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Wednesday 4 October 2023
Ohio Man Charged with Operating Illegal Gambling Businesses and Tax FraudRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Cleveland returned a superseding indictment today charging Steven Saris of Canton, Ohio, with operating illegal gambling businesses (IGBs), tax evasion, conspiracy to defraud the United States, willful failure to collect and pay over employment taxes, money laundering and an obstruction-related offense. Saris was previously indicted and charged with one count of owning and operating an IGB.
According to the superseding indictment, from 2012 through 2022, Saris owned and operated multiple IGBs in Ohio, including Café 62, Lucky’s, Winner’s World, Spin City and an IGB located in Springfield, Ohio. He allegedly concealed his involvement in these IGBs by having others serve as the nominee owners of the businesses. Saris allegedly did not file personal income tax returns with the IRS for 2016 through 2021 even though he allegedly received more than $4 million in income from the IGBs. To further conceal his involvement in and income from the IGBs, Saris allegedly destroyed and directed others to destroy business records associated with each IGB. The indictment further alleges that Saris paid IGB employees in cash and did not account for or pay over employment taxes.
The indictment alleges that Saris lied to investigators about his ownership and involvement in Winner’s World and attempted to prevent investigators from finding and taking his cell phone during the execution of a search warrant at his home by allegedly concealing it inside the water tank of a toilet.
If convicted, Saris faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each count of tax evasion, illegal gambling business, conspiracy, employment tax and destruction and removal of property to prevent seizure; he faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison for each money laundering count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation; the Stark County, Ohio, Prosecutor’s Office; the U.S. Department of Treasury Office of Inspector General; Homeland Security Investigations; the Ohio Casino Control Commission and the Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission, Major Crimes Task Force are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Sam Bean of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Howell for the Northern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Office Manager of Senior Assisted Living Facility Charged for $1.5 Million Embezzlement SchemeRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Amy Elizabeth Curry, 46, of Waynesville, N.C., has been charged with wire fraud and money laundering, for allegedly embezzling at least $1.5 million from a senior assisted living facility, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in North Carolina, joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to allegations in the indictment, from December 7, 2022, to April 4, 2023, Curry executed a scheme to defraud and embezzle at least $1.5 million from Silver Bluff, LLC (Silver Bluff), a senior living and care facility in Canton, N.C. As alleged in the indictment, Curry worked at Silver Bluff from July 2022 through April 2023, as the facility’s office manager and bookkeeper. As part of her duties, Curry had access to and control over Silver Bluff’s bank accounts and accounting records. The indictment alleges that, during a five-month period, Curry made at least 154 unauthorized bank transfers, and defrauded Silver Bluff by transferring at least $1.5 million from the facility’s bank accounts to bank accounts controlled by Curry and her then-boyfriend J.C. The indictment also alleges that in March 2023, Curry purchased a 2020 Ford F-150 pick-up truck, using funds derived from the embezzlement of Silver Bluff.
In addition to the charges, the indictment also contains a notice of forfeiture, which gives notice that the defendant must forfeit to the United States all of the property, currency and monetary instruments involved in the offenses charged in the indictment. The government will pursue a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of at least $1,518,771, which the government contends constitutes the proceeds of the violations alleged in the charging document. Also subject to forfeiture proceedings are items seized during the investigation, including four vehicles (a 2023 Polaris, a 2023 Nissan Maxima, a 2020 Ford F-150, and a 2020 Kia Optima), and $117,867.49 seized from four bank accounts.
The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The wire fraud charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. The money laundering offense carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the FBI and the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville is in charge of Curry’s prosecution.
New York City Correction Officer Charged with Salary and Overtime FraudRead the Press Release
A criminal complaint was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging New York City Department of Correction (DOC) officer James Internicola with federal program fraud. Internicola was arrested this morning and his initial appearance is scheduled for this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Marcia M. Henry.
Internicola has been a correction officer with the DOC since January 1996. In 2019, he began working at a warehouse at Rikers Island which manages supplies for the jail facility, as well as facility garbage and recycling. Currently, Internicola is primarily responsible for all recycling operations at Rikers Island.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, New York Field Office (FBI), and Jocelyn E. Strauber, Commissioner, New York City Department of Investigation (DOI), announced the charges.
“As alleged, the defendant defrauded the people of New York City and the New York City Department of Correction by claiming to work significant amounts of hours, including overtime, that he did not actually work,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Instead of being at work, the defendant was often at home or even on vacation. Correction officers who steal tax dollars by fraudulently obtaining compensation should take note of today’s arrest and know that this Office is working with our law enforcement partners to root out corruption at Rikers Island.”
“Internicola’s alleged crime taints every law enforcement officer who takes an oath to uphold the law," stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Smith. “The FBI maintains a zero-tolerance policy for individuals who commit fraud and steal from law abiding taxpayers.”
“This Correction Officer, as charged, stole over $171,000 from the City by falsely claiming he was at work on Rikers Island, including for overtime hours, when in fact he was vacationing in Aruba and the Jersey Shore, or at home on Staten Island. His false timesheets allegedly included 2,250 hours of time he did not work, a staggering figure. I thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York for its commitment to protect City resources – including salaries paid to City workers – from theft and abuse,” stated DOI Commissioner Strauber.
According to the complaint, Internicola fraudulently obtained more than $171,000 in salary and overtime pay by lying about the hours he worked from at least July 2021 to January 2023. During this time period, Internicola claimed to work large amounts of overtime nearly every week. In fact, based on license plate reader data, E-Z pass toll records and cell site location information, Internicola frequently showed up to work more than two hours late and left work several hours early. In many instances, Internicola claimed to be at work when he actually never showed up to Rikers Island at all, including when he was at his home on Staten Island, visiting the Jersey Shore or vacationing in Aruba. In total, Internicola claimed to have worked more than 2,250 hours in a period of approximately 18 months and he fraudulently received the equivalent of more than a year of his base salary.
The charges in the complaint are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, the defendant faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Philip Pilmar and Andrew D. Grubin are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
JAMES INTERNICOLA
Age: 56
Staten Island, NYE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-MJ-867
Navajo Woman Pleads Guilty to Involuntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Leticia Ashley pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter. Ashley, 38, of Navajo, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain under supervision pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
According to court documents, on July 29, 2022, Ashley was driving with four of her minor children in the vehicle. Ashley was intoxicated and speeding when she lost control of the vehicle, causing it to leave the roadway and roll over several times. Ashley’s five-year-old daughter died as a result of the vehicle crash and her other children were injured.
At sentencing, Ashley faces up to 8 years in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Crownpoint Police. Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly Bell is prosecuting the case.
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Mexican National Sentenced to Prison for Meth Distribution in NE GeorgiaRead the Press Release
ATHENS, Ga. – A Mexican national who was residing in Atlanta was sentenced to ten years in federal prison for methamphetamine distribution in the Athens-Clarke County region.
Esteban Palacios Chamu, 30, of Atlanta and Mexico, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Tilman E. Self, III on Oct. 3 after he previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The defendant is not eligible for parole.
“The distribution of large quantities of the most addictive illegal drugs contributes to criminal activity that is undermining the safety of our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Local law enforcement is collaborating with our office and our partners at every level to identify and hold accountable those individuals and criminal groups participating in the distribution of this poison.”
“Those who distribute methamphetamine create a serious risk to the community,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “This trafficker can no longer deliver dangerous drugs on the streets and must now face the consequences of his actions.”
According to court documents, a Madison County Sheriff’s deputy pulled Chamu’s vehicle over for failing to maintain its lane on Dec. 10, 2021, in Colbert, Madison County, Georgia. The defendant, who was driving, did not have a driver’s license or identification card. Chamu gave his name and date of birth; the officers discovered Chamu had arrest warrants out of Doraville, Georgia. An officer smelled marijuana coming from Chamu’s car. Chamu was placed under arrest. Inside Chamu’s car, officers found a drug ledger, a plastic bag with a large chunk of methamphetamine, a large gallon-size bag with methamphetamine, a baggie with methamphetamine, a black bag with digital scales and several cell phones, plus more digital scales, a box of Ziplock bags and other drug distribution items in the glove box. Officers discovered additional methamphetamine wrapped in duct tape hidden inside one of the seats. In all, Chamu was in possession of 1,190.21 grams of methamphetamine.
The case was investigated by the DEA, the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, the Georgia State Patrol, the Athens-Clarke County Police Department and the Greene County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamara Jarrett prosecuted the case for the Government.
Meth Smuggler Sentenced to Nearly Six YearsRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – David Lee McCracken, II, 45, of Tucson, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Scott H. Rash to 70 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. McCracken pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
On August 22, 2022, United States Border Patrol agents encountered McCracken at the SR-286 checkpoint driving a sedan. McCracken consented to a search of his vehicle’s trunk, during which an agent observed a large spare tire and rim for an off-road vehicle inside the trunk. When the agent directed McCracken to secondary inspection, McCracken abruptly fled at a high rate of speed. After an extensive search, agents located McCracken, the vehicle, and tire. The tire contained 55 packages of methamphetamine, totaling approximately 25 kilograms.
Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stefani Hepford, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR 22-02028-TUC-SHR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-146_McCracken# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Member of counterfeit savings bonds ring convictedRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas - A 45-year-old California woman has pleaded guilty to conspiring to make, pass and transfer counterfeit U.S. savings bonds and passing counterfeit savings bonds.
Summer Marie Creech and others conspired to create counterfeit Department of the Treasury Series I savings bonds. They then passed the counterfeit bonds at financial institutions using other people’s identities and split the proceeds.
As part of her plea, Creech admitted that beginning in or around 2019 she learned how to acquire genuine Series I savings bonds numbers. She then used computer software and printers to forge counterfeit bonds. She then sent the bonds to co-conspirators who would pass them at financial institutions and share the proceeds with her.
During the course of the conspiracy, Creech admitted she and others passed over $1.6 million in counterfeit Series I savings bonds.
U.S. District Judge Roland Olvera accepted the plea and set sentencing for Dec. 20. At that time, Creech faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Creech was permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing.
One of Creech’s co-conspirators, Daniel Alan Lewis, 58, California, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to make, pass and transfer counterfeit U.S. securities and passing counterfeit U.S. securities. He is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 12.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Secret Service, Department of the Treasury - Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edgardo J. Rodriguez is prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorney David D. Hamstra of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.
Montgomery County Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine Trafficking in Susquehanna CountyRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Tylee Brown, age 38, of Norristown, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on October 3, 2023, before US. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, to the charge of possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Brown admitted to possessing between 1.5 kilograms and 5 kilograms of high-quality crystal methamphetamine for further distribution in the Susquehanna County area in April 2020.
The charges against the defendant resulted from an investigation conducted by the Pennsylvania State Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Under federal law, the offense carries a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison, up to a maximum sentence of life in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Leader of Chicago Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 12 and a Half Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A leader of a drug trafficking organization that sold heroin, fentanyl-laced heroin, and fentanyl-analogue laced heroin on the Northwest Side of Chicago has been sentenced to twelve and a half years in federal prison.
KELVIN FRANKLIN conspired with more than 15 others to traffic narcotics in Chicago’s Humboldt Park neighborhood in 2019. A lengthy investigation, led by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Chicago Police Department, shut down an open-air drug market utilized by the conspirators in the 1000 block of North Monticello Avenue in Chicago. During the probe, agents and officers made approximately eighty undercover purchases of heroin, fentanyl-laced heroin, and fentanyl-analogue laced heroin from various members of the crew. The dealers occasionally held “pass outs” of free drugs to entice customers to buy additional drugs from them.
Franklin supervised other traffickers and also personally sold some of the drugs. He and other managers coordinated with street-level dealers to ensure that they had sufficient quantities of narcotics to distribute to customers. In addition to the drug sales, Franklin also attempted to procure a loaded handgun for a member of the crew at the open-air market. Law enforcement intervened and the gun was seized.
Franklin, 32, of Chicago, pleaded guilty earlier this year to a federal drug conspiracy charge. U.S. District Judge John J. Tharp, Jr. imposed the sentence Monday after a hearing in federal court in Chicago.
Franklin’s sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Sheila G. Lyons, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the DEA, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of CPD. Substantial assistance was provided by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office and the IRS Criminal Investigation Division in Chicago. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard M. Rothblatt and Jason A. Julien represented the government.
The investigation was conducted with the support of the Chicago High Intensity Drug Trafficking Task Force (HIDTA). The task force is comprised of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies who work together to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations.
Franklin was one of 18 individuals charged in federal court in 2020 as part of the investigation. To date, 16 federal defendants have pleaded guilty.
Leader of Drug Delivery Service Responsible for Three Fentanyl Poisoning Deaths Sentenced to 30 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that BILLY ORTEGA, a/k/a “Jason,” was sentenced to 30 years in prison today for running a drug delivery service that distributed dangerous drugs for over seven years, including the fentanyl that killed three New Yorkers on a single day: Julia Ghahramani, Amanda Scher, and Ross Mtangi. ORTEGA was convicted following a two-week trial in January 2023 before U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams, who imposed today’s sentence.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Billy Ortega ran a drug delivery service that delivered fentanyl, killing three victims on a single day. Worse yet, Ortega was fully aware that a customer had previously overdosed from the deadly fentanyl Ortega laced into his product yet continued sending the drugs to his victims. Even after Ortega learned that his drugs killed three people, he told another drug dealer that they were too strong and to give them to other unsuspecting victims. Ortega’s callous and remarkably evil conduct rightly deserved a significant sentence. This sentence sends a message to the fentanyl traffickers causing the fentanyl epidemic in our communities that they will bear the most serious consequences.”
According to court documents and the evidence presented at the trial of ORTEGA:
BILLY ORTEGA was the leader of a major drug trafficking conspiracy, distributing dangerous drugs in New York City via a crew of workers from at least in or about 2015 to in or about February 2022. ORTEGA used his mother’s apartment in Manhattan as his stash house, employing family members and close friends to manage his drugs and cash and to deliver his drugs to customers. ORTEGA carried guns, supplied guns to his workers, and stored guns in the stash house to protect his drugs and drug money. For years, ORTEGA ran his drug delivery service by text message, acting like a dispatcher, coordinating drug deliveries by messaging his couriers and his customers.
In March 2021, ORTEGA mixed fentanyl into a weak batch of cocaine and sold it to at least five customers, who had no idea that they were receiving cocaine mixed with that deadly opioid. In the course of a single day – March 17, 2021 – ORTEGA delivered, through one of his couriers, fentanyl-laced cocaine to Ghahramani, Mtangi, and Scher at three separate locations in Manhattan. All three victims died after consuming the drugs distributed by ORTEGA.
On the day of the three poisonings – and prior to the fentanyl being delivered to any of the three victims – ORTEGA received a text message from a different customer warning ORTEGA that his drugs had almost killed someone else. Specifically, that other customer sent ORTEGA the following text message: “Hey man. Just on a follow up from yesterday - I gave most of my last bag to my buddy and he just called me this second to say he ended up in hospital last night. [. . .] He had to get a Narcan shot and was released in the early hours.”[1] ORTEGA read this text message prior to coordinating the three deliveries of the drugs, from the same fentanyl-tainted batch of cocaine, that killed the three victims in this case.
Later that night on March 17, 2021, after the victims had stopped responding to ORTEGA’s text messages, ORTEGA offered the fentanyl-tainted batch of cocaine to another drug dealer, so he could test it out on “some girls” and see what happens. Specifically, ORTEGA texted the drug dealer: “If you[’re] going to be around [the] way let me know have some every one is saying it’s to[o] Strong . . . Give it to some girls and you let me know lol bro.” And when it became clear that ORTEGA had killed his customers, ORTEGA did not change course and stop selling dangerous drugs. ORTEGA changed his cellphone number and continued selling drugs every day until he was arrested nearly a year later.
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BILLY ORTEGA, 37, of West Milford, New Jersey, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, acetylfentanyl, and cocaine, the use of which caused the deaths of Julia Ghahramani, Amanda Scher, and Ross Mtangi; distribution of fentanyl, acetylfentanyl, and cocaine to Ghahramani, the use of which caused her death; distribution of fentanyl and cocaine to Scher, the use of which caused her death; distribution of fentanyl and cocaine to Mtangi, the use of which caused his death; and carrying, use, and possession of a firearm in connection with, and in furtherance of, the narcotics conspiracy. In addition to his prison sentence, ORTEGA was sentenced to five years of supervised release.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”) New York Strike Force, the SDNY Digital Forensic Unit, and the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Intelligence Analysts for their support and assistance in this matter.
The OCDETF New York Strike Force provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The specific mission of the New York Strike Force is to target, disrupt, and dismantle drug trafficking and money laundering organizations, reduce the illegal drug supply in the United States, and bring criminals to justice. The Strike Force is affiliated with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (“DEA”) New York Division and includes agents and officers of the DEA; NYPD; New York State Police; Homeland Security Investigations; U.S. Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; New York National Guard; U.S. Coast Guard; New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision; Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office; Fort Lee Police Department; Palisades Interstate Parkway Police; Teaneck Police Department; Hillsdale Police Department; Closter Police Department; Northvale Police Department; River Vale Police Department; Englewood Police Department; Saddle River Police Department; Bergen County Sheriff’s Department; Hawthorne Police Department; and Hackensack Police Department.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Micah F. Fergenson, Michael R. Herman, and Robert B. Sobelman, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialists Alex Frenchman and Christine Woods, are in charge of the prosecution.
[1] “Narcan” is an opioid antagonist used to counteract the deadly effects of drugs like fentanyl.
Kansas Man Indicted on Interstate Stalking and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Yesterday, a federal grand jury returned a five-count Indictment against RIGOBERTO ALEXANDER MURILLO, 44, of Wichita, Kansas, charging him with interstate stalking, interstate violation of protection order, felon in possession of firearms, possession of unregistered firearms, and unlawful possession of a machinegun, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to the Indictment, on or about August 7, 2023, Murillo traveled from Sedgwick County, Kansas to McClain County, Oklahoma with the intent to harass another person. The Indictment further alleges Murillo traveled from Kansas to Oklahoma with the intent to violate a Kansas protective order that prohibited him from contacting the victim. According to the Indictment, Murillo removed a victim’s license plate and battery from their vehicle. Murillo is also charged with (1) possession of firearms after a prior felony conviction, (2) possession of unregistered firearms, and (3) unlawful possession of two machinegun conversion kits, which modify firearms to automatically shoot more than one shot by a single pull of the trigger.
Murillo will be arraigned in federal court on the charges. If found guilty of interstate stalking, interstate violation of protection order, possession of an unregistered firearm, or unlawful possession of a machinegun, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison on each charge. If found guilty of being a felon in possession of firearms, he faces up to 15 years in federal prison.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the McClain County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan J. West is prosecuting the case.
This case is also part of “Operation 922.” Operation 922 is the Western District of Oklahoma’s implementation of Project Safe Neighborhoods, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. “Operation 922” prioritizes prosecution of federal crimes connected to domestic violence. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://justice.gov/psn and https://justice.gov/usao-wdok.
The public is reminded that these charges are merely allegations, and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Reference is made to public records for more information.
Jury Finds District Man Guilty of Second-Degree Murder in 2020 Shooting in Southeast D.C.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Ravel Mills, 29, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a jury yesterday of second-degree murder while armed and other charges in the April 2020 fatal shooting of 28-year-old Toussaunt Tarquann Strong in Southeast D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Mills was also found guilty of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and carrying a pistol without a license. The verdict followed a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Michael K. O’Keefe will sentence Mills on January 12, 2024. Mills faces a statutory maximum penalty of up to 55 years in prison for both crimes. Under the Voluntary Sentencing Guidelines, however, his sentencing range for the second-degree murder while armed is 12 to 24 years in prison.
According to the evidence presented at trial, shortly before 7:00 pm on April 18, 2020, Toussaunt Strong was outside his father’s home in the Shipley Terrace neighborhood. Mills encountered Mr. Strong after Mills exited a nearby home and then pointed a weapon at Mr. Strong. In response, Mr. Strong fled. Mills then chased Mr. Strong up the 3400 block of 24th Street SE. As Mills got closer to Mr. Strong, Mills pulled his jacket hood over his head, pointed his gun, and shot Mr. Strong multiple times. Video cameras captured the chase, however, the shooting itself was not captured on camera nor were there any eyewitnesses to the murder. The Government presented video surveillance, circumstantial, and motive evidence in securing the conviction.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves and Acting Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including: Assistant U.S. Attorney Sharon Donovan; Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Korba who investigated and indicted the case; and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Miles Janssen and Andrea Antonelli who prosecuted the case.
Jury Convicts Long Island Fishing Captain of Conspiracy, Mail Fraud and Obstruction of JusticeRead the Press Release
A federal jury in Central Islip, New York, convicted a Long Island fisherman today for crimes associated with his captainship of the trawler New Age from 2014 to 2017. The jury unanimously convicted Christopher Winkler of Montauk, New York, of one count of federal criminal conspiracy, two counts of mail fraud and two counts of obstruction of justice.
On at least 200 fishing trips, Winkler targeted summer flounder (fluke) and black sea bass and harvested those fish in excess of quotas and state trip limits. He also falsified Fishing Vessel Trip Reports (FVTRs) for those trips. His co-conspirators falsified corresponding dealer reports. Both sets of false documents were used to cover up fish that Winkler took in excess of quotas.
Photo of a man and the fishing vessel New Age, taken from surveillance footage. Image was presented as exhibit 9209 during trial in U.S. v. Christopher Winkler, case no. 2:21-cr-00217 in the Eastern District of New York.“Fluke and black sea bass play a vital part in our marine ecosystem and quotas are designed to prevent overfishing and stabilize populations for the public good,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “We will continue to seek justice against those who flout laws that protect fisheries and the fishing industry.”
“While most U.S. fishermen follow the law, some still feel that they are above it,” said Michael Henry, Acting Assistant Director of NOAA's Office of Law Enforcement, Northeast Division. “It is our job to protect honest fishermen and good actors and this verdict should serve as a reminder that those who break the rules will be held accountable.”
Fishing quotas for fluke and black sea bass were designed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the New York Department of Environmental Conservation to ensure a long-term, sustainable population of the fish. As part of the fisheries management plan, NOAA requires fishing captains like Winkler to accurately complete an FVTR at the end of each fishing trip. Winkler was required to declare his catch – which included fish species and weights – to NOAA and the State of New York. To cover up his illicit harvest and landings, Winkler falsified approximately 200 FVTRs that he then mailed to NOAA.
Similarly, a fish dealer – which is the first company that buys fish directly from a fishing vessel –must specify what it purchases on a federal form known as a dealer report. NOAA uses this information to set policies designed to provide for biologically and economically viable fish stocks. Winkler sold illegal fish to three fish dealers. Because a mismatch between FVTRs and dealer reports would have alerted fisheries statisticians and enforcement personnel, Winkler’s co-conspirators falsified dealer reports to cover up that fish were taken in excess of quotas. The entire scam netted an overharvest of approximately 200,000 pounds of fluke and black sea bass, valued conservatively at least at $750,000 (wholesale).
In a related case, Bryan Gosman and Asa Gosman of Bob Gosman Co. Inc. – a Montauk-based fish dealer – previously pleaded guilty to a charge of criminally conspiring with Christopher Winkler in November 2021. They testified at the trial against Winkler. It was revealed during the trial that Bryan Gosman had served as a lookout for Winkler on at least 16 occasions during the conspiracy, often communicating by text before the defendant arrived at the dock.
Sentencing for all three defendants will be scheduled by the court.
NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement investigated the case as part of Operation One-Way Chandelier.
Christopher L. Hale and Kenneth Nelson of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section prosecuted the case, with logistical support from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.
Jackson Woman Sentenced to Prison for Conspiracy to Commit Bank FraudRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson woman was sentenced to 27 months in prison for conspiracy to commit bank fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Acting Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune of Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans.
According to court documents, Latasha Wise, 36, conspired with others to obtain bank loans through fraudulent means. Austin used false names and social security numbers that did not belong to her to obtain bank loans. She pled guilty on June 27, 2023 to conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
The case was investigated by the Madison, Mississippi Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles W. Kirkham prosecuted the case.
Imperial County Dentist and Former Office Manager Plead Guilty in Multi-Million Dollar Medicare FraudRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Dr. Javad Aghaloo, an Imperial County dentist, and Theresa Flores, his office manager, pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday, admitting that they conspired to defraud Medicare and cover it up.
Aghaloo entered a guilty plea to conspiring to commit health care fraud by billing Medicare for procedures that were not covered, not performed, or otherwise not necessary. As part of his plea, Aghaloo agreed to forfeit more than $1 million in property and pay restitution to Medicare in the amount of $8,476,466.23. Flores entered a guilty plea to obstructing a Medicare audit.
According to court records, Aghaloo and others recruited Medicare beneficiaries to get dental work done at one of Aghaloo’s offices. To recruit Medicare patients, Aghaloo and Flores marketed dental services to individuals in Imperial County as being covered by Medicare. Aghaloo and Flores knew this was untrue since Medicare does not cover dental services.
Once a Medicare beneficiary was in one of Aghaloo’s offices, Aghaloo and others performed some type of procedure (usually a tooth extraction) and submitted false claims to Medicare using the person’s Medicare beneficiary number. Since tooth extractions are not covered by Medicare, Aghaloo’s offices instead submitted false claims for procedures like bone grafts that were never performed.
Between March 1, 2016, and October 18, 2018, Aghaloo and Flores caused Aghaloo’s dental offices to submit over 7,000 false claims to Medicare, totaling over $18 million for which Aghaloo’s offices were paid $8,476,466.23 by Medicare.
To conceal the fraud, between April of 2017 and October of 2018, Flores and Rosas caused false documents to be submitted to Noridian Healthcare Solutions, LLC. (“NHS”), a Federal auditor for the Medicare program.
Sentencing is set for January 12, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Jinsook Ohta.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Alexander.
DEFENDANT Case Number 23cr0616-JO
Javad Aghaloo Age: 50 San Diego, CA
Theresa Flores Age: 45 San Diego, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Commit Health Care Fraud, a felony, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371.
Maximum Penalty: Five years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
Obstructing a Federal Audit, a felony, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1516.
Maximum Penalty: Five years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General.
Ida Grove Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Scott Allen Tomlinson, 49, from Ida Grove, Iowa, pled guilty in federal court in Sioux City, on October 2, 2023, to Possession of Child Pornography.
At the plea hearing, Tomlinson admitted that he knowingly possessed and attempted to possess child pornography, including depictions involving prepubescent minors or minors who had not attained 12 years of age. Law enforcement recovered dozens of images from Tomlinson’s cloud-based storage systems. Tomlinson admitted he used a cellular phone to access the images on the cloud. He further admitted that some of the images included material that portrayed sadistic and masochistic conduct.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Tomlinson was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the guilty plea and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Tomlinson faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment without the possibility of parole, a fine of up to $250,000, and 5 years to life of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the Ida County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-04094.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Guilty plea to bank fraud sends Georgia man to federal prisonRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: An Atlanta-area man has been sentenced to federal prison and ordered to pay nearly $300,000 in restitution after pleading guilty to siphoning money from a private individual’s bank account.
Marqualdis Antwon Logan, a/k/a “Alphonso Baugh,” 38, of Stone Mountain, Ga., was sentenced to 51months in prison after pleading guilty to eight counts of Bank Fraud and one count of Aggravated Identity Theft, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randal Hall also ordered Logan to pay restitution of $272,097 and to serve five years of supervised release after completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Hard-working individuals sacrifice to save money for their future needs, including retirement,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “Marqualdis Logan’s greed-driven scheme stole hundreds of thousands of dollars and damages the financial security of his innocent victims.”
As described in court documents and testimony, a Columbia County woman and her daughter alerted their bank and the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office in September 2020 when they noticed suspicious activity in their money market account. The FBI determined that a fraudulent online profile had gained access to the account and was cashing and depositing online checks into other bank accounts controlled by Logan and others.
The investigation determined Logan wrote checks on the account totaling more than $500,000 and succeeded in depositing or cashing checks totaling $497,136. The restitution in the case represents the outstanding unrecovered funds, which Logan used for purchases and travel. He was arrested in November 2022 while traveling in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
As part of the plea agreement, Logan acknowledged his prior involvement in a scheme in which he withdrew more than $100,000 from another victim’s account by using identifying information stolen from the victim’s deceased husband. Unreimbursed funds from that case, and from Logan’s receipt of $20,832 in funds from a fraudulently obtained COVID-19 small business relief loan, are calculated as part of his restitution.
“These fraud scams, although not violent, are not victimless and can be devastating to individuals and their personal livelihoods,” said Brian Ozden, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “This guilty plea shows the FBI’s dedication to working with our partners to hold anyone accountable who would steal from hard working and honest individuals, rather than put in the work themselves.”
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer A. Stanley.
Gang Member Admits to Racketeering ChargeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A member of the Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crips gang admitted to his role in a racketeering conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Tre Byrd, aka “Bands,” aka “G Bandz,” 22, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton on Oct. 3, 2023, to a superseding indictment that charged him with Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) conspiracy.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From 2015 through Sept. 22, 2022, Byrd was a member of the Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crips, a criminal enterprise responsible for acts of violence and the distribution of controlled substances in the District of New Jersey and elsewhere.
In March 2019, Byrd worked with other members and associates of the gang to murder a gang rival, who was fatally shot on March 20, 2019, in Irvington, New Jersey. On June 20, 2020, Byrd and at least one other member and associate of the gang robbed a victim at gunpoint in Newark.
The defendant faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 7, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the DEA, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz; special agents of IRS - Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins; and special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller; investigators of the U.S. Marshals Service, under direction of Marshal Juan Mattos; the Irvington Police Department, under the direction of Police Division Director Tracy Bowers; the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II; the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Fritz Fragé; the Bloomfield Police Department, under the direction of Director of Public Safety Samuel A. DeMaio; the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Armando B. Fontoura; the East Orange Police Department, under the direction of Chief Phyllis L. Bindi; the Elizabeth Police Department, under the direction of Police Director Earl J. Graves; the Edison Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Tom Bryan; the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan; the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor William A. Daniel; the Spotswood Police Department, under the direction of Chief Philip Corbisiero; and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation Fugitive and Missing Person Task Force, which includes members of the FBI, with the investigations leading to the charges in the Rollin 60’s Neighborhood Crips investigation.
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. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Francesca Liquori of the Special Prosecutions Division.
byrd.sindictment.pdfFour Indicted for Defrauding Federal Program Intended for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses in Connection with A Construction Contract for Cancer Treatment Center at Bay Pines VA Medical CenterRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Matthew West (52, Lantana, Florida), Kevin Kutina (61, Ramona, California), Roberto Gonzalez (58, Palmetto Bay, Florida), and William Gonzalez (51, Orlando, Florida) with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and substantive counts of wire fraud and major fraud against the United States for the conspirators’ alleged roles in fraudulently obtaining a multi-million dollar construction contract. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each of the conspiracy and wire fraud counts, and a maximum of 10 years’ imprisonment on the major fraud against the United States count. The indictment also puts the defendants on notice of the United States intends to forfeit at least $4,835,035, which represents the proceeds of the criminal conduct.
According to the indictment, in July 2016, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) issued a request for bid proposals for a contract to construct the Cancer Infusion Therapy Center (CITC) at Bay Pines VA Medical Center in Pinellas County, Florida. The construction contract, valued between $5 million and $10 million, was for the construction of a 14,909 square-foot building to augment the Bay Pines VA Medical Center’s existing radiation oncology clinic and enable VA health care providers to treat more veterans diagnosed with various types of cancer in an environment that was accessible and patient-centered. The CITC contract was set-aside for service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSBs), which required only bids from qualified businesses be considered.
The indictment alleges that the conspirators utilized a company owned and operated by service-disabled veteran Roberto Gonzalez and William Gonzalez, Maxon Groupe, LLC (Maxon), to submit a bid containing false statements and omissions to be awarded the contract. The conspirators falsely represented qualified employees from Kevcon, Inc. (Kevcon), owned and operated by Kevin Kutina, would serve in supervisory roles per a teaming agreement between Maxon and Kevcon. Additionally, the conspirators failed to disclose to the VA contracting officials that Maxon was a pass-through for Matthew West’s company, West Construction, Inc., which managed nearly all the work for the CITC contract and received most of the payment for the same. West Construction, Inc. was not a company eligible for the SDVOSB set-aside contract. As a result of the false statements and omissions within the bid proposal, the VA awarded the contract to Maxon.
The indictment further alleges that between March 2017 and January 2019, the conspirators submitted multiple invoices for payment. As a result, the U.S. Treasury paid Maxon approximately $4.8 million. During this same period, the conspirators transferred approximately $4.2 million of those funds to West, and in turn, West transferred approximately $1.1 million to Kevcon.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tiffany E. Fields.
Former Missouri Prison Guard Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison for Assault on Inmate, Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A former Missouri prison guard who assaulted an inmate and also possessed child pornography was sentenced to seven years in prison Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Ronnie L. White.
On Oct. 28, 2021, after a verbal disagreement with an inmate about a poster that was damaged during a search of his cell, Carl Hart ordered the victim out of his office in the Eastern Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center in Bonne Terre. Later, when the victim did not immediately return to his cell during a lockdown, two other corrections officers pepper-sprayed the victim. The victim went to the shower to wash off the spray. Hart followed the victim into the shower, struck the victim there and again after the victim had left the shower and was on the ground, handcuffed and compliant. Hart was a sergeant and had worked for the Department of Corrections for 10 years at the time.
In a victim impact letter, the assault victim wrote that the attack had left him with scars in multiple places on his head, face and hand “that I have to look at everyday for the rest of my life,” as well as “the permanent blurry vision in my eye, for the separated and infected ribs I had for 10 months. For the mental trauma I still suffer from – from being beaten by those who were supposed to protect me.”
In a separate investigation, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a tip about suspected child pornography in Hart’s Dropbox account. The Missouri Highway Patrol Digital Forensics Unit found child pornography in Dropbox and on one of Hart’s phones.
One of the victims depicted in the child sexual abuse material found in Hart’s possession wrote, “Knowing that some sick person is looking at me on a computer everyday in a way that no one should look at a kid makes me feel violated, it gives me the jeebers, and it makes me want to throw up.”
In court Wednesday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Krug said, “The defendant did not protect the children being sexually abused in the photos and videos he collected and viewed, he perpetuated their victimization.” She added that Hart also “did not protect a prisoner he was charged with keeping safe.”
Hart, 37, of Farmington, pleaded guilty in May to one count of deprivation of rights under color of law and two counts of possession of child pornography and admitted the above conduct.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Missouri Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Krug prosecuted the case.
Former Ellwood City Resident Sentenced to 15 Years for Violating Child Sexual Exploitation LawsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A former resident of Ellwood City, Pennsylvania has been sentenced in federal court to a total term of 180 months’ imprisonment followed by 8 years’ supervised release on his conviction of attempted production and production of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
David Bates, age 64, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan.
According to information presented to the court, between July 2020 and October 2020, Bates and another individual attempted to and did use, persuade, induce entice and coerce a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of the minor engaged in such conduct.
Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Castle Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Bates.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Federal Jury Convicts Boswell Resident of Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Chase Lane Rocha, age 21, of Boswell, Oklahoma, was found guilty by a federal jury of one count of Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country.
The jury trial began with testimony on October 2, 2023, and concluded on October 4, 2023, with the guilty verdict.
During the trial, the United States presented evidence that on January 24, 2023, Rocha caused the death of the victim by shooting her in the chest with a single-action revolver. The crime occurred in Choctaw County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The guilty verdict was the result of investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Choctaw Nation Tribal Police Department.
The Honorable David C. Joseph, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, sitting by appointment, presided over the trial in Muskogee and ordered the completion of a presentence report. The sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. The defendant will remain in custody of the United States Marshal until sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Flanigan and Special Assistant United States Attorney Genevieve Ozark represented the United States.
Federal Grand Jury Returns an Indictment Charging Two Anne Arundel County Men for Facilitating a Dog Fighting RingRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury returned a 10-count indictment late yesterday charging Frederick Douglass Moorefield, Jr., age 62, of Arnold, Maryland, and Mario Damon Flythe, age 49, of Glen Burnie, Maryland with conspiracy to engage in an animal fighting venture and other charges related to their alleged establishment and promotion of a dog fighting ring.
Flythe and Moorefield are scheduled to have an initial appearance and arraignment on the indictment on Friday, October 6, 2023, at 11:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., respectively, in U.S. District Court in Baltimore before U.S. Magistrate Judge A. David Copperthite. The defendants are currently released under the supervision of U.S. Pretrial Services on related charges.
The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Washington Field Office, Criminal and Cyber Division; Special Agent in Charge Bethanne M. Dinkins of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General; Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service - Mid-Atlantic Field Office; Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal for Maryland Mathew Silverman; and Anne Arundel County Police Chief Amal E. Awad.
“The mistreatment of animals for sport is among the lowest level of human conduct,” said Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland. “Those who engage in this cruelty will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
According to the indictment, Moorefield and Flythe used encrypted messaging applications to communicate with individuals throughout the United States to discuss dogfighting. Moorefield used the name “Geehad Kennels” and Flythe used the name “Razor Sharp Kennels” to identify their respective dogfighting operations.
As alleged in the indictment, Moorefield, Flythe and their associates used the encrypted messaging applications to discuss dogfights, dogfighting, breeding fighting dogs, training techniques to maximize their chances of developing champion fighting dogs, and methods to avoid being caught by law enforcement, as well as to buy and sell veterinary supplies for use on fighting dogs, arrange and coordinate dogfights, and exchange information about wagers on dogfights.
Further, the indictment alleges that between June 2022 and September 2023, the defendants unlawfully possessed, trained, delivered and received dogs to participate in an animal fighting venture and from February 2019 to September 2023 used the internet and text and instant-messaging applications to promote, manage and facilitate gambling related to the dogfights. The indictment also seeks forfeiture of any proceeds derived from, or traceable to, the gambling enterprise.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each of the 10 counts charged in the indictment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, the United States Department of Agriculture – Office of the Inspector General, the DoD Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Anne Arundel County Police Department, Anne Arundel County Animal Control, and thanked the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia for their valuable assistance in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander Levin and Darryl Tarver, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Drug Dealer Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm and Trafficking Meth While on ParoleRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Joseph Lloyd, 37, of Indianapolis, Indiana, has been sentenced to 14 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to illegally possessing a firearm and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, on Wednesday, December 2, 2020, officers with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) were dispatched to Joseph Lloyd’s Indianapolis residence to assist the Marion County Probation Office with an address verification and compliance check. At the time, Lloyd was on probation for dealing cocaine.
Lloyd was notified of the purpose for the visit and allowed officers into the residence. Once inside the home, officers found a handgun directly underneath Lloyd’s wallet. In the bedroom, officers found another handgun inside a hidden compartment in the closet. In the same compartment, officers found controlled substances, including a total of 53.5 grams of methamphetamine, 2.43 grams of Oxycodone, and 5.81 grams of Alprazolam. Officers also found $1,960 in cash and two digital scales with white drug residue in his closet. Lloyd admitted in court that he possessed the methamphetamine with the intent to sell it.
Lloyd was previously convicted of felony dealing in cocaine and possession of a narcotic drug. These felony convictions prohibit him from ever legally possessing a firearm under federal law.
“Even on parole for drug trafficking, this defendant persisted in dealing in deadly drugs while armed with deadly weapons,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers. “Our neighborhoods deserve to be protected from these crimes and those who commit them must be held accountable. Armed drug dealers are a high priority for federal prosecution. I encourage everyone returning to our communities from prison to engage with available services to turn their lives around, rather than returning to conduct that will land you right back behind bars.”
“Unfortunately, firearms and drugs are often found together,” stated Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Columbus Field Division. “In this case, the defendant clearly did not reform his ways after serving time and returned to the community intent on putting poison on the streets and keeping a firearm to ‘protect’ his business. ATF will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to break this destructive cycle.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and IMPD investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Chief Judge, Tanya Walton Pratt. Judge Pratt also ordered that Lloyd be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 4 years following his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Gibson, 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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Corpus man gets hefty sentence after selling controlled substances via FacebookRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 38-year-old local man has been ordered to federal prison for drug trafficking and weapons charges, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Raul Cedillo Jr. pleaded guilty Jan. 3, 2022, to possession of meth with intent to distribute and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now ordered Cedillo to serve 154 months in prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release.
The investigation began after law enforcement saw several posts on his personal Facebook page appeared to be advertising various controlled substances for sale, complete with photographs of Cedillo’s “inventory.” The posts included prices for meth by quantity, such as “"$55 balls, $80 qrtrs, $ 150 half, $275 ounce."
The Facebook posts led to the September 2021 search of Cedillo’s apartment where law enforcement seized approximately three kilograms of meth, 1.3 kilograms of pills, six firearms and a large amount of U.S. currency.
Cedillo will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Corpus Christi Police Department conducted this 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. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany Jensen prosecuted the case.
Convicted Felon Who Led Officers on Foot Chase Pleads Guilty to Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Hampton man pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, on February 7, 2022, individuals called 911 to report a shooting by a male in a silver vehicle in Newport News. Approximately 15 minutes later, Iziaha Tisdale, 25, was observed in a silver vehicle at the scene of the shooting being investigated. Witnesses there identified Tisdale’s vehicle as the shooter’s, but when officers attempted to stop him, he fled on foot. During his flight, he threw a loaded firearm, which officers quickly recovered.
Tisdale was previously convicted in Newport News Circuit Court of attempted unlawful wounding and of maliciously shooting at a car in connection with the February shooting.
Tisdale pleaded guilty to prohibited possession of a firearm and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 1, 2024. He faces a maximum penalty of 15 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; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert J. Krask accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Podlesni is 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. 4:21-cr-85.
Colombian Citizen Admits Conspiring to Transport Hundreds of Kilograms of Cocaine into United StatesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Colombian citizen admitted conspiring to import hundreds of kilograms of cocaine into the United States from other countries including Colombia, Venezuela, and the Dominican Republic, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Raul Orlando Torres Cubides, aka “Jose Jota,” 56, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Esther Salas to count one of an indictment charging him with conspiracy to import five kilograms or more of cocaine.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From 2016 through Jan. 10, 2020, Cubides conspired to import hundreds of kilograms of cocaine. Cubides admitted playing a managerial role in this conspiracy, which involved more than five individuals.
The count to which Cubides pleaded guilty carries a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison, as well as a fine of up to $10 million. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 22, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and task force officers with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) operating in New Jersey, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz in Newark, as well as special agents and task force officers with the DEA operating in Colombia, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. He also thanked the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs; the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section Judicial Attachés in Bogotá, Colombia; Colombian law enforcement authorities; and the U.S. Marshals Service for their assistance.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Farhana C. Melo of the OCDETF/Narcotics Unit in Newark.
cubides.indictment.pdfChesterfield Woman Sentenced for Defrauding Medicaid of More than $200,000Read the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Chesterfield woman was sentenced today to 84 months in prison for defrauding Virginia Medicaid of $211,176.96 in a home health care fraud scheme that lasted over seven years.
According to court documents, from 2013 to 2021, Virginia Jackson-Wallace, 65, fraudulently billed Medicaid when she claimed two family members were providing home health care to her and two other Medicaid recipients when, in fact, they were not providing home health care. The defendant knowingly submitted over 200 fraudulent timesheets to Medicaid that falsely claimed an aggregate 22,938 hours of home health care that was not provided. To facilitate her scheme, the defendant opened joint bank accounts with the two purported aides but maintained exclusive control over these bank accounts, and thus exclusive control over the funds of her fraudulent scheme. The defendant had over 50 prior felony convictions, most of them related to a variety of fraud schemes.
After Jackson-Wallace pleaded guilty to this scheme and while on pretrial release, she deposited two fraudulent checks and withdrew funds the bank credited to her account as a result. The Court subsequently found the defendant in violation of the terms of her pretrial release, and revoked the defendant’s bond, ordering her held in prison pending sentencing.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); and Jason Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck.
The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit provided significant assistance in this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shea Gibbons prosecuted 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. 3:21-cr-73.
Chelsea Man Arrested for Selling Fake Social Security Cards and Green CardsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Chelsea man was arrested yesterday for allegedly selling fraudulent Social Security cards and Legal Permanent Resident cards, often referred to as “Green Cards.”
Wilberto Sandoval Mazariego, 40, was charged with one count of unlawful transfer of a document or authentication feature. Sandoval Mazariego was arrested near his residence yesterday and, following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston, was detained pending a hearing set for Oct. 5, 2023.
According to the charging documents, during an investigation into Tomas Xirum for selling fraudulent Green Cards and fraudulent Social Security cards, law enforcement allegedly identified Sandoval Mazariego as the creator of the fraudulent documents Xirum was selling. Following Xirum’s arrest in August 2022, law enforcement allegedly found a text message string between Xirum and Sandoval Mazariego that contained approximately 568 attachments. It is alleged that in the messages, Xirum would regularly text Sandoval Mazariego pictures of unknown persons along with a name, date of birth and country of birth – to which Sandoval Mazariego would later respond with pictures of Social Security cards and/or Green Cards with the person’s photo and information that Xirum provided.
On Aug. 17, 2023, Sandoval Mazariego allegedly sold a fraudulent Green Card and a fraudulent Social Security card to an undercover agent.
On Aug. 21, 2023, Xirum pleaded guilty to three counts of unlawful transfer of document or authentication feature and three counts of unlawful production of document or authentication feature. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 11, 2024.
The charge of unlawful transfer of document or authentication feature and unlawful production of document or authentication feature provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), a specialized investigative group comprising personnel from various state, local, and federal agencies with expertise in detecting, deterring, and disrupting organizations and individuals involved in various types of document, identity, and benefit fraud schemes.
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.
Charleston Woman Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Keara Kilpatrick, 21, of Charleston, was sentenced today to six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for two counts of theft of firearms from a federal firearms licensee and aiding and abetting the thefts.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Kilpatrick drove co-defendant Joshua Azale Mitchell to and from two Kanawha County businesses where Mitchell broke in and stole firearms. On November 9, 2022, Mitchell broke into a Dunbar business and stole a Diamondback Firearms DB15 5.56 caliber rifle and a Smith and Wesson M&P 15-22 .22-caliber rifle. On November 10, 2022, Mitchell broke into a Charleston business and stole a Custom Arms & Accessories LD-15 5.56 caliber rifle and a DPMS Panther Arms A-15 5.56 caliber rifle.
Also on November 9, 2022, Kilpatrick drove Mitchell to and from a third business, where Mitchell tried to break in but was unsuccessful. The store’s security cameras captured video of Kilpatrick driving away in her vehicle with Mitchell. On November 11, 2022, Kilpatrick was driving her vehicle on Washington Street in Charleston when law enforcement officers attempted a traffic stop. Kilpatrick fled before crashing her vehicle in a hotel parking lot. Officers recovered three of the four stolen firearms from Kilpatrick's vehicle.
Mitchell, 21, of Charleston, pleaded guilty to two counts of theft of firearms from a federal firearms licensee and aiding and abetting the thefts on September 13, 2023, and awaits sentencing.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office and the Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan A. Keefe and Brian Parsons prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-28.
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Camden County man sentenced to 100 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to sexual exploitation of childrenRead the Press Release
BRUNSWICK, GA: A Camden County man has been sentenced to 100 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to sexually exploiting multiple children.
Michael Williams Kersey, 45, of St. Marys, Ga., was sentenced to 1,200 months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Engage in Sexual Exploitation of Children; three counts of Sexual Exploitation of Children; and Possession of Child Pornography, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Michael Kersey and his co-defendant exploited vulnerable children for their warped gratification without regard for the lifelong trauma they inflicted on their innocent victims,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “Their lengthy sentences help protect the community from such predatory behavior and reinforces the seriousness of these offenses.”
As described in court documents and testimony, FBI agents in Milwaukee, Wis., infiltrated a private online messaging group in which members shared images and videos of child sexual abuse. That investigation led FBI agents to Kersey’s Camden County residence, where agents found hundreds of images depicting sexual exploitation of at least four children on Kersey’s cell phone and computers. Agents also identified Lesley Henry, 47, of St. Marys, and determined she produced sexually explicit images and sent them to Kersey.
Henry is serving 420 months in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of Production of Child Pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood has scheduled hearings to determine any restitution Henry and Kersey will be ordered to pay.
“Kersey’s determination to pursue lurid desires shows his lack of fear of the law and a willingness to harm children no matter how young they are,” said FBI Senior Supervisory Special Agent Will Clarke of the FBI's Savannah office. “Although the FBI can never fully repair the damage inflicted by these predators, we can ensure that justice is served on those who commit these terrible crimes.”
The case was investigated by the FBI, the Navy Criminal Investigative Service, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Kingsland Police Department, the St. Marys Police Department, and the Camden County Sheriff's Office, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tania D. Groover and Jennifer J. Kirkland.
Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678, or https://report.cybertip.org/.
California Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Jose Rico, 26, of California, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for Possession with Intent to Distribute 400 grams or more of Fentanyl. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Rico to 70 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release.
On July 20, 2022, the Commercial Interdiction Unit was working the Trailways bus station at 16th and Jackson Streets in Omaha. Law enforcement observed Rico depart the bus, traveling from Los Angeles, California, to Cincinnati, Ohio. The officer asked Rico about his travel plans, which he had difficulty answering, and Rico began shaking. The officer took Rico to the back room of the bus terminal, where he read Rico his Miranda rights before searching Rico’s bag. Seven kilos of a white powdery substance were located and two packages of approximately 1,000 fentanyl pills. A forensic lab confirmed the pills and powder were both fentanyl. One of the packages contained Xylazine with fentanyl. Xylazine is a tranquilizer used by veterinarians and is not approved for use in humans. When mixed with street drugs, Xylazine can cause serious medical issues and death by overdose.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Boston Man Previously Convicted of Sex Trafficking Pleads Guilty to Witness IntimidationRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man pleaded guilty today to attempting to prevent a victim, to whom he exposed himself, from testifying against him in a federal proceeding. Defendant was on federal supervised release for sex trafficking at the time of the offense.
Mark Pinnock, 32, pleaded guilty to one count of witness intimidation. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for Jan. 5, 2023. Pinnock was charged in July 2023.
In 2014, Pinnock was sentenced to eight years in prison for a sex trafficking offense and in 2022, was released and under federal supervision while working as an Amazon driver. In July 2022, while on supervised release for the 2014 sex trafficking conviction, a victim reported to local law enforcement that Pinnock exposed his penis to her while delivering a package to the condominium complex where the victim worked as a custodian. As a result, the U.S. Probation Office sought to revoke Pinnock’s term of supervised release and the Court scheduled a hearing to adjudicate Pinnock’s alleged offense.
One week before the hearing, Pinnock sent a co-conspirator to the condominium complex on his behalf. The co-conspirator told the victim not to go to Court and stood with his hand in his pocket as if he had something in it. Pinnock also used an encrypted messaging application to send an anonymous message to the security officer at the complex to “let the cleaning lady know” she would be arrested by immigration officials if she were to go to court. Finally, Pinnock placed three separate phone calls to immigration officials in an attempt to have the victim detained for being unlawfully present in the United States. In the calls to immigration officials, Pinnock falsely claimed that he had heard the victim was gang-affiliated, among other things.
The charge of witness intimidation provides a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. The Brockton Police provided valuable assistance in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mackenzie A. Queenin of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
Benton Harbor Man Indicted for Possessing Firearms as A FelonRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Terrence Terrial Izear Turner, 28, of Benton Harbor, with two counts of being a convicted felon in possession of firearms. The indictment alleges that Turner possessed a Taurus Spectrum pistol in July and a loaded Glock handgun in August 2023. The maximum possible penalty for each count is 15 years in prison.
“We are serious about stopping the proliferation of illegal firearms, especially in West Michigan communities combatting high rates of violent crime, such as Benton Harbor, said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “We will use all the tools at our disposal to hold the offenders disrupting local communities accountable for their illegal gun possession.”
“I am extremely proud of the outstanding work by the Benton Harbor Safe Streets Task Force for successfully investigating the alleged crimes committed by Mr. Turner,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “The FBI is committed to leveraging our law enforcement partnerships to ensure Michigan residents are safe in our communities.”
“The MSP is proud to work with our local and federal partners to target the most violent offenders in and around Benton Harbor,” said Michigan State Police Spl/Lt. DuWayne Robinson. “We work diligently to combat violence and these indictments prove we are dedicated to making our streets safer for all Michiganders.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Benton Harbor Safe Streets Task Force, which is a joint local and federal investigative team that includes the Benton Harbor Department of Public Safety, Michigan State Police, Benton Charter Township Police Department, Berrien County Sheriff’s Office, Pokagon Band Tribal Police Department, and the FBI.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren F. Biksacky as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods, a nationwide initiative to reduce violent crime. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, county prosecutor’s offices, and federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement work closely together to identify and prosecute individuals responsible for driving violent crime in our communities in order to make neighborhoods safer for everyone. Individuals with information or concerns about violent crime or firearms offenses should contact local law enforcement. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, visit: https://www.justice.gov/psn.
A copy of the indictment is attached. The charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Turner Indictment###
Benton Harbor Man Indicted for Possessing A Firearm as A FelonRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Shamonte Demorquez Buchanan, 25, of Benton Harbor, with possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Specifically, the indictment alleges that Buchanan had a loaded Glock handgun. The maximum possible penalty for felon in possession of a firearm is 15 years in prison.
“Felons illegally possessing firearms pose a great danger to our communities in West Michigan, especially in areas where gun violence is inflicted on community members at the highest rates,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “Our office and our law enforcement partners are vigilant, and we will continue these efforts to ensure that the community can feel safe.”
“The gun crimes alleged to have been committed by Mr. Buchanan have no place in our community,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “I would like to thank the Benton Harbor Safe Streets Task Force for their outstanding work disrupting violent criminal activities and ensuring a safer Michigan."
“The MSP is proud to work with our local and federal partners to target the most violent offenders in and around Benton Harbor,” said Michigan State Police Spl/Lt. DuWayne Robinson. “We work diligently to combat violence and these indictments prove we are dedicated to making our streets safer for all Michiganders.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Benton Harbor Safe Streets Task Force, which is a joint local and federal investigative team that includes the Benton Harbor Department of Public Safety, Michigan State Police, Benton Charter Township Police Department, Berrien County Sheriff’s Office, Pokagon Band Tribal Police Department, and the FBI.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren F. Biksacky as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods, a nationwide initiative to reduce violent crime. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, county prosecutor’s offices, and federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement work closely together to identify and prosecute individuals responsible for driving violent crime in our communities in order to make neighborhoods safer for everyone. Individuals with information or concerns about violent crime or firearms offenses should contact local law enforcement. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, visit: https://www.justice.gov/psn.
A copy of the indictment is attached. The charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Buchanan Indictment
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Bennington Man Sentenced for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Chad Moseman, 37, of Bennington, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for distribution and receipt of child pornography. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Moseman to 100 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal prison system. After his release from prison, Moseman will serve 5 years of supervised release.
In July 2021, while conducting an undercover peer-to-peer child pornography investigation, an FBI task force officer in Omaha observed an IP address advertising child pornography to share. The officer confirmed the files advertised child pornography. The IP address resolved to Moseman’s residence in Bennington. The FBI executed a search warrant at Moseman’s residence and seized his electronic devices. A forensic examination showed peer-to-peer software had been utilized on Moseman’s computer. Moseman’s computer also contained images of child pornography captured in thumbnail cache as well as other digital artifacts showing child pornography had been accessed and deleted on the computer. Digital evidence, including text messages, further showed Moseman was at home at the time of the online activity.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Statement on Transfer of Forfeited Munitions to UkraineRead the Press Release
The Justice Department issued the following statement from Attorney General Merrick B. Garland on the transfer of approximately 1.1 million 7.62mm rounds to the Ukrainian armed forces. The U.S. Government obtained ownership of these munitions on July 20, through the Justice Department’s civil forfeiture claims against Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The munitions were originally seized by U.S. Central Command naval forces from the transiting stateless dhow MARWAN 1, on Dec. 9, 2022. The munitions were being transferred from the IRGC to the Houthis in Yemen in violation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2216.
“With this weapons transfer, the Justice Department's forfeiture actions against one authoritarian regime are now directly supporting the Ukrainian people's fight against another authoritarian regime. We will continue to use every legal authority at our disposal to support Ukraine in their fight for freedom, democracy, and the rule of law.”
Anchorage Man Guilty on Drug Trafficking, Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal jury convicted an Anchorage Man on two felony drug counts and two firearm charges after a five-day trial.
Jerod Alexander, 33, was found guilty of possessing and distributing large amounts of illegal drugs and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on Oct. 2, 2023. Alexander was also found guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm on Oct. 4.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Alexander sold 25 grams of heroin to another person during an undercover law enforcement operation in March 2021. Agents received information that the defendant, who was on supervised release in a prior felony drug case, was using short-term vacation rentals to evade law enforcement. Roughly a month later, law enforcement found Alexander in a vacation rental with over 800 grams of a heroin and fentanyl mixture, over 60 grams of heroin, over $13,000 in cash, four firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.
U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason presided over the trial. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 26, 2024. Alexander faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 30 years in prison. He will be held in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending his sentence.
U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska and Special Agent in Charge Antony Jung of the FBI Anchorage Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Anchorage Field Office and the Anchorage Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Ivers and Carly Vosacek prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Alaska’s High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA). HIDTA was established in 2018 to enhance and coordinate efforts among local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, providing equipment, technology and additional resources to combat drug trafficking and its harmful consequences in critical regions of Alaska.
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27 Defendants Charged with Federal Crimes Targeting the United States Postal ServiceRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Daniel B. Brubaker, the Inspector in Charge of the New York Office of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (“USPIS”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging ROBERT DIAZ with robbing two United States Postal Service (“USPS”) carriers of postal keys and, along with Matthew Modafferi, the Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Area Field Office of the USPS, Office of Inspector General (“USPS-OIG”), James Smith, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Edward A. Caban, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), also announced that 26 additional defendants have been charged in the past six months with federal crimes targeting the USPS and involving property stolen from the USPS as part of a multi-agency initiative to increase federal enforcement against perpetrators of mail-related robberies, frauds, and thefts.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “My Office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to protect the safety of USPS employees and the integrity of the United States mail. The indictment against Robert Diaz and the many others who have been charged with mail-related crimes over the past several months should send a clear message that criminally targeting the U.S. mail is a serious federal offense and will not be tolerated.”
USPIS Inspector in Charge Daniel B. Brubaker said: “As Postal Inspectors our primary mission is the protection of our people, the postal employees who serve the public dutifully each day. We will bring a laser-sharp focus to any investigation of violent criminals and individuals who target our employees, and whose members by doing so seek to steal from the public. The charges against these individuals prove the resolve of Postal Inspectors and our law enforcement partners to pursue these organizations with every resource at our disposal, and to ultimately see that justice is served.”
USPS-OIG Special Agent in Charge Matthew Modafferi said: “We appreciate the outstanding effort by both our Law Enforcement partners and the Department of Justice. The vast majority of Postal Service employees are honest, hardworking individuals who would not violate the public’s trust in this manner. An employee who decides otherwise, however, will be aggressively investigated by OIG Special Agents. These cases serve as an excellent example of the successful collaboration between the USPS OIG, our federal and state law enforcement partners, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to pursue and prosecute Postal Service employees and their co-conspirators involved in criminal activity.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Smith said: "The FBI is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to ensure that the United States Postal Service is not targeted for nefarious activity by criminal actors.”
NYPD Commissioner Edward A. Caban said: “The charges announced today allege crimes that targeted and, in some cases, betrayed our mail delivery system to prey on innocent victims. Fortunately, our NYPD investigators and law enforcement partners worked in tandem to disrupt this conduct and bring these defendants to justice. We will continue to work hand-in-hand with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the USPS Office of Inspector General, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York to stamp out mail-related crimes and protect the integrity of a service relied upon by millions of New Yorkers.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment, Complaints, and other public filings:[1]
On June 28, 2022, and July 8, 2022, ROBERT DIAZ robbed postal carriers and stole arrow keys belonging to the USPS. Today, an Indictment was unsealed charging DIAZ with two counts of robbery of a postal carrier and two counts of postal key theft, which carry a total maximum sentence of 40 years in prison.
From January 19, 2022, through April 19, 2023, AUBREY FRAZER, an employee of the USPS, stole mail from a USPS facility in Manhattan. He was charged on June 6, 2023, with mail theft by a postal service employee, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
From May through October 2022, ANDY ARIEL SANTANA cashed more than $100,000 of stolen and fraudulently altered postal money orders in the Bronx. He was charged on August 14, 2023, with money order fraud and receipt of stolen mail, which carry a total maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
From October 24, 2022, through April 15, 2023, SHERROD MURPHY and RAYSHAWN NIBLACK participated in a mail theft scheme targeting relay and panel boxes in the Bronx. They were charged on April 24, 2023, with conspiracy to commit mail theft and postal key theft, which carries maximum sentence of five years in prison.
From January through August 2023, ERIC BROWN purchased stolen checks and other items worth more than $200,000 that had been unlawfully removed from the mail by a postal employee. He was charged on September 28, 2023, with conspiracy to commit mail theft, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
On June 15, 2023, KHAYYAM ALEXANDER, SAHEED DUPREE, and DIAMANTE PERRY used a stolen postal key to steal mail from one or more collection boxes in the vicinity of 73rd Street and Madison Avenue in Manhattan. They were charged that same day with one count of conspiracy to commit mail theft and postal key theft, postal key theft, and mail theft, which carry a total maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
On June 21, 2023, JOSE MATOS possessed more than $60,000 of checks that were stolen from the United States mail and a distribution quantity of crack cocaine. He was charged the following day with receipt of stolen mail and possession with intent to distribute narcotics, which carry a total maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.
On June 26, 2023, LYDELL YANCEY possessed stolen mail and a stolen postal key and was apprehended after being near a collection box in the vicinity of 79th Street and Madison Avenue in Manhattan. He was charged that same day with conspiracy to commit mail theft and postal key theft, postal key theft, and mail theft, which carry a total maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
On July 6, 2023, DEANDRE JACKSON, QUAMEL PIERCE, and RAHEEM WALLACE possessed stolen mail and a stolen postal key and were apprehended being near a collection box in the vicinity of York Avenue and 72nd Street in Manhattan. They were charged that same day with conspiracy to commit mail theft and postal key theft, postal key theft, and mail theft, which carry a total maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
On July 10, 2023, MICHAEL EDWARDS and CARLOS MERCADO used a stolen postal key to steal mail in the vicinity of 74th Street and Lexington Avenue in Manhattan. They were charged that same day with conspiracy to commit mail theft and postal key theft, postal key theft, and mail theft, which carry a total maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and MERCADO was also charged with attempted assault of an officer engaged in official duties, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
On July 25, 2023, JONATHAN CARBUCCIA, JUAN CARBUCCIA, and MANUEL PEREZ stole mail from a collection box in the vicinity of 68th Street and Madison Avenue in Manhattan. They were charged that same day with conspiracy to commit mail theft and postal key theft, postal key theft, and mail theft, which carry a total maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
On August 1 and 8, 2023, CHRISTIAN CEBOLLERO, an employee of the USPS, stole checks and other items from a USPS facility in Manhattan. On August 8, 2023, he was charged with two counts of mail theft by a postal service employee, which carry a total maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
On August 14, 2023, EMMANUEL HERNANDEZ stole mail from a collection box in the vicinity of 79th Street and Madison Avenue in Manhattan. He was charged that same day with one count of mail theft, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
On August 18, 2023, JOHN BURBANO used a stolen postal key to steal mail from collection boxes in the vicinity of 68th Street and Madison Avenue in Manhattan. He was charged that same day with postal key theft and mail theft, which carry a total maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
On August 23, 2023, JEREMY PINALES DIAZ stole mail from a collection box in the vicinity of 33rd Street and Madison Avenue. He was charged that same day with mail theft, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
On September 18, 2023, JAYVAUGN VALENTINE and BRIAN GUTIERREZ used a stolen postal key to steal mail from a collection box in the vicinity of 68th Street and Madison Avenue in Manhattan. They were charged the same day with conspiracy to commit postal key theft and mail theft, postal key theft, and mail theft, which carry a total maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
On September 26, 2023, DONTE GOULBOURNE and ARMANDO KENNETH BENIQUEZ were apprehended in the Bronx after they used a stolen postal key to steal mail. They were charged that same day with conspiracy to commit mail theft and postal key theft, postal key theft, and mail theft, which carry a total maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
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The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the USPIS, USPS-OIG, FBI, NYPD, and the Special Agents and Task Force Officers of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
The cases are being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin M. Burkett, Katherine Cheng, Connie Dang, Lisa Daniels, Jackie Delligatti, Jerry J. Fang, Justin Horton, William Kinder, Henry Ross, Chelsea Scism, and Adam Sowlati are in charge of the prosecutions.
The charges contained in the Complaints and Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaints and Indictment and the description of the Complaints and Indictment set forth in this release constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Tuesday 3 October 2023
Washington Man Sentenced for Hate Crime Targeting LGBTQI+ Community at Seattle NightclubRead the Press Release
A Washington man was sentenced today in federal court for committing a hate crime in connection with an arson at a nightclub and event space in Seattle, Washington.
Kalvinn Garcia, 26, of Sedro Woolley, was sentenced to 48 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for his bias-motivated arson at Queer/Bar, a nightclub and event space in Seattle.
According to facts admitted in his guilty plea, on Feb. 24, 2020, Garcia set fire to the contents of a dumpster in the alley directly behind Queer/Bar. Garcia was arrested only minutes after setting the fire. Garcia admitted to law enforcement that he set the fire and that he targeted Queer/Bar because it angered him to see a sign that said “queer.” Garcia also told officers, “I think it’s wrong that we have a bunch of queers in our society.” A few weeks after the incident, Garcia told a stranger that his intent in setting the fire was to trap and hurt the people inside. Garcia admitted that, through the use of fire, he willfully attempted to cause bodily injury to the occupants of Queer/Bar because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.
“The defendant committed an act of violence targeting innocent victims inside Queer/Bar, a known safe space for the LGBTQI+ community,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Bias-motivated violence runs contrary to our values and violates our federal civil rights laws. This sentence should send the message that every person in our nation deserves equal protection under the law regardless of who they love or how they identify and that those carrying out similar acts of violence against the LGBTQI+ community will be brought to justice.”
“Mr. Garcia endangered the lives of more than 100 people because of his hatred for members of our LGBTQI+ community,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman for the Western District of Washington. “We work diligently with our federal, state and local partners to investigate and prosecute acts of hatred against people because of their sexuality or gender identity. This work is a priority because the effect of these hate crimes can linger in communities and traumatize the members of the targeted community for weeks, months or years after.”
“Mr. Garcia admitted to setting the fire in an effort to hurt people based on his own bias,” said Special Agent in Charge Richard A. Collodi of the FBI Seattle Field Office. “No person in the United States should fear for their safety based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. I am proud of the continued work of the FBI and our partners in protecting the civil rights of all people.”
The FBI Seattle Field Office and the Seattle Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Will Dreher for the Western District of Washington and Trial Attorney Matthew Tannenbaum of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
For more information and resources about the department’s work to combat hate crimes, visit www.justice.gov/hatecrimes.
Washington Man Sentenced for Hate Crime Targeting LGBTQI+ Community at Seattle NightclubRead the Press Release
Seattle – A Washington man was sentenced today in federal court for committing a hate crime in connection with an arson at a nightclub and event space in Seattle, Washington.
Kalvinn Garcia, 26, of Sedro Woolley, Washington, was sentenced to 48 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for his bias-motivated arson at Queer/Bar, a nightclub and event space in Seattle.
According to facts admitted in his guilty plea, on Feb. 24, 2020, Garcia set fire to the contents of a dumpster in the alley directly behind Queer/Bar. Garcia was arrested only minutes after setting the fire. Garcia admitted to law enforcement that he set the fire and that he targeted Queer/Bar because it angered him to see a sign that said “queer.” Garcia also told officers, “I think it’s wrong that we have a bunch of queers in our society.” A few weeks after the incident, Garcia told a stranger that his intent in setting the fire was to trap and hurt the people inside. Garcia admitted that, through the use of fire, he willfully attempted to cause bodily injury to the occupants of Queer/Bar because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.
“The defendant committed an act of violence targeting innocent victims inside Queer/Bar, a known safe space for the LGBTQI+ community,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Bias-motivated violence runs contrary to our values and violates our federal civil rights laws. This sentence should send the message that every person in our nation deserves equal protection under the law regardless of who they love or how they identify and that those carrying out similar acts of violence against the LGBTQI+ community will be brought to justice.”
At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour said, “The potential for panic and trampling and death is incredible… Hate is hate, whether it is impacted by mental health or not.”
“Mr. Garcia endangered the lives of more than 100 people because of his hatred for members of our LGBTQI+ community,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman for the Western District of Washington. “We work diligently with our federal, state and local partners to investigate and prosecute acts of hatred against people because of their sexuality or gender identity. This work is a priority because the effect of these hate crimes can linger in communities and traumatize the members of the targeted community for weeks, months or years after.”
“Mr. Garcia admitted to setting the fire in an effort to hurt people based on his own bias,” said Special Agent in Charge Richard A. Collodi of the FBI Seattle Field Office. “No person in the United States should fear for their safety based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. I am proud of the continued work of the FBI and our partners in protecting the civil rights of all people.”
The FBI Seattle Field Office and the Seattle Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Will Dreher for the Western District of Washington and Trial Attorney Matthew Tannenbaum of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
For more information and resources about the department’s work to combat hate crimes, visit www.justice.gov/hatecrimes.
Unsealed Indictment Charges Connecticut Man with Trafficking Guns and Fentanyl in Rhode Island and ConnecticutRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – A Windsor, CT, resident was arrested and ordered detained on September 26, 2023, after an indictment issued by a federal grand jury in Rhode Island charged him with engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license and conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
According to information presented to the court, it is alleged that, between late February through May 2023, Daniel Alexander Smith, 19, sold seven firearms and ninety grams of fentanyl while under surveillance by members of the Rhode Island FBI Safe Streets Task Force.
Four of the alleged transactions occurred in RI, and included the sale of an AK-47; a Glock 26; a High Standard revolver; a Taurus 9mm handgun; two .22 caliber pistols; and approximately 40 grams of fentanyl. The fifth and final transaction allegedly occurred in the District of Connecticut, when Smith allegedly sold a Glock 19x pistol, a High Standard shotgun, and approximately 51g of fentanyl.
In each instance, the firearms and fentanyl allegedly sold by Smith were quickly seized by members of the Safe Streets Task Force.
Following Smith’s arrest, a court-authorized search warrant was executed on his vehicle, resulting in the seizure of a loaded automatic Glock 22 firearm with a sear switch attached, and a 22-round magazine.
Smith was ordered detained following his arraignment in U.S. District Court in Providence. A federal indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Julie M. White.
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. In May 2021, the Justice 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 matter is being investigated by the FBI Rhode Island Safe Streets Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
The FBI Rhode Island Safe Streets Task Force consists of agents and officers from the FBI, United States Marshals Service, Central Falls Police Department, Cranston Police Department, Pawtucket Police Department, Providence Police Department, West Warwick Police Department, Woonsocket Police Department, and Rhode Island State Police .
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United States Facilitates Court-Ordered Sale of Sayville Motor Lodge to New OwnerRead the Press Release
The United States yesterday completed the sale of the Sayville Motor Lodge in Sayville, Long Island to a company that is partially owned by a principal of a neighboring business with longstanding ties to the community. By Order entered on September 11, 2023, United States District Judge Joanna Seybert approved today’s sale of the Sayville Motor Lodge for the sum of $2 million, with the payment out of the sale’s proceeds to prior lenders on the property. The remaining proceeds are earmarked for forfeiture to the United States government, which will enable the office to seek their use in compensating the victims of the charged conduct through the Department of Justice’s remission procedures.
The Sayville Motor Lodge was a drug-involved property at the center of a sex trafficking conspiracy based on Long Island. In November 2022, an indictment was unsealed in federal court in Central Islip charging Timothy Bullen, Michael Johnson, Narendarakuma Dadarwala, his wife Shardaben Dadarwala, their son Jigar Dadarwala, Ashokbhai Patel, and Himanshu, Inc. d/b/a Sayville Motor Lodge with sex trafficking conspiracy. The Dadarwalas, Patel, and Himanshu, Inc. were also charged with managing a drug premises, and Narendarakuma Dadarwala was charged with distribution of proceeds of prostitution and narcotics businesses. Charges against the defendants are pending. There is no trial date at the present time.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Vincent F. DeMarco, United States Marshal for the Eastern District of New York, announced the sale of the property.
“As a result of this sale, the Sayville Motor Lodge is no longer ground zero of an insidious money-maker for prostitution and narcotics trafficking, and a blight on the surrounding community,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Instead, the property will be repurposed by its new owner for the benefit of the residents of Long Island.”
Mr. Peace thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office, the Suffolk County Police Department, the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office, United States Customs and Border Protection, and Homeland Security Investigations for their work on the case.
“The closing of the sale of this property yesterday is a positive step that will increase public safety in this community,” stated United States Marshal DeMarco.
The Underlying Sex Trafficking Scheme
As set forth in court filings, the Dadarwalas owned and operated the Sayville Motor Lodge since approximately 1984. They resided and worked at the motel. From 2017 to 2019, Ashokbhai Patel was employed and also lived there. The Dadarwalas and Patel facilitated the criminal activity at the Sayville Motor Lodge and profited from the prostitution and narcotics activity that routinely took place there. They were aware that women engaged in prostitution, including at least one minor trafficking victim. They warned traffickers and women engaged in prostitution when law enforcement was on the premises and observed traffickers inflict physical violence on their victims and customers.
From approximately 2014 until 2018, Bullen allegedly operated his sex trafficking business out of the Sayville Motor Lodge, in coordination with the Dadarwalas and Patel; and from approximately 2018 until 2020, Johnson allegedly operated his sex trafficking business out of the Sayville Motor Lodge, in coordination with the Dadarwalas and Patel. Bullen and Johnson trafficked several women out of the motel, including a minor, and routinely subjected the women who worked for them to mental and physical violence. In furtherance of their respective operations, Bullen and Johnson kept the women who worked for them addicted to drugs and introduced them to prostitution in exchange for drugs.
In addition, from 2014 to the present, the Dadarwalas, Patel, and Himanshu, Inc. profited from the narcotics trafficking that was conducted openly on Sayville Motor Lodge property. The defendants allowed customers to freely use drugs, including heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine, in plain view and in motel rooms. Much like the traffickers, drug dealers paid the Sayville defendants for the privilege of selling drugs at the Sayville Motor Lodge.
The Government Obtains Order To Restrain The Sayville Motor Lodge
In connection with the indictment, the government sought to forfeit the Sayville Motor Lodge. In addition, to ensure the property was preserved for forfeiture, the United States obtained an order restraining the defendants from transferring, encumbering or operating the Sayville Motor Lodge in violation of law.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Catherine M. Mirabile, Samantha S. Alessi and Brian Morris are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendants:
TIMOTHY BULLEN, also known as “Trouble,” “T” and “Tiervoni,”
Age: 36
Bay Shore, New YorkMICHAEL JOHNSON, also known as “Wise”
Age: 34
Selbyville, DelawareJIGAR DADARWALA, also known as “Cobra”
Age: 45
Sayville, New YorkNARENDARAKUMA DADARWALA, also known as “Naren,” “Pa” and “Dad”
Age: 77
Sayville, New YorkSHARDABEN DADARWALA, also known as “Sharda,” “Ma” and “Mom”
Age: 70
Sayville, New YorkASHOKBHAI PATEL, also known as “BG”
Age: 59
Omaha, NebraskaHIMANSHU, INC. d/b/a Sayville Motor Lodge
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-494 (JS)
Two from Lexington Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug Conspiracy and Weapon ChargesRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Caleb York Rowell, age 30, of Swansea, South Carolina, and Brandi Leann Clarke, a/k/a “Brandi Savage,” age 26, of Gaston, South Carolina, were both sentenced today in federal court for their roles in a drug conspiracy where they sold firearms and drugs to confidential informants and undercover agents in the summer of 2021. Rowell was sentenced to 292 months imprisonment after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin and fentanyl, felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a short-barreled shotgun not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Clark was sentenced to 57 months imprisonment after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine.
Evidence presented to the Court showed that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) began an investigation into Rowell’s drug distribution in May of 2021. During a recorded call with a confidential informant on May 11, 2021, Rowell bragged about running away from a traffic stop the day before that resulted in a wreck and how officers found his drugs and gun. ATF confirmed that the day before, May 10, 2021, Gaston Police Department had been in a car chase after they attempted to stop a vehicle for a traffic violation. That chase culminated in the driver wrecking the vehicle and fleeing on foot. Along the route where the driver fled, officers were able to locate a fanny pack containing bags of heroin and fentanyl and nearby they found a stolen pistol. Through the recorded call and witnesses at the scene, officers were then able to identify Rowell, who was wearing a state court ankle monitor, as the driver who fled from the scene and discarded the drugs and firearm.
Thereafter, between May and July 2021, law enforcement made a series of undercover purchases of firearms, heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine from Rowell and Clark, Rowell’s girlfriend. One of the firearms sold by Rowell to the undercover agent was an unregistered short-barreled shotgun. Both Rowell and Clark admitted knowing the drugs contained fentanyl and during one transaction, Clark boasted about the quality of the drugs to the undercover agent. Additionally, the investigation revealed that Rowell was a member of a gang, although he disputed membership.
Both Rowell and Clark are prohibited from possessing firearms based upon prior felony convictions in state court. Rowell has prior state convictions for criminal domestic violence, conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine, failure to stop for blue light and siren, driving under suspension 3rd offense, and two convictions for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Clark has two prior state convictions for possession of methamphetamine.
United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Rowell to a total of 292 months imprisonment, to be followed by a 6-year term of court-ordered supervision and a $500 special assessment fee. Clark was sentenced to a total of 57 months imprisonment, to be followed by a 6-year term of court-ordered supervision with a $100 special assessment fee. There is no parole in the federal system. In sentencing the defendants, the court noted the seriousness of the offense, especially since it involved fentanyl, which has shown to be deadly, and noted, “I take all my cases seriously, but when fentanyl is involved, the need to protect the public is critical.”
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) with assistance of the Lexington County Sheriff’s Office, Gaston Police Department, Swansea Police Department, and the Richland County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey D. Haynes prosecuted the case.
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Three men arrested, charged with stealing mailRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Legend Terrance Davis, 20, and Nathan Romar Arnold, 23, both of Rochester, NY, and Blake Montel Crayon, 27, of Willoughby, OH, were arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession of a US Postal Service key and theft of mail. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn M. Hartford, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, since January 2023, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Rochester office has been investigating a string of robberies involving the theft of postal mailbox keys. According to the complaint, early this morning, October 2, 2023, Postal Inspectors were headed to investigate a report that a blue USPS collection box across from the Brighton Station Post Office had been opened. On the way, they noticed two individuals walking in the direction of the Greece Post Office on Latta Road. The descriptions of those two individuals matched descriptions of suspects in previous robberies. A short time later, the Postal Inspectors noticed mail scattered on the ground near a Greece Post Office collection box. A review of video surveillance showed that the two suspects who allegedly robbed the collection box appeared to be the same ones that were seen walking down Latta Road.
Subsequently, at approximately 2:35 a.m. this morning, three collection boxes at the Jefferson Road Post Office were being robbed. At that time, Postal Inspectors conducting surveillance approached with lights and sirens. Defendants Davis and Arnold ran away but were apprehended following a brief foot chase. A third defendant, Crayon, who was driving the getaway car, was also taken into custody.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Ketty Larco-Ward, Boston Division, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter, and the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Wood.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Three Individuals Convicted in $93M Home Health Fraud and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal jury in Miami convicted a Florida man and woman today for their roles in a conspiracy to defraud Medicare by billing over $93 million for home health therapy services that were never rendered.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Karel Felipe, 42, of Miami Shores, and Tamara Quicutis, 54, of Hialeah, conspired with others to submit false bills to Medicare for three home health companies located in Michigan. Their co-conspirators recruited individuals from Cuba to sign Medicare enrollment documents and appear as the owners of the home health agencies to conceal the identities of Felipe, Quicutis, and others involved in the scheme. Felipe, Quicutis, and their co-conspirators used these home health companies to submit claims for services that were not rendered using lists of stolen patient identities. Felipe, Quicutis, and their co-conspirators used hundreds of shell companies and bank accounts to launder the Medicare fraud proceeds and convert the proceeds into cash at Miami-area ATMs and check cashing stores.
After the trial commenced, a third defendant, Jesus Trujillo, 52, of Miami, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to commit health care fraud and wire fraud and one count of conspiring to commit money laundering. Trujillo oversaw a group of people that recruited nominee owners for home health agencies and shell companies and converted Medicare fraud proceeds into cash.
The jury convicted Felipe and Quicutis of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. They are scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 4, 2024, and they face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each conspiracy charge. Trujillo is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 21 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI Miami Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Omar Pérez Aybar of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Miami Regional Office made the announcement.
The FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Jamie de Boer, D. Keith Clouser, and Emily Gurskis of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabrielle Charest-Turken for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, comprised of 15 strike forces operating in 25 federal districts, has charged more than 5,000 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $24 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Temich-Ramirez Charged with Illegally Possessing a ShotgunRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont - The United States Attorney’s Office stated that Ciro Temich-Ramirez, 35, has been charged by criminal complaint with illegal possession of a firearm by an individual who is unlawfully in the United States. Temich-Ramirez initially appeared before Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle on October 3, 2023 and Temich-Ramirez was ordered detained pending trial.
According to court documents, on September 30, 2023, a federal agent encountered Temich-Ramirez less than one mile south of the United States and Canada border in North Troy, Vermont. Temich-Ramirez was standing next to a vehicle. Following a brief conversation, a physical altercation ensued between the agent and Temich-Ramirez. Additional federal agents responded and, after they restrained Temich-Ramirez, found a shotgun in Temich-Ramirez’s car. Temich-Ramirez, who is a Mexican national, is prohibited from possessing firearms because he is an individual unlawfully in the United States.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that a criminal complaint contains allegations only and that Temich-Ramirez is presumed innocent until and unless he is convicted of a crime. As presently charged, Temich-Ramirez faces a maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment if convicted as charged. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the federal district court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and statutory sentencing factors.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts and rapid response of the United States Border Patrol.
The United States is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Stendig. Temich-Ramirez is represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Sara Puls, Esq.
Telecommunications Consultant Pleads Guilty to Violating Sanctions on IranRead the Press Release
Farhad Nafeiy, 70, of Alamo, California, was charged with and pleaded guilty yesterday to a violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) in the Northern District of California.
Under IEEPA, the President of the United States is granted authority to address unusual and extraordinary threats to the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the United States. Under that law, the President has issued orders prohibiting certain activities and transactions with Iran and the Government of Iran. The Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has issued regulations, referred to as the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (ITSR), implementing those orders. These sanctions on Iran generally prohibit, among other things, exporting or facilitating the export of U.S.-origin products to Iran and providing services to Iran.
According to court documents, Nafeiy obtained licenses – or approvals – from OFAC for advising non-Iranian telecommunications companies on doing business with Iran. However, those licenses did not authorize Nafeiy to provide any hardware, software or technology directly to Iran. Nafeiy exceeded his OFAC licenses, thereby violating the ITSR and IEEPA, by directly providing software upgrades to telecommunications equipment in Iran. Nafeiy admitted in his plea agreement that he knew he exceeded these licenses when he did so. In his plea agreement, Nafeiy further admitted that the total amount of sales of such software upgrades to Iran was approximately $400,000. Nafeiy separately was charged with, and admitted to, evading his federal income taxes, and specifically not paying income tax on some of the proceeds of these sales.
On Aug. 10, Nafeiy was charged by information with one count of violating IEEPA and one count of tax evasion. Sentencing is set before the Honorable Aracelli Martínez-Olguín on Jan. 29, 2024.
Homeland Security Investigations and the IRS-Criminal Investigation are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Kingsley for the Northern District of California and Trial Attorney David Ryan of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Kathleen Turner of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California. Former Trial Attorney Elizabeth Abraham provided valuable assistance in prior phases of the prosecution.
Nafeiy InformationStanding Rock Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison for Abusive Sexual ContactRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Brandon Yazzie was sentenced to 17 years in prison. Yazzie, 30, of Standing Rock, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pleaded guilty to two counts of abusive sexual contact on May 25, 2023.
According to court records, on September 22, 2021, the FBI received a referral from the City of Avondale Police Department, Avondale, Arizona. The referral documented the sexual assault of Jane Doe, a minor who was then under 12 years old, by Yazzie on multiple occasions between December 2020 and January 2021 at Yazzie’s residence in Standing Rock, New Mexico. Specifically, Yazzie engaged in sexual contact with the victim and afterward, told her “this never happened” with the intent that his acts would remain secret.
Upon his release from prison, Yazzie will be subject to 10 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Avondale (Arizona) Police Department, Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander F. Flores is prosecuting the case.
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St. Louis Man Sentenced to 27 Months in Prison on Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Ronnie L. White on Tuesday sentenced a man from St. Louis, Missouri to 27 months in prison on a firearm charge.
Allen L. Robinson, 28, pleaded guilty in May to a felony charge of possession of a firearm while under an order of protection. He admitted that at about 3 a.m. on March 19, 2022, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers responding to a call about shots fired in downtown St. Louis encountered Robinson, who matched the description of the shooter. As the police vehicle drove toward Robinson, he stepped out into the street in front of the vehicle and displayed a gun to the officers inside, Robinson’s plea says. The officer drove forward to get away from the threat and then turned around to face Robinson. Robinson ran and was arrested by other officers nearby. He had a loaded Taurus 9mm pistol in his waistband.
Robinson was under an order of protection at the time, prohibiting him from harassing, stalking or threatening a romantic partner. The order also prohibited Robinson from possessing a firearm.
At Tuesday’s hearing, a detective testified that about 30 minutes before Robinson encountered police, a man matching Robinson’s description shot at a van driving by Kiener Plaza, then pointed a gun at someone waiting on the street for a friend. The gunman fired a shot into the air and headed south, where “numerous” 911 calls reported shots being fired.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald Boyce prosecuted the case.