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Tuesday 19 September 2023
Pottsville Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Accessing the Snapchat Accounts of Dozens of Female Victims and Selling Their Private Photographs for Financial GainRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Brandon B. Boyer, age 34, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty today before United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion, to the computer hacking offense of obtaining information from protected computers.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the criminal Information to which Boyer pleaded guilty alleges that for a two-year period from February 2020 to February 2022, Boyer unlawfully accessed the computers of dozens of adult female victims in order to search for and obtain nude photographs that he could then sell. More specifically, Boyer acknowledged accessing victims’ Snapchat accounts at the behest of “clients” who paid him to break into the accounts and obtain the images. Boyer admitted that he accomplished this, in part, through use of an app that allowed him to send text messages to victims posing as a Snapchat representative. Through a technique known as “phishing,” Boyer then coaxed the victims into changing their passwords and sending him the verification codes that were generated. This allowed him to then access the accounts.
Boyer agreed that the monetary loss attributable to his conduct was between $40,000 and $95,000.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Philadelphia Division. U.S. Attorney Jeffery St John is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is five years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
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Possession of Methamphetamine Leads to Federal Prison Sentence of 22+ Years for Ethel ManRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Eric Martin, 36, of Ethel, Louisiana, was sentenced today for possession of methamphetamine announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. United States District Judge Robert R. Summerhays sentenced Martin to 274 months (22 years, 10 months) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release.
Martin was charged in an indictment in January 2023 with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to evidence presented to the court, on July 13, 2022, members of the Evangeline Parish Sheriff's Office conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for speeding and the driver and lone occupant was identified as Martin. During the traffic stop, law enforcement officers observed the odor of marijuana emitting from inside the passenger compartment of the vehicle. After being advised of his Miranda rights, Martin was questioned by officers. Martin admitted that marijuana could be located inside a blue backpack located on the front passenger seat of the vehicle.
A search of the vehicle was conducted, and officers located approximately 26 grams of marijuana on the front passenger seat. In addition, approximately 18 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine was found on the back seat of the vehicle, within the reach of Martin. A presumptive test of the suspected methamphetamine returned a positive result for the presence of methamphetamine. The suspected methamphetamine was sent to the DEA laboratory for testing and had a result indicating the substance had a net weight of 16.96 kilograms of methamphetamine.
Martin has a criminal history including convictions for negligent homicide and accessory after the fact to aggravated second degree battery.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Evangeline Parish Sheriff's Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys LaDonte A. Murphy and Craig R. Bordelon.
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Pittsburg County Resident Pleads Guilty to Murder, Assault, and Federal Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Darius Alexander Presley, age 22, of McAlester, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to charges related to a December 2022 shooting that left one dead and one seriously wounded.
At the plea hearing, Presley entered a guilty plea to one count of Murder in Indian Country, one count of Assault with the Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country, one count of Use, Carry, Brandish and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, and one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
According to investigators, on December 2, 2022, Presley shot two individuals at a McAlester residence before leaving in a victim’s car. Deputies responding to reports of gunshots arrived at the residence to discover one victim deceased and the second seriously wounded. At the time of the offense, Presley, a felon, was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a state court conviction. The crimes occurred in Pittsburg County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Presley will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jordan Howanitz and Michael Robinson represented the United States.
Oswego County Woman Sentenced to 24 Months for Stealing Her Deceased Son’s Disability BenefitsRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Lisa Waldron, age 44, of Palermo, New York, was sentenced today to serve 24 months (two years) in federal prison for her conviction on charges of theft of government property, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Sharon B. MacDermott, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration-Office of the Inspector General, New York Field Office (SSA-OIG).
As part of her previously entered guilty plea, Waldron admitted that for years she acted as the representative payee for her disabled minor son, Jordan Brooks, who was receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. A representative payee is a person or organization who receives Social Security benefits on another person’s behalf and is required to ensure the benefits are used only to support the beneficiary. Waldron also admitted that despite being legally required to use the benefits for Brooks’s care, Waldron used the money to pay for unrelated expenses.
Based in part on Waldron’s neglect of Brooks, he died on May 9, 2021. In July 2023, in a case brought by the Oswego County District Attorney’s Office, Waldron pled guilty to manslaughter and assault charges related to her involvement in Brooks’s death.
After Brooks died, Waldron failed to notify the SSA of the death and continued to receive SSI benefits intended for Brooks despite knowing she was not entitled to them. During that period, Waldron continued to spend Brooks’s SSI benefits to pay her own expenses including fast food purchases and a trip to Myrtle Beach. Finally, in April 2022, SSA independently discovered the issue and terminated Brooks’s benefits. This prosecution followed.
In addition to imposing Waldron’s sentence to run consecutively (in addition to) to her anticipated state sentence, Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes also imposed a three-year term of post-release supervision and ordered Waldron to pay $13,292.76 in restitution—with $5,948.06 of that going to SSA and $7,344.70 being paid to the Crime Victims Fund.
The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration-Office of the Inspector General (SSA-OIG) and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian S. LaRochelle and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul J. Tuck.
New Jersey Woman Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Transport AliensRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Juhi Khubani, age 48, of New Jersey, pled guilty today to conspiring to transport seven aliens.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Chief Patrol Agent Robert N. Garcia, United States Border Patrol, Swanton Sector, made the announcement.
Khubani admitted that on June 3, 2023, she drove in an SUV to the U.S. side of the international border with Canada in Chateaugay, New York. Shortly after, seven Indian citizens who had just crossed into the U.S. illegally from Canada got into the SUV. Khubani then drove the aliens away from the border. Border Patrol agents then stopped the SUV and arrested its occupants. Khubani admitted that she expected to be paid for transporting the aliens.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 18, 2023, before Senior United States District Judge Gary L. Sharpe. Khubani faces up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
Border Patrol investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua R. Rosenthal is prosecuting this case.
New Haven Man Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison for PPP Loan Fraud, Money Laundering, and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that ANTRUM COSTON, 41, of New Haven, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 37 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for fraud, money laundering, and drug offenses.
In March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act provided emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
According to court documents and statements made in court, in April 2021, Coston applied for and subsequently received two PPP loans, totaling $41,666, purportedly in relation to a cleaning business he operated. In association with the loan applications, Coston made multiple false statements, including that his business was established in 2018 when, in fact, no cleaning business associated with Coston had been formed in 2018, and that the business had total gross income for 2019 of $114,658 when, in fact, the business had not earned such income, and Coston was incarcerated for all of 2019. In February 2022, Coston sought forgiveness of both loans, falsely asserting in each instance that the funds had been spent on payroll costs.
On December 31, 2021, police stopped a car Coston was driving in West Haven. After initially stopping, Coston drove off, nearly striking the officer as he fled. Coston was found hiding in a parking lot a short distance away. A search of vehicle and person revealed distribution quantities of heroin/fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine, and more than $2,000 in cash. A related search of Coston’s residence revealed a ballistic vest, $2,790 in cash, a small quantity of crack, and narcotics paraphernalia.
On December 20, 2022, Coston pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, one count of money laundering, and one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Coston, who is released on bond, is required to report to prison on November 29.
Coston’s criminal history includes multiple convictions, including two federal convictions. In 2004, Coston was convicted in federal court of possession of a firearm by a felon. He was sentenced to 37 months of imprisonment for that offense, and, in June 2007, received an additional 18 months of imprisonment for violating the conditions of his supervised release. In December 2017, Coston was sentenced to 40 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for gun and drug offenses. He was released from federal prison in April 2020, and was on supervised release when he committed the PPP loan fraud, money laundering and drug possession offenses.
This matter was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, the Bureau of Alcohol. Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the West Haven Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer R. Laraia.
Individuals with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721, or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
New Central Ohio Crime Gun Intelligence Center Opens in ColumbusRead the Press Release
Alongside state leadership and local partners in Columbus, Ohio, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) announced today the opening of a new Central Ohio Regional Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC). These centralized law enforcement hubs focus exclusively on investigating and preventing gun violence in local communities. They bring together, under one roof, the expertise of firearm evidence examiners, intelligence analysts, and investigators to rapidly collect, analyze, and share information about guns used in violent crimes. This is the second CGIC now running in the state of Ohio and one of more than 60 operated by ATF nationwide.
“Across the country, Crime Gun Intelligence Centers — like the one announced today in Columbus — have proven to be uniquely effective tools for solving violent crimes, bringing repeat shooters to justice, and reducing the rate of gun violence,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “The intelligence they produce and the collaboration they facilitate represent the best of what federal law enforcement can achieve for public safety when we harness our resources and work hand-in-hand with our state and local law-enforcement partners. The more communities in America that have ready access to a Crime Gun Intelligence Center, the safer our nation will be.”
“As we have in so many cities and states around the country, ATF has partnered with state and local leaders to use crime gun intelligence to help catch the most violent offenders,” said ATF Director Steven Dettelbach. “We are thrilled with the progress that has been made in Ohio and look forward to a long and successful partnership fighting violent crime.”
The centerpiece of ATF-led CGICs are eTrace and the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is ATF’s network of millions of ballistic images captured from crime scenes across the nation. NIBIN plays a crucial investigative role in solving shootings. When a shooting takes place, ATF’s NIBIN technology evaluates whether the shell casings recovered from that shooting matches with the shell casings expelled at another shooting that took place at another time and place. eTrace is ATF’s crime gun tracing program. When law enforcement recovers a firearm associated with a criminal investigation, they submit that firearm’s information to ATF to trace it back to the first retail sale. At their core, CGICs develop actionable intelligence leads through the use of NIBIN and eTrace. As a result, multiple shootings can be tied together, whether they happened in the same neighborhood or hundreds of miles apart, and shooters can be identified more quickly.
“The new Central Ohio Crime Gun Intelligence Center represents the next generation in intelligence-based policing, and it is unlike anything that has ever been done in Central Ohio before,” said Ohio Governor Mark DeWine. “The teams taking part in this large-scale and long-term collaboration are sharing everything from intelligence and investigative leads to technology and manpower so that they can zero in on the people who are shooting and killing others without remorse. Gun violence is about to become much, much harder to get away with in Central Ohio.”
Housed within the Ohio Department of Public Safety, the Central Ohio CGIC is operated in partnership between ATF, the Columbus Division of Police, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Ohio Narcotics Intelligence Center, and Ohio Attorney General's Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
The Central Ohio CGIC began operations in July and is available to assist law enforcement agencies throughout the region free of charge. Since its initial launch, teams have connected multiple shootings that occurred in Columbus this summer to other crimes committed several years ago, including crimes that took place in other parts of the state.
“The Crime Gun Intelligence Center is precisely what we need to further empower our officers to capture and prosecute those responsible for perpetrating gun violence in our communities,” said Mayor Andrew J. Ginther of the City of Columbus. “This is about tapping into the power of collaboration to strengthen accountability and secure justice – using our combined resources to connect the guns being used to kill, maim, and commit crimes with the individuals who wield or peddle them in the first place.”
“Concentrated, collaborative efforts like this CGIC can have a real impact on reducing the level of violence in our cities,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio. “Federal firearms laws can be punished by up to 10 years in prison. We will not hesitate to use those laws when appropriate to hold accountable those who use firearms to commit acts of violence in our communities.”
Additional agencies that will support the Central Ohio CGIC include the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office, and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio.
ATF continues to work with their state, local, and Tribal law enforcement partners around the country to open more Crime Gun Intelligence Centers.
Missouri Residents Asked to Be on the Lookout for Firearms Stolen from Potosi StoreRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Federal and local authorities are asking the public to look out for rifles and shotguns that were stolen from a farm and home store in Washington County, Missouri in 2021. One was recently recovered in St. Louis County.
Gregory Snyder, 44, of Bismarck, in St. Francois County, was indicted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on July 26 on two felony charges: theft of 13 firearms from a federally licensed firearms dealer and possession of body armor by a violent felon. The indictment accuses Snyder of stealing firearms from Dickey Bub Farm & Home on September 19 and 20 of 2021, and of possessing body armor on Sept. 20.
A motion seeking to have Snyder held in jail until trial says he was captured on video hiding in the store until closing time, when he emerged and stole a variety of items, including shotguns and rifles. One of the stolen firearms was recovered in June 2023 in Caledonia, Missouri. Police recovered another shotgun in St. Louis County following a traffic stop.
“We’re alerting the public to the existence of these stolen guns because we want gun buyers to be cautious and protect themselves against buying a stolen firearm,” said Potosi Police Chief Michael Gum. “One of the stolen shotguns was recovered only after an unsuspecting buyer purchased it from a pawn shop. If you have purchased one of these firearms, or even want to check if a gun is stolen, please contact your local police or sheriff’s department,” Chief Gum said.
The following firearms were stolen:
- American Tactical Omni Hybrid 5.56/.223 rifle, serial # NS308985
- Ruger American .243 Win. rifle, serial # 699-51880
- Savage Model 11 .243 Win. rifle, serial # K832564
- Smith & Wesson M&P 15 5.56 NATO rifle, serial # TS40690
- Smith & Wesson M&P 15 5.56 NATO rifle, serial # TS44864
- Smith & Wesson M&P 15 5.56 NATO rifle, serial # TT81658
- Springfield Armory Saint 5.56/.223 rifle, serial # ST461190
- Springfield Armory Saint 5.56/.223 rifle, serial # ST469640
- Francolin Boss-25 12-gauge shotgun, serial # 21-13942
- Francolin Warthog 12-gauge shotgun, serial # 21WH-1149
- Mossberg 510 Mini 20-gauge shotgun, serial # V1312970
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Potosi Police Department are investigating the case. Anyone with information is asked to contact the ATF at 314-768-3120 or online at www.atf.gov/contact/atf-tips or the Potosi Police at 573-438-5468.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nino Przulj is prosecuting the case.
Charges set forth in an indictment or a criminal complaint are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Man Who Robbed Hartford Credit Union Sentenced to 6 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ZAIQWAN FOTHERGILL, 21, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 72 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for robbing a Hartford credit union last year.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 29, 2022, Fothergill, armed with a .40 caliber ghost gun, robbed the Cencap Federal Credit Union, located at 2775 Main Street in Hartford, of $24,214. Fothergill’s associate, Hakeem Robinson, stood watch in the credit union during the robbery. Hartford Police officers located and arrested Fothergill and Robinson in Keney Park in Hartford shortly after the robbery.
On February 2, 2023, Fothergill pleaded guilty to armed bank robbery.
Robinson, 28, of Hartford, pleaded guilty to the same charge and, on May 8, 2023, was sentenced to 56 months of imprisonment.
Fothergill and Robinson have been detained since their arrests.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Connecticut Violent Crime Task Force and the Hartford Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian P. Leaming and Jocelyn Courtney Kaoutzanis.
Lake City Man Sentenced to Nearly Six Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis today sentenced Steven Russell Statham II (27, Lake City) to 5 years and 10 months in federal prison for conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute methamphetamine. Statham had pleaded guilty on September 6, 2022.
According to court documents, a confidential source told a DEA Special Agent that he had purchased crystal methamphetamine from Statham approximately four times, buying three ounces (approximately 84 grams) each time. He also said he had seen Statham sell methamphetamine to others.
On September 15, 2021, the confidential source and an undercover detective met with Statham in Lake City and drove with him to meet one of his drug suppliers. After the undercover detective gave Statham the cash to purchase the methamphetamine, Statham met with his supplier and then gave the detective approximately 85.11 grams of pure methamphetamine.
Two weeks later, on September 29, 2021, the undercover detective and the confidential source met with Statham in Lake City again to coordinate the purchase of more methamphetamine. After being supplied with cash to purchase the drugs, Statham met with his drug source and then supplied the detective and the confidential source with approximately 167.73 grams of pure methamphetamine.
On November 18, 2021, a sergeant from the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office pulled over a car that Statham was driving which had license plates that were not assigned to the car. During the traffic stop, a law enforcement canine positively alerted on the car, indicating the presence of drugs. Officers recovered a bag from the car that contained approximately 21.4 grams of crystal methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, the Columbia County Drug Task Force, the North Star Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Force, the Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Coolican.
La Crosse Woman Sentenced to 20 Months for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine & FentanylRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Paige Roberts, 25, La Crosse, Wisconsin was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 20 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. This prison term will be followed by a 5-year term of supervised release. Roberts pleaded guilty to this charge on May 11, 2023.
The La Crosse Police Department began their investigation of Roberts and her co- defendant, Raphiel Kuntu, in January 2022, after a housekeeper at a hotel located a significant amount of controlled substances in a hotel room rented by Roberts. Roberts took ownership of the substances only after Kuntu left the scene, and after she flushed other controlled substances down a toilet. During the course of this investigation, police utilized a confidential informant to purchase methamphetamine and fentanyl from Kuntu on two occasions. In April 2022, officers executed a search warrant at a residence Roberts shared with Kuntu. In their shared bedroom, officers recovered approximately 21 pounds of methamphetamine and 2.5 pounds of fentanyl, along with other controlled substances and a loaded firearm.
A search of Roberts’s and Kuntu’s cellphones revealed Roberts was aware of and assisted Kuntu with his drug dealing. Kuntu previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Kuntu was sentenced by Judge Peterson on August 9, 2023 to 12 years in prison.
At sentencing Judge Peterson stated that a 20-month sentenced held Roberts accountable for her role in the drug dealing conspiracy, which he said Roberts “embraced.” Judge Peterson also considered Roberts’s good performance on pre-trial supervision in fashioning a sentence.
The charges against Roberts and Kuntu are the result of an investigation conducted by the La Crosse Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor L. Kraus handled the prosecution.
Kentucky Man Sentenced to 84 Months for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
FRANKFORT, Ky. — A Kentucky man, Michael Wayne Henderson, 51, was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison on Tuesday, by U.S. District Judge Gregory VanTatenhove, for failure to register as a sex offender.
According to evidence presented at trial, Henderson has repeatedly failed to register as a sex offender. In 2002, he was convicted in Perry County, Indiana for Deviate Criminal Sexual Conduct. As a result, for the rest of his life, Henderson is required to register as a sex offender in the state in which he lives, works, or goes to school. Henderson initially faced charges for failing to register in 2009 after moving to the Eastern District of Kentucky. Henderson was convicted by a jury and sentenced to 10 years in prison and placed on supervised release for life. In 2019, Henderson was incarcerated because he again failed to register, in violation of the terms of his supervised release. After his release from prison, Henderson traveled back to Kentucky, but again failed to register as required. A jury convicted Henderson in March 2023 for his most recent failure to register.
Under federal law, Henderson must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence; and upon his release, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for life.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky and Jeremy Honaker, Acting U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of Kentucky, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov
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Jury convicts Virginia man of attempted sex trafficking of minor in undercover investigation in BillingsRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A federal jury today convicted a Virginia man of attempting to solicit a minor for sex during an undercover investigation in Billings, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
After a two-day trial that began in Missoula on Sept. 18, the jury found Mark Samuel Baker, 57, of Gore, Virginia, guilty of attempted sex trafficking of a minor as charged in an indictment. Baker faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing date will be set. Baker was detained pending further proceedings.
“Baker got caught in an undercover sting when he tried to arrange to have commercial sex with an individual he thought was a minor under 16. His conduct exploits children and contributes to the scourge of sex trafficking, which our office will continue to aggressively prosecute. I want to thank Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zeno B. Baucus and Kelsey A. Sabol and the FBI, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation and Billings Police Department for their investigation and prosecution of this case,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
In court documents and during trial, the government alleged that from July 11, 2022 to July 13, 2022, Baker knowingly attempted to recruit and solicit a minor to engage in commercial sex. During the investigation, an undercover officer used the internet to post an advertisement purporting to be a female escort who was the minimum allowed posting age of 18. About six hours later, the undercover agent received a message in response to the ad from a phone number later identified to be Baker’s. Law enforcement responded on July 12, 2022 asking if Baker wanted “a date.” Law enforcement and Baker communicated over the next two days. One of the exchanges included: Law enforcement asks, “Are u ok if I’m not 18.” Baker responds, “Yes as long as you are ok I’m 49.” Law enforcement writes, “I’m almost 16 if ur cool w that.”
Baker and the undercover discussed how much time $80 would buy, and Baker said he wanted sex with the undercover officer. Baker also sent pictures of the cash he would use and of himself. They then made plans to meet in Billings and go to Baker’s hotel. Law enforcement arrested Baker on July 13, 2022 when he showed up at the designated time. A call was then placed to the phone number law enforcement had been texting, and a smartphone in Baker’s vehicle lit up with the undercover’s number. Law enforcement found $375 in cash, a hotel passkey and four condoms on Baker’s person.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zeno B. Baucus and Kelsey A. Sabol are prosecuting the case. The FBI, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation and Billings Police Department conducted the investigation.
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Joplin Man Sentenced to 18 Years for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Joplin, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for receiving and distributing child pornography over the internet.
Mark Comer, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 18 years in federal prison without parole. Comer will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.
On March 23, 2023, Comer pleaded guilty to receiving and distributing child pornography.
Law enforcement officers searched Comer’s laptop in July 2022 as part of an investigation into allegations of child sexual abuse. Investigators found thousands of photos and videos of child pornography and child exploitative material.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by the Southwest Missouri Cybercrimes Task Force, the FBI, and the Carl Junction, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Joplin Man Pleads Guilty to Kidnapping Conspiracy, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Joplin, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in a kidnapping conspiracy that resulted in the death of the victim.
Freddie Lewis Tilton, also known as “Ol’ Boy,” 50, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping and two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
By pleading guilty today, Tilton admitted that he participated in a conspiracy to kidnap the victim, identified as “M.H.,” in July 2020. Co-defendants Carla Jo Ward, 49, of Joplin, James B. Gibson, 41, of Neosho, Mo., Amy Kay Thomas, 40, of Webb City, Mo., Lawrence William Vaughan, also known as “Scary Larry,” 52, of Newton County, Mo., and Russell Eugene Hurtt, also known as “Uncle,” 51, of Greenwood, Mo., have previously pleaded guilty.
According to the plea agreement, Ward picked up M.H., whom she knew was being sought by Tilton, and took him to Vaughan’s residence. Tilton, Thomas, and Gibson arrived at Vaughan’s residence in the early morning hours of July 15, 2020. They bound M.H.’s hands with handcuffs, and duct tape was placed around his mouth and other parts of his body. Gibson, Thomas, and others assaulted M.H. for a period of time. M.H. was cut, beaten, shot at, and burned with a blowtorch. As M.H. became bloody, Vaughan placed a plastic tarp on the floor. Tilton fatally shot M.H. in the head. They wrapped M.H.’s body in plastic wrap and transported it to Hurtt’s property.
Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Hurtt’s property on July 28, 2020, based on information that a deceased body was located on the acreage. When officers attempted to contact the occupants of the residence, Tilton fired multiple shots from inside the residence at the officers. Tilton was apprehended.
Officers found M.H.’s body on the property. Officers searched the residence and found a Rigarmi .25-caliber pistol, an Ithaca .22-caliber rifle, a Remington .22-caliber rifle without a serial number, a Harrington and Richardson 12-gauge shotgun, a Ruger 9mm handgun, and a Taurus 9mm handgun without a serial number.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Tilton has two prior felony convictions for burglary, two prior felony convictions for larceny of an automobile, and prior felony convictions for stealing, possession of a controlled substance, burglary of an automobile, possession of a chemical with intent to manufacture, receiving stolen property, unlawful use of a weapon, theft, and tampering.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ami Harshad Miller and James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by the FBI, the Newton County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Neosho, Mo., Police Department, the Joplin, Mo., Police Department, and the Cherokee County, Kan., Sheriff’s Department.
Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Jefferson County Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Groves man has been sentenced to federal prison for trafficking drugs in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today.
Dustin Joseph Collins, 40, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 121 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone.
According to information presented in court, on November 9, 2021, Collins was stopped by law enforcement officers on Highway 69 southbound to Port Arthur. During the stop, a police canine alerted on the vehicle causing Collins to flee the scene. Collins ran across the freeway through traffic before being apprehended. A search of Collins’ vehicle revealed a backpack with over 231 grams of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Port Arthur Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Anderson.
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Indictment Charges Bridgeport Man with Drug Distribution and Firearm Possession OffensesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division, and Bridgeport Police Chief Roderick Porter today announced that a federal grand jury in Bridgeport has returned a two-count indictment charging JONATHAN BONAPARTE, 35, of Bridgeport, with drug distribution and firearm possession offenses.
The indictment was returned on September 7, 2023. Bonaparte appeared yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti in Bridgeport and entered a plea of not guilty. He has been detained since his arrest on related state charges on March 31, 2022.
The indictment alleges that on March 31, 2022, Bonaparte possessed fentanyl and cocaine that he intended to distribute, six firearms, and approximately 100 rounds of ammunition. The indictment further alleges that Bonaparte’s criminal history includes state felony convictions for robbery and firearm offenses.
It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
The indictment charges Bonaparte with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition by a felon, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. A charge is only an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation has been conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives (ATF), and the Bridgeport Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Stolfi Collins, through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Husband and Wife Charged with Multimillion-Dollar Gift Card Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Ivan J. Arvelo, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), announced the unsealing of an Indictment charging XULIANG HOU and YUNA LIN with conspiring to commit wire fraud. HOU and LIN were arrested yesterday and will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jennifer E. Willis. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “For nearly two years, Xuliang Hou, Yuna Lin, and their co‑conspirators allegedly engaged in a brazen scheme to obtain gift card information from their victims through lies. As alleged, they used those gift cards to purchase millions of dollars’ worth of products, including electronic devices. Thanks to the skillful investigative work of HSI and the dedication of the prosecutors of this Office, the defendants’ alleged scheme will be put to an end.”
HSI Special Agent in Charge Ivan J. Arvelo said: “The defendants, along with their co-conspirators, stand accused of swindling victims out of millions of dollars across multiple states over the course of several years. HSI New York remains steadfast in our commitment to thwart criminal organizations seeking to undermine the integrity of American businesses and the stability of our financial system.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment:[1]
From July 2020 through at least May 2022, XULIANG HOU and YUNA LIN carried out a scheme in which victims were induced, under false pretenses, to purchase gift cards redeemable at certain stores. The scheme’s perpetrators used those cards to purchase millions of dollars’ worth of various products, including electronic devices.
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HOU, 32, and LIN, 30, both of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of HSI.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey W. Coyle and Benjamin M. Burkett are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Hughes County Resident Sentenced for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Donald Paul Griggs, age 56, of Holdenville, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 194 months in prison for possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Seminole Police Department, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Department, and the Hughes County Sheriff’s Department.
On August 10, 2022, Griggs pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. According to investigators, on March 31, 2022, Griggs led law enforcement on a highspeed chase, forced another vehicle off the road, crashed, and attempted to flee on foot. During the chase, Griggs discarded over 21 pounds of pure methamphetamine before he was apprehended and arrested by officers.
“Those who distribute drugs do so for one purpose, to make a profit,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge, Eduardo A. Chávez, who oversees operations in Oklahoma. “Today, Mr. Griggs is being held accountable for his actions. The DEA will never stop seeking justice for those who prey on others’ addictions.”
“Methamphetamine continues to plague our communities,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “Drug traffickers transporting and distributing illegal narcotics in the Eastern District will be investigated and aggressively prosecuted.”
The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing in Muskogee. Griggs will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Erin Cornell represented the United States.
Hudson County Man Sentenced to 90 Months in Prison for Role in Gang AssaultRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A member of a neighborhood street gang in Hudson County, New Jersey, was sentenced to 90 months in prison for stabbing a rival gang member during a retaliatory gang-related assault, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Sheldon Mays, aka “Thottie,” 23, of Jersey City, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty to an information charging him with one count of assault with a dangerous weapon – a knife – in aid of racketeering. Judge McNulty imposed the sentence on Sept. 18, 2023, in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Aug. 3, 2020, Mays and seven others, all of whom are associated with a street gang operating in and around the Curries Woods Public Housing Complex in Jersey City – identified as “Curries Woods” or the “Tay Tay Shrimp Gang” or the “Sharks” – assaulted a rival gang member in retaliation for a prior gang-related assault. As the victim was walking down a street in Jersey City, Mays and the others approached in two cars, parked in the middle of the street, and violently assaulted the victim, who was punched, kicked, and stabbed by Mays, and suffered life-threatening injuries.
In addition to the prison term, Judge McNulty sentenced Mays to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and task force officers of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller; the Jersey City Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director James Shea; the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Esther Suarez; and the Hudson County Department of Corrections with the investigation leading to the sentencing.
This investigation was conducted as part of the Jersey City Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The VCI was formed in 2018 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Jersey City Police Department, for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Jersey City. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate to strategize and prioritize the prosecution of violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals, the Jersey City Police Department, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, the Hudson County Jail, and the New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Agnew of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton.
Hardeman County Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A federal judge delivered sentencing in the case of a Hardeman County man convicted of firearm charges. Fabian Bills, 34, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Court Judge S. Thomas Anderson also ordered Bills to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. United States Attorney Kevin Ritz announced the sentence today.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force.
According to information presented in court, on May 6, 2022, a deputy in the Madison County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop of a Nissan Maxima. Upon approaching the passenger’s side of the vehicle, the officer noticed the smell of marijuana coming from inside the car. The officer asked the driver for permission to search the vehicle; the passenger identified himself as Fabian Bills. The officer discovered a loaded 9mm handgun tucked underneath the front passenger seat. Bills admitted ownership of the firearm and stated that he had prior felony convictions. Bills was arrested and charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. This firearm was later matched by a forensic firearms examiner to two prior shootings.
Based on this, a federal criminal complaint was issued against Bills and on May 27, 2022, a Federal Bureau of Investigations Task Force officer executed the resulting arrest warrant. Additional firearms were recovered from Bills’s vehicle when he was arrested, including an Omni 300 Blackout AR15 and a loaded Taurus G2C 9mm handgun.
In August 2023, Bills pled guilty to two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Because the Court found the defendant committed prior violent acts with one of these firearms, he was subject to enhanced punishment at sentencing. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorney Christie Hopper, who prosecuted this case, as well as law enforcement partners who investigated the case.
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Guatemalan Resident Indicted on Charge of Violating Federal Immigration LawsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Guatemala, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating federal immigration laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Alexander Mendez-Marroquin, 32, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment presented to the court, on or about August 20, 2023, Mendez-Marroquin was located in Pittsburgh and taken into custody by Department of Homeland Security agents after knowingly illegally reentering the United States as a previously removed alien.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 10 years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Georgia Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Wire Fraud, Wire Fraud Conspiracy, and Aiding in the Filing of False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – Stanley Worthy Jr., 41, of Lawrenceville, Georgia, was sentenced today to 60 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Christopher Boyko after earlier pleading guilty to wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aiding in the filing of false tax returns. Worthy was also ordered to serve 3 years of supervised release and pay $2,935,933.35 in restitution jointly and severally with co-defendants. A special assessment of $4,200 was also ordered by the court.
Worthy pleaded guilty on June 1, 2023 to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, five counts of wire fraud, and 36 counts of aiding and abetting in the filing of false tax returns to the IRS. The court sentenced Worthy to 60 months for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud and sentenced Worthy to 36 months for aiding in the filing of false tax returns, all sentences to run concurrently.
According to court documents from 2019 to 2020 Worthy and his co-conspirators used the Soamazin Automotive car dealership, in Warrensville Heights, Ohio to purchase stolen vehicles at a discount, and sell those vehicles to unsuspecting buyers for profit. In furtherance of the conspiracy, the defendants devised a scheme to have individuals apply for loans to fund the purchase of non-existent vehicles. The conspirators split the loan proceeds between themselves and the applicant. Worthy recruited applicants from clients of his company, Cavalier Care, which offered tax preparation services and financial education services. From 2017 to 2020, Worthy fraudulently prepared 35 tax returns for others to increase their tax refunds causing a loss of approximately $211,737 to the United States.
This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) and the FBI. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alex Abreu and Payum Doroodian.
Former Investment Banker and Registered Broker Pleads Guilty to Cryptocurrency Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BROOKLYN, NY – Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Rashawn Russell pleaded guilty to participating in a scheme to defraud clients of the R3 Crypto Fund, a purported cryptocurrency investment fund operated by Russell. Russell also pleaded guilty for his role in a separate identity-theft scheme in which he fraudulently obtained credit cards and other access devices in the names of third parties. Today’s plea took place before United States Magistrate Judge Sanket J. Bulsara. When sentenced, Russell faces up to 30 years in prison. As part of his plea agreement, Russell will be required to pay restitution in the amount of more than $1.5 million.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Nicole M. Argentieri, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and Eric Shen, Inspector-in-Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Criminal Investigations Group (USPIS), announced the guilty plea.
“Russell leveraged investor interest in cryptocurrency markets to perpetrate a scheme to defraud clients who trusted him,” stated United States Attorney Breon Peace. “The swift conviction in this case underscores this Office’s commitment to holding bad actors in the digital asset markets accountable.”
“The Postal Inspection Service proudly protects Americans from ever-evolving threats of fraud,” stated USPIS Inspector-in-Charge Shen. “This case showcases our dedication to bring to justice those who violate their fiduciary duty to their clients.”
According to court filings and facts presented during the plea hearing, between November 2020 and August 2022, Russell, a former investment banker and registered broker with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, engaged in a scheme to defraud investors into his R3 Crypto Fund by falsely promising that, among other things, he would use their funds to make cryptocurrency investments that would return large, and sometimes guaranteed, returns. In truth, much of the investors’ assets were misappropriated by Russell and used for his personal benefit, to gamble, and to repay earlier investors. Through Russell’s scheme, at least 29 investors lost at least $1.5 million.
In a separate fraud scheme, between September 2021 and June 2023, Russell fraudulently obtained more than fifteen credit cards and other access devices in the names of third parties. Russell obtained these devices with the intent to use them to complete unauthorized transactions.
The government’s case is being handled by the Business and Securities Fraud Section of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the Department of Justice, Criminal Division, Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorney Drew Rolle, Trial Attorney Kyle Crawford, and Assistant Chief Scott Armstrong are prosecuting the case.
If you believe you are a victim in this case, please contact the Fraud Section’s Victim Witness Unit toll-free at (888) 549-3945 or by email at [email protected].
The Defendant:
RASHAWN RUSSELL
Age: 27
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-152
Former Congressman Sentenced to 22 Months in Prison for Insider TradingRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that STEPHEN BUYER, a former Indiana Congressman, was sentenced today to 22 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman. BUYER was previously convicted following trial of four counts of securities fraud for engaging in two insider trading schemes.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Stephen Buyer was convicted by a jury of twice engaging in insider trading. He abused positions of trust for illicit personal gain, and today he faced justice for those acts. No insider trader is above the law, and we will continue to bring those who undermine the fairness and integrity of our markets to justice.”
According to the Indictment, evidence presented during trial, court documents, and statements made in open court:
In 2018 and 2019, BUYER engaged in two separate, but interrelated insider trading schemes to steal material non-public information that he obtained through consulting work and to place timely, profitable securities trades based on that stolen information. First, in or about March and April 2018, BUYER purchased shares of Sprint Corporation (“Sprint”) ahead of the April 29, 2018, public announcement that T-Mobile US, Inc. (“T-Mobile”) and Sprint would merge in a deal valued at $26.5 billion. Prior to the public announcement of the transaction by T-Mobile, executives at T-Mobile told a small, trusted group of consultants that they had retained to work on the deal, including BUYER, about the merger and directed them to keep the information confidential. BUYER breached his duty of confidentiality to T-Mobile and misappropriated that information by purchasing shares of Sprint across several brokerage accounts, including his own accounts, an account held jointly with his cousin, and an account in the name of a close, personal friend. Across these accounts, BUYER made more than $126,000 from the purchase and subsequent sale of Sprint stock after the merger was publicly announced.
In or about June through August 2019, BUYER again engaged in insider trading, this time trading in shares of Navigant Consulting, Inc. (“Navigant”) ahead of Navigant’s acquisition by consulting and advisory firm Guidehouse. As with his purchase of Sprint shares, BUYER learned through his consulting work for Guidehouse that Guidehouse intended to acquire Navigant and misappropriated that information by purchasing Navigant shares ahead of the public announcement of the acquisition. BUYER purchased Navigant shares across several brokerage accounts, including accounts in his own name, joint accounts held with family members, and the account of the same close, personal friend whose account he used to trade Sprint shares. In total, Buyer made more than $223,000 from his illegal Navigant trades.
BUYER testified at his March 2023 trial and provided false explanations for his Sprint and Navigant trading, which Judge Berman found at sentencing to constitute obstruction of justice.
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In addition to his prison sentence, BUYER, 64, of Noblesville, Indiana, was ordered to pay more than $350,000 in forfeiture and restitution in an amount to be determined.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and also thanked the Securities and Exchange Commission for its assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kiersten A. Fletcher and Margaret Graham are in charge of the prosecution.
Former Allegheny County Resident Sentenced to 216 Months in Prison for Drug Conspiracy and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – Ross Landfried was sentenced to 216 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute a controlled substance, and to engage in money laundering, in 2017 and 2018 while serving a federal prison sentence for a prior drug trafficking conviction, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Landfried, age 42, formerly of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan. Judge Ranjan ordered Landfried to serve six years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Judge Ranjan also ordered that the 216-month prison sentence be served consecutively to Landfried’s prior sentence.
Landfried was convicted at the conclusion of a trial in June 2022. Landfried was serving a federal prison sentence in 2017 and 2018 following a federal conviction for prior large-scale drug trafficking. Despite his prior conviction and incarceration, he continued to engage in drug trafficking, and money laundering, while in federal prison. He led a scheme that involved several co-conspirators and that was designed to introduce large quantities of K2 paper saturated with powerful Schedule I synthetic cannabinoid controlled substances into prisons. The K2 paper endangered other inmates and corrections officers and burdened them with the effects of frequent lockdowns, overdoses, assaults, and other volatile behavior. While pending trial following his indictment, Landfried engaged in repeated incidents of violence and weapon possession at local detention facilities.
Assistant United States Attorneys Rebecca L. Silinski and Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, the federal Bureau of Prisons, and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General led the multi-agency investigation that also included the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Beaver County District Attorney’s Office, the Department of Homeland Security/Homeland Security Investigations, the Pittsburgh Police Department, the United States Marshals Service, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Munhall Police Department, the Robinson Township Police Department, the McKees Rocks Police Department, the Stowe Township Police Department, the Etna Police Department, and the Erie County District Attorney’s Office.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Florida Man Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Participating in Fraud and Money Laundering Scheme Targeting Hedge FundRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that MUSTAPHA RAJI was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman to three years in prison for his participation in a $1.7 million business email compromise and money laundering scheme that targeted a Manhattan hedge fund. RAJI was previously convicted after a one-week jury trial of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, receipt of stolen property, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Today’s sentencing of Mustapha Raji should send a clear message that email scams targeting businesses in this District will not be tolerated. Together with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to zealously prosecute online scammers abroad, and the U.S.-based money launderers they work with, to protect American businesses.”
As reflected in the Indictment, public filings, and the evidence presented at trial:
RAJI participated in an international fraud ring that conducted phishing and other email fraud campaigns.
In April 2017, a company RAJI controlled received over $100,000 in two transfers from another corporate entity, which had itself just received nearly $2 million in stolen money from a public university in Oregon. The university had been conned into sending the payment to an account controlled by one of RAJI’s co-conspirators instead of the bank account of the legitimate vendor it intended to pay.
In July 2018, RAJI was involved in the compromise of the business email account of a hedge fund founder in New York. That compromise resulted in the fraudulent diversion of a $1.7 million wire transfer from the hedge fund to a corporate bank account used to facilitate the scheme. RAJI was a registered officer of the company that received the stolen funds, he fabricated documents to cover up the fraudulent transfer of funds from the hedge fund, and he directed a co-conspirator to launder the stolen funds to other co-conspirators domestically and overseas. RAJI took a $50,000 cut for his participation in the scheme.
Similarly, in May 2018, a hospital system in Missouri fell victim to a business email compromise scheme. As part of that scheme, unauthorized emails were sent from the email account for the hospital’s chief financial officer that purported to direct payments to be issued for false invoices issued by RAJI’s company, causing over $250,000 to be sent directly by the victim to a bank account RAJI controlled.
In September 2018, RAJI learned that a co-conspirator with whom he had worked closely in the scheme had been arrested. Nonetheless, when a cooperating witness approached RAJI in 2019 about a new fraud — a supposed insider job to steal $2.3 million — RAJI agreed to participate and sent the cooperating witness wire instructions for an account to receive the stolen money.
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In addition to his prison term, RAJI, 53, of Hollywood, Florida, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $711,557.54 and forfeit the same amount.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Catherine Ghosh, Jilan Kamal, Dina McLeod, and Robert B. Sobelman are in charge of the prosecution.
Financial Crimes Conference Aims to Give Law Enforcement Tools to Better Fight Internet CrimeRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Last week, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida recently convened a financial crimes training entitled “Taking the Byte out of Crime—Tools and Techniques for Fighting Internet Crimes Targeting Businesses and Individuals.”
More than 90 law enforcement officers and federal agents from Key West to Palm Beach met at Broward College Health Sciences Simulation Center in Davie, Fla., to enhance their knowledge base, discuss evolving internet crime schemes, hear about criminal case examples, and share investigative resources to combat crime. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida expressed his gratitude to those in attendance and acknowledged the importance of federal, state, and local law enforcement partnerships to reduce internet crimes.
The financial crimes conference offered the attendees an invaluable training opportunity on areas to include business email compromise scams, virtual currency tracing, illegal narcotics in the mail stream, mail theft, cryptocurrency scams, and the federal fraud statutes applicable to these offenses. Representatives from the following federal agencies presented during the conference: the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida; FBI Miami; Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Miami; U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG), Miami; and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of Inspector General, Miami.
Some of the important public safety takeaways are:
- Protect your personal identifying information (PII). If an investment opportunity seems too good to be true, it probably is. Scammers can send very realistic emails and account statements to make it look like you are involved in a legitimate investment. Online “friends” who discourage you from telling friends and family about your relationship or financial “investments” are also a red flag. Be cautious. According to the FBI, internet crime amounted to victim losses of $10.3 billion in 2022.
- Anyone who suspects they are a victim of internet criminal activity should report it to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center by clicking www.ic3.gov. Be sure to include as much information as possible — original emails, checks, receipts, financial transaction information, cryptocurrency addresses, websites, and phone numbers. The more information that is provided, the better chance the FBI has of recouping stolen funds or making an arrest.
- To combat potential theft, consider mailing any financial correspondence inside the Post Office lobby drop box or hand it to a clerk. The U.S. Postal Service has a free service called Informed Delivery www.usps.com which will send the user photos of the mail before it arrives. If you suspect U.S. Postal Service employee wrongdoing, please contact the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General hotline immediately at www.uspsoig.gov/hotline.
No one can prevent all crime but protecting your personal identification information, and verifying the identity of those you are dealing with online is a great place to start. The sharing of information across agencies gives law enforcement more avenues to solve crimes.
“Criminality is evolving and it’s up to law enforcement to update its investigative techniques,” said Law Enforcement Coordination/Community Outreach Section Chief J.D. Smith, U.S. Attorney’s Office. “We put on these trainings because we see the value in them. The trainings bring law enforcement officers/agents and prosecutors together to learn from one another. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has been asked to host more of these conferences … and we will.”
Federal Jury Finds Richfield Felon Guilty in Methamphetamine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A federal jury found a Richfield man guilty of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
Following a five-day trial before Judge John R. Tunheim in U.S. District Court, Andrew Jerome Bigbee, 57, was convicted on one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and three counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.
The defendant conspired to distribute methamphetamine between approximately September 2019 and October 2021. On September 4, 2019, law enforcement searched the defendant’s house in Richfield, Minnesota, on a warrant. Law enforcement found more than 520 grams of methamphetamine in the defendant’s house. Law enforcement also found numerous trappings of drug trafficking, including a digital scale, more than $8,000 in cash, a money counting machine, drug packaging materials, and two firearms.
On October 16, 2020, law enforcement searched the defendant’s RV in Bloomington, Minnesota. Law enforcement found more than 5,000 grams of methamphetamine throughout the RV as well as drug trafficking paraphernalia, including a vacuum sealer machine, plastic bags, digital scales, a money counting machine, and more than $300,000 in cash.
On May 6, 2021, law enforcement searched the defendant’s residence in Elko, Minnesota. Law enforcement found almost 8,000 grams of methamphetamine in the residence. Law enforcement also found drug trafficking tools, including a digital scale, a money counter machine, almost $18,000 in cash, and a firearm.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Bloomington Police Department, Scott County Sheriff’s Office, Edina Police Department, Richfield Police Department, Southwest Hennepin Drug Task Force, and the Springerville Police Department in Arizona.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathan H. Nelson and Chelsea A. Walcker prosecuted the case.
Federal Jury Convicts Man of Detonating Pipe Bomb at Suburban Chicago Train StationRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal jury in Chicago has convicted a man of detonating a pipe bomb at a suburban Chicago train station.
On Sept. 1, 2006, THOMAS JAMES ZAJAC placed a pipe bomb in a trash can at the BNSF Railway station in Hinsdale, Ill. The device exploded during the morning commute, causing damage inside the station and injuring a station agent. About a month later, Zajac sent an anonymous letter to the Hinsdale Police Department, stating that the police had “[expletive] with” the wrong person and that the writer had “fired a warning shot” last month. The letter indicated that police actions would “likely eventually lead to the death” of at least one person in Hinsdale, and that the writer wanted to see whether the department was “bright enough or possess[ed] the character to stop this death.” Evidence at trial revealed that Zajac felt disrespected when a family member was arrested by Hinsdale Police the prior year.
Zajac, 70, formerly of Oakbrook Terrace, Ill., was convicted Monday of all three counts against him, including one count of attempting to destroy property with an explosive device, one count of possessing an unregistered destructive device, and one count of willfully making a threat through the mail to kill or injure a person with an explosive device.
The property destruction count carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison and a maximum of 20 years. Each of the other two counts are punishable by a maximum sentence of ten years. U.S. District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly set sentencing for Dec. 13, 2023.
The verdicts were 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. Valuable assistance was provided by the Hinsdale Police Department, DuPage County, Ill., Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Secret Service. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Kerwin, G. David Rojas, and Andréa L. Campbell.
Federal Inmate Sentenced to 18 Months’ Imprisonment for Possessing Methamphetamine in PrisonRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Larry Massenburg, age 35, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution, Schuylkill (FCI Schuylkill), Minersville, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani to 18 months’ imprisonment for possessing contraband in prison.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Massenburg was an inmate at FCI Schuylkill, serving a sentence of imprisonment for a prior federal conviction for cocaine trafficking. On March 2, 2022, correctional officers at FCI Schuylkill found Massenburg in possession of methamphetamine. Judge Mariani ordered the 18-month sentence to run consecutive to Massenburg’s existing term of imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Prisons’ Special Investigative Services. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo.
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Fayette County Man Sentenced to 240 Months for Armed Drug Trafficking and Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
FRANKFORT, Ky. — A Lexington man, Cary Lamar Wilkerson, Jr., 24, was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison on Tuesday, by U.S. District Judge Gregory VanTatenhove, for two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, one count of possession with intent to distribute 10 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue, two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and one count of possession with intent to distribute a fentanyl mixture.
According to court documents, in June 2022, law enforcement in Fayette County attempted a traffic stop on a vehicle being driven by Wilkerson, but he refused to stop, resulting in a pursuit that endangered other motorists. Law enforcement was able to disable Wilkerson’s vehicle, but Wilkerson then fled on foot. After he was apprehended, officers located a firearm and 17 grams of flurofentanyl that Wilkerson had abandoned upon fleeing. The firearm was a Glock pistol, with a “Glock switch” that converts a semi-automatic pistol into a machinegun.
Law enforcement in Clark County encountered Wilkerson again in October 2022, when a vehicle was observed travelling over 100 mph on I-64. Law enforcement attempted a traffic stop, but the car accelerated and nearly struck multiple other vehicles. After crashing into a utility pole and fleeing on foot, Wilkerson was apprehended by law enforcement. During the foot chase, Wilkerson attempted to discard two bags of fentanyl and a firearm. Inside Wilkerson’s wrecked vehicle, law enforcement found more narcotics, cash, and numerous empty plastic bags.
Wilkerson pleaded guilty to the charges in May 2023.
Wilkerson has multiple prior convictions, including for robbery and drug trafficking. As a convicted felon, he was prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Under federal law, Wilkerson must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence; and upon his release, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for eight years.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department; and Sheriff Berl Perdue, Jr., Clark County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by ATF and the Lexington Police Department, and the Clark County Sherriff’s Office. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cindy Rieker.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Eastern District of Kentucky, U.S. Attorney Shier coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
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Erie Resident Indicted on Charges Relating to the Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Erie, Pennsylvania has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Erie on charges of violating federal laws relating to the sexual exploitation of children, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
The two-count Indictment named Darren Steven George Akers, 48, of Erie, Pennsylvania, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment presented to the court, on or about March 9, 2023, Akers received and attempted to receive images depicting prepubescent minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Akers also possessed and accessed with intent to view child sexual abuse material from in and around May 2022, to in and around March 2023.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 30 years in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the 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.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
East Hartford Man Sentenced to 8 Years for Multiple Gun and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JUSTIN GAY, 27, of East Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 96 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for multiple gun and drug possession and trafficking offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 6, 2016, Gay’s associate, Daniel Vazquez, shot a rival drug dealer who was driving a car at the intersection of Tolland Street and Moore Avenue in East Hartford. Vazquez was arrested on that date, and a search of his residence revealed a Ruger LC93 9mm handgun, which he had used in the shooting, and a Taurus 9mm handgun. The two firearms were traced to Minot, North Dakota.
The investigation revealed that Gay, Vazquez, and others trafficked firearms from North Dakota to Connecticut. In late June 2016, Gay, Vazquez, and others traveled to Minot where they purchased, sometimes with counterfeit currency, firearms from sellers who had advertised the guns for sale on a website. Gay and Vazquez then transported five firearms from North Dakota to Connecticut. Two of these five firearms were found in Vazquez’s residence on July 6, 2016. Several of the trafficked firearms were used in shootings in and around Hartford.
On December 8, 2016, East Hartford Police arrested Gay on state charges after he sold marijuana to an individual and was found in possession of one of the handguns he had obtained in North Dakota.
On September 1, 2019, Gay pleaded guilty in federal court to possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and conspiracy to unlawfully transport firearms in interstate commerce.
On April 30, 2020, Gay, who had been detained while awaiting sentencing, was released on bond due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On June 14, 2021, Gay was arrested after an investigation into drug trafficking by his roommate, Alexander Belen, led to a search of Gay’s vehicle. The search revealed a loaded 9mm handgun fitted with a “sear switch” that made the firearm fully automatic, a separate 50 round drum magazine, another loaded 9mm handgun, and distribution quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, and crack.
On April 20, 2023, Gay pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, receipt of a firearm by a person under indictment, and commission of offenses while on release.
Gay has been detained since June 14, 2021.
On March 5, 2019, Vazquez was sentenced to 84 months of imprisonment.
Belen has pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.
The gun trafficking investigation was conducted by the ATF and East Hartford Police Department, with the assistance of the Connecticut Department of Correction and the Minot (N.D.) Police Department. The drug trafficking investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia Stolfi Collins and Brendan J. Keefe.
Dulce Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Amadius Archuleta pleaded guilty to sexual abuse of a minor. Archuleta, 23, of Dulce, and a Taos Pueblo Tribal Member, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
According to court records, on July 2, 2022, Archuleta, who was 21 years old at the time, contacted a 14-year-old minor, Jane Doe, through Instagram and, after some conversation, asked to meet her. They met near her house before walking to Archuleta’s grandparents’ old house nearby. There, they both consumed alcohol and marijuana. Archuleta then initiated a sexual act with Jane Doe.
Later that night, Jane Doe’s father contacted the Taos Pueblo Department of Public Services (TPDPS) to report that his daughter was highly intoxicated. When TPDPS officers arrived, Jane Doe’s parents gave a female officer permission to interview their daughter in private. At that time, Jane Doe disclosed that Archuleta had sexually assaulted her.
In his plea agreement, Archuleta admitted that he knew Jane Doe was 14 years old and that he initiated a sexual act with her and recorded audio of the act on his phone.
At sentencing, Archuleta faces 15 years in prison followed by no less than 5 years, and up to life, of supervised release.
The Santa Fe Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Taos Pueblo Department of Public Safety. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander F. Flores is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
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District Man Sentenced to Nearly 10 Years in Prison for Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Saadiq Logan, 22, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 117 months in prison and five years of supervised release for unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person prohibited, and using, carrying, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Acting Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Logan pleaded guilty, on Dec. 15, 2022, in the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia.
According to court documents, shortly after 6 p.m. on June 22, 2022, members of MPD’s Violent Crime Impact Team (VCIT), were patrolling in Southeast Washington when they observed Logan with a group of individuals standing around a Mercedes parked on the road. Logan was holding a backpack. As the officers exited their vehicle, Logan ran but tripped and fell, dropping the backpack. Officers recovered the backpack and found two firearms with multiple magazines. They also found a Glock 21 .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol in Logan’s waistband, equipped with a machine gun conversion device (a “switch”) which allows the pistol to shoot multiple rounds with a single pull of the trigger. The Glock 21 had one round chambered and 10 additional rounds in a 13-round capacity magazine.
Inside Logan’s backpack, law enforcement recovered the following:
• A loaded 7.62 caliber Micro-Draco semi-automatic pistol with one round in the chamber and 21 additional rounds in an unknown capacity magazine
• A loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistol with one round in the chamber and 22 additional rounds in a 31-round capacity magazine
• A 10mm magazine loaded with 10 rounds
• An unloaded .45 caliber magazine with 30-round capacity
• A .40 caliber drum magazine with 50-round capacity loaded with 22 rounds
Logan also was carrying a pill bottle containing 59 tablets determined to contain fentanyl.
On Aug. 5, 2022, while detained in the D.C. jail pending resolution of the current case, Logan assaulted an inmate and intentionally kicked the victim in the head multiple times during a fight. As a result of this incident, Logan was charged with simple assault in D.C. Superior Court. He pleaded guilty to that charge on June 20, 2023, and is awaiting sentencing.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
The case was prosecuted by former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison McGuire and Assistant U.S. Attorney George Eliopoulos, with assistance from Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Leiter, all members of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
District Man Sentenced to 24 Years in Prison for 2021 Murder in Southeast Washington Apartment Building LobbyRead the Press Release
Defendant Shot Victim in Back After Confrontation Over Drug Sales to Victim’s Father
WASHINGTON – Shaka Haltiwanger, 24, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 24 years in prison for second-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and related charges stemming from the brazen mid-morning killing of Anthony Kelley in the lobby of an apartment building in Southeast Washington. The sentenced was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
A jury found Haltiwanger guilty on March 22, 2023. In addition to the 24-year prison term, the Honorable Rainey Brandt ordered three years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, just before 11:30 a.m. on September 10, 2021, 39-year old Anthony Kelley arrived at his father’s apartment building at 1400 29th Street SE, to take his father—who had suffered a stroke and could not drive—to the grocery store. When Mr. Kelley entered his father’s apartment, he found Haltiwanger on the living room couch. Haltiwanger had been regularly selling crack cocaine to Mr. Kelley’s father. Mr. Kelley confronted Haltiwanger and physically removed him from the apartment. Haltiwanger and Mr. Kelley continued to argue in the hallway and stairwell of the apartment building until Mr. Kelley separated himself and began to walk away toward the building’s front door. Haltiwanger then removed a 9 mm “ghost gun,” equipped with a 50-round magazine drum, from his backpack and shot Mr. Kelley once in the back. The gun jammed after the first shot, and Haltiwanger fled the scene. Haltiwanger and others then proceeded to call multiple eyewitnesses to the shooting more than a dozen times using blocked phone numbers while the eyewitnesses were speaking to law enforcement on scene.
Haltiwanger was arrested for the murder of Mr. Kelley on September 30, 2021, and has been in custody since. At the time of the murder, Haltiwanger was on pretrial release for a pending gun and drug case in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Acting Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Marshals Service and FBI CAST team. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sharon Donovan, Deputy Chief of the Homicide Section, and Dan Lenerz of the Appellate Section; Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin; Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Allen; Victim/Witness Security Specialists Robert Cephas, Marlon Hernandez, and Lesley Slade; Supervisory Victim/Witness Service Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington; Paralegal Specialists Meridith McGarrity and Grazy Rivera; and Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory Kimak and Charles R. Jones, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Danville Woman Sentenced to 22 Months in Federal Prison for Embezzling $1.7 Million from Public CompanyRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – Gina Suzanne Lonestar was sentenced to 22 months in federal prison in connection with a wire fraud scheme pursuant to which she embezzled over $1.7 million from her former employer, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. Jon S. Tigar, United States District Judge.
Lonestar, 52, of Danville, Calif., pleaded guilty to the charge on May 19, 2023. According to her plea agreement, Lonestar admitted that, in December 2010, she devised a scheme to create a fake vendor to defraud Men’s Wearhouse and later Tailored Brands (Men’s Wearhouse’s parent company) of money by submitting and approving false invoices for the fake vendor to the accounts payable department. Lonestar created a document stating the vendor was a sole proprietorship associated with a family member and then began submitting and approving invoices falsely claiming the vendor was performing work at Men’s Wearhouse stores throughout California, such as inspections and handyman work. Lonestar admitted that she submitted and approved false invoices in the name of the fake vendor for approximately eight years, defrauding her employer of over $1.7 million, which was paid to her joint checking account. Lonestar admitted that the vendor did not exist and the family member with whom she co-owed the company performed none of the work for which she provided invoices.
At the time Lonestar devised the scheme, she was a Director in the Facilities Department of Men’s Wearhouse. During the relevant time period she was promoted to Senior Director of Facilities and Corporate Services and then to Vice President of Construction, Maintenance, and Facilities. In all of her roles, she had the authority to approve invoices for work done by vendors. Lonestar’s scheme ended in 2019 when the company discovered the conduct during an internal audit.
On September 8, 2022, a federal grand jury indicted Lonestar charging her with six counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343. Pursuant to her plea agreement, Lonestar pleaded guilty to one count and the court dismissed the remaining counts during her sentencing hearing.
In addition to the 22-month sentence, Judge Tigar ordered Lonestar to pay a $1,736,216 forfeiture money judgment and to serve three years of supervised release which will begin after she leaves prison. Judge Tigar ordered that Lonestar begin serving her sentence on January 5, 2024. In addition, Judge Tigar scheduled a hearing for December 1, 2023, to determine issues regarding restitution.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Noah Stern with assistance from Elizabeth Kim and Kathleen Turner. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.
D.C. Executive Pleads Guilty to Second Fraud Offense and Admits to Stealing more than $2 million from Former ClientsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Graham Hauck, 50, of Bethesda, Maryland, pleaded guilty today—for the second time in approximately four months—to stealing money from his clients. In May 2023, Hauck pleaded guilty to stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from one former client. Following that guilty plea, additional clients contacted the government to report that Hauck had stolen from them, too. Hauck even stole money from one client after his May 2023 guilty plea. In total, he misappropriated more than $2 million from eight clients. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division.
On May 10, 2023, Hauck pleaded guilty to wire fraud, which carries a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison. Today, he pleaded guilty to bank fraud, which carries a statutory maximum of 30 years in prison. As part of his plea agreements, Hauck must pay full restitution to the victims. He also will be liable for forfeiture money judgments. U.S. District Court Judge Rudolph Contreras accepted both of Hauck’s guilty pleas. Judge Contreras revoked Hauck’s bond last Thursday after he learned that Hauck had stolen money from one victim following the entry of his May guilty plea. Sentencing is scheduled in both cases for Feb. 28, 2024.
Hauck served as president and CEO of Hauck & Associates, Inc., (H&A) a trade association management firm based in Washington, D.C. The victim organizations retained H&A to serve as their management company. Hauck used his access to their financial accounts to steal more than $2 million from the eight victims.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kondi Kleinman with assistance from Financial Analyst Bryan Snitselaar, Paralegal Specialists Michon Tart and Marsha Cannon, and Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Catherine Chae.
Convicted Felon Indicted for Possessing Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A previously convicted felon has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for allegedly possessing a firearm and ammunition.
Tarik Muhammad, 29, of Boston, was indicted on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Muhammad was previously charged by criminal complaint on Aug. 10, 2023.
According to the charging documents, on the evening of Feb. 4, 2023, Muhammad was denied entry to the Encore Casino in Everett when security detected that he was carrying a firearm. Encore security alerted local law enforcement, but Muhammad left before they arrived. It is alleged that security cameras at the casino show Muhammad leaving in a blue Toyota Rav 4. The following day, a notice was dispatched to local law enforcement about the incident and with photos of Muhammad, the vehicle and license plate captured on casino security cameras.
On Feb. 6, 2023, law enforcement spotted Muhammad driving the Rav 4 in Roxbury and attempted to conduct a traffic stop. It is alleged that Muhammad fled, leading to a high-speed chase that ended when Muhammad crashed into an occupied, parked vehicle. Muhammad allegedly tried to flee on-foot but was apprehended. It is alleged that a loaded semi-automatic pistol was found in Muhammad’s waistband.
Muhammad is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to several felony convictions including a June 2022 conviction in U.S. District Court in Boston of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base. Muhammad was on federal supervised release at the time of the alleged offenses announced today.
The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; and Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Tolkoff of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Computer System Administrator and Spouse Plead Guilty in Massive Scheme to Sell Pirated Business Telephone System Software LicensesRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY– A computer system administrator and his spouse pleaded guilty today to participating in a massive international scheme to make millions of dollars by selling pirated business telephone system software licenses. The entire scheme allegedly resulted in the sale of software licenses with a retail value of over $88 million.
According to court documents, Raymond Bradley Pearce, aka Brad Pearce, 48, and Dusti O. Pearce, 45, both of Tuttle, Oklahoma, conspired with Jason M. Hines, aka Joe Brown, Chad Johnson, and Justin Albaum, 43, of Caldwell, New Jersey to commit wire fraud in a scheme that involved generating and then selling unauthorized Avaya Direct International (ADI) software licenses. The ADI software licenses were then used to unlock features of a popular telephone system used by thousands of companies around the globe. The ADI software licensing system has since been decommissioned.
Avaya Holdings Corporation, a multinational business communications company headquartered in California, sold a product called IP Office, a telephone system used by many midsize and small businesses in the United States and abroad. To enable additional functionality of IP Office, such as voicemail or telephones, customers had to purchase software licenses – which Avaya generated – from an authorized Avaya distributor or reseller. Avaya used software license keys to control access to Avaya’s copyright-protected software and to ensure that only customers who paid for the software could use it. In addition, Avaya required that each software license on an IP Office system be associated with the system’s Avaya Secure Digital (SD) card – a small flash memory card with a unique serial number that plugged into the IP Office manager computer – which the end user had to keep in its possession to use the licenses.
Brad Pearce, a long-time customer service employee at Avaya, used his system administrator privileges to generate tens of thousands of ADI software license keys that he sold to Hines and other customers, who in turn sold them to resellers and end users around the globe. The retail value of each Avaya software license ranged from under $100 to thousands of dollars. Dusti Pearce handled accounting for the illegal business. Hines was by far the Pearces’ largest customer – buying over 55% of the stolen licenses – and significantly influenced how the scheme operated. Hines operated Direct Business Services International (DBSI), a de-authorized Avaya reseller, in New Jersey.
Brad Pearce also employed his system administrator privileges to hijack the accounts of former Avaya employees to generate additional ADI software license keys. Furthermore, he used these privileges to alter information about the accounts to conceal the fact that he was generating ADI license keys, preventing Avaya from discovering the fraud scheme for many years.
The Pearces’ and Hines’ operation not only prevented Avaya from making any money on its stolen intellectual property but also undercut the global market in Avaya ADI software licenses because the Pearces and Hines were selling licenses for significantly below the wholesale price. In fact, Brad Pearce told Hines that the Pearces’ customers could not obtain same-day ADI software licenses from anyone else for anything even close to the Pearces’ prices, and Hines suggested that he and Brad Pearce work together to “corner” the market in licenses. Altogether, the Pearces and Hines reaped millions of dollars from the fraud. To hide the nature and source of the money, the Pearces funneled their illegal gains through a PayPal account created under a false name to multiple bank accounts, and then transferred the money to numerous other investment and bank accounts. They also purchased large quantities of gold bullion and other valuable items.
Brad Pearce and Dusti Pearce pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. They both face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Pursuant to the plea agreement, Brad Pearce and Dusti Pearce must forfeit a money judgment of at least $4 million as well as cash, gold, silver, collectible coins, cryptocurrency, and a vehicle. They must also make full restitution to their victims. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
In July, Hines pleaded guilty to conspiring with the Pearces.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma, and Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julia E. Barry and William Farrior for the Western District of Oklahoma and Senior Counsel Matthew A. Lamberti of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section are prosecuting the case.
Computer System Administrator and Spouse Plead Guilty in Massive Scheme to Sell Pirated Business Telephone System Software LicensesRead the Press Release
A computer system administrator and his spouse pleaded guilty today to participating in a massive international scheme to make millions of dollars by selling pirated business telephone system software licenses. The entire scheme allegedly resulted in the sale of software licenses with a retail value of over $88 million.
According to court documents, Raymond Bradley Pearce, aka Brad Pearce, 48, and Dusti O. Pearce, 45, both of Tuttle, Oklahoma, conspired with Jason M. Hines, aka Joe Brown, Chad Johnson, and Justin Albaum, 43, of Caldwell, New Jersey, to commit wire fraud in a scheme that involved generating and then selling unauthorized Avaya Direct International (ADI) software licenses. The ADI software licenses were then used to unlock features of a popular telephone system used by thousands of companies around the globe. The ADI software licensing system has since been decommissioned.
Avaya Holdings Corporation, a multinational business communications company headquartered in California, sold a product called IP Office, a telephone system used by many midsize and small businesses in the United States and abroad. To enable additional functionality of IP Office, such as voicemail or telephones, customers had to purchase software licenses – which Avaya generated – from an authorized Avaya distributor or reseller. Avaya used software license keys to control access to Avaya’s copyright-protected software and to ensure that only customers who paid for the software could use it. In addition, Avaya required that each software license on an IP Office system be associated with the system’s Avaya Secure Digital (SD) card – a small flash memory card with a unique serial number that plugged into the IP Office manager computer – which the end user had to keep in its possession to use the licenses.
Brad Pearce, a long-time customer service employee at Avaya, used his system administrator privileges to generate tens of thousands of ADI software license keys that he sold to Hines and other customers, who in turn sold them to resellers and end users around the globe. The retail value of each Avaya software license ranged from under $100 to thousands of dollars. Dusti Pearce handled accounting for the illegal business. Hines was by far the Pearces’ largest customer – buying over 55% of the stolen licenses – and significantly influenced how the scheme operated. Hines operated Direct Business Services International (DBSI), a de-authorized Avaya reseller, in New Jersey.
Brad Pearce also employed his system administrator privileges to hijack the accounts of former Avaya employees to generate additional ADI software license keys. Furthermore, he used these privileges to alter information about the accounts to conceal the fact that he was generating ADI license keys, preventing Avaya from discovering the fraud scheme for many years.
The Pearces’ and Hines’ operation not only prevented Avaya from making any money on its stolen intellectual property but also undercut the global market on Avaya ADI software licenses because the Pearces and Hines were selling licenses for significantly below the wholesale price. In fact, Brad Pearce told Hines that the Pearces’ customers could not obtain same-day ADI software licenses from anyone else for anything even close to the Pearces’ prices, and Hines suggested that he and Brad Pearce work together to “corner” the market in licenses. Altogether, the Pearces and Hines reaped millions of dollars from the fraud. To hide the nature and source of the money, the Pearces funneled their illegal gains through a PayPal account created under a false name to multiple bank accounts, and then transferred the money to numerous other investment and bank accounts. They also purchased large quantities of gold bullion and other valuable items.
Brad Pearce and Dusti Pearce pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. They both face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Pursuant to the plea agreement, Brad Pearce and Dusti Pearce must forfeit a money judgment of at least $4 million as well as cash, gold, silver, collectible coins, cryptocurrency, and a vehicle. They must also make full restitution to their victims. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
In July, Hines pleaded guilty to conspiring with the Pearces.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma, and Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Senior Counsel Matthew A. Lamberti of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julia E. Barry and William Farrior for the Western District of Oklahoma are prosecuting the case.
Colorado Woman Sentenced for 15 Pounds of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Angelica Ramos Torres Villa, 31, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, was sentenced today in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for possessing with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine mixture. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Torres Villa to 96 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After her release from prison, she will begin a 4-year term of supervised release.
On June 26, 2022, deputies with the Seward County Sheriff’s Office stopped Torres Villa for a traffic violation. During the stop, a drug detection dog was deployed and indicated to the odor of drugs inside the vehicle. A subsequent search of the vehicle resulted in 15 pounds of methamphetamine found hidden behind removable panels. Torres Villa had injuries on her arms consistent with putting the methamphetamine in the hidden locations.
This case was investigated by the Seward County Sheriff’s Office.
Clearfield Woman Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Clearfield, PA pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Brittany Luzier, age 29, of Clearfield, PA, pleaded guilty to Count Two of the Superseding Indictment before Senior United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson.
In connection with the guilty plea, from July 2019 to June 2020, Luzier did conspire to distribute 5 grams or more of actual methamphetamine.
Judge Gibson scheduled sentencing for January 18, 2024. The law provides for a minimum sentence of 5 years in prison and a maximum of 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $5,000,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Luzier. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, Erie County District Attorney’s Office, Millcreek Police Department, Erie Bureau of Police, and other local law enforcement agencies.
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.
Chicago Man Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison for Armed Robbery of Sheldon BankRead the Press Release
A man who robbed the Iowa State Bank in Sheldon, Iowa, was sentenced today, to 8 years in federal prison.
Leon Sutton, age 38, from Chicago, Illinois, received the prison term after a May 17, 2023, guilty plea to bank robbery.
Evidence in the case showed that on June 3, 2021, Sutton entered the bank at approximately 12:00 p.m., armed with a handgun, and demanded money. Sutton was seen on video surveillance in a recently purchased car with no plates, canvasing the area. Sutton even entered the bank twice in the morning before the robbery. Sheldon officers were able to locate the previous owner of the car and traced it to Sutton, who after the robbery, fled to the Chicago area where he was apprehended.
Sutton was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to 96 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Sutton is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by Sheldon, Iowa Police Department, and the FBI and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-4033.
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Chicago Man Sentenced to 13 Years in Federal Prison for Attempting to Smuggle Nearly 3 Kilograms of Fentanyl onto FlightRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – An Illinois man has been sentenced to 156 months in federal prison for checking a duffle bag containing nearly 3 kilograms of fentanyl at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), the Justice Department announced today.
Jermaine Eggleston, 35, of Chicago, was sentenced on Monday by United States District Judge Dale S. Fischer.
At the conclusion of a three-day trial in April 2022, a jury found Eggleston guilty of one count of distribution of fentanyl.
On September 14, 2020, an x-ray machine alerted LAX security to a checked black duffle bag as containing suspicious, potentially concealed explosives. The bag was routed to a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officer for additional screening.
The officer opened the bag and found, inside a computer keyboard box, three parcels wrapped in tape, plastic wrap, and carbon paper. Eggleston checked the bag under his own name for a Los Angeles-to-New Orleans flight. Subsequent testing revealed that the parcels in total contained 2,986 grams of fentanyl.
Law enforcement estimates the fentanyl had a wholesale value of more than $250,000.
Airport police officers arrested Eggleston at his flight’s gate area. He was released from federal custody in October 2020, but in March 2021 he was arrested in Chicago while on pretrial release in this case for allegedly illegally possessing a firearm. He has remained in federal custody since that time.
“[Eggleston] sought to check luggage containing nearly three kilograms of fentanyl powder onto a plane – an act that, had [Eggleston] succeeded, would have risked the lives of not just the many eventual downstream users of the fentanyl, but also the passengers and crew of the plane,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, TSA, and the Los Angeles Airport Police investigated this case.
Assistant United States Attorney Lyndsi C. Allsop of the Violent and Organized Crime Section prosecuted this case.
Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Che Dushon Lark, 48, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute heroin and methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 6, 2020, Lark possessed a quantity of controlled substances containing methamphetamine and heroin that he intended to distribute in Charleston.
Lark is scheduled to be sentenced on December 11, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Charleston Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), and the assistance provided by the West Virginia State Police. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Brian Parsons and Nowles Heinrich are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-84.
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Carbon County Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Curtis Margle, age 33, of Lehighton, Carbon County, pleaded guilty on September 18, 2023, before U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, to the charge of possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of crystal methamphetamine.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Margle admitted to possessing between 200 grams and 350 grams of high-quality crystal methamphetamine for distribution in the Schuylkill County and Carbon County areas in 2022. The charges stem from an investigation in which investigators made a purchase of crystal methamphetamine from Margle in March 2022 in Schuylkill County and then seized an additional quantity of crystal methamphetamine from Margle.
The charges against the defendant resulted from an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Schuylkill County Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison. The maximum sentence under federal law is up to forty years in prison, a term of supervised release and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
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California Woman Sentenced to 19 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A California woman was sentenced to 229 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Antonina Isabel Troyer, 41, of Yorba, Linda, CA, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to court records, on December 29, 2021, DEA agents received information regarding the drug trafficking activities of Troyer in Long Beach, MS. The investigation revealed that Troyer was receiving multi-pound packages of methamphetamine from a source of supply in California. On January 12, 2022, Postal Inspectors notified DEA agents that they had intercepted a package addressed to Troyer that contained methamphetamine. On March 30, 2022, Postal Inspectors seized a similar package addressed to Troyer. The following day, DEA and USPS did a controlled delivery of the package to Troyer’s residence. Approximately 200 grams of methamphetamine were inside the package and Troyer was placed under arrest.
It was determined through the course of the conspiracy that Troyer was responsible for the sale of roughly 2.9 kilograms of methamphetamine in the Southern District of Mississippi.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.
California Woman Sentenced for Transporting 19 Pounds of CocaineRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Imelda Ambriz, 35, of Los Angeles, California, was sentenced today in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for transporting cocaine. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Ambriz to 54 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After her release from prison, she will begin a three-year term of supervised release.
On September 17, 2022, a trooper with the Nebraska State Patrol was patrolling westbound on Interstate 80 near mile marker 349 when he observed a white Ford SUV traveling eastbound in the passing lane following another vehicle at a close and unsafe distance. The trooper caught up to the SUV and saw it exit at mile marker 353. The trooper initiated a traffic stop at a nearby truck stop in York County.
The trooper approached the SUV and identified the lone driver as Imelda Ambriz, who was taking short rapid breaths and her entire body was shaking. While questioning Ambriz during the stop, the trooper became suspicious of criminal activity and requested permission to search her vehicle, which Ambriz granted. A subsequent search revealed 19.9 pounds of cocaine hidden in the back of the vehicle’s seats.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol.