Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
17 November 2023
Tahlequah Resident Sentenced for Assault with Intent to Murder Law Enforcement and Federal Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Bradley Joe Mouse, age 38, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 120 months in prison on four counts of assault with intent to commit murder. The terms will be served concurrently. Mouse was also sentenced to a consecutive term of 120 months in prison for one count of discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
The charges arose from investigations by the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On November 9, 2022, Mouse pleaded guilty to the offenses. According to investigators, on July 27, 2022, Mouse fired on tribal and county law enforcement officers who went to his residence to arrest him for an assault and battery allegedly committed the night before. The officers returned fire. Mouse fled on foot and was apprehended a few yards away hiding in a wooded area. The shotgun Mouse used in the shooting was recovered inside the house. The crimes occurred in Cherokee County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
“Law enforcement officers have a dangerous job, and when violent people use firearms the danger grows exponentially,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “Fortunately, in this instance, the officers were able to avoid injury and the defendant was apprehended. Combatting gun violence remains a priority of the Department of Justice, and the United States Attorney’s Office will continue to aggressively prosecute these type cases.”
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing in Muskogee. Mouse will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Gross represented the United States.
Summerville Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Trafficking Counterfeit GoodsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Raynard Smith, 42, and Lanard Smith, 42, of Summerville, were each sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison after pleading guilty to crimes involving the selling of counterfeit goods.
Evidence presented to the Court showed that both men operated store fronts and sold merchandise, to include sports jerseys, that had been imported from countries such as China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Germany, Italy, and Taiwan. Both men knew that the goods they were purchasing and importing from these countries were counterfeit. Both men each had a prior felony conviction from 2008, which also stemmed from the trafficking of counterfeit goods.
“I commend the hard work of the special agents and officers in pursuing this case and bringing these fraudsters to justice,” said Ronnie Martinez, Special Agent in Charge for HSI Charlotte, which covers North and South Carolina. “HSI Charlotte is committed to working with our law enforcement and private industry partners to aggressively investigate trademark counterfeiting to protect consumers and ensure a level playing field for legitimate businesses.”
“Counterfeit goods pose a serious threat not only to businesses but also to consumer safety,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina Adair F. Boroughs. “Our office along with our federal partners take these crimes seriously and will go after those who commit illicit activities that impact our marketplace. “
United States District Judge David C. Norton sentenced both Raynard Smith and Lanard Smith to one year and one day imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. Lanard Smith was ordered to pay $130,341.99 in restitution and Raynard Smith was ordered to pay $14,992.17 in restitution.
This case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Bower is prosecuting the case.
###
St. Paul Man Sentenced to 14.5 Years in Prison for Multiple Armed Robberies of University Avenue Grocery StoresRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A St. Paul man has been sentenced to 175 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for three armed robberies of grocery stores located in St. Paul along University Avenue, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on three separate occasions between May 27 and June 5, 2022, Nicholas Antwain Dancy, 39, robbed three grocery stores located on University Avenue in St. Paul: Towfiq Grocery, Midway Grocery and Deli, and Global Food and Mid Market. During the robberies, Dancy used a firearm to threaten the employees and demand cash.
Dancy pleaded guilty on July 14, 2023, to three counts of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. He was sentenced yesterday by Judge John R. Tunheim.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by FBI and the St. Paul Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ruth S. Shnider and Jordan L. Sing prosecuted the case.
St. Augustine Serial Child Molester Convicted of Hacking Jumbotron, Child Exploitation Offenses, Sex Offender Registration Violations, and Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury today found Samuel Arthur Thompson (53, St. Augustine) guilty of producing, receiving, and possessing child sex abuse material (CSAM), producing CSAM while required to register as a sex offender, violating the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA), sending unauthorized damaging commands to a protected computer, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Thompson faces a minimum mandatory term of 35 years’ imprisonment. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 25, 2024. Thompson was first charged by criminal complaint in 2019.
According to evidence presented at trial, Thompson was convicted of sodomizing of a 14-year-old male child in 1998, in Alabama, and was therefore a convicted felon required to register as a sex offender, including reporting his international travel.
Thompson was hired as a contractor by the Jacksonville Jaguars around 2013 to consult on the design and installation of the Jaguars’ new video board network, referred to as a jumbotron, and later to operate the jumbotron on gamedays. Thompson’s contract with the Jaguars required him to report his conviction, but he did not. In January 2018, the Jaguars determined not to renew Thompson’s contract after learning of his conviction and status as a registered sex offender. Before the expiration of Thompson’s contract in March 2018, Thompson installed remote access software on a spare server in the Jaguars’ server room. He then remotely accessed computers that control the jumbotron during three 2018 season NFL games, causing the video boards repeatedly to malfunction, as shown below:
After conducting an investigation, the Jaguars determined that the outages were being caused by a malicious actor sending commands via the spare server. On December 16, 2018, the Jaguars set up a “honeypot” by putting the server on its own network and removing its access to the other computers that controlled the jumbotron. During the next NFL game, the spare server was again remotely accessed and attempted to be used to send commands to computers controlling the jumbotron. The Jaguars were able to capture the internet protocol (IP) address of the intruder – which the FBI traced to Thompson’s residence.
In July 2019, the FBI executed a federal search warrant at Thompson’s residence and seized a number of his computers. The FBI also seized a firearm from Thompson’s nightstand, which he was prohibited from possessing as a convicted felon.
Log files from Thompson’s iPhone, iPad, and two laptops showed that all those devices had been used to remotely access the spare server. Additionally, the FBI found thousands of images and hundreds of videos on Thompson’s personal devices depicting CSAM. This CSAM included images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of young children, bondage and torture of children, and bestiality. The CSAM also included a video and series of photos that Thompson produced in June 2019 depicting children that had been in his care and custody. Thompson’s voice could be heard speaking to the children at the beginning of the video, and the video was taken in Thompson’s living room.
Subsequent interviews of three male children that had been in Thompson’s care in 2019 revealed that Thompson had molested two of the children, exposed himself to two of the children, exposed children to CSAM, spoken to the children about sex and masturbation, and had encouraged the children to play a “game” wherein the children were required to take off their clothes and run around Thompson’s house. It was while the children (7, 8, and 10 years old at the time) were playing the “game” that Thompson produced CSAM. A review of Thompson’s iPad further revealed that he had been searching the dark web for CSAM at the time the FBI knocked on his door with the search warrant.
Thompson traveled to the Bahamas on a work trip from July 6 - 14, 2019. The next day, on July 15, 2019, Thompson registered as a sex offender and failed to report this travel as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). The same day, Thompson also received CSAM via the dark web.
On July 27, 2019, Thompson fled to the Philippines – once again failing to report his travel. Thompson’s passport was revoked, and he was deported from the Philippines on January 31, 2020. He was arrested by the FBI upon arrival in the United States and later ordered detained pending trial.
The evidence presented at trial also proved that certain assets the United States is forfeiting from the defendant, specifically, a Smith & Wesson firearm, an iPhone 7, an iPad, two laptop computers, and a custom-built desktop computer, were used in the offenses.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Laura Cofer Taylor, Brenna Falzetta, and Adam Duso. The asset forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Mai Tran and Jennifer Harrington.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Southall Drug Distributor Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Mobile man was sentenced in federal court on November 9, 2023, for his participation in the Darrin Southall drug distribution organization. Lawrence Williams, 50, was initially arrested in a round-up of Southall’s organization in May of 2021. Williams pled guilty to the charge of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin in August of 2021.
According to court documents, law enforcement officers were monitoring Southall’s phones pursuant to a court order. Calls between Southall and Williams were monitored and recorded as the conspirators planned for multiple deliveries of cocaine and arranged with other local distributors to pass it out to them. Williams was accountable for the distribution of 73 kilograms of cocaine and 3 kilograms of heroin.
United States District Court Judge Kristi K. Dubose imposed a sentence of 10 years in Williams’ case, to be followed by five years on supervised release after his release from custody. As conditions of supervision, Williams will undergo testing and treatment for drug and/or alcohol abuse, and he will be subject to a search of his person and premises upon reasonable suspicion. No fine was imposed but the judge ordered that the defendant pay $100 in special assessments. The judge ordered the forfeiture of a long list of property seized during the investigation.
The case was investigated by the Mobile Police Department, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Saraland Police Department, the St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, Sheriff’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.Six Indicted in COVID-19 HOPE Fraud Scheme that Allegedly Defrauded North Carolina Rental Assistance ProgramRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal grand jury in Greenville returned an indictment charging six individuals with mail fraud and conspiracy to commit mail fraud for their roles in an alleged scheme to obtain emergency rental assistance designated for households affected by the COVID-19 pandemic by filing at least 44 fraudulent North Carolina HOPE program applications, resulting in the disbursement of more than $279,000 in proceeds in connection with the scheme. The indictment was returned on September 14, 2023, and the final defendant was arrested and made his initial appearance today.
“The North Carolina HOPE program was meant to help struggling North Carolinians stay in their homes during an unprecedented public health emergency,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Those who took advantage of our nation’s generosity to defraud this and other relief programs will face criminal prosecution.”
According to the indictment, between June 2021 and February 2022, it is alleged that the six defendants, and others they recruited, falsely claimed to be landlords on properties that they neither owned nor served as a landlord for to apply for rental assistance from the North Carolina HOPE program. The North Carolina HOPE program utilized federal funding to assist renters who faced housing insecurity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Tenants applied for the program and eligible applicants and their landlords were provided an agreement certifying the accuracy of the application. Landlords participating in the program had to agree not to evict a tenant for a certain amount of time and were paid directly by the state.
The six defendants charged in the indictment are listed below. If convicted, defendants face up to thirty years for each count.
- Joe Lewis Jefferson, age 50, of Nashville is charged with 22 counts of mail fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
- Danyael Davis Jefferson, age 50, of Nashville is charged with three counts of mail fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
- Arkino Montrillis Williams, age 51, of Enfield is charged with four counts of mail fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
- John Lee Bass, age 49, of Rocky Mount is charged with eight counts of mail fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
- Timothy Kelvin Harvey, age 41, of Roanoke Rapids is charged with eight counts of mail fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
- Douglas Roberson, age 34, of Rocky Mount is charged with four counts of mail fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-00293-D.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Prohibited Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on November 13, 2023, in Sioux Falls.
Elijah Darrell Lane, age 21, was sentenced to one year and six months federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $100 as a statutorily required special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Lane was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in June of 2023. He pleaded guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person on August 30, 2023.
According to court documents, on November 29, 2022, Lane, a convicted felon, knowingly had possession of a firearm.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Elizabeth Ebert prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Lane was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to continue serving his sentence.
Sinaloa Cartel Associate Sentenced to More Than Eleven Years in Prison for Conspiring to Traffic Cocaine in Chicago AreaRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — An associate of the Sinaloa drug cartel has been sentenced to more than eleven years in federal prison for conspiring to traffic at least 40 kilograms of cocaine in the Chicago area.
ROBERTO VELAZQUEZ MARTINEZ, 39, of Santiago Papasquiaro, Mexico, conspired with several individuals to import and distribute the cocaine into the United States on behalf of drug traffickers in Mexico. Velazquez traveled to Chicago in the fall of 2018 to arrange a multi-kilogram cocaine shipment with co-conspirators and two other individuals posing as Columbian drug traffickers who were actually working confidentially with U.S. law enforcement. Velazquez fled the U.S. after a failed cocaine deal in Stickney, Ill., on Dec. 4, 2018. He was arrested in 2019 in Peru and extradited to the U.S. in 2020.
Velazquez pleaded guilty earlier this year to a drug conspiracy charge. U.S. District Judge Joan Humphrey Lefkow imposed the 136-month prison sentence Tuesday after a hearing in federal court in Chicago.
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Sheila G. Lyons, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Valuable assistance was provided by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Marshals Service, and INTERPOL. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron R. Bond.
The investigation was conducted with the support of the Chicago HIDTA and OCDETF Task Forces, which are comprised of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies working together to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations.
Velazquez was originally charged with four alleged co-conspirators. Three of the alleged co-conspirators are considered fugitives and warrants have been issued for their arrests, while the fourth, LOUIS REYES VELEZ, of Stickney, Ill., has pleaded not guilty to the charges and is awaiting trial.
Simon City Royals gang member sentenced to 30 years for racketeering conspiracyRead the Press Release
Oxford, MS - A Chattanooga, Tennessee man has been sentenced to more than 30 years in prison for a racketeering (RICO) conspiracy involving him and other members of the Simon City Royals gang.
On Thursday afternoon, U. S. District Judge Michael P. Mills sentenced Jonathan Davis, 39, to 365 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Davis was a leader and organizer of the Simon City Royals, a violent prison gang operating primarily in the Mississippi Department of Corrections, but with members and associates acting on their behalf outside of prisons throughout Mississippi, Louisiana, and elsewhere. Through an alliance with the violent Gangster Disciples gang and with a sophisticated structure, the Simon City Royals engaged in a host of criminal activities, including murder, attempted murder, assault, kidnapping, robbery, extortion, witness tampering, money laundering, interstate travel in aid of racketeering, large-scale drug trafficking, and fraud. Court records reflect that Davis personally ordered two murders, which were attempted at his request, and was involved in drug trafficking and money laundering.
The Simon City Royals engaged in widespread drug trafficking, including smuggling large quantities of methamphetamine, marijuana and synthetic marijuana, heroin, and benzodiazepines into dozens of Mississippi state prison facilities. The gang distributed these dangerous substances, including nearly 100% pure crystal methamphetamine, to inmates throughout the prison system.
“Our citizens have every right to expect that criminal gangs will be held accountable for their crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner for the Northern District of Mississippi. “The sentence imposed on Thursday on one of the leaders of the Simon City Royals is one step towards making our communities safer. Our office will continue to work with local, state and federal partners to see that violent gang members pay for their crimes.”
“ATF and its federal and local partners are dedicated to pursuing and combating those career criminals whose violent criminal activities threaten and severely detract from the welfare of our communities,” said ATF New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson. “This is another example of our commitment to work tirelessly to protect our communities and hold accountable those who threaten our safety.”
This case has been investigated by ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Secret Service, FBI Jackson Field Office, Mississippi Department of Corrections, and dozens of local law enforcement agencies across multiple states. The Tupelo Police Department, Marshall County Sheriff's Department, Benton County Sheriff's Department, and Tippah County Sheriff’s Department provided valuable assistance.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Stringfellow from the Northern District of Mississippi and Trial Attorney Ben Tonkin of the DOJ’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section.
Sextortion of Maine Child Leads to 20 Years in Prison for Florida ManRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Florida man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for sexually exploiting a child and distributing child sexual abuse material (“child pornography”).
U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Wesley Deal (aka “Wesley Troy Harris”), 43, to 20 years in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release. Deal pleaded guilty on April 7, 2023.
According to court records, beginning in August 2020, Deal posed as a teenage boy to engage with an 11-year-old from Maine through Instagram. Deal convinced the child to send him sexually explicit images and videos then threatened to post the child sexual abuse material on Snapchat and Instagram if the victim did not send more. During the investigation, law enforcement seized Deal’s cell phone. A forensic examination of the phone uncovered more than 700 child sexual abuse images as well as evidence of Google Hangouts chats similar to those Deal had with the Maine victim.
In sentencing Deal, Judge Walker said, "That type of terrorism would have left the victim in an ocean of despair. The trauma you imposed on this girl is something that she and her family will have to unpack for years.”
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated the case with assistance of multiple local law enforcement agencies in Maine and Florida. U.S. Attorney Darcie McElwee also recognized the invaluable computer crimes expertise of forensics examiner Holly Huntington and Lieutenant Brent Beaulieu of the Bangor Police Department.
“It is far too easy for predators like Mr. Deal to hide behind fake profiles online to engage with and exploit children like this young victim,” McElwee said. “The internet makes children from across Maine accessible targets. It is so important for parents and guardians of children accessing the internet – whether it’s playing Roblox, Minecraft or simply believed to be engaging with their friends on social media – to talk to them regularly and warn them never to engage with anyone they haven’t met in real life and to never share intimate images, videos, or livestreams with anyone, even someone they know, love and trust.”
Reports of child sexual exploitation are increasing: In 2022, The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) CyberTipline received 32 million reports of suspected child sexual exploitation. That included more than 80,000 reports of online enticement of children for sexual acts, an increase of 82% from 2021 to 2022, and more than 31 million reports of child sexual abuse materials. Victimization can take place across every platform, including social media, messaging apps, gaming platforms, etc. To make a CyberTipline Report, visit https://report.cybertip.org/. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.
Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
###
Settlement with Purdue University for False Claims in Research Grant Applications to Federal AgenciesRead the Press Release
HAMMOND - United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson and Purdue University announced a pre-suit settlement resolving allegations that an associate professor of Cancer Biology and Pharmacology in Purdue’s College of Veterinary Medicine falsified documentation provided to the National Institutes of Health and Department of the Army. The university will pay the government $737,391, to resolve allegations under the False Claims Act, which includes restitution and punitive damages.
Between February 2014 and June 2020, Dr. Alice C. Chang (formerly named Chun-Ju Chang) of West Lafayette, Indiana, formerly an Associate Professor of Basic Medical Sciences at Purdue University, falsified and fabricated data in two (2) published papers and in multiple (17) grant applications submitted to the National Institutes of Health and Department of the Army.
When the university received evidence from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services calling into question the authenticity of research that Dr. Chang had included in submissions to federal agencies, Purdue University cooperated and thoroughly investigated the alleged misconduct. Purdue, based on its findings, agreed with the federal government that the funding was not deserved and should be returned.
“Academic integrity is the cornerstone of scientific research, and we take our commitment to protect U.S.-funded research grants seriously,” said U.S. Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. “Failure to be truthful on an application for U.S.-funded grants is a violation of the law and my office will continue to make it a priority to pursue cases to recover grant funds awarded through fraud.”
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Research Integrity has also entered into a Voluntary Exclusion Agreement with Dr. Chang banning her from any contracting or subcontracting with any agency of the United States for ten years. As part of this agreement, she will also request that her published papers be corrected.
The settlement was reached as a result of an investigation by United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana with assistance from the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. The case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Dirk D. De Lor.
Serial Sex Offender Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont - The United States Attorney’s Office stated that on November 17, 2023, Kenneth Bishop, 38, of Alburgh, Vermont was sentenced to a 5-year term of imprisonment, following his guilty plea to possessing child pornography, also referred to as child sexual abuse material. United States District Judge Christina Reiss also ordered Bishop to serve a 15-year term of supervised release following his release from prison.
According to court records, on September 29, 2022, while Bishop was on furlough status with the Vermont Department of Corrections, Vermont Probation and Parole Officers learned of complaints by an employee of a local spa regarding Bishop’s lewd behavior during a spa treatment. Vermont Probation and Parole confiscated Bishop’s phone, discovered evidence consistent with the complaint of the spa employee, and reincarcerated Bishop for violating the conditions of his furlough. A subsequent search of Bishop’s phone pursuant to a search warrant revealed an encrypted application on the phone. A forensic examination of the phone revealed images and videos depicting child sexual abuse which Bishop had stored within the encrypted application.
Bishop has prior State of Vermont convictions for lewd and lascivious conduct related to him intentionally exposing his penis to young children. The first instance occurred in February 2017 when Bishop victimized a 9-year-old girl in the toy aisle of a store in Morristown, and the second instance occurred in May 2017 when Bishop victimized a 10-year-old girl in the doll aisle of a toy store in Williston. Bishop also has a prior conviction in 2013 for engaging in prohibited acts stemming from a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old girl when he was 28 years old.
U.S. Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of detectives of the Vermont Attorney General’s Office’s Criminal Division, agents of Homeland Security Investigations, and members of the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
The prosecutor was Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan Ophardt. Bishop was represented by Jordana Levine, Esq.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and Child Exploitation Obscenity Section, Criminal Division (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Rutland Man Sentenced for Stolen Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont announced that Nicholas Karov, 40, of Rutland, Vermont was sentenced today to a 33-month term of imprisonment following his guilty plea to possession of a stolen firearm. Chief United States District Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford also ordered Karov to serve a three-year term of supervised release following his release from prison.
According to court records, on October 28, 2022, Karov reached into the open window of a Ford F-250 parked on Wales Street in Rutland, Vermont and removed a CMMG Banshee .45 caliber AR-style pistol with extended magazine from inside the truck. The owner of the vehicle and pistol approached and yelled to Karov, at which point Karov fled with the pistol on foot. The owner of the pistol tackled Karov, disarmed him of the stolen pistol, and detained him until law enforcement arrived at the scene. Karov had over 30 pending state court criminal cases at the time of the offense.
U.S. Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory and collaborative efforts of Homeland Security Investigations, the Rutland City Police Department, and the Rutland County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan Ophardt and Ray Sun prosecuted the case. Karov is represented by Federal Public Defender Michael Desautels.
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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn.
Robeson County Murder Suspect Accused of Shooting Sheriff Deputies Faces Federal Carjacking ChargesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Robeson County murder suspect accused of shooting two Robeson County Sheriff’s deputies now faces federal carjacking charges. A criminal complaint filed today alleges that Shawn Tobin Locklear, Jr., carjacked a vehicle with the intent to cause serious bodily injury. If convicted, Locklear faces up to 25 years in prison.
“The brave men and women of law enforcement put their lives on the line every day to keep our communities safe,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Our office will bring swift prosecution against individuals who intentionally try to bring harm to those who have taken an oath to protect their communities. We are proud to partner with Sheriff Wilkins and District Attorney Matt Scott to address violent crime in Robeson County.”
“This is yet another example of the importance of working alongside our federal partners in such a way to bring violent offenders to justice,” says Robeson County Sheriff Burnis Wilkins. “The criminal complaint filed today by the U.S. Attorney’s Office is the first step in ensuring that this suspect is held accountable for his violent actions that have plagued this county for years.”
According to the complaint, Locklear is alleged to have shot and injured two Robeson County Sheriff’s deputies who were attempting to serve an arrest warrant on him. After being struck by gunfire, both deputies took cover behind their patrol car. Locklear is then alleged to have entered the driver’s side of the patrol car and put the car into reverse as one deputy was located on the ground behind the patrol vehicle. The deputy was able to push himself partially out of the way before Locklear reversed over his leg with the car. Locklear was able to drive away with the patrol vehicle and fled the scene. The incident was captured on the deputies’ body cameras.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. The Robeson County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Foxx is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No.7:23-CR-01286-RJ.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Readout of the Justice Department’s Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative Program Honoring the Life and Legacy of Sgt. Isaac WoodardRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative (SVI), in partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Center for Minority Veterans, convened a program yesterday to honor our nation’s servicemembers for their sacrifices and contributions to our country.
In his opening remarks, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland welcomed attendees and recognized the significant achievements of our nation’s servicemembers and veterans to keep us safe, and highlighted the Justice Department’s efforts to safeguard the rights of members of the armed forces and their families. The Attorney General’s remarks focused attention on the many significant contributions of Sergeant Isaac Woodard, including his military service, and the civil rights advancements, including integration of the armed forces and federal government, sparked in reaction to the abhorrent abuse inflicted upon him.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division moderated a fireside chat with featured guest U.S. District Court Judge Richard Gergel for the District of South Carolina. In addition to his judicial service, Judge Gergel is the author of Unexampled Courage: The Blinding of Sgt. Isaac Woodard and the Awakening of America.
Sgt. Woodard was a decorated Black soldier who was honorably discharged after serving more than three years in the Pacific during World War II. On his journey home to North Carolina, he asked the bus driver to stop so that he could use the restroom. Instead of honoring Sgt. Woodard’s request, the bus driver launched a verbal tirade at him using racial slurs. Sgt. Woodard stood up for himself and asked to be treated with dignity and respect. The bus driver called the local police, and while still in uniform, Sgt. Woodard was arrested, brutally beaten, and blinded while in police custody in Batesburg, South Carolina.
During the fireside chat, Assistant Attorney General Clarke and Judge Gergel discussed this tragic story that served as a catalyst for significant advancements during the Civil Rights Movement. Specifically, Judge Gergel discussed the direct link between Sgt. Woodard’s story and President Harry S. Truman’s issuance of Executive Order 9981 banning segregation in the military, among other actions.
The program was moderated by SVI Director Nicole Siegel. It concluded with remarks from the Center for Minority Veterans Director James Albino. He discussed the center’s work to ensure all veterans receive equal service regardless of race, origin, religion, or gender.
Attendees included over 300 employees, including many veterans, from across the federal government, including the Departments of Justice, Veterans Affairs, Defense, Education, Labor, Housing and Urban Development, and many others.
The Servicemember and Veterans Initiative, housed in the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, works to ensure that the rights of the brave men and women of our nation’s armed forces, and the veterans who have served in the past, are safeguarded from discrimination and unfair treatment. To learn more about the Justice Department’s Servicemember and Veterans Initiative, please visit Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative.
Attorney General Garland delivers opening remarks at the program. Assistant Attorney General Clarke delivers remarks at the program. Assistant Attorney General Clarke and Judge Gergel participate in a fireside chat.Rapid City Man Convicted at Jury Trial of Conspiring to Sell Methamphetamine and Illegal Possession of a Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted Sam Boyd, age 35, of Rapid City, South Dakota, of Conspiracy to Distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, and Felon in Possession of Ammunition following a four-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City. The verdict was returned on November 2, 2023.
The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in custody and a maximum penalty of life in custody and a $10,000,000 fine, five years up to life of supervised release, and a $300 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Boyd was indicted by a federal grand jury in February of 2022.
In the fall of 2020, Boyd began obtaining methamphetamine from a co-conspirator in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The methamphetamine was either mailed or transported to western South Dakota on multiple occasions. Boyd then distributed the methamphetamine to others for use and to further sell. Throughout the conspiracy, Boyd routinely possessed multiple firearms and ammunition, despite being legally prohibited from doing so due to a prior felony conviction.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team, which is local drug task force comprised of law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the South Dakota National Guard. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date has not been set. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Quincy Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Quincy man was sentenced in federal court in Boston yesterday for receiving child pornography.
Matthew Ormon, 51, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to five years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. In July 2023, Ormon pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography.
During a search of Ormon’s residence on April 5, 2022, multiple electronic devices, including two custom built computers and a network drive device were seized. At least one device was found to contain a folder with numerous videos depicting child pornography. Some of these files involved minor females performing sex acts on adult males.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Special assistance was provided by the Quincy Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Dell’Anno of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Priest Sentenced to Life in Prison for Sex Trafficking Three Victims in Northern OhioRead the Press Release
A priest was sentenced today to life in prison for sex trafficking in northern Ohio.
A federal jury in Toledo, Ohio, previously found defendant Michael Zacharias, 56, guilty of five counts of sex trafficking following a two-week trial in May. Evidence presented at trial showed that Zacharias met the victims through his affiliation with a Catholic school. The evidence showed that he used his affiliation and position of authority to groom the boys and grow close with their families before ultimately coercing the victims into engaging in commercial sex acts and manipulating the opioid addictions they developed.
“Michael Zacharias used his position as a trusted spiritual leader and role model for young boys and their families to exploit them in the most insidious ways, coercing his victims from childhood and beyond to engage in commercial sex with him,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This sentence sends a very clear message that those who abuse their positions of power and authority to sexually assault and exploit children will be held accountable. The Justice Department stands ready to fully enforce our federal human trafficking statutes while seeking justice for the survivors of these treacherous crimes.”
“Michael Zacharias’ victims trusted him, as a spiritual advisor, a confidant, a community leader and someone in a position of authority. He exploited his position and that trust to target and victimize young boys and their families, causing lasting damage to both,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “Zacharias was held accountable because of the courageous testimony of these young men, who gave voice to his betrayal and abuse, relieved this unimaginable horror and withstood Zacharias’ predictable attempts at trial to attack their veracity. I applaud the bravery of these young men, the people who supported them and the dogged efforts of the assigned FBI agent, who together exposed this predator, masquerading as a man of faith. Although no amount of time can ever wholly repair the damage that Zacharias inflicted on his victims, the life sentence that he received today is a significant step toward finding justice and protecting our community. It sends a message to others who consider similar conduct that the U.S. Attorney’s Office will aggressively pursue charges against those who target our children.”
“For more than two decades, Michael Zacharias used his position as a priest to groom and abuse young boys,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Zacharias met his victims when they were as young as five and began exploiting them for commercial sex acts and enabling their resulting opioid addictions. We are profoundly thankful to the victims and families who reported Zacharias and helped the FBI and our partners put an end to further abuse.”
“Using a position of trust while deviously preying on one’s vulnerabilities, especially juveniles, is reprehensible,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Nelsen of the FBI Cleveland Field Office. “The FBI has zero tolerance for sexual predators and those who commit crimes against children. We will continue to find and investigate individuals and their network who exploit and traffic children and seek justice for the victims and their families.”
Evidence presented at trial, including the testimony of victims and family members, established that the defendant met the victims when they were minor parochial school students through his affiliation with their school. The evidence showed that the defendant served as a respected member of the clergy for more than 20 years, while exploiting his victims over extended periods as they developed opioid addictions and criminal records.
According to testimony and other evidence presented at trial, including financial and phone records, the defendant manipulated the victims’ fears of opioid withdrawal and homelessness to exploit them for commercial sex acts he directed them to perform in exchange for money.
The FBI Cleveland Field Office, Lima and Toledo Resident Agencies investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Tangeman for the Northern District of Ohio and Trial Attorney Lindsey Roberson of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit prosecuted the case.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
Postal Employee Convicted at Trial for Conspiracy, Bank Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Theft of a Postal Service KeyRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A federal jury convicted a Mobile woman this week for conspiracy, bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and theft of a United States Postal Service (“USPS”) key.
According to court documents and evidence presented at a three-day trial, Kristen Arieale Williams, 31, was employed as a mail carrier at the post office in Prichard. The jury heard evidence that in late October 2022, Williams stole and sold a USPS “arrow” key to a coconspirator. Arrow keys are government property and will open, among other things, all blue USPS collection boxes in a particular geographic area. Stealing and possessing such a key with fraudulent intent is a federal crime. Williams’s coconspirator, who previously pleaded guilty to bank-fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft, paid Williams $2,500 in cash for the key. Law enforcement caught Williams’s coconspirator using the key to steal mail from collection boxes outside the Bel Air Mall in Mobile in November 2022. The coconspirator stole hundreds of pieces of mail using the key.
The jury also heard evidence that Williams conspired to commit bank fraud involving counterfeit checks deposited into her bank account. The counterfeit checks were derived from checks stolen from the mail. The checks bore the true names, addresses, and bank account numbers of multiple victims who testified at trial. Among other evidence, the jury reviewed call logs, text messages, pictures, videos, and other data extracted from Williams’s cell phone and the cell phone of a coconspirator. That evidence included a string of text messages that Williams sent in March 2023 regarding the arrow key that she stole and sold in October 2022. In that exchange, which Williams later deleted, Williams stated that she “went through so much anxiety the last time” she stole a key and noted that the Prichard post office was “very strict about it now.” The jury also heard excerpts of a recorded confession that Williams gave to law enforcement in March 2023, during which she admitted that did “illegal stuff” and lied about it to federal agents.
Williams will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kristi K. DuBose in February 2024. Williams is subject to a mandatory two-year prison sentence for her aggravated identity theft conviction, which must run consecutively to any other sentence she receives. She faces up to 30 years in prison for her conspiracy and bank-fraud convictions, and up to 10 years in prison for stealing and selling an arrow key. Williams will also be ordered to pay restitution to her victims.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the USPS–Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Secret Service, and the Mobile Police Department are investigating the case. The Brewton Police Department and the U.S. Small Business Administration–Office of Inspector General provided substantial assistance in the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
Pharmacy Owners and Doctor Convicted for $145M Health Care Fraud, Money Laundering, and Tax Evasion SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted three Texas men yesterday for a $145 million scheme to defraud the Department of Labor through the submission of fraudulent claims for prescription compound creams.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Dehshid “David” Nourian, 59, of Plano; and Christopher Rydberg, 47, of Fort Worth, and others conspired to pay Dr. Michael Taba, 59, of McKinney, and other doctors to prescribe medically unnecessary compound creams to injured federal workers. Nourian and Rydberg owned and/or operated three pharmacies located in Fort Worth and Arlington. They paid Taba for referring expensive compound medications to be filled by those pharmacies. In less than three years, between May 2014 and March 2017, the pharmacies billed the Department of Labor Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (DOL-OWCP) and Blue Cross Blue Shield more than $145 million and were paid more than $90 million for unnecessary prescriptions referred by Taba and other providers in exchange for bribes and kickbacks. Nourian, Rydberg, and others then attempted to conceal their ill-gotten gains by laundering the money through purported holding companies and attempted to evade paying federal income taxes on the illicit proceeds.
Nourian, Rydberg, and Taba were convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud; and eight (Nourian) and three (Taba) counts of health care fraud, respectively, each count carrying a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Nourian and Rydberg were also convicted of one count of conspiracy to launder money and five and six counts of money laundering, respectively, each count carrying a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
All of the defendants are scheduled to be sentenced at a later date. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Ulrich of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG), Southern Area Field Office; Acting Special Agent in Charge Casey Howard of the Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General (DOL-OIG), Dallas Regional Office; Special Agent in Charge Kris Raper of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General (VA-OIG), South Central Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Ramsey Covington of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Houston Field Office made the announcement.
The USPS-OIG, DOL-OIG, VA-OIG, and IRS-CI investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Alexander Thor Pogozelski, Ethan Womble, and Edward Emokpae of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case, with significant assistance from Acting Assistant Chief Catherine Wagner.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,400 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $27 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Pennsylvania Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Involuntary Manslaughter and Assault with a Dangerous WeaponRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Reginald Johnson, 31, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced today to 12 years to serve with four years suspended and three years of supervised probation on charges of involuntary manslaughter (criminal negligence) of Carlos Christian and assault with a dangerous weapon in connection with a vehicle involved homicide. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
According to the government’s evidence, on January 15, 2023 around 6:10 p.m., Reginald Johnson drove his Jeep eastbound into the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue, Northwest and 15th Street, N.W crashing into a Toyota Corolla as it was turning left across eastbound traffic lanes onto 15th Street, NW. Johnson reached a speed of 61 miles per hour shortly before the crash, more than twice the 25 miles per hour speed limit. Johnson told an officer that he saw the car turning but thought it was stopping, sped up, and struck the car towards its tail end.
Reginald Johnson had been drinking alcoholic beverages at Mission Bar from approximately 1:24 p.m. to 5:46 p.m. before choosing to get behind the wheel. His breath alcohol content at 9:20 p.m. was 0.10 grams of alcohol per 210 liters of breath. D.C. Code § 50–2206.01 defines intoxicated as “An alcohol concentration at the time of testing of 0.08 grams or more … per 210 liters of the person’s breath…”
This case was investigated by the MPD’s Major Crash Unit. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Carter.
Parmelee Man Convicted of Three Crimes in Two Separate TrialsRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that Jeremy Duane Young, age 28, of Parmelee, South Dakota, has been convicted following two separate jury trials. Young was convicted of Possession of Unregistered Firearm and Possession of Firearm by a Prohibited Person following a two-day jury trial in federal district court in Pierre, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on October 31, 2023. Young was then convicted of Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer following a three-day jury trial in federal district court in Pierre, South Dakota. That verdict was returned on November 3, 2023.
The Firearm charges each carry a maximum penalty of 15 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
The Assaulting a Federal Officer charge carries a maximum penalty of eight years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Young was indicted by a federal grand jury in March of 2023 on the firearm offenses and in April of 2023 on the assault offense.
In May of 2022, in the Soldier Creek community within the Rosebud Reservation, Young, a previously convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms, was found in possession of a short-barrel 12-gauge shotgun, which was found after Young came into contact with law enforcement following a traffic stop. The short shotgun was not registered to Young in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record as required by law. As part of the investigation Young admitted to law enforcement that he and another individual were on their way to Sioux Falls on a drug run to pick up methamphetamine.
In March of 2023, in the Soldier Creek community within the Rosebud Reservation, Young assaulted a Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Officer. The officer had been called to the community over a concern of a running vehicle blocking the roadway, and determined Young was passed out in the driver’s seat. When the officer contacted Young to get out of the vehicle, Young refused to exit, became argumentative, combative, and engaged in a physical struggle with the officer. Young then punched the officer in the face and fled on foot. Young was located and arrested an hour later.
The investigation into Young 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.
These cases were investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meghan N. Dilges and Brian Murphy prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered, and a sentencing date was set for January 29, 2024. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Osceola County Man Admits to Unlicensed Firearms Dealing and Falsifying Gun Purchase RecordsRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Kingsley Wilson (35, Kissimmee) has pleaded guilty to 1 count of dealing in firearms without a license, 14 counts of making a materially false statement to a federally licensed firearms (FFL) dealer, and 14 counts of causing an FFL to maintain false information in its official records. Wilson faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison for dealing in firearms without a license; 10 years for each count of making a materially false statement to an FFL; and 5 years for each count of causing an FFL to maintain false information in its official records.
According to the plea agreement and evidence presented in court, between January 2022 and July 2023, Wilson purchased 92 firearms from multiple gun dealers in the Middle District of Florida. While purchasing these firearms, Wilson falsely certified on ATF Form 4473s (Firearm Transaction Records) that he was the “actual transferee/buyer” of the firearms. In actuality, Wilson was purchasing these firearms for other individuals in exchange for monetary payments. Wilson’s cellular telephone revealed numerous conversations between Wilson and other individuals about the illegal purchases and transfer of these firearms. Ten of the firearms purchased by Wilson have been recovered by law enforcement at crime scenes (including homicides) in the Bahamas and Canada.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
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.
Orlando Man Sentenced to Nearly 20 Years in Prison for Enticement of A MinorRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – U.S. District Judge Berger today sentenced Ethan Lipper (21, Orlando) to 19 years and 7 months in federal prison for attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity. The court also ordered Lipper to forfeit the cellular phone used to commit the offense. Lipper pleaded guilty on June 7, 2023.
According to court documents, on January 16, 2023, a detective with the Oviedo Police Department was posing in an undercover capacity (UC) as a 14-year-old male on a social media application. Lipper joined a group called “Orlando Teens” where he began communicating with the UC, who he believed was a 14-year-old boy. Lipper sent pictures of himself and later provided his cell phone number in an effort to entice and sexually assault the child. Lipper sent the UC six videos, at least two of which contained child sexual abuse imagery. One of the videos depicted an adult male sexually assaulting a child who was approximately 9 to 11 years old. Lipper told the UC, who he believed was a child, that he wanted to perform similar acts with him.
On February 1, 2023, Lipper travelled to an address in Oviedo, Florida to meet with, and sexually assault, the child. He was taken into custody when he arrived, and his cellular phone was seized and searched. During a forensic review of his cellular phone, over 100 images and videos of child sexual abuse imagery were located. The majority of the images depicted children approximately 5 to 10 years old. Three of the images depicted children under the age of 5, including an infant. Also located on the phone were conversations between Lipper and individuals between the ages of 12 to 17 years old. During these conversations on a social media application, Lipper asked for sexually explicit images of the minors, some of which were provided to him. To date, the FBI has located and interviewed five of these children. The search for the remaining potential victims is ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact the FBI.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Oviedo Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shannon Laurie and Special Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Lyons.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Oregon man sentenced to eight years in prison for trafficking meth in Missoula areaRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — An Oregon man who brought methamphetamine to Missoula for distribution was sentenced today to eight years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Tracy Jean Bell, 60, of Beaverton, Oregon, pleaded guilty in July to conspiracy to distribute meth.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
In court documents, the government alleged that law enforcement in Missoula made a controlled purchase of meth in April 2021 from co-defendant Devin Neil Farley. To identify the supplier, law enforcement located Bell, who admitted to possessing approximately 14 ounces of meth in his vehicle and to supplying Farley. Bell also admitted to traveling to Montana from Oregon on numerous occasions to distribute meth. Farley previously was sentenced to eight years in prison for his conviction in the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara J. Elliott prosecuted the case. The Missoula High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force conducted the investigation.
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.
XXX
Okmulgee Resident Pleads Guilty to Child Abuse and NeglectRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that TAMBARA LORENE COLLINS, age thirty-seven, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, entered a plea of guilty on October 24, 2023, to a superseding indictment charging her with two counts of Child Abuse and one count of Child Neglect.
The indictment alleged that between January 1, 2023, and June 12, 2023, Collins caused harm to, threatened harm to, and failed to protect from harm two children while responsible for their health, welfare, and safety. The crimes occurred in Okmulgee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
On November 17, 2023, Collins’ co-defendant, JOHN RAY COLLINS, JR., age forty-eight, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, was convicted at trial by a federal jury of one count of Attempted Murder, two counts of Child Abuse, and one count of Child Neglect.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Okmulgee County Sheriff’s Office, the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Tambara Lorene Collins was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Caila M. Cleary represented the United States.
New York Man Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Assault on AirplaneRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A New York man was sentenced to 24 months in prison for assaulting a female passenger on a flight to Newark Liberty International Airport, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Ryan Manuella, 30, of Cheektowaga, New York, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton to assault with intent to commit another felony, namely, stalking, while on an airplane. Manuella was ordered detained without bond. Judge Wigenton imposed the sentence on Nov. 16, 2023, in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On a flight from Denver, Colorado, to Newark, on April 16, 2021, Manuella moved to a vacant seat next to a female passenger and touched the passenger without her consent. Manuella admitted the victim then yelled at him and left the row of seats. He admitted that touching the victim caused her substantial emotional distress.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Wigenton sentenced Manuella to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, and officers of the Port Authority Police Department with the investigation leading to the sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys DeNae M. Thomas and Katherine M. Romano of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark.
New River Couple Arrested in Riverside, California for Fraud Targeting AHCCCSRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Thvoughn Lynden Curry, 31, and his wife, Alexis Daneen Curry, 32, of New River, Arizona, were arrested on November 2, 2023, pursuant to a federal indictment charging wire fraud and money laundering. Alexis made her initial appearance in Riverside, California on November 7, 2023, and Thvoughn made his initial appearance in Riverside, California on November 14, 2023. The Currys were arrested by officers from the Riverside County Sherriff’s Office as they left the Pechanga Resort & Casino, in Temecula, California.
The indictment alleges that the Currys devised a scheme to defraud the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS), Arizona’s Medicaid agency that offers health care programs to low-income Arizona residents, by submitting fraudulent claims for payment to AHCCCS. Between approximately February 1, 2021, continuing through March 31, 2023, the Currys submitted over $12,000,000 in claims for the purported treatment of approximately 185 patients through their outpatient behavioral health clinic located in Mesa. The Currys are charged with Wire Fraud and Money Laundering.
A conviction for Wire Fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. A conviction for Money Laundering carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
This is a joint investigation run by IRS Criminal Investigation and the Mesa Police Department, with assistance from AHCCCS. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Brook, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-1293-PHX-GMS
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-182_Curry# # #
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.New Orleans Woman Sentenced to 35 Months for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that CATHY LYNN HAMILTON was sentenced on November 15, 2023, after previously pleading guilty to bank robbery, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2113(a).
According to court records, on May 5, 2023, HAMILTON entered a JP Morgan Chase Bank, in New Orleans, and committed bank robbery.
United States District Judge Sarah S. Vance sentenced HAMILTON to 35 months of imprisonment to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. HAMILTON must also pay a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy L. Bell of the General Crimes Unit was in charge of the prosecution.
New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Multiple Federal Carjacking OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on November 14, 2023, KYREN WASHINGTON, age 20, of Orleans Parish, pled guilty to a five-count superseding bill of information for five separate carjackings in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2119(1).
WASHINGTON faces a sentence of up to 15 years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and up to 3 years of supervised release for each count. He also faces a mandatory special assessment fee of $500.00. Sentencing is set for February 27, 2024.
According to court documents, WASHINGTON was involved in five separate carjackings on September 29, October 2, October 4, and an attempted carjacking on October 10, 2023.
Four of the vehicles were recovered in the Algiers area of New Orleans. After the attempted carjacking, WASHINGTON was identified, and arrested by the New Orleans Police Department who learned that WASHINGTON had discarded a firearm and black backpack in the 1200 block of Poydras Ave.
Law enforcement retrieved the discarded black backpack and obtained a search warrant authorizing a search of the backpack. That search revealed two additional firearms and ammunition. Recovered were a Smith & Wesson Model M&P9, nine-millimeter and Glock Model 19X, nine-millimeter firearms along with a magazine loaded with ammunition. The discarded firearm was identified as a Glock Model 22, .40 caliber firearm.
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.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Inga Petrovich of the Violent Crime Unit.
New Kensington Resident Sentenced to 300 Months in Prison for Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of New Kensington, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 300 months’ imprisonment followed by a lifetime term of supervised release for conspiracy to receive and distribute, as well as distribution and possession of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States District Court Judge William S. Stickman imposed the sentence on Robert Pacek, age 52.
According to information presented to the court, Pacek, while on probation for a prior state conviction for possession of child sexual abuse material, was an active participant in a chat room on the Tor network dedicated to the discussion and exchange of child sexual abuse material. On February 28, 2021, Pacek distributed five images depicting the sexual exploitation of young girls, who appeared to be between the ages of 4 and 6 years old, in that chat room. Pacek later admitted to accessing the Tor network using his neighbor’s router and sharing links to this material. A subsequent search of Pacek’s cell phone revealed approximately 100 videos and 3,000 images depicting the sexual exploitation of minors, including more than 100 images depicting the abuse of toddlers or infants.
Prior to imposing the sentence, Judge Stickman explained that there is no more important government interest than “the protection of the innocence, safety and integrity of our children.” Judge Stickman noted that Pacek played more than a “passive role” in distributing images, noting that Pacek made “callous” comments when posting these images, and regularly greeted new members to the chat room. Judge Stickman emphasized that the use of computers contributes to the widespread distribution of this material and that these offenses involve real minors. Referring to the content of the images Pacek possessed, Judge Stickman noted that there is “no crime more serious in our district than the violation of the innocence of toddlers.”
Assistant United States Attorney Karen Gal-Or prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Pacek.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.New Jersey Man Convicted of Tax Evasion in Securities Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Joseph Cammarata, 49, of Monmouth Beach, New Jersey was found guilty on November 15, 2023, on five counts of tax evasion following a two-week trial in the District of New Jersey before U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan.
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:
Cammarata and two conspirators, David Punturieri and Erik Cohen, were the principals of Alpha Plus Recovery, a claims aggregator firm based in Old Bridge, New Jersey. Punturieri and Cohen previously pleaded guilty to tax evasion, fraud, and money laundering charges.
Cammarata, Punturieri, and Cohen used Alpha Plus Recovery to make false and fraudulent claims on the proceeds of securities fraud class action settlements and SEC enforcement actions. They falsely claimed that corporate clients of Alpha Plus Recovery had purchased shares of securities that were the subject of the lawsuits and enforcement actions. In reality, the supposed clients, which were entities actually controlled by the defendants, had not purchased the subject securities and were not entitled to any recovery from the settlements or enforcement actions. To substantiate their false claims, the defendants created fraudulent brokerage and other financial documents to provide to claims administrators. Cammarata and his partners then transferred the fraudulently obtained funds into accounts that they controlled, stealing more than $39 million from 2015 to 2019.
Cammarata’s share of the illegally obtained fraud proceeds amounted to more than $18 million. Cammarata failed to declare or pay taxes on income of $1.72 million in 2015; $2.56 million in 2016; $4.82 million in 2017; $3.56 million in 2018; and $3.35 million in 2019. Cammarata hid this income, which he received through corporate entities, from his accountant in order to conceal these sums from the IRS.
“Last year, a jury in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania found that Cammarata and his partners engaged in a multi-year fraud in order to steal over $40 million,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Cammarata then concealed more than $16 million of his proceeds of that fraud from the IRS. The verdict in the New Jersey case makes clear that those who hide income gained by fraud will face the same consequences as those who try to evade their tax obligations from legal sources of income. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of the investigators and prosecutors on this case, this defendant has been brought to justice for the full scale of his criminal conduct.”
“This defendant has now been convicted by two separate juries of serious crimes,” U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said. “First, he was convicted by a jury in Philadelphia federal court for his role in a scheme to defraud investors out of millions of dollars. Now, a Trenton jury has convicted him of hiding from the IRS the more than $16 million he pocketed as he tried to avoid paying his fair share of taxes. Cammarata will now be held to account for his crimes at sentencing.”
“Year after year, Joseph Cammarata and his partners stole millions from legitimate victim investors entitled to class action settlement funds and hid the illegal proceeds from the IRS,” said Richard Langham, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “Cammarata used the funds to support his lavish lifestyle, including the use of private jets, the purchase of expensive homes, luxury cars, and yachts, and even the maintenance of a private island in The Bahamas. As investigators closed in, Cammarata doubled down on his lies in order to perpetuate the fraud and evade taxes. What Cammarata didn’t know was that Special Agents from the FBI and Postal Inspectors were methodically building a case based on his emails and on phone calls where he and his business partners conspired to lie to claims administrators and the IRS. The FBI is proud to have assisted the IRS in bringing Cammarata to justice.”
“IRS Criminal Investigation special agents are specially equipped to follow the complex financial trail left by criminals, and we are dedicated to holding those accountable for crimes committed,” said Tammy Tomlins, Special Agent in Charge of the IRS Newark Field Office. “Mr. Cammarata and his partners stole millions from his victims. IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agents are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to hold account fraudsters like the defendant.”
“A jury in New Jersey found Joseph Cammarata guilty of defrauding thousands of investors of settlement proceeds and hiding his illegal income from the IRS,” said Christopher Nielsen, the Inspector in Charge of the Philadelphia Division of the Postal Inspection Service. “Since 2014, Mr. Cammarata and his co-conspirators used the United States Mail to submit thousands of fraudulent claims to civil security fraud settlement funds, depriving actual harmed investors of money that they should have received. They collected over $43 million in fraudulent payments and failed to report their newfound income to the IRS. From 2015 to 2019, Mr. Cammarata collected over $18 million in the scheme and falsified his tax returns each year to hide his illegal income and his involvement in the scheme. I want to thank the agents from the FBI and the IRS who worked alongside Inspectors from my office in Philadelphia to uncover this scheme. I would also like to thank the Assistant United States Attorneys who supported the investigation and saw the prosecution through.”
Each count of tax evasion is punishable by up to five years in prison. Sentencing has not yet been scheduled.
Cammarata was previously convicted in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania (EDPA) of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy, and money laundering in connection with this scheme. On June 6, 2023, the Honorable Chad F. Kenney sentenced Cammarata to 10 years in prison on those charges. Because Cammarata filed his taxes from New Jersey, the tax evasion case was brought in the District of New Jersey and prosecuted by EDPA Assistant United States Attorneys David J. Ignall and Paul G. Shapiro, who also tried the earlier case.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, with trial support from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey.
Nashville Man Indicted for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – A federal grand jury returned an indictment this week charging Tyrone Meriweather, 48, of Nashville, Tennessee, with one count of bank robbery, announced United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis for the Middle District of Tennessee.
According to the criminal complaint and indictment, on October 19, 2023, Meriweather entered a U.S. Bank on Harding Pike in Nashville, Tennessee, and demanded money while brandishing a knife. The bank teller gave Meriweather the money from his drawer, and Meriweather fled on foot.
If convicted, Meriweather faces up to 25 years in federal prison.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Metro Nashville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mitchell Galloway is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
#####
Monmouth County Man Convicted of Tax Evasion in Securities Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Monmouth County, New Jersey, man was convicted on five counts of tax evasion for his role in a $39 million investment fraud, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey announced today.
Joseph Cammarata, 49, of Monmouth Beach, New Jersey, was found guilty on Nov. 15, 2023, on five counts of tax evasion following a two-week trial before U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan in Trenton federal court. Cammarata was previously convicted in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy, and money laundering in connection with this scheme. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison on those charges.
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger“This defendant has now been convicted by two separate juries of serious crimes. First, he was convicted by a jury in Philadelphia federal court for his role in a scheme to defraud investors out of millions of dollars. Now, a Trenton jury has convicted him of hiding from the IRS the more than $16 million he pocketed as he tried to avoid paying his fair share of taxes. Cammarata will now be held to account for his crimes at sentencing.”
“Last year, a jury in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania found that Cammarata and his partners engaged in a multi-year fraud in order to steal over $40 million,” U.S. Attorney Jacqueline Romero for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania said. “Cammarata then concealed more than $16 million of his proceeds of that fraud from the IRS. The verdict in the New Jersey case makes clear that those who hide income gained by fraud will face the same consequences as those who try to evade their tax obligations from legal sources of income. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of the investigators and prosecutors on this case, this defendant has been brought to justice for the full scale of his criminal conduct.”
“IRS Criminal Investigation special agents are specially equipped to follow the complex financial trail left by criminals, and we are dedicated to holding those accountable for crimes committed,” Tammy Tomlins, IRS – Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge of the Newark Field Office, said. “Mr. Cammarata and his partners stole millions from his victims. IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agents are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to hold account fraudsters like the defendant.”
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:
Cammarata and two conspirators, David Punturieri and Erik Cohen, were the principals of Alpha Plus Recovery, a claims aggregator firm based in Old Bridge, New Jersey. Punturieri and Cohen previously pleaded guilty to tax evasion, fraud, and money laundering charges.
Cammarata, Punturieri, and Cohen used Alpha Plus Recovery to make false and fraudulent claims on the proceeds of securities fraud class action settlements and SEC enforcement actions. They falsely claimed that corporate clients of Alpha Plus Recovery had purchased shares of securities that were the subject of the lawsuits and enforcement actions. In reality, the supposed clients, which were entities actually controlled by the defendants, had not purchased the subject securities and were not entitled to any recovery from the settlements or enforcement actions. To substantiate their false claims, the defendants created fraudulent brokerage and other financial documents to provide to claims administrators. Cammarata and his partners then transferred the fraudulently obtained funds into accounts that they controlled, stealing more than $39 million from 2015 to 2019.
Cammarata’s share of the illegally obtained fraud proceeds amounted to more than $18 million. Cammarata failed to declare or pay taxes on income of $1.72 million in 2015; $2.56 million in 2016; $4.82 million in 2017; $3.56 million in 2018; and $3.35 million in 2019. Cammarata hid this income, which he received through corporate entities, from his accountant in order to conceal these sums from the IRS.
Each count of tax evasion is punishable by up to five years in prison. Sentencing has not yet been scheduled.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the IRS, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Tomlins, Special Agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Richard Langham, and U.S. Postal Inspectors, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen, Philadelphia Division, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. He also thanked the SEC, for the assistance provided by its Enforcement Division.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Ignall and Paul Shapiro of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Missoula man sentenced to 12 years in prison for sex trafficking childrenRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Missoula man who paid minor girls to have sex with him was sentenced today to 12 years in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Cody Alan Harrington, 29, pleaded guilty in July to two counts of sex trafficking of children.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
In court documents, the government alleged that for seven years prior to his arrest, Harrington consistently targeted 14- and 15-year-old minors to engage in illegal sexual activity. In November 2022, two women, identified as Jane Doe 1 and Jane Doe 2, contacted the Missoula Police Department to report that when they were under the age of 18, Harrington had paid each of them to engage in sexual intercourse with him on multiple occasions. Jane Doe 1 reported that she had met Harrington over Snapchat in the summer of 2019, when she was 14 and Harrington was 25, and that Harrington offered to pay her to have sex with him. Jane Doe 1 engaged in commercial sex with Harrington for the first time in August 2019 in Missoula County, after which Harrington paid her $300. Harrington paid her on at least two other occasions in 2019 to have sex with him. Harrington also interacted with Jane Doe 2, while interacting with Jane Doe 1, and knew Jane Doe 2 was a minor because she told him her age. Jane Doe 2 reported that she engaged in commercial sex with Harrington for the first time in August 2020, when she was 15, and that he paid her $400. Jane Doe 2 further reported Harrington paid her to engage in sex with him on multiple occasions from when she was 15 to 17, all in Missoula County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian C. Lowney prosecuted the case. The Missoula County Sheriff’s Office, Missoula Police Department and FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force conducted the investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s 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.justice.gov/psc.
XXX
Mission Woman Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Mission, South Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on November 13, 2023.
Georgette Long Warrior, age 46, was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, a $1,000 fine, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Long Warrior was indicted by a federal grand jury in January of 2023. She pleaded guilty on August 7, 2023.
The conviction stemmed from a drug conspiracy beginning in September of 2021 and continuing until January of 2023, when Long Warrior was involved with several other individuals to distribute methamphetamine in and around the central South Dakota area, including on the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. Long Warrior received pound quantities of methamphetamine from a source in California and then distributed the methamphetamine to various individuals on the reservation. Methamphetamine is a Schedule II controlled substance.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, the Bureau of Indian Affairs Division of Drug Enforcement, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.
Long Warrior was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Mission 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 Mission, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on November 13, 2023.
Anthony Little Hoop, age 33, was sentenced to 22 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.
Little Hoop was indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender by a federal grand jury in May of 2023. He pleaded guilty on August 17, 2023.
Little Hoop was convicted of Sexual Abuse in 2012. As a result of this conviction, he his required to comply with 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. Little Hoop last registered with the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Sex Offender Registry Office on July 29, 2022, providing an address in Mission. Little Hoop left his registered address in November and did not update his registration after moving. His whereabouts were unknown until he was arrested in an abandoned apartment in Mission.
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.
Little Hoop was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Mission Man Sentenced for Assaulting a Federal OfficerRead 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 Mission, South Dakota, man convicted of Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer. The sentencing took place on November 13, 2023.
Wilson Brave Heart, age 51, was sentenced to 13 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Brave Heart was indicted by a federal grand jury in April of 2023. He was found guilty following a jury trial that concluded on August 16, 2023.
On March 11, 2023, Brave Heart was arrested by Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services officers and charged with domestic abuse. He was then transported by an officer to the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Adult Correctional Facility. While he was completing intake processing at the Adult Correctional Facility, Brave Heart spit in the face of the arresting officer.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Brave Heart was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Mission Man Sentenced for AssaultRead 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 Mission, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault of an Intimate Partner by Strangulation and Suffocation. The sentencing took place on November 6, 2023.
Bobbylee Hill, age 21, was sentenced to two years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Hill was indicted for Assault of an Intimate Partner by Strangulation and Suffocation by a federal grand jury in March of 2023. He pleaded guilty on August 3, 2023.
Hill and the victim began dating in January of 2022 and were residing together in Mission in November of 2022. On the evening of November 24, Hill became upset after going through the victim’s phone. The verbal argument escalated to a physical confrontation and Hill threw the victim onto a bed. Hill positioned himself on top of the victim, placed both of his hands on the victim’s neck, and applied pressure. The victim was unable to talk and had difficulty breathing as Hill applied pressure. Hill stopped after the victim waved her arms. The victim fled from the residence and called 911 after Hill assaulted her a second time.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Abby Roesler prosecuted the case.
Hill was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Middlesex County Man Admits Stealing COVID-19 Unemployment BenefitsRead the Press Release
NEWARK N.J. – A Middlesex County, New Jersey, man admitted that he conspired to illegally obtain over $400,000 in COVID-19 unemployment benefits, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Christopher Valerio, 33, of Perth Amboy, New Jersey, pleaded guilty on Nov. 16, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Robert Kirsch to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Valerio’s conspirator, Yanira Abreu, 42, of Keasby, New Jersey, pleaded guilty on Sept. 12, 2023, on charges stemming from the same scheme. A third conspirator, Jose Tavares, 35, of New York, is charged by complaint and his case remains pending.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From July 2020 through February 2021, Valerio, Abreu and others submitted false and fraudulent applications for unemployment insurance benefits to the New York Department of Labor (NYDOL) through fictitious online profiles that they created using personally identifiable information, including names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers, of other individuals without their consent. Once the NYDOL processed and approved the fraudulent applications, Valerio and his conspirators obtained debit cards with illegally obtained funds totaling $444,738, which they used for personal gain.
The wire fraud charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain to the defendant or gross loss to the victim, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for March 19, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso; special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone, and postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen, Philadelphia Division, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Fatime Meka Cano of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations against Tavares are merely accusations, and Taveras is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
cvalerio.information.pdfMeth trafficking sends Kalispell man to prison for 14 yearsRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Kalispell man who admitted to trafficking methamphetamine in the Flathead community after he led law enforcement on a high-speed chase before getting caught was sentenced today to 14 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Kenneth Martin Chandler, 43, pleaded guilty in July to possession with intent to distribute meth.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that in April 2021, the Flathead County Street Crimes Unit attempted a traffic stop of Chandler’s vehicle. Chandler then led officers on a high-speed chase through Kalispell before eventually crashing into another vehicle. Chandler fled the scene on foot but was soon arrested. In a later search of Chandler’s vehicle, officers located meth, heroin, drug paraphernalia, more than $9,000 in U.S. currency, and two assault-style rifles. Law enforcement also learned that Chandler was distributing meth in the Flathead area.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara J. Elliott prosecuted the case. The Northwest Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and FBI conducted the investigation.
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.
XXX
Metairie Woman Pleads Guilty to Heroin TraffickingRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – EMILY SUSAN BREAUX, age 48, a resident of Metairie, Louisiana , pleaded guilty on November 15, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Mary Ann Vial Lemmon to conspiracy to distribute heroin, a violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court documents, on multiple occasions, a co-conspirator from California mailed half-kilogram quantities of heroin to BREAUX at her Metairie residence. BREAUX received the packages and gave them to her local New Orleans co-conspirators. On June 22, 2021, FBI agents seized a FedEx package containing 485.19 grams of heroin from BREAUX.
BREAUX faces up to twenty years imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000, at least three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, New Orleans Gang Task Force, with the assistance of the New Orleans Police Department, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Gretna Major Crimes Task Force, led the investigation. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney J. Benjamin Myers of the Narcotics Unit.
Manchester Man and Woman Indicted for Manufacturing Methamphetamine in Their ResidenceRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Two Manchester residents have been indicted for conspiring to manufacture methamphetamine in their home and possessing the necessary chemicals and equipment to do so, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Charles Winchell and Catherine Quinn, both 42 years old, were charged with conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine in a place where a person under the age of 18 was residing or was present, and possession of equipment, chemicals, products, and materials to manufacture methamphetamine. Winchell and Quinn were previously charged by complaint and arrested on September 18, 2023. They were released on conditions.
According to the charging documents, in 2023 Quinn and Winchell frequently purchased pseudoephedrine, an over-the-counter medication and the primary ingredient used for the manufacturing of methamphetamine. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at their residence and found pseudoephedrine and other ingredients used to manufacture methamphetamine, such as lighter fluid, drain cleaner, and batteries, which contain lithium strips used to create a chemical reaction.
The charge of conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least 3 years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Manchester Police Department are leading the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather A. Cherniske is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
Man on probation pleads guilty to illegally possessing Glock switchRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Damarion Boyd, 20, of Cincinnati, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to illegally possessing a fully automatic weapon.
Boyd possessed a 3D printed Glock switch, which converts a firearm into a fully automatic weapon and is considered a machine gun under federal law.
According to his plea documents, on March 21, 2023, Boyd’s probation officers conducted a home visit and executed a probation search.
Boyd made statements to conceal the location of his bedroom, but officers found a basement bedroom that had in it a poster-size photograph of Boyd and a friend, his graduation cap and gown and Boyd’s signed terms of probation from a few days earlier.
The officers discovered a black backpack in the basement bedroom with a loaded Glock firearm and attached conversion device.
Boyd was charged federally in May 2023.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), announced the guilty plea entered before Senior U.S. District Judge Timothy S. Black. Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan A. Keefe and Ashley N. Brucato are representing the United States in this case.
# # #
Man arrested with ten pounds of methamphetamine and three firearms sentenced to 10 years in prisonRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 43-year-old man who was arrested in Federal Way, Washington in August 2022, with ten pounds of methamphetamine for a drug deal, was sentenced to ten years in prison, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Tawn Tzo Saeteurn pleaded guilty in April 2023 to possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. At today’s sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones said, “Your continued dealing shows that you had little or no respect for the law.”
According to records filed in the case, Saeteurn had agreed to deliver ten pounds of meth and additional fentanyl pills to a drug purchaser. When Saeteurn arrived with the drugs, he was arrested and his car was searched. He had a .22 caliber pocket pistol in the driver’s side door of his vehicle, a .38 caliber Titan Tiger revolver on the floorboard of the passenger seat next to a bag containing 10 pounds of methamphetamine, and a 9mm Glock hidden in the gap between the driver’s seat and the center console.
In addition to the methamphetamine, Saeteurn had nearly a half kilo of fentanyl pills, some fentanyl powder, $2,495 in U.S. currency, plastic baggies, two scales, and five cell phones.
The case was investigated by the FBI.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Zach Dillon.
Man arrested with ten pounds of methamphetamine and three firearms sentenced to 10 years in prisonRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 43-year-old man who was arrested in Federal Way, Washington in August 2022, with ten pounds of methamphetamine for a drug deal, was sentenced to ten years in prison, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Tawn Tzo Saeteurn pleaded guilty in April 2023 to possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. At today’s sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones said, “Your continued dealing shows that you had little or no respect for the law.”
According to records filed in the case, Saeteurn had agreed to deliver ten pounds of meth and additional fentanyl pills to a drug purchaser. When Saeteurn arrived with the drugs, he was arrested and his car was searched. He had a .22 caliber pocket pistol in the driver’s side door of his vehicle, a .38 caliber Titan Tiger revolver on the floorboard of the passenger seat next to a bag containing 10 pounds of methamphetamine, and a 9mm Glock hidden in the gap between the driver’s seat and the center console.
In addition to the methamphetamine, Saeteurn had nearly a half kilo of fentanyl pills, some fentanyl powder, $2,495 in U.S. currency, plastic baggies, two scales, and five cell phones.
The case was investigated by the FBI.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Zach Dillon.
Man Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison for Multiple Sex Offenses Near School and Threatening NeighborsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Derrick Jones, 54, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 24 months imprisonment for his criminal conduct in two separate cases for masturbating in public, near Bancroft Elementary School in Mt. Pleasant, and then threatening neighbors who asked him to stop. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Jones pleaded guilty on August 7, 2023, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to eight separate counts in two cases: two counts of attempted threats, one count of threats, two counts of misdemeanor sexual abuse of a child with aggravating circumstances, and three counts of lewd, indecent, or obscene acts before U.S. Superior Court Judge Sean Staples.
According to court documents, in the afternoon of April 3, 2023, Jones was observed by a neighbor masturbating outside of the neighbor’s apartment building, which is located less than a block away from Bancroft Elementary School. The neighbor, who was with her 11-year-old son, was trying to record Jones’s behavior since, according to the neighbor, this was a routine occurrence during the hours when children were walking to and from school. When Jones observed his neighbor trying to record him on that day, Jones crossed the street in an aggressive manner and made threats to kill the neighbor’s family and their dog.
On April 6, 2023, a woman was returning home after dropping her nephew off at Bancroft Elementary when she observed Jones outside an apartment masturbating. Jones made eye contact with the woman and continued his behavior. Additional incidents took place on the morning of April 12, 2023, when Jones again masturbated outside of the apartment building as children were being dropped off at the Bancroft Elementary School, and on April 13, 2023, when Jones exposed himself and masturbated outside of his building as children were walking to school. During that incident, a Bancroft Elementary school crossing guard observed Jones’s behavior, and while another colleague ushered kids to the opposite side of the street out of view, the crossing guard approached Jones and asked him to stop. Jones responded by loudly threatening to “blow y’all up” before going inside an apartment building and returning with a black duffel bag. Not knowing what was in the bag, the crossing guard became even more alarmed and flagged down law enforcement.
In addition to these incidents, after the defendant’s arrest on April 13, 2023, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Metropolitan Police Department further investigated and located additional victims. In pleading guilty, Jones also admitted that between April 1 and April 13, 2023, he exposed himself and masturbated in front of an 11-year-old girl who lived in a neighboring apartment. He has been detained since his arrest on April 13, 2023. Jones will be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department, with valuable assistance from the U.S. Secret Service, who assisted in the defendant’s apprehension. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jae Friedman and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Wash.
Man Incarcerated in a California State Prison Sentenced to over 33 Years for a Meth, Fentanyl and Money Laundering Conspiracy in South DakotaRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Kern Valley, California, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments. The sentencing took place on November 13, 2023.
Terry Morris, Jr., age 41, was sentenced on a Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance charge to 33 years and four months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. He was then sentenced on the Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments charge to 22 years in federal prison. Both sentences will run concurrently with one another but consecutive to his sentence in California. He was also ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Morris was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments by a federal grand jury in June of 2023. He pleaded guilty on August 30, 2023.
Morris created and orchestrated a drug trafficking organization from his prison cell within the Kern Valley State Prison in California, where he was incarcerated for murder. Using a cell phone which had been smuggled in, Morris communicated by call, text, and social media with members of his family, along with numerous other co-defendants from both South Dakota and California, in order to distribute large amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Sioux Falls, South Dakota area. Morris is attributed with distributing at least 200 pounds of methamphetamine and 80,000 fentanyl pills during his involvement in this conspiracy, drugs that were known to be sourced from Mexican cartels.
“This is one of two major federal drug sentences handed down this week in South Dakota,” said Alison J. Ramsdell, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota. “In this instance, the defendant orchestrated the movement of enormous amounts of deadly substances into our communities, leaving a trail of devastation without ever stepping foot in South Dakota himself. Although independently noteworthy, collectively, these sentences should send a resounding message to drug traffickers—targeting South Dakota communities for the sale of methamphetamine and fentanyl will result in grave personal consequences. As this case demonstrates, drug traffickers will be relentlessly pursued by local and federal law enforcement and aggressively prosecuted in federal court.”
Others that have been charged as part of this conspiracy include Rigoberto Hernandez, age 32, of Los Angeles, California, who was sentenced on May 1, 2023, to 11 years and eight months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release; Reginald Davis, age 41, of Los Angeles, California, who was sentenced on May 26, 2023, to 17 years and one month in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release; Kessara Mikkelson, age 35, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, who was sentenced on October 30, 2023, to 19 years and seven months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release; and Asia Gunhammer, age 31, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, who was sentenced on October 30, 2023, to 10 years and six months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. All defendants were also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. The case against Terry Morris, III, who is also facing charges of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance, is still pending in the District of South Dakota.
This case was investigated by the FBI, Sioux Falls Police Department, and the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
Morris, Jr. was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Lower Brule Man Sentenced for Voluntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Lower Brule, South Dakota, man convicted of Voluntary Manslaughter following a three-day jury trial in federal district court in Pierre, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on July 20, 2023, and the sentencing took place on November 6, 2023.
Joseph Thompson, Sr., age 32, was sentenced to 10 years and eight months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Thompson was also ordered to pay $3,550 in restitution to the victim’s family.
Thompson was indicted by a federal grand jury in May of 2023 and was convicted in July of 2023.
The conviction stems from an incident that occurred on March 25, 2023, in Lower Brule. Thompson was at the home of an acquaintance when he heard a disturbance outside the residence. Thompson left the residence, walked around the corner of the home, and saw a man standing near the home. Thompson produced a knife and stabbed the man five times, piercing his heart. There was no indication that the other man was displaying a weapon when Thompson fatally stabbed him.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Bureau of Indian Affairs - Office of Justice Services - Crow Creek Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley prosecuted the case.
The defendant was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to begin serving his sentence.
Leader of Fenta-Pill Pressing Operation Sentenced to More Than 21 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy Berger has sentenced Patrick Silfrain (41, Winter Garden) to 21 years and 10 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. The court also ordered Silfrain to forfeit firearms used in the conspiracy, as well as jewelry, and over $600,000 in currency, which was traceable to the drug offenses. Silfrain had pleaded guilty on November 21, 2022. Jean Kesnor Choisil (51, Ocoee) and Kevin Jean-Gilles (41, Groveland) pleaded guilty to their roles in this conspiracy on November 22, 2022, and November 29, 2022, respectively. On August 31, 2023, Choisil was sentenced to 6 years and 6 months’ imprisonment. Jean-Gilles was sentenced to 19 years and 6 months’ imprisonment.
According to court documents, Silfrain ran an operation that pressed pills to look like legitimately manufactured pharmaceuticals that actually contained fentanyl and fentanyl analogs – so-called “fentapills.” Silfrain operated numerous pill presses at the same time, each of which had the capacity to produce 5,000 pills per hour. During the investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) obtained evidence of numerous shipments of controlled substances and binding agents. Based on the total quantity of binding agents sent to the Silfrain operation, the DEA estimated it to be enough to press 3,760,000 pills.
On April 20, 2022, the DEA arrested Silfrain, Choisil, and Jean-Gilles and executed search warrants on multiple locations. During these searches, they recovered over 23 kilograms of fentanyl and fentanyl analogs, over a kilogram of methamphetamine, 17 firearms, 11 pill presses, and over $600,000 in U.S. currency, traceable to the drug operation.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, and the Apopka Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill.