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Thursday 14 September 2023
Grand Jury Returns Indictment Charging Robert Hunter Biden with Three Felonies Related to His Purchase of a FirearmRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging Robert Hunter Biden (Hunter Biden) with three felony firearm offenses.
According to the indictment, Hunter Biden purchased a Colt Cobra 38SPL revolver from a federally licensed firearms dealer on Oct. 12, 2018. When purchasing a firearm, a prospective purchaser must fill out a Firearm Transaction Record, ATF Form 4473, and certify that all of his or her answers on the form are true and correct. As alleged in count one of the indictment, Hunter Biden knowingly made a false written statement on the Form 4473, intended and likely to deceive the dealer he purchased the firearm from, when he certified that he was not an unlawful user of, or addicted to, any stimulant, narcotic drug, or any other controlled substance. In fact, he knew that statement was false, according to the indictment. In count two of the indictment, Hunter Biden is alleged to have knowingly made a false statement and representation to a federally licensed firearms dealer with respect to information the dealer is required to keep under federal law. Count three of the indictment alleges that during an 11-day period between Oct. 12 and Oct. 23, 2018, Hunter Biden possessed a firearm while knowing he was an unlawful user of or addicted to any stimulant, narcotic drug, or any other controlled substance, in violation of federal law.
Hunter Biden is charged with making a false statement in the purchase of a firearm, making a false statement related to information required to be kept by Federal Firearms Licensed Dealer, and possession of a firearm by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Special Counsel David C. Weiss made the announcement.
Court documents and information for this case is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 23-cr-00061-MN.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Gary Man Sentenced to 130 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Bobby Wright, 41 years old, of Gary, Indiana was sentenced by United States District Court Senior Judge Jon E. DeGuilio after pleading guilty to one count of distribution of fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Wright was sentenced to 130 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, Wright sold fentanyl on two separate occasions in September and October 2021. At the time of the sale, Wright was on federal supervised release for his 2019 felony conviction for distributing heroin and fentanyl within 1,000 feet of a school. Wright was also previously convicted in 2009 for felony dealing in cocaine in Lake County, Indiana.
This case is the result of the investigative efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration and DEA North Central Laboratory. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin F. Wolff and Eamonn P. Sheehan.
Gang Members Admit Racketeering Charge and Related CrimesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Two members of the Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crips gang admitted their roles in a racketeering conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Tyheim Terry, aka “Ty,” aka “Rollin’ Ty,” 25, and Amir Edmonds, aka “G Baby,” 22, each pleaded guilty on Sept. 13, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton in Newark federal court to a superseding indictment that charged them with Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) conspiracy. Terry also pleaded guilty to carjacking and to brandishing a firearm in furtherance of the carjacking. Edmonds also pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From 2015 through Sept. 22, 2022, Terry and Edmonds were members of the Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crips, a criminal enterprise responsible for acts of violence and the distribution of controlled substances in the District of New Jersey and elsewhere.
On Feb. 21, 2021, Terry worked with others, including members of the gang, to attempt to carjack a victim. On April 5, 2021, Terry worked with other members of the gang to shoot another victim. On April 11, 2021, Terry brandished a firearm and carjacked a third victim. Edmonds admitted to working with at least one other member of the enterprise to distribute controlled substances. On Jan. 7, 2020, Edmonds possessed with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl, and possessed a firearm in furtherance of that drug offense.
Each defendant faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on the racketeering conspiracy. Terry faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on the carjacking, and a mandatory minimum prison sentence of seven years, and a maximum sentence of life in prison, which must run consecutively to any sentence imposed for the carjacking, as well as a fine of up to $250,000 on the firearms offense. Edmonds faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million on the controlled substance offense, and a mandatory minimum prison sentence of five years, and a maximum sentence of life in prison, which must run consecutively to any sentence imposed for the controlled substance offense, as well as a fine of up to $250,000 on the firearms offense. Sentencing for Edmond is scheduled for Jan. 17, 2024, and for Edmonds, Jan.16, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz; special agents of IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins, and special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller; investigators of the U.S. Marshals Service, under the direction of Marshal Juan Mattos; the Irvington Police Department, under the direction of Police Division Director Tracy Bowers; the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II; the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Fritz Fragé; the Bloomfield Police Department, under the direction of Director of Public Safety Samuel A. DeMaio; the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Armando B. Fontoura; the East Orange Police Department, under the direction of Chief Phyllis L. Bindi; the Elizabeth Police Department, under the direction of Police Director Earl J. Graves; the Edison Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Tom Bryan; the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Colonel Patrick J. Callahan; the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor William A. Daniel; the Spotswood Police Department, under the direction of Chief Philip Corbisiero; and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation Fugitive and Missing Person Task Force, which includes members of the FBI, with the investigations leading to the charges in the Rollin 60’s Neighborhood Crips investigation.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Francesca Liquori of the Special Prosecutions Division.
terryedmonds.sindictment.pdfFulton County Man Sentenced to 63 Months for Running Narcotics Distribution Conspiracy in Capital RegionRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Dion Underwood, age 46, of Johnstown, New York, was sentenced today to 63 months in prison, to be followed by 4 years of supervised release, for running a narcotics distribution conspiracy in the Capital Region. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Frank A. Tarantino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, made the announcement.
Underwood previously pled guilty and admitted that between January and December 2021, he supervised members of a conspiracy to distribute cocaine and heroin in the Capital Region, including Albany, Schenectady, and Montgomery Counties. As part of his plea and today’s sentence, Underwood also agreed to forfeit $39,403 seized by federal agents as proceeds of the conspiracy.
The DEA investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin S. Clark prosecuted the case.
Fourth Defendant Pleads Guilty in $7 Million COVID-19 Testing FraudRead the Press Release
An Irving man pleaded guilty today to submitting fraudulent insurance claims for COVID-19 testing, resulting in a more than $7 million loss to insurers, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Terrance Barnard, 40, was indicted in December. He pleaded guilty today to Conspiracy to Commit Health Care Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft and Aiding and Abetting Aggravated Identity Theft before U.S. Magistrate Judge Irma Carrillo Ramirez.
According to plea papers, Mr. Barnard admitted that he and his coconspirators accessed private patient information – including names, dates of birth, and insurance subscriber numbers – through various clinics where Barnard worked as a contract lab technician. Mr. Barnard admitted that on some occasions, he took photographs of patient information and stored the images on “burner” phones, and on other occasions, he and a coconspirator accessed the clinics’ confidential electronic medical records to obtain large amounts of patient information at once.
They then used the patient information to submit claims to insurance providers – including Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, United Healthcare, Aetna, Humana, and Molina Health Care – for COVID-19 testing that was never performed. (The patients had not requested COVID-19 testing, nor were they aware their information was being used to submit claims.)
Mr. Barnard admitted that the “labs” at which the coconspirators claimed the testing occurred, including TC Diagnostics, ME Diagnostics, and PHR Diagnostics, were, in fact, shell entities that never operated as labs. Collectively, these three entities submitted approximately $30 million in claims and were paid more than $7 million in reimbursements for fake testing.
Mr. Barnard now faces up to seven years in federal prison. According to the terms of his plea agreement, he has agreed to a $7.29 million forfeiture money judgment and will forfeit a number of items seized during the investigation, including $2.5 million in funds from numerous bank accounts, two residences, six vehicles, and six luxury watches.
Also charged in the scheme are Connie Jo Clampitt, 52, William Paul Gray, 50, and Don Hogg, 37. Clampitt, Hogg and Gray have each pled guilty and are scheduled to be sentenced in November 2023.
The Dallas Regional Office of the United States Department of Labor – Employee Benefits Security Administration, the Dallas Office of the Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, the Texas Department of Insurance Fraud Unit's Fort Worth Field Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Renee Hunter is prosecuting the case; Assistant U.S. Attorney Dimitri Rocha is handling the forfeiture.
For more information about the Justice Department’s response to wrongdoing connected to the COVID-19 pandemic, visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Four Members of Ski-Ball Gang Charged with Racketeering and Multiple Gang-Related ShootingsRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, James Smith, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Ivan J. Arvelo, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), Daniel B. Brubaker, the Inspector in Charge of the New York Office of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (“USPIS”), and Edward A. Caban, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging KAYSHAWN MASSOP, a/k/a “topski.bz,” a/k/a “Bz,” a/k/a “KB,” a/k/a “Kay Ski,” GREG BROWN, a/k/a “ballout.gg,” a/k/a “GG,” CARL HENRY, a/k/a “Big Ski,” a/k/a “Biggs,” and AMARI JACKSON, a/k/a “Justo,” with racketeering conspiracy, firearms offenses, and other crimes related to their membership in the “Ski-Ball Gang,” a street gang based in the Bronx, New York. MASSOP, BROWN, HENRY, and JACKSON are also charged with attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon in aid of racketeering in connection with their participation in multiple shootings. MASSOP, BROWN, HENRY, and JACKSON are all in custody, and JACKSON was presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Keeping our community safe from violent crime is a paramount priority of this Office. As alleged, members of the Ski-Ball Gang engaged in brazen acts of violence across this District, including multiple shootings at rival gang members. Thanks to the extraordinary work of our law enforcement partners and the career prosecutors of this Office, the defendants, who include senior members of the gang, now face a slew of federal charges for their crimes.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Smith said: “As alleged, the defendants conspired to not only attempt to increase their standing within a violent street gang through a series of senseless shootings, but also to engage in both bank and wire fraud. We will not allow gang members to engage in reckless violence that endangers innocent lives. The New York FBI’s Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force is committed, through collaboration with our law enforcement partners, to ensuring that brazen gang violence has no place in our communities.”
HSI Special Agent in Charge Ivan J. Arvelo said: "The defendants stand accused of endangering the streets of New York City with violence and defrauding both taxpayers and small business owners in their unlawful pursuit of wealth and influence. HSI NY is proud to work alongside our dedicated law enforcement partners in preventing these criminals from causing further harm. HSI NY remains steadfast in its mission to apprehend violent gang members and disrupt their criminal enterprises."
USPIS Inspector in Charge Daniel B. Brubaker said: “These gang members allegedly led a criminal enterprise, financially exploiting their victims to fund their gang activities and live a lavish lifestyle. This RICO indictment and investigation uncovered the despicable nature in which these gangs operate, highlighting their ruthless behavior and disrespectful attitude for the communities where they commit their crimes. Postal Inspectors and their law enforcement partners will spare no resource to bring these individuals to justice, ensuring they pay for their crimes, while keeping the streets of New York safe from these criminal acts.”
NYPD Commissioner Edward A. Caban said: “Targeting and dismantling gangs, and preventing the crime and violence so often associated with their illegal activities, continue to be among the highest priorities for the NYPD and our law enforcement partners. And we will remain relentless in our efforts to identify and arrest anyone who involves themselves in such senseless acts in our city. I commend and thank everyone involved from USPIS, HSI, FBI, and the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York for their dedication and effort on this important case.”
As alleged in the Indictment unsealed today in White Plains federal court:[1]
KAYSHAWN MASSOP, GREG BROWN, CARL HENRY, and AMARI JACKSON are members of a racketeering conspiracy known as the Ski-Ball Gang.
On January 31, 2020, HENRY, for the purpose of maintaining and increasing his position in the Ski-Ball Gang enterprise, participated in and facilitated the attempted murder of a rival gang member in the Bronx, New York.
On August 23, 2020, HENRY and JACKSON, for the purpose of maintaining and increasing their position in the Ski-Ball Gang enterprise, participated in and facilitated the attempted murder of a rival gang member in the Bronx, New York.
On August 27, 2020, BROWN, for the purpose of maintaining and increasing his position in the Ski-Ball Gang enterprise, participated in and facilitated the attempted murder of rival gang members in the Bronx, New York.
On August 27, 2020, MASSOP, for the purpose of maintaining and increasing his position in the Ski-Ball Gang enterprise, participated in and facilitated the assault of rival gang members in the Bronx, New York.
On June 25, 2021, MASSOP and BROWN, for the purpose of maintaining and increasing their position in the Ski-Ball Gang enterprise, participated in and facilitated the attempted murder of rival gang members in the Bronx, New York.
On January 13, 2022, BROWN, for the purpose of maintaining and increasing his position in the Ski-Ball Gang enterprise, participated in and facilitated a gunpoint robbery in Yonkers, New York.
From at least in or about 2019 through at least in or about 2022, MASSOP, BROWN, HENRY, and JACKSON participated in a bank and wire fraud conspiracy, which included the misuses of others’ means of identification.
* * *
A chart containing the names, charges, and minimum and maximum penalties for the defendants is set forth below. The minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI’s Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force, HSI, USPIS, and the NYPD. Mr. Williams also thanked the U.S. Secret Service and the Department of Labor for their assistance in the investigation.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s White Plains Division and Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Klein, Andrew Chan, Christy Slavik, and Ben Arad 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.
COUNT
DEFENDANT(S)
MIN. AND MAX. PENALTIES
Count One: Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering
KAYSHAWN MASSOP
GREG BROWN
CARL HENRY
AMARI JACKSON
20 years in prison
Count Two: Attempted Murder, Assault, and Attempted Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering
CARL HENRY
20 years in prison
Count Three: Possession and Discharge of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence
CARL HENRY
Life in prison; Mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison to run consecutive to any other sentence imposed
Count Four: Attempted Murder, Assault, and Attempted Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering
GREG BROWN
20 years in prison
Count Five: Possession and Discharge of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence
GREG BROWN
Life in prison; Mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison to run consecutive to any other sentence imposed
Count Six: Assault and Attempted Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering
KAYSHAWN MASSOP
20 years in prison
Count Seven: Possession and Discharge of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence
KAYSHAWN MASSOP
Life in prison; Mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison to run consecutive to any other sentence imposed
Count Eight: Attempted Murder and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering
CARL HENRY
AMARI JACKSON
20 years in prison
Count Nine: Possession and Discharge of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence
CARL HENRY
AMARI JACKSON
Life in prison; Mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison to run consecutive to any other sentence imposed
Count 10: Attempted Murder and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering
KAYSHAWN MASSOP
GREG BROWN
20 years in prison
Count 11: Possession and Discharge of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence
KAYSHAWN MASSOP
GREG BROWN
Life in prison; Mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison to run consecutive to any other sentence imposed
Count 12: Conspiracy to Commit Hobbs Act Robbery
GREG BROWN
20 years in prison
Count 13: Hobbs Act Robbery
GREG BROWN
20 years in prison
Count 14: Possession and Brandishing of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime
GREG BROWN
Life in prison; Mandatory minimum of seven years in prison to run consecutive to any other sentence imposed
Count 15: Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud
KAYSHAWN MASSOP
GREG BROWN
CARL HENRY
AMARI JACKSON
30 years in prison
Count 16: Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
KAYSHAWN MASSOP
GREG BROWN
CARL HENRY
AMARI JACKSON
20 years in prison
Count 17: Aggravated Identity Theft
KAYSHAWN MASSOP
GREG BROWN
CARL HENRY
AMARI JACKSON
Mandatory minimum of two years in prison to run consecutive to any other sentence imposed
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described therein should be treated as an allegation.
Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 144 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE –Devin J. Weaver, 19 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Weaver was sentenced to 144 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, on January 18, 2023, Weaver, a convicted felon, was riding around Fort Wayne in a vehicle waving a Glock pistol while live-streaming on social media. Weaver discharged the firearm several times outside the vehicle in a populated area. Officers were able to locate and arrest Weaver and recovered the firearm. Weaver has been convicted of firearms related offenses on two prior occasions.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with assistance from the Fort Wayne Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacey R. Speith.
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.
Former Missouri Doctor Sentenced to 22 Months in Prison for Defrauding Medicare, MedicaidRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark on Thursday sentenced a Moberly, Missouri doctor to 22 months in prison for falsely using his father’s name to bill Medicare and Medicaid for medical services.
Justin G. LaMonda was also ordered to repay $537,332.
LaMonda’s crimes originated after the Missouri Board of Registration for the Healing Arts suspended his medical license for 30 days in 2017 after he was accused of engaging in sexual activity with his office manager and prescribing her controlled substances “without sufficient examination and outside of the usual course of professional practice,” LaMonda’s plea agreement says.
On Dec. 20, 2018, a Medicare administrative contractor revoked LaMonda’s Medicare Part B privileges after determining that he submitted reimbursement claims for services performed when he was suspended.
LaMonda and his father, who was also a doctor, agreed to bill Medicare for services performed by LaMonda as if they had been performed by his father.
On Sept. 12, 2019, the Missouri Medicaid Audit and Compliance Unit terminated Dr. LaMonda’s provider number. LaMonda and his father then expanded their scheme to include Medicaid claims.
LaMonda instructed his billing personnel to use his father’s unique billing provider number on claims for payment, on referrals to other health care providers and on orders for durable medical equipment, falsely claiming that the father had performed the medical services or ordered additional equipment or treatment, his plea agreement says.
When LaMonda’s father received payments from Medicare and Medicaid for services purportedly performed by him, he would transfer the funds to his son.
LaMonda admitted causing total losses of $537,322 to Medicare and Missouri Medicaid.
LaMonda “flagrantly violated” the revocation of his Medicare and Medicaid billing privileges by fraudulently billing those programs, Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Sestric wrote in a sentencing memorandum.
“Health care professionals who intentionally submit such blatant fraudulent information can adversely affect individuals who depend on Medicare and Medicaid for access to safe and effective health care services. The laws are meant to ensure both the integrity of program funds and the provision of appropriate, quality services to patients,” stated Special Agent in Charge Curt L. Muller with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. “Our agency collaborates frequently with our law enforcement partners to investigate providers who undermine our federal health care programs and the well-being of patients by submitting fraudulent claims.”
LaMonda, 42, pleaded guilty in March to two counts of making false statements related to health care matters. His medical license has been revoked. LaMonda’s father, Dr. Gary LaMonda, died in September 2021.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the FBI and the Missouri Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Sestric prosecuted the case.
Former Midland Teacher, Lacrosse Coach Sentenced to Nine Years for Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
MIDLAND, Texas – A Midland man was sentenced in a federal court in Midland today to 108 months in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aiding and abetting wire fraud.
According to court documents, William Logsdon, 55, used the trust he had built with community members during his time as a lacrosse coach and teacher in the Midland area, and even the trust he had established with members of his own family, to convince them to “invest” in a Ponzi scheme. Logsdon conducted the scheme in concert with his mother-in-law, Jamie Thompson, a former geologist in the oil and gas industry who had previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 60 months in prison and three years of supervised release.
Together, Thompson and Logsdon told their victims that the money they were “investing” was being used to purchase royalty interests for various oil, gas and mineral projects located in Texas and New Mexico. The royalty interests were allegedly being purchased through various entities, including an entity called the National Royalty Group, or NRG. In actuality, the National Royalty Group did not exist, and rather than purchasing royalty interests, Thompson and Logsdon used the money to primarily pay for personal expenses, as well as to advance the Ponzi scheme by providing some “distributions” back to earlier “investors.”
Between them, Logsdon and Thompson defrauded more than 20 victims out of more than $2.1 million, with Logsdon being responsible for a subset of those victims and losses. Both Logsdon and Thompson have been ordered to jointly-and-severally pay restitution to their victims according to their responsibility.
“The individuals that perpetrated this scheme demonstrated extreme greed and disregard for their victims, many of whom were friends, colleagues and even family members,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “In doing so, they harmed the lives and livelihoods of those they claimed to care about. I want to thank the Midland Police Department for tirelessly working to secure these convictions and helping the victims to secure a measure of justice.”
The Midland Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John Fedock prosecuted the case.
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Former Licensed Registered Nurse Sentenced to 15 Months for Product TamperingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Dawn Drum, 54, Janesville, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 15 months in prison, 1 year of supervised release, and fined $30,000 due and payable immediately. On May 8, 2023, Drum pleaded guilty to one count of product tampering while employed as a Registered Nurse at SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital in Janesville in November 2021.
Drum tampered with vials of fentanyl by withdrawing the drug from the vials and replacing it with saline and then resealing the vial stopper with what appeared to be superglue. Drum then put the tampered vials back into the Pyxis machine, an automated medication dispensing system, so that the tampered fentanyl vials would be available for use with other patients at the hospital. An audit of the Pyxis transactions in Drum’s name revealed that she had an excessive pattern of fentanyl overrides and wastes when compared to other employees in 2021. When confronted by hospital management in November 2021 with this discrepancy, and asked to take a drug test, Drum refused and instead resigned from her position at the hospital.
At today’s sentencing hearing, Drum expressed remorse for her actions and noted that her illegal conduct was driven by her addiction to opioids. She indicated that the harm she caused to her patients by her actions will haunt her for the rest of her life.
In imposing sentence, Judge Conley told Drum that he understood that she acted out of character because of her addiction. However, he also noted that her decision to steal fentanyl, and then tamper with the vials and return them to the medication dispenser for use with patients, was the reason he was sentencing her to prison. Judge Conley explained to Drum that her actions harmed others and she needed to face the consequences for those actions.
Special Agent in Charge Ronne G. Malham, with the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Chicago Field Office, emphasized the dangers caused by this type of crime, “Health care professionals who tamper with medications from patients not only harm patients but also put at risk the trust that U.S. consumers have in those who provide their medical care. We will continue to investigate and bring to justice health care professionals who tamper with patients’ medications.”
The charges against Drum were the result of an investigation conducted by the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations, and the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Diversion Control Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Graber handled the prosecution of the case.
Florida Man Sentenced in Maryland to over Five Years in Federal Prison for Nationwide Scheme that Defrauded Elderly Victims of More Than $2.5 MillionRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett today sentenced Eghosasere Avboraye-Igbinedion a/k/a “Ego” and “Ghost,” age 28, of Miramar, Florida, to 66 months in federal prison and one year of home confinement, followed by two years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit mail fraud and four counts of mail fraud, in connection with a scheme in which he and his co-conspirators defrauded more than 85 elderly victims of more than $2.5 million. Judge Bennett also ordered Avboraye-Iginedion to pay restitution in the amount of $1,695,600. Avboraye-Igbinedion was convicted by a federal jury on June 15, 2023, after a six-day trial.
The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland and Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
According to the evidence presented at trial, from January 2018 through November 2019, Avboraye-Ibginedion was part of a conspiracy to defraud elderly victims by persuading them to send thousands of dollars in cash to members of the conspiracy, falsely stating that the money would be used to help the victims’ relatives pay legal or other expenses for crimes and other incidents that had not actually occurred. Conspirators targeted elderly victims throughout the United States, calling and posing as a police officer, lawyer, or other individual, falsely telling the victim that a relative, typically the victim’s grandchild, had been incarcerated in connection with a car accident or traffic stop involving a crime, and needed money—often tens of thousands of dollars—for bail, legal fees, and other expenses.
Witnesses testified that during the telephone calls, the conspirators directed victims to send cash to particular addresses via an overnight delivery service. The conspirators even posed as the victims’ relatives to further induce them to send the cash. Once the victims did send money, the conspirators called the victims asking for more cash, regularly obtaining tens of thousands of dollars from the retirement savings of victims. To prevent the victims from sharing the information with anyone, the conspirators told the victims that a “gag order” had been placed on the case requiring secrecy, or that the situation was embarrassing for the grandchild and they didn’t want anyone else to know about it.
The evidence proved that Avboraye-Ibginedion’s part in the scheme was to retrieve packages of cash sent by elderly victims and deliver the packages to a co-defendant, Medard Ulysse. Avboraye-Ibginedion and other conspirators traveled from Florida to Maryland and other states and identified residential locations where the cash should be sent, typically locations that were either vacant or for sale, so that no one would be at those locations at the time of the deliveries. Once the packages were delivered, Avboraye-Ibginedion and others retrieved the packages of cash. Avboraye-Ibginedion and other conspirators also relayed directions to other participants in the scheme about where and when to retrieve packages of cash. Avboraye-Ibginedion then delivered the packages to Ulysse or to other conspirators.
Co-defendant Medard Ulysse, age 38, most recently of Miami, Florida, was sentenced earlier this year to nine years in federal prison, for wire fraud and conspiracy to commit mail fraud in relation to multiple fraud schemes, including the elder fraud “grandparent” scam. Judge Bennett also ordered Ulysse to pay restitution totaling $2,485,512, of which $1,866,745 is for the elder fraud scam.
Reporting from consumers about fraud and fraud attempts is critical to law enforcement efforts to investigate and prosecute schemes targeting older adults. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Department of Justice Hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying next steps, including identifying appropriate reporting agencies, providing information to callers to assist them in reporting or connecting them with agencies, and providing resources and referrals on a case-by-case basis. The hotline is staffed from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. English, Spanish, and other languages are available. More information about the Department’s elder justice efforts can be found on the Department’s Elder Justice website, www.elderjustice.gov. Victims are encouraged to file a complaint online with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at this website or by calling 1-800-225-5324.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI for its work in the investigation and thanked Canadian Sûreté du Québec for its assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean R. Delaney and Christine Goo, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help seniors, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/elder-justice-initiative.
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Florida Man Admits to Fraudulently Obtaining More Than $1.5 Million in Unemployment Benefits and EIDL LoansRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Florida man admitted that he illegally obtained more than $1.5 million in government benefits, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Michael Blanc, 34, of Miami, Florida, pleaded guilty on Sept. 13, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton federal court on to an information charging him with wire fraud.
“This defendant admitted taking advantage of government programs that were specifically designed to provide needed financial assistance to Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic,” U.S. Attorney Sellinger said. “Combatting pandemic fraud in all of its forms is a top priority for this office and our law enforcement partners. Together, we will continue to root out those who have exploited the suffering of others to line their own pockets, and bring them to justice.”
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. It expanded states’ ability to provide assistance to many workers impacted by COVID-19, including for workers who are not ordinarily eligible for unemployment insurance benefits. The CARES Act also enabled the Small Business Association (SBA) to offer funding through the COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) program to business owners negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Blanc and others applied for unemployment insurance benefits in others’ names without their knowledge or consent and provided false information to induce state workforce agencies to approve those applications. He and others applied for EIDLs in others’ names without their knowledge or consent and provided false information in the applications to induce the SBA to approve the loan applications. Blanc and others obtained more than $1.5 million through their fraudulent scheme.
The charge of wire fraud is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of the greater of $250,000, twice the gross profits to Blanc or twice the gross loss suffered by the victims. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 24, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone, in New York, and the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge is Scott Moffit, Cybercrime Investigations Division, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. He also thanked the FBI, Miami Division, and the New Jersey Department of Labor & Workforce Development for their assistance.
The government is represented by Senior Trial Counsel Andrew Kogan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Cybercrime Unit in Newark.
blanc.information.pdfFelon Sentenced for Unlawful Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Quintan Kimbrough, 33, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Kimbrough to 90 months in the Bureau of Prisons. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Kimbrough will begin a 3-year term of supervised release.
On June 10, 2022, Omaha police officers observed a silver Pontiac turn right on North 24th Street without coming to a complete stop at the stop sign. The vehicle was then observed driving in excess of the posted speed limit on North 24th Street before turning left on Ogden Street without signaling the turn. A traffic stop was made as the vehicle pulled into the driveway of a private residence where Kimbrough was contacted as the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle.
Officers detected signs of impairment and a DUI investigation was completed. Eventually, Kimbrough was placed under arrest for DUI 4th Offense. Kimbrough's vehicle was searched, and officers located a Ruger .45 ACP handgun, fully loaded with a 15-round magazine in a brown leather handbag on the driver's seat of the vehicle.
Kimbrough was prohibited from possessing firearms because of prior felony convictions, specifically: robbery (2008) in Douglas County District Court, Nebraska; being a felon in possession of a firearm, in the United States District Court, District of Nebraska (2010); and possession with the intent to distribute (2015) in Douglas County District Court, Nebraska, on two occasions.
Kimbrough was sentenced to 180 days in jail and his license suspended for 15 years for the state DUI conviction.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive and the Omaha Police Department.
Federal Jury Finds Evansville Man Guilty of Dealing Heroin and Fentanyl Resulting in the Overdose of a 28-Year-Old Kentucky WomanRead the Press Release
EVANSVILLE- A federal jury has found Johntavis Matlock, 31, of Evansville, Indiana, guilty of distribution of heroin and fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury. The jury found Matlock not guilty of distribution of heroin and fentanyl resulting in death.
According to court documents and evidence introduced at trial, on December 11, 2020, Kentucky law enforcement officers responded to the overdose of 28-year-old, Lindsey Wiley in her Kentucky residence.
On February 28, 2021, EMS and local law enforcement responded to another overdose at the same residence. This time, they found Wiley deceased. The cause of death was determined to be an overdose caused by fentanyl intoxication.
An examination of Wiley’s cell phone revealed that Wiley frequently purchased controlled substances from the defendant, Johntavis Matlock. From June of 2020 through February of 2021, Matlock coordinated with Wiley to sell her both heroin and fentanyl out of his home in Evansville, Indiana.
On the day of Wiley’s first overdose, at 7:05pm, Wiley texted Matlock that she was at Matlock’s residence to pick up drugs. At 10:27pm, Wiley texted “I overdosed and died, had an ambulance called and everything, be careful with that s**t,” to which Matlock responded “Damn please don’t over do it. I don’t wanna have that on my conscience. I’ve lost to many people to this stuff. Wtf were you thinking.” Following the first overdose on December 11, Matlock continued supplying Wiley with substances.
“The tragic death in this case highlights the tremendous danger posed by trafficking of fentanyl and other opioids. The defendant continued to seek profits pushing these poisons with utter disregard for human life—even after Ms. Wiley had already overdosed once,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers. “Substance use disorder is a devastating disease that international drug cartels and local dealers greedily exploit. Thanks to the hard work of our prosecutors, the DEA, EPD, ISP, and local Sheriff’s Offices, no more families will lose a loved one because of this defendant while he is serving his sentence in federal prison.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Indiana State Police, Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office, Evansville Police Department, Henderson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Pennyrile Narcotics Task Force investigated this case. U.S. District Court Judge, Matthew P. Brookman presided over the trial and will sentence Matlock at a later date. Matlock faces 20 years to life in federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Kristian Mukoski and Todd S. Shellenbarger, who prosecuted this case.
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, as little as two milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal, depending on a person’s body size, tolerance, and past usage. One kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people. 6 out of 10 illegal fentanyl tablets sold on U.S. streets now contain a potentially lethal dose of the drug.
One Pill Can Kill: Avoid pills bought on the street because One Pill Can Kill. Fentanyl has now become the leading cause of death in the United States. Fentanyl is a highly potent opioid that drug dealers dilute with cutting agents to make counterfeit prescription pills that appear to be Oxycodone, Percocet, Xanax, and other drugs. Fake prescription pills laced with fentanyl are usually shaped and colored to look like pills sold at pharmacies. For example, fake prescription pills known as “M30s” imitate Oxycodone obtained from a pharmacy, but when sold on the street the pills routinely contain fentanyl. These pills are usually round tablets and often light blue in color, though they may be in different shapes and a rainbow of colors. They often have “M” and “30” imprinted on opposite sides of the pill. Do not take these or any other pills bought on the street – they are routinely fake and poisonous, and you won’t know until it’s too late.
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Elkhart Man Sentenced to 90 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Christopher C. Myers, 42 years old, of Elkhart, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to receipt of child sexual abuse material and transferring obscene material to a minor, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Myers was sentenced to 90 months in prison, 5 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $4296.89 in restitution to the victims of the offense.
According to documents in the case, Myers used social media account to chat with a minor. During online chats in September 2021, Myers requested the minor send him child sexual abuse material of themself, which they did. Myers also sent the minor videos of himself performing sex acts on himself.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from Salinas, California Police Department and the Fairfax County (VA) Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John M. Maciejczyk.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Dominican Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
Manny Bautista-Arias, 31, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for Oct. 26, 2023. Bautista-Arias was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2023.
Bautista-Arias was removed from the United States in September 2017 after being convicted of possession of a controlled drug with intent to sell in New Hampshire. Sometime after his removal, Bautista-Arias unlawfully returned to the United States. In November 2018, Bautista-Arias was removed from the United States again following an illegal reentry conviction in the Northern District of Georgia.
Bautista-Arias unlawfully reentered the United States for a second time and in November 2022, he was arrested in Quincy for trafficking cocaine, possession to distribute methamphetamine, trafficking fentanyl and conspiracy to violate the controlled substance act. He was subsequently transferred into the custody of immigration authorities in June 2023.
The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan C. Cleary of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
District Man Sentenced to 35 Years for 2017 Murder and Participation in a Criminal Street GangRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Saquan Williams, 22, Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 35 years in prison for conspiracy, first-degree murder while armed, participation in a criminal street gang, and other charges for his role in a 2017 brazen shooting into a courtyard in the Potomac Gardens area of Southeast Washington. A jury found Williams guilty on July 18, 2022.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Pamela A. Smith, Acting Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
According to the government’s evidence, between May 2017 and October 2017, the defendant and others were members of a criminal street gang operating in the area of Wellington Park, within Washington, D.C. Williams, and others, were involved in a number of “beefs” with individuals from other areas of the city, many of which started as the result of petty feuds among local rival rap groups.
On Sept. 10, 2017, at approximately 6 p.m., as victim Carl Hardy was standing outside in the Potomac Gardens neighborhood, Williams and three others circled the neighborhood three times looking for individuals to target. On the fourth trip around the block, the vehicle stopped, and the driver paused to allow Williams and two other men to exit the vehicle armed with multiple weapons, to include an assault rifle. Williams and the two other shooters opened fire on the crowded courtyard, firing over 30 rounds and striking Mr. Hardy. The group then fled the scene.
Mr. Hardy, 24, was transported to the hospital where doctors operated multiple times in their efforts to save him. Ultimately, on Oct. 1, 2017, Mr. Hardy succumbed to his injuries. Shortly after Mr. Hardy’s death, an arrest warrant was obtained for Williams charging him with the murder. A second shooter, Quincy Garvin, also was arrested and convicted at trial. Garvin’s sentencing is scheduled for September 29, 2023.
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, the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force, and the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Chrisellen Kolb, Chief of the Appellate Division; Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Sellinger, Daniel Lenerz, and Sharon Donovan; Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Tasha Harris; Lead Paralegal Specialists Sharon Newman and Meridith McGarrity; Former Paralegal Specialist Stephanie Siegerist; Supervisory Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Clark; Witness Security Specialist Ashli Tolbert; Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling; Litigation Technology Specialist Claudia Gutierrez; Supervisory Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington; Victim/Witness Services Coordinators LaJune Thames and Maenylie Watson; and Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Jackson and former Assistant U.S. Attorney John Timmer, who investigated and indicted the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura Bach and Lindsey Merikas who prosecuted the case.
Convicted Felon Is Sentenced to Prison for Illegal Possession of A FirearmRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Jeremy Isaih Perdue, 36, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 48 months in prison for illegal possession of a firearm, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Alicia Jones, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings, of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to court records, on May 19, 2021, CMPD officers saw Perdue selling drugs in a parking lot in Charlotte. CMPD officers approached Perdue. After a brief struggle, Perdue was detained. During the struggle, the officers observed a firearm tucked in Perdue’s waistband. The officers removed the firearm, which was a semiautomatic pistol loaded with five rounds of ammunition. In addition to the firearm, law enforcement also seized from Perdue and his vehicle methamphetamine, cocaine, and more than $1,100 in cash. Perdue has prior felony convictions and he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
Purdue pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Today, he was sentenced by the Honorable Kenneth D. Bell, who ordered Perdue to serve three years of supervised released following completion of his prison term.
U.S. Attorney King thanked the ATF and CMPD for their investigation of the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Taylor G. Stout, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Convicted Felon Indicted for Possessing A Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Sherron Gary (40, Tampa) with possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. If convicted, Gary faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years, and up to a life, in federal prison.
According to the indictment, on April 9, 2023, Gary possessed a Walther Creed 9mm semiautomatic pistol, 12 rounds of Blazer 9mm ammunition, 1 round of Starline 9mm ammunition, and 1 round of Sig 9mm ammunition. Gary has multiple prior felony convictions, including aggravated battery and armed burglary of a dwelling, trafficking of cocaine, delivery of cocaine, and delivery of cocaine within 1,000 feet of a church, and is therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Tampa Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Nebesky.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case 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.
Clay County White Supremacist Gang Member and Keystone Heights Woman Indicted on Firearm and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Danny Ray Boree (38, Keystone Heights) and Angela Denee Lynch (47, Keystone Heights) with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession with the intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine. Boree has also been charged with possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Boree and Lynch each face a minimum mandatory term of 5 years, and up to 40 years, in federal prison for each of the drug offenses. Boree faces up to 15 years’ imprisonment for the firearm offense. The indictment also notifies Boree and Lynch that the United States intends to forfeit a Raven Arms pistol traceable to the firearm offense. Boree was arrested on September 8, 2023, and ordered detained. Lynch was arrested on September 11, 2023.
According to the indictment and court proceedings, Boree is a member of The Unforgiven, a violent white supremacy gang. From an unknown date, but at least through June 2023, Boree and Lynch conspired to possess and distribute methamphetamine. On June 8, 2023, Boree and Lynch possessed with the intent to distribute over 5 grams of methamphetamine and Boree also possessed a firearm. At the time of the drug offenses, Boree had previously been convicted in state court in Florida of 10 felonies, including battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting an officer with violence, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon (2007, 2019). As a convicted felon, Boree is prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law. Boree had been released from the Florida Department of Corrections in January 2023 for his last firearm conviction.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Jacksonville Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein. The forfeiture will be handled by Assistant United States Attorney Mai Tran.
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.
Citrus Springs Man Sentenced to Thirty Years in Federal Prison for Producing Child Sex Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Dustin Shane Sandiford (31, Citrus Springs) to 30 years in federal prison for production of child sex abuse material. Sandiford had pleaded guilty on September 3, 2021.
According to court documents and testimony, agents seized a cellphone from Sandiford on December 2, 2020. The phone contained a cloud storage application tied to accounts Sandiford used to hoard more than 17,000 images and videos of child sex abuse. Further investigation revealed that Sandiford had enlisted another Citrus County resident to create child sex abuse images of an underaged relative and then send the images to Sandiford. This material was also found on one of Sandiford’s cloud storage accounts.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Canton Man Convicted of Sex Trafficking a MinorRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Canton man was convicted today by a federal jury in Boston of sex trafficking a minor who had been reported missing.
Keion Rowell, 24, was convicted following a four-day jury trial of one count of sex trafficking of a child. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for Dec. 11, 2023. Rowell was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in April 2022 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2022.
“Justice was delivered today. Mr. Rowell preyed on a vulnerable 15-year-old girl, grooming her and then trafficking her and pocketing the money. This conduct is despicable and has no place in a civilized society. This prosecution should send an unmistakable message that this office and our law enforcement partners are dedicating all the resources needed to make sure predators like Mr. Rowell will face the full weight of the law,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Sex trafficking causes immeasurable physical and long-term emotional suffering, and this office will continue to work tirelessly to seek justice for the brave survivors.”
“Keion Rowell forced a 15-year-old child into sexual servitude, for his own greed and financial gain,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “While FBI Boston’s Child Exploitation – Human Trafficking Task Force can’t erase the harm he’s done, we’ve made him answer for it. We thank the jury for bringing justice for his victim and ensuring Mr. Rowell can’t claim anymore.”
According to evidence presented at trial, on or about Jan. 18, 2021, Rowell met the 15-year-old victim, who had recently run away from home. Almost immediately, Rowell created and posted numerous online commercial sex advertisements that contained photos of the victim, including nude photos, and told her that she would have to engage in prostitution. Rowell then communicated with sex buyers and sent the victim to meet with those men to have sex in exchange for money he kept. On Jan. 28, 2021, approximately 10 days after the victim had been reported missing, law enforcement participated in an undercover operation to rescue her. When she was recovered, the victim had Rowell’s phone which contained photos of the victim, photos of Rowell and information about his personal bank accounts, links to online advertisements for commercial sex and communications with sex buyers.
If you or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking, please contact [email protected].
The charge of sex trafficking of a child carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, with a maximum sentence of up to life in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy and FBI SAC Cohen made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office; the Boston and Belmont Police Departments; and the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian A. Fogerty of the Civil Rights & Human Trafficking Unit and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyssa Tochka are prosecuting the case.
Cogan Station Man Indicted on Tax ChargesRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that James Michael Barr, age 68, of Cogan Station, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on federal tax charges.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Barr, as the owner of Barr Construction, failed to withhold payroll taxes from his employees from 2017 through 2020, and failed to pay these taxes to the Internal Revenue Service.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is five years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
Brevard County Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Distributing Fentanyl and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Marquis Terrell Bryant (32, Brevard County) to 10 years in federal prison for distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine. Bryant had pleaded guilty on June 14, 2023.
According to court documents, between November 30, 2022, and January 31, 2023, Bryant sold drugs on six different occasions to a confidential source working with the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Palm Bay Police Department. In total, Bryant was responsible for distributing 111.23 grams of fentanyl and 276.3 grams of pure methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Palm Bay Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.
Box Elder man sentenced to prison for assaulting and strangling partner on Rocky Boy’s Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — Alex George Deserly, 43, of Box Elder, was sentenced today after admitting to an assault charge for strangling a woman on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris sentenced Deserly to 30 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release. The defendant pleaded guilty to assault resulting in substantial bodily injury to an intimate partner in April 2023.
The government alleged in court documents that on June 25, 2022, medical personnel and law enforcement responded to the victim’s home for a report of a domestic assault. Deserly had left the home prior to the police arriving. The victim told law enforcement that she had confronted Deserly over messages she had seen and asked him how long he had been using methamphetamine. Deserly grabbed the victim, shoved her into a wall and strangled her. The victim tried to escape, but Deserly continued to assault and strangle her until he eventually stopped. The victim was treated for injuries.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica A. Betley prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Rocky Boy’s Police Department.
Boston Man Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Trafficking FentanylRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced today in connection with distributing multiple kilograms of fentanyl, including thousands of counterfeit fentanyl pills, to a cooperating source.
Luis Sonier Bautista Moreta, 27, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to four years in prison and three years of supervised release. In May 2023, Bautista pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Bautista’s relative negotiated two sales of fentanyl to an undercover officer. Bautista handled the sales transactions, which took place on Oct. 22, 2021, in Attleboro and on Nov. 1, 2021, in Dorchester. Both times, Bautista entered the car of a cooperating source acting on behalf of the undercover officer and delivered fentanyl. The first transaction involved one kilogram of fentanyl and 6,000 counterfeit pills containing fentanyl; the second transaction involved an additional kilogram of fentanyl. Bautista’s relative arranged for Bautista to sell 1,000 more pills to the undercover officer on Nov. 5, 2021, but Bautista left before completing the deal. On Nov. 10, 2021, a search of Bautista’s residence resulted in the seizure of 1,000 pills containing fentanyl.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Boston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
Arrest and Arraignment in 10-Year Old Cold CaseRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Samuel Sampson Peaks, 35, of Bowie, Maryland, was arraigned today on charges stemming from a 2013 cold case involving an armed sexual assault of a stranger, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
According to court documents, on February 12, 2013, Peaks encountered the victim, who was a stranger to him, at the Minnesota Ave. Metro station at approximately 6:00 a.m. He followed her and eventually brandished a handgun and forced her to perform a sexual act. After the assault was over, the victim immediately called police, who responded and recovered evidence. The evidence was timely tested for DNA in 2013 and resulted in a mixture of DNA from the victim and an unknown male. In 2020, the defendant was arrested for an unrelated crime in Prince George’s County, Maryland, at which time his DNA was collected and entered into CODIS, ultimately matching the DNA profile obtained from the evidence in the armed sexual assault case.
On March 10, 2022, a District of Columbia Superior Court Grand Jury returned an indictment charging Peaks in the cold case with one count of first degree sexual abuse while armed with aggravating circumstances. On February 17, 2023, the defendant was sentenced to a period of incarceration after conviction in the Prince George’s County case. Peaks was brought to D.C. and arraigned on the sexual assault indictment on September 14, 2023.
If convicted of the D.C. sexual assault, Peaks faces a maximum sentence of up to life in prison, a possible fine of up to $125,000, no less than five years of supervised release, and would be required to register as a sex offender for life.
This case was brought as part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia’s Cold Case Sexual Assault Initiative and investigated by MPD’s Sexual Assault Unit. In February 2018, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia created the Cold Case Sexual Assault Initiative, designed to work with law enforcement partners to reinvestigate, solve and bring charges in previously unsolved cases of sexual assault against adults and juveniles. The Cold Case Initiative works with the MPD, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshals Service, and state and local law enforcement agencies in the DMV area.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Zubrensky.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Antrim Man Indicted for Faking Disability to Get Veterans Benefits for Almost 20 YearsRead the Press Release
CONCORD – An Antrim man was indicted in connection to fraudulently receiving veteran disability benefits, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Christopher Stultz, 49, was indicted on one count of making False Statements to the Department of Veterans Affairs. Stultz will appear in federal court in Concord at a later date.
According to the charging documents, between January 2003 and December 2022, Stultz falsely represented to the Department of Veterans Affairs that he was unable to use both his feet, thus obtaining veteran disability benefits that he was not entitled to for almost two decades.
The charge of False Statements provides for a sentence of up to 5 years in prison, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The Department of Veterans Affairs’ Office of the Inspector General led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Wednesday 13 September 2023
Youth Pastor Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Nathan L. Rogers, 39, of East Aurora, NY, pleaded guilty before Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny to attempted receipt of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a fine of $250,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Bonanno, who is handling the case, stated that in July 2019, at Darien Lake Park in Genesee County, NY, Rogers, a church youth pastor, set up iPhones in his camper to surreptitiously record, for the purposes of his own sexual gratification, nude images of a minor victim. Shortly after setting up the phones, Rogers invited the minor victim to change out of her bathing suit in his camper. She agreed and, as she changed, the iPhones recorded nude images. After changing, the minor victim noticed the phones recording her. She seized the iPhones, attempted to delete the videos, and then reported the incident to authorities. Responding law enforcement officers detained and questioned Rogers. Subsequently, nude images of the minor victim were located on the phones.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, and the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of William A. Sheron, Jr.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 13, 2023, before Judge Skretny.
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West Virginia man sentenced for methamphetamine and firearms chargesRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Hugh Kendall Shumaker, age 64, of Augusta, West Virginia, was sentenced to thirteen years in federal prison for methamphetamine trafficking and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Shumaker, also known as “Kenny,” was identified during an investigation as a source of crystal methamphetamine for other distributors in Hampshire County and elsewhere. Officers conducted a search of his home and found methamphetamine, 31 firearms, ammunition, drug paraphernalia, and cash.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided
Wayland Woman Sentenced for Role in Physical Therapy Clinic Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Wayland woman was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for her role in a scheme to defraud multiple insurance providers for physical therapy services that were not provided to patients.
Anna Barenboym, 47, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to one year of probation with one month of home confinement. Barenboym was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $648,852. In March 2022, Barenboym pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud. Barenboym was indicted in February 2021 along with co-defendants Gyulnara Bayryshova, Slava Pride and Raya Bagardi.
Barenboym was a licensed physical therapist employed at Brighton Physical Therapy (BPT), a physical therapy clinic owned by Bayryshova. Pride and Bagardi were also employed at BPT as licensed physical therapist assistants. From October 2018 through June 2020, Barenboym and her co-defendants conspired to cause an insurance company to reimburse them for physical therapy services that were not actually provided and/or were not medically necessary and, in some cases, were provided by individuals not licensed to provide the services. Specifically, Barenboym and her co-defendants falsely billed for services purportedly rendered to patients injured in automobile accidents when the services were not actually provided. BPT paid patients for referrals, referred patients to attorneys to assist with patients’ insurance settlements and accepted kickbacks from those attorneys in return.
On July 12, 2023, Pride was sentenced to two years in prison, two years of supervised release and was ordered to pay restitution of over $2.3 million. On July 19, 2023, Bagardi was sentenced to two years of supervised release, with the first year to be spent in home confinement and was also ordered to pay restitution of over $2.3 million. On July 26, 2023, Bayryshova was sentenced to three years in prison and two years of supervised release. Bayryshova was also ordered to pay restitution of $7,383,756 and forfeiture of $7,834.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Anthony DiPaolo, Chief of Investigations of the Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; and Quincy Police Chief Paul Keenan made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura J. Kaplan of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
Washington Man Sentenced for Bringing Box of Molotov Cocktails to Protest March in Summer 2020Read the Press Release
A Washington man was sentenced today in the U.S. District Court in Seattle to 40 months in prison for his role in a plot to burn the Seattle Police Officers Guild (SPOG) building in downtown Seattle in September 2020.
According to court documents, Justin Christopher Moore, 35, of Renton, made and carried a box of 12 Molotov cocktails in a protest march to the Seattle Police Officers Guild building on Labor Day, Sept. 7, 2020. Ultimately, the marchers were moved away from the building in downtown Seattle. Police smelled gasoline and grew concerned about the intentions of protestors. The box containing the 12 gasoline devices was found in the parking lot next to the SPOG building. Using video from that day and from other protests, as well as information from the electronic devices of other co-conspirators, Moore was confirmed as the person seen carrying the box of destructive devices.
In June 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Moore’s residence. They seized clothing that is consistent with the images of what Moore was wearing when he carried the Molotov cocktails. From the basement storage area, they also recovered numerous items that are consistent with manufacturing explosive devices. Law enforcement recovered a notebook in which Moore had made entries related to the manufacturing of destructive devices and the ingredients necessary.
In asking for a 41-month sentence, Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Greenberg for the Western District of Washington noted that carrying and leaving the box of explosive bottles was inherently dangerous. “Moore’s offense was extremely dangerous and created a substantial risk of injury to numerous bystanders…. Moore carried the box of 12 Molotov cocktails in a crowd of over 1,000 people who were participating in the protest march. All of them were in harm’s way if one of the devices had exploded.”
The FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) and the Seattle Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Greenberg for the Western District of Washington prosecuted the case, with valuable assistance provided by the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
Warren County Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Peter Bratis, age 43, of Chestertown, New York, pled guilty today to possessing child pornography.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.
Bratis admitted to using a Google Drive account to store images depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct between February 24, 2021 and August 4, 2022.
Bratis, who has a prior conviction for rape in the second degree, for which he is a registered sex offender, faces at least 10 years and up to 20 years in prison, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life, when Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes sentences him on January 12, 2024. 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. Bratis would also have to continue to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
HSI investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emmet O’Hanlon and Joseph Hartunian prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and is designed to marshal federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
United States Attorney Will Thompson Celebrates Funding Awarded to West Virginia for Community Responses to Gender-Based ViolenceRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – In commemoration of the 29th anniversary of the original enactment of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), the Justice Department announced today nearly $193 million in formula and discretionary grant awards to support crucial services and justice responses for survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, including $1,325,997 for West Virginia.
For nearly three decades, VAWA has provided the tools and resources to protect and serve survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. To commemorate the 29th anniversary of VAWA, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia is proud to announce that the Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) awarded $1,325,997 to Justice and Community Services, part of the West Virginia Department of Homeland Security.
“This office remains steadfast in its commitment to target these crimes and support survivors,” Thompson said. “Because Justice and Community Services acts as the State Administering Agency (SAA) for the grant program, this vital funding will benefit effective programs and services throughout West Virginia.”
VAWA’s signature program is the STOP (Services - Training - Officers - Prosecutors) Violence Against Women Formula Grants Program, which awards funds to every U.S. state and territory to promotes a coordinated community response among law enforcement, prosecution, courts, victim services organizations, and other community services to ensure the safety of survivors. OVW is awarding $1,325,997 under the STOP Program to West Virginia to enhance the capacity for communities across the country to develop programs to end gender-based violence and hold offenders accountable.
“Prior to the enactment of VAWA, survivors were primarily left to fend for themselves, often cycling in and out of dangerous environments with little help from legal systems or service providers,” OVW Director Rosie Hidalgo said. “VAWA has changed this landscape by supporting a coordinated community response to address domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking in a more comprehensive manner. It emphasizes survivor-centered, trauma-informed, and community-based approaches and ensures that services are available across every state and territory.”
OVW provides leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to reduce violence through implementing VAWA and subsequent legislation. Created in 1995, OVW administers financial and technical assistance to communities nationwide that are developing programs, policies, and practices to end domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. In addition to overseeing federal grant programs, OVW undertakes initiatives in response to special needs identified by communities facing acute challenges. Learn more at www.justice.gov/ovw.
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.
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U.S. Attorney’s office for the Northern District of Georgia celebrates funding awarded for legal services and improved court responses to domestic and sexual violenceRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is proud to announce that the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) awarded $2,450,000 to provide legal services and improve the effective coordination of justice systems impacting survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking.
“Congress passed the Violence Against Women Act in 1994 to catalyze federal efforts to combat crimes against women associated with domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and other offenses. I am pleased to announce that our district has been awarded funding from the Office on Violence Against Women to provide critical resources to improve the coordination of these investigations,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Our office is proud to partner with each of the recipients of these grants and dedicated to collaborating even more closely with these organizations, and others, to combat the scourge of domestic violence to make our communities safer.”
“The Legal Assistance for Victims Grant, in conjunction with the Justice for Families Program and the Domestic Violence Mentor Court Technical Assistance Initiative, serve as a powerful multi-pronged strategy to transform the justice system’s approach to supporting families affected by violence,” stated OVW Director Rosemarie Hidalgo. “These grants enhance court-related programs, trauma-informed training, and resources, while also providing victims with specialized legal support. This includes assistance with securing protective orders and navigating complex family law matters. Collectively, these grants advance a more comprehensive approach, aimed at ensuring that survivors and their families don't merely navigate our legal system, but genuinely find a path to justice and safety.”
The need for specialized legal services is both urgent and essential for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. These services provide interventions, such as securing restraining or protective orders, that are crucial for survivor safety.
• OVW awarded $1,350,000 under the Legal Assistance for Victims (LAV) Program to the Northern District of Georgia. The LAV Program addresses the legal needs of survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking.
• OVW awarded $400,000 under the Expanding Legal Services Initiative (ELSI) to the Northern District of Georgia. ELSI, which operates under the LAV Program, supports developing new legal services programs.
• OVW awarded $700,000 under the Justice for Families (JFF) Program to the Northern District of Georgia. The JFF Program aims to improve the capacity of communities and courts to respond to families impacted by violence.
OVW provides leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to reduce violence through implementing VAWA and subsequent legislation. Created in 1995, OVW administers financial and technical assistance to communities nationwide that are developing programs, policies, and practices to end domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. In addition to overseeing federal grant programs, OVW undertakes initiatives in response to special needs identified by communities facing acute challenges. Learn more at www.justice.gov/ovw.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office conducts training for local law enforcement officers on federal domestic violence topics, including through the Georgia Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar (FBI GA LEEDS). Our office has implemented two case referral programs with the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office and at the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office. Through these strategic enforcement initiatives, we expect to identify and prosecute the most serious perpetrators of domestic violence – including offenders who use and possess firearms, which greatly increases the risk of serious injury or death to the victim.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
U.S. Attorney Announces Charges Against Five Individuals for over $20 Million Health Care Fraud, Money Laundering, and Kickbacks SchemeRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Naomi Gruchacz, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”), announced the unsealing today of a Superseding Indictment charging acupuncturists JUNYI LIU, a/k/a “Jenny,” and HONGXING WANG, as well as physical therapists JONATHAN LAQUI and MITZY BALDOVINO and insurance company employee VICTOR MAN, a/k/a “Mr. Wen,” with operating an over $20 million health care fraud scheme at medical offices in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens (the “Offices”). As part of the fraud scheme, MAN referred patients to the Offices in exchange for kickbacks and also assisted in paying kickbacks to the patients (the “Paid Patients”), who were insured by Medicare and/or other insurance providers (collectively, the “Insurance Providers”). The defendants and their co-conspirators then billed the Insurance Providers for physical therapy and acupuncture services that were unnecessary or never performed. LIU was additionally charged with unlawfully enriching herself and a family member through a COVID-19 unemployment benefit scheme.
LIU and WANG were previously indicted and arrested on these charges in September 2021. LAQUI, BALDOVINO, and MAN were arrested earlier today and presented and arraigned this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Laura Taylor Swain.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “The defendants allegedly perpetrated a lucrative scheme in which they fraudulently billed for physical therapy and acupuncture services that were never rendered. Thanks to our law enforcement partners and the dedicated work of the prosecutors of this Office, the defendants are now facing an array of serious charges in federal court.”
HHS-OIG Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz said: “Health care providers who submit fraudulent claims to federally funded insurance plans and bribe patients to participate in kickback schemes put health care benefits for older people and vulnerable populations at risk. HHS-OIG will continue to hold accountable individuals who exploit federal health care programs for their own greed.”
As alleged in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:[1]
Between 2018 and 2021, JUNYI LIU, a licensed acupuncturist, operated the Offices from which LIU and her partners fraudulently billed the Insurance Providers for physical therapy and acupuncture services that were not rendered in the manner represented or not rendered at all. LIU partnered with other licensed medical professionals, including JONATHAN LAQUI and MITZY BALDOVINO, both of whom were licensed physical therapists, and HONGXING WANG, who was a licensed acupuncturist (collectively, the “Partners”). The Partners’ roles in the scheme typically included: (i) allowing the Offices to use their enrollments with the Insurance Providers to submit to the Insurance Providers materially false and fraudulent claims for reimbursement for physical therapy and acupuncture services; (ii) creating materially false medical documentation, which stated that certain physical therapy and acupuncture services had been rendered, when such services in fact were not rendered in the manner represented or were not rendered at all; and (iii) contributing financing for the Offices, including for the payment of cash kickbacks to the Paid Patients to induce those patients to provide their insurance information and receive medically unnecessary and/or non-existent services at the Offices.
In furtherance of the scheme, LIU paid cash kickbacks to MAN and others in exchange for recruiting and referring the Paid Patients, all beneficiaries of the Insurance Providers, to the Offices. The beneficiaries also received cash kickbacks, paid by MAN and others, in exchange for their insurance information and their signatures on sign-in sheets and other documents. In some instances, these Paid Patients visited the Offices, signed in, and received unnecessary physical therapy and acupuncture services. In other instances, the Paid Patients visited the Offices, signed a sign-in sheet and other documents, and then left without receiving any services at all. In yet other instances, the Paid Patients did not visit the Offices at all and instead signed sign-in sheets and other documents brought to them elsewhere by MAN and others. Regardless of whether the Paid Patients received any services or even visited the Offices at all, LIU and her co-conspirators used the Paid Patients’ insurance information to fraudulently bill the Insurance Providers for unnecessary and/or never rendered services.
While LIU and her co-conspirators were defrauding the Insurance Providers of millions of dollars, from April 2020 through September 2021, LIU also engaged in a scheme to obtain COVID-19 unemployment benefits for herself and a family member (the “Family Member”) by fraudulently submitting and causing to be submitted to the New York Department of Labor materially false online applications and certifications for COVID-19 benefits. Among other things, the applications and/or certifications represented that LIU was unemployed when, in fact, she continued to operate the Offices for all or nearly all of this period, and the applications and/or certifications represented that the Family Member was unable to work because of COVID-19 during a five-month period when the Family Member was in China.
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JUNYI LIU, 69, of Great Neck, New York, JONATHAN LAQUI, 46, of Rahway, New Jersey, MITZY BALDOVINO, 46, of the Bronx, New York, HONGXING WANG, 63, of Brooklyn, New York, and VICTOR MAN, 60, of Queens, New York, are all charged with conspiring to commit health care fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and conspiring to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. LIU, LAQUI, WANG, and MAN are also charged with conspiring to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute, which has a maximum penalty of five years in prison. LIU is additionally charged with wire fraud, which has a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and theft of Government funds, which has a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. MAN is further charged with violating the Anti-Kickback Statute, which has a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
The statutory maximum sentences are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants would be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of HHS-OIG’s New York Office and the New York Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation. Mr. Williams also thanked the New York State Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General for their assistance.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy V. Capozzi is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Superseding 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 constitutes only allegations, and every fact described herein should be treated as an allegation.
Syracuse Man Sentenced to 68 Months for Distributing Fentanyl and Unlawfully Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Prince Smith, age 22, of Syracuse, was sentenced today to serve 68 months in prison following his conviction for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, distributing and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, and using and carrying a firearm in furtherance of his drug distribution, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
As part of his prior guilty plea, Smith admitted that he distributed or intended to distribute approximately 19 grams of fentanyl. He also drove to a drug sale on February 18, 2021, with fentanyl inside the center console of his car sitting on top of a loaded 9mm handgun.
United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also sentenced Smith to a three-year term of supervised release to begin after he serves his term of imprisonment.
This case was investigated by ATF and the Syracuse Police Department-Criminal Intelligence Section. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Sutcliffe.
Suburban Chicago Man Sentenced to Six and a Half Years in Federal Prison for Dealing Drugs and Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago man has been sentenced to six and a half years in federal prison for dealing crack cocaine and illegally possessing a loaded handgun.
In 2020 and 2021, LARRY DENNIS conducted a drug-dealing operation from his residence in Markham, Ill. When a customer arrived outside of the home, Dennis would typically approach the customer or their vehicle to deliver baggies of narcotics in exchange for cash. In December 2020, Dennis pointed a gun at a man during a drug-debt dispute in the driveway of Dennis’s home.
Law enforcement in January 2021 conducted a court-authorized search of Dennis’s residence and discovered cocaine, marijuana, drug packaging materials, and a loaded handgun. Dennis had previously been convicted of multiple state felonies, including firearm offenses, and was not lawfully allowed to possess the gun.
Dennis, 39, pleaded guilty earlier this year to a federal drug charge. U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman imposed the sentence Monday after a hearing in federal court in Chicago.
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and Daniel Delaney, Chief of the Midlothian, Ill., Police Department. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Markham Police Department, Dolton, Ill., Police Department, and Orland Park, Ill., Police Department. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Saurish Appleby-Bhattacharjee.
Strawberry Point Man Charged with Possession of A FirearmRead the Press Release
Scott Wesley Timmerman, age 56, from Strawberry Point, Iowa, has been charged with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of possession of a short-barreled shotgun in violation of federal law. The charges are contained in an Indictment unsealed on September 12, 2023, in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids.
The Indictment alleges that, on or about May 31, 2023, Timmerman was found in possession of a short-barreled Winchester shotgun and the firearm was not registered to him in the federal registry. The indictment also alleges Timmerman had two prior felony convictions from Arizona.
If convicted on all charges, Timmerman faces a possible maximum sentence of 25 years’ imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
Timmerman appeared on September 12, 2023, in federal court in Cedar Rapids and was held pending a detention hearing scheduled for September 15, 2023. Timmerman’s trial is set for November 13, 2023.
As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Reinert and was investigated by the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, Clayton County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-02054. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Stephens County Woman Pleads Guilty to Child Abuse in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Earlier this week, CAITLYN CHEYENNE DOWNS, 24, of Stephens County, pleaded guilty to child abuse in Indian Country, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On December 7, 2022, a federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment against Downs, charging her with murder in the second degree and two counts of child abuse. The indictment alleges that between May 11, 2022, and September 20, 2022, Downs willfully failed to protect two minor children from harm or threatened harm and that Downs was responsible for the health, safety, and welfare of the children. The harm resulted in the death of one of the children.
On August 29, 2023, Downs was charged by a one-count Superseding Information with child abuse.
At a hearing on Monday, September 11, 2023, before United States District Judge Stephen P. Friot, Downs pleaded guilty to the single-count Superseding Information. At the hearing, Downs admitted that she was responsible for the health, safety, and welfare of the minor children and failed to protect them from harm to their health and safety.
This case is in federal court because Downs is a citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and the alleged crime occurred within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation.
At sentencing, Downs faces up to life in federal prison and a fine of up to $5,000.00. As part of a plea agreement, the government has agreed to dismiss the Indictment at sentencing, based on her guilty plea to the Superseding Information. Sentencing will take place in approximately 90 days.
This case is a result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office and the Duncan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Edgmon and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaleigh Blackwell are prosecuting the case.
Reference is made to public filings for more information.
St. Louis Man Admits Involvement in Armed Carjackings, Jail Escape and Fatal Shooting of De Smet High School Football CoachRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis, Missouri pleaded guilty Wednesday to four counts of carjacking, two counts of discharging a firearm in furtherance of carjacking, one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of carjacking resulting in death and one count of escape.
Kurt Wallace, 30, appeared today before U.S. District Judge Ronnie L. White, who set Wallace’s sentencing for Dec. 12, 2023.
According to the plea agreement, on Sept. 16, 2017, Wallace carjacked the driver of a 2005 Chevrolet Monte Carlo in the 300 block of Walsh in the St. Louis. During the carjacking, Wallace shot the driver in the shoulder.
On Oct. 15, 2017, Wallace carjacked a Cadillac CTS in the 5800 block of Kennerly in St. Louis. During the carjacking, Wallace shot the driver in the leg.
The next day, Wallace was involved in the armed carjacking of a Jeep Grand Cherokee being driven by Jaz Granderson, a football coach at De Smet Jesuit High School. Wallace fatally shot Granderson during the carjacking.
Wallace was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2017 and detained in jail pending trial. While in custody, Wallace escaped from a jail on July 15, 2019. After escaping, Wallace and fellow inmate James Flannel carjacked a vehicle and led police on a multi-jurisdiction pursuit until Wallace crashed and flipped the vehicle.
As part of the plea, both sides have agreed to recommend a sentence of 60 years in federal prison.
Wednesday’s guilty pleas conclude a joint investigation by the Saint Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives into a series of violent crimes committed by Wallace and others during the fall of 2017. Wallace is the seventh individual convicted in connection with that investigation; the others include Floyd Barber, 28, Jherrica Dixon, 30, James Flannel, 43, Jerell Henderson, 33, Larenta Jones, 30, and Stephan Jones, 33.
Flannel was sentenced in November 2021 to life in prison for the fatal carjacking of Boris Iouioukine, a Laclede Cab Company driver on June 25, 2018. He awaits sentencing on the escape and carjacking.Dixon pleaded guilty May 22, 2019 to eight felonies: four counts of carjacking, three counts of discharge and brandishing of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and one count of discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence resulting in death. She admitted setting up a series of meetings with men so that they could be carjacked by her then-boyfriend Wallace and others. On Aug. 14, 2017, Wallace and others carjacked a 2017 Dodge Charger in the 800 block of Gustav Avenue in St. Louis. Dixon also admitted setting up the Sept. 16 and Oct. 15 carjackings and the carjacking of Granderson.
Barber pleaded guilty June 4, 2019 to two counts of carjacking, one count of discharge and brandishing of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and one count of discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence resulting in death. He admitted the Sept. 9, 2017 carjacking of a Kia Optima in St. Louis and admitted participating in the carjacking of Granderson and the fatal drug robbery of Ladareace Pool, 26, in the 4700 block of Goodfellow Avenue on Oct. 3, 2017.
The sentencing hearings for Dixon and Barber are pending. Dixon faces a mandatory minimum of 27 years in prison for just three of the charges. Both sides have agreed to recommend 30 years in prison for Barber.
U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey sentenced Henderson on Aug. 23, 2022 to 42 ½ years in prison for Pool’s robbery and murder. Larenta Jones was sentenced to 30 years in prison and Stephan Jones, the driver the day of Pool’s murder, was sentenced to five years in prison on a drug charge.
“ATF has no higher priority than working with our law enforcement partners to investigate and ultimately, bring to justice those who inflict violence on our communities and in our neighborhoods,” said Bernard Hansen, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Kansas City Field Division. “As this case so clearly demonstrates, we will continue to use our investigative expertise, and strong partnership with the men and women of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department to ensure that St. Louis is a safer place to live and work.”
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating this case with assistance provided by the U.S. Marshals Service, the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department, the Troy Police Department, the Saint Ann Police Department and the Saint Louis County Police Department.South Carolina Woman Who Coordinated Drug Deals with Prison Inmate Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Evin Rae Davenport (32, Greenwood, South Carolina) today pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and possess with the intent to distribute, 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. Davenport’s co-defendant, Zachariah Luke, pleaded guilty to the same charge on August 16, 2023. Both Davenport and Luke face minimum mandatory terms of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison.
According to Davenport’s plea agreement, in November 2021, Luke was serving a prison sentence in South Carolina. Using contraband cellphones, Luke communicated with Davenport who assisted him in acquiring and selling illegal drugs on the street. Receiving direction from Luke, Davenport delivered drugs three times to a Florida-based drug dealer, including approximately one kilogram of methamphetamine that she supplied to him outside of a department store in South Carolina.
Once Davenport delivered the kilogram of methamphetamine, the dealer returned to Florida. In St. Augustine, Florida, a deputy observed a traffic offense and signaled the dealer to pull over. The dealer initially appeared to be looking for a place to stop, but instead accelerated and raced down the streets of a residential neighborhood. A police helicopter tracked the speeding car, and the pilot observed an object being thrown from the car and directed another deputy to that specific location. Following the directions of the pilot, the deputy found a backpack on the side of the road. Inside, the deputy found approximately 985.6 grams of crystal methamphetamine that laboratory testing would later show was 100% pure.
After attempting to dispose of the drugs, the dealer continued to drive, but eventually reached a dead end. He then abandoned the car to hide in a nearby wooded area but was located and arrested. After that arrest, correctional officers in South Carolina seized multiple cellphones from Luke, which he was prohibited from possessing in prison. Investigators searched those phones and recovered text communications with both Davenport and the Florida-based dealer, concerning when, where, and from whom drugs were to be supplied and delivered.
This case was investigated by the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the South Carolina Department of Corrections, the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office, the Aiken Department of Public Safety, the North Augusta Department of Public Safety, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Coolican.
Shreveport Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of a Machine GunRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Tydarrien T. Porter, 21, of Shreveport, has been sentenced for possession of a machine gun, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. sentenced Porter to 84 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
According to evidence presented to the court, on April 13, 2022, an officer with the Shreveport Police Department conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle being driven by Porter. The officer observed Porter leaning down as if to place or reach for something under the driver’s seat. Another officer made contact with the other occupants of the vehicle on the passenger side and observed a firearm in the back seat between the legs of a male passenger in the back seat of the vehicle. Two females were also in the vehicle. The officer ordered the occupants to exit the vehicle and a search was conducted. Officers located a second firearm in front of where one of the female occupants was sitting. In addition, officers seized 23 grams of marijuana found under the driver’s seat. In all, three firearms were found and seized, a Joe Bob Outfitters AR pistol, a Draco pistol, and a Glock pistol. The Joe Bob Outfitters AR pistol was found to have a drop-in auto sear inserted inside, a device which converted the pistol into a machine gun.
Porter admitted to officers that the AR pistol and marijuana found inside the car belonged to him. A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging him with possession of a machine gun and Porter pleaded guilty to the charge on April 3, 2023.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Shreveport Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Aaron Crawford.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana recently notified the public through a Public Service Announcement (PSA) that there is a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to persons found with Glock switches, auto sears, or firearms containing either. This PSA can be viewed on the district’s YouTube page at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAICRba4034.
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Puerto Rico Woman Admits Trafficking Cocaine on Flight to ConnecticutRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that HECMARIELIZ CRUZ-ACEVEDO, 24, of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to a cocaine trafficking offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 9, 2021, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) received information from U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors at San Juan International Airport that Cruz-Acevedo had boarded a flight to Baltimore-Washington International Airport, with a final destination of Bradley International Airport, and had checked a piece of luggage that contained five rectangular-shaped objects consistent with narcotics packages. After the flight landed at Bradley Airport, a Connecticut State Police canine detected the presence of narcotics in the checked bag. Investigators stopped Cruz-Acevedo when she retrieved the bag at baggage claim. She was arrested after a search of the bag revealed five individual parcels, each containing slightly more than one kilogram of cocaine, located between articles of clothing.
Cruz-Acevedo pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
Cruz-Acevedo is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing, which is not scheduled.
This matter has been investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Connecticut State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel J. Gentile.
Pontotoc County Resident Pleads Guilty to Failing to Register as A Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Donald Lamond Washington, age 40, of Ada, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.
According to U.S. Marshals, Washington, a convicted sex offender, failed to alert authorities to his presence in the Eastern District of Oklahoma as required by law. Washington, who received a felony conviction in the State of Texas in January 2023 for Indecency with a Child, knowingly failed to register in the State of Oklahoma despite traveling from Texas and residing in the state from January 2023 until his arrest on June 22, 2023.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service.
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea in Muskogee and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Mapp will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending sentencing.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Genevieve A. Ozark represented the United States.
Pinedale Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Sexual AbuseRead 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 today that Sheldon Livingston was sentenced to 12 years in prison. Livingston, 23, of Pinedale, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pled guilty to abusive sexual contact of a child under 12 on April 18, 2023.
According to court documents, in December 2020, Livingston engaged in a sexual act with a child who had not attained the age of 12. The victim disclosed the abuse to a forensic interviewer in April 2021. According to the victim, Livingston was told to stop, but he did not; instead, he told the victim to “be quiet.” The victim was eventually able to push Livingston off and run away. Following the incident, Livingston attempted to remain in contact with the victim, but they refused.
When confronted by police, Livingston downplayed his criminality, expressing he mainly just kissed and held hands with the victim, and that everything was done with consent. Livingston denied that the victim told him to stop but did admit that he told them not to tell anyone.
Upon his release from prison, Livingston will be subject to five years of supervised release. He must also register as a sex offender.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Zachary C. Jones is prosecuting the case.
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Piedmont Man Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Conspiracy to Distribute over 4,000 Grams of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA —Randy Kennedy, 35, of Piedmont, has pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Kennedy facilitated the mailing of over 4,000 grams of methamphetamine into South Carolina in 2019. Kennedy also instructed another person on how to carry out the methamphetamine business during the course of the conspiracy.
Kennedy faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $10,000,000, and a lifetime term of court-ordered supervision to follow his prison term.
United States District Judge Bruce H. Hendricks accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Kennedy after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and Greenville County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Lea Nabors Schoen is prosecuting the case.
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Orange County Man Convicted of Federal Child Pornography ViolationsRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Bridge City man has been convicted of federal child pornography violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today.
Dereck Wayne Winstead, 34, was found guilty by a jury of possession of child pornography following a trial before U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on September 12, 2023.
According to information presented in court, in 2020, federal agents received two cyber tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) with information that an individual in Orange County, Texas, had been accessing and possessing images of child pornography. An investigation revealed the accounts accessing the child pornography were connected to Winstead. On March 30, 2022, law enforcement officers conducted a consensual search at Winstead’s residence and located four electronic devices, including a custom-built gaming computer. A search of the custom-built gaming computer by a computer forensic analyst revealed over 300 images of child pornography including images of children under the age of 12.
Under federal statutes, Winstead faces up to 20 years in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States 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.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations Beaumont Resident Agency and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rachel Grove and Jonathan Lee.
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Omaha Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine Distribution and Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – On September 5, 2023, an Omaha man was sentenced to 132 months in federal prison for possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm as a prohibited person.
According to public court documents, in March 2023, Russell Paul Sorbello, 59, was found in possession of methamphetamine and cocaine during a traffic stop. In a subsequent search of Sorbello’s hotel room, law enforcement located additional drugs, including methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana. Officers also located a firearm in Sorbello’s possession.
Upon release from prison, Sorbello will serve a 5-year total term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force investigated 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. In May 2021, the Department of Justice 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.
Okmulgee County Resident Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child Sexual Exploitation MaterialRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Vince Harjo, age 35, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Possession of Material Involving Sexual Exploitation of a Child.
During the plea hearing, Harjo admitted to knowingly possessing material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Muscogee Nation Lighthorse Police.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea in Muskogee and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Harjo was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending sentencing.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Genevieve A. Ozark represented the United States.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the tab ‘Resources.’