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17 November 2023
KC Sex Offender Sentenced to 25 Years for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man who is a registered sex offender was sentenced in federal court today on charges related to distributing child pornography.
Charles M. Witter, 33, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 25 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Witter to spend the rest of his life on supervised release following incarceration.
On July 26, 2023, Witter pleaded guilty to one count of distributing child pornography over the internet on Oct. 5, 2020, one count of transporting child pornography over the internet from Nov. 12, 2020, to Jan. 11, 2021, and one count of possessing child pornography from Nov. 12, 2020, to March 16, 2021, all after having been convicted of an offense relating to aggravated sexual abuse involving a minor. Witter, a registered sex offender, has prior felony convictions for statutory rape and statutory sodomy involving his sexual abuse of a 12-year-old child victim.
On Feb. 25, 2020, Witter was released from custody after serving six years in state prison for those prior convictions. Less than eight months later, he used a social media application to send an image of child pornography to another person.
Witter admitted that he sent an image of child pornography through a social media application to another person on Oct. 5, 2020. The image was flagged and a CyberTip report sent to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which forwarded it to the Western Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force.
Less than four months later, on Jan. 20, 2021, another online service provider submitted a CyberTip report to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children concerning a number of emails sent by Witter, which included 113 images of child pornography and child erotica from Nov. 12, 2020, to Jan. 11, 2021.
Investigators searched Witter’s cell phone and found 53 images of child pornography, three videos of child pornography, and 10 GIF files of child pornography.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maureen A. Brackett and Kenneth W. Borgnino. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Platte County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Justice Department's Procurement Collusion Strike Force Holds Its First Summit to Discuss Strategies to Combat Emerging ThreatsRead the Press Release
Yesterday, the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division and the Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF) hosted its first summit to convene its law enforcement partners from across the country to discuss emerging threats and strategies to confront them. Assistant Attorney General (AAG) Jonathan Kanter, Deputy Assistant Attorney General (DAAG) Manish Kumar, PCSF Director Daniel Glad and other department officials were joined by representatives from among the PSCF’s 11 national law enforcement partners and 22 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices.
During the summit, AAG Kanter, DAAG Kumar and Director Glad commemorated the PCSF’s fourth anniversary and reflected on its growth and success since its inception. They also detailed additional resources the division has dedicated to combat procurement collusion, emphasized the importance of law enforcement partnerships and a whole-of-government response to persistent threats in government spending and sharpened the PCSF’s focus on the challenges, risks and opportunities of increased federal spending.
Summit participants discussed the heightened areas of procurement collusion risk resulting from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) and Science Act of 2022 and supplemental funding in response to the invasion of Ukraine. Last week, Director Glad delivered a speech at the National Association of State Procurement Officials’ 10th Annual Law Institute. In his remarks, he outlined the ways that states can partner with the PCSF to address these emerging threats.
The PCSF is the Justice Department’s coordinated, joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact procurement, grant and program funding at all levels of government — federal, state and local.
Since its inception in November 2019, the PCSF has opened more than 100 criminal investigations and trained more than 31,000 people. In that time, the PCSF and the Antitrust Division have investigated and prosecuted over 65 companies and individuals involving over $500 million worth of government contracts. The summit marks the department’s continued support of the PCSF as it enters its fifth year.
AAG Jonathan Kanter delivers opening remarks at the Justice Department’s PCSF Summit. DAAG Manish Kumar delivers closing remarks at the Justice Department’s PCSF Summit. PCSF Director Dan Glad delivers remarks at the Justice Department’s PCSF Summit.
Representatives from the PCSF’s 11 National Law Enforcement Partners and 22 U.S. Attorneys’ offices participate in the Summit.Jury convicts Missouri man of robbing Kansas bankRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal jury convicted a Missouri man of robbing a bank in Shawnee, Kansas.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Richard Ruston, 53, of Independence, Missouri, entered the First Interstate Bank on Shawnee Mission Parkway on July 20, 2022. After briefly displaying what a bank teller employee believed to be a firearm, the robber demanded money, and left the bank with $2,974 in cash.
“Richard Ruston subjected people, who were trying to earn an honest living, to unimaginable terror and angst because he chose criminal means to obtain money,” said U.S. Attorney Kate E. Brubacher. “Fortunately, due to the excellent investigation by law enforcement and the solid case presented by prosecutors, the evidence convinced a federal jury of Ruston’s guilt, and a judge will determine the appropriate sentence for his crime.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Shawnee Police Department, Merriam Police Department, and Kansas City, Missouri Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Trent Krug prosecuted the case.
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Jacksonville Convicted Sex Offender Indicted on Federal Charge of Receiving Child Sexual Abuse Material over the InternetRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg has announced that Alexander James Koby (38, Jacksonville) has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Jacksonville for knowingly receiving child sexual abuse material over the internet. Koby faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison, and a potential life term of supervised release. On May 15, 2014, Koby was convicted of possession of child pornography in federal court in Orlando. He is currently serving a Florida state prison sentence and will be transported to Jacksonville for prosecution in this federal case.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
An indictment is only an allegation and every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 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 child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared recently before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt:
Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on Nov. 14 was:
Autumn Rose Rider, 28, of Browning, on charges of assault resulting in serious bodily injury. If convicted of the most serious crime, Rider faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Rider was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 23-06.
Appearing on Nov. 7 was:
Thomasine Tachelle Wahl Salway, 21, of Browning, on charges of assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. If convicted of the most serious crime, Salway faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Salway was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 23-92.
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on
Nov. 14 was:
Aubreh Lakhaie Barnes, 34, and Aurelia Dawn Lang, 49, both of Billings, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. If convicted of the most serious crime, the defendants face a mandatory minimum of five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release. Both defendants were detained pending further proceedings. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and Billings Police Department conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 23-128.
Jennifer Hall, 42, of Livingston, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Hall faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Hall was detained pending further proceedings. The Missouri River High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 23-130.
Appearing on Nov. 7 was:
Eric Stephen Hadnott, 44, of Billings, on charges of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Hadnott faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine and three years of supervised release. Hadnott was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Billings Police Department conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 23-129.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Indianapolis Woman Sentenced to 21 Months in Federal Prison for Illegal Purchase of a Firearm she Knew her Son Intended to Use in a Violent CrimeRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Tyesha Clark, 39, of Indianapolis has been sentenced to twenty-one months in federal prison after pleading guilty to making a false statement to a licensed firearms importer and engaging in the unlawful sale or transfer of a handgun to a juvenile who intended to use the gun in a crime of violence.
According to court documents, on March 13, 2021, Tyesha Clark purchased a Glock 19X 9mm handgun from a federally licensed firearms dealer in Indianapolis. During the purchase, Clark completed federal firearms purchase paperwork and falsely certified that she was the actual buyer of the handgun. In fact, she purchased the firearm for her sixteen-year-old son. In her guilty plea, Clark admitted that she knew or had reason to believe that her son intended to use it in the commission of a violent crime when she bought him the gun.
In text messages obtained by the ATF during the investigation, Clark communicated with her son about the model and cost of the Glock, as well as ammunition, as the March 13th purchase was in progress. Additionally, Clark sent text messages showing that she knew her son had a history of trading illegal guns on the street. The text messages further showed that Clark had reason to believe her son was dangerous, shot people, robbed people, and was involved in gang activity.
The messages showed that Clark disposed of firearms she believed were used by her son in illegal activity, purchased firearms to further his alleged illegal activities, and provided guidance on removing potential evidence of illegal activity from social media. Clark’s son is not charged in the federal case, and he remains innocent of any crimes until proven guilty.
“Far too many of the shootings and killings in our communities are committed by people who have no lawful business having a gun in the first place. Many of these dangerous criminals are armed because someone else committed a crime to get them a gun,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Straw purchasers share a measure of culpability for the violence and death they facilitate. The federal prison sentence imposed here demonstrates that illegally arming violent criminals carries serious consequences.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and IMPD investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson. Judge Stinson also ordered that Clark be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for two years following her release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy C. Fugate, who prosecuted this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Henryetta Resident Sentenced for Second Degree Murder in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Christopher Jason Hathcoat, age 45, of Henryetta, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 315 months in prison for two counts of Second Degree Murder in Indian Country. The terms were ordered to run concurrently.
The charges arose from investigations by the McIntosh County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On August 31, 2022, Hathcoat pleaded guilty to two counts on an Information in federal court. According to investigators, on August 4, 2016, Hathcoat shot and killed two victims at a Henryetta residence, stole a large quantity of cash from the house and fled in one victim’s truck. Officers located three spent .243 rifle casings and one 9 mm casing at the scene. Hathcoat was later apprehended on an unrelated warrant driving the victim’s truck at a state park. A subsequent search of the truck revealed a Remington Model 742 .243 Winchester rifle, rounds of .243 and 9mm ammunition, and a quantity of cash. The crimes occurred in McIntosh County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee Creek Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
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. Hathcoat 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.
Hattiesburg Man Sentenced to over 31 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute 318 Grams of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Hattiesburg man was sentenced to 380 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 318 grams of methamphetamine.
According to court records, Robert Patrick Terrell, 43, conspired with Shawn Tullos and Pervis Everett to smuggle methamphetamine into the South Mississippi Correctional Institution (SMCI) in Green County, Mississippi. As part of an ongoing investigation, on August 10, 2021, a package sent to SMCI was recovered and examined. The package contained Terrell’s fingerprints and its contents were confirmed to be 318 grams of methamphetamine.
Terrell pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Shawn Tullos pled guilty and was sentenced to 128 months in prison. Pervis Everett pled guilty and was sentenced to 151 months in prison.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erica Rose and Lee Smith.
Harrodsburg Man Convicted of Armed Methamphetamine Trafficking in Johnson CountyRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. – A Harrodsburg, Ky., man was convicted late Thursday, by a federal jury sitting in London, of possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking offense.
The federal jury convicted Aristotle White of these charges, following a two-day trial.
According to evidence at trial, on May 11, 2022, officers with the Johnson County Sheriff’s Department conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle that was being driven by White. During the search of the vehicle, law enforcement located nearly 300 grams of methamphetamine, two loaded firearms, and over $2,500 in United States currency. Witness testimony revealed White to be regularly obtaining large quantities of methamphetamine and importing it into, among other places, Johnson County.
White was indicted on September 22, 2022. Members of the Johnson County Sheriff’s Department, the Magoffin County Sheriff’s Department, Operation UNITE, and the DEA participated in the investigation and prosecution.
White will appear for sentencing on April 8, 2024, and he faces not less than 10 years up to life in prison. However, the Court must consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the applicable federal sentencing statutes before imposing a sentence.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; J. Todd Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Louisville Field Division; Sheriff Scott Hazelette of the Johnson County Sheriff’s Department, and Sheriff William Meade of the Magoffin County Sheriff’s Department made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew H. Trimble prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Eastern District of Kentucky, U.S. Attorney Shier coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
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Fraudster admits to purchasing login credentials on the dark webRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 31-year-old Magnolia resident has pleaded guilty to possessing stolen credentials with intent to defraud, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Sanel Bulic admitted to possessing approximately 68 stolen credentials purchased from an online marketplace on the dark web.
These unauthorized access devices contained login credentials such as usernames and passwords to various online accounts belonging to other persons for services such as Amazon, Chase, Facebook, Netflix, Paypal, Wells Fargo and more.
U.S. District Judge Alfred Bennett accepted the plea and set sentencing for March 7, 2024. At that time, Bulic faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. He has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.
The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Chu and James Hu prosecuted the case.
Four Individuals Charged in Scheme to Burglarize United Parcel Service Warehouses Across United StatesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Four Philadelphia men were charged for their roles in a conspiracy to burglarize approximately 55 United Parcel Service (UPS) warehouses across the United States, resulting in the theft of approximately $1.6 million worth of merchandise, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Aboudramane Karamoko, 20, Sekou Fofanah, 20, Shamaire Brown, 19, and Quamaire Brown, 19, all of Philadelphia, were charged by complaint in the District of New Jersey with one count of conspiracy to commit cargo theft. Karamoko was arrested on Nov. 15, 2023, in State College, Pennsylvania, and had his initial appearance in the Middle District of Pennsylvania on Nov. 15, 2023. Fofanah, Shamaire Brown, and Quamaire Brown were arrested on Nov. 16, 2023, in Philadelphia and had their initial appearances in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. All four defendants were detained.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From January 2021 through April 2023, the defendants and others conspired to commit burglaries of UPS facilities throughout the United States, including warehouses in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Rhode Island. The four defendants and their conspirators would enter a targeted UPS facility – usually from late Saturday night into Sunday morning – by breaking the window of the loading bay door or by prying the loading bay door up so that a conspirator smaller in stature could squeeze through. Once inside, the defendants and their conspirators would look for parcels marked with “lithium-ion battery” warnings, which indicated that they contained high-value electronic devices, such as a cell phone. The defendants and their conspirators would take the packages, which typically contained Apple products or other electronic devices, and would then flee by vehicle or on foot when law enforcement arrived. On at least one occasion, the defendants also stole a firearm from a UPS warehouse.
The charge of conspiracy to commit cargo theft carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the amount of money involved in the offense, whichever is greater.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the South Brunswick Police Department; Warwick, Rhode Island, Police Department; Clarkstown, New York, Police Department; Livonia, Michigan, Police Department; State College Police Department; New York State Police; Fulton County Sheriff’s Office; Homeland Security Investigations Philadelphia; Homeland Security Investigations New England; New Jersey State Police; Philadelphia Police Department; Pennsylvania State Police; Ohio State Highway Patrol; Taylor Police Department; Brookfield Police Department; Summit County Prosecutor’s Office; and Centre County District Attorney’s Office, for their assistance in the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jake A. Nasar and Sophie Kaiser of the General Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
karamokoetal.complaint.pdfFour Defendants Sentenced in Dark Web Cocaine Distribution SchemeRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sacramento residents Viliami Mosese Fatukala, 40; Quynhmy Quoc Yamamoto, 34; Iris June Micu Mina, 38; and John Phillip Hollis II, 45, were sentenced this week for conspiring to distribute or possessing with intent to distribute cocaine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
Fatukala was sentenced to five years in prison; Yamamoto was sentenced to 15 months in prison, and Hollis was sentenced to a year in prison. Mina received a time-served sentence.
According to court documents, beginning in July 2019, Fatukala, Yamamoto, and Mina conspired to sell cocaine. Fatukala advertised the sale of cocaine on the dark web. Yamamoto and Mina assisted Fatukala by, among other things, packaging the cocaine and mailing it to customers. All told, the conspirators sold approximately 13.7 kilograms of cocaine over the dark web. Some of the conspirators’ cocaine was supplied by Hollis, who was stopped by law enforcement on Dec. 19, 2019, and found with a kilogram of cocaine in his vehicle.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Northern California Illicit Digital Economy (NCIDE) Task Force, which includes agents from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The NCIDE Task Force is a federal task force focused on targeting all forms of illicit dark web and cryptocurrency activity in the Eastern District of California and beyond. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron D. Pennekamp prosecuted the case.
Fort Thompson Man Sentenced for Assaulting, Resisting, and Opposing a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Fort Thompson, South Dakota, man convicted of Assaulting, Resisting, and Opposing a Federal Officer in Pierre, South Dakota. The sentencing took place on November 6, 2023.
Derek Kennedy, age 43, was sentenced to 45 days in federal prison and eight months of home confinement, followed by three years of supervised release. Kennedy was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Kennedy was indicted by a federal grand jury in January of 2023 and pled guilty in August of 2023.
The conviction stems from an incident that occurred on July 12, 2022, in Lower Brule. Kennedy was arrested for unrelated tribal offenses on the same date. As he was being booked into the Lower Brule jail, Kennedy became combative and attempted bite a federal officer on the arm and spit in the officer’s face.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs - Office of Justice Service - 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.
Fort Thompson Man Sentenced for Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a ChildRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Fort Thompson, South Dakota, man convicted of two counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child. The sentencing took place on November 6, 2023.
Jeffery Pickner, age 47, was sentenced to 11 years and three months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Kennedy was also ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Pickner was indicted by a federal grand jury in June of 2022 and pleaded guilty in August of 2023.
The convictions stem from incidents that occurred between 1994 and 1996 in Crow Creek housing, in Buffalo County, South Dakota. Pickner repeatedly and continuously sexually abused a young boy in the community. The victim did not immediately disclose the abuse.
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 FBI. 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.
Fort Eisenhower woman charged with murder in child’s deathRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: A U.S. Army spouse at Fort Eisenhower is in custody on a federal murder charge.
April Evalyn Short, 30, of Fort Eisenhower – formerly Fort Gordon – is charged by federal complaint with Murder, with an aggravating circumstance of the alleged crime occurring during an act of child abuse, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
Short has appeared for an initial hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Brian K. Epps and has not yet entered a plea. She is in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service and is awaiting further proceedings. She is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The criminal complaint alleges that on the morning of Nov. 15, 2023, Short used a knife to cut the neck of an 11-month-old child who later was pronounced dead at Eisenhower Army Medical Center.
The case is being investigated by Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division with assistance from the FBI, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Henry W. Syms Jr. and Patricia G. Rhodes.
Former West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Employee Sentenced to 10 Months in Federal Prison for Theft of over $150,000 in Official FundsRead the Press Release
BATON ROUGE, LA – United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced Mandy Nicole Miller, age 44, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 10 months in federal prison following her conviction for federal program theft. The Court further sentenced Miller to serve 2 years of supervised release following her term of imprisonment and ordered her to pay $ 158,852.00 in restitution and a $7500.00 fine.
According to admissions made as part of her guilty plea, while employed at the West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, Miller stole cash paid for traffic tickets and hid the thefts by recording fraudulent journal entries in the Sheriff’s Office accounting system. Miller’s scheme began on or about July 1, 2018, and continued through in or about September 2022. In deciding the sentence, Chief Judge Dick commented on the fact the Miller’s scheme was executed over two years and involved a sophisticated means.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Louisiana Legislative Auditor, Investigative Audit Services, with assistance from the West Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lyman E. Thornton III.
Former Vanderbilt Student Charged with CyberstalkingRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – A federal grand jury returned an indictment this week charging Dominic Lambert, 24, of Plano, Texas, with Cyberstalking, announced United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis for the Middle District of Tennessee.
According to documents filed in court, in February 2021, Lambert met a young woman, identified by her initials M.H.P., when the two were both undergraduate students at Vanderbilt University. The two became friends, but when M.H.P. declined Lambert’s romantic interest he became obsessed with her. From December 2021 to December 2022, Lambert repeatedly sent text messages, e-mail messages, social media messages, and made phone calls, to M.H.P. and her family and friends.
Also according to court documents, in October 2022, an order of protection was issued in state court, which Lambert violated three separate times, once by sending M.H.P. over 70 consecutive emails and another for calling M.H.P 55 times from the Davidson County Jail.
If convicted, Lambert faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison.
This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brooke K. Schiferle 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.
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Former Priest Sentenced to Life in Prison for Sex Trafficking Three Victims in Northern OhioRead the Press Release
TOLEDO – Michael Zacharias, 56, of Findlay, Ohio was sentenced to life in prison today by U.S. District Judge Jack Zouhary and ordered to serve 5 years of supervised release, pay a $500 special assessment and pay $25,000 pursuant to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act. Zacharias was previously found guilty after a jury trial of five counts of sex trafficking following a two-week trial in May 2023.
Evidence presented at trial showed that Zacharias was a priest-in-training when he first met the three victims at a Catholic school in Toledo in 1999. The evidence showed that he used his position of authority as a spiritual leader to groom the boys and grow close with their families before ultimately coercing the victims into engaging in commercial sex acts, two of which were still minors but all three of which he victimized in their adulthood, by exploiting their opioid addictions to cope with the trauma of the abuse.
“Michael Zacharias’s 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 United States Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko. “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’s 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 United States Attorney’s Office will aggressively pursue charges against those who target our children.”“Using a position of trust while deviously preying on one’s vulnerabilities, especially juveniles, is reprehensible,” said FBI Cleveland Special Agent in Charge Greg Nelsen. “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 the three victims and family members, established that Zacharias first met the victims when they were just 5-, 11-, and 13-year-old students at a parochial school in Toledo in 1999. Zacharias served as a respected Catholic priest in Northwest Ohio for more than 20 years, while secretly exploiting his victims as they struggled in school, fell into opioid addiction, developed criminal histories, and became even more financially dependent on him to avoid opioid withdrawal and homelessness. Zacharias’ betrayal of the victims’ trust caused them serious psychological harm.
Instead of helping the victims or providing referrals for their needs, Zacharias exploited them for his own pleasure. Zacharias preyed on the victims' ongoing fear of the painful physical symptoms of opioid withdrawal they would suffer without money he paid them, which sustained their growing addictions. Financial and phone records showed that when one of the victims was unavailable due to drug rehabilitation or incarceration, Zacharias incessantly solicited the other victims for commercial sex acts, including the youngest brother of his first victim, who was a freshman in high school and already struggling with opioid addiction when Zacharias began abusing him for sex.
The FBI Cleveland Field Office, Lima and Toledo Resident Agencies investigated the case.Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Ballard 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.
Former Massachusetts State Senator Arrested for COVID FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Former Massachusetts State Senator Dean Tran was arrested today and charged in federal court in Boston with allegedly scheming to defraud the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance and collecting income that he failed to report to the IRS.
Tran, 48, of Fitchburg, was indicted on 25 counts of wire fraud and three counts of filing false tax returns. Tran was arrested this morning and will appear in federal court in Boston at 1:30 p.m. today.
According to the indictment, Tran served as an elected member of the Massachusetts State Senate, representing Worcester and Middlesex from 2017 to January 2021. It is alleged that after his State Senate term ended in 2021, Tran fraudulently applied for pandemic unemployment benefits after he had already accepted employment as a paid consultant for a New Hampshire-based automotive parts company. While working as the paid consultant, it is alleged that Tran fraudulently collected $30,120 in pandemic unemployment benefits.
It is further alleged that Tran concealed over $50,000 in consulting income that he received from the automotive parts company on his 2021 federal income tax return. This was in addition to thousands of dollars in rental income that Tran allegedly concealed from the IRS while collecting rent from tenants of a Fitchburg rental property from 2020 to 2022.
“The indictment returned by the grand jury alleges that Former State Senator Tran exploited pandemic unemployment benefits – diverting critical resources intended for deserving individuals genuinely in need,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Our office and our law enforcement partners are committed to safeguarding the integrity of public assistance programs and holding accountable those who exploit them – no matter who they are – particularly during times of widespread hardship.”
“Dean Tran was once elected to serve taxpayers, but today we arrested him for allegedly cheating them out of tens of thousands of dollars in fraudulent unemployment benefits that were meant to be a lifeline for those struggling for survival as a result of the pandemic,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “This former state senator allegedly made the conscious decision to repeatedly lie about his employment status and underreport his rental property income so he could get a tax break. The FBI and our partners are working hard every day to shut down such fraud schemes and protect the public from being fleeced.”
“An important part of the mission of the Office of Inspector General is to investigate allegations of fraud involving the Department of Labor’s unemployment insurance programs. With the passage of the CARES Act and creation of the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, we focused our efforts on these types of allegations. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate fraud that has a negative effect on the American workforce,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Jonathan Mellone, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.
“Elected officials are rightly held to a higher standard when they take an oath to serve,” said Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston. “Instead of honoring his commitment to the public trust, Tran allegedly defrauded the citizens that elected him by failing to pay tax on his income and fleecing a public-assistance program at a time when his constituents needed this help the most, due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Rooting out public corruption remains one of IRS CI’s highest priorities.”
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of filing false tax returns provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $100,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy, FBI SAC Cohen, DOL-OIG SAC Mellone and IRS-CI SAC Chavis made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. Mulcahy and Dustin Chao of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
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 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 and https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus/combatingfraud.
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 via the NCDF Web Complaint Form.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former FIU student convicted of cyber harassing New York familyRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On Nov. 7, a federal jury found a former Florida International University (FIU) student guilty of three counts of cyber harassment.
Anthony Brillante II, 35, of Miami, a student at FIU during most of the time of the crimes, spoofed hundreds of different phone numbers to send three victims—his cousin, her husband, and their 12-year-old daughter—tens of thousands of phone calls and text messages, including countless explicit threats to kill them over a 15-month period between 2021 and 2022.
Brillante texted two of his victims that he would shoot them in the face, run them over with a car, and even messaged the minor victim that he planned to kill her parents, had “been practicing at the range,” and he thought he was “a pretty good shot.”
Brillante’s cellphones revealed he contemplated bribing a law enforcement officer in his quest to find his victims’ new phone numbers after they changed them due to the spam calls and threatening text messages. They also demonstrated his interest in buying guns and a silencer, and his disregard for multiple law enforcement warnings to stop the threats—even texting his brother “idk is threatening to kill a child different…lol.”
U.S. District Judge Donald L. Graham is scheduled to sentence Brillante on Jan. 24, 2024. Brillante faces up to 20 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office, announced the convictions.
FBI Miami investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Egozi and Alexandra D. Comolli are prosecuting it.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 22-cr-20493.
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Former Detroit Resident Sentenced for Violating Federal Narcotics LawsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A former resident of Detroit, Michigan, has been sentenced in federal court to 78 months of imprisonment followed by 5 years of supervised release on his conviction of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Chief United States District Judge Hornak imposed the sentence on Nicholas Lamont Carter, age 33, formerly of Detroit, Michigan.
According to information presented to the court, Carter was found in possession of 216 grams of fentanyl during a routine traffic stop that he intended to distribute. Carter has a significant criminal history that includes prior violent offenses and prior drug-related offenses, and he was on parole for offenses in West Virginia and Pennsylvania at the time of his possession of the 216 grams of fentanyl.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Hornak noted the harm fentanyl has caused to the community and the need to protect the public from further crimes by this defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Allegheny County Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Carter.
Former Correctional Officer Sentenced to Federal Prison for Smuggling Controlled Substances into the Prince George’s County Department of Corrections Detention FacilityRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang sentenced former Prince George’s County Department of Corrections correctional officer Danielle Dominique Smith, age 34, of Waldorf, Maryland, to four months imprisonment, followed by four months of home detention as part of three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, in connection with her smuggling drugs to a prisoner with whom she had an intimate relationship.
The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Division; Director Corenne D. Labbe of the Prince George’s County Department of Corrections; and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
According to her guilty plea, from November 23, 2009 through April 15, 2022, Smith was employed as a correctional officer at the Prince George’s County Department of Corrections (“PGDOC”) detention facility. During her employment, Smith developed a romantic and sexual relationship with Avante Daquan Lee, an inmate at PGDOC, discussing their relationship on recorded jail calls beginning on at least June 3, 2021 and continuing until March 2, 2022.
As detailed in the plea agreement, from August 29, 2021 and March 2, 2022, Smith conspired with Lee and other co-conspirators to distribute Suboxone, and the synthetic cannabinoid commonly known as K2. Specifically, Smith obtained the controlled substances from co-conspirators outside PGDOC, then smuggled the drugs into PGDOC where she concealed them on special diet food trays designated for Lee. Once Lee received the food tray, he distributed the controlled substances to other inmates within PGDOC. Other inmates, or relatives and friends of inmates then sent Smith money for the controlled substances.
Smith and Lee discussed the distribution of the controlled substances on recorded jail calls, referring to the controlled substances as food products in an effort to conceal the nature of the conversation. On September 24, 2021, PGDOC Special Investigations and Intelligence Section conducted a targeted cell search of Lee’s cell for contraband and recovered white paper that was found to contain K2. On February 16, 2022, PGDOC Special Investigations and Intelligence Section conducted a targeted cell search of another PGDOC inmate for suspected contraband and found a bottle containing 395 strips that were found to contain Suboxone. The K2 and Suboxone were smuggled into PGDOC by Smith.
According to court documents, at the end of February 2022, Smith took pre-approved leave from work. Smith continued to speak to Lee on jail calls during that time. On a March 2, 2022 jail call, the day Smith was scheduled to return to work, Lee asked Smith if she was bringing the “meals,” and Smith said she was. Concerned that Smith was going to smuggle additional controlled substances, PGDOC administratively suspended Smith when she arrived at work that same day.
On October 13, 2023, Judge Chuang sentenced Avante Daquan Lee, age 30, to 30 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Lee had previously pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy.
U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DEA, the PGDOC, and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron also thanked Assistant United States Attorney Leah B. Grossi, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Foreign National Convicted of Racketeering and Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A federal jury in Beaumont, Texas, convicted a Romanian national today for plotting to traffic hundreds of kilograms of cocaine from the United States in a scheme that also included money laundering, arms trafficking, and an attempt to assassinate rival gang members.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Marius Lazar, 50, of Bucharest, Romania, was a “founding member” of his local chapter of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club, a transnational outlaw motorcycle gang that was founded in the United States and is now active on six continents. Through his relationship with a fellow Hells Angels member from New Zealand, Lazar joined a conspiracy to purchase more than 400 kilograms of cocaine from a person in the United States, who the conspirators believed was a powerful drug trafficker but who was actually an undercover agent of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). As part of his negotiations for the cocaine purchase, Lazar also solicited the undercover agent to kill two members of a rival motorcycle club in Romania, and offered to supply the undercover with rifles, grenades, armored vehicles, and other military-grade equipment that Lazar understood would be used against police officers in the United States. Members of the conspiracy sent nearly $1 million to the United States, via bank wires and Bitcoin transfers, as payment for the drugs and murders.
The jury convicted Lazar of conspiracy to commit racketeering, conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. He faces a maximum penalty of life years in prison. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Co-defendants Murray Michael Matthews and Marc Patrick Johnson remain fugitives.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Damien Diggs for the Eastern District of Texas, DEA Administrator Anne Milgram, Special Agent in Charge Mark B. Dawson of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Houston, U.S. Marshal John Garrison of the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and Special Agent in Charge Christopher J. Altemus Jr. of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Dallas Field Office made the announcement.
The DEA, HSI, USMS, and IRS-CI investigated the case, with significant assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Trial Attorney Conor Mulroe of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Rapp for the Eastern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Romania to secure the arrest and extradition of Lazar.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Florida Man Who Trafficked in Florida Box Turtles, Loggerhead Musk Turtles, and Ornate Diamondback Terrapins Pleads Guilty to Lacey Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Kevin Olbrych (48, Spring Hill) today pleaded guilty to two counts of Lacey Act Trafficking. Olbrych faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.
According to the plea agreement, in 2018, officers from the Tampa Police Department executed a search warrant at Olbrych’s residence. During the search, the officers discovered several 300-gallon pools filled with turtles and other containers for the rearing of turtles. In total, Olbrych unlawfully possessed 120 turtles. The animals were not housed properly, and Olbrych did not have proper licensure to possess them. Law enforcement confiscated the turtles and turned them over to an individual qualified to rehabilitate them on behalf of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
After the search, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service began investigating Olbrych. The investigation revealed that for years Olbrych had illegally sold turtles to a co-conspirator in Oregon, who later sold them to buyers in China. Further investigation revealed that even after law enforcement seized the turtles from Olbrych’s home in 2018, he continued to traffic in turtles through 2021.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with substantial assistance from the Tampa Police Department and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erin Claire Favorit.
Federal grand jury indicts Kenai man for threatening U.S. SenatorRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment this week officially charging a Kenai man with making interstate threats to kidnap and injure a U.S. Senator.
"Actions that threaten the safety and well-being of public officials are unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “The Justice Department and U.S. Attorney’s Office, in collaboration with our law enforcement partners, will prioritize the vigorous investigation and prosecution of any individual who chooses to threaten and instill fear in elected officials.”
According to court proceedings, Arther Charles Graham, 46, was ordered to be temporarily detained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service on Nov. 3, 2023. His formal detention hearing will be held on Nov. 21, 2023, in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew M. Scoble.
According to court documents, Graham sent a web form submission to a U.S. Senator on Sept. 28, 2023, threatening to injure the Senator. Congressional staff members reported the threat to the U.S. Capitol Police and an investigation was launched.
The defendant identified himself in the threat. Law enforcement later confirmed the sender was Graham and lived in Kenai. He was taken into custody by special agents from the U.S. Capitol Police and FBI on Oct. 30, 2023. He made his initial appearance before a U.S. magistrate judge on Nov. 3, 2023.
Graham is charged with using interstate communications with a threat to kidnap and injure in violation of 18 U.S.C. §875(c). If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The U.S. Capitol Police, with assistance from the FBI Anchorage Field Office, the Kenai Police Department and the Alaska State Trooper, is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Vandergaw is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Federal Supervisee Sentenced on New Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Monroeville, Alabama, man was sentenced in federal court today for his ongoing drug dealing and illegal possession of a firearm while on supervision for a previous federal conviction. James Edward Hill, Jr., 50, was arrested in February of 2022 after Monroe County law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on his residence in a drug investigation. Hill was on federal supervision as part of a previously imposed federal sentence. Hill’s first federal conviction came in 2011, for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine. While he was on federal supervision after he was released from prison, Hill was again involved in the drug business. He was charged in federal court by information with attempt to manufacture crack cocaine and felon in possession of a firearm. Hill pled guilty to the new charges in July of 2023.
According to court documents, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on Hill’s residence in Monroeville and discovered cocaine powder and various materials and equipment used to manufacture cocaine powder into crack cocaine. Hill admitted to the officers that he used the baking soda they found in his house for that purpose. Investigators also recovered a .38 caliber firearm in the kitchen where the drugs were. Because Hill was actively being supervised for a federal felony drug conviction, he was aware of his status as a convicted felon and the prohibition against his possession of a firearm.
United States District Court Judge Kristi K. Dubose imposed a sentence of 57 months in Hill’s case, to be followed by five years on supervised release after his release from custody. As conditions of next period of supervision following his second federal conviction, Hill 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 $200 in special assessments. The judge ordered the forfeiture of the firearm, a .380 caliber revolver, seized during the investigation.
The case was investigated by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Federal Jury Finds Ohio Man Guilty of Federal Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – After deliberating for less than one hour, a federal jury found Norberto Castillo-Lopez guilty of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Castillo-Lopez, 34, of Columbus, Ohio was tried before United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The evidence introduced during the three-day trial established that, beginning in December of 2019 and continuing through August of 2020, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) received authorization to conduct a Title III wiretap investigation into a drug trafficking organization that was trafficking kilogram-quantities of cocaine from Columbus, Ohio into the Western District of Pennsylvania. Castillo-Lopez was intercepted agreeing to supply kilograms of cocaine to his coconspirator. That coconspirator redistributed Castillo-Lopez’s cocaine to lower-level distributors for resale in the cities of New Castle and Farrell. In September 2020, investigators executed a search warrant at Castillo-Lopez’s residence and recovered cocaine, bulk United States currency, and a kilogram wrapper.
Assistant United States Attorneys Mark V. Gurzo and Katherine C. Jordan prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Judge Ranjan scheduled sentencing for February 15, 2024. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than 10 years to a maximum of life imprisonment, a fine not to exceed $10,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Castillo-Lopez remains in custody pending sentencing.
DEA in Pittsburgh, PA; the DEA, Columbus, OH; the DEA, Harrisburg, PA; Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), Pittsburgh, PA; HSI, Orlando, FL; Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations; United States Postal Service, Columbus, Ohio; Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General; Lawrence County Drug Task Force – Special Investigations Unit; and New Castle Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the prosecution of Castillo-Lopez.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Federal Jury Finds Minneapolis Bloods Gang Member Guilty of Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A federal jury found a Minneapolis felon and known Bloods gang member guilty of illegally possessing a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to evidence presented at trial and court documents, in the early morning hours of October 16, 2022, Isaiah Lemuel Elisha Ferguson, 27, was involved in a fight at the Basement Bar in the North Loop Neighborhood of Minneapolis. The fight led to a confrontation outside the bar that quickly escalated into a shooting where Ferguson pulled and fired a gun. Officers from the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) were nearby, heard the gunshots, and were able to quickly subdue and arrest Isaiah Ferguson. Officers found a FN Herstal 5.7 x 28 caliber semi-automatic pistol nearby.
Prior to this incident, on November 7, 2019, a hotel staff member found a firearm in a room registered to Ferguson and called the police. MPD officers discovered a Glock .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol in the room. In July 2020, MPD officers executed a search warrant at Ferguson’s residence and found several firearms and ammunition in his cars and residence.
Because Ferguson has prior felony convictions in Winona and Hennepin Counties, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
On November 15, following a three-day trial before Judge Susan Richard Nelson in U.S. District Court, Ferguson was found guilty on one count of possessing a firearm as a felon. He will be sentenced at a later date.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, Minnesota Department of Corrections, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Minneapolis Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Esther Soria Mignanelli and Thomas Calhoun-Lopez tried the case.
Federal Jury Convicts Sisseton Man for Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child and Abusive Sexual ContactRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a federal jury has convicted Thomas Avery Drum, age 59, of Sisseton, South Dakota, of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child and Abusive Sexual Contact following a three-day jury trial in federal district court in Aberdeen, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on November 15, 2023.
Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child carries a mandatory minimum of 30 years and a maximum penalty of up to life in custody; Abusive Sexual Contact carries any term of years and a maximum penalty of up to life in custody. Each conviction carries the possible maximum of a $250,000 fine, and a required a mandatory minimum of five years to life of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Drum was indicted by a federal grand jury in October of 2022.
According to evidence presented at trial, between August of 2014 and August of 2015, Drum knowingly engaged in at least one sexual act and contact with a child under the age of 12. The sexual abuse took place at Drum’s residence on the Lake Traverse Reservation near the town of Sisseton. At the time of the abuse, Drum was approximately 50 years of age, while the victim was seven.
This case was investigated by the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Tribe’s Law Enforcement and the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri is prosecuting the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date has been set for May 20, 2024. Drum was ordered to self-surrender on November 27, 2023.
Federal Jury Convicts Okmulgee Resident of Attempted Murder, Child Abuse, and Child NeglectRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that 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 jury trial began with testimony on November 13, 2023, and concluded on November 17, 2023, with the guilty verdict.
During the trial, the United States presented evidence that between January 1, 2023, and June 12, 2023, Collins abused two children, that he attempted to murder one child, and that he failed to provide food, water, medical care, and sanitary living conditions to that same child, all while responsible for their health, welfare, and safety. The crimes occurred in Okmulgee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
On October 24, 2023, Collins’ co-defendant, TAMBARA LORENE COLLINS, age thirty-seven, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to two counts of Child Abuse, and one count of Child Neglect.
The guilty verdicts were the result of an investigation by the Okmulgee County Sheriff’s Office, the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Honorable John F. Heil, U.S. District Court Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the trial in Muskogee, Oklahoma, and ordered the completion of a presentence report. Sentencing will be scheduled following the completion of the report. John Ray Collins, Jr. was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorneys Caila M. Cleary and Sarah McAmis represented the United States.
Federal Indictment Unsealed After U.S. Postal Employee and Two Co-Conspirators Are Arrested for $24 Million Stolen Check SchemeRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A U.S. Postal Service employee and two co-conspirators have been arrested on federal charges for a scheme involving stolen checks worth over $24 million, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. The federal indictment was unsealed following the defendants’ initial court appearances.
Nakedra Shannon, 29, Donnell Gardner, 27, and Desiray Carter, 24, all of Charlotte, are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit financial institution fraud and five counts of theft of government property. Carter and Gardner are also charged with seven counts of possession of stolen mail matter, and Shannon is charged with eight counts of theft of mail by a postal employee.
According to allegations in the indictment, from March 2021 to July 2023, Shannon was employed by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) as a mail processing clerk at a USPS processing and distribution center in Charlotte. From April to July 2023, Shannon conspired with Gardner and Carter to steal incoming and outgoing checks from the U.S. mail, which Gardner and Carter then sold to other individuals including using the Telegram channel OG Glass House. Over the course of the conspiracy, the co-conspirators allegedly stole checks totaling more than $24 million, including more than $12 million in stolen checks which were posted for sale on the Telegram channel OG Glass House, and more than $8 million in stolen U.S. Treasury checks. The indictment also alleges that the defendants obtained hundreds of thousands of dollars in criminal proceeds of the mail theft scheme.
Shannon, Gardner, and Carter were released on bond following their initial appearances in court.
The bank fraud conspiracy charge carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. The charge of theft by a postal employee and possession of stolen mail has a statutory maximum penalty of five years in prison for the counts charged in the indictment. The charge of theft of government property carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for each offense.
The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked U.S. Postal Service’s Office of the Inspector General, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the IRS’s Criminal Investigation Division, the U.S. Department of Treasury Bureau of the Fiscal Service, and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department for their investigation which led to the charges.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny G. Sugar and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Frick with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte are prosecuting the case.
Federal Indictment Charges Dentist for $3 Million Loan Scheme and Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
UPDATE
Matthew Johnson was acquitted of the charges alleged in the indictment as described in the press release below.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A federal grand jury in Charlotte has indicted Matthew Johnson, 58, of Troutman, N.C., for orchestrating a fraudulent loan scheme that defrauded the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) of more than $3 million and tax evasion, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. The indictment was unsealed today following Johnson’s initial appearance in court.
Donald "Trey" Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division (IRS-CI), Charlotte Field Office, joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to allegations in the indictment, Johnson was a dentist and oral surgeon that owned Johnson Oral Surgery in Mooresville, N.C. In addition to the dental practice, Johnson also owned Mount Mourne Springs LLC, a real estate development company. The indictment alleges that from August 2018 to November 2021, Johnson submitted a false and fraudulent loan application in the name of his dental practice and the real estate development business. The application was for a loan backed by the SBA, and allegedly contained fraudulent information, including false information regarding the status of Johnson’s personal and business taxes and outstanding tax debts. For example, the indictment alleges that one of the fraudulent documents Johnson allegedly submitted in support of the loan application was a fabricated letter purporting to be from the IRS, falsely representing that Johnson was on a payment plan with the IRS. As a result of the fraudulent loan application, Johnson received more than $3 million in an SBA-backed loan. Contrary to claims Johnson made on the application about the purpose of the loan, Johnson allegedly used the loan funds to pay for personal expenses including travel, cash withdrawals, and to pay for farm equipment and home improvement projects.
In addition to the loan scheme, the indictment alleges that, from October 2015 to November 2021, Johnson committed tax evasion, and failed to pay more than $615,000 in taxes he owed to the IRS for tax years 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016.
Johnson has been released on bond. He is charged with wire fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and tax evasion, which has a maximum statutory penalty of up to five years in prison. Both charges also carry a fine of up to $250,000 for each offense.
The charges against Johnson are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked IRS-CI for their investigation which led to the federal charges.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Caryn Finley of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.
Ex-Spouses Plead Guilty to Receiving and Laundering Money Stolen from Retirement and Investment AccountsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Prince George’s County, Maryland, man and woman pleaded guilty to their involvement in laundering the proceeds of various fraud schemes targeting victims’ retirement and investment accounts.
According to court documents, from approximately September 2017 to April 2020, Dasola Abdulraheem, 41, and Ismaila Abdulraheem, 44, both Nigerian nationals and formerly spouses, received the proceeds of various financial frauds into accounts that they controlled, and thereafter, conducted financial transactions with the proceeds to disguise the nature and source of the funds.
Unknown co-conspirators targeted the victims of this scheme by gaining access to their financial accounts, typically retirement or investment accounts. In one case, co-conspirators gained access to a victim’s severance payout from his former employer. The conspirators compromised a victim’s account, they posed as the victim and instructed the victim’s financial institution to add a new outside bank account to the victim’s account. The outside account was controlled by either the Abdulraheems or one of the money mules that they used. Once the victim’s financial institution added a conspirator’s account to the victim’s account, the conspirators directed that money from the victim’s account be siphoned from the victim’s account and deposited into the Abdulraheems’ accounts or into a co-conspirator’s account. The proceeds were used in some cases to purchase salvage cars at auction or to wire money to business entities in Nigeria. The overall money laundering conspiracy intended to cause a loss of approximately $866,195 and caused an actual loss of approximately $641,260.
The Abdulraheems attempted to conceal their involvement in laundering proceeds by using shell companies to receive and launder the proceeds of the fraud scheme.
Ismaila Abdulraheem pleaded guilty on October 27, 2023, to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Dasola Abdulraheem pleaded guilty today to one count of receipt of stolen monies in violation.
Ismaila Abdulraheem is scheduled to be sentenced on February 9, 2024. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Dasola Abdulraheem is scheduled to be sentenced on March 22, 2024. She faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine E. Rumbaugh and Kathleen E. Robeson are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-107.
El Salvador Man Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison following Trial Convictions for his Role in Fentanyl ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced an El Salvador man and a Victorville, California, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencings took place on November 13, 2023, in Aberdeen, South Dakota.
Edwin Giovanni Salinas, age 44, was sentenced to life in prison. He was ordered to pay $200 as a statutorily required special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Berta Rosmelvi Gonzales, age 33, was sentenced to three years and five months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. She was ordered to pay $100 as a statutorily required special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Salinas and Gonzales were indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in May of 2023. Gonzales pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance on July 10, 2023. On July 19, 2023, Salinas was found guilty at trial of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance.
According to evidence admitted at trial, on November 26, 2022, Salinas and Gonzales were pulled over during a traffic stop. During a search of the vehicle, approximately 16 pounds of fentanyl was found. The fentanyl was contained in 12 packages – two containing powder weighing 3.5 pounds and another 10 containing approximately 50,000 pills. The 10 separate packages contained small blue pills marked “M” on one side and “30” on the other, apparent counterfeit “M-30” pills containing fentanyl. The fentanyl was mixed with a horse tranquilizer. The approximate street value of the drugs was estimated at $2,000,000.
“Fentanyl is the deadliest drug our communities have ever faced,” said Alison J. Ramsdell, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota. “It is almost fifty times more potent than heroin, and just two milligrams - an amount that can fit on the tip of a pencil - is enough to kill an average adult. So when this defendant trafficked more than 50,000 fentanyl pills and 3.5 pounds of fentanyl powder into our state, he brought enough poison to wipe out the entire population of South Dakota. It is therefore paramount that we continue to aggressively pursue and prosecute the trafficking of fentanyl, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to doing so alongside our federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners.”
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), one kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people. Laboratory testing indicates seven out of every 10 fentanyl pills seized by the DEA contained a lethal dose of fentanyl.
During the sentencing of Salinas, the Court stated that his conduct was “reprehensible,” citing the lethality of the controlled substances and the likely intended location of where a portion of the fentanyl was headed – tribal lands. The Court noted that this case involved the largest ever fentanyl seizure and prosecution in the state.
This case was investigated by the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Sioux’s Law Enforcement, Roberts County Sheriff’s Department, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeremy R. Jehangiri and Paige Petersen prosecuted the case.
Salinas and Gonzales were remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to continue serving their sentences.
Eagle Butte Woman Sentenced for LarcenyRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, woman convicted of Larceny. The sentencing took place on November 15, 2023.
Jacie Toki, age 30, was sentenced to three months in federal prison, followed by eighteen months of supervised release. She was further ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Toki was indicted for Larceny by a federal grand jury in April of 2023. She pleaded guilty on August 17, 2023.
The conviction stemmed from Toki stealing a police vehicle belonging to the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services after a roadside encounter with law enforcement near Lantry, South Dakota, on February 28, 2023. Toki drove the vehicle away from the scene and left it in a ditch outside of Lantry.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Venhuizen prosecuted the case.
Toki was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Eagle Butte Man Sentenced for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man convicted of Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm. The sentencing took place on November 6, 2023.
Anthony Lawrence Collins, age 40, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Collins was indicted by a federal grand jury in October of 2022. He pleaded guilty on July 27, 2023.
Collins was convicted in federal court of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in 2003. His firearms rights have not been restored. On July 23, 2022, in Eagle Butte, the police observed Collins holding a shotgun. They arrested Collins and seized the shotgun. Collins knew he had been convicted of a felony and could not possess firearms.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.
Collins was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Durham Woman Convicted of Drug Trafficking Conspiracy Resulting in Death and Other Drug and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO - A jury in federal district court convicted CARLISA RENEA ALLEN today of multiple drug charges and illegal possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina.
According to court documents, ALLEN, age 46, was initially indicted on March 28, 2023, and was tried on charges in a third Superseding Indictment filed October 30, 2023. ALLEN was charged in Count One with conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine hydrochloride, and conspiracy to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, resulting in death; in Count Two, with distribution of cocaine hydrochloride; in Count Three with possession with intent to distribute cocaine; in Count Four with possession with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl; and in Count Five with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Evidence at trial showed that the death of Joshua Skip Zinner on or about March 9, 2023, resulted from the use of cocaine hydrochloride and fentanyl distributed in furtherance of the conspiracy.
A jury convicted ALLEN on all counts of the third Superseding Indictment after a four-day trial. At sentencing, ALLEN faces a term of imprisonment of 25 years to life, not less than 4 years of supervised release, and fines, restitution, and forfeiture. Sentencing is scheduled for February 13, 2024, before United States District Judge William L. Osteen, Jr. in Greensboro.
ALLEN’s co-defendant, CYE LEANCE FRASIER, pleaded guilty on October 25, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine hydrochloride, and conspiracy to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, resulting in death. FRASIER faces a term of imprisonment of twenty years to life. His sentencing is set for January 31, 2024, in Greensboro.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Durham Police Department, Duke University Police Department, Raleigh Police Department, Raleigh/Wake County City-County Bureau of Identification, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Cary Police Department, North Carolina State Highway Patrol, Nash County Sheriff’s Office, and the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael A. DeFranco and Tracy Williams-Durham.
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Dominican National Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Reentry and Identity Theft ChargesRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida –Senior United States District Judge Gregory A. Presnell has sentenced Papo Encarnacion De Oleo (46, Dominican Republic) to 18 months in federal prison for illegal re-entry by a previously deported alien, falsely presenting a social security number, making a false statement of citizenship to obtain a state benefit, and possession of false identification documents. Encarnacion De Oleo pleaded guilty to the crimes on June 16, 2023.
According to the plea agreement, Encarnacion De Oleo is a citizen of the Dominican Republic who was previously removed from the United States in 2014. Even though he never received permission to lawfully re-enter the country, Encarnacion De Oleo illegally returned to the United States following his removal.
In June 2019, Encarnacion De Oleo used another individual’s personal identifying information—name, date of birth, social security card, and birth certificate—to fraudulently obtain a Florida identification card. He also falsely represented himself to be a United States citizen when he obtained the card. Afterward, Encarnacion De Oleo used the card, along with the victim’s social security number, to fraudulently obtain employment with two businesses in Sumter County. Encarnacion De Oleo also falsely claimed to be a United States citizen on the employment eligibility documents for the businesses.
“This criminal repeatedly ignored the laws of our nation, illegally re-entered after being previously removed, and masqueraded under the false guise of United States citizenship by stealing someone’s identity,” said Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) Orlando Assistant Special Agent in Charge David Pezzutti. “This sentence demonstrates the law will not tolerate those who blatantly disregard it. Thanks to our partnership with the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, we were able to put an end to this recidivist’s activities.”
“This sentence demonstrates that misuse of a Social Security number to gain unlawful entry into the United States after deportation and to fraudulently obtain employment and state identity documents is a punishable crime,” said Rodregas W. Owens, Special Agent in Charge, Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, Atlanta Field Division. “We will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners to curtail this type of illegal activity. I thank the Department of Homeland Security Homeland Security Investigation for their work in this joint investigation and I thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for prosecuting this case.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General (SSA/OIG), with assistance from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
Doctor at L5 Pain Clinic Pleads Guilty to Illegal Drug Dispensing ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – A doctor from North Carolina, who was assigned to several pain clinics in Virginia but was rarely physically on-site at any of them, pled guilty this week in U.S. District Court in the Western District of Virginia.
Wendell Lewis Randall, 70, of Millers Creek, North Carolina, conspired with others to use, in the course of dispensing and distributing controlled substances, a DEA registration number issued to another person. DEA registration numbers are unique identifiers issued to medical providers in order to track who issues drug prescriptions and to ensure only qualified providers prescribe controlled substances.
According to court documents, between 2017 and 2020, Randall—a medical doctor who operated his own practice in North Carolina—was affiliated with L5 Medical Holdings, doing business as Pain Care Centers, an LLC operating pain clinics in Woodlawn, Lynchburg, Madison Heights, Blacksburg, and Christiansburg.
Randall was nominally assigned to the Woodlawn clinic, but he was only occasionally ever on-site. He was also absent from the Christiansburg and Madison Heights clinics, where Randall allowed other, unqualified medical providers to use his DEA registration number to prescribe Suboxone (buprenorphine) in his name, even though he had not seen the patients who received the drugs.
Court documents, including text messages, show L5 paid Randall in exchange for using his DEA registration number. Randall also acknowledged in these messages that he was not seeing patients at L5’s clinics and that he was aware his arrangement with L5 was illegal.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Washington Division, Jared Forget, Special Agent in Charge of HHS-OIG’s Philadelphia Region, Maureen Dixon, Superintendent of the Virginia State Police Col. Gary Settle, and Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares made the announcement today.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of the Inspector General, the Virginia State Police, and the Virginia Attorney General’s Office - Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys S. Cagle Juhan, Jason M. Scheff, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Janine M. Myatt, Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, prosecuted the case.
District Man Sentenced to Twelve Years for Assault with the Intent to Kill While ArmedRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Timothy Farrow, 65, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to twelve years in prison for a brutal stabbing which took place on May 6, 2023 by Superior Court Judge Michael O'Keefe. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Farrow pled guilty to assault with the intent to kill while armed on September 15, 2023 in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. In addition to the prison term Judge O’Keefe sentenced him to five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence and Farrow’s plea, Farrow approached the victim in the 3000 block of Minnesota Ave. in Washington, DC on May 6, 2023, at approximately 9:14 PM. Farrow then pulled out a knife and stabbed the victim on his inner thigh, left shoulder, and across his face. The victim suffered extensive life-threatening injuries as a result of that assault.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Kubo.
District Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Armed Robbery in Southeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Tramayne Moore, 26, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today to six years in prison for the brazen mid-afternoon robbery of a District man in Southeast Washington DC by Superior Court Judge Jason Park. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Moore pleaded guilty, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, in August of 2023, to one count of armed robbery. During that plea hearing, Moore admitted that he approached the victim in the 800 block of Ridge Road Southeast at approximately 3:00 p.m. on May 25, 2023, armed with what appeared to be a handgun. Moore pointed the weapon at the victim and ordered him out of the car. The victim obeyed that command, leaving his wallet and cell phone as well. Moore then took the car and drove off. Within two hours, however, with the aid of information supplied by eyewitnesses to the offense, police were able to locate and apprehend Moore. Police recovered the victim’s car, which had sustained minor damage, and property, but were unable to locate a weapon.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Randle Wilson.
District Man Sentenced to 19 Year Prison Term for Sexually Abusing Multiple Child VictimsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – David Geddie, 35, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced on Thursday, November 16, 2023, to 19 years in prison, lifetime supervised release, and will be required to register as a sex offender for life for his repeated sexual abuse of multiple children in Washington DC. He was sentenced by the Honorable Anthony C. Epstein of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Geddie pled guilty to one count of First Degree Child Sexual Abuse, one count of Second Degree Child Sexual Abuse, and one count of Misdemeanor Sexual Abuse in March 2023
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Pamela Smith, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department.
According to the government’s evidence, over the course of several months in 2021, the defendant acted as a babysitter for three child victims, ages 11, 6 and 6. During that time, the defendant forced the child victims to perform sexual acts on him and forced the child victims to perform sexual acts on each other. Following his arrest, the defendant admitted to sexually abusing the child victims, and admitted that he filmed the abuse.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. They also expressed appreciation for the work of those who handled the cases at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Alexis Spencer-Anderson and Tiffany Jones, and Victim Assistance Specialist Maria Sanchez Garcia.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marco Crocetti and Janani Iyengar, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Diseñadora de modas colombiana se declara culpable de importación ilegal de piel de caimán y pitón a los Estados UnidosRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Gzuniga Ltd., y su fundadora, Nancy Teresa González de Barberi, de 70 años, presentaron hoy una declaración de culpabilidad por cargos federales que surgieron de la importación ilegal de mercancía hecha de vida silvestre hacia los Estados Unidos desde Colombia.
Gzuniga y González se declararon, cada uno, culpables de los cargos en la acusación formal, que los imputaba a ellos y a otros dos individuos con un cargo de concierto para delinquir y dos cargos de contrabando por importación ilegal continua de bolsas de diseñador hechas de piel de caimán y pitón desde febrero de 2016 hasta abril de 2019. Tanto el caimán como el pitón son especies protegidas por la Convención sobre el Comercio Internacional de Especies de Flora y Fauna Silvestre en Peligro de Extinción (CITES, por sus siglas en inglés); de la que tanto los Estados Unidos como Colombia son signatarios. González, una ciudadana de Colombia, fue extraditada recientemente a los Estados Unidos para enfrentar los cargos en su contra.
Los acusados presentaron una declaración de culpabilidad antes el Juez del Tribunal de Distrito de los Estados Unidos Robert Scola. El Juez Scola estableció una audiencia de sentencia para ambos acusados para el 5 de febrero de 2024, a las 9:00 a.m. en Miami. González enfrenta hasta cinco años en prisión por el cargo de concierto para delinquir, y hasta 20 años en prisión por cada uno de los cargos de contrabando, seguido de un posible periodo de libertad supervisada. Adicionalmente, ella enfrenta posibles multas de hasta $250.000 dólares estadounidenses por cada cargo, o el doble de las posibles ganancias derivadas de la conducta relevante, lo que sea mayor. Gzuniga enfrenta posibles multas de $500.000 dólares estadounidenses por cada uno de los tres cargos de la condena, o el doble de las posibles ganancias derivadas de la conducta relevante, lo que sea mayor.
Los acusados solicitaron a amigos, familiares y empleados de la empresa manufacturera de González en Colombia que actuaran como mensajeros y transportaran bolsas de diseñador en su persona o en su equipaje durante sus viajes en aerolíneas de pasajeros. Una vez que las bolsas de diseñador fueron introducidas de contrabando en los Estados Unidos, fueron entregadas o enviadas a la sala de exposición de Gzuniga en Manhattan, Nueva York, en donde fueron puestas para exposición en tiendas minoristas de lujo para vista y compra de reventa en sus tiendas. La conducta involucró cientos de carteras y bolsos. El precio promedio de menudeo para estas bolsas marca “Nancy González” fue de más de $2.000 dólares estadounidenses.
Otro acusado en el caso fue también extraditado desde Colombia y se encuentra esperando juicio. Un cuarto acusado no se encuentra en custodia actualmente.
El fiscal de los Estados Unidos Markenzy Lapointe del Distrito Sur de Florida, fiscal auxiliar Todd Kim de la División de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales del Departamento de Justicia, y el Agente Especial a cargo Stephen Clark de la Oficina de Cumplimiento de la Ley del Servicio de Pesca y Vida Silvestre de los Estados Unidos (USFWS por sus siglas en inglés), Región Sureste, anunciaron las declaraciones de culpabilidad.
La Oficina de Cumplimiento de la Ley de USFWS en Valley Stream, Nueva York llevó a cabo una investigación con la asistencia de la oficina del Agente a cargo residente en Miami de USFWS. La Oficina de Asuntos Internacionales del Departamento de Justicia y la Sección de Narcóticos y Drogas Peligrosas (NDDS) de la División Penal, oficina del agregado judicial en Bogotá, Colombia proporcionaron asistencia valiosa para lograr el arresto y extradición de González de Barberi. El Servicio de Alguaciles de los Estados Unidos (USMS) proporcionó apoyo instrumental en este caso. Los Estados Unidos también agradecen a las autoridades del orden colombianas por su valiosa asistencia y colaboración.
El fiscal auxiliar de los Estados Unidos Thomas Watts-FitzGerald y el Abogado Litigante de Rango Superior R.J. Powers de la División de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales de la Sección de Delitos Ambientales se encuentran procesando el caso.
Una denuncia penal contiene simplemente alegatos, y todos los acusados son presuntamente inocentes a menos que y hasta que se demuestre su culpabilidad en un tribunal de justicia.
La información y los documentos judiciales relacionados se pueden encontrar en la página de internet del Tribunal de Distrito del Distrito Sur de Florida, www.flsd.uscourts.gov o en la página http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, bajo el número de caso 22-cr-20170.
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Delta Man Sentenced to 14 Years Imprisonment for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
TOLEDO – Kyle Brackman, 29, of Delta, Ohio was sentenced to 168 months imprisonment by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey J. Helmick after earlier pleading guilty to Receipt of Child Pornography. Judge Helmick also ordered Brackman to serve a 15-year term of supervised release upon release from imprisonment.
According to court documents, the case came to the attention of law enforcement after a high school principal in Iowa contacted local police in 2017 after learning a 15-year-old student was communicating with Brackman and the messages were sexual in nature. It was later determined that Brackman had received sexually explicit material from the Iowa minor.
Brackman was arrested on July 28, 2019, after officers responded to reports of a male making sexually suggestive remarks and gestures to a 10-year-old and 13-year-old, according to court documents.
This case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tracey Ballard Tangeman and Frank Spryszak.
Defendants arraigned in international firearms trafficking caseRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Grevaughn Sanchez Goodman, Shavonte Justin Summers, Tranquilo G. Goodman, and Demetrius Lamont Randolph, Jr., have been arraigned on federal charges of conspiracy to deal in firearms without a license. Additionally, Grevaughn Goodman was arraigned on a charge of firearms trafficking conspiracy in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 933(a)(3), a new statute passed by Congress in June 2022. A fifth defendant, Dexter Wellington Roberts, III, is not yet in federal custody. He is charged with conspiracy to deal in firearms without a license, firearms trafficking conspiracy, and smuggling.
“Illegally purchasing firearms on behalf of others is a serious crime that frequently places guns in the hands of individuals prohibited from possessing a firearm,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Many of the firearms allegedly traced to the defendants in this case were recovered from criminals in Canada.”
“Among ATF’s top priorities is ensuring that firearms traffickers are aggressively investigated and swiftly brought to justice. This is an excellent example of such an investigation that was worked cooperatively by multiple partner agencies with outstanding results,” said Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Raymond Connor.
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges, and other information presented in court: Beginning in mid-December 2022, Dexter Roberts allegedly began conspiring with a Canadian citizen and other individuals to obtain large numbers of firearms in the southeastern United States and to resell them to others, including in Canada and Mexico.
From December 2022 through February 2023, Roberts personally made retail purchases of at least 49 firearms. In January 2023, Grevaughn Goodman allegedly began purchasing firearms for the conspiracy, buying more than 50 guns from January through April 2023. Tranquilo Goodman, Grevaughn’s brother, allegedly joined the conspiracy by March 2023 and bought at least 11 firearms that month. Shavonte Summers allegedly joined the conspiracy by May 2023, and bought over 50 firearms in May and June 2023. Demetrius Randolph allegedly joined the conspiracy in June 2023, and bought at least 10 guns over two days from five different licensed firearms dealers.
During the investigation of the conspiracy, law enforcement officers completed four bulk seizures of firearms, totaling over 120 weapons in all, and including a load of 47 firearms seized from Roberts in Henry County, Georgia. Additionally, numerous other weapons allegedly purchased by defendants in this case have been seized by law enforcement throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Grevaughn Sanchez Goodman, a/k/a “The General,” 23, of Homestead, Florida, Shavonte Justin Summers, 22, of Homestead, Florida, Tranquilo G. Goodman, 24, of Miramar, Florida, and Demetrius Lamont Randolph, Jr., 23, of Homestead, Florida, were all arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Linda T. Walker.
Dexter Wellington Roberts, III, a/k/a “Science,” 43, of Austell, Georgia, is not yet in federal custody. Roberts was arrested in mid-October in the Bahamas on another weapons charge. He is charged with conspiracy to deal in firearms without a license, dealing in firearms without a license, firearms trafficking conspiracy and smuggling. Roberts, Goodman, Summers, Goodman and Randolph were indicted by a federal grand jury on October 24, 2023.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alana R. Black is prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Debit Card Skimming Suspect Arrested on Federal ChargesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Christos Mavrokelos was arrested Thursday on a criminal complaint charging him with using debit card skimming devices on bank ATMs to steal victims’ debit card information and making unauthorized cash withdrawals on their accounts, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court records, in 2022, police departments recovered multiple debit card skimming devices from bank ATMs. Mavrokelos’ fingerprints were found on the skimming devices. Then, in January and February 2023, Mavrokelos was connected by bank surveillance footage to seven instances at a bank in Clovis where unauthorized cash withdrawals totaling thousands of dollars were made using victims’ debit cards.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Clovis, Fresno, and Madera Police Departments, as well as the California Department of Justice. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Barton and Cody Chapple are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Mavrokelos faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations and Mavrokelos is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
mavrokelos_criminal_complaint.pdfDavid DePape Convicted of Assault and Attempted Kidnapping ChargesRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – A federal jury convicted David DePape of assault and attempted kidnapping charges today in connection with his Oct. 28 intrusion into the home of Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi and her husband Paul Pelosi, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp. The verdict follows a trial before the Hon. Jacqueline Scott Corley, U.S. District Judge.
U.S. Attorney Ramsey stated, “We are grateful to the jury for their deliberations and the justice that this verdict signifies. Our public servants and their families deserve to work and live without threats and violence. Defendant’s violent plan to kidnap then-Speaker Pelosi was rooted in his virulent disagreement with her as a result of her official position. His violent plan ended with the assault on Mr. Pelosi. Today’s verdict brings justice to the Pelosi family and to the idea that violence has no place in politics.”
“The brutal and premeditated assault on Mr. Pelosi in the sanctity of his own home was fueled by DePape’s misguided ideology. I am deeply gratified by the jury's verdict, which has ensured that DePape will face the full weight of justice," said FBI Special Agent in Charge Tripp. "The unwavering collaboration between the FBI, the San Francisco Police Department, the San Francisco District Attorney's Office, and the United States Capitol Police played a pivotal role in securing this victory. We remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting our communities from those who seek to divide us through acts of violence and hatred.”
The evidence at trial established that weeks before the attack, DePape, 43, of Richmond, California, targeted Nancy Pelosi, who was then Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, and collected personal information about her, including her home address. DePape kept the information in a computer file he labeled “favorite politicians.” DePape intended to kidnap the then-Speaker, hold her hostage, and break her kneecaps.
The evidence at trial demonstrated that on the night of the assault, DePape used public transportation to travel from the East Bay to San Francisco while carrying two backpacks that contained a hammer, sledgehammer, duct tape, rope, zip ties, and electronic items, among other items. After arriving at the Pelosi residence, DePape used the hammer to break the window of a glass door and enter the home. Then-Speaker Pelosi was not home and her husband, Paul Pelosi, was sleeping on the third floor of the home. DePape roamed the home until he found Mr. Pelosi in the third-floor bedroom.
The trial evidence demonstrated that DePape woke Mr. Pelosi and, while standing three to four feet from him holding the hammer and restraints, made various threats including, “I will take you out.” Mr. Pelosi managed to walk to his bathroom and call 9-1-1, during which he carefully used language to alert the emergency operator to the situation without agitating DePape.
Mr. Pelosi convinced defendant to go downstairs to the first floor and continued talking to DePape. When the police arrived, Mr. Pelosi opened the door and the police ordered DePape to drop the hammer he was holding. Instead, DePape struck Mr. Pelosi three times with full force, fracturing his skull. The responding officers immediately tackled Depape and took him into custody.
On November 9, 2022, a federal grand jury indicted DePape, charging him with one count of assault upon an immediate family member of a United States official with the intent to impede, intimidate, or interfere with the official while engaged in the performance of official duties or with intent retaliate against the official on account of the performance of official duties, and one count of attempted kidnapping of a United States official on account of the performance of official duties. The jury convicted DePape of both charges.
Judge Corley scheduled a status conference for December 13, 2022, at 10 a.m. The assault charge carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and the attempted kidnapping charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. However, any sentence will be imposed only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
The National Security and Cyber Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California is prosecuting the case. FBI San Francisco, the U.S. Capitol Police, and the San Francisco Police Department are investigating the case.
Coon Rapids Man Sentenced to Prison for $1.3M Romance Fraud Scheme that Targeted Elderly VictimsRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Coon Rapids man has been sentenced to 36 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and required to pay $1,356,995 in restitution for a romance fraud scheme that targeted elderly victims, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, from at least in or about June 2020 through in or about March 2021, Solomon Eghosa Wilfred, 43, and other scheme participants knowingly and intentionally participated in and facilitated an online romance fraud scheme that targeted primarily elderly victims and lured them into sending money under false pretenses. The scheme relied on impersonating a real or plausible but fictitious person, such as a senior U.S. diplomat or military official, that contacted the victims through online social media applications. The scheme participants then sought to forge a romantic connection with the victims. If successful, the scheme participants would then ask the victims for money purportedly to assist the false persona with some problem or need. Occasionally, the scheme participants would even introduce the victims to a purported third-party intermediary who would corroborate the false persona’s story and assist in defrauding the victims. The victims eventually were directed to send large sums of money by mail or other commercial means to a specified name and address.
Wilfred primarily assisted with the collection and transfer of the fraudulently obtained funds. Wilfred opened at least six Post Office boxes in Minnesota and received hundreds of victims’ packages. He then collected the fraud proceeds and dispersed the money throughout the fraud network. Wilfred also directly communicated with some victims. For example, he sent some victims romantic cards containing trinkets, like wedding rings, and made it appear those mailing came from the false persona. This deepened the fictitious romantic connection and lured the victims into sending more money. In total, Wilfred received over 400 victim packages containing over $1.3 million in fraud proceeds during the scheme. Wilfred kept some of the proceeds for his personal benefit and disbursed the remainder of the proceeds to other scheme participants.
Wilfred pleaded guilty on June 15, 2023, to one count of mail fraud. He was sentenced yesterday by Judge Katherine M. Menendez.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jordan L. Sing and Robert M. Lewis prosecuted the case.
Colombian fashion designer pleads guilty to illegally importing caiman and python skin into the United StatesRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Gzuniga Ltd., and its founder, Nancy Teresa Gonzalez de Barberi, 70, entered guilty pleas today to federal charges arising from the illegal importation of merchandise made from wildlife into the United States from Colombia.
Gzuniga and Gonzalez each pleaded guilty to the charges in the indictment naming them and two other individuals with one count of conspiracy and two counts of smuggling for repeated illegal importation of designer handbags made from caiman and python skin from February 2016 to April 2019. Both the caiman and python species are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), to which both the United States and Colombia are signatories. Gonzalez, a citizen of Colombia, was recently extradited to the United States to face the charges brought against her.
The defendants entered their guilty pleas before United States District Court Judge Robert Scola. Judge Scola set sentencing for both defendants for Feb. 5, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. in Miami. Gonzalez faces up to five years in prison on the conspiracy charge and up to 20 years in prison on each of the smuggling charges, which may be followed by a term of supervised release. In addition, she faces potential fines of up to $250,000 on each count, or twice the intended gain from the relevant conduct, whichever is greater. Gzuniga faces potential fines of $500,000 on each of the three counts of conviction, or twice the intended gain from the relevant conduct, whichever is greater.
The defendants solicited friends, relatives, and employees of Gonzalez’s manufacturing company in Colombia to act as couriers and transport designer handbags on their person or in their luggage while traveling on passenger airlines. Once the designer handbags were smuggled into the United States, they were delivered or shipped to the Gzuniga showroom in Manhattan, New York, where they were put on display for high-end retailers to view and purchase for re-sale in their stores. The conduct involved hundreds of purses, handbags, and totes. The average retail price for these “Nancy Gonzalez” brand handbags was over $2,000.
An additional defendant in the case was also extradited from Colombia and is awaiting trial. A fourth defendant is not currently in custody.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, and Special Agent in Charge Stephen Clark for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) Office of Law Enforcement, Southeast Region, announced the guilty pleas.
The USFWS Office of Law Enforcement in Valley Stream, New York conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Miami Resident Agent in Charge Office of USFWS. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section (NDDS) Judicial Attaché Office in Bogotá, Colombia provided valuable assistance with securing the arrest and extradition of Gonzalez de Barberi. The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) was instrumental in supporting the case. The United States also thanks Colombian law enforcement authorities for their valuable assistance and close collaboration and partnership.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Watts-FitzGerald and Senior Trial Attorney R.J. Powers of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint contains mere allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 22-cr-20170.
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City of Miami police officer charged with attempted possession with intent to distribute cocaine and extortionRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A federal criminal complaint was filed today charging City of Miami Police Department (MPD) Officer Frenel Cenat, 40, of Boynton Beach, Florida, with Hobbs Act extortion and attempted extortion under color of official right, theft of government funds, and attempted possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
According to the criminal complaint, Cenat, in conjunction with an individual he believed to be involved in drug trafficking, agreed to use his MPD issued unmarked vehicle and police position to conduct a traffic stop on a driver who was represented to be carrying a large amount of drug proceeds. After making these arrangements, Cenat carried out this traffic stop on the evening of November 3, 2023, using his lights and siren to pull over the vehicle driven by an undercover agent posing as a drug trafficker who had a backpack containing what were represented to be drug proceeds. As the complaint details, Cenat identified himself as “Officer Martez” of the “Miami PD – Dade County Narcotics Unit,” told the driver that he had been investigating him, and then gave the driver the option of giving Cenat the backpack filled with $52,000 in $100 bills or going to jail. Cenat then took the bag of money, let the driver leave, and met up with the individual who told him about the deal, giving him $13,000 and keeping the other $39,000.
Cenat followed this up by conducting another traffic stop theft in conjunction with that individual. As the complaint explained, Cenat asked the individual if he had anyone who they could stop and steal drugs and money from. This led to Cenat once again using his MPD unmarked vehicle and police lights to stop a different undercover agent who he had been told would be transporting both money and 7 “bricks,” a street term for kilograms of cocaine. This traffic stop took place late in the evening of November 16, 2023, in the area of Deerfield Beach in Broward County. During the stop, Cenat introduced himself as “Officer Martez of the Broward County Sheriff’s Office - Narcotics Unit.” Once again, Cenat pretended to have been investigating the driver and gave him the choice of giving up the drugs and money or going to federal prison. Cenat then took the duffle bag containing $80,000 in $100 bills and 7 kilograms of fake cocaine and allowed the driver to leave. When Cenat arrived at the location arranged for the split of the proceeds, he was arrested, and the 7 kilogram-shaped packages and a large quantity of $100 bills were found in his official MPD vehicle.
A pre-trial detention hearing has been scheduled in this matter for Nov. 28 at 9:00 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Panayotta Augustin-Birch in Fort Lauderdale. A preliminary hearing, arraignment and report rate counsel hearing is scheduled for Dec. 1 at 11:00 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Augustin-Birch.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of FBI, Miami Field Office, Chief of Police Manuel A. Morales of the City of Miami Police Department (MPD), and Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division, announced the charges.
The FBI Miami Palm Beach Resident Agency, DEA Miami Division, along with the Miami Area Corruption task force which includes officers from the City of Miami Police Department’s Internal Affairs Section investigated the case. U.S. Attorney Lapointe thanked the City of Miami Police Department for their invaluable assistance with this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward N. Stamm is prosecuting the case.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners are committed to rooting out corrupt officials,” stated U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida. “We will continue to investigate and prosecute corrupt officials, to include law enforcement officers, that breach the public’s trust by carrying out criminal acts. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is grateful for the invaluable assistance provided by FBI, DEA, and City of Miami Police Department in this matter.”
“I want to thank the City of Miami Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida for their close partnership and diligence throughout this investigation,” said Jeffrey B. Veltri, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Miami Field Office. “The FBI is committed to bring to justice government officials, including police officers, who choose to abuse their positions of trust and authority for personal profit. Public corruption is our top priority among criminal investigations.”
“The DEA Miami Field Division stands ready to assist our federal and state law enforcement partners with the investigation and prosecution of any and all serious drug-related crimes,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “The DEA is committed to holding those accountable who violate the public’s trust.”
“The Miami police department is always pleased to work with our local and federal partners,” said Chief of Police Manuel A. Morales of the MPD.
A criminal complaint contains mere allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 23-mj-6566.
A copy of the criminal complaint is attached here:
Criminal Complaint###