Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
9 November 2023
Three Miami residents charged with COVID-19 pandemic relief fraudRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On Nov. 1, a Miami federal grand jury charged three Miami residents for their alleged role in a COVID-19 relief fraud scheme.
Heidi Cid, 54, Lazaro Verdecia Hernandez, 36, and Yadier Rodriguez Arteaga, 38 all of Miami, Florida, have been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering, in connection with a scheme to obtain fraudulent loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
According to the allegations in the indictment and statements made in court, Cid, Verdecia Hernandez, and Rodriguez Arteaga allegedly submitted fraudulent PPP loan applications to SBA-approved PPP lenders. In support of the fraudulent loan applications, the defendants allegedly submitted several false and fraudulent documents misrepresenting the number of the companies’ employees to make the businesses appear eligible for pandemic relief. According to the allegations, SBA-approved lenders disbursed over $14.5 million to bank accounts controlled by co-conspirators, who allegedly would then withdraw the money and give Cid, Verdecia Hernandez, and Rodriguez Arteaga a portion of the proceeds.
Cid, Verdecia Hernandez, and Rodriguez Arteaga made their initial appearance in federal magistrate court in Miami. If convicted, they face up to 20 years in prison on the conspiracy and fraud counts, and two years on the money laundering counts. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Rafael Barros for the United States Secret Service (USSS), and SBA OIG’s Eastern Region Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite, U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA OIG), Investigations Division’s Eastern Region, announced the charges.
USSS Miami and SBA OIG investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Haggerty is prosecuting it. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Paster is handling asset forfeiture.
The following defendants have pleaded guilty for their involvement in this COVID-19 relief fraud scheme (sentencing information is noted where available):
- Roberto Lopez, Kenia Carrillo, Lester Hedman Safont, Oreste Ruiz Linares, Honolio Navarro Caballero, Barbara Alvarez, and Alfredo Contrera, all of Miami, Florida (22-cr-20368). Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Haggerty is prosecuting this case.
- Jorge Trueba Lopez, of Miami, Florida (21-cr-20382). Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Haggerty is prosecuting this case.
- Nancy Saavedra Torres, of Miami, Florida (21-cr-20225). Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Haggerty is prosecuting this case.
- Felix Martinez and Yailin Perez, both of Miami, Florida (21-cr-20276).
- Yoliesse Sarmiento Carrion of Miami, Florida (22-cr-20530). Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Haggerty is prosecuting this case.
- Osiel Rodriguez Furgel, of Miami, Florida (21-cr-20251). Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Haggerty is prosecuting this case.
- Leonardo Gonzalez Lopez, of Miami, Florida (23-cr-20113). His sentencing hearing is scheduled on Nov. 28, at 9:30 a.m. in Miami. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Haggerty is prosecuting this case.
- Giraldo Caraballo, of Miami, Florida (21-cr-20264). Assistant U.S. Attorney Eli Rubin is prosecuting this case.
Nancy Bahos Serna, of Miami, Florida (23-cr-20310) has made her initial appearance in federal court. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Bernstein is prosecuting this case.
Javier Pico, of Miami, Florida, and Erisbel Gonzalez Gomez, of Palm Beach County, Florida (22-cr-20368) have been charged for their alleged involvement in the scheme but remain fugitives.
An indictment contains mere allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
In March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was enacted. It was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Among other sources of relief, the CARES Act authorized and provided funding to the SBA to provide Economic Injury Disaster Loans (“EIDLs”) to eligible small businesses, including sole proprietorships and independent contractors, experiencing substantial financial disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic to allow them to meet financial obligations and operating expenses that could otherwise have been met had the disaster not occurred. EIDL applications were submitted directly to the SBA via the SBA’s on-line application website, and the applications were processed and the loans funded for qualifying applicants directly by the SBA.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
On September 15, 2022, the Attorney General selected the Southern District of Florida’s U.S. Attorney’s Office to head one of three national COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force Teams. The Department of Justice established the Strike Force to enhance existing efforts to combat and prevent COVID-19 related financial fraud. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please click here.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 23-cr-20421.
###
Three Lexington County Men Sentenced in Methamphetamine Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. —Kenneth Eddy Frye, 58, Christopher David Jeffcoat, 42, and Jerry Lynn Cordell, 41, were sentenced today for their involvement in a methamphetamine drug conspiracy that occurred in Lexington County.
Evidence presented to the Court during their guilty plea hearing revealed that Frye, Jeffcoat, and Cordell were involved in distributing methamphetamine in Lexington County. The Lexington County Sheriff’s Department NET team along with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives began an investigation of the men. Using an undercover agent, they made methamphetamine purchases from the men on seven different occasions buying amounts of methamphetamine ranging from 50 grams up to over 200 grams at a time. These purchases happened Jeffcoat’s home in Gaston, S.C. and a local nightclub in Lexington County. At sentencing, each defendant admitted that his use of methamphetamine lead to his involvement in the conspiracy.
United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Frye to a total of 37 months, Jeffcoat to a total of 100 months, and Cordell to a total of 65 months imprisonment with each having four years of court-ordered supervision following release from prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department NET team. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon prosecuted the case.
###
Texas Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Chicago-Area Tax Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A Texas man, formerly of Chicago, was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for mail fraud arising out of a scheme to fraudulently obtain tax refunds from the IRS.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from approximately June 2010 through January 2014, Lamar “Cory” Thompson obtained the Social Security numbers of individuals in the Chicago area and persuaded them to get fingerprinted under the false pretense that they would be working for him as tax return preparers. Thompson used this personal information without the knowledge of these individuals to unlawfully obtain Electronic Filing Identification Numbers, Preparer Tax Identification Numbers and Employer Identification Numbers from the IRS for the purpose of filing fraudulent tax returns. Thompson knew the personal information would be used to prepare and file false tax returns claiming refunds in the names of other individuals and cause the IRS to issue fraudulent tax refunds. In furtherance of this scheme, Thompson caused bank accounts to be opened in the names of others and used these accounts to deposit and withdraw the fraudulently-obtained tax refunds. In total, Thompson attempted to obtain approximately $1,549,342 in fraudulent tax refunds from the IRS.
In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Manish S. Shah for the Northern District of Illinois ordered Thompson to serve three years of supervised release and to pay restitution to the United States in the amount of $908,727.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Mahana Weidler and Boris Bourget of the Tax Division prosecuted the case.
Ten Members of International Cyber Fraud Ring Indicted for “Refund Fraud” Scheme Targeting Online RetailersRead the Press Release
An indictment in the Northern District of Oklahoma was unsealed today, charging ten men for conspiracy to commit wire fraud as a part of an international conspiracy to defraud online retailers through a variety of schemes collectively known as “refund fraud”.
From April 2019, through the date of the Indictment on October 19, 2023, the self-styled Artemis Refund Group (“ARG”) engaged in numerous refund fraud schemes to steal goods from online retailers for themselves and others. ARG advertised their refund fraud services heavily on online messaging forums, which resulted in hundreds of customers of the fraud placing thousands of refund fraud orders. Some of these fraudulently refunded orders were shipped to the Northern District of Oklahoma, giving rise to venue in this district.
As part of the refund fraud conspiracy, ARG would instruct fraud customers to purchase a product of their choice at one of the many retailers they targeted, collect information about the order, and then contact the retailer to initiate a fraudulent refund transaction using a variety of methods tailored to the particular retailer. After ARG was successful in deceiving the retailer into processing a fraudulent refund, the fraud customers would maintain possession of the item, but would be refunded the entire purchase price. ARG charged customers of the fraud between 15-20% of the total price of the refunded item. Members of ARG also engaged in the scheme to obtain stolen goods for themselves and resell them on online marketplaces for profit.
These refund fraud schemes resulted in millions of dollars in losses to online retailers such as Amazon, Walmart, Target, Wayfair, Dell Technologies, Dicks’ Sporting Goods, HP, and Adidas, among others.
Wyatt Douglas Miller, 24, San Marcos, CA; Kevin Ramses Rocha, 24, Littlerock, CA; Tyler Dewayne Rogers, 24, Goleta, CA; Jonah Maxwell Fesman, 23, Altadena, CA; Antonio Ernesto Munoz, 24, Palmdale, CA; Juan Manuel Camacho-Zarate, 25, Santa Maria, CA; Cameron David Martin, 23, Winter Garden, FL; Ilyess Hadri Talbi, 20, Columbus, OH; Steven Lin, 27, Philadelphia, PA; Gilbert Immanuel, 25, Lutz, FL participated in the scheme, along with unindicted coconspirators in Singapore, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
“The indictment of the members of the Artemis Refund Group shows that cybercriminals cannot hide behind the anonymity of the internet,” said U.S. Attorney Clinton J. Johnson. “Thanks to efforts of the FBI and the prosecutors of my office, the ARG conspirators will now face justice in the Northern District of Oklahoma. We will continue to work with victim companies and our partners here and abroad to ensure cybercriminals cannot misuse the internet for illicit gain.”
“The individuals named in today’s indictment all had an alleged role in an international conspiracy to cheat the online retail system and profit at the expense of American businesses,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. “These charges illustrate the FBI’s dedication and ongoing efforts with our partners across the globe to combat fraud in its many forms.”
If convicted, the defendants face up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence or fines after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The cyber squads of the FBI’s Oklahoma City and Birmingham Field Offices, as well as agents from the FBI Seattle Field Office are investigating the case. This case is part of the FBI’s Operation Chargeback, an ongoing investigation into ARG and other refund fraud groups across the US and internationally. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Nassar, Matthew P. Cyran, and Ashley Robert are prosecuting the case.
Substantial assistance and cooperation was provided by Target, Amazon’s Customer Protection and Enforcement Team, Walmart, Wayfair, Dell Technologies, Dick’s Sporting Goods, HP, Adidas, Google’s CyberCrime Investigation Group, and eBay’s Criminal & Regulatory Investigations Team.
For more resources on cybercrime, visit www.ic3.gov.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Northern District of Oklahoma IndictmentTaylor County man sentenced to 10 years for methamphetamine traffickingRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Donald Jack Getz, age 36, of Grafton, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison for methamphetamine trafficking.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Getz was working with others to sell methamphetamine in Taylor and Monongalia Counties. Getz’s home, vehicle, and a storage unit were searched during the investigation. Officers found more than two pounds of methamphetamine, a loaded pistol, drug paraphernalia, and multiple cell phones.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Flower prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Susquehanna County Man Sentenced to Six Years’ Imprisonment for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Clifford Johnson, age 59, of Franklin Township, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on November 8, 2023, by U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, to six years’ imprisonment on the charges of distribution of methamphetamine and conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Johnson previously pleaded guilty and admitted to distributing and conspiring with others to distribute between 500 and 1500 grams of high-quality crystal methamphetamine in the Susquehanna County area between August 2019 and April 2020. Investigators made three separate purchases of crystal methamphetamine from Johnson and then obtained a search warrant for Johnson’s residence in Susquehanna County where an additional amount of crystal methamphetamine was seized.
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 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.
# # #
Statement of U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger on Veterans DayRead the Press Release
On Veterans Day, the nation joins together to honor veterans of the United States Armed Forces. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will use every tool at its disposal to protect the rights of the men and women who have made tremendous sacrifices to defend our freedoms.
Earlier this year, we issued findings that the residents of the New Jersey Veterans Memorial Homes at Menlo Park and Paramus faced unreasonable harm and risk, in violation of the U.S. Constitution, and we are now working to ensure that the veterans and their families receive the care that they so richly deserve. We also protected the rights of active duty servicemembers when we sued a housing provider who we alleged charged servicemembers – who were simply following orders to relocate for a permanent change of station – exorbitant lease termination fees. We were pleased that the lawsuit resulted in an agreement from the defendant to end that illegal practice and compensate the impacted servicemembers.
My office remains committed to protecting servicemembers and veterans across the state, and we remain very engaged in the Justice Department’s Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative.
South Carolina Man Sentenced to 50 Months in Prison for being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm in Connection with Gun Trafficking SchemeRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, United States District Judge Frederic Block sentenced Darrell Robinson to 50 months in prison for illegal gun possession, including an AR-15 style rifle, in connection with firearms trafficking scheme. Robinson pleaded guilty in April 2023 to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the sentence.
“I have no doubt that lives may have been saved and tragedies averted by the seizure of these lethal weapons that were transported to our district from out-of-state by a convicted felon,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Today’s sentence is validation of the tireless work of this Office and our law enforcement partners who are working to protect the community from gun violence.”
On August 8, 2022, law enforcement learned that Robinson would be traveling in a vehicle to the Willets Point section of Queens transporting firearms to sell. Acting pursuant to a judicially-issued search warrant, law enforcement agents stopped Robinson’s vehicle and found a bag containing multiple firearms. Recovered were a Smith & Wesson .380 caliber pistol, a Taurus 9 mm pistol, a Bersa .380 caliber pistol, a Springfield Armory 9 mm pistol, a Smith & Wesson 9 mm pistol and a Smith & Wesson .22 caliber rifle, an AR-15 style rifle.
Robinson has at least seven previous state felony convictions, including for armed robbery and aggravated assault.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. As part of the program, U.S. Attorney’s Offices work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and their local communities to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York is currently partnering with the SCPD, the New York City Police Department (NYPD), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), ATF, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (DHS/HSI), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in its PSN mission.
The government’s case is being handled by the office’s General Crimes Section. Assistant United States Attorney Kaitlin McTague and Special Assistant United States Attorney Sean Fern are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
Darrell Robinson
Age: 30
Columbia, South CarolinaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-403 (FB)
Serial Armed Robber Convicted at Federal Trial Following String of Midlands Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Deveon Antonio Belk, 36, of Irmo, was convicted following a multi-day bench trial on 15 counts: seven counts of Hobbs Act robbery, seven counts of Brandishing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence, and one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition.
Evidence presented by the Government at trial established that Belk robbed at least seven Columbia and Lexington-area businesses at gunpoint between Nov. 9 and Nov. 16, 2020:
- Robbery 1 – Nov. 9 at Wendy’s at 95 Woodcross Dr., Columbia, S.C.
- Robbery 2 – Nov. 10 at Dollar General at 6246 Two Notch Rd., Columbia, S.C.
- Robbery 3 – Nov. 11 at Family Dollar at 4524 Monticello Road, Columbia, S.C.
- Robbery 4 – Nov. 13 at CVS at 4627 North Main St., Columbia, S.C.
- Robbery 5 – Nov. 15 at Dollar General at 536 St. Andrews Rd., Columbia, S.C.
- Robbery 6 – Nov. 15 at SKS Mart at 1615 Decker Blvd., Columbia, S.C.
- Robbery 7 – Nov. 16 at Dollar General at 7145 Broad River Rd., Irmo, S.C.
Belk used a distinctive black Saturn sedan in many of the robberies. He would park nearby, approach the businesses on foot, act as if he was purchasing a low value item in cash, and when the cashier opened or approached the cash drawer, he brandished a black and silver Ruger 9mm pistol and demanded the register or safe be emptied. During some robberies, he did not wait for that transaction, he would point the firearm at the clerk and demand money upon entry. Belk forced many victims to the back of the store or into a closet. He then left on foot at a casual pace, often passing legitimate customers on the way. He disposed his clothing at or near the crime scenes, and he then left in the Saturn.
At trial, 13 victims testified. One was 16 years old at the time of the robbery. One was forced into a closet that Belk kicked in; she was seen in surveillance crying on the ground calling the police for help. Another victim testified about Belk pressing the gun into her body. One encouraged Belk to not commit the robbery because he as on camera and would be caught. Many victims testified that they were afraid for their lives during the robberies.
Every robbery, as well as Belk’s approach to and flight from many of the crime scenes, was recorded on surveillance video. Numerous people who knew Belk testified at trial that it was Belk on video committing the robberies. His DNA was found on clothing left near four of the seven robberies, and on the firearm that he used in every robbery.
A search warrant was executed at a Lexington apartment where Belk was staying on Nov. 17, 2020, one day after the final robbery. Belk was arrested that day and at that apartment police found the firearm Belk used in every robbery, the shoes he wore in multiple robberies, and the Saturn.
Belk was convicted for conduct related to the seven robberies above, but by way of a notice filed on the public docket (ECF No. 73), the Government has indicated that Belk was likely responsible for at least six more:
- Robbery 8 – Oct. 20 at Speedway at 637 St. Andrews Rd., Columbia, S.C.
- Robbery 9 – Oct. 21, 2020 at Shell at 441 Piney Grove Rd., Columbia, S.C.
- Robbery 10 – Oct. 25, 2020 at Shell at 6930 North Main St., Columbia, S.C.
- Robbery 11 – Oct. 26, 2020 at S&S Mart at 8303 Winnsboro Rd., Blythewood, S.C.
- Robbery 12 – Oct. 31, 2020 at Speedway at 637 St. Andrews Rd., Columbia, S.C.
- Robbery 13 – Nov. 16, 2020 at BP at 8404 Two Notch Rd., Columbia, S.C.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis presided over the trial and will sentence Belk after receiving and reviewing a pre-sentence report that will be prepared by the United States Probation Office.
Belk faces a mandatory minimum of 49 years in federal prison following the firearm brandish in connection with a crime of violence convictions, plus any additional term of imprisonment he receives for the robberies or the firearm possession count.
“This conviction highlights the good work of local law enforcement,” U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina Adair F. Boroughs said. “A violent offender was terrorizing multiple communities and this partnership and coordination will keep him behind bars.”
“Belk was a serial robber committing crimes over many jurisdictions,” Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said. “Being prosecuted in Federal Court allowed for all the crimes to be tried together so he can receive an appropriate sentence. This is a great example of local and federal agencies working together to protect the citizens of South Carolina.”
“This is a great example of how strong relationships between agencies make our community a safer place,” Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon said. “Because of the commitment of state and local law enforcement agencies, we were able to address an issue affecting members of our community.”
“Deveon Belk’s four weeks of robberies brought fear to our business community and victimized over a dozen hard-working citizens,” Columbia Police Chief W. H. ‘Skip’ Holbrook said. “This case represents the best of law enforcement partnerships and collaboration in the pursuit of justice.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, and the Columbia Police Department, with critical assistance from the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels, Lamar J. Fyall, Ariyana N. Gore prosecuted the case.
###
Media note: attached are two exhibits from trial for your use. One is a map showing the incident locations and the other is an image from video surveillance during a robbery.
gx_102_-_robbery_5_brandish_0.pdf gx_169_-_summary_chart_0.pdfSentence imposed for enticing child via social mediaRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 37-year-old resident of Los Fresnos has been sentenced for enticement of a child, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Guadalupe “Pete” Azocar pleaded guilty March 21.
U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. has now ordered him to serve 216 months in federal prison. Azocar was further ordered to pay a $24,000 fine and must serve 10 years on supervised release following the completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
In February 2020, Azocar struck up an online friendship with an 11-year-old minor girl through HOLA, an online video chat and live streaming application. The conversations migrated to WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger where Azocar was able to send messages and videos and live video chat with the minor victim for several months.
Even though Azocar was aware the minor was then 12 years old, he repeatedly sent pornographic videos, including videos of child pornography to the victim and persuaded her to send sexually explicit images and videos of herself.
The messages between Azocar and the victim showed that Azocar had plans to meet the minor child in person.
Azocar was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ana C. Cano is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.
Sarasota Felon Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison for Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell today sentenced Marquis Henry Mack (33, Sarasota) to 37 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Mack had pleaded guilty on August 9, 2023.
According to court documents, on January 4, 2023, deputies from the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office responded to Mack’s residence to serve a narcotics-related arrest warrant that had been issued in Manatee County. Mack was standing in his driveway when the deputies approached him. When informed of the pending arrest warrant, Mack turned around and began to walk toward his garage, failing to obey all verbal commands to stop. The deputies grabbed ahold of Mack, and as Mack struggled to break free, the deputies pulled a loaded SCCY CPX-1 9mm caliber pistol from Mack’s front pocket.
Mack, a previously convicted felon, had served 18 months in state prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon in 2021. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A. Chee and Samantha E. Beckman.
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.
St. Croix Man Sentenced to 38 Months on Firearm ConvictionRead the Press Release
St. Croix, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Princeton Jameson, 33, of St. Croix, was sentenced by Judge Wilma A. Lewis to 38 months incarceration after pleading guilty to possession of a machinegun.
According to court documents, in October 2021, Customs and Border Patrol at the Henry Rohlsen Airport seized “Glock Chips” or “Glock Switches”, two pistols, pistol components, and ammunition that Jameson smuggled in his luggage when he traveled from the U.S. mainland to St. Croix. Glock Switches are devices used to convert Glock pistols from semiautomatic into fully automatic firing mode.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Evan Rikhye.
Rochester mail carrier arrested, charged with theft and destruction of mailRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Marlene Cruz, 40, of Rochester, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with delay or destruction of mail and theft of mail matter by officer or employee. The charges carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in January 2022, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) received complaints from individuals stating that their mail had been tampered with in late 2021. Subsequent investigation determined that Cruz, a full-time Mail Carrier, worked the mail route involving the complaints. Further investigation determined that between January 2022, and November 2023, Cruz routinely opened envelopes and parcels, removing items such as ticket stubs, documents, cash, lottery tickets, and gift cards, on dozens of occasions.
In May and November 2023, investigators conducted mail integrity tests, placing greeting cards containing cash and gift cards in the mail to be delivered by Cruz. On November 2, 2023, at the end of her shift, investigators detained Cruz and executed a warrant for her person and personal belongings. During the search, they recovered a gift card from one of the mail integrity test greeting cards inside Cruz’ personal duffle bag.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent-in-Charge Northeast Field Office.
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.
# # # #
Rochester brothers sentenced in separate cases stemming from the murder of RPD investigatorRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that James Fulton, 41, and his brother, Preston Fulton, 39, both of Rochester, NY, were sentenced by U.S. District Judge David G. Larimer in separate cases stemming from the investigation into the murder of Rochester Police Department Investigator Anthony Mazurkewicz and the assault of Investigator Sino Seng. James Fulton, who was convicted of the Attempted Hobbs Act robbery of an alleged local drug dealer, was sentenced to serve 105 months in prison. Preston Fulton, a prior felon, was sentenced to serve 18 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a loaded firearm.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas E. Gregory, who handled the cases, stated that Investigators Anthony Mazurkewicz and Sino Seng were shot in the line of duty on July 21, 2022. Mazurkewicz died as a result of his injuries. In the aftermath of the shootings, an investigation began into several associates of Kelvin Vickers, the man recently convicted of killing Investigator Mazurkewicz and injuring Investigator Seng.
On September 20, 2022, investigators conducted a vehicle stop of James Fulton as he drove away from a Gothic Street residence. During a search of the vehicle, they recovered two firearms and ammunition, as well as items commonly utilized in a robbery, including a roll of duct tape, new/unused zip ties, a pry bar, zip ties fashioned into flex cuff style leg and hand restraints, and a black ski mask. At the time of his plea, James Fulton admitted that he intended to rob an alleged drug dealer.
On October 1, 2022, Preston Fulton was given a firearm to hide for co-defendant Brandon Washington. After receiving the firearm, Fulton was followed by investigators to a Ferncliffe Drive residence, where he was observed carrying firearm into the residence. A search warrant was executed the following day at the residence and investigators recovered a loaded .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun, along with numerous rounds of additional ammunition. Charges remain pending against co-defendant Brandon Washington.
The sentencings are the result of an investigation by the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. DeVito, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division.
# # # #
Registered sex offender pleads guilty to possession of child pornographyRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Brandon Hayward, 41, a registered sex offender from Canandaigua, NY, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography following a prior conviction for sexual abuse, before U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa. The charge carries a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that in November 2021, a search warrant was executed at Hayward’s Canandaigua apartment, related to an investigation involving potential firearms offenses. During the search, several digital devices were seized from the residence, which were initially forensically analyzed for firearms crimes but were found to contain child pornography. Further examination recovered several images of child pornography, as well as videos that Hayward produced via Skype, in 2017, involving a 16-year-old minor from another state. Hayward is a registered sex offender, following a 2000 conviction for Sexual Abuse in the First Degree.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 7, 2024, before Judge Siragusa.
# # # #
Registered Sex Offender Sentenced for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Ruther Glen man was sentenced yesterday to 15 years in prison for distributing child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, in early 2022, Joseph Butts, 50, a registered sex offender as a result of a prior rape conviction involving a minor, began messaging over various social networks with an undercover agent from the FBI. During the months-long communications, the defendant sent child sexual abuse material to the FBI agent and repeatedly sought to arrange an in-person meeting with the agent, who was posing as a parent of a twelve-year-old daughter, so that the defendant could pay for sex with the fictitious child. A search warrant at defendant’s residence later uncovered additional images and videos of child sexual abuse material.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Mozzi prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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. 2:23-cr-053.
Registered Sex Offender Charged with Receipt of Obscene, Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on November 8, 2023, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Anthony J. Michalek (age: 38) of Langlade County, Wisconsin, with receipt of a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct that is obscene in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1466A, and commission of a felony sex offense by an individual required to register as a sexual offender, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2260A.
According to the indictment, Michalek knowingly received obscene visual depictions of the sexual abuse of children. He faces a mandatory five years’ imprisonment and up to 20 years’ imprisonment if convicted of that conduct. Additionally, Michalek faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years’ imprisonment, to be served consecutively, if convicted of committing a felony sex offense as an individual required to register as a sexual offender.
This case was investigated by the Langlade County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006, by the U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
# # #
For Additional Information Contact:
Public Information Officer
414-297-1700
Follow us on Twitter
Recidivist Gang Member Receives 13 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking and Possession of a Sawed-Off RifleRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – Kawshie Chapman, 49, of Wilmington, was sentenced to 160 months in prison for drug and firearm offenses after selling drugs and guns, including a sawed-off .22 caliber semi-automatic rifle with a 110-round magazine that was unregistered, to an undercover agent. Chapman is a member of the United Blood Nation, commonly referred to as the “Bloods” street gang.
“This conviction and sentencing takes an armed drug dealer with gang ties off the streets,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute the individuals contributing to the violence in our communities.”
“ATF has always made the pursuit and capture of violent gang members a priority,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Brian Mein. “These individuals have a major impact on public safety, often responsible for bringing in many of the illegal firearms recovered by ATF and our law enforcement partners.”
According to court documents and other information presented in court, on May 13, 2021, Chapman and co-defendant Rhonesa Greene-McNeil sold an undercover Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) agent 476 grams of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. A few days later, Chapman contacted the undercover agent and asked if he was interested in purchasing two firearms. On the day of the sale, Chapman sent Greene-McNeil to handle the transaction. Greene-McNeil arrived and sold the ATF agent a sawed-off .22 caliber semi-automatic rifle with a 110-round magazine that was loaded with 62 rounds and a second magazine that appeared to hold 30 rounds, as well as a 9mm handgun.
Chapman has prior convictions for Trafficking in Cocaine (1998 and 1999), Manufacturing, Dispensing, or Distributing or Possessing with the Intent to Distribute Heroin or Cocaine (2015), Bail Jumping (2017), and Possession with Intent to Sell or Deliver a Schedule II Controlled Substance (2020). Chapman had been released from prison in July 2020.
Chapman pleaded guilty to three offenses on March 15, 2023: conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine; possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine; and possession of an unregistered sawed-off rifle. Greene-McNeil received a sentence of 120 months in prison for her role in these offenses. (Case Number 7:22-CR-0025-FL-1)
This is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, 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.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the New Hanover and Brunswick County Sheriffs’ Offices, and the Wilmington Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy Severo and Gabe Diaz prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:22-CR-0025-FL-4.
Readout of Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco’s Trip to New York and ConnecticutRead the Press Release
Deputy Attorney General (Deputy AG) Lisa O. Monaco traveled to New York and Connecticut this week to discuss the Justice Department’s ongoing efforts to protect the American people from emerging threats to our national security and public safety.
Deputy AG Monaco joined the annual IBM Security Summit in New York City for a moderated discussion on how private industry and the government can best collaborate to harness the benefits of artificial intelligence, while also mitigating the risks posed by its potential abuse. The Deputy AG stressed that the risks and rewards posed by artificial intelligence are some of the “most important issues we face in law enforcement, national security, and in the protection of our privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties.”
To ensure the Justice Department has a strategic plan to leverage the positive uses of AI, while staying alert to its risks, the Deputy AG announced the launch of an Emerging Technology Board to advise Department leadership on the ethical and lawful use of AI across the organization. As she explained, the board will promote use of AI in a manner that is “ethical and responsible and will advance information sharing across the Department regarding emerging technology-related best practices and use cases.”
The Deputy AG also visited Yale Law School in New Haven, Connecticut, for a series of engagements with faculty and students to explain how the Justice Department executes its mission to uphold the rule of law in an evolving threat landscape. She urged the students to consider careers in public service and specifically at the Justice Department so that they could create and implement the next generation of policy to protect our national security while safeguarding civil rights and civil liberties.
On her trip, the Deputy AG joined U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York for a roundtable discussion with local Jewish leaders in Brooklyn. Deputy AG Monaco emphasized that the Justice Department’s top priority is keeping the American people safe; that the Department remains vigilant in addressing a heightened level of threats against Americans based on their religion, race, color, ethnicity, or national origin; and that the Department will use every available tool at its disposal to combat hate.
The Deputy AG also visited the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut, where she met with U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery, her leadership team, and the dedicated prosecutors and professional staff of the office, as well as local and federal law enforcement leaders from Connecticut. She thanked them for their dedication to public safety and emphasized the vital importance of strong partnerships in the fight against violent crime, especially when it comes to combating the trafficking of fentanyl and firearms.
In recognition that the burdens of fighting violent crime too often fall disproportionately on our state and local partners, the Deputy AG underscored that the Justice Department awarded more than $4 million in grant funding to Connecticut law enforcement agencies and stakeholders last week. This funding will enable state and local agencies to hire new law enforcement officers, strengthen school-safety measures, and continue to advance community policing across Connecticut.
To learn more about a career at the Justice Department, visit: www.justice.gov/careers.
Deputy Attorney General Monaco in conversation at the IBM Security Conference Deputy Attorney General Monaco in conversation at Yale Law School Deputy Attorney General Monaco and U.S. Attorney Avery with the men and women of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of ConnecticutRantoul Man Convicted of Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A federal jury returned a guilty verdict Thursday morning against Edward C. Brown, 45, of 1300 block of Juniper Drive, Rantoul, Illinois, for possession of child pornography. Sentencing for Brown has been scheduled on March 8, 2024, at the U.S. Courthouse in Urbana, Illinois.
Over two days of testimony, the government presented evidence to establish that Brown, who was serving a term of supervised release for another child pornography offense, was found in possession of an unauthorized phone that had several child pornography images on it. The evidence showed the minors depicted in the images were under the age of 12 years.
“Possession of child pornography is a crime that perpetually abuses the victim every time that it is possessed and viewed. We will continue to vigorously prosecute those individuals who victimize our children.” said United States Attorney Gregory Harris.
“HSI and our law enforcement partners are watching closely for indicators of child exploitation throughout our community,” said Special Agent in Charge Sean Fitzgerald of HSI Chicago. “Today’s guilty verdict is a result of those partnerships and the watchful eyes of all of the dedicated agents and officers involved in not only this but the defendants previous case.”
“The FBI is committed to protecting the innocence of our children,” said FBI Springfield Field Office Special Agent in Charge David Nanz. “Together with our law enforcement partners we work tirelessly to identify, investigate, and hold accountable those intent on harming the most vulnerable members of our community.”
Brown remains in the custody of the United States Marshal Service. At sentencing, Brown faces statutory penalties of up to 20 years imprisonment, a maximum life term of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
The case investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Rachel Ritzer and Timothy Sullivan represented the government at trial.
The case against Brown was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. 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.
Providence VA Service Representative Indicted on Federal Extortion, Bribery, Witness Tampering ChargesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – An indictment unsealed in federal court in Providence today charges Michael Darrah, a benefits service representative with the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs in Providence, with three counts of bribery and one count each of extortion, gratuity received by a public official, and witness tampering, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
It is alleged in the indictment that Darrah, 45, of Taunton, MA., solicited and accepted bribes from veterans and the family member of a veteran to approve requested dependent care benefits and/or disability benefits. It is further alleged that Darrah claimed that some of the money he sought from his victims would be used to purchase gift cards for other purported VA employees who Darrah claimed either could or did assist him in expediting and approving benefits claims.
The indictment alleges that Darrah requested payments and accepted approximately $3,385 from a veteran, supposedly to “grease the wheels” to push paperwork through and expedite a claim for disability benefits; that he corruptly sought and accepted $16,566 from a second veteran to expedite and approve a claim for disability benefits; and that he sought and accepted $2,700 from a relative of a third veteran to expedite and approve the veteran’s benefits claim. Additionally, it is alleged that Darrah sought and accepted a “gratuity” of approximately $5,000 from the third veteran for having successfully used his position at the VA to get other VA employees to expedite and approve the claims. The indictment alleges that Darrah requested this “gratuity” despite being advised that the veteran was facing homelessness as his house was being foreclosed. Finally, it is alleged that Darrah, after becoming aware of the government’s investigation into his conduct, attempted to corruptly persuade a witness not to cooperate with the investigation and to lie about the nature of payments made to Darrah.
A charge of bribery carries a sentence of up to 15 years in federal prison; extortion is punishable by a sentence of up to 20 years imprisonment; witness tampering is punishable by a sentence of up to 25 years imprisonment; and the charge of receipt of a gratuity by a public official carries a sentence of up to 2 years in prison. If convicted, the defendant’s sentences will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ly T. Chin and Peter I. Roklan.
The matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs - Office of Inspector General, with the assistance of the FBI, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, United States Postal Inspection Service, and Veterans Administration Police.
###
Prior Felon Found Guilty of Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Willie Frank Gordon, 41, of Pensacola, Florida, was found guilty by a federal jury of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The guilty verdict was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
On March 15, 2022, Gordon was arrested during a traffic stop for driving without a license. During an inventory search of the vehicle, law enforcement located a black backpack containing approximately 200 grams of methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl, and associated drug paraphernalia, along with a loaded, chambered pistol. Law enforcement also located a firearm holster in the glove box of the vehicle, three cell phones, and over $2,000 on Gordon’s person. Gordon denied knowledge of the controlled substances and the firearm, but ultimately admitted to his possession of the items during a custodial interview with investigators. Law enforcement also located surveillance footage of Gordon approximately 30 minutes prior to the traffic stop where he was observed carrying the black backpack to a vehicle before driving away.
Prior to committing this offense, Gordon had been convicted in six state felony cases and one federal felony case, which included a prior drug trafficking conviction and firearms convictions. Trial testimony revealed that Gordon had previously shot people, and that law enforcement had information he was connected to fentanyl overdoses in Okaloosa County. At the time of his current offense, Gordon was on federal supervised release for his federal conviction of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.
Sentencing is currently set for February 14, 2024, at 9:00 a.m., at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers. Gordon faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in federal prison, with a maximum of life imprisonment.
This conviction was the result of an investigation conducted by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Callahan prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders works 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.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Pierce County man indicted for unlawful possession of firearms – including machine gunsRead the Press Release
Tacoma – A Pierce County, Washington man with a prior federal conviction for illegal gun possession, was indicted this week for unlawfully possessing firearms – including two weapons that had been modified to be machine guns, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Brady Lee Eltz, 39, made his initial appearance on a criminal complaint last week, and was ordered detained.
According to records filed in the case, on October 4, 2023, Fife Police were dispatched to an auto-glass repair shop where workers at the shop reported seeing firearms in the trunk of a vehicle Eltz brought in for repair. Workers also reported seeing bullet holes in the vehicle.
After law enforcement took Eltz info custody, they checked the bathroom at the business. Eltz had gone into the bathroom when he saw police arrive. In the cabinet below the sink police found two firearms – 9 mm handguns. One, a Glock, had an illegal switch known as an “auto-sear” installed. The switch allows the gun to be fired automatically, making it a machine gun. The Glock had been reported stolen.
Fife Police towed Eltz’s vehicle and applied for a warrant to search it. During the search of the vehicle’s trunk, they found three additional firearms – including a stolen rifle that had been modified to fire automatically, making it a machine gun. Police then discovered a bag with two improvised explosive devices. Pierce County Sheriff’s Office bomb technicians were called in to evaluate the devices and make them safe. One was an explosive simulator likely stolen from the U.S. Army. It can cause serious bodily injury if exploded in a confined space. The second explosive was a thick cardboard tube filled with a black powder that appeared to be flammable.
After the explosives were made safe, police continued their search of the trunk and found two additional rifles, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, latex face masks, body armor, gun sites, holsters, and other firearms accessories. Eltz also had GPS trackers, several knives, and a voice-changing device.
Eltz is prohibited from possessing any firearms because of criminal convictions including a 2013 conviction in the Western District of Washington. Eltz was sentenced to five years in prison for that crime.
Illegal possession of a firearm is punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Possession of a machine gun is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
The case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives (ATF) with assistance from the Fife Police Department and the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office. The Washington State Patrol assisted with locating and arresting Eltz on a federal warrant after he posted bail and left state custody.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Marci L. Ellsworth.
Picayune Man Sentenced to over Five Years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute HeroinRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Picayune, Mississippi man was sentenced to 69 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute 12 grams of heroin.
Damon Andrew Stafford, 55, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to court records, in 2015, an investigation began into a large-scale drug trafficking organization located largely in Picayune (Pearl River County). In 2019, Damon Stafford and Eric Slaydon were identified as being part of the conspiracy. Federal agents used a confidential source to begin making purchases of methamphetamine and heroin. On June 5, 2019, a confidential source purchased 12 grams of heroin from Damon Andrew Stafford and Eric Andrew Slaydon at Stafford’s residence in Picayune.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Stafford and Slaydon. Both defendants pled guilty. Slaydon was sentenced on August 30, 2023, to 84 months in prison.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations with the assistance of the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. 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.
Pennsylvania Cocaine Possessor Ordered to Pay $50,000 in Financial Penalties for his Role in Distributing CocaineRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Marquan Sherrod Wilson, 53, of McKeesport, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on October 27, 2023, by United States District Judge Scott H. Rash to 60 months of probation, and was ordered to pay a $25,000 fine, and an additional $25,000 of community restitution. Wilson pleaded guilty on March 29, 2023, to Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine.
On November 2, 2020, Wilson traveled to Arizona from out of state and purchased approximately 978 grams of cocaine from individuals in Tucson. Wilson planned to deliver the cocaine to others, but was pulled over by Arizona Department of Public Safety officers on Interstate 10, as he was attempting to leave Arizona. Officers seized the cocaine and placed Wilson under arrest.
Community restitution is based on the amount of public harm caused by the offense, as determined by the sentencing judge. By law, 65 percent of the total amount of restitution is paid to the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission’s Crime Victim Services designated to administer crime victim assistance in the state in which the crime occurred. The remaining 35 percent is paid to the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System designated to receive federal substance abuse block grant funds. The goal of community restitution is to help financially support the communities affected by the criminal behavior through the designated state agencies.
Wilson agreed with prosecutors to make community restitution and a fine part of his guilty plea to demonstrate that he accepted full responsibility for his actions.
The Drug Enforcement Administration - Sierra Vista, conducted the investigation in this case. The Arizona Department of Public Safety and the Willcox Police Department assisted with Wilson’s arrest. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael R. Lizano, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 21-CR-02281-SHR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-174_Wilson# # #
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 newsOperation Smoke and Mirrors Update: Charleston Woman Sentenced to Prison for Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Telisa Rene McCauley, 31, of Charleston, was sentenced today to nine years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, admitting to a role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that operated in the Charleston area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, McCauley admitted to conspiring with a co-defendant to obtain methamphetamine on or about February 4, 2023. McCauley attempted to obtain methamphetamine from her co-defendant prior to that date, but was told that the co-defendant was out of methamphetamine. The co-defendant then offered McCauley a discount if she would travel to obtain the methamphetamine on the co-defendant’s behalf. McCauley agreed, traveled to the designated location, and obtained the methamphetamine. Law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of McCauley’s vehicle as she traveled back to the Charleston area, searched her car, and recovered approximately 7 pounds of methamphetamine in the back seat.
McCauley is among 32 individuals indicted as a result of Operation Smoke and Mirrors, a major drug trafficking investigation that has yielded the largest methamphetamine seizure in West Virginia history. Law enforcement seized well over 400 pounds of methamphetamine as well as 40 pounds of cocaine, 3 pounds of fentanyl, 19 firearms and $935,000 in cash.
McCauley and 21 other defendants have pleaded guilty. Indictments against the other defendants are pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia National Guard Counter Drug program, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and the Raleigh County Sheriff's Office. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
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-31.
###
North Carolina Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Counterfeit Currency ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. –Xavier Sanders, 24, of Charlotte, North Carolina, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States. Sanders admitted to his role in a conspiracy to create and pass counterfeit United States currency in the Southern District of West Virginia.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 12, 2022, Sanders traveled with Crystal Wilks, Jamarcus Harris, and a third co-conspirator from North Carolina to West Virginia. Sanders admitted that they passed counterfeit $100 bills at businesses in Beckley, Fayetteville and Summersville upon their arrival.
Sanders is scheduled to be sentenced on March 22, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Sanders also owes at least $400 in restitution.
Wilks, 23, and Harris, 32, both of Lenoir, North Carolina, each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States on October 13, 2023, and await sentencing.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Secret Service.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander A. Redmon, Andrew D. Isabell and Ryan Blackwell are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-54.
###
New Paltz Business Owner Sentenced for Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Susan Salanitri, age 60, of New Paltz, New York, was sentenced today to 2 years of probation, and to pay $307,665 in restitution, for filing false tax returns.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Thomas Fattorusso, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), New York Field Division, made the announcement.
Salanitri, the owner of two restaurants in New Paltz, previously pled guilty to five counts of filing false tax returns. She admitted that during each of the tax years 2015 through 2019, she deliberately under-reported her restaurants’ revenues on her individual tax return filed with the IRS, resulting in a total underpayment of taxes in the amount of $307,665.
IRS-CI investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett prosecuted this case.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Weapons ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that today, PERCY SMITH, age 45, a resident of Orleans Parish, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Carl J. Barbier to 63 months imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and a $200 mandatory special assessment fee after previously pleading guilty to three counts of a seven-count superseding indictment.
The superseding indictment charged SMITH in Counts 1 and 2 with possessing a firearm, on both, June 19 and June 30, 2021, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2).
According to court documents, on June 19, 2021, NOPD responded to a call of a domestic abuse battery and saw SMITH with a duffle bag containing a firearm. On June 30, 2021, SMITH was arrested pursuant to a warrant for domestic abuse battery and aggravated assault. During his arrest, officers saw SMITH drop a firearm. SMITH is a convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing these weapons.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Inga Petrovich of the Violent Crime Unit .
New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Violating Federal Gun Control ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – AARON HENDERSON, age 26, a resident of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on November 1, 2023 before United States District Judge Sarah S. Vance, to possession a firearm after being convicted of a felony, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
HENDERSON, a convicted felon who was prohibited from possessing firearms, came to the attention of law enforcement after the New Orleans Police Child Abuse Unit received a video depicting him in a room with a three-year-old boy, while armed with a Draco 7.62 mm rifle, and rapping song lyrics. HENDERSON encouraged the three-year-old to pick up a handgun located on a bed. As a result, the child picked up the gun and waived it around.
HENDERSON faces up to fifteen years in prison and up to three years of supervised release, and up to a $250,000 fine. He also faces a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. Sentencing is set for February 21, 2024 at 10:30 a.m. before Judge Vance.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney David Haller of the Violent Crime Unit.
Muskogee Resident Sentenced for Murder, Robbery, and Federal Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Kevin Marvell Jackson, age 22, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to two life terms in prison for one count of Robbery in Indian Country and one count of Murder in Perpetration of Robbery in Indian Country relating to a 2020 murder in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Jackson was also sentenced to 180 months imprisonment on one count of Robbery in Indian Country and 180 months imprisonment on one count of Using, Carrying, Brandishing and Discharging a Firearm in Relation to a Crime of Violence. The terms of imprisonment will be served concurrently.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Muskogee Police Department.
On March 3, 2022, a federal jury found Jackson guilty at trial on all counts of a four-count Superseding Indictment. During the trial, the United States presented evidence that in the early morning hours of October 19, 2020, Jackson attempted to rob two persons, believing they had a large amount of casino winnings. After forcing the victims into a nearby residence at gunpoint, Jackson discovered they had no cash or winnings, and instead attempted to force them to an ATM to withdraw funds. In the process, one victim escaped, and Jackson shot the remaining victim before fleeing the scene of the crime. EMS responders transported the gunshot victim to St. Francis Hospital in Muskogee, where he was pronounced dead. Jackson was later apprehended in the Oklahoma City area by an FBI-led manhunt. The crimes occurred in Muskogee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
“The FBI focuses its investigative resources on offenders who pose the greatest safety risk to the public,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. “Mr. Jackson proved he has no regard for the law or for human life when he brutally murdered one innocent victim and traumatized another. I’m proud of the collective efforts of the FBI and our law enforcement partners to ensure this extremely dangerous individual will spend the rest of his life behind bars.”
“Mr. Jackson's cold-blooded crimes are deserving of the life sentence handed down by the Court,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “There can be no room in society for such callous acts, and this office will prosecute anyone who commits such crimes to the fullest extent of the law.”
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearings in Muskogee. Jackson will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Satter represented the United States at sentencing.
Monessen, PA Resident Sentenced to 63 Months in Prison for Violating Federal Narcotics LawsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Monessen, PA, has been sentenced in federal court to 63 months of incarceration followed by four years of supervised release on his conviction of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand imposed the sentence on Douglas Smith, age 41.
According to information presented to the court, Smith obtained over three kilograms of cocaine from a Chicago-based supplier, which Smith then redistributed.
Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan D. Lusty prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Perryopolis Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Smith.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Minnesota Man Sentenced for Conspiring with Michael Mann to Defraud LendersRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Luke Steiner, age 35, of Woodbury, Minnesota, was sentenced today to 2 years of probation, and to pay nearly $13 million in restitution, for conspiring with former ValueWise CEO Michael T. Mann to defraud companies that loaned millions of dollars to ValueWise subsidiaries.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Alfred A. Watson, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
Steiner, who previously pled guilty to one count of conspiring to commit wire fraud, had worked at Optum, a division of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated located in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. He admitted that between 2013 and September 2019, while working at Optum, he conspired with Mann and Derek Schwartz to fraudulently obtain millions of dollars in loans for Mann’s companies.
Steiner admitted that he worked with Mann to induce financing companies to loan money on the basis of fake invoices purporting to show payments owed by his employer, Optum, to several of Mann’s companies. Steiner’s role was to falsely represent to the financing companies that the fake invoices were valid and payable by Optum when, in fact, he knew that they were not. He admitted that the conspiracy caused a total of $12,968,505.22 in losses to two financing companies, one based in New York and the other in Colorado.
Senior United States District Judge Lawrence E. Kahn ordered Steiner to pay $12,968,505.22 in restitution to the two financing companies, and to forfeit an additional $11,300 to the government, the latter amount representing the total value of Amazon gift cards that Mann periodically sent Steiner, between December 2017 and August 2019, as thank-yous for Steiner’s participation in the fraudulent scheme.
Mann, formerly of Saratoga County, New York, pled guilty to various crimes in connection with his fraudulent scheme, and was sentenced in August 2021 to 144 months in prison. Schwartz, age 54, of Coppell, Texas, pled guilty to wire fraud conspiracy and wire fraud, on September 21, 2023, and is scheduled to be sentenced on January 24, 2024.
The FBI investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Barnett and Cyrus P.W. Rieck are prosecuting this case.
Milwaukee-area man receives 20 years in federal prison for sex trafficking minors and for transporting child pornographyRead the Press Release
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on November 9, 2023, Senior United States District Judge William C. Griesbach sentenced Jaron Jay Jackson (age: 36) to a total sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, followed by ten years’ supervised release, and 25 years of sex-offender registration. Jackson previously pled guilty to commercially sex trafficking two 15-year-old victims, and transporting child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1591 and 2252A.
According to court documents, Jackson, who lived in the Milwaukee area, was released from the Wisconsin prison system on extended supervision and subsequently absconded to Illinois, where he began sex trafficking females. Jackson enticed two 15-year-old runaways from Oshkosh and Green Bay to join him in Chicago-area hotels. Soon after they arrived, Jackson posted sexually provocative pictures of the minor victims as advertisements on sex-trafficking websites. Jackson then directed the minor victims and an adult female victim to engage in commercial sexual acts with clients in Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, and Minnesota. Jackson repeatedly engaged in sexual activity with one minor victim and attempted to do so with the second minor victim, who contacted family members to return home to Wisconsin. Jackson also recorded videos of a minor engaging in sexual activity with him, which officers recovered from his cell phone when they arrested him after he arrived in Wisconsin via Amtrak from Illinois.
In sentencing Jackson, Judge Griesbach emphasized the severity of Jackson’s criminal conduct in targeting and exploiting minors, his aggravated criminal history, as well as the need for just punishment, to protect the public from Jackson, and to deter others from committing such offenses.
The investigation was conducted by the Oshkosh Police Department and the Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the Milwaukee Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Funnell.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006, by the U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
# # #
For Additional Information Contact:
Public Information Officer
414-297-1700
Follow us on Twitter
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Firearm Trafficking and Illegal Re-entry ChargesRead the Press Release
EL PASO, Texas – A Mexican national pleaded guilty in a federal court in El Paso to conspiring to traffick firearms while residing in the United States illegally following prior deportation.
According to court documents, on Jan. 25, Erick Arenas Pascual, 22, of Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico, drove a co-defendant to a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) in El Paso, where the co-defendant purchased a handgun. Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) arrested the two defendants as they left the FFL and discovered a second recently purchased handgun with 100 rounds of ammunition in Pascual’s vehicle.
An investigation revealed that Pascual planned to and had previously delivered firearms to individuals who would smuggle firearms into Mexico. It was further determined, through Department of Homeland Security records, that Pascual was a non-U.S. citizen and had been previously removed through El Paso in August 2020.
Pascual pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to traffick firearms and one count of illegal re-entry. He faces up to 15 years in prison for the conspiracy charge and up to two years in prison for the illegal re-entry charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek II for the ATF Dallas Field Division made the announcement.
The ATF is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Juan Albino and Nallely Barbosa are prosecuting the case.
###
Methamphetamine Trafficker Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
BOISE – Brendan Manzon, 50, of Boise, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye to 78 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release for distribution of methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to court records, in October 2021, in Boise, Manzon sold a quarter-pound of methamphetamine to another person in exchange for $1,000. Manzon has an extensive criminal history, including convictions for aggravated battery, trafficking in methamphetamine, and possession of a controlled substance. Manzon pleaded guilty to the charge on September 15, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Idaho State Police, the Boise Police Department, and the Nampa Police Department, which led to the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Morse, who was the HIDTA SAUSA at the time of charging, prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted by the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney hired by the Ada County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office with funds provided by the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program. HIDTA is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives, including the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney position.
###
McKees Rocks, PA Resident Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison for Violating Federal Narcotics LawsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of McKees Rocks, PA, has been sentenced in federal court to 15 months of incarceration followed by two years of supervised release on his conviction of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand imposed the sentence on Robert Botti, age 43.
According to information presented to the court, Botti supplied between 400 grams and 500 grams to another individual, Douglas Smith during the course of a conspiracy. On June 15, 2021, investigators seized approximately three ounces of cocaine from Botti’s residence.
Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan D. Lusty prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Perryopolis Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Botti.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Charges Connected to Fentanyl Distribution RingRead the Press Release
Collin Edwards, 29, of Largo, Maryland, pleaded guilty for his role in a fentanyl distribution ring and a separate charge of identity theft in a scheme involving false unemployment insurance claims that illegally netted more than $250,000, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves; Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, of the FBI Washington Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division; and Special Agent in Charge of the National Capital Region, Troy W. Springer, of the U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General.
Edwards, also known as “Chills,” pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia to a felony charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 or more grams of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl and a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine.
In today’s plea agreement, Edwards admitted that he was accountable for producing at least 1.2 kilograms of a mixture containing a detectable amount of fentanyl. Edwards also pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft.
Edwards faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 12 years in prison when he is sentenced on March 5, 2024 by U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta. Edwards also has agreed to forfeit $100,000.
According to court documents, in August 2021, law enforcement began investigating a drug trafficking group running a fentanyl pill pressing operation in and around Washington, D.C. and Maryland. Law enforcement learned that the group was in possession of at least three pill presses and used them to press fentanyl into counterfeit prescription pills. The group then distributed the pills throughout Washington, D.C., and Maryland. Edwards and six others were identified as participants in the drug trafficking operation.
As part of the conspiracy, Edwards distributed the counterfeit pills in a coordinated manner with co-conspirators, including to other co-conspirators and to other distributors and/or users. On Mar. 29, 2022, the FBI executed a search warrant at an apartment in Southeast Washington, D.C., a stash house used by the conspiracy to run the pill press operation. During the search on the 1300 block of 4th Street, law enforcement seized baggies of pills and loose powder, together amounting to more than 516 pills and more than 76 grams of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl.
During the search of the apartment, authorities seized Edwards’ cellphone. A review of its contents revealed evidence of a conspiracy to defraud multiple states of unemployment insurance. Edwards admitted that he and other co-conspirators illegally netted at least $250,000 through the scheme.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General.. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Rosenberg and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah J. Rasalam, of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section, prosecuted the case.
Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Wasserman and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Marnee Rand.
Maryland Man Charged with Leading Multi-State Sex Trafficking NetworkRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The FBI’s I-81 Human Trafficking Task Force has charged a Maryland man with using drug dependency to force at least five adult victims into commercial sex work, United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh and Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division, announced today.
William Oneil Murray III, 35, was indicted yesterday on three counts of sex trafficking through force, fraud, and coercion, one count of transporting individuals for the purpose of prostitution, and one count of using a facility of interstate commerce to facilitate prostitution.
“Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery, and those who perpetrate it must be held accountable,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today. “Exploiting victims’ drug dependency and addiction is the most common form of human trafficking we are seeing here in Virginia, and I am grateful to the I-81 Human Trafficking Task Force and the Virginia State Police for bringing this case to justice and providing some relief to these victims.”
“We are proud of the work the I-81 Human Trafficking Task Force is accomplishing via these multi-state partnerships. This case demonstrates how victims’ vulnerabilities are used against them and highlights the dedication of the men and women who work to bring justice for them,” said Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division. “ If you are a victim of human trafficking or you have information about a potential trafficking situation, call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 1-888-373-7888, where resources are available.”
“This case highlights the importance of having trained law enforcement at the federal, state, and local levels working together to combat human trafficking in the Commonwealth and abroad,” said Colonel Gary T. Settle, Virginia State Police Superintendent. “This investigation demonstrates the zero tolerance Virginia law enforcement, the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office have for those who prey on vulnerabilities and exploit other human beings for personal profit or gain.”
According to court documents, from as early as 2016 through July 2022, Murray engaged in a multi-state sex trafficking operation involving at least five adult female victims. Murray controlled his victims’ narcotics use, not allowing them to obtain drugs from anyone but himself, therefore taking complete control of each victim’s drug dependency.
In order to further control his victims and force them into commercial sex work, Murray withheld drugs from them, making them “dope sick,” a term one victim described as being like the flu but five times worse, based on withdrawal symptoms from heroin and other opiates.
Murry maintained strict control over his victims’ activities. Victims were not allowed to go anywhere without Murray’s permission and were punished if they did so. Court documents also claim Murray took all of his victims’ cell phones. Occasionally, Murray allowed his victims to use one of his phones to communicate with commercial sex customers but would regularly get print outs of call and text logs to ensure the victims were not texting or calling anyone but customers.
The alleged criminal behavior occurred in Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, West Virginia, New York, New Jersey, and Florida.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s I-81 Human Trafficking Task Force (I-81 HTTF) and the Virginia State Police are investigating the case.
The I-81 HTTF is a collaborative effort of law enforcement and community partners focused on identifying instances of human trafficking along the I-81 corridor in the northern Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland; prosecuting those responsible; and providing assistance to the victims impacted by these crimes. The I-81 HTTF includes law enforcement from the counties of Frederick, Clarke, and Shenandoah as well as the cities and towns of Front Royal, Hagerstown, and Frederick, Maryland, and Lord Fairfax Community College.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melanie Smith and Sally Sullivan are prosecuting the case for the United States.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Maryland MS-13 Gang Members Sentenced to Federal Prison for a Murder ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis sentenced Endy Arturo Gaitan Campos, a/k/a “Clandestino,” age 30, of Hyattsville, Maryland, yesterday to 10 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, related to his participation in the Weedams Locos Salvatrucha (“WLS”) clique of the MS-13 gang, which operated primarily in Adelphi, Maryland. Last week, Judge Xinis sentenced co-defendant Jorge Isaac Argueta Chica, a/k/a “Timido” and “Enano,” age 23, of Gaithersburg, Maryland, also a member of the WLS clique, to six years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release on the same charge.
The sentences were announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations Baltimore; and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
According to court documents, La Mara Salvatrucha gang, also known as “MS-13,” is an international criminal organization composed primarily of immigrants or descendants of immigrants from El Salvador, with members operating in Maryland and throughout the United States. MS-13 members are organized in “cliques,” smaller groups that operate in a specific city or region, and are required to commit acts of violence, both to maintain membership and discipline within the gang and against rivals. One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, known as “chavalas,” whenever possible. MS-13 members earn promotions and improved standing within the gang for participating in attacks on rival gang members, often at the direction of MS-13 leadership.
On August 8, 2020, Campos, and other WLS members, including WLS leader Brayan Torres and Franklyn Sanchez, were gathered at a park in Prince George’s County, Maryland, where they agreed to murder Victim 4, who was suspected of cooperating with law enforcement and to whom Sanchez owed a debt. Campos told another MS-13 member that he would have to help commit the murder. Campos then drove Torres, Sanchez and other WLS members to a wooded area nearby and dropped them off. Sanchez was armed with a revolver and Torres handed a second revolver to the other MS-13 member, instructing that person to shoot first when Victim 4 arrived. When Victim 4 arrived, Sanchez and the other MS-13 member each fired multiple shots at Victim 4, who fell to the ground. Sanchez then pistol-whipped and stabbed Victim 4 and Torres also stabbed Victim 4. Torres and other WLS members dragged Victim 4’s body to a stream and left it there.
One of the MS-13 members at the scene of the murder placed the two guns used to shoot Victim 4 and several other items into a dark bag and Campos drove the MS-13 member back to Torres’s house where other gang members, including Argueta Chica, were waiting.
As he was leaving the woods, Sanchez noticed he was bleeding and was concerned that his DNA may have been left on the body. To prevent the discovery of DNA or other evidence and to hinder the investigation and prosecution of Victim 4’s murder, Torres called other WLS members, including co-defendant Agustino Eugenio Rivas Rodriguez, and ordered them to bring shovels to dig a hole and bury Victim 4’s body. Campos backed his car into the driveway of Torres’s house and parked in front of the garage. WLS members loaded shovels into Campos’s car and Campos drove Rivas Rodriguez and other WLS members to the wooded area. WLS members, including Argueta Chica then dug a hole and buried Victim 4’s body. Law enforcement later recovered the body with a bullet wound to the head.
Argueta Chica also participated in the collection of extortion payments, or “rents,” from at least two extortion victims on behalf of WLS, knowing that the victims making extortion payments did so under the threat of death or bodily injury by members of WLS.
Co-defendants Brayan Alexander Torres, a/k/a “Spooky,” age 29, and Franklyn Edgardo Sanchez, a/k/a “Delinquente,” age 26, both of Adelphi, Maryland, were each sentenced to 28 years in federal prison and Agustino Eugenio Rivas Rodriguez, a/k/a “Terrible,” age 25, of Silver Spring, Maryland was sentenced 16 years in federal prison for their roles in the racketeering conspiracy.
Anyone with information about MS-13 is encouraged to provide their tips to law enforcement. The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations both have nationwide tiplines that you can call to report what you know. You can reach the FBI at 1-866-STP-MS13 (1-866-787-6713), or you can call HSI at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
United States Attorney Barron and Acting Assistant Attorney General Argentieri commended the FBI, HSI and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and the Montgomery County Police Department for their assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Crespo and Trial Attorney Christopher Taylor of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section, who are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn.
# # #
Marion County Man Indicted for Fraud Relating to Theft from the Department of Veterans AffairsRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Paul Lesslie Thompson (69, Anthony) with one count of receipt of stolen government property. If convicted, Thompson faces up to 10 years in federal prison and an order of forfeiture for at least $1,169,327.54, which represents the proceeds of the offense charged in the indictment.
According to the indictment, between May 1993 and December 2022, Thompson willfully received, concealed, and retained $1,169,327.54 that was stolen from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs through Veterans Affairs Disability Compensation.
An indictment is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a federal criminal offense. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs – Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk.
Manchester Man Arrested for Defrauding State and Federal TaxpayersRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Manchester man was arrested for his involvement in a scheme to fraudulently obtain CARES Act funds from the United States government and the State of New York, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Kyereem Sackey, 23, was indicted on October 25, 2023, on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of bank fraud. Sackey was arrested this morning and released on conditions.
According to the charging documents, Sackey used social media to conspire with others to file false and fraudulent unemployment insurance claims. Sackey filed unemployment insurance claims in the State of New York on behalf of a co-defendant, of which he was not entitled. When the money was deposited into the co-defendant’s bank account, a portion of the money was sent to Sackey and another co-defendant. The indictment alleges that Sackey and his co-defendants filed approximately $50,000 in fraudulent unemployment insurance claims.
Sackey also used a co-defendant’s information to apply for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan using a false and fraudulent business that did not exist. Sackey provided the bank with false documents, including fabricated tax documents. The indictment alleges that Sackey fraudulently applied for approximately $13,000 in PPP loans.
The charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of bank fraud provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Manchester Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Kennedy is prosecuting the case.
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.
###
Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Three Bank Robberies, Shooting at Jefferson County DeputiesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Catherine D. Perry on Thursday sentenced a man who committed three bank robberies and then shot at Jefferson County Sheriff’s deputies before forcing his way into a woman’s apartment to 25 years in prison.
Judge Perry also ordered Cameron A. Thomas, 31, of Florissant, to repay $19,262 to the banks he robbed.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald Boyce said during Thursday’s hearing that Thomas’ robberies escalated in both seriousness and violence.
On Oct. 24, 2020, while dressed as a woman, Thomas handed a note to a teller at the First Community State Bank in Jefferson County that said, “put money in the bag,”
Three days later, while Thomas was again disguised as a woman, he entered the Electro Savings Credit Union in St. Louis County, pointed a silver semiautomatic pistol at a teller and said, “Give me all your money.”
The next day, Thomas returned to the First Community State Bank wearing a red coat, black pants and a surgical mask. He said, “This is a robbery, put your hands up,” while pointing a pistol at an employee. He then put a white plastic bag on the counter and told another employee to fill it up.
Employees called police, and a Jefferson County Sheriff’s deputy who was in the area tried to stop Thomas after he left the bank. The resulting vehicle chase ended at the Walden Pond apartments in High Ridge. Thomas fled his vehicle on foot, firing multiple times at the deputies following him.
He then forced his way into a woman’s apartment at gunpoint. Deputies knocked at the door, and pulled the woman from the apartment when she signaled to them that something was wrong. Thomas then changed into the woman’s clothes and hid his 9mm pistol inside the apartment before his arrest.
Thomas also admitted that on Oct. 22, 2020, he was in possession of an AK-47-style assault rifle. Police found the rifle in Thomas’ vehicle after a traffic crash. Thomas is a convicted felon and is barred from possessing firearms.
Boyce said Thursday that one of the banks that Thomas robbed was no longer allowing customers in the lobby due to security concerns.
Thomas pleaded guilty in August to two counts of armed bank robbery, bank robbery, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The case was investigated by Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald Boyce is prosecuting the case.
Man Admits Burglarizing Two Missouri Gun ShopsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man on Thursday admitted breaking into two Jefferson County, Missouri gun shops in 2020 and stealing multiple firearms.
Carnell Robinson, 21, of Jennings, Missouri, pleaded guilty to a felony charge of theft of firearms from a federal firearms licensee.
On July 12, 2020 at about 1 a.m., burglars broke into Mike’s Pawn and Jewelry in Imperial, where they stole four AR-style rifles, a shotgun, ammunition and jewelry.
The next day, also at 1 a.m., they broke into Top Gun Shooting Sports near Arnold and stole two rifles and numerous boxes of ammunition.
Robinson’s fingerprint was later found on a gun case at Mike’s.
Robinson is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel on Feb. 14, 2024. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald Boyce is prosecuting the case.
Madison Man Sentenced to 30 Months for Possessing Heroin for Distribution & Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Reggie Golden, 39, Madison, Wisconsin was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 30 months for possessing heroin with intent to distribute and illegally possessing a firearm. Golden pleaded guilty to these charges on July 18, 2023.
On March 1, 2023, law enforcement officers from the Madison Police Department and the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force located Golden, who was wanted on state drug charges, inside of a mall in Madison. After arresting Golden, officers asked him whether he had any firearms. Golden admitted that he had a gun inside of a bag that he wore across his torso. Officers removed the bag, searched it, and found a loaded 9 mm pistol, a digital scale, two cell phones, and 19 individual packages that contained a total of 21 grams of a substance that field-tested positive for fentanyl and heroin.
During a post-arrest interview, Golden waived his Miranda rights and admitted that he possessed the heroin and firearm. He claimed he purchased the pistol from an unknown person at a gas station two months before his arrest. Golden also admitted to being a 26-year member of the Black Disciples street gang.
In sentencing Golden, Judge Peterson noted that Golden has a history of illegally possessing firearms. Judge Peterson also highlighted the danger that guns pose to the community when used by drug traffickers.
United States Attorney O’Shea stated, “Armed drug dealers are dangerous in two ways. First, opiate drugs like fentanyl and heroin are incredibly addictive and dangerous. A single dose containing fentanyl can kill. Second, the risk of community danger increases exponentially when drug dealers, like Golden, carry high powered weapons. My office is dedicated to working with communities and our law enforcement partners to hold armed drug dealers accountable.”
The charges against Golden were the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chadwick M. Elgersma prosecuted this case.
Madison Man Sentenced to 11 Years for Sex Trafficking a MinorRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Adrian Edwards 40, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 11 years in federal prison for sex trafficking a minor. Edwards pleaded guilty to this charge on June 15, 2023.
Edwards encountered the 16-year-old victim in Utah in January 2021, when the two were at a mutual friend’s house. The victim confided to the defendant that she had a difficult home life and he offered to help her with a place to stay if she needed it. A few days later, the victim called Edwards to take him up on his offer. He bought her a train ticket to Iowa, where he picked her up and brought her to Wisconsin. He immediately took pictures of her and posted ads on websites offering various sexual services in exchange for money. Edwards set the prices, arranged the meetings, arranged for hotels, and kept the bulk of the money gained from the trafficking activity.
On February 2, 2021, Middleton Police Department received a complaint from a local hotel indicating that someone was overstaying their reservation and the hotel suspected sex trafficking. Police responded and found the victim alone in a hotel room, along with Edwards’ belongings and identification. Edwards was indicted in July 2021, and a federal arrest warrant was issued. He was ultimately arrested in January 2022 in Arizona.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson observed that this was a horrifying case where the defendant took a child away from her family, isolated her, and immediately trafficked her for his own gain. The Court stated that although consent was irrelevant here, the victim did not know she was coming to Wisconsin to engage in prostitution. Judge Peterson further noted that Edwards’ crime was calculated and sustained, and it was fortunate that law enforcement intervened and put a stop to it.
The charge against Edwards was the result of an investigation conducted by the Middleton Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service in finding and arresting Edwards in Arizona. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura A. Przybylinski Finn and Kathryn E. Ginsberg prosecuted this case.
MS-13 Member Charged for Alleged Role in 2010 MurderRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A member of the transnational criminal organization known as La Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, has been arrested on RICO charges in connection with the murder of an Allston man under a Chelsea bridge in December 2010.
Adam Rodriguez, a/k/a “Pelon,” 33, was charged in a superseding indictment with conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise, more commonly referred to as RICO or racketeering conspiracy. Rodriguez was arrested yesterday and, following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston yesterday afternoon, was detained pending a hearing set for 2:30 p.m. on Nov. 16, 2023.
According to the charging document, MS-13 is a transnational criminal organization with tens of thousands of members located in the United States, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and elsewhere. MS-13 branches, or “cliques,” operate throughout the United States, including in Massachusetts. In furtherance of its mission, MS-13 members are required to commit acts of violence, specifically against rival gang members; kill informants; and support and defend fellow MS-13 members in attacks. MS-13 rewards members who commit acts of violence with promotions within the gang and punishes members who break gang rules.
The superseding indictment alleges that, on Dec. 18, 2010, Rodriquez and other members of MS-13 murdered an Allston man under a bridge in Chelsea. It is alleged that law enforcement recently matched Rodriguez’s voice to a Jan. 26, 2011 recording of an MS-13 meeting in which he acknowledged his participation in the murder. Also on the recording, Rodriguez was allegedly beaten for 13 seconds by other members of MS-13 for leaving Massachusetts after the murder without the gang’s permission. The superseding indictment further alleges that Rodriguez committed other attempted murders with members of MS-13 following the December 2010 murder.
The superseding indictment also charges William Pineda Portillo, a/k/a “Humilde,” 30, with RICO conspiracy. Pineda Portillo was originally indicted in 2017. After an arrest warrant was issued for Pineda Portillo, law enforcement determined that he had been deported to El Salvador under a different name.
Pineda Portillo was arrested in May 2022 on the outstanding warrant and returned to Boston after he was allegedly encountered crossing the border into Texas.
A subsequent investigation determined that a car owned by Pineda Portillo’s father was allegedly used to transport Rodriguez, other MS-13 members and the victim to the scene of the December 2010 murder in Chelsea. Pineda Portillo also allegedly worked to sell a firearm to someone he believed was a fellow MS-13 member, but who was instead a cooperating witness working with law enforcement. It is further alleged that Pineda Portillo conspired to murder an MS-13 member he believed was an informant. Pineda Portillo remains in custody awaiting trial.
The charge of RICO conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $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.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations, in New England; John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; and Chelsea Police Chief Keith Houghton made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl, Brian A. Fogerty, and Meghan C. Cleary of the Office’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which 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. 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 details contained in the superseding indictment are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Luzerne County Woman Sentenced to 10 Months Imprisonment for Preparing and Submitting Numerous False Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Applications in Covid-19 Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Angela Castillo, age 39, of Freeland, PA, was sentenced on November 8, 2023, by United States District Judge Robert D. Mariani, to 10 months imprisonment, to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release, with 5 months of electronic monitoring, in connection a wire fraud scheme involving the preparation and submission of numerous false Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) applications.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, between June 2020 and September 2020, on behalf of other individuals and in exchange for payment, Castillo prepared and submitted to the United States Small Business Association (SBA) at least 40 false EIDL applications containing material misrepresentations. Castillo’s conduct resulted in the SBA paying out approximately $163,000.00 in COVID-19 relief funds to individuals, none of whom actually owned a qualifying small business and who therefore were not entitled to receive such funds under the program. At her sentencing, Castillo was ordered to pay $163,000.00 in restitution to the SBA.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffery St John prosecuted the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
# # #
Lutcher Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of a Machine GunRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on November 2, 2023, TYKI CLAYTON, age 21, of Lutcher, Louisiana, pleaded guilty to possession of a machine gun, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(o) and 924(a)(2).
CLAYTON faces a maximum term of imprisonment of ten (10) years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to three (3) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
According to public records, on March 28, 2022, CLAYTON was the passenger in a vehicle driving in Lutcher, LA. When CLAYTON’s vehicle did not come to a full stop at an intersection, a St. James Parish deputy initiated a lawful traffic stop. The deputy approached the vehicle and found CLAYTON in the front passenger seat reaching between his legs into a backpack. The driver stated that she did not have her license. After receiving CLAYTON’s driver’s license information, the deputy learned that CLAYTON had an outstanding arrest warrant. After searching the vehicle, the deputy recovered a Glock firearm from the backpack located between CLAYTON’s legs. CLAYTON admitted knowing that the firearm was equipped with an auto-sear making it a fully automatic machinegun.
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 track violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the St. James Parish Sheriff’s Office. United States Attorney Mike Trummel of the Violent Crime Unit handled the prosecution.
Louisville Man Sentenced to over 2 Years in Federal Prison for Downtown Louisville Bomb Threat HoaxRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A local man was sentenced today to 2 years and 9 months in federal prison for a downtown Louisville bomb threat hoax.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office, and Chief Jackie Gwinn-Villaroel of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
According to court records, Jimmy Smith, Jr., 50, was sentenced today to 2 years and 9 months in prison, followed by a 3-year term of supervised release, for providing false information and a bomb threat hoax. On August 12, 2022, Smith rode a bicycle in downtown Louisville while carrying a backpack. He placed an item in a high-traffic, business area of downtown Louisville near the riverfront. The package was labeled “bomb.” The Louisville Metro Police Department bomb squad dismantled the “device” and determined that it was not operational. However, a significant area of downtown Louisville had to be shut down for several hours to clear the device.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Louisville Metro Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Jo E. Lawless prosecuted the case.
###