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Wednesday 27 September 2023
Everett, Washington, man sentenced to 6 years in prison for cyberstalking and interstate threatsRead the Press Release
Seattle –A 42-year-old Everett, Washington, man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 6 years in prison and three years of supervised release for cyberstalking and making interstate threats, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Christopher Scott Crawford was found guilty of an unrelenting campaign of online cyberstalking, threats, and harassment against a former romantic partner after a trial in U.S. District Court in Seattle in June of 2023. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge James L. Robart said, “The conduct that was the subject of trial was extraordinary…Concerning your respect for the law, you left behind a series of no contact and protection orders which you had no difficulty ignoring.”
“No one should have to experience cyberstalking and harassment ever. Crawford created an environment of constant fear and anxiety for the victim for three years,” said Acting U.S. Attorney, Tessa M. Gorman. “The abuse was unrelenting, and I am glad that our office and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service were able to work together to put a stop to it.”
According to records filed in the case, Crawford repeatedly violated court ordered restraining orders by sending threats by text, email, social media messages, and phone calls. Crawford sent threatening communications to various people associated with the victim in this case, such as parents, coworkers, siblings, and court-mandated professionals. The harassment included posting intimate pictures of the victim on a website and circulating private information about the victim to others. Crawford repeatedly stated to the victim and others that he wanted to make her life so miserable that she would take her own life.
In arguing for a sentence of five years before the court, Assistant U.S. Attorney, Cecelia Gregson said, “For three long years, the Defendant doggedly harassed, intimidated, psychologically harmed, socially harmed, professionally harmed, and financially harmed the victim. The intentions driving his maniacal persistence were to cause the victim to commit suicide or to create an atmosphere through cyber warfare that drew in other malevolent souls to do his bidding whether that be rape, torture, or murder.”
The matter was investigated by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS).
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Cecelia Gregson and Elyne Vaught.
El Paso Man Sentenced 10 Years in Prison for Attempted Coercion of a MinorRead the Press Release
EL PASO – An El Paso man was sentenced on Monday to 120 months in prison for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.
According to court documents, between March 2, 2022, and January 25, 2023, Chriss Alexander, 24, had sexually explicit conversations, to include sending lewd photos of male genitalia, with someone he believed to be a minor. On January 25, Alexander arranged to meet the minor to engage in sexual activity. Agents from the FBI El Paso’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking task force arrested Alexander as he approached the minor’s residence.
“I applaud the FBI for seeking out and apprehending this predator before he could do harm to an actual child in our community,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza. “We will continue to work earnestly with our law enforcement partners to take pedophiles off the streets.”
“The FBI El Paso's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking task force is committed to protecting the children of our communities,” said FBI El Paso Special Agent in Charge John S. Morales. “This defendant traveled to attempt to have sex with someone he believed to be a child. Our community can rest easy knowing this man will be behind bars in a federal prison.”
The FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mallory Rasmussen prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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.
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El Departamento de Justicia llega a un acuerdo que asciende a $9 millones con Washington Trust Company para resolver alegaciones de exclusión financiera en Rhode IslandRead the Press Release
El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que Washington Trust Company (Washington Trust), el banco comunitario más antiguo del país, ha acordado pagar $9 millones para resolver las alegaciones que incurrió en un patrón o una práctica de discriminación crediticia al practicar la exclusión financiera en barrios de mayoría negra e hispana en Rhode Island.
La exclusión financiera es una práctica ilícita en la que los prestamistas evitan la provisión de servicios crediticios a individuos que viven en comunidades de color por motivos de la raza, el color de piel o el origen nacional de las personas que viven en esas comunidades.
“Este acuerdo debería enviar un mensaje sólido a los bancos con respecto al firme compromiso del Departamento de Justicia de combatir la exclusión financiera que existe hoy y garantizar que todos los prestamistas proporcionen la igualdad de oportunidades de préstamos hipotecarios a las comunidades de color”, dijo Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. “Esta resolución proporcionará una compensación crítica a las comunidades negras e hispanas afectadas, así permitiéndoles comprar una casa, conservar su casa o acceder al valor neto de su casa. Poner fin a la exclusión financiera y proporcionar una compensación a las comunidades de color afectadas por esta práctica ilegal es un paso necesario en los esfuerzos continuos para reducir las brechas en la riqueza racial y las posibilidades de ser propietario de una vivienda por todo nuestro país”.
“Todo aquel que persiga el sueño americano tiene derecho a recibir un trato igualitario y digno, independientemente de sus antecedentes, raza o código postal. Cuando a las comunidades se les niega el acceso a préstamos justos, se les niega a las familias la oportunidad de construir estabilidad y éxito financiero”, afirmó el Fiscal Federal Zachary A. Cunha. “Me complace que, como resultado del arduo trabajo de los abogados en mi oficina y en la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia, Washington Trust haya acordado tomar medidas específicas y extensas para poner servicios crediticios a la disposición de todos los de Rhode Island, independientemente de su raza o antecedentes”.
La queja alega que, desde 2016 hasta al menos 2021, Washington Trust no proporcionó servicios de préstamos hipotecarios a barrios de mayoría negra e hispana en Rhode Island. La queja alega que, a pesar de su expansión en todo el estado de Rhode Island, Washington Trust nunca ha abierto una sucursal en un barrio de mayoría negra e hispana. La queja alega que Washington Trust confió en los agentes de préstamos hipotecarios que trabajaban solo en áreas de mayoría blanca como la fuente principal para generar solicitudes de préstamos, y Washington Trust no entrenó ni incentivó a su personal de préstamos ni llevó a cabo la difusión, comercialización y publicidad de sus servicios hipotecarios para compensar su falta de sucursales y presencia en áreas de mayoría negra e hispana. Más aún, la demanda alega que, en comparación con Washington Trust, durante el mismo período de seis años, otros bancos recibieron casi cuatro veces más solicitudes de préstamos cada año en barrios de mayoría negra e hispana en Rhode Island. La queja también alega que, incluso cuando Washington Trust generó solicitudes de préstamos de áreas de mayoría negra e hispana, los propios solicitantes eran desproporcionadamente blancos.
En virtud de la orden de consentimiento propuesta, que está sujeta a la aprobación del tribunal, Washington Trust ha acordado hacer lo siguiente:
- Invertir al menos $7 millones en un fondo de subsidios para préstamos para aumentar el acceso a préstamos hipotecarios, mejoras en la vivienda, refinanciamiento y préstamos y líneas de crédito sobre el valor neto de la vivienda para residentes de barrios de mayoría negra e hispana en Rhode Island;
- Invertir $1 millón en asociaciones comunitarias para proporcionar servicios que aumenten el acceso al crédito hipotecario residencial para residentes de esos barrios;
- Invertir $1 millón en publicidad, proyección comunitaria, educación financiera al consumidor y asesoramiento de crédito centrado en barrios de mayoría negra e hispana;
- Abrir dos sucursales nuevas en barrios de mayoría negra e hispana en Rhode Island; garantizar que al menos dos agentes de préstamos hipotecarios estén dedicados a servir a estos barrios; y
- Emplear a un Director de Préstamos Comunitarios que supervisará el desarrollo continuo de préstamos en comunidades de color.
Por otra parte, Washington Trust acordó completar una evaluación de necesidades de crédito comunitario, para evaluar e informar sobre su programa de préstamos justos; y capacitar al personal sobre las obligaciones del banco en virtud de la orden de consentimiento. Washington Trust colaboró con el Departamento para resolver y corregir las preocupaciones de exclusión financiera que se identificaron y acordó resolver este asunto sin litigios impugnados.
En octubre del 2021, el Fiscal General Merrick B. Garland y la Fiscal General Auxiliar Kristen Clarke lanzaron la Iniciativa contra la Exclusión Financiera del Departamento de Justicia, un esfuerzo coordinado de aplicación de la ley para abordar esta forma persistente de discriminación contra las comunidades de color. Desde el año 2021, el Departamento ha anunciado nueve casos de exclusión financiera y ha obtenido $98 millones por concepto de compensación para comunidades de color que han sido víctimas de discriminación crediticia por todo el país.
Puede encontrar una copia de la queja e información sobre la aplicación de las leyes de préstamos justos del Departamento en www.justice.gov/fairhousing. Para informarnos de incidentes de discriminación en el ámbito crediticio, llame a la línea informativa del Departamento de Justicia para discriminación en la vivienda al 1-833-591-0291 o entregue un informe en línea.
Dubois Resident Sentenced for Violating Federal Narcotics LawsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Dubois, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 23 months of imprisonment followed by two years of supervised release on her conviction for violating federal narcotics laws related to a nine-month Title III wiretap investigation into drug trafficking in and around the counties of Jefferson, Clearfield, and Allegheny, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand imposed the sentence on Megan Pyne, age 29.
According to information presented to the court, Pyne was a narcotics distributor who purchased a quarter pound of methamphetamine from Derek Hillebrand, the leader of the drug trafficking organization, on multiple occasions, which Pyne then redistributed.
Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan D. Lusty prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Services, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Allegheny County Police, and Pennsylvania State Police. Also assisting were the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, and the Clarion Borough Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Pyne.
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.
Downriver Man Sentenced to 20 years for Distributing Deadly NarcoticsRead the Press Release
DETROIT – After a joint investigation between local and federal law enforcement, Scott Sams, 54, was sentenced to 20 years in prison, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today. United States District Court Judge Laurie J. Michelson sentenced the defendant after he pleaded guilty to distributing methamphetamine that killed two victims.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division.
Scott Sams, of Southgate, Michigan, was identified by law enforcement as a methamphetamine distributor in the Downriver area. Investigators discovered that Sams often convinced his customers to “party” with him, concocting “hot shots” of methamphetamine and Alka-Seltzer tablets to purposely increase their high.
In May 2021, Sams met one of the victims at a hotel room in Allen Park. There, he gave her a fatal amount of methamphetamine and fled the hotel room as she overdosed and died.
Despite this victim’s death, Sams continued to distribute methamphetamine. Just weeks later, Sams delivered a second fatal dose of methamphetamine to a male victim in Farmington Hills.
U.S. Attorney Ison said. “My office will use every resource available to combat drug dealers who push controlled substances into our communities with indifference to the tragedy it inflicts. We will not hesitate to seek stiff penalties to keep this community safe.”
“We are hopeful this sentencing brings a sense of justice to the victims’ families, whose loved ones were recklessly endangered by the defendant,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “We are grateful to our law enforcement partners for their support throughout this investigation, particularly the Southeast Michigan Region Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Strike Force.”
The case was investigated by federal agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Margaret Smith and Caitlin Casey prosecuted the case for the United States. The FBI Detroit Field Office asks that anyone who believes they may have been victim of the type of crime as committed by this defendant contact 1-800-CALLFBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit tips online to http://tips.fbi.gov
Dorchester Man Arrested for Sexually Exploiting 14-Year-OldRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dorchester man has been charged with the sexual exploitation of a 14-year-old minor.
Miguel Hernandez, a/k/a Miguel Gomez-Lopez, 29, was charged with one count of sexual exploitation of a child. Hernandez was arrested on Sept. 25, 2023 and held pending a detention hearing scheduled for Oct. 2, 2023 in federal court in Boston.
According to the charging documents, in April 2023, Hernandez messaged the 14-year-old victim on WhatsApp and asked if she wanted to meet in person. It is alleged that, on May 5, 2023, Hernandez messaged the victim, “I like you little girl,” and subsequently coerced the victim to engage in a sexual relationship with him. A forensic review of Hernandez’s devices allegedly revealed numerous sexually explicit photos and videos of the victim that Hernandez had taken – including a video of Hernandez having sex with the victim.
The charge child exploitation provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
If you or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking, please contact [email protected].
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Riley, Chief of the Human Trafficking & Civil Rights Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Soto of the Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Dorchester Man Arrested for Attempted Child Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dorchester man has been arrested for allegedly attempting to sex traffic a 14-year-old child.
Carlos Lopez, a/k/a Rene Carlos Arias-Lopez, 27, was charged with the attempted sex trafficking of a minor. Lopez was arrested on Sept. 25, 2023 and held pending a detention hearing scheduled for Oct. 5, 2023 in federal court in Boston.
According to the charging documents, on June 1, 2023, police responded to a 911 call reporting that a 14-year-old was in danger at an apartment in Dorchester where she was drinking alcohol with an older man. At the apartment, it is alleged that the minor victim was found in Lopez’s bed, wearing a red sweatshirt and no pants or underwear and heavily intoxicated. Lopez was allegedly seated next to the victim, fully clothed with a beer in his hand. When the minor victim exited the bedroom, Lopez allegedly closed and locked the door on uniformed officers – barricading himself in the room for approximately 20 minutes. Upon gaining entry to the room, law enforcement allegedly located multiple empty beer bottles as well as female shorts and underwear near Lopez’s bed. It is alleged that, during a brief on-scene interview, the victim indicated that she did not know who took her pants off or when they came off, just that when she woke up her pants were no longer on.
Lopez allegedly indicated that he had been introduced to the victim by another person so that he could engage in sexual intercourse with her. Specifically, it is alleged that Lopez agreed to pay this person $100 in exchange for sex with the victim. Lopez allegedly indicated that he did not actually complete any sex act on the victim before law enforcement arrived. A subsequent investigation allegedly revealed that Lopez had provided the victim with multiple alcoholic beverages before bringing her up to his bedroom and offering to pay her for sex.
The charge attempted sex trafficking of a minor provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
If you or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking, please contact [email protected].
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Riley, Chief of the Human Trafficking & Civil Rights Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Soto of the Major Crimes Unit are 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.
Distribution of child pornography sends Billings man to prison for 14 yearsRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Billings man who admitted to distributing child pornography using social media was sentenced today to 14 years in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Stetson Lee Hubbard, 33, pleaded guilty in June to distribution of child pornography.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that in January 2020, law enforcement began an undercover investigation using a social media application and posed as woman. Law enforcement entered multiple public groups that appeared to be focused on child pornography. While in one such group, a member of the group distributed child pornography. An investigation determined the distribution originated in Billings and ultimately led to Hubbard. When interviewed, Hubbard acknowledged using the social media application and that he may have distributed child pornography on that application. Law enforcement subsequently found more than 1,160 images of child pornography on Hubbard’s cellular phone.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno B. Baucus prosecuted the case. The FBI conducted the investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Depew man pleads guilty to selling fentanyl that led to the deaths of two individualsRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Jonathan DiPirro, 33, of Depew, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra to distribution of acetyl fentanyl and fentanyl causing death, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 20 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a fine of $1,000,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Adler, who is handling the case, stated that on Nov. 1, 2019, DiPirro sold controlled substances to an individual identified as J.L. During the morning hours of Nov. 2, 2019, emergency personnel arrived at J.L.’s residence and determined J.L. was deceased. An autopsy by the Erie County Medical Examiner’s Office determined the cause of death to be acute mixed drug intoxication, to include acetyl fentanyl, fentanyl, and cocaine. On March 4, 2020, at approximately 3:00 p.m., DiPirro sold controlled substances to an individual identified as S.L. At approximately 4:53 p.m., emergency personnel arrived at S.L.’s residence and determined S.L. to be deceased. An autopsy determined the cause of death to be acute mixed drug intoxication, to include acetyl fentanyl and fentanyl.
In addition, between approximately Oct. 2019, and March 24, 2020, DiPirro conspired with his co-defendant, Sarah Szymanski, and others, to sell acetyl fentanyl and fentanyl. In February 2020, investigators conducted four controlled purchases of controlled substances from DiPirro. Sarah Szymanski was previously convicted and is awaiting sentencing.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Lancaster Police Department, under the direction of Chief William Gummo; the Depew Police Department, under the direction of Chief Jerome Miller; the Cheektowaga Police Department, under the direction of Chief Brian Gould; the New York State Police Violent Gang Narcotics Enforcement Team, under the direction of Major Eugene Staniszewski; and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino, III, New York Field Division.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 26, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Sinatra.
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Denton County man sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for child pornography violationsRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas – A Denton County man has been sentenced to federal prison for child pornography violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.
James Buck Briggs, 49, of The Colony, pleaded guilty to two counts of distributing child pornography and was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant.
According to public information, in December 2021, an undercover law enforcement officer encountered Briggs in an online chat room dedicated to the sexual abuse of children. Briggs and the undercover officer began a chat which resulted in Briggs sending the officer a video depicting child pornography involving a very young female victim. The undercover officer was able to trace the IP address to Briggs’ residence in The Colony and a search warrant was executed. A search of Briggs’ cellular phone revealed hundreds of images which contained child pornography. Briggs was indicted by a federal grand jury on Jan. 20, 2022.
This case is 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. 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.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Frisco Field Office and the Plano Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maureen Smith, Lesley Brooks and Marisa Miller.
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Deltona Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Images and Videos over the InternetRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL - United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Troy Mitchell McGowan (25, Deltona) has pleaded guilty to distributing child sexual abuse images and videos over the internet and possession of child sexual abuse images and videos. McGowan faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 5 years, and up to 40 years, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is set for December 6, 2023.
According to the plea agreement, McGowan used a particular chat application to download images and videos depicting children being sexually abused and distributed them over the internet. McGowan also distributed some of these materials to an undercover FBI agent.
On March 29, 2023, the FBI executed a search warrant at McGowan’s residence and located a phone that belong to McGowan. A subsequent forensic review of McGowan’s phone revealed at least 769 videos containing child sexual abuse material and at least 66 images containing child sexual abuse material of young children under the age of 12 which included, infants, toddlers, bondage and bestiality.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Terry B. Livanos.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Defendant in Fatal Tractor Trailer Smuggling Incident Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – Christian Martinez, 29, of Palestine, TX, entered a plea of guilty today to multiple counts arising from a fatal tractor trailer smuggling incident.
Martinez pleaded guilty to one count of Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens Resulting in Death; one count of Conspiracy to Transport Aliens Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury and Placing Lives in Jeopardy; one count of Transportation of Illegal Aliens Resulting in Death; and one count of Transportation of Illegal Aliens Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury and Placing Lives in Jeopardy.
Martinez and co-defendant Homero Zamorano Jr., 47, of Elkhart, TX, the driver of the tractor trailer, were initially charged by indictment on July 20, 2022. Four other co-defendants were identified and charged in a superseding indictment on June 7, 2023: Riley Covarrubias-Ponce aka Rrili aka Rilay, 30; Felipe Orduna-Torres aka Cholo aka Chuequito/Chuekito aka Negro, 29; Luis Alberto Rivera-Leal aka Cowboy, 38; and Armando Gonzales-Ortega aka El Don aka Don Gon, 54,
The indictment alleges that in the days leading up to June 27, 2022, Covarrubias-Ponce, Orduna-Torres, and others exchanged the names of undocumented noncitizens who would be smuggled in an upcoming tractor-trailer load. The four additional defendants charged in the superseding indictment allegedly orchestrated the retrieval of an empty tractor-trailer and its corresponding hand-off to the driver on June 27. According to the superseding indictment, Martinez drove Zamorano from Palestine to San Antonio where Zamorano picked up the empty tractor-trailer. Orduna-Torres allegedly provided the Laredo address at which Zamorano loaded the migrants into the tractor trailer. The indictment also alleges that Gonzalez-Ortega traveled to Laredo to meet the tractor-trailer, where at least 66 undocumented individuals, including eight children and one pregnant woman, were loaded for smuggling. Martinez, Covarrubias-Ponce, Orduna-Torres, Rivera-Leal, and Gonzales-Ortega then coordinated, facilitated, passed messages, and made each other aware of the tractor-trailer’s progress.
Martinez is scheduled to be sentenced on January 4, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas and HSI Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee, San Antonio Division, made the announcement.
HSI is investigating the case with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and has received tremendous support from Customs and Border Protection; Border Patrol; Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations; the San Antonio Police Department; the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office; the San Antonio Fire Department; the Marshall Police Department; and the Palestine Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric Fuchs, Sarah Spears and Amanda Brown are prosecuting the case.
These charges resulted in coordination with Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas is part of the JTFA, which was established by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in June 2021 to marshal the investigative and prosecutorial resources of the Department of Justice, in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), to enhance U.S. enforcement efforts against the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. The Task Force focuses on disrupting and dismantling smuggling and trafficking networks that abuse, exploit, or endanger migrants, pose national security threats, and are involved in organized crime. JTFA consists of federal prosecutors and attorneys from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the Southwest Border (District of Arizona, Southern District of California, Southern District of Texas, and Western District of Texas), from the Criminal Division and the Civil Rights Division, along with law enforcement agents and analysts from DHS’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol, the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Dearborn, Michigan man indicted for conspiracy, wire, and mail fraud for nearly $4 million refund fraud on U.S. retailersRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 25-year-old Dearborn, Michigan, man was arrested today on an indictment returned in the Western District of Washington for a fraud scheme damaging retailers across the country, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tess M. Gorman. Sajed Al-Maarej allegedly operated “Simple Refunds” through the messaging service Telegram, where coconspirators were encouraged to purchase items from retailers Al-Maarej claimed he could defraud. Al-Maarej and his staff of “professional refunders” impersonated the purchaser and lied to the retailer about the status of the item to secure a refund for the purchaser, while permitting the purchaser to keep the ordered item. In Western Washington alone, one company lost $1.4 million to the fake refund scheme.
Al-Maarej appeared in U.S. District Court in Michigan today, but ultimately will need to appear in Western Washington on the indictment.
According to the indictment, between September 2020 and December 2022, Al-Maarej represented to prospective purchasers that they could buy high value goods and keep them, while falsely claiming to the merchant company that a refund was due. Purchasers provided Al-Maarej information about their purchase (order number, name, address, value) and for a cut of the refund, Al-Maarej and his coconspirators would seek a refund by making false representations. For example, Simple Refunds would claim the item had not been delivered; was irretrievably damaged; or would have the purchaser mail a box of garbage or junk back to the company – once the package was scanned at the shipping point the refund was issued before the box arrived back and the fraud was discovered. Al-Maarej recruited “insiders” at UPS and the US Postal Service who would input false scans into the order tracking history to make it appear items had been lost in shipping, stolen from the mail, or returned to the company.
The end goal was for the purchaser to keep the product and get their money back. The purchaser then paid Al-Maarej 15-25% of the purchase price as his fee.
Al-Maarej engaged in fraudulent refunding activity as well, requesting more than $1 million in refunds from retailers throughout the country. In one instance, Al-Maarej obtained a refund for bulky tools, but he returned to the retailer an envelope filled with plastic toy frogs. He claimed that he personally obtained more than $70,000 in refunds from a Western Washington-based retailer. Al-Maarej boasted about his personal refunding achievements on Simple Refunds to lend credibility to his scheme and attract customers.
The total value of the fraudulent refunds through Simple Refunds and Al-Maarej’s own conduct is approximately $3.9 million.
The Simple Refunds channel on Telegram amassed a following of more than 1,000 subscribers. Al-Maarej used a second channel to post information on successful refunds.
The indictment details how two Snohomish County residents ordered thousands of dollars of merchandise and conspired with Al-Maarej to get the payments refunded. Al-Maarej or others at his direction, allegedly impersonated the buyers, claimed the items had been “delivered not received” and got the purchase price refunded. The customers kept the items.
In May 2022, Al-Maarej deepened his fraud by allegedly offering a “mentorship” program where he would teach others to create their own refunding scams – he charged $6,000 for admission to the program. He boasted that students would “learn from the best in the game, from everything fraud related, to legit businesses and cleaning your money.”
As alleged in the indictment, Al-Maarej used interstate wires to communicate about the frauds with coconspirators. He is charged with four counts of wire fraud for his communications with Snohomish County coconspirators. He is charged with three counts of mail fraud for three instances of packages sent to Snohomish County addresses.
Conspiracy is punishable by up to five years in prison. Mail fraud and wire fraud are punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The investigation is open and ongoing with the possibility of additional charges against other defendants.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Watts Staniar.
Clay County Drug Dealer Sentenced to over 6 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Maria M. Howard has sentenced David Lee Rucker (35, Clay County) to six years and eight months in federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. The court also ordered Rucker to forfeit a firearm and ammunition. Rucker had pleaded guilty on May 19, 2022.
According to court documents, on July 1, 2021, Rucker went to a hotel in Clay County and obtained a large quantity of methamphetamine. Later that day, before he could sell the narcotics, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) pulled over a car Rucker was driving. During a subsequent search of the car and pat down of Rucker, the CCSO located multiple baggies of methamphetamine and a loaded Taurus .40 caliber pistol.
This case was investigated by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Jacksonville Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein. The forfeiture was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Mai Tran.
Child pornography production sends Dillon man to prison for more than 18 yearsRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Dillon man who admitted to recording himself having sex with a minor girl on multiple occasions was sentenced today to 18 years and four months in prison, to be followed by 20 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Blaine Anthony Thomas Burger, 20, pleaded guilty in March to production of child pornography.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
In a plea agreement filed in the case, the parties agreed that the evidence established the commission of two additional counts of production of child pornography involving two additional Jane Does, and that the agreement would be treated as if Burger had been convicted of the additional counts for purposes of calculating his recommended sentencing guideline range.
“Burger’s violent, perverse and destructive conduct caused a lifetime of damage to these girls. He built trust and developed relationships with them, and then abused and sexually exploited them for his own gratification. Protecting children from predatory conduct, like Burger’s, and holding offenders accountable remains a top priority for our office,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
The government alleged in court documents that Burger preyed on three underage girls, torturing two of the girls, convincing both that he cared for them, and blackmailing a third girl until she sent him nude images of herself. Between October 2021 and May 1, 2022 in Dillon, Burger was in a dating relationship with Jane Doe 1, who was under the age of 18. On April 30, 2022, Jane Doe 1 told law enforcement that she had been in an abusive sexual relationship with Burger for the last several months. Jane Doe 1 further disclosed that Burger had sex with her on multiple occasions, recorded them having sex on his phone and kept the videos. When interviewed, Burger admitted to having sex with Jane Doe 1 more than 10 times after he learned that she was underage. Burger further admitted he had naked pictures of Jane Doe 1 on his phone. Law enforcement executed a search warrant on Burger’s phone and recovered three videos that were recorded by Burger and depict him having sexual intercourse with Jane Doe 1.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Beaverhead County Sheriff’s Office, Dillon Police Department, Helena Police Department and FBI conducted the investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Chicago Man Sentenced to 13 Years for Significant Drug Trafficking in MadisonRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Dery McDuffy, 34, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 13 years in federal prison for possessing more than a kilogram of heroin with the intent to distribute it and illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. This prison term will be followed by a 6-year term of supervised release. McDuffy pleaded guilty to these charges on June 7, 2023.
In September and October 2022, McDuffy sold large amounts of heroin and methamphetamine in transactions recorded by local law enforcement and the Drug Enforcement Administration. On October 12, after he delivered a pound of methamphetamine and five ounces of heroin, officers trailed McDuffy to a storage unit he had rented on Madison’s westside. Officers arrested McDuffy and searched the unit, finding approximately 2 kilograms of heroin, 725 grams of cocaine, and five guns along with ammunition. McDuffy had previously been convicted of felony drug offenses in the State of Illinois, so was prohibited from possessing firearms.
During sentencing, Judge Peterson explained that a primary priority in sentencing McDuffy was the protection of the public from the dangerous drugs he was selling, which degrade the community and exploit the illness of drug users. Labeling McDuffy a moderately-high level dealer who possessed firearms and an unrelenting criminal history, Peterson concluded that McDuffy was a danger to the community, necessitating a significant but fair sentence.
The charges against McDuffy were the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Dane County Narcotics Task Force, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Wisconsin State Patrol, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The prosecution of this case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Anderson.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
Chatham County man sentenced to federal prison for distributing sexually exploitive images of childrenRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A Chatham County man has been sentenced to more than 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to sharing images depicting sexual exploitation of children.
Jason Arthur Holloway, 43, of Savannah, was sentenced to 135 months in prison after pleading guilty to Distribution of Child Pornography, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge R. Stan Baker also ordered Holloway to pay restitution of $23,000, to register as a sex offender, and to serve 15 years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
“The digital vigilance of agencies engaged in protecting vulnerable children helps ensure that online predators are discovered and held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “Removing such predators improves the safety of our communities.”
As described in court documents and testimony, a CyberTip to the Savannah Police Department’s Special Victims Unit alerted investigators to the online transfer of sexually explicit images of children. With assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, agents identified the source of those uploaded images and searched Holloway’s Savannah residence.
Investigators seized multiple electronic devices with dozens of images of child sexual abuse, and found evidence that those illegal images had been uploaded to the internet via multiple file-sharing applications.
Holloway also faces state charges of sexual exploitation of children and child molestation in a case unrelated to the federal child pornography prosecution.
“Jason Holloway shamefully exploited the most vulnerable members of our community, for his own perverse desires, and will now face the severe consequences for his actions,” said Acting Special Agent in charge Travis Pickard who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in Georgia and Alabama. “HSI Atlanta and its law enforcement partners remain committed to protecting children from abuse and holding accountable those individuals who would victimize minors.”
The case was investigated by the Savannah Police Department’s Special Victims Unit and Homeland Security Investigations, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer J. Kirkland.
Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678, or https://report.cybertip.org/.
Charlotte Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud Conspiracy for $720,000 COVID-19 Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Evan Agustin Perez, 35, of Charlotte, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud conspiracy for obtaining approximately $720,000 in fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Relief Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program loans, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
According to the information to which Perez pleaded guilty, other documents filed in this case and statements made in court, from April 2020 to September 2021, Perez conspired with Edward Whitaker and others in a scheme to defraud the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and SBA-backed lenders by obtaining fraudulent COVID-19 disaster relief funds for businesses he controlled or was affiliated with, including Augie’s Wish Foundation, EMP Haircare, LLC, E.M.P. Enterprises, LLC, T.O.P. Salon Suites Inc., Touch of Precision School of Barbering, Inc., Touch of Precision Barber Lounge, LLC, and Roads to Success Early Learning Center, LLC.
Court documents show that Perez, Whitaker, and others submitted PPP and EIDL loan applications and supporting documents that contained false and fraudulent information regarding Perez’s businesses’ income, number of employees, gross revenues, and expenses. As a result of the fraudulent loan applications, the co-conspirators received approximately $720,000 in disaster relief funds. In furtherance of the scheme, Perez, Whitaker, and other co-conspirators subsequently submitted forgiveness applications for certain PPP loans that also contained fabricated information.
In January 2023, Whitaker pleaded guilty in federal court in the Eastern District of North Carolina to money laundering conspiracy for his role in a multi-million fraud scheme assisting individuals with obtaining fraudulent coronavirus disaster relief funds.
Perez was released on bond after his plea hearing. The maximum statutory penalty for the wire fraud conspiracy offense is five years in prison. A sentencing date has not been set.
The SBA Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric A. Frick and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Ryan are in charge of the prosecution.
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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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 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 www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Carjacking at Suburban Chicago Gas Station Leads to Ten-Year Federal Prison SentenceRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago man has been sentenced to ten years in federal prison for carjacking a vehicle at gunpoint while a woman and her two children were inside.
The carjacking occurred on the afternoon of July 27, 2022, at Thorntons gas station in Posen, Ill. The woman was entering the driver’s seat of her Kia Optima when KEWAN TILLMAN approached, pointed a loaded handgun at her, and demanded the key. The victim was able to get the two children out of the vehicle before Tillman stole the car and drove off. Tillman quickly lost control of the vehicle, got out, and ran back toward the gas station, where he unsuccessfully attempted to force entry into an occupied semi-truck. Tillman then placed the handgun in a sewer and tried to force his way into another vehicle that was parked at a gas pump. After a physical altercation with the driver of that vehicle, Posen Police officers arrested Tillman.
The officers discovered the handgun in the sewer. The gun was equipped with a “Glock switch,” also known as an “auto sear,” and at the time was only capable of firing in fully automatic mode.
Tillman had arrived at the gas station in a Kia Soul that had been reported stolen in Chicago.
Tillman, 20, of Calumet City, Ill., pleaded guilty earlier this year to federal carjacking and firearm charges. U.S. District Judge Elaine E. Bucklo imposed the sentence Friday after a hearing in federal court in Chicago.
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Substantial assistance was provided by the Posen Police Department. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Caitlin Walgamuth.
California man who led transnational drug trafficking organization sentenced to 15 years in prisonRead the Press Release
Seattle –A 35-year-old man from Bellflower, California who was a leader of a multi-state methamphetamine and fentanyl distribution ring was sentenced to 15 years in prison in U.S. District Court in Seattle for drug trafficking crimes, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Jose Maldonado-Ramirez has been in custody since his arrest in October 2021. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour said, “I can’t remember a prior sentencing involving this quantity of methamphetamine.”
“Our office tries to combat the fentanyl crisis by identifying and prosecuting high-level operators of large-scale trafficking schemes. This case is a perfect example,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. “Maldonado-Ramirez was bringing deadly drugs to communities all over the country. Thanks to our collaboration with agents and local police, we have interrupted his entire operation.”
Jose Maldonado-Ramirez plead guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and conspiracy to commit money laundering in March 2023. A total of eighteen people were arrested and charged in relation to this case. According to records filed in the case, Maldonado-Ramirez’s narcotics operation was moving drugs from California and distributing them in King, Pierce, Thurston, Lewis, Mason, and Kitsap counties. The drug trafficking organization was also distributing drugs to locations in the Southeastern United States, the Midwest, the Northeast, and all the way to Fiji.
Over the course of an eighteen-month investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration agents seized approximately 128 pounds of methamphetamine, 37,000 fentanyl pills, and dozens of handguns. Concerningly, agents also intercepted a call between Maldonado-Ramirez and his girlfriend after a drug shipment was seized. They were discussing the identity of a local officer and plotting to kill him, according to the Government’s sentencing memorandum.
In asking for a sentence of 15 years, Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Andrew Colasurdo said in a statement to the court, “This [drug trafficking organization] was well-organized, well-sourced, and well-connected, and they were prepared to take drastic measures to protect what they had built as they openly discussed killing an officer during an intercepted conversation after a large shipment of drugs was seized.”
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Seattle Field Division (SFD) Tacoma Resident Office (TRO) and Bremerton Police Department (BPD), with assistance from Tahoma Narcotics Enforcement (TNET); the Seattle, Puyallup, Auburn, Federal Way, Kent, Bonney Lake, Tacoma, and Lakewood Police Departments; the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office; Washington State Department of Corrections; Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team (JNET): Centralia and Chehalis Police Departments; Valley Narcotics Enforcement Team (VNET); and Washington State Patrol; Thurston Narcotics Team (TNT), Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office, and Mason County Sheriff’s Office; United States Postal Inspections Service (USPIS), Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) with support from Northwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas ( HIDTA).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys C. Andrew Colasurdo and Michelle Jensen.
California Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Assaulting Child on AircraftRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Brian Patrick Durning (52, Altadena, CA) to five years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for assaulting a minor on an aircraft. A federal jury had found Durning guilty on June 22, 2023.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, on June 23, 2022, Durning had boarded a redeye flight from Los Angeles to Orlando and was seated next to a 13-year-old girl. The child had been separated from the rest of her family, who were seated two rows away from her. After the cabin lights were dimmed and most of the passengers had fallen asleep, Durning assaulted the child. A nearby passenger awoke and observed one of Durning’s hands between the child’s legs and intervened.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Air Marshal Service, and the Orlando Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael P. Felicetta and Courtney Richardson-Jones.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
CEO of Cryptocurrency Ponzi Scheme “IcomTech” Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today the guilty plea of MARCO RUIZ OCHOA for his role in promoting a large-scale cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme known as IcomTech. OCHOA pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Rochon to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Again and again, we see perpetrators taking advantage of the hype around cryptocurrency to con unsuspecting victims into investing in pyramid schemes. IcomTech was one of these large-scale copycat cryptocurrency scams and Ochoa, as the purported CEO, played an important role taking IcomTech to scale and ultimately harming more victims. Today’s guilty plea sends a clear message that we are coming after all of those who seek to exploit cryptocurrency to commit fraud.”
According to the Indictment and statements made in court:
DAVID CARMONA started IcomTech in 2018, and OCHOA was represented to be IcomTech’s CEO until 2019, when a new CEO replaced him. IcomTech was a purported cryptocurrency mining and trading company that promised to earn its victim-investors (“Victims”) profits in exchange for their purchase of purported cryptocurrency-related investment products. OCHOA and the other promoters of IcomTech, including his co-defendants CARMONA, JUAN ARELLANO, MOSES VALDEZ, and DAVID BREND, falsely promised their respective Victims, among other things, that profits from the companies’ cryptocurrency trading and mining would result in guaranteed daily returns on Victims’ investments. In reality, IcomTech did not engage in cryptocurrency trading or mining for its Investors, and OCHOA and IcomTech’s other promoters used Victim funds to pay other Victims to further promote the schemes and to enrich themselves.
IcomTech promoters, including OCHOA, traveled throughout the United States and internationally, where they hosted lavish expos and small community presentations aimed at luring Victims to invest in the schemes, including in the Southern District of New York. During larger-scale events, IcomTech promoters presented on purported investment products and the compensation plan, encouraged Victims to invest as a means of achieving financial freedom, and boasted about the amount of money they were earning. IcomTech promoters often showed up at larger-scale events in expensive cars and wearing luxury clothing as a way of exhibiting their purportedly legitimate success from IcomTech. The atmosphere of these events was festive and designed to generate excitement about the schemes.
Victims invested in IcomTech by purchasing investment products from promoters using cash, checks, wire transfers, and actual cryptocurrency. Following a Victim’s investment, a Victim would be provided with access to an online portal where the Victim could monitor the purported returns. While Victims saw “profits” accumulate on the online portal, most Victims were unable to withdraw any of these so-called profits and ultimately lost their entire investments. By contrast, IcomTech’s promoters, including OCHOA, siphoned off, in some cases, hundreds of thousands of dollars in Victim funds, which they withdrew as cash, spent on IcomTech promotional expenses, and used for personal expenditures such as luxury goods and real estate.
At least as early as August 2018, Victims who attempted to withdraw money from their online portal accounts had difficulty doing so and, when they complained to promoters, they were met with excuses, delays, and hidden fees, if they were able to make any withdrawals at all. Despite these complaints, IcomTech promoters, including OCHOA, continued to promote IcomTech and accept Victims’ investments. As complaints mounted, IcomTech began offering proprietary crypto tokens for sale as a means of injecting liquidity into IcomTech. Promoters of the schemes claimed that these tokens, known as “Icoms,” would eventually be worth a significant amount of money when they were accepted by companies for payment for goods and services. This was false. In reality, “Icoms” were essentially worthless and resulted in further financial loss to Victims. By in or about the end of 2019, IcomTech stopped making payments to Victims and IcomTech collapsed.
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OCHOA, 35, of Nashua, New Hampshire, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum term of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential penalty is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of Special Agents from Homeland Security Investigations’ El Dorado Task Force. Mr. Williams also thanked the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission for their assistance.
If you believe you are a victim of the IcomTech fraud, updated information regarding the case and victims’ rights, as well as contact information for the victim witness coordinator is available here.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Money Laundering and Transnational Criminal Enterprises Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin A. Gianforti, Michael Maimin, and Cecilia E. Vogel are in charge of the prosecution.
Bristol, Va. Man Pleads to Meth Charges, Forfeits Approximately 100 Firearms, High-Capacity MagazinesRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A Bristol, Virginia man, who possessed approximately 100 firearms while conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, pled guilty earlier this week in U.S. District Court.
Zachary Stout, 26, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of possession with the intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
At sentencing, Stout faces a sentence of at least ten years.
According to court documents, on April 19, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the residence of Robert Hockett in Bristol, Virginia. During that search, law enforcement recovered more than 1,600 grams of nearly pure methamphetamine, 135 grams of heroin, 40 pills of fentanyl, $28,000 in cash, firearms, ammunition, and two cellphones.
In addition, investigators learned that Hockett was being supplied methamphetamine from Tyshawn Blackwell and Zachary Stout.
On July 27, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Stout’s residence in Bristol, Virginia. During that search, authorities recovered approximately 30 grams of methamphetamine, digital scales, four cell phones, and approximately 100 firearms - many of which were loaded. Numerous high-capacity magazines and ammunition were also seized.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh and Craig B. Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement.
The investigation of the case was handled by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; and the Bristol, Virginia Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Whit D. Pierce is prosecuting the case for the United States.
Bridgeport Man Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding AmazonRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that RAJHNI YANKANA, 28, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to five months of imprisonment, followed five months of home detention and three years of supervised release, for defrauding Amazon.com, Inc. (“Amazon”).
According to court documents and statements made in court, Yankana created multiple vendor accounts with Amazon allowing him to sell merchandise through the website on a third-party basis. He often opened the accounts using false names, email addresses and other identifying information. After setting up the accounts, Yankana represented to Amazon that he was shipping it valuable merchandise to be held for sale by the company. In reality, he would not ship the merchandise, and would later falsely claim that it had been lost, supporting his false claims with fabricated documents. Amazon sent Yankana a series of refunds for the purportedly lost merchandise.
Through this scheme, Yankana defrauded Amazon of $210,836.97. Judge Thompson ordered him to pay full restitution.
On August 26, 2022, Yankana pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. Yankana, who is released on a $50,000 bond, is required to report to prison on October 27.
Two other individuals involved in this scheme pleaded guilty to the same charge. On September 5, 2023, Oshane Stewart who defrauded Amazon of approximately $742,000, was sentenced to 18 months of imprisonment. Stewart’s brother, Kenoy Stewart, who defrauded Amazon of more than $1 million, is scheduled to be sentenced tomorrow.
This matter has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from Amazon. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Conor M. Reardon and Christopher W. Schmeisser.
Brazilian Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brazilian man pleaded guilty today in Boston to illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
Guilherme Pereira, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien before U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs who scheduled sentencing for Jan. 9, 2024. Pereira was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2020.
Pereira was removed from the United States on Aug. 14, 2018, after he was convicted in Massachusetts state court of one count of indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or older and three counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. He unlawfully returned to the United States and was arrested on Jan. 30, 2020.
The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to two years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan C. Cleary of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Boston Man Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican man residing in Boston was sentenced yesterday for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation.
Manuel Armando Peguero German, a/k/a Joshua Sanchez, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley to 15 month in prison. On June 12, 2023, Peguero German pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien.
In August 2020, Peguero German was deported from the United States to the Dominican Republic after serving a 34-month federal sentence for conspiring to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Sometime after his removal, Peguero German returned to the United States without authorization. In September 2022, Peguero German was arrested in Boston on state drug charges that were later dismissed.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Boston Man Pleads Guilty to Four Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man pleaded guilty yesterday to committing multiple bank robberies in Massachusetts.
Jacob Pimentel, 31, pleaded guilty to four counts of bank robbery. U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for Dec. 20, 2023. Pimentel was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2022.
Between April and May 2022, Pimentel robbed four separate banks in the greater Boston area, stealing a total of more than $6,000. Specifically, Pimentel robbed the TD Bank branch in Allston on April 25, 2022; the TD Bank branch in Brighton on May 4, 2022; the Santander Bank branch in Brookline on May 13, 2022; and the TD Bank branch in Cambridge on May 23, 2022.
The charge of bank robbery provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Boston and Cambridge Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert E. Richardson of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Bookkeeper Sentenced to Prison for Embezzling $304,903 from Labor UnionRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – United States District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Denise E. Kovacs (60, Clermont) to18 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for embezzling labor union funds. Kovacs was also ordered to pay $304,903.27 in restitution. Kovacs had pleaded guilty on February 23, 2023.
According to court documents and testimony presented at sentencing, Kovacs was the bookkeeper at Plumbers AFL-CIO Local 803, a labor union that represents plumbers and pipefitters in central Florida. During a nearly five-year period of employment, Kovacs stole $43,777 in cash from union dues and charged $261,126 in expenses on the union’s credit card. To conceal her theft, Kovacs altered internal business records which kept union officials in the dark about her ongoing embezzlement of funds.
This case was investigated by the Department of Labor, Office of Labor- Management Standards. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael P. Felicetta.
Blaine Business Owner Pleads Guilty in $600,000 Scheme to Defraud Hundreds of JobseekersRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Blaine man has pleaded guilty to wire fraud after devising an employment opportunity scheme to defraud hundreds of jobseekers out of approximately $600,000, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, Charles Edward Fields, 44, was the owner and operator of a series of companies through which he pitched employment opportunities to prospective workers throughout the United States. The employment opportunities that Fields purported to provide were through his businesses, some of which included HOMESoft Systems Incorporated, WaterTek Marketing Corporation, Water Innovations Group, Inc., W I G Holdings Corporation, Mile High H20 Corporation, and the NEW H20. Fields, claimed that, after job applicants paid him an upfront deposit of approximately $3,000 to $5,000, he would hire them as sales contractors to sell products nationwide to the public, primarily home security or water filtration systems. As part of the scheme, Fields also misrepresented his affiliation with, and his authority to act on behalf of, Company A, a long-standing international company that designs and distributes various models of water machines and filtration systems.
According to court documents, Fields routinely posted nationwide online employment advertisements promising job seekers training, sales leads, and $6,000 in guaranteed monthly profit. Despite paying Fields the required upfront deposit, many of his victims never received the product or the training that they paid for as a condition of their employment. In reality, the employment opportunities never materialized as promised by Fields. In addition, Fields misrepresented to job applicants that their deposits would be securely held in escrow and subsequently refunded to them upon request. However, rather than provide victims with the promised equipment or employment opportunities, Fields instead used much of the victims’ funds for his own personal use and benefit or to refund some victims using other victims’ money. In order to conceal his fraud and stave off scrutiny, Fields lulled his victims with bogus excuses as to why he was unable to fulfill his promises or return their funds. In total, Fields defrauded at least 250 victims of at least $600,000.
Fields pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court before Senior Judge David S. Doty. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew S. Ebert is prosecuting the case.
Billings man sentenced to more than three years in prison for possessing child pornographyRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Billings man convicted of sending two videos of minor children engaged in sexually explicit conduct to an undercover officer was sentenced today to three years and five months in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Ethan Andrew Schilling, 25, pleaded guilty in January to a superseding information charging him with possession of child pornography.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
In court documents, the government alleged that in March 2022, law enforcement was conducting an undercover investigation and began corresponding with Schilling on a social media application. The undercover officer posed as the relative of a 12-year-old girl. Schilling’s intentions regarding the fictitious girl became increasing sexual in nature. Schilling offered that he had “pics” and sent the undercover officer two videos of a prepubescent minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. In May 2022, law enforcement served search warrant at Schilling’s residence. During an interview with law enforcement, Schilling stated that he sent the videos and acknowledged that it was illegal to send child pornography.
Zeno B. Baucus prosecuted the case. The FBI conducted the investigation.
This case was initiated under the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood initiative, which was launched in 2006 to combat the proliferation of technology-facilitated crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children. Through a network of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and advocacy organizations, Project Safe Childhood attempts to protect children by investigating and prosecuting offenders involved in child sexual exploitation. It is implemented through partnerships including the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The ICAC Task Force Program was created to assist state and local law enforcement agencies by enhancing their investigative response to technology facilitated crimes against children.
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Billings man charged with making threats to kill U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, threats against President Joe BidenRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Billings man accused of threatening to kill Montana U.S. Sen. Jon Tester and threatening President Joe Biden appeared on an indictment on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
Anthony James Cross, 29, pleaded not guilty to threats to injure and murder a United States Senator and to threats against the President. If convicted of the most serious charge, Cross faces a maximum of 10 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. Cross was detained pending further proceedings.
The indictment alleges that on April 17, 2023 in Billings, Cross threatened to assault and murder Sen. Jon Tester with intent to retaliate against Tester on account of the performance of his official duties. The indictment further alleges that on April 10, 2023 in Billings, Cross knowingly and willfully made a threat to take the life of, and to inflict bodily harm upon, the President of the United States, in that he stated in part, “I will personally kill Joe Biden.”
An indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The FBI conducted the investigation.
PACER case reference. 23-101.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl
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Anchorage Nonprofit Directors Indicted for Stealing $1.6 million in COVID Recovery FundsRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage couple has been indicted by a federal grand jury for using their nonprofit, House of Transformations, and other corporate entities, as part of a scheme to fraudulently obtain millions of dollars in COVID-19 recovery funds.
According to court documents, Rosaline Natazha Mavaega, 41, and Esau Malele Fualema Jr., 44, submitted applications for over $1.6 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds in April 2021. The ARPA funds were being administered by the Municipality of Anchorage to help businesses who were struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the application, Mavaega and Fualema falsely claimed the nonprofit would be providing housing, treatment and vocational training services, and strengthened their request with inaccurate information on the finances, organization and management of House of Transformations.
In August 2021, the Municipality of Anchorage issued a check for $1,623,165, which was deposited into the House of Transformations checking account. According to the indictment, instead of using these funds for the purposes identified in the grant, the defendants moved the money into their personal bank accounts and accounts associated with other corporations under their control. They allegedly used the money to finance their for-profit business operations, pay tax dept on another business, secure a personal cash loan and buy cryptocurrency.
In December 2021, the defendants submitted applications for various corporate entities under their control for over a million dollars in loans from the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, a Small Business Administration fund that assists businesses impacted by major disasters, including the COVID-19 pandemic. According to court documents, the defendants falsified these applications by lying about the status of their businesses. They allegedly inflated the number of employees, made false claims about the corporations’ administration and structure, and used other people’s personal identifying information to make it appear that they were associated with the corporations’ management when they were not.
In summer 2022, Mavaega and Fualema fraudulently applied to the Municipality of Anchorage for approximately $2 million of additional ARPA grants.
Mavaega and Fualema are charged with five federal counts; one count major fraud against the United States, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §1031; one count wire fraud conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§1343 and 1349; one count wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §1343; one count money laundering conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§1956(h) and 1957; and one count aggravated identity theft, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §1028A(a)(1). Both defendants were arrested today – Mavaega was arrested at Captain Cook Hotel, and Fualema was arrested at his residence. The defendants will make their initial U.S. District Court appearances on a later date. If convicted, they face a mandatory minimum penalty of 24 months in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska; IRS Criminal Investigation, Seattle Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Adam Jobes; and Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, Western Region Special Agent in Charge Weston King made the announcement.
The IRS Seattle Division and the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys James Klugman and Karen Vandergaw, and former U.S. Attorney George Tran are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Tuesday 26 September 2023
Worcester Man Sentenced for Fraud and Identity Theft Charges Related to COVID-19 PandemicRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester man was sentenced today for fraudulently applying for business loans under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, and then spending the money on personal expenses.
Richard Oworae, 59, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to two years in prison and one year of supervised release. On Sept. 15, 2021, Oworae pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
Between late July 2020 and late August 2020, Oworae schemed to defraud the Small Business Administration (SBA) by submitting applications through SBA’s website for at least three Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) totaling approximately $194,700. Oworae fraudulently applied for EIDL funding, provided false statements on the loan applications using the stolen personal identification information of another person and misappropriated the loan funds for personal use. Oworae also created fictitious companies for the purpose of fraudulently applying for EIDL funding, and spent funds obtained from that fraud on unauthorized personal expenses and to make money transfers to numerous individuals in Ghana.
EIDL funds were available to eligible individuals and businesses pursuant to the CARES Act. The provisions of the CARES Act allowed for the SBA to offer EIDL funding to business owners negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The provisions of the EIDL program require that loan proceeds only be used on certain permissible business expenses, which can include payment of fixed business debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other business-related expenses that could have been paid had the COVID-19 disaster not occurred.Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danial Bennett of the Worcester Branch Office 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.
Woman who Tampered with a Witness Involved in a Federal Trial Sentenced to 30 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A woman who tampered with a witness involved in a federal trial was sentenced September 25, 2023, to 30 months in federal prison.
Jenise Colvin, age 38, from Chicago, Illinois, received the prison term after a May 5, 2023 guilty plea to conspiracy to tamper with a witness and tampering with a witness.
Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that Colvin and her co-defendant, Michael Lynn Ashford, spoke about their plan to contact the witness who had called 911 after a firearm was pointed at the witness while at a gas station in Dubuque. Colvin then called the witness. When Colvin spoke to the witness, she told the witness that they knew personal information about the witness, including name and address. In imposing its sentence, the district court expressed that witness tampering goes to the core of the justice system.
Colvin was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Colvin was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Colvin is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
Co-defendant Michael Lynn Ashford has not yet been sentenced. He faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment for each count of witness tampering.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin, and it was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Dubuque Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 22-CR- 1037-02.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
West Virginia man sentenced for methamphetamine chargeRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Jonathon Andrew Swiger, age 35, of Belington, West Virginia, was sentenced to 172 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Swiger traveled from Marietta, Ohio, to Upshur County, West Virginia, to sell methamphetamine. A search of Swiger’s vehicle yielded methamphetamine, a gun, a black safe, and $2,997.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Warner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Mountain Region Drug Task Force, and the West Virginia State Police investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
United States Obtains More Than $370 Million in Judgments Against Kentucky Businessman and His Companies for Laboratory Testing Scheme That Targeted MedicareRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces today that the United States has obtained more than $370 million in judgments against a Kentucky businessman and his companies for a laboratory testing scheme that targeted the Medicare program.
In August 2022, the United States filed a complaint-in-intervention against Rajen Shah and his companies United Diagnostics Lab, Tomoka Medical Lab, Tennessee Valley Regional Laboratory, Luminus Diagnostics, and Golden Rule Management for violations of the False Claims Act. The complaint alleged that Shah caused his laboratories to bill Medicare for expensive molecular tests that were not ordered by a licensed healthcare provider.
On September 21, 2023, the district court granted the United States’ motion for default judgment and awarded judgment in favor of the United States and against the defendants in the amount of $105,634,097.50 for Shah, $6,159,118 for Tomoka Medical Lab, Inc., $23,996,305.50 for Tennessee Valley Regional Laboratories, LLC, $75,478,674.00 for Luminus Diagnostics, LLC, $105,634,097.50 for Golden Rule Management, LLC, and $54,587,325.00 for United Diagnostics Lab, LLC.
“The integrity of our healthcare system depends on the government being able to rely on accurate and truthful information submitted by laboratories, and that labs only bill for services ordered by a beneficiary’s doctor or nurse practitioner,” said U.S. Attorney Handberg. “We will continue to hold people accountable when they disregard Medicare’s regulations.”
“Providers who seek to boost their own profits by submitting inaccurate billing information to federal health care programs like Medicare undermine the integrity of these programs, which beneficiaries rely on for safe and effective health care services,” stated Acting Special Agent in Charge Julie Rivera of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. “Our agency, working with our law enforcement partners, will continue to investigate health care fraud schemes, including those involving providers allegedly submitting fraudulent claims in violation of the False Claims Act.”
In 2021, Shah received a jail sentence for a criminal contempt charge stemming from his violation of court orders related to the United States’ fraud investigation.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General. The case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Keefe.
The False Claims Act is a federal statute originally enacted in 1863 in response to defense contractor fraud during the American Civil War. It allows the United States to recover damages and penalties for the false or fraudulent submission of claims seeking reimbursement from the government. The United States intervened in a lawsuit originally brought by Jacqueline Cushing, a former Tomoka employee, under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. The Act permits private citizens with knowledge of fraud against the government to bring a lawsuit on behalf of the United States and to share in any recovery.
The case is captioned United States of America ex rel. Jacqueline Cushing v. Rajen Shah, et al, Case No. 19-cv-2997-T-33TGW.
United States Files Forfeiture Action to Recover Cryptocurrency Traceable to Fraud and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The United States Attorney’s Office filed a civil forfeiture action to recover cryptocurrency alleged to be the proceeds of a “pig-butchering” fraud scheme targeting a Massachusetts resident and involved in money laundering. Specifically, the government seeks to forfeit 412,543.555 Tether (USDT) and 100.896 Binance Coin (BNB) seized from two accounts located at Binance.com, a cryptocurrency exchange and custodian. Collectively, this cryptocurrency has a current estimated value of around $434,000.
In early 2023, an investigation began into a pig-butchering scheme targeting a Massachusetts resident. In a pig-butchering scheme, scammers obtain funds from victims using manipulative tactics. The scammer establishes a level of trust with a victim in online communications and then entices the victim into investing in a fraudulent cryptocurrency scheme. Often the victim is enticed to make additional payments, before realizing they are a victim of fraud.
As alleged in court documents, after targeting a Massachusetts victim and fostering an online relationship, scammers claiming to have access to profitable investment opportunities induced the victim to invest personal funds into a fake cryptocurrency investment platform. Law enforcement was able to trace cryptocurrency involved in the fraud and money laundering to two Binance accounts, where it was seized.
It is a violation of federal law to use wire communications as part of a scheme to defraud or to obtain money or property by means of false or fraudulent pretenses. It is also a violation of federal law to conduct, or attempt to conduct, a financial transaction involving property which is known to represent the proceeds of some form of unlawful activity, knowing that such transaction is designed to conceal or disguise the nature, location, source, ownership, or control of those proceeds of unlawful activity. The complaint alleges that the defendant cryptocurrency is traceable to proceeds of wire fraud and was involved in money laundering. A civil forfeiture action allows third parties to assert claims to property, which must be resolved before the property can be forfeited to the United States and returned to victims.
This is the seventh civil forfeiture action the U.S. Attorney’s Office has ever filed seeking to forfeit cryptocurrency traced to fraud schemes targeting Massachusetts victims.
Members of the public who believe they are victims of a cybercrime – including cryptocurrency scams, romance scams, investment scams and pig-butchering fraud scams – should contact [email protected].
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Andrew Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. The civil forfeiture action is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan T. Mockler of the Asset Recovery Unit.
The details contained in the civil forfeiture complaint are allegations. The United States Attorney’s Office has not filed a corresponding criminal action on the matter.
United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero and HUD Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis Host a Safe Housing Seminar Focused on Promoting Health and Safety in HUD-Assisted HousingRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA, PA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis hosted a Safe Housing Seminar today focused on promoting the health and safety of tenants living in HUD-assisted housing.
The seminar, which took place at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Philadelphia as part of the HUD Office of Inspector General’s new community outreach initiative, focused on eliminating environmental hazards and combatting sexual misconduct in HUD-assisted housing. The topics included effective safe housing strategies, environmental justice concepts and issues, and how to recognize and report sexual misconduct in housing.
Participants included representatives from organizations who routinely work with vulnerable populations most likely to be impacted by environmental injustices, such as lead paint in their homes, or become victims of sexual harassment in housing by their landlords, property managers, maintenance staff, or other housing personnel in positions of authority. Organizations represented included local law enforcement agencies, legal aid offices, fair housing organizations, shelters, and transitional housing providers. Participants were encouraged to share their experiences, concerns, and expertise to build future partnerships and provide aid and assistance to beneficiaries when reporting matters related to health and safety in housing.
“My office and our investigative partners at HUD OIG are committed to the comprehensive environmental justice strategies aimed at reversing environmental inequities in underserved communities that rely heavily on HUD’s housing assistance programs,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Through our longstanding partnership, we will also continue to work together to enforce the Fair Housing Act by investigating and prosecuting discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, and familial status. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination prohibited by the Fair Housing Act, and together we will investigate and prosecute offenders taking advantage of tenants and prospective tenants in violation of the law.”
“Environmental justice violations and sexual harassment in housing are egregious violations of a person’s right to safe and fair housing under federal law,” Inspector General Oliver Davis said. “We are working closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to spread the word about ways to help victims who currently are experiencing these issues or who have been impacted by them in the past. Outreach events like the one we hosted today are an important way to increase awareness, share information, and build strong partnerships in the community to help call out and eliminate these problems together.”
If you or someone you know has information about environmental hazards and unsafe unit conditions in HUD-assisted housing or has been a victim of sexual harassment, sexual assault, or sexual exploitation—even if the events occurred years ago—report it to the HUD Office of Inspector General Hotline at 1-800-347-3735 or visit the website at www.hudoig.gov/hotline.
You may also contact the U.S. Department of Justice at 1-844-380-6178 or visit www.civilrights.justice.gov. Individuals who believe they may have been victims of environmental injustices or housing discrimination may also contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 615 Chestnut Street, Suite 1250, Philadelphia, PA 19106, ATTN: Environmental Justice Coordinator Erin Lindgren, [email protected], or Civil Rights Coordinator Lauren DeBruicker, [email protected].
HUD OIG Sexual Misconduct in Housing Public Service Announcement: www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqXSMjUZIZU
HUD OIG Environmental Justice Public Service Announcement: https://youtu.be/Xk4uExYYph0
DOJ Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative: www.justice.gov/crt/sexual-harassment-housing-initiative
U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee Announces over $6 Million in Department of Justice Programs Grant FundingRead the Press Release
KNOXVLLE, Tenn. On September 25, 2023, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee announced $6,487,260 in Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs (OJP) funding.
- Blount County, County Executive - $22,147.
- City of Chattanooga - $192,244.
- City of Kingsport - $28,103.
- City of Knoxville - $154,782.
- City of Morristown - $18,819.
- Community Coalition Against Human Trafficking - $950,000.
- County of Washington - $31,657.
- First Things First Inc. - $764,508.
- Hamilton County Board of Education - $1,000,000.
- Knox County - $1,300,000.
- Knoxville Leadership Foundation - $900,000.
- Rescue 180, Inc. - $1,125,000.
The Office of Justice Programs is a federal agency that provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance, and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, assist victims and uphold the rule of law by strengthening the criminal and juvenile justice systems. OJP’s six program offices support state, local, and tribal community safety efforts; crime victim assistance and compensation programs; juvenile justice and child protection activities; sex offender management; a wide range of training and technical assistance opportunities; ground-breaking criminal justice research; and, statistical collections covering a host of justice system topics.
The awards announced above are being made as part of the regular end-of-fiscal year cycle. Additional information about FY23 awards can be found on OJP’s website here: www.ojp.gov/funding/explore/ojp-award-data. For more information, please contact [email protected].
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Tulsa Woman Pleads Guilty to Defrauding over $8 Million from OSU Medical CenterRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. –A Broken Arrow woman who defrauded more than eight million dollars from Oklahoma State University Medical Center (OSUMC) pleaded guilty today in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Leslie Ann Ameen, 62, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark T. Steele and pleaded guilty to wire fraud.
“Ameen brazenly defrauded a state-funded institution without regard for the impact it might have on the medical needs of the community it serves and its related educational mission,” said U.S. Attorney Clinton Johnson. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office together with our law enforcement partners will continue to hold fraudsters and embezzlers accountable for their criminal conduct.”
“The defendant exploited a healthcare system funded by taxpayer dollars in order to line her own pockets,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to aggressively pursue those who seek to enrich themselves by diverting critical healthcare resources from where they are truly needed.”
Ameen admitted that, while employed as a Telecommunications Specialist at OSUMC, she devised and executed a scheme to defraud OSUMC. Specifically, she arranged for OSUMC to purchase electronic devices, including laptops, phones, and tablets from Techsico Enterprises Solutions, LLC, a company that provided telecommunications support services to OSUMC. Ameen further admitted that she arranged for the devices to be purchased so that she could fraudulently abscond with the devices and sell them for a profit. To accomplish this objective, Ameen caused Techsico to email her invoices for the devices, which she falsely represented to Techsico were being acquired for OSUMC’s business operations. Ameen then falsified the invoices by, among other things, forging the signature of her direct supervisor at OSUMC. As a result, Ameen caused OSUMC to pay for the devices without the knowledge or permission of her supervisors. Once the devices were acquired, she stole and then sold them to acquaintances and other individuals for a personal profit. In total, her scheme resulted in a loss to OSUMC of approximately $8,293,611.00.
Ameen faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine of not more than $250,000 or twice the pecuniary gain/loss caused by her actions. Ameen further faces forfeiture of any property constituting, or derived from, or traceable to, the proceeds obtained, directly or indirectly, from the fraud, including, but not limited to a money judgment in an amount of at least $8,293,611.00. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. A date for sentencing has not been set.
Ameen was permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing.
The FBI conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David D. Whipple is prosecuting the case.
Trinitarios Gang Member Charged in Connection with Two Shootings in Queens and Brooklyn on the Same DayRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging Abel Mora, a member of the Trinitarios, a violent street gang, with being a convicted felon in possession of ammunition related to two separate shootings Mora allegedly committed in Queens and Brooklyn on August 13, 2023. Mora was arrested this morning and is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Robert M. Levy.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Edward A. Caban, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the charges and arrest.
“As alleged, this defendant was a one-man crime wave, who engaged in a broad daylight gunfight in Queens, then robbed and shot someone in Brooklyn later that same day,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This Office will continue working tirelessly to dismantle gangs and reduce gun violence by prosecuting violent offenders who put the safety of communities in our district at extreme risk.”
Mr. Peace expressed his appreciation to the FBI/NYPD Metro Safe Streets Task Force and the NYPD’s 75th and 101st Precincts for their outstanding work and assistance in this investigation and prosecution.
“Gang members like Mora continue to plague our city with his blatant disregard for the safety of our community and his reckless indifference to human life. It is only through our local and federal partnerships that we are able to put a stop to these violent repeat offenders,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Smith. “This case is another example of how the FBI and our law enforcement partners are dedicated to keeping the streets of New York City Safe for everyone in our community.”
“Today’s indictment is a result of the tight focus the NYPD and our law enforcement partners maintain to identify and remove from the streets the individuals who are most significantly driving crime and violence in New York City neighborhoods,” stated NYPD Commissioner Caban. “I thank our colleagues at the FBI and the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District, in particular, for their unwavering dedication to our shared public safety mission.”
As alleged in the indictment and other court filings, the charges stem from two shootings allegedly committed by the defendant on August 13, 2023 within a span of nine hours. At approximately 1:05 p.m. in Far Rockaway, Queens, Mora exchanged gunfire with individuals inside of a vehicle as they chased each other throughout a residential neighborhood in the vicinity of New Haven Avenue and Beach 13th Street. The shooting, which was captured on video, arose from a fight that broke out between an occupant of the vehicle and Mora’s associate. Residents of the neighborhood, including children, ran for cover to escape harm.
The second shooting occurred at approximately 9:18 p.m. outside of 3441 Fulton Street in East New York, Brooklyn. Mora allegedly shot a victim and robbed him of his backpack. Video surveillance capturing this incident showed that Mora committed this violent crime outside of a busy convenience store with customers and children present inside and outside the location. Immediately following the shooting, Mora fled to Etna Street with the stolen property, where he was picked up by an associate on a scooter. The victim survived. A total of ten 9mm Luger cartridges were possessed by Mora in the two shootings.
This morning, law enforcement recovered a loaded 9mm firearm with a 17-round magazine inside Mora’s residence.
At the time of the shootings, Mora had a prior felony conviction for assault.
The charge in the indictment is an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Mora faces up to 15 years in prison on each of the two counts.
This case was brought as 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. Attorneys’ 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 government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Emily J. Dean and Dana Rehnquist are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
ABEL MORA
Age: 22
Far Rockaway, QueensE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-383 (FB)
St. Louis Park Man Sentenced to Prison in Cyberstalking CaseRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A St. Louis Park man has been sentenced to 46 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for cyberstalking two victims, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and court documents, between September 2020 through December 2021, Julyen Alonzo Martin, 30, cyberstalked and threatened to kill, injure, and harass his victims. In violation of orders of protection issued against him, Martin sent numerous threats and unwanted messages via text message and social media applications directed at the victims and their families. Martin stated in one series of threats, “I will [expletive] up your life as long as I live. Someone better come kill me right now. Before I kill somebody. You know what I wanna do.” As a part of his cyberstalking scheme, Martin created social media accounts posing as one of the victims online and posted harmful allegations about both victims. According to court documents, Martin also contacted the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (“NCMEC”), falsely alleging that one of the victims was using their work computer to view child pornography. Martin emailed and called the victim’s employer several times claiming the victim was a pedophile being investigated for child endangerment. Martin also posed as a federal agent in furtherance of his cyberstalking scheme and claimed to be an FBI Special Agent intending to search the victim’s place of work for evidence.
Martin was sentenced on September 22, 2023, in U.S. District Court before Judge Susan Richard Nelson on two counts of cyberstalking. Judge Nelson described the case as “one of the most vicious and cruel cyberstalking cases” she’s ever encountered. Judge Nelson reflected on the impact of Martin’s actions on the victims, stating that Martin committed acts “capable of destroying the lives” of his victims.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Hillary A. Taylor prosecuted the case.
South Texan sentenced for summer smuggling of 70 in semiRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 60-year-old Mission resident has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction for transportation of an undocumented alien, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Thomas Taylor Charlton pleaded guilty May 2.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now ordered Charlton to serve 51 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence regarding the incident that described 70 people locked in a trailer with only hatchets to exit.
Before imposing the sentence, Judge Morales also heard additional evidence regarding his history which includes a conviction for aggravated battery.
On July 10, 2022, Charlton arrived at the Javier Vega Jr. Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint. He claimed he was hauling chili peppers, but a K-9 alerted to the trailer. Law enforcement had to use bolt cutters to remove the lock and gain access to the trailer. They also found hatchets located in the trailer.
Upon further investigation, authorities discovered 70 people illegally present in the United States concealed behind pallets of produce in the locked refrigerated trailer portion of the tractor trailer Charlton was driving.
They also found a handheld walkie talkie in the trailer and cab of the tractor, both on the same frequency that would allow communication between the tractor and trailer.
The key to the trailer was found in the cab.
Charlton will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations and Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Liesel Roscher and Patrick Overman prosecuted the case.
Smuggler sentenced for transporting five people in jet skisRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A South Texas man has been ordered to federal prison for smuggling aliens in two personal watercrafts, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Fernando Cerda Jr., 26, Mission, pleaded guilty July 3.
U.S. District Judge David Morales has now ordered Cerda to serve 48 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court viewed images of how the undocumented aliens were sealed in the hollowed engine compartments of two jet skis. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the egregious manner in which the migrants were transported.
On April 24, Cerda approached the Falfurrias checkpoint towing two jet skis. A K-9 soon alerted to them. Law enforcement conducted an inspection and discovered five aliens concealed inside the watercrafts. The aliens reported they feared for their lives while they were trapped in the jet skis.
Cerda will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Lamont prosecuted the case.
Schenectady Man Sentenced to 72 Months for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Daniel Quintero, age 38, of Schenectady, New York, was sentenced today to serve 72 months in federal prison for receiving hundreds of images and videos depicting child pornography.
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.
As part of his earlier guilty plea, Quintero admitted that from on or about May 1, 2019 through March 2, 2022, he downloaded hundreds of videos and images of child pornography onto multiple electronic devices and a cloud storage account.
United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci also sentenced Quintero to 10 years of supervised release, to begin following his term of imprisonment. Quintero was also ordered to forfeit four electronic devices that he used to commit his crimes, and to pay a total of $9,000 in restitution to three victims whose abuse was depicted in the images Quintero possessed. Quintero will also be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
This case was investigated by FBI Albany’s Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Colonie Police Department, Rotterdam Police Department, and the New York State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Allen J. Vickey prosecuted this case as a part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
San Francisco Daycare Worker Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Using Access to Children to Produce, Possess, and Distribute Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Jace Wong was sentenced to serve 300 months in prison for production, attempted production, distribution, and possession of child pornography in connection with a scheme to take pictures and videos of four- to six-year-olds that he could share on child pornography sites online announced U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. James Donato, United States District Judge.
Wong pleaded guilty to the charges on April 24, 2023. According to his plea agreement, Wong admitted that beginning March 19, 2021, while he was employed at a daycare facility in San Francisco, he surreptitiously took sexually explicit photos and videos of prepubescent minors at the facility while they were going to the bathroom. Wong acknowledged that the children were approximately four to six years old and that the photos and videos he captured depicted the prepubescent minors’ genitalia. Wong admitted that he distributed those videos and images online in group chats and in private messages.
“This case is heartbreaking, to say the least,” said U.S. Attorney Ramsey. “Jace Wong worked at daycare facilities and victimized at least six young children in his care, not to mention other minors whose images he possessed and distributed. It is not possible to measure the harm he caused. His decades-long prison sentence, however, makes crystal clear that the Department of Justice will work tirelessly to remove perpetrators who victimize our most vulnerable citizens — young children — from society so they cannot continue their heinous behavior.”
“Wong's actions were shocking. Instead of attending to their safety, Wong exploited children of tender years for his own gratification. His sentence makes clear child predators will be held accountable,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Tripp. ”The FBI is committed to protecting our most vulnerable citizens and apprehending sexual offenders.”
Wong admitted in his plea agreement that between August 2019 and December 2020, he worked at a separate daycare center in Livermore, Calif., where he took at least three videos of the prepubescent minors in his care. The victims were approximately three to four years old. He posted photos and videos of his victims on the dark web in October and December 2020. Wong admitted that these videos contained hands-on sexual contact. He stopped recording these videos when the victims moved away from him. Further, Wong admitted that he possessed and distributed visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, including at least one video of material containing child sexual abuse. Wong was arrested after he sent a video containing child pornography to an undercover officer and investigators were able to deduce where the video was created.
On October 18, 2022, a federal grand jury indicted Wong charging him with five counts of production or attempted production of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2251(a) and (e); one count of distribution of child pornography in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(2) and (b); and one count of possession of child pornography in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(4)(B) and (b)(2). Wong pleaded guilty to all the counts.
Wong has been in custody since his arrest in April of 2021. He will begin serving his prison term immediately. In addition to the prison term, Judge Donato also ordered Wong to serve 15 years of supervised release which will begin after his term of imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelsey Davidson, with assistance from Kevin Costello and Maria Sunga. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI with assistance from U.S. Homeland Security Investigations and the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office in Wisconsin.
Right-Wing Extremist Convicted of Murder and Attempted Murder After Drive-By Shooting at Federal CourthouseRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – A federal jury convicted Robert Alvin Justus, Jr. of aiding and abetting the murder of Protective Services Officer (“PSO”) Dave Patrick Underwood and aiding and abetting the attempted murder of a second PSO in the May 29, 2020, drive-by shooting at the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Oakland, Calif., announced U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey, FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) San Francisco Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Cicolani. The verdict follows a two-week trial before the Hon. Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, United States District Judge.
The evidence at trial established that Justus, 33, of Millbrae, was the driver of the vehicle from which Steven Carrillo, 35, of Santa Cruz fired the gunshots that killed Officer Underwood and wounded the second officer. The trial evidence demonstrated that, at approximately 9:27 p.m., on May 29, 2020, Justus parked a white Ford Econoline van directly across the street from the federal building in Oakland on Jefferson Street. The van was on the southeast corner in the spot closest to the intersection with an unobstructed view of the guard post where Officer Underwood and his partner that evening stood guard to protect the building and its occupants. At approximately 9:44 p.m., the exterior lights of the van turned on and Justus drove the van north on Jefferson Street toward the guard post. The passenger-side sliding door opened, and Carrillo fired numerous rounds from an AR-style rifle toward the guard post, killing Officer Underwood and seriously injuring his partner.
The incident set off an eight-day manhunt that resulted in Carrillo’s capture at his residence in Ben Lomond, Calif., -- but not before Carrillo killed a Santa Cruz Sheriff’s Deputy and injured another. Carrillo opened fire on the deputies when they arrived at his property. Several days later, after Justus became aware that he was under investigation, he travelled to the Federal Building in San Francisco, met with the FBI, and admitted to his involvement in the shooting including his role as the driver of the vehicle. Justus claimed—during that meeting and in his trial testimony—that Carrillo had forced him to participate in the shooting against his will.
The trial evidence established that Justus and Carrillo shared an allegiance to a right-wing anti-government movement called Boogaloo. Both men’s social media activity and other correspondence in the months before the shooting demonstrated a strong desire to carry out violent acts against federal law enforcement officers and other public servants. In February of 2020, Justus commented on Facebook that he had a “bloodlust for police.” In April 2020, Justus corresponded with an armed anti-government militia group he was interested in joining. On May 27, 2020, Justus posted an image depicting a police officer being shot in the head with a caption reading “Speak to cops in a language they understand.” On the day before the shooting, Carrillo posted a video of a mob attacking police cruisers and commented, “[T]his needs to be nationwide. It’s a great opportunity to target the specialty soup bois”—a Boogaloo slang term for federal agents. Justus responded to Carrillo’s post that same day, writing “Let’s boogie.” The following day, the two met in a San Leandro parking lot to go to Oakland. They planned to capitalize on protests that night in response to the death of George Floyd, hoping that their attack would spark further anti-government violence.
The trial evidence also showed that, after arriving in Oakland the evening of May 29, Justus and Carrillo circled the downtown area several times. In the hour leading up to the shooting, Justus exited the van twice to scout the area on foot and locate targets, returning to the van both times. Following the fatal shooting, Justus drove Carrillo back to Milbrae and the two separated. In the days following the murder, Justus destroyed digital and physical evidence connecting him to the shooting, continued to post anti-law enforcement content on Facebook, and corresponded with Carrillo about future meetings.
The jury convicted Justus of murder of a federal employee and attempted murder of a federal employee, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1114(3), 1111. Justus now faces a mandatory term of life in prison. Judge Gonzalez Rogers scheduled Justus’s sentencing hearing for February 24, 2024.
On February 11, 2022, Carrillo pleaded guilty to two federal charges related to the May 29, 2020, shooting—use of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence resulting in death, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 924(j)(1) and 2, and attempted murder of a person assisting an officer of the United States Government, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1114(3), 1111. On June 3, 2022, Judge Gonzalez Rogers sentenced Carrillo to serve 41 years in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for his role in the crimes. Carrillo also received a life sentence in Santa Cruz County Superior Court in connection with his murder of the Santa Cruz Sheriff’s Deputy.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan U. Lee and John C. Bostic are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Patricia Mahoney, Yenni Weinberg, and Lynette Dixon. The case is being investigated by the FBI, the ATF, the FPS, and the U.S. Marshal Service with assistance from the Oakland Police Department and the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office.
Rhode Island Man Charged with Possessing Twelve Kilograms of CocaineRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont - The United States Attorney’s Office stated that Freddy Rodriguez, 38, of West Warwick, Rhode Island, has been charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Rodriguez initially appeared before Magistrate Judge Doyle on September 20, 2023, and a detention hearing was delayed until September 25, 2023. Rodriguez was released on conditions of pretrial supervision at the conclusion of the hearing on September 25, 2023.
According to court documents, federal agents encountered Rodriguez behind a rented camp in Highgate, Vermont the night of September 18 into September 19, 2023. Agents observed Rodriguez walking to the shore of Lake Champlain at approximately 12:05 am carrying a bag. After agents received notice that a vessel had entered the United States on the lake traveling south near the camp’s location, they observed Rodriguez transfer objects from his bag into a kayak, and began to drag the kayak into the water. When agents confronted him, Rodriguez unsuccessfully tried to flee. The objects Rodriguez had loaded into the kayak were brick-like objects wrapped in black cellophane-style packaging containing a white powder that tested presumptively positive for the presence of cocaine. The packages and their contents weighed approximately 12.2 kilograms (approximately 26.4 pounds).
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that a criminal complaint contains allegations only and that Rodriguez is presumed innocent until and unless he is convicted of a crime. As presently charged, Rodriguez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and up to 40 years’ imprisonment for the possession of more than 500 grams of cocaine with intent to distribute it. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and statutory sentencing factors.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts and rapid response of Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Border Patrol.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Lasher. Rodriguez is represented by William Keefe, Esq. of Boston, Massachusetts.
Randolph Man Convicted of Sex Trafficking Runaway MinorRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Randolph man has been convicted by a federal jury in Boston of sex trafficking a 15-year-old minor who ran away from home.
Admilson Gomes Pires, 26, was convicted on Sept. 22, 2023 following a five-day jury trial of one count of sex trafficking of a child and one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a child. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for Dec. 18, 2023. Pires was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2020.
“Mr. Pires preyed on a vulnerable child, subjected her to unimaginable exploitation and pocketed the profits and now he will pay the price,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Sex traffickers like Mr. Pires inflict immeasurable trauma and harm. This conduct is despicable and has no place in a civilized society. This Office has created a dedicated team of prosecutors who are working tirelessly with our federal, state and local partners to hold sex traffickers accountable and bring justice to the brave survivors of these crimes."
“Today’s conviction is yet another example of the FBI’s commitment to ensure that justice is served to predators who exploit and harm our children for their own financial gain,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “When human beings are treated as commodities, they are not only being abused physically, but emotionally and financially. We thank the brave survivor in this case who worked with us to bring Mr. Pires to justice, and the jury for holding him accountable.”
According to evidence presented at trial, in February 2019, Pires met the minor victim who had run from her home in Western Massachusetts and began a sexual relationship with her. Pires groomed the minor victim and, in July 2019, began trafficking her in Boston and Norwood. He first sold the minor victim for sex to a family member of his in Dorchester and then created and posted a commercial sex advertisement online that contained explicit photographs and a video of the minor victim. Pires told the victim that she would have to engage in prostitution with strangers if she wanted to stay in a relationship with him.
Pires used drugs to manipulate an adult female into agreeing to harbor the minor victim at her apartment in Norwood for sex trafficking. He then arranged for sex buyers to have sex with the minor victim in exchange for money he kept.
On Aug. 1, 2019, local law enforcement located the minor victim in Norwood and returned her home.
If you or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking, please contact [email protected].
The charge of sex trafficking of a child carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, with a maximum sentence of up to life in prison, five 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.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy and FBI SAC Cohen made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Suffolk and Norfolk County District Attorney’s Offices; the Massachusetts State Police; and the Arlington, Boston, Fall River, Norwood, Randolph and Springfield Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Moran, Chief of the Organized Crime and Gang Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Riley, Chief of the Civil Rights & Human Trafficking Unit prosecuted the case.
Physician and two pharmacists charged for $170M fraud schemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON - A 13-count indictment was unsealed today charging two pharmacists and a physician for their roles in a multimillion-dollar health care fraud, kickback and money laundering scheme.
A federal grand jury in Houston returned the 13-count indictment Sept. 7, which was unsealed today.
According to court documents, Shalondria Simpson, 45, Houston, is a pharmacist who owned and operated two pharmacies in Houston: Advance Pharmacy and TruCare Pharmacy. Simpson’s twin sister, physician Lashondria Simpson-Camp, 45, Allen, allegedly referred prescriptions to Advance and TruCare in exchange for illegal kickbacks and bribes. Shayla Bryant, 38, Houston, was a pharmacist and Advance and TruCare’s business manager.
Between 2016 and 2022, Simpson, Simpson-Camp and Bryant allegedly conspired with others to submit false and fraudulent claims to the Department of Labor’s Office of Workers’ Compensation Program (DOL-OWCP) for high reimbursing drugs that were often medically unnecessary and induced by kickbacks and bribes. DOL-OWCP administers workers’ compensation benefits on behalf of the Federal Employee’s Compensation Act (FECA),
Further, Simpson, Simpson-Camp, Bryant and others allegedly conspired to pay and receive these kickbacks. Simpson and Bryan allegedly paid illegal kickbacks and bribes, often through shell entities or in cash, directly to physicians like Simpson-Camp, a clinic owner, a medical assistant and other marketers. In total, Simpson’s pharmacies allegedly submitted approximately $170 million in fraudulent claims to FECA through DOL-OWCP.
To conceal the scheme and disguise its proceeds, Simpson also allegedly conspired to launder the proceeds of the criminal activity through financial transactions greater than $10,000. According to the indictment, after learning of the investigation, Simpson attempted to cover her tracks by converting criminal proceeds to cash and transferring funds among over 10 bank accounts and a cryptocurrency wallet. She also allegedly solicited others’ help in liquidating assets and concealing her ownership and control of those assets.
The indictment charges Simpson, Simpson-Camp and Bryant with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and pay and receive health care kickbacks and one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Simpson is also charged with five counts of paying health care kickbacks, one of which also charges Bryant. The indictment further charges Simpson with conspiracy to launder monetary instruments and five counts of money laundering. If convicted, Simpson, Simpson-Campq and Bryant each face a maximum penalty of five years in prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States and pay and receive health care kickbacks as well as 10 years in prison for conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud. Simpson and Bryant each face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each count of paying health care kickbacks. Simpson faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for conspiracy to launder money instruments and 10 years for each count of money laundering.
The U.S. Postal Service - Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG), Department of Labor – OIG, FBI and Veterans Affairs – OIG conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Fyffe and Trial Attorneys Devon Helfmeyer and Andrew Tamayo of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, comprised of 15 strike forces operating in 25 federal districts, has charged more than 5,000 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $24 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.