughter.
On December 27, 2020, Riggins, a member of the Gila River Indian Community, shot the victim, killing him.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Gila River Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Raynette Logan and Vinnie Lichvar, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-00553-PHX-MTL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-183_Riggins# # #
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.British Reinsurance Brokers Resolve Bribery InvestigationsRead the Press Release
Tysers Insurance Brokers Limited (Tysers) and H.W. Wood Limited (H.W. Wood), two U.K.-based reinsurance brokers, have agreed to resolve investigations by the Justice Department into violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) arising from Tysers’ and H.W. Wood’s participation in a corrupt scheme to pay bribes to Ecuadorian government officials.
Tysers and H.W. Wood each entered into a three-year deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) with the department in connection with a criminal information filed in the Southern District of Florida charging both companies with conspiracy to violate the anti-bribery provisions of the FCPA.
“Tysers and H.W. Wood have admitted to engaging in a scheme to bribe multiple Ecuadorian government officials to earn tens of millions of dollars in illicit profits for themselves and their co-conspirators,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s resolutions, along with the numerous related individual cases, demonstrate the department’s steadfast commitment to hold both corporate and individual wrongdoers accountable for their crimes.”
According to court documents, between 2013 and 2017, Tysers (known and doing business during the relevant period as Integro Insurance Brokers Limited) and H.W. Wood, through their employees and third-party agents, agreed to pay bribes totaling approximately $2.8 million to the then-chairman of two Ecuadorian state-owned insurance companies, Seguros Sucre S.A. and Seguros Rocafuerte S.A., and three other Ecuadorian officials to secure improper advantages in order to obtain and retain reinsurance business with the state-owned insurance companies. The bribes were paid to accounts held in Florida and elsewhere and effectuated through, among other things, emails sent from and meetings held in Florida. In furtherance of the scheme, Tysers paid approximately $20.3 million in commissions and H.W. Wood paid approximately $7.9 million in commissions and premium payments to the intermediary company that paid the bribes. Tysers retained commissions of approximately $10.5 million and H.W. Wood retained commissions of approximately $2.3 million.
“Not only have Tysers and H.W. Wood broken any trust held in them by their clients and the market, they have eroded the process of fair and open competition when they paid bribes to foreign officials in exchange for securing lucrative contracts, and kickback for themselves,” said Chief Jim Lee of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). “We will continue to work with our partners to investigate FCPA violations to ensure honest corporations that playing by the rules pays better in the end.”
“The defendants engaged in a multimillion-dollar bribery scheme to influence Ecuadorian government officials into doing business with their companies,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Today’s resolution shows the FBI will seek justice for violations of the FCPA to keep marketplaces and governments free from corruption worldwide.”
Pursuant to the DPAs, Tysers and H.W. Wood have each agreed to continue to cooperate with the department in any ongoing or future criminal investigations relating to this conduct. In addition, Tysers and H.W. Wood have each agreed to continue to enhance their compliance programs and provide reports to the department regarding remediation and the implementation of compliance measures for the three-year term of the DPAs.
Tysers
Pursuant to its DPA, Tysers will pay a $36 million criminal penalty and administrative forfeiture of approximately $10.5 million. The department reached this resolution with Tysers based on a number of factors, including, among others, the nature and seriousness of the offense. Tysers received credit for its cooperation with the department’s investigation, which included (i) meeting the government’s requests promptly; (ii) making foreign-based employees available for interviews; (iii) collecting and producing voluminous relevant documents to the government, including documents located outside the United States; (iv) making several detailed factual presentations to the government and conducting and producing financial analyses of voluminous transactions; and (v) timely accepting responsibility and reaching a prompt resolution.
Tysers engaged in timely remedial measures, which included, among other things, (i) placing employees involved in the misconduct on paid administrative leave; (ii) terminating all business and affiliations with the intermediary company involved in the misconduct; and (iii) comprehensively reviewing and enhancing its compliance program, including engaging additional resources with appropriate expertise to assist in evaluating and strengthening its compliance program, making enhancements to the governance and oversight of its compliance program, adding new compliance resources and personnel, updating and enhancing its antibribery and anticorruption policies, enhancing procedures related to onboarding and making payments to third-parties, and enhancing training programs. In light of these considerations, Tysers’ criminal penalty calculated under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines reflects a 25% reduction off the bottom of the applicable guidelines fine range.
H.W. Wood
Pursuant to its DPA, H.W. Wood agreed, based on the application of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, that the appropriate criminal penalty is $22.5 million and approximately $2.3 million is forfeitable to the United States. However, due to H.W. Wood’s financial condition and demonstrated inability to pay the penalty calculated under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, H.W. Wood and the department agreed, consistent with the department’s inability to pay guidance, that the appropriate criminal penalty is $508,000 and that H.W. Wood is unable to pay the forfeiture amount. The department reached this resolution with H.W. Wood based on a number of factors, including, among others, the nature and seriousness of the offense. H.W. Wood received credit for its cooperation with the department’s investigation, which included (i) meeting the government’s requests promptly; (ii) endeavoring to make foreign-based employees available for interviews; (iii) collecting and producing voluminous relevant documents to the government, including documents located outside the United States; (iv) making several detailed factual presentations to the government and conducting and producing financial analyses of voluminous transactions; and (v) timely accepting responsibility and reaching a prompt resolution.
H.W. Wood engaged in timely remedial measures, which included, among other things, (i) terminating an employee involved in the misconduct; and (ii) enhancing its compliance program, including creating new compliance positions and compliance control improvements, implementing a process to ensure continuous monitoring and review of third-party relationships, and updating and enhancing its policies and procedures, as well as its compliance training and communications. In light of these considerations, H.W. Wood’s criminal penalty calculated under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines reflects a 25% reduction off the bottom of the applicable guidelines fine range.
The department has, to date, charged eight individuals in related matters:
- Juan Ribas Domenech, the former chairman of Seguros Sucre and Seguros Rocafuerte, pleaded guilty in the Southern District of Florida on Sept. 16, 2020, to money laundering conspiracy for his role in this and another scheme.
- Fernando Martinez Gomez, a financial advisor, pleaded guilty in the Eastern District of New York on March 24, 2022, to two counts, including conspiracy to commit money laundering for on his role in this and another scheme.
- Esteban Merlo Hidalgo, a co-conspirator and agent of Tysers and H.W. Wood, pleaded guilty in the Southern District of Florida on March 28 to four counts of engaging in transactions in criminally derived property obtained through his participation in this scheme.
- A federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida returned a seven-count indictment against two other defendants, Cristian Patricio Pintado Garcia and Luis Lenin Maldonado Matute, both of whom remain fugitives, on July 14, 2022, for their alleged roles in this scheme.
- Related to this investigation, on March 18, 2022, the department issued an FCPA Corporate Enforcement Policy declination to another U.K.-based reinsurance broker, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group Holdings Ltd. (JLT), relating to bribes paid through a Florida-based intermediary to Ecuadorian government officials to obtain and retain contracts with Seguros Sucre. In connection with the FCPA Corporate Enforcement Policy declination, JLT disgorged approximately $29 million.
- Separately, the former CEO of JLT’s Colombian subsidiary, Felipe Moncaleano Botero, and two intermediaries, Jose Vicente Gomez Aviles and Roberto Heinert, each pleaded guilty in the Southern District of Florida to one count of money laundering conspiracy, on, respectively, Aug. 4, 2020, June 11, 2020, and Oct. 2, 2020.
The IRS-CI Global Illicit Financial Team and the FBI’s International Corruption Squad in Miami are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Katherine Raut and Anthony Scarpelli and Assistant Chief Alexander Kramer of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and authorities in the United Kingdom, Panama, Ecuador, and Switzerland provided assistance in the matter.
The Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting FCPA matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa.
Tysers & HW Wood Information
Tysers DPA
HW Wood DPABridgeport Gun Trafficker Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DAQUAN LAMONT WRIGHT, 26, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 30 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing and selling firearms.
According to court documents and statements made in court, an investigation determined that Wright was illegally selling firearms without a license. In January and February 2023, investigators made three controlled purchases of handguns from Wright. One of the handguns had been reported stolen in North Carolina. During the investigation, Wright indicated that he possessed, and had access to, other firearms and firearm parts.
Wright was arrested on March 13, 2023. On that date, a search of his Bridgeport residence revealed a Glock Model 43 handgun, ammunition, and various gun parts.
Wright was previously convicted in state court of theft of a firearm, and possession with intent to sell narcotics. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Wright has been detained since his arrest. On July 5, 2023, he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
This investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Connecticut State Police, and the Bridgeport, Fairfield, and Stamford Police Departments. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jocelyn Courtney Kaoutzanis through the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program. PSN, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts, 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.
Armed Carjacker Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A Dallas man who carjacked a woman at gunpoint was sentenced last week to 15 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Randy Hordge, 22, pleaded guilty in January 2023 to carjacking. He was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge Sam A. Lindsay.
“This is another example of the ATF’s and our U.S. Attorney’s Office’s commitment to aggressively pursuing those who commit violent crimes in Dallas,” said U.S. Attorney Simonton. “Reducing violent crime is not enough—we will not rest as long as any citizen is victimized in this way. I am proud that this case serves as an example of that commitment.”
“ATF remains vigilant and steadfast in our fight against violent crime in North Texas. ATF is grateful to the United States Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners who work tirelessly to pursue the worst of the worst lawbreakers who commit these heinous crimes. Mr. Hordge now has 15 years to think about and regret his actions,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek II.
According to plea papers, on October 7, 2020 Mr. Hordge – two hours after committing another armed carjacking where he pulled a victim out of her vehicle by her hair – pointed a firearm at a female in a residential driveway and forced her into her car. Mr. Hordge drove off with the individual in the car begging for her life. Mr. Hordge eventually pulled the car over and told the individual that she had five seconds to run or that she would be shot.
The carjacking was reported to police and Mr. Hordge was later arrested and identified.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gary Tromblay prosecuted the case.
Appleton Sex Offender Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Child Pornography PossessionRead the Press Release
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on November 17, 2023, William B. Bowers (age: 42) of Appleton, Wisconsin, was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison by Senior United States District Judge William C. Griesbach.
According to court records, in 1999, Bowers was convicted of two counts of Second-Degree Sexual Assault of a Child in Waukesha County, Wisconsin. Bowers was sentenced to 20 years in state prison and ordered to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life.
On February 5, 2020, after being released onto supervision, Wisconsin Probation and Parole Agents were contacted by a concerned individual who observed sexually suggestive websites bookmarked on Bowers’ computer. The following day, a search of Bowers’ electronic devices revealed that Bowers was active on numerous illicit websites and social media applications, in violation of the terms of his state supervision and his rules as a lifetime sex offender registrant. Further investigation revealed that several of Bowers’ devices contained child sexual abuse material.
On May 9, 2023, following a series of legal motions and medical evaluations, Bowers entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession of Child Pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252A(a)(5)(B) and (b)(2).
At sentencing, Judge Griesbach noted the serious nature of the crime, especially in light of Bowers’ history of child sexual abuse. Judge Griesbach determined that a sentence of 180 months’ imprisonment was a fair and just sentence under federal law. Upon the completion of his federal prison sentence, Bowers will spend the remainder of his life on supervised release. He also must continue to register as a sex offender under state and federal law.
This case was investigated by the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, Division of Community Corrections and the City of Menasha Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.
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 U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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25 Charged in Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, N.C. - A federal indictment was unsealed yesterday charging 25 defendants in a narcotics trafficking conspiracy, announced Middle District of North Carolina United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston.
The indictment, which followed a two-year investigation, charges the following individuals with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine hydrochloride in the Counties of Guilford, Randolph, Durham, and Montgomery, in the Middle District of North Carolina, and elsewhere:
- FELIPE AGUILAR-RIOS, also known as “Gallo,”
- ADOLFO MEDRANO-VARGAS,
- ALAN CHRISTOPHER LITTLE, also known as “Rick Ross,”
- ALEX VILLAFUENTE, also known as Alex Villafuerte,
- TRAVIS LAQUAN HEADEN,
- ANA OCHOA-IBARRA, also known as Anna Maria Guada Morales-Iriqui,
- ANGEL YAHIR QUINTERO-ARRENDONDO, also known as Angel Yahir Quintero,
- ANTHONY JAMES BUTLER, also known as “Ant,”
- LORETTA MCCOY LITTLE, also known as Arivette Little and Loretta Arivette Little,
- CAMERINO ATANACIO-HERNANDEZ,
- CESAR AYON GAMBOA,
- CESAR NOE LOPEZ,
- DAMIEN TERRELL CLYBURN, also known as Damian Clyburn and “Rell,”
- EDUARDO JOSUE HERNANDEZ,
- JARED MARCUS MOORE,
- J-KARI CHRISTYLE COLLINS, also known as “J,”
- MERISSA COLLINS WALL, also known as Merissa Faye Collins, Merissa Faye Wall, and “Rissa,”
- MICHAEL JAMES BUTLER,
- NAYELI PEREZ,
- MARY OJEDA,
- OMAR MEZA,
- RASHAD LEQUAN SHIPP, also known as “Green Mile,”
- RODRICK EUGENE LITTLE, also known as “Fruit,”
- RONALD LEE JOHNSON, and
- WESLEY QUEZNEK COLLINS, also known as “Quez.”
Additional counts in the indictment charge some defendants named above with distribution of narcotics, possession with intent to distribute narcotics, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, felon in possession of a firearm, and money laundering.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted, individual defendants face penalties ranging from up to 20 years, 5 years to 40 years, or 10 years to life, for narcotics conspiracy, distribution, and possession with intent to distribute, depending on the drug amounts involved in the offenses; 5 years to life for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; up to 10 years or up to 15 years for felon in possession of a firearm, depending on the date of the offense; and up to 20 years for money laundering. In the event of conviction, a federal district court judge would determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The United States Postal Inspection Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Marshals Service, North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, Moore County Sheriff’s Office, and Stanly County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Terry M. Meinecke and Craig M. Principe.
This investigation 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.
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18 November 2023
Sigourney Man Sentenced to Mail Fraud and Defrauding the IRSRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – A Sigourney man was sentenced today to 33 months in prison for committing fraud by selling grain as organic, which in fact was grown in violation of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Organic Program (NOP). NOP is a federal regulatory program governing organic agricultural products.
In April 2023, Mark Lynn Haines, 48, pleaded guilty to mail fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United States. According to public court documents, key among Haines’ NOP violations were the use of treated seed, which is prohibited by NOP. Haines concealed his NOP violations from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS), the organic certifier. The grain was then sold by Haines to a number of unwitting purchasers at a total sale price of over $6.5 million.
Haines also conspired to impede and obstruct the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in the assessment and collection of income taxes. Between April 2017 and April 2019, Haines obtained false invoices, backdated checks, and exchanged checks to give the appearance of an expense that was not in fact incurred. In total, Haines concealed over $1.3 million in income. Restitution was ordered to the IRS in the amount of $408,107 and $25,233.44 to a purchaser of the purported organic crops.
Following his prison term, Haines must serve a two-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Consumers trust when they see the USDA Organic Seal, they are purchasing organically produced agricultural products. Haines’ fraudulent activity compromised the integrity of the program and harmed USDA’s ability to protect American agriculture. This investigation and prosecution should serve as warning to all farmers participating in the USDA National Organic Program that organic agriculture fraud will be vigorously investigated by the USDA-OIG, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and its stakeholders,” said USDA OIG Special Agent-in-Charge Shantel R. Robinson.
After the sentencing, FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel said, “Mark Haines’ deception and greed not only defrauded the American government, it compromised the trust and confidence of consumers who purchase organically grown products. Today’s sentence should serve as a warning to others who ignore regulations and use deceptive practices to make a profit.”
“Mr. Haines took steps to falsify documents and obstruct the IRS’ efforts to assess and collect his correct tax obligation,” said IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) Special Agent in Charge Thomas F. Murdock. “This investigation shows our commitment to upholding the integrity of the nation’s tax system and holding those who try to cheat the system accountable.”
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement.
The United States Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) revoked Haines’ organic certificate in 2018 due to several NOP violations and assisted the federal agents in the investigation and the prosecution of the case.
If you witness or have knowledge of any violations of laws and regulations related to USDA programs, contact the OIG Hotline by telephone at (800) 424-9121 or TDD (202) 690-1202.
Ames Man Sentenced for False Presentation and Preparation of Federal Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – An Ames man was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for preparing, presenting, and making false tax returns.
According to public court documents, Bakou Kees Vonty, 41, also known as Bob Vonty, prepared and filed hundreds of federal individual income tax returns on behalf of individual taxpayers, from approximately 2011 to 2022. On a 2019 tax return, Vonty, on behalf of an individual, falsely reported business losses and qualified education expenses. As part of his plea agreement, Vonty agreed to not prepare, file, or assist in any way with the preparation of federal or state tax returns for any third parties. Further, in at least 2016, Vonty falsely reported business losses and qualified education expenses on his own tax return. Vonty’s false returns resulted in a combined tax loss exceeding $400,000.
Following his prison term, Vonty must serve a one-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division investigated the case.
17 November 2023
Worcester Psychiatrist Convicted of Unlawful Distribution of Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester psychiatrist was convicted by a federal jury today of illegally prescribing controlled substances.
Mohamad Och, 67, was convicted following an 11-day jury trial of three counts of unlawful distribution of a controlled substance. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for Feb. 16, 2024. Och was arrested and charged in July 2021.
“Dr. Och deliberately and recklessly jeopardized patient safety by repeatedly prescribing dangerous combinations of benzodiazepines and stimulants,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “This case underscores our office’s unwavering commitment to justice, patient safety and the responsible management of healthcare resources. Ensuring the well-being of patients is paramount.”
“The DEA is committed to ensuring that all registrants are in compliance with the required regulations, which are enforceable through the Controlled Substances Act,” said Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division. “Failure to do so increases the potential for diversion and jeopardizes public health and public safety. DEA pledges to work with our law enforcement and regulatory partners to ensure these rules and regulations are followed.”
“Handing out controlled substances as casually as Halloween candy is a clear-cut crime, in which Dr. Och abrogated his professional ethics. Going forward, this experienced psychiatrist will have plenty of time to analyze his incredibly poor decisions that led to today’s conviction,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “The FBI, meanwhile, will continue to pursue investigations involving psychiatrists like Dr. Och.”
“Dr. Och disregarded the wellbeing of his patients by illegally prescribing controlled substances,” said Special Agent in Charge Roberto Coviello of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. “We will continue working tirelessly alongside our law enforcement partners to ensure that corrupt medical practitioners who unlawfully overprescribe addictive drugs are brought to justice.”
Och was a licensed psychiatrist who owned and operated Island Counseling Center (ICC), in Worcester, Mass., and has practiced psychiatry elsewhere in Massachusetts, including Nantucket. Among other services, Och was authorized to prescribe Schedule II-IV controlled substances to patients.
Och repeatedly prescribed a combination of benzodiazepines and stimulants outside of the usual course of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose. Specifically, on multiple occasions between August 2016 and February 2017, Och knowingly issued prescriptions for Adderall (a Schedule II amphetamine) and Xanax (a Schedule IV benzodiazepine) to undercover agents working for the DEA. Evidence at trial showed that amphetamines have a high potential for abuse and present serious cardiovascular risks. Evidence also showed the risks presented by mixing Xanax, a depressant, with a stimulant like Adderall.
Evidence at trial established that the defendant prescribed such highly-addictive medications without doing proper psychiatric examinations, without obtaining prior medical records, and without administering diagnostic tests (including urinalyses or blood tests) – even when faced with facts that the undercover patients may have been participating in drug diversion. Furthermore, the defendant did not discuss or review medication side effects, their conditions’ symptoms, or the risks and benefits of taking drugs like Adderall and Xanax with the undercover agents – despite documenting in medical records that he had done so.
The charge of illegal prescription of a Schedule II controlled substance provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $1 million. The charge of illegal prescription of a Schedule IV controlled substance provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $1 million. 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 U.S. Attorney Levy, DEA SAC Boyle, FBI SAC Cohen and HHS-OIG SAC Coviello made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. Mulcahy and Kaitlin R. O’Donnell of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
Urbana, Illinois, Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – An Urbana, Illinois, man, Phoutasone Champanine, 37, was sentenced today to an aggregate 27 years in prison following his convictions for conspiracy to possess fifty grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) with intent to distribute, maintaining a drug-involved premises, and possessing a firearm as a felon. He was also ordered to serve an aggregate five years of supervised release.
At the sentencing hearing in front of U.S. District Judge Colin S. Bruce, the government sought to hold Champanine accountable for eight pounds of methamphetamine found on his person when he was arrested during a Champaign County Street Crimes Task Force operation and for additional methamphetamine and several firearms found in places that Champanine controlled in connection with the conspiracy. Judge Bruce included that relevant conduct in determining Champanine’s advisory sentencing guidelines.
The statutory penalties for conspiracy to possess fifty grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) with intent to distribute are ten years to life imprisonment, up to a $10,000,000 fine, and a maximum life term of supervised release. Champanine also faced up to twenty years of imprisonment, up to a $500,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release for maintaining a drug-involved premises. Finally, he faced up to ten years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release for possessing a firearm as a felon.
The case investigation was conducted by the Champaign County Street Crimes Task Force, a multi-jurisdictional group composed of officers from the Champaign County Sheriff’s Office, the Champaign Police Department, the Urbana Police Department, and the University of Illinois Police Department, with assistance provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office; Drug Enforcement Administration; and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy Sullivan and William J. Lynch represented the government at both trial and sentencing.
The case against Champanine is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U.S. Attorney and First Judicial District Attorney Sign Agreement to Support Federal Investigations and Prosecutions in Santa Fe, Rio Arriba, and Los Alamos CountiesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Mary Carmack-Altwies, the First Judicial District Attorney, signed a memorandum of understanding today whereby Assistant District Attorneys from the First Judicial District Attorney’s Office may be designated Special Assistant United States Attorneys (SAUSAs) in the United States Attorney’s Office. Through this agreement, cross-designated state prosecutors will support federal investigations and prosecutions of criminal offenses committed in Santa Fe, Rio Arriba, and Los Alamos counties involving firearms, controlled substances, acts of violence, and child exploitation.
“Crime knows no jurisdictional boundaries,” said U.S. Attorney Uballez. “With this agreement, we will work hand-in-hand with our state and local partners in pursuit of public safety. Together, we will bring federal resources and sentences to bear against the most pernicious and violent offenders in the communities of Santa Fe, Rio Arriba, and Los Alamos.”
"We are proud to partner with the U.S Attorney's Office in this agreement to ensure the worst offenders throughout the First Judicial District are exposed to the full force of the law," Carmack-Altwies said. "The agreement signed today will bring welcome additions to our office's efforts to secure justice for everyone affected by criminal elements in our communities."
The United States Attorney’s Office and the First Judicial District Attorney’s Office share an interest in ensuring public safety, securing justice for victims, enhancing cooperation between law enforcement agencies.
The United States Attorney’s Office has similar agreements with the New Mexico Attorney General’s office and the Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office. SAUSAs from the Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office currently screen every single felony criminal complaint filed in Bernalillo County for federal criminal offenses, prioritizing federal charges against those who drive violence in the Albuquerque metropolitan area. Since 2020, the United States Attorney’s Office has charged over 300 criminal cases pursuant to this program.
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Two Texans Found Guilty of Conspiracy to Sell Sanctioned Iranian PetroleumRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Zhenyu (“Bill”) Wang, 42, of Dallas, Texas, and Daniel Ray Lane, 42, of McKinney, Texas, were convicted at trial on charges of attempting to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (“IEEPA”), conspiracy to violate IEEPA, and conspiracy to commit money laundering based on their attempt to transact in sanctioned Iranian petroleum and launder the proceeds.
At trial, the evidence showed that in 2019 and early 2020, the defendants engaged in a conspiracy to purchase petroleum from Iran, in violation of economic sanctions imposed by the United States under IEEPA. They then planned to mask the origins of the petroleum and sell it to a refinery in China. The defendants also attempted to conceal their illegal transactions by obtaining foreign passports, engaging in sham contractual agreements, and conspiring to launder the proceeds of the sale through shell entities and offshore financial accounts. For example, Lane offered to use the mineral rights that his company sold to launder proceeds for the Iranian sellers. In addition, Wang arranged for bribe payments to be paid the Chinese officials and bankers.
“As shown at trial, the defendants schemed to buy Iranian oil, hide its origins, and sell it to a refinery in China in clear disregard for U.S. sanctions against the Teheran regime,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “We will not tolerate anyone who violates our sanctions laws and imperils national security for personal profit. Like the defendants today, those who try will be held to account.”
“The defendants in this case flouted the national security interests of the United States by directly violating economic sanctions,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Conspiring to violate sanctions and commit money laundering in the process is a serious offense, and will not be tolerated.”
“For financial gain, these co-conspirators sought to evade sanctions put in place to protect the United States’ national security,” said Richard Langham, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “A criminally bad idea, as this verdict clearly shows. The FBI will bring all our investigative resources to the table to halt such harmful acts.”
Wang and Lane face each a maximum statutory penalty of 45 years in prison total, five years for conspiracy to violate IEEPA and twenty years for each for attempting to violate the IEEPA and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on February 29, 2024.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Patrick Murray and Mary Crawley with valuable assistance provided by Beau Barnes and David Recker of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
Two North Dakota Women Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a West Fargo, North Dakota, woman and a Raleigh, North Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencings took place on November 14, 2023.
Kerstyn Lanz, age 31, was sentenced to two years in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, a $1,000 fine, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Monica Yellow Bird, age 40, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, a $1,000 fine, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
The convictions stemmed from a drug conspiracy in December of 2022 wherein Lanz and Yellow Bird knowingly and intentionally agreed with others to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Lanz, Yellow Bird, and their two co-defendants were arrested while at a gas station in Oacoma, South Dakota. Their vehicles were searched and approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine was found in vacuum sealed bags wrapped as Christmas presents. The defendants were transporting the methamphetamine from a source in Las Vegas, Nevada, to North Dakota for further distribution. Methamphetamine is a Schedule II controlled substance.
Co-defendant Abdul Vann was previously sentenced to thirteen years in prison, and co-defendant Samuel Vann was previously sentenced to one year in prison.
This case was investigated by the South Dakota Highway Patrol and the Northern Plains Safe Trains Drug Enforcement Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.
Lanz and Yellow Bird were allowed to self-report on November 27, 2023.
Two Men Found Guilty of Conspiracy to Sell Sanctioned Iranian PetroleumRead the Press Release
Zhenyu “Bill” Wang, 42, of Dallas, and Daniel Ray Lane, 42, of McKinney, Texas, were convicted at trial on Nov. 15 on charges of attempting to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), conspiracy to violate IEEPA, and conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with their attempt to transact in sanctioned Iranian petroleum and launder the proceeds.
According to evidence presented at trial, in 2019 and early 2020, the defendants engaged in a conspiracy to purchase petroleum from Iran, in violation of economic sanctions imposed by the United States under IEEPA. They then planned to mask the origins of the petroleum and sell it to a refinery in China. The defendants also attempted to conceal their illegal transactions by obtaining foreign passports, engaging in sham contractual agreements, and conspiring to launder the proceeds of the sale through shell entities and offshore financial accounts. For example, Lane offered to use the mineral rights that his company sold to launder proceeds for the Iranian sellers. In addition, Wang arranged for bribe payments to be paid the Chinese officials and bankers.
“These defendants schemed to buy Iranian oil, hide its origins, and sell it to a refinery in China in disregard of U.S. sanctions against Iran,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Justice Department will not tolerate those who would violate U.S. sanctions and imperil our national security for personal profit.”
“The defendants in this case flouted the national security interests of the United States by directly violating economic sanctions,” said U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “Conspiring to violate sanctions and commit money laundering in the process is a serious offense and will not be tolerated.”
“For financial gain, these co-conspirators sought to evade sanctions put in place to protect the United States’ national security,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Richard Langham of the FBI Philadelphia Field Office. “A criminally bad idea, as this verdict clearly shows. The FBI will bring all our investigative resources to the table to halt such harmful acts.”
Wang and Lane, as well as three co-conspirators, were originally charged by complaint in February 2020, and the defendants and two co-conspirators were indicted on the above charges in August 2020. Wang and Lane face each a maximum penalty of 45 years in prison: five years for conspiracy to violate IEEPA and 20 years for each attempting to violate the IEEPA and conspiracy to commit money laundering counts. The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 29, 2024.
The FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick Murray and Mary Crawley for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance provided by Trial Attorney Beau Barnes of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
Two Eagle Butte Men and One Dupree Man Sentenced for Theft of Firearms and Third-Degree BurglaryRead the Press Release
PIERRE- United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced three South Dakota men convicted of Theft of Firearms from Federal Firearm Licensee and Third-Degree Burglary. The sentencings took place on October 10, 2023, and November 15, 2023, respectively.
Jaylen Bleu Ducheneaux, a/k/a Jaylen Red Bear, age 24, of Eagle Butte, South Dakota, was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, restitution, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $200.
Weston Reid Clausen, age 24, of Dupree, South Dakota, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, restitution, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $200.
Ford Whitley Traversie, age 23, of Eagle Butte, was sentenced to three years and four months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $200.
All three defendants were ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $20,188 to the victim of this matter, and the restitution was ordered to be paid joint and several between the co-defendants.
Clausen, Ducheneaux, and Traversie were indicted by a federal grand jury in January of 2023. Traversie pleaded guilty on June 14, 2023; Ducheneaux pleaded guilty on August 3, 2023; and Clausen pleaded guilty on August 21, 2023.
The convictions stemmed from an incident that occurred during the weekend of August 13 to 15, 2022, when the defendants burglarized Reloaders Corner, a licensed federal firearm retailer in Isabel, South Dakota. Ducheneaux and Clausen planned the burglary while Traversie served as a lookout during the burglary. The three men stole 105 firearms. Some of the firearms were then illegally trafficked to other individuals. The stolen firearms have been recovered in various communities in South Dakota and throughout the Midwest.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI, the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, and the Dewey County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges 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.
Clausen, Ducheneaux, and Traversie were immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Two Corporate Executives Found Guilty in First-Ever Criminal Prosecution for Failure to Report Under Consumer Product Safety ActRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A jury has found two corporate executives guilty of federal criminal charges related to the distribution and sale of defective residential dehumidifiers linked to multiple fires in the first corporate criminal enforcement action ever brought under the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA), the Justice Department announced today.
Simon Chu, 68, of Chino Hills, and Charley Loh, 65, of Arcadia, were found guilty on Thursday afternoon of one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and one count of failure to furnish information as required by the CPSA.
The defective dehumidifiers sold by Chu’s and Loh’s two corporations were included in multiple recalls of a larger number of defective dehumidifiers manufactured by Gree Electric Appliances Inc. of Zhuhai (Gree Zhuhai) in China. Recall notes stated that more than 450 reported fires and millions of dollars in property damage have been linked to the recalled Gree Zhuhai dehumidifiers. The most recent recall announcements for the Gree Zhuhai dehumidifiers can be found here.
According to evidence presented at a six-day trial, Chu was part owner and chief administrative officer of Gree USA Inc. and another corporation in the City of Industry, that distributed and sold to retailers for consumer purchase dehumidifiers that were made by Gree Zhuhai in China. Loh was part owner and CEO of the same two corporations.
The CPSA requires manufacturers, importers and distributors of consumer products to report “immediately” to the CPSC information that reasonably supports the conclusion that a product contains a defect that could create a substantial product hazard or creates an unreasonable risk of serious injury or death. This duty also applies to the individual directors, officers, and agents of those companies.
As early as September 2012, Chu, Loh and their companies received multiple reports that their Chinese dehumidifiers were defective, dangerous and could catch fire. They also knew that they were required to report this product safety information to the CPSC immediately. Despite their knowledge of consumer complaints of dehumidifier fires and test results showing defects in the dehumidifiers, Chu and Loh failed to disclose their dehumidifiers’ defects and hazards for at least six months while they continued to sell their products to retailers, for resale to consumers.
“It is critical to hold corporate executives accountable for misconduct,” said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada. “The importation and sale of defective consumer products can lead to injury and death, and this verdict sends a clear message that putting profits over safety will not be tolerated.”
“Companies and their employees should immediately report known dangerous consumer products to the Consumer Product Safety Commission so the products can be recalled as soon as possible,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department will prosecute companies and their employees when they willfully put the public in harm’s way by failing to report known dangerous products.”
“The safety of the American public is the top priority for HSI, and products like these can turn an ordinary purchase into deadly consequences.” said Special Agent in Charge Eddy Wang for Homeland Security Investigations Los Angeles. “HSI Los Angeles will continue to work diligently to ensure our supply chain is safe from products that can harm consumers.”
The jury acquitted both defendants of one count of wire fraud.
United States District Judge Dale S. Fischer scheduled a March 11, 2024 sentencing hearing, at which time Chu and Loh will face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each of the conspiracy and the failure to furnish information counts.
Gree USA was sentenced on April 24 to pay a $500,000 criminal fine after pleading guilty to failing to notify the CPSC about the problems with the dehumidifiers. The fine, along with provisions to pay restitution to victims, was part of a $91 million criminal resolution with Gree USA, Gree Zhuhai and another related Gree company, Hong Kong Gree Electric Appliances Sales Co. Ltd.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Joseph O. Johns of the Environmental Crimes and Consumer Protection Section and Trial Attorneys Speare Hodges, Natalie Sanders and Stephen Gripkey of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting this case, with the assistance of Patricia Vieira of the CPSC’s Office of General Counsel.
Two Corporate Executives Convicted in First-Ever Criminal Prosecution for Failure to Report Under Consumer Product Safety ActRead the Press Release
On Nov. 16, a Los Angeles jury convicted two corporate executives of conspiracy and failure to report information related to defective residential dehumidifiers that had been linked to multiple fires.
Simon Chu, 68, of Chino Hills, California, and Charley Loh, 65, of Arcadia, California, were convicted of conspiracy to defraud the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and failure to furnish information as required by the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA).
The defective dehumidifiers sold by Chu and Loh’s two corporations were included in multiple recalls of a larger number of defective dehumidifiers manufactured by Gree Electric Appliances Inc. of Zhuhai (Gree Zhuhai) in China. According to the recall notices, more than 450 reported fires and millions of dollars in property damage have been linked to the recalled Gree Zhuhai dehumidifiers. The most recent recall announcements for the Gree Zhuhai dehumidifiers can be found here: www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2017/Gree-Reannounces-Dehumidifier-Recall-Following-450-Fires-and-19-Million-in-Property-Damage-0 and here: https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2023/Gree-Recalls-1-56-Million-Dehumidifiers-Due-to-Fire-and-Burn-Hazards-Reports-of-At-Least-23-Fires. The CPSC’s most recent warning about the recalled Gree Zhuhai dehumidifiers can be found here: www.cpsc.gov/Newsroom/News-Releases/2023/CPSC-Warning-Stop-Using-Recalled-Gree-Dehumidifiers-Due-to-Fire-Hazard-4-Deaths-May-be-Tied-to-Recalled-Units.
According to the indictment of Chu and Loh, Chu was part owner and chief administrative officer of Gree USA Inc. and another corporation in City of Industry, California, that distributed and sold to retailers for consumer purchase dehumidifiers that were made by Gree Zhuhai in China. Loh was part owner and chief executive officer of the same two corporations.
The CPSA requires manufacturers, importers and distributors of consumer products to report “immediately” to the CPSC information that reasonably supports the conclusion that a product contains a defect that could create a substantial product hazard or creates an unreasonable risk of serious injury or death. This duty also applies to the individual directors, officers and agents of those companies. The indictment alleged that as early as September 2012, Chu, Loh and their companies received multiple reports that their Chinese dehumidifiers were defective, dangerous and could catch fire. They also allegedly knew that they were required to report this product safety information to the CPSC immediately. Despite their knowledge of consumer complaints of dehumidifier fires and test results showing defects in the dehumidifiers, the indictment alleged that Chu and Loh failed to disclose their dehumidifiers’ defects and hazards for at least six months while they continued to sell their products to retailers, for resale to consumers.
“Companies and their employees should immediately report known dangerous consumer products to the Consumer Product Safety Commission so the products can be recalled as soon as possible,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department will prosecute companies and their employees when they willfully put the public in harm’s way by failing to report known dangerous products.”
“It is critical to hold corporate executives accountable for misconduct,” said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada for the Central District of California. “The importation and sale of defective consumer products can lead to injury and death, and this verdict sends a clear message that putting profits over safety will not be tolerated.”
“The safety of the American public is the top priority for HSI, and products like these can turn an ordinary purchase into deadly consequences.” said Special Agent in Charge Eddy Wang for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Los Angeles. “HSI Los Angeles will continue to work diligently to ensure our supply chain is safe from products that can harm consumers.”
The jury acquitted both defendants on one count of wire fraud.
Gree USA was sentenced in April to pay a $500,000 criminal fine after pleading guilty to failing to notify the CPSC about the problems with the dehumidifiers. The fine, along with provisions to pay restitution to victims, was part of a $91 million criminal resolution with Gree USA, Gree Zhuhai and another related Gree company, Hong Kong Gree Electric Appliances Sales Co. Ltd. This resolution is the first corporate criminal enforcement action ever brought under the CPSA.
HSI investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Speare Hodges, Natalie Sanders and Stephen Gripkey of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Johns for the Central District of California prosecuted the case, with the assistance of Patricia Vieira of the CPSC’s Office of General Counsel.
Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, visit www.justice.gov/usao-cdca.
Turtle Creek Man Sentenced to Prison for Escape from Federal Custody at Residential Reentry CenterRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA -- A resident of Turtle Creek Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 18 months imprisonment and supervised release for 2 years on his conviction of violating federal laws regarding escape from imprisonment, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Sean Johnson Jr., age 29, formerly of Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania.
According to information presented to the court, Johnson was serving the last portion of his 37-month federal prison sentence at the Renewal House, a half-way house designed to assist inmates’ re-integrate into society. Johnson received a work pass on July 20, 2022, but he did not return to the Renewal Center. He absconded from custody and eluded capture until October 19, 2022, when he was arrested by the McKeesport Police Department in connection with an unrelated matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the United States Marshal Service for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Johnson Jr.
Todd County Man Sentenced for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Todd County, South Dakota man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on November 14, 2023.
Julian One Star, age 36, was sentenced to six months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
One Star was indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender by a federal grand jury in June of 2023. He pleaded guilty on August 10, 2023.
In October of 2022, One Star was convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact in Rosebud Sioux Tribal Court. This conviction requires One Star to comply with the requirements of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, including updating his registration within three business days of a change in residence address, employment status, or student status. Prior to One Star completing his jail sentence, Rosebud Sioux Tribe Sex Offender and Notification Act Compliance Officers met with One Star to complete his initial registration. One Star failed to update his registration after being released from custody on November 18, 2022, and his whereabouts were unknown until he was arrested on June 30, 2023.
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 and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Abby Roesler prosecuted the case.
One Star was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Three Individuals Plead Guilty to Violating Federal Gun Control Act and Possessing Cars from Norfolk Southern RailyardRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – QUINTRELL BROWN, age 19, NICKIE WHITLEY, age 35, and ERIN MURTHIL, age 21, all residents of New Orleans, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey to charges in a 20-count indictment.
BROWN pleaded guilty on November 14, 2023, to conspiracy to possess cars stolen from the Norfolk Southern Automotive Distribution Facility (“Facility”), in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371; possession of a car stolen from the Facility, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 659; possession with intent to distribute tapentadol, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C); and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i).
According to court documents, BROWN was arrested in the French Quarter section of New Orleans on February 11, 2023. When NOPD officers attempted to stop him, he fled and threw a loaded Glock Model 19 handgun into a dumpster. When BROWN was apprehended, he had 60 tapentadol pills and over $2,500 cash in his pockets. Text messages from BROWN’s cell phone evidenced him selling tapentadol.
On March 27, 2023, several Ford vehicles were stolen from the Facility. That same day, BROWN performed internet searches for the exact models of Ford vehicles that were stolen. Although BROWN does not own a Ford vehicle, his cell phone connected to a “Ford Explorer” over 200 times between March 21 and April 3, 2023. BROWN was captured on surveillance video occupying a Ford Explorer Timberline on multiple occasions between March 27 and April 3, 2023.
WHITLEY and MURTHIL pleaded guilty on November 16, 2023. WHITLEY pleaded guilty to four counts, and MURTHIL pleaded guilty to two counts, of possessing a car stolen from the Facility in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 659. WHITLEY additionally pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). MURTHIL additionally pleaded guilty to possession of a machinegun, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(o) and 924(a)(2).
According to court documents, law enforcement tracked a vehicle stolen from the Facility to a residence in the Seventh Ward section of New Orleans. On March 29, 2023, a Real Time Crime Center (RTCC) camera captured WHITLEY, MURTHIL, and three others leaving the residence dressed in dark clothing with hoods. That morning, a number of vehicles were stolen from the Norfolk Southern Automotive Distribution Facility, including a 2023 Ford F-150 Raptor, a 2023 Ford Bronco Sport Outer Banks, and a 2023 Lincoln Aviator. Later on, WHITLEY returned to the residence driving the Ford F-150 Raptor stolen from the Facility only 35 minutes earlier. Thereafter, MURTHIL arrived at the residence driving the stolen Lincoln Aviator, that already had a stolen Louisiana military honors license plate affixed to it. That same day, a window-tinting company tinted the windows of all three stolen vehicles in front of the residence. Over the next six days, WHITLEY and MURTHIL were captured on RTCC camera driving or occupying several of vehicles stolen from the Facility.
Further, WHITLEY was also seen on camera possessing a stolen Glock Model 19x handgun. MURTHIL’s cell phone was seized and searched pursuant to a search warrant. The phone contained a picture of MURTHIL holding a Glock Model 17 handgun with a machinegun conversion device and drum magazine attached to it while sitting in the driver’s seat of the stolen Lincoln Aviator. The stolen Glock 19x handgun, the Glock Model 17 with the machinegun conversion device, and the drum magazine were all recovered from the Seventh Ward residence. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives conducted a function test of the Glock Model 17, with the machinegun conversion device, and confirmed that it functioned as a machinegun.
BROWN faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release on the conspiracy count.
BROWN faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and a minimum of three years of supervised release, for possession with the intent to distribute tapentadol.
BROWN faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years up to life imprisonment, which is to run consecutively to all other sentences, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to five years of supervised release, for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
BROWN, WHITLEY, and MURTHIL each face a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release, on each count of possessing a vehicle stolen from the Facility.
WHITLEY faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
MURTHIL faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release, for possessing a machinegun.
Each count also carries a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the Louisiana State Police, and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit.